A new set of china for Frances

Today's letter is a quickie, in which Maj. Gillham tells of his purchase of a large set of china to be sent back to the states.  I had heard about this china set as a child, and I even ate off it at the Gillham's home at 18 Camden Road in Atlanta while visiting in the summers in the 1970s.  My mother seems to think that Martha may have ended up with the china set.  If anyone knows the whereabouts of the set, please leave a comment.

He also mentions in this letter a sampling of dried baby shrimp that he enclosed.  The sample survives to this day, which makes me think that Frances only ate a little bit of it before returning the rest to posterity.

Tokyo
14 March 46

Dearest Darling,

Today one carton of cigarettes and the vitamin pills arrived.  Thanks a million.  You mailed them on 15 Jan.  To date my latest letter is still the one dated 8 Feb.

Enclosed is a taste of some kind of dried baby shrimp that the Japanese consider quite a delicacy, and it is right good. 

I really bought a pig in a poke today.  It was a 93-piece set of china.  I didn't even know what it looked like until after it was bought and delivered.  I am real pleased with the pattern and I think I might have selected it even if I had had a wide choice.  Choice is something you never have here.  You just buy something, anything, when you can, and then look to see what you got.  I will mail the china tomorrow and you should get it in a couple of months.  It is nicely packed and I think it will go through in good shape.  It is in two boxes.  I don't even know what the pieces are yet.  I only opened it enough to look at one or two pieces.  I think it is a service for twelve.

I got two new pairs of pajamas today at the Q.M.

Loads of love,

Bill