It Doesn’t Seem A Bit Like Xmas

Sat. 15 Dec. ‘45

Manila

 

Dear folks,

Sat. afternoon and things are fairly well cleared up for the week once more. This month is ½ gone already. They roll along fast now.

Not much new. We are to deactivate in about 2 weeks as near as we can tell. We are waiting for the orders. That will mean plenty of work for us and we’ll probably be here quite awhile after the others leave finishing things up. I just hope by then that we can catch an outfit heading for home. There is quite a tie up of troops out here now. The depots are filled with nearly 20,000 men but no transportation. They expect it to break in about 5 days.

Today I finally got the 2 Xmas packages and in good shape. Everything came through swell and even the cookies were quite soft yet and very good. It really made me feel good to get it. I’m going to enjoy the dates, raisins & that stuffed fruit. Thanks a lot.

Last night we saw “You Can’t Take it With You” a picture about 5 years old with Jim Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and several others. It was by far the best we’ve seen in a long time and I really enjoyed it. Tonight we have another Roy Rogers picture. Also tonight the battalion is throwing a dance on the basketball court. It might be quite nice if some of the hoodlums don’t mess things up. They have a band from the 86^th Division and have invited several American nurses and Red Cross girls. At least we’ll have some music and I can practically see the court from my tent. It probably will be the last thing of this nature the Bn. will do as it won’t be together much longer. The last one we had was in Maxey. They had a dance & party all set back in Gloucester. It was for a Tuesday night & the Monday before at about midnight we were leaving for Germany.

In my last letter I mentioned a picture and then forgot to put it in the envelope so if you are wondering where it went, well here it is.

From what we hear you are getting real winter back there. It doesn’t seem a bit like Xmas out here. This morning it felt more like April or May than Dec. It would seem good to see some snow again but we’d probably freeze to death.

Well that’s about it for today I guess. Thanks again for the packages. So long till next time,

Arlington