Maj. Gillham eats his last California fig

Today's letter is low-key and a bit subdued. He hasn't gotten a letter from Frances in a while, and he just ate his last California fig, sort of a symbolic tie to his former life with his family.

He mentions that the envelope his is using seems somewhat unusual and that a stamp collector might find it interesting.  I examined the envelope from top to bottom trying to see what he was referring to, but to no avail.  I felt like Cary Grant in "Charade" trying to find the $250,000 in the travel bag.  The stamp, envelope and postmark are all just like the many others in the collection.

Tokyo
21 Feb 1946

Dearest Darling,

Tonight I have the duty, so I am at the office.  I have to stay here until 9 P.M.  Nothing much ever happens, but we just have to be here because it is a habit the army got into.

Some day I am going to get a whole bundle of mail, I hope.  I have had two letters from you since I returned from Nikko on 4 Feb.  Everyone has had the same trouble.  It makes me feel much further away from home than when the mail was coming quickly.

I was interested in your meeting Bill Bradley.  I wonder what he finally did?

I know Lt. Col. Jacobs very well.  He lives in the Dai Ichi Hotel and is in charge of Wire Communications.  In fact, he is the one that tried to get me transferred to the Civil Communications Section.  His wife is at present housemother at some sorority house at Emory.  He is going home about the same time that I will.  He was formerly Georgia Construction Superintendent.

I ate my last fig last night.  They were certainly good.  Our mess supplies have improved lately.  We have lettuce and celery, fresh and frozen fruit and chicken now.  PX supplies have been very plentiful since they got started.  I guess we really want for nothing except that most want to go home.  Life here is just not very satisfying.  I much prefer to be with my family in the good old U.S.A.

If you know a stamp collector, they might be interested in this envelope.  It seems to me it is a bit unsual.

I love you, my darling, more than all else.  We must not be separated so long again.

Lots of love,

Bill