T/Sgt Tad Ohta, 12/03/1944

DECEMBER 3, 1944

DEAR COL TURNER,

I’M ON DUTY TONIGHT IN THE CP. OFTEN FIND IT A SWELL CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH MY LETTER WRITING – TO YOU I REALLY OWE TWO LETTERS – I RECEIVED ONE DATED SEPTEMBER 28 AND THE OTHER OCTOBER 30 – THANKS.

HOW ARE YOU? GUESS YOU BETTER OPEN A RECEPTION HQTRS WITH ALL THE BOYS COMING HOME – BET THEY KEEP YOU BUSY WITH STORIES GALORE. I’M SURE I HAVE NOTHING TO TELL YOU WHEN I DO GET HOME – FOR THEY COVERED IT ALL.-

I’M FINE – BACK WITH THE OUTFIT ONCE MORE – ITS ALMOST A MONTH NOW. PLUGGING ALONG – HAVE BEEN CATCHING UP WITH MY WORK MOSTLY THAT STACKED UP ON ME DURING MY ABSENCE – REALLY ISN’T MUCH OF IT BUT WEVE BEEN MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE SO OFTEN – I COULDN’T SETTLE DOWN TO WORK. IN A SWELL SET UP NOW – LIKE ANZIO [BH] – ONLY MORE PEACEFUL – FIGHTING THE WAR LIKE GENTS – LEAVE THEM KRAUTS ALONE AND THEY LEAVE US ALONE – WE HAVE THIS CP IN A SWANKY HOTEL. BOY WOULDN’T MIND SPENDING THE REST OF THE WINTER HERE.

JUST WROTE A LINE TO MAJOR JIM – 1ST LETTER I GOT SINCE HE LEFT FOR STATES – GLAD HE IS DOING OKAY

COUPLE MORE BOYS WERE COMMISSIONED – WEARING THEM SHINY GOLD BARS – CONRAD TSUKAYAMA – CO “D” AND ETSUO KATANO “MEDIC”.

MOST OF THE REPLACEMENTS WERE GETTING ARE FROM THE STATES – DOING FINE. EVEN IN HQTRS CO – I MISS THE OLD TIMERS. REALLY GET LONESOME AT TIMES.

THE [ONE?] ON “COMBAT SGT MAJOR” TOM- WE NAMED HIM CAUSED HE IS THE ONLY ONE FROM THE S-1 THATS UP WITH THE REAR OR FORWARD CP – THE REST USUALLY STAYED WITH THE KITCHEN OR REGT. TOM NOW IS IN THE HOSPITAL YET.

NO CAPT. FUKUDA IS NOT BACK FROM HIS FURLOUGH AS YET – LAST WE HEARD OF HIM WAS THAT HE WAS ON A SPEAKING TOUR IN THE STATES.

IVE WRITTEN TO MRS KILPATRICK SOMETIME AGO. I SHOULD WRITE SOON – GOOD TO HEAR JOHNNY DOING OKAY AND CHARLIE W TOO. WELL GUESS W & K CONTRACTORS WILL BE NO MORE THEN. GUESS UNCLE SAM WILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A SOLDIER LIKE ME. I CAN’T LAY DOWN A POST WAR PLAN AS YET – ONLY I’D LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH MY DRAFTING OF SMALL HOMES – I APPRECIATE YOUR SUGGESTION VERY MUCH ABOUT GIVING L/C A TRY – ONE THING SURE. IMMEDIATE AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE SERVICE I PLAN TO TAKE MRS (WHO IS WORKING SO HARD TO DATE) ON A VACATION – A VACATION SO WE CAN BRING OURSELVES TO THE PRESENT. I KNOW I’VE CHANGED IN ME BOTH IDEAS AND BEING KNOCKED AROUND BY ARTILLERY SHELLS.

KAJI LEFT WITH THE LAST ROTATION GANG – ALSO LT TANAKA – PROBABLY THATS THE LAST OF THE FURLOUGH OR BOYS GOING HOME. BELIEVE BY THIS TIME THEY SHOULD BE IN THE STATES.

THAT’S ALL I’VE GOT – JUST ONE MORE THING – MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR –

HOPE I’D HEAR FROM YOU WHEN YOU’RE NOT BUSY.

YOURS
Tad.