Leonard's Story: November 6, 1945

Letterman Hospital was in El Presidio in San Francisco. 

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                                    OSAKA, HONSHU, JAPAN

                                    6th Nov 45

Dear Arnold,

     I'm sorry I haven't written for such

a long time -  but first I was busy then

I became ill. I had a relapse of yellow

jaundice caused by change of climate, fatigue,

and drinking. For about three weeks I was

sicker than hell - lots of stomach trouble, and

I was getting fed intervaneously for a while. I

still don't feel in the pink of condition, but I am getting

along pretty good now. Tomorrow I am being evacuated

to a General Hospital in Tokyo (if the plane comes in).

I stand a good chance of being evacuated to the

States in the very near future.  If so, I will

probably be sent to Letterman Hospital, San Francisco.

According to one doctor, it will take me quite a while

to completely recover my health - months.

However, I think I may be in the States by Christmas

and if so, I am going to try and get a 30 or

45 day Temporary Duty Rest leave to recuperate. I

should be in condition to do this so that it will

include Christmas and New Years - I can dream

can't I?  So don't get yourself shipped overseas -

maybe we can all be home at christmastime.

                      -1-

[page 2]

     Don't tell the folks about this - I don't

want to raise their hopes or have them

disappointed.

     There is nothing to worry about in this yellow

jaundice - the thing that makes it bad for me is

the severity of the first attack and then this relapse.

It just means that I have to get lots of rest

and stay on a fat-free, non-alcoholic diet. Also

my resistance is low - six months of steady combat

left me run-down and in poor shape. By summer

I should be back there really pitching. I am

thinking of starting school in the fall (I don't

know which one yet - maybe back east).

     Well Bud, whats new with you? - you haven't

written, yourself, for quite a while - or is the mail

system just bad. What are you going to do when 

you get out? By the way I now have 73 points,

how are you doing? By the way I Say I hear

you boys were awarded the American Defense

Ribbon the other day - congratulations! Well

I hope I will see you soon -

                           love

                           Leonard

P.S. Please write but don't send

       anything.

               "BACK ALIVE IN 45"

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Leonard's Story: August 7, 1945

Apparently Uncle Len had Hepatitis A, or infectious hepatitis.

________________________________________________

                                               Philippines

                                              Aug 7th

Dear Arnold,

     This may catch up with you in Florida.

You should be getting rich on travel pay

and per diem. I feel perfectly well

but will probably be here another week

or so. Two other fellows and I built

a couple of model airplanes, one a

flyable Zero, and the other a solid model

of the P51, which we are giving to a nurse.

If you ever get sick get yellow

jaundice. The only cure is plenty of

rest, and except for two weeks when

I couldn't eat and felt like I had

been kicked in the stomach it hasn't

bothered me at all. However I

a pretty good case of it, they didn't

take my index until I had started

to get well about 16 days later and

it was 95.

     I am starting to put on a

little weight and gut. Enclosed are

two pictures of me. I probably weighed

around 140-150 lbs then (still do).

  

[page 2]

     Although I am a little late may I

extend birthday greetings to an old

man of 24. The three or four years have

really ripped by, what, and they

start accelerating from her on in. When

are you going to get married? or even

get a girl? or have you one in the wood-

pile that I don't know about?

     It looks like we will have to land

on Japan to make them surrender, and I'll

probably be there. How many points have

you got? I have 61! Not counting

my illegitimate children, so I'll

be around here got quite a while.

     Well that's about all for now.

                       love

                     Leonard

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Leonard's Story: July 16, 1945

                                                      July 16

                                                     Leyte Is PI

Dear Arnold,

     Well here I am back on Leyte, a hole

of the first waters. I am in a General Hosp

with a rather severe case of yellow jaundice.

For a while I was pretty yellow (still am), but

its clearing up a little now. I will probably be

here for a month or six weeks or so, as about

the only cure is a good long rest. I would get

sick just as we were coming out of combat. I

had expected to planned to visit Manila

and Baguio, and look up a lot of old friends.

Now I suppose that I will return just in

time to push off for Japan.

     Naturally there isn't much for me to

write about, inasmuch as I have been in bed

for almost three weeks. All I do is read,

sleep, play cards, or chew the fat with some

of the other patients. A hell of a life!

From your letter I surmise that you had a

good visit in the valley. I sure wish I

could have been there. I tell you what

I would like to have right now a thick

malted milk at that malt shop in Hanford,

or even a plain glass of cold fresh milk.

[page 2]

     If it is possible would you explain in a little

more detail just what kind of work you are

doing now (if any).

     Wel Bud, its pretty hard to think of

something to write about, when absolutely

nothing new happens, and when there isn't

much life (pep) in you. So I am going

to close. Write soon.

                        Love

                        Leonard

P.S. Address

     118th Gen Hosp

     APO 1002 c/PM

     S-- ---

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