Sgt Roman F. Klick 36620923
HS 1393 Engr APO 709
c/o PM SF Cal
14 July 1944

There probably will not be many letters written this evening for it is about seven-thirty now and this is the first letter of the day. When the fellows get back from the show, we have to go through that weekly process of cleaning up the joint in preparation for the Colonel's inspection tomorrow morning. This afternoon, that is, during the noon hour, I cleaned my gun. I thought I did a pretty good bang-up job on both it and the bayonet and for the first time since we have been having these inspections, I have inwardly dared the inspecting officer to find something wrong with it if he could. It is very, very seldom that I can do that for more often than not I have resigned myself to getting gigged but luckily never have been yet. Anyhow, that took up the noon hour and then from three o'clock on thru five o'clock we were either preparing for the inspection, attending the Orientation Class or standing the Retreat Formation. The inspection went off without a hitch. Lt Nix, the inspecting officer passed my rifle and didn't even look at the bayonet. This week, too, Hanton gave our platoon a break by not spot checking through it the way he usually does. They just probably weren't looking for any details today so that is how come they were so easy.

After the inspection today, I remembered to oil my rifle. You see, inspections are "dry" meaning without oil in the barrel of the gun and with but a very light film of oil on the rest of the gun. But, while I was oiling it, Frazin wanted to know if I could put the gun together blindfolded and as I had never tried the stunt before, I was willing to see if I could do so. As it turned out, I didn't do such a very bad job of it for the first crack. I tore the gun down and then assembled it once again with but one slight hitch and that was in attaching a spring. My fingers thought it was in place but it was about a quarter inch off. The next time I would know better and would not make that same error. Just what good it does to be able to do a thing like that is beyond me but maybe I'll be in a foxhole someday and will have to tear the gun apart in the dark for some reason or another and I'll have confidence in the fact that I know how to do it. Amazing the things you can have pride in in the army, isn't it?

Say, I didn't get any mail but two Daily Newses today. That isn't right for I should have received a letter of some sort or another, I think. Maybe tomorrow will be a banner day instead.

O say, I went to that midnight show after all last night or should I say, this morning? It was okay and the time was well spent even if I did check in at two-thirty or so in the morning. The title was "Get Hep to Love" with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee and Robert Paige. It was a crazy lovable picture of high school juniors and their love life.

Tonight I'm staying away from the show which is "Pistol Packin' Mama" for we saw that some months ago in the same theater area. The band in itself isn't enough of an attraction to draw me to the area since we still hear them practicing all day long outside their barracks on the other hill from our battalion headquarters.

So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman