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Aug. 11, 1944

Has been raining hard ever since early this morning consequently wood detail did not go out. A guy dont care much because it just means less food. We get a workers ration which only amounts to an ear of corn. but it means a lot to us as hungry as we are and we only get it if we put in a full days work Japs have been very free from about letting commissary come in the past few days, but you can bet your boats there is method in their madness. They allow a lot of corn, Tobacco, and peanuts. (sugar syrup) to come in at tremendous prices. A guy can buy very little and then all his money is gone. They are trying to clear the camp or money and it looks like they will succeed. A fellow buy all he can in order to survive. Corn 70 cents an ear. Tobacco 7 pesos for 5 or 6 leaves. Panutsa, 5 pesos a portion which is ½ sint. that takes care of 30 pesos very shortly and you don’t have anything eighter . A few portion of beans were allowed us at 11 pesos a cup. You just can’t win for losing. Our rice ration took another smalle cut and was supposed to be replaced by an equal amount of corn. The only trouble is it is given by weight and the coles for are weighted also.

I ate my coles for a few meals but decided against it as a few fellows had to be operated on. There is very little food value in the cob, but just to get something down that will help fill all the empty space is all we really care about at present. Another trouble with our ration from the Japs is that we are supposed to received a certain # of grains per men per day., a sack is sent over and according to the nos it weights 100 lbs. but when we weigh it , we find it is short and only weighs 70 or 60 lbs. You can see then just what troubles we have trying to get any food. Things like this worry the Japs not one lots. I only hope that we can make it worry them plenty very soon. According to rumor Germany is on her last leg and we have advance several miles on the European continent with the Russians Steadily advancing also. In the Pacific areas we have been bombing all Japanese bases and installations heavily and who has suffered many naval defects. Allied Hdqs are supposedly in Saipan on at least it is the center of operations for the time being . A new Japanese cabinet has supposedly been formed and peace may soon reign. We pray continually for it. but we also want that chance we have been waiting for .  for over time long years of suffering at the hands of these ———

On the brighter side of thing I received another letter from Mary dated August 15, 1943. She is well and is helping her.mother more to their new house which she describes as really beautifiul and nice. I am anxious to see it. It is name “El Ranchito” and is located out on Rio Grande Blvd. Route #2 Box 267 It must be a wonderful place with lots of Room, 1 garden, green houses and etc. Many says we have an entrance to our own room which consists of 2 rooms really. It is things like this that make a fellow really wiggle and turn to get out of here and to decide that has will make it despite all the ideals agains him, Don’t worry darling I will be with you just as soon as possible. Mary is not working a the base now, don’t know just what she is doing., but am quite sure she is working some place. She is crazy about my dad and speaks of him all the time, He’s a wonderful guy all right. It is 4:30 now and time did a few little chores and got cleaned up a bit. I thank God that I can at least hear from home occasionally. It won’t be much longer, it can’t be, I will be an old man and that is no joke. In this life a guy don’t stay young very well.