Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
July 30, 1943

Dear Aunty Clara,

Not only did I not fulfill my expectations in writing three other letters last night but I also failed to write one to you. The show which was scheduled to play was "The American Empire" with Richard Dix, Preston Foster and Frances Gifford. In addition to that movie, Lt Yantis made an announcement that at the completion of the show there would be a five minute intermission and then the second show would begin. He had brought back "Commandos Strike at Dawn" so that those who had seen only half of the film the night before could now see the complete show. However good that all sounded it was not to be. The first picture had not gone on for more than twenty minutes when the same thing happened as the other night. The various bulbs in the machine burned out and that was all there was to it. The evening was not a complete flop, however, because Thursday night was the band night and they entertained us for a good hour.

This morning Lt Yantis was met with a stony silence from the clerks. We had been cautioned in advance that he wished to hear nothing of this second fiasco at the movies. Well, the silence proved more unbearable than sharp criticism and his first words were, "I had nothing to do with it. It was the fault of the electricity." We said that we hadn't even opened our mouths yet blamed him for anything. To that he said that he knew just what we were thinking. It all ended in good natured laughter as he explained how he had been getting cold stares not only from all the enlisted men but even from the officers themselves.

I received two letters from you yesterday afternoon. They were dated the 18th and the 19th of July. I meant to come back to the office right after the show to write you an answer but I was just plain tired and laid down on the cot. The next thing I knew I was waking up once again and it was eleven o'clock at night; therefore, I made up my bed and went to sleep.

So the author of "One Man's Family" could not bear to see Nicky killed off. Let's hope that the new Nicholas Lacy's voice is just as good and as spirited as the old one. You mentioned Aunty Florence getting the record "Sweet Leilani" and "In Blue Hawaii". Well, for the first few days after leaving the United States the latter song was somewhat of a theme for it was sung over and over again as we sailed along in the early hours of the evening. Later on when it was pretty definitely ascertained that we were going to the other side of the globe, we sort of dropped it.

You were afraid to mention the Polish word by which I only know my grandfather for fear that it would be a foreign word, not understood and therefore censored. You needn't worry about that for it is only on my end of the correspondence which care must be taken not to include foreign words. You will notice that since the censorship began, I have not once inserted the usual French phrases or words which I had been inclined to do in the days gone by. There is a method by which foreign worded letters can be censored but it is bothersome to everyone concerned, the individual, the unit censor, the base censor, and the recipient of the letter. On the other hand letters from the States to the soldier does not have any restriction placed upon it as far as we know.

Just the other day I noticed how dark my arms had gotten. Compared with any former suntan of mine they must now be almost black; but it seems that I am white when compared with other soldiers who have occasion to be in the sun the entire day. Working in an office out here is just like back home. The only tan you get is on Sunday's and at noon.

Solong,
/s/ Roman
Roman