August 13, 1945

Air Mail From Dip

Luzon, P.I.

August 13, ‘45

Dear Mom & Dad –

It has probably been quite a little stretch between my last letter and this’n. Another Lt. and myself have been on a 3-day pass to Manila and I didn’t have a chance to write before I left. As you warned me in the letter I just got today – I’d better not let too much time lapse between letters or you’ll think I’m on the way home. And that would be a wrong impression as far as I can tell right now.

Chuck & I surely has a fine time in Manila – we did everything – even went swimming at a private pool. We has a couple of dates with nurses on Fri. & Sat. nights. Fri. we went to a swanky nite club called Cielito Lindo a Spanish club. It was a private club before the war & a Jap Officer’s club during their stay here. It is fully as nice as those in the states – a rambling country home, patio, veranda, and tables out on the lawn – lots of flowers & palm trees, etc. The band played lots of rumbas, tongas, & slow swing – very nice. Of course with inflation the way it is over here the evening cost us a few pesos.

Sat. night we again dated the nurses and took in another club called the Hacienda. It’s another place with a Spanish effect – the band is the best to be found around these parts. Our evening cost us 90 pesos ($45 in good old US currency) – see what I mean when I say inflation?

A meal here at a restaurant at the cheapest will cost one 10 pesos – and then you don’t get enough to stick in your eye. A dish of ice cream – one scoop – 2 pesos – pr. of U.S. shoes 150 pesos, a Ford V-8 5000 pesos, one bottle of root beer 1 peso, bar of soap 2 ½ pesos. I guess you can get a pretty good idea from those prices just how much the American dollar is worth around here. When we go to Manila we stay at the Army Leave Center where we eat all our meals for free. If we had to eat out it would cost too much to make it worth while even going to town.

While we were in town the big news came out about the Jap peace offer. Everyone of course celebrated like wild – we included. Of course I didn’t hardly believe the news and still don’t , but I’m hoping with every fiber in my body that something comes of it. I realize tho – and I want you to – that plenty of troops are going to land on Japan even if peace comes, to occupy the country. I have an idea that we’ll be amongst those present. But as long as those bullets stop flying around I’m not going to complain.

Well, this is Monday night the first night back so naturally I’m tired. We have a hike in the morn too, so I’d better wind this up. Good night and I’ll write soon. Feel fine.

Love, Dorance