Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Some disheartening news about the workplace

Today I am posting two separate letters from Maj. Gillham that were both dated the same.  Unfortunately, I am not in possession of the two enclosures that are mentioned in the letters.

Also, I am in possession of the Christmas notes that Frances forwarded to Maj. Gillham, which he mentions in the first letter below, but as Frances enclosed no accompanying letter, I did not mention these notes in my earlier posts.  The other reason for not mentioning them is that I would have to scan the Christmas cards to get the full effect.  If anyone is just dying to read the contents of the Christmas cards sent to the Gillham family, just leave a comment and I will gladly post the cards.

Tokyo
28 Jan 1946

Dearest Love,

Well, it looks like I will go to Nikko tomorrow.  I don't know the details yet, but I should get them this afternoon.  I will continue to write to you, but I will not get your mail to me until I return to Tokyo.

The enclosed clipping looks like our mail will be slowed down and we won't know what to count on.  If you feel like doing a little crusading on your own part, why don't you write your congressman?  Prompt and dependable mail is the greatest single item contributing to good morale in the Army overseas.  With Congress already worried about the low sate of morale, you might be able to stir them up about this.

I received your letter mailed Jan 17 and also the one enclosing the Christmas notes.  I enjoyed them all.  I am glad you are getting a little freedom and the opportunity to go out once in a while.

We just got word that we will have to move our office out of the Dai Ichi Bldg. to some barn down the street.  It will be field conditions again I am afraid.  Thank goodness the move will take place while I am at Nikko.  This was caused by the movement of the rear eschelon from Manila up here.  The G's will occupy this building, i.e. G-1, G-2, G-3 and G-4.

You go ahead and do the best you can with Anthony, but I am going to make him sweat next year.  I am learning a few trading techniques myself over here.

I talked to the finance office about our Oct., Nov. and Dec. bonds.  He said the authorization didn't leave here until 8 Dec., so you should get them before long.  They should be $100 bonds.

I love you more than anything else in the world.

Bill

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Tokyo
28 Jan 46

Dearest Darling,

Enclosed is a copy of my order for the "rest and recuperation."  I leave tomorrow morning.  I am well equipped.  I have gotten a pair of shoe-packs and extra heavy wool sox issued to me, too.  Will you please stick this order in with my others?

And while you are in the file, please send me a list of my past leaves, showing date and number of days of each.  It is all compiled in long hand right in front of all my leave orders.  I will need this information when I start to go home and I might as well get it now and have it on hand.

I love you very much.  I wish you were going along with me.  Couldn't we have fun?  I see that the Army is giving ex-P.W.'s leaves of this sort in the states and letting them take their families along, all at government expense.  I think it is a fine idea.

Anyhow, we will have us a little fling before very long.

Much love,

Bill

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I am assuming that the G's he refers to in the first letter are generals. and that a G-1 is a brigadier general (one star), and so on.

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