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20 March 1945

Philippines

Dear Mrs. King,

Amidst confusion and noise I'll try to get a letter of to you. Yes, once
again I have moved andthis time it is to civilization--that is what is left of
it. I have reached one of the cities of importance in this campaign. I also
saw Batan and Coregidor fromthe air. Some day when the fighting ceases in this
area I hope to be able to visit those two islands.

I have been here a little over a week. I flew up from Hollandia on a C-47 --
quite a ride. I can now tell you where I was stationed for those 3 months in New
Guinea. I imagine you knowwhere I am now but censorship won't permit us to write
it on our letters.

I see General MacArthur almost every day--his office is located right near
ours. He always returns our salute and gives us a big smile. Filipinos line up
outside the office and wait for hours to catch a glimpse of him.

I can tell you about our living conditions and also about our office. We (WAC'S)
live in what is left of a Catholic college. At the present time we are all quartered
in one wing. They are still cleaning out the rest of the building--blood stains, dead
Japs etc. When we came into the building there was Jap blood all over the place and
the smell of dead bodies was awful. We finally got it cleaned up and moved in. We
are living under pretty crowded conditions--10 of us quartered in one school room.
We have no runningwater or electricity--Japs took out all that. We wash from our
helmets and write by candlelight. We eat from our mess gear--regular line soldiers.
This is the closest I've cometo the front line and I am pretty close.

We are still wearing trousers but hope that in the near future we'll be allowed
to wear skirts off duty.

We have a curfew here--EW have to be on the grounds by 7:30 P.M. and officers
must be in by 10 PM. We had to have an armed escort at all times but now that the