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

I received no mail today but I did get a package. It was from thru Rose from the St. Cecilia Senior Choir. It was a nice little package with two handkerchiefs (which I needed badly since all mine are in the wash and I have been using paper tissues), two packages of Camel cigarettes (which I gave to John T. Edie), one Brach's candy bar, two packages of gum, two rolls of peppermints, one little bag of miniature candies and one aplotki. She also enclosed a letter with the package in which she asks me to hold the water until Christmas Eve before eating. I showed it to John and it looks to be a little kind of unleavened bread which the Host is made of.

Today was a busy day from start to finish. I was rounding up all the fellows who didn't sign the payroll for one thing. Then I did the usual routine duties plus a few extra letters which Lt. Hanton had sent down to be typed up. Besides that I took care of more allotments plus my own which I sent to the ODB today. Just before four o'clock I checked thru the payroll rather quickly to locate any errors but it seems as if it is a perfect job once again.

Remember Sgt Wagaman who was in charge of us when we first arrived in Oregon? Well, when he was with us, he was just a buck sergeant (three stripes). Then he transferred to Company C where he made Staff Sergeant (three stripes with one underneath). Today, he really scaled the heights as he hit the top rung as far as an enlisted man goes. He replaced the former First Sergeant (who became a Staff Sergeant at his own request) and became the First Sergeant of Company C.

The movie for tonight is "Knute Rockne" and I am the fellow who is going to run the show along with the assistance of the new man, Brown. Since I would be going to the show anyway this evening, it will not take up any of my time outside of the few minutes it takes to rewind the film. Tomorrow night will be the first rehearsal for the Company A show or at least the first get-together of the various participants; so Gordon will take the show across the river.

Lt Podelwitz did not give the talk on censorship but Lt London did. The short discourse did not produce anything which we did not already know. As for censors being interested is individual letters or remembering what is said in them, he said it was just about out of the question. First of all, they are not reading the letter but rather looking for such things which might be censorable. Second, with so many letters to go thru, it is almost an impossibility to remember anything they do read anyway.

The big pound tin of Whitman's candies is all gone now. Since it is larger than the tin in which Anita sent the peanuts, it may be possible to fit one or two and maybe even three French doughnuts in it the next time I get into town.

Incidentally, for the upteenth time I did not get my haircut as planned. Mike and Lt Yantis are even telling me that I can get up from my desk then and there to get the haircut but the work has been holding me back. Tomorrow for sure I am going to get it with no if buts or ands about it. The payroll is done and there usually isn't any other work that is that pressing.

Poor Larry has been having trouble with his mail and within two days time has had four letters returned to him for rewriting. Lt London says that a censor does not care to hand a letter back because the tendency is to tear up the letter and forget all about it rather then to sit down and fix it so it can go thru. My letter to Anita is not in that category even tho I have held up on it for quite a few days. It just is that I haven't got to my other correspondence in that period.

So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman