WW2 Chapter 78 - News Reports



Letter of June 15

6/15/45

Dear Mother,

     We've been having some rather interesting newsreels, lately. Unfortunately, though, they are all four, five, and six months old.

     You might like to know a little something about our living conditions. We live in "20 man tents" -- which are 30 feet x 15 feet. Then there is one 15' x 15' that's for 8 men. This climate raises hell with them, and it's only a short while before they leak.

     Our showers are made from old oil drums -- these being "mounted" on top of an 8 foot framework. They are naturally filled by hand; -- the water comes from a hole behind the shower.

     A period of more than seven weeks without mail has ended -- received one letter. Except for a couple addressed to the hospital, your last letter (most recent one) was postmarked middle of March. Since the first week in September, I don't believe I've had mail on more than 20 separate days.
~~~~
     The reason eastern newspapers contain less news about the Pacific is because -- whether you believe it or not -- most of the people aren't interested in it. To them, the Pacific is just a poor "second feature". For proof -- the newspapers. All the large print concerned Europe -- I've seen them. I'll admit, though, that the liberation of Vienna, Paris, Rome, and Warsaw make much more attractive reading than the invasion of another goddamn island which nobody ever heard about. In the west, the people, for one reason or another, are more closely connected with the Pacific war -- and in the west coast newspapers, it's the Pacific war that hits the headlines.

Much love,
Franklin