08 Jul July 28, 1944
Dad wrote two letters the same day. I’ve decided to put them together instead of in separate folders:
28 July 1944 V-Mail
Dear Dad,
Weather here is like Seattle, only more so. Rain almost every day and always cold at night. Took 3 days inside my truck for one of my pairs of shoes to dry out. Once in a while a beautiful clear day, however, and then you appreciate it. Never saw finer wheat than in a field next door: 5′ high – thick – and huge kernels – but it’s just now turning brown (ripe, I guess a farmer would say), due to their late seasons here.
Special Service are getting movies to us now. We’ve had 4 different ones now. We either stand, or sit on our helmets, in a little tent ordinarily used to repair trucks and watch. There is a break when they change reels (just like years ago) and sometimes we wait while they repair a loudspeaker or the projector – but we enjoy it , anyway, even if the pictures are only mediocre. We’ve had “Uncertain Glory” – “It Happened Tomorrow” – “Nine Girls” and “Hat Check Girl” so far and are due for more right along, they tell us.
Still getting along fine,Dad – except I’m so busy here in Message Center I haven’t had time in the evenings for ball or horseshoes. Give kids & Aunt Ag & Mag my best.
Love as ever,
Your son Rollin
28 July 1944 – V-Mail
Mrs. Rollin Bauer, 305 Riverside Drive, New York City, NY
Good Morning, Sweetheart –
Here’s a story they tell for true which I think is amazing. A G.I. was inspecting some material when a German 88’s started dropping around – so he took off down the road like crazy. A Major in a jeep hailed him with “I say, soldier, if you’re not in too much of a hurry you can ride with us!”
Weather has been quite good, lately. Only rains off & on. And we’ve seen 4 movies altogether now. “It Happened Tomorrow” with Dick Powell – quite good. “Uncertain Glory” with Errol Flynn – certainly stinks. “9 Girls” without the bathing suit scenes, a bust – with the bathing suit scenes, 2 busts. “Hat Check Honey” – what could you expect of a picture with such a title? but they take our minds off our work, and we forget for a while that we still have no mail. Movies are in a tent usually used for repairing trucks, and we either stand or sit on our good ol’ helmets. Our training at the Met. (?) comes in handy you see.
A fellow on the switchboard has a daughter just 2 weeks older than Karen. We compare pictures. Certainly hope I have some new ones on the way. Miss you guys terribly. Afraid my letter numbering is mixed up – I think this is letter #24.
All my love, Pappy
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