Letter 3/4/45

It's been awhile since we updated, our apologies.  Life sometimes gets in the way, and before you know it two months have passed.

Today's letter is one of the first times that my grandfather references a date and time on his letter home.  It looks like he pulled the night shift and has taken some of the time to write home.  I can hear the loneliness in his voice, partially because he has been up all night and partially because he's 18 and fighting a war on international soil.  Sometimes I fear that Hollywood tends to glorify wars, especially WWII, but in letters like this one we see what the war really was: a battle being waged by teens and young men in a country that wasn't there own, passing time communicating home to those they've left behind.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!  We will post more frequently now that the weather is warmer again! :-)

Mr. and Mrs. A. Kumasaka
287 Main St.
Keansburg, N.J.
U.S.A.

T/5 A. Kumasaka
ASN 32609377
Hq Btry 863 FA Bn
APO 140 c/o P.M.
New York, N.Y.

6 A.M.
3 March 1945

Dear Folks,

I thought I'd write a few lines to you during these quiet hours when I must stay awake.  I had my sleep in the later afternoon and evening, so I hope you don't think that I'm kept awake day and night.

Yesterday afternoon, I had some time off, so I went to visit one of the larger towns nearby (can't tell you what town now).  While there, we stopped at a bakery shop and bought a bag full of cookies and a couple of loaves of bread.  The cookies cost 5 francs a piece, and weren't too tasty; the bread, however, was good, especially since we had cheese for supper which I saved for a sandwich later on.  The loaf of bread cost 15 francs, or about 30 cents, which is a cheap price to pay for bread even here.  Other than bakery and grocery stores, there were very few stores of other kinds open.

Nothing new to report about myself.  Oh yes, recently the electricity was restored to our rooms -- it looks nice and cozy now.  We also have tables and chairs in the room, so my set up isn't bad at all.

I plan to go to church today.  Protestant services are now 130 in the afternoon at a different place.  So long for now.  Hope you're all well.

Archie.