Based on the letters of Earl Philip Reinhalter (1922-1953). Edited by his son, Earl Philip Reinhalter (1950-).


<- PREVIOUS LETTER August 18, 1944 (letter)
Saidor, New Guinea
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Aug. 18, 1944

Still somewhere in New Guinea

Hello Ma:

      Nothing much to write about. Am O.K. myself. Received three more bottles of beer. I went up this morning in a B-25 Mitchell bomber. It was a test hop, as we had just put on a new propeller. The old one was out of balance. Nothing unusual happened worth mentioning. Later on, I turned down another ride in it, as I had some work to do on my own airplane at the time. And too, I turned down a short ride around the field in my airplane this afternoon. Why? Well, a pilot was trying to fly it for the first time, having never flown anything but Piper Cubs in the last year or so. Well, it's beginning to look like football weather here with all of the tree leaves blowing around. At least football could be played back in the States under similar conditions. Still too hot here. You actually can't tell that the trees shed their leaves, as new ones grow in as fast as others fall off.

      A plane carrying mail crashed in the ocean somewhere between here and the next base south. Some of the boys lost their money orders. I guess that they'll get their money back though, as they still have their receipts. I believe, but am not real sure, that I lost a roll of films on it, as it has been some time since I sent it to Australia to be developed. One boy knows for sure that he lost four such film rolls. Maybe too, one of my letters to you was lost. Oh well, anyway I haven't been saying really anything important in my letters for the past few months. Yes sir, it's kind of hard trying to write a letter with nothing much of which to say. Did you get the Yank magazines yet? I have a couple more to send you. Enclosed, if the censor passes it, you will find a picture of a couple Jap prisoners and a Negro soldier guarding them. It was taken at this base in the "old" days. Also, here is a money-saving advertisement for the soldiers. A lot of guys play cards, you know, and 95% of the time it proves to be an expensive proposition for the participants. Yes sir, not for me. I still have last month's money to send you. The squadron designates that money orders be taken care of the first two or three days of each month, directly following payday, which is on the last day of each month, you see. As I was in the hospital with dengue fever at the time, I wasn't able to do just that. So, I'll have to wait until the beginning of next month, at which time I'll send that money plus that which I'll receive on the last of this month - so much for that.

      Well, things are beginning to look pretty good in France. Maybe the war in the European Theater will end soon. Then we'll be able to really take care of the Japs. Kind of quick like, you know. Well, that's about all for this letter. Hmm, a three-page letter has resulted. Pretty good, with nothing to say, at least I think so. And so, until next time -

Earl

P.S. Oh heck - can't think of what I was going to say. Maybe I'll think of it for the next letter. P.S.'s are funny things anyway. Don't you think so?

P.P.S. I do.


 
NOW AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK!

The Kindle book includes the letters; all 23 issues of the unit’s wartime newsletter “The Squadron Pulse,” which was originally edited by Leonard Stringfield; all 12 issues of the “Pennant Parade” newsletter that Stringfield published while sailing home after the war; complete text of the U.S. government booklet “Pocket Guide to Australia,” which soldiers heading Down Under were given to read; more than 200 photos; pre-war and postwar family history; and over 700 explanatory endnotes.















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