Letters from the Pacific # 66

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Letter # 66

August 11, 1945

Dear Mom,
Received your letter of July 29th and was very glad to hear from you and Ben.

Yesterday we heard splendid news. Japan had sent a peace feeler to the United Nations thru Sweden and Switzerland and the news was treated joyously all thru the world except United States. The radio also said that the general public opinion in the states was that we continue fighting. I'd like to see some of those civilians and patriots (?) out doing some of the fighting. I think that's a damn disgrace to the nation. I should also think that they'd show some consideration for the men who have been fighting the Japs since 1941 through jungles, heat, disease and death from New Guinea to Okinawa and on beachheads throughout the Pacific islands. They are the men who should decide and not those people sitting at home growing rich on war contracts. I myself have been in this Army for 3 1/2 years now. Those 3 1/2 years were the best of my life and now I'll have to start a new life when I pass my 26th birthday.

The men in my squadron showed how they felt last night. I think they expressed the feeling of ten million other men in uniform. You never saw the news treated with such enthusiasm. We immediately proceeded to get drunk and started bon fires. Star shells and flares lit up the sky in a beautiful fireworks display. Every word and every motion expressed a joyous feeling that, at last, hostilities had or would cease. It really was a disappointment to find people back home voted or expressed opinions to continue the war to it's end or to such a time as Japan surrendered unconditionally. This new atomic bomb might cause Japan to surrender to our terms in the near future but we'll never forget that we were let down by the people at home.

I can only thank G-d that you and the family think as I do in this matter. I know you'd give anything and everything to have us back home with you.

That's about all I can think of to say at the present so I'll say s'long.

Here's hoping to see you soon

Love Avy

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