A Nice Little Lump

Monday 17 December 1945

Manila 9:30 pm

 

Dear folks,

Just got back from the movie so I’ll bat out a sort of a letter. Not much to say for things today. I guess that is getting to be a standard line with me but it seems to be true most of the time. No mail today again. Nobody seems to be getting very much. Maybe the Xmas rush is holding things up a little. Last night after I wrote to you I went to the show and was really quite surprised at it. It was by far the best I have seen in a long time. They had a Philippino band with a couple girl singers and one man that were very good. It was the best band that I have heard since the Fort Sherman band in Panama last July. They were able to play everything from semi-classical stuff like “Tales from the Vienna Woods” to real hot American music. The singers didn’t have the native accent that most of them around here have either. I think all of us enjoyed it more than any sort of program they have yet gotten for us. There was one thirteen year old boy that played a violin who was the best I believe I have heard anywhere. After the show we had a movie “The True Glory” a picture put out by the army showing a full story of the war in Europe. It was very good and while it is for showing only to troops I think it would be a good thing for the civilian population to see also. Maybe they won’t forget the war quite so soon. A lot of them have forgotten it already particularly those who had no one in it. All they had to think of was rationing and inconveniences and now that most of that is all over they don’t care to hear any more about it. I hope this time the lesson will take because if I thought I or any of the ones that mean anything to me were to be exposed to this sort of thing again it would just about make life and any sort of planning a farce. The way the world is right now it could easily happen all over again and not take 20 years next time. If there ever is another one I don’t think any of us need expect to get through it. This probably sounds pretty odd coming from me but don’t think I don’t thank God for my getting through this one OK. When I think of what would probably have happened had I stayed in the 99^th, well I just quit thinking. Those boys were cut to ribbons practically in the bulge last winter. I never heard how the 393^rd came out but the 394^th was practically wiped out. That has been plenty of food for thought. Well enough of that.

Today nothing very important has happened. It looks as if in a week or so we will lose our 50 pointers. I hope so as I may be able to get something for myself when they leave. As for deactivation, we are just waiting for approval from Washington. I have my fingers crossed hoping it will hold off until the first of the year. By then we will be pretty close to the time when we can count of [on] going home before very long.

Tonight we say “Cowboy and the Lady” with Gary Cooper and Merle Oberon. It was a pretty good comedy and I enjoyed it a lot.

I’ve been doing a little figuring the last few days. Oh, I suppose I’m counting my mustering out pay before I get it but it still gives something to do. I expect to be discharged either in March or April depending on whether or not we are furloughed before we are discharged. Personally I’d just as soon get a 45 day furlough first as I could take it easy for a month or so and still draw pay and ration money besides. Anyway I’ll probably get about three months pay at one time because I don’t expect anything but part pays from here on out. In addition I’ll get $100 per month for 3 months after I get out so it should add up to about $500.00. That would be a nice little lump to start off on. I intend to discontinue my $50.00 dollar allotment the last of Jan. so you should get the last check about Feb. 5. That will make it come out even with 14 months of it. According to my calculations that should make a nice round sum starting with a 2. Am I right? Then with this GI bill of education I’d get $65.00 a month while going to school so I ought to be able to get along with plenty to spare. Of course everything is still in the thought stage but I better be back in school by next fall. My old class will graduate in June and I hope to be there to see it but I don’t imagine any one that I knew will be in it unless it is some girls or maybe Dick Hollingsworth. The rest of us have been slightly detained. We’ll see.

Well that is about all there is to say for tonight so I’ll be heading towards the mattress. Be seein’you,

Arlington