WW2 Chapter 69 - A USO Show

Letter of March 18 (censored)

3/18/45

Dear Mother,

    There was a U.S.O. [United Service Organizations] show here last evening. One girl sang and played an accordion; another tap-danced; and the third sang and danced. There were also two men; -- the "master of ceremonies" -- who was a rather good ventriloquist (alimony - taxation without representation; bachelor - one who thinks before he acts, and then doesn't act); and the other played various musical instruments (using a bow string, he played one song on a cross-cut saw).



Photo of a USO show

    Afterwards, there was a movie -- which was very poor; -- mostly about pregnant women and babies.

    We had a real New England thunderstorm last night. Saw some heavy clouds approaching when I was at the theatre -- but didn't think much about it until the thunder woke me.

    It has rained considerably this last week -- almost as bad as it was on [Leyte]. Don't ever want to go thru another operation like that one.

    This hospital has received a large supply of joke books. They were made by high school and grammar school kids of western states -- a Junior Red Cross of some sort. There are scrap books filled with cartoons -- and in some of them there are drawings made by 6, 7, and 8 year olds. Some of them are "house" pictures -- of children, the kitchen, the front porch, the wife baking a cake, etc. ---

Much love,

Franklin