November 6, 1945 (to Marion Sneen)

Gifu, Japan

Nov. 6, 1945

Dear Marion –

Guess I shouldn’t be writing you at this moment cuz I’m really in a dark purple mood. Twelve of our high point officers went home this morning & here I still am – very lonely. The worst part about it is that I was supposed to be with them. When the order first came out it incl. all officers over 85 pts. – that was a week ago. Three days ago a phone call revoked that order & changed it to read, “those with 96 or over.” I have 89, so was left out. However I’m supposed to go anytime between now & the 15th of Nov. – all things being equal & all orders being unchanged. That ought to cheer me up I guess, but after coming so close & not making the “list” it’s kind of disheartening. Every day now seems like a month – even go to bed early nights to make ‘em fly by a little faster.

We landed at the docks of Nagoya about 8 days ago & went by truck to this spot. We are now quartered in huge hangars at the Kagamagara air field at Gifu. We officers are staying in buildings that were probably the Jap pilots quarters – they’re pretty nice. We have electricity, water, & heat. By the way that last item is a very important commodity around here. Gets so cold at night we sleep with wool sox on, under 5 or 6 GI blankets. (not to mention “long-johns.”)

I don’t feel like going into too many details about Japan, Marion, cuz it’ll be so much easier to tell you all about it when I get home. The place is badly burned and bombed wherever there are (or were) buildings. Nagoya & Gifu are both practically flattened. I predict there’ll be lots of cold & starving Japs this winter.

It’s amazing to see how cheerful & polite they act towards us in spite of all the hell they’ve been thru. They’re very cooperative & subservient – not one case of an uprising since we’ve been here. We have Nip houseboys that shine our shoes & do all the cleaning – also lots of Nips to do all the odd hobs around the battery.

We’ve taken over a beautiful resort hotel about 7 miles from here for an officers club. Have been going there about every couple days for a meal & some Jap beer (very good considering).

Your mail all caught me at once a few days after we’d landed – it was really swell to bask in all those letters. Was glad to hear that you’re out of the straight jacket & active again.

Yes, I’ve thought lots about my going back to school when I get home – right now, that is my plan. I probably won’t be there in time to start the winter quarter tho so will have to wait till next fall. Perhaps I’ll go to summer school in order not to waste too much valuable time.

Don’t let that new job get the better of you, Marion; it sounds like you’re having your troubles, but that’s what makes it fun. If it were too easy you’d be bored by now.

I see it’s about time for me to get shaved to go on O.D., so gotta say g’bye. Keep your doorbell in good workin’ order.

Love, Dip