i9.

gets out of the service, he is going to settle in Lawrence. We are delighted
for this because when he went into the service we learned that the salt spray
had reclaimed him for good. He served 4 hitch in the first World War.

Lieut. Horace Mason dropped in yesterday to say hells. Horace locks
fine and has had some close calis. He was dessriding to me ihe thrill that he
got when he landed an outfit ef Marines on Okinawa. The photographic revconnais-
ance showed the beach to be heavily fortified and the Marines were expecting the
worst. And I might add, Horace was also expecting the sane. They landed, and
without any opposition whatscever. Just imagine such a situation: Gosh, what
a swell feeling a guy must have when he is expecting the Japs to throw all the
hate at him.

Lieut. Bill Belt walked in just as 1 om dictating this and I showed him
the communication regarding Howard Engleman, and we are chewing the fat regard-
ing Horace Mason while I em econtinuing to dictate the Rebounds and entertain
Bill all. ‘in the same breath, Bill has put on some weight since he has had his
feet under his mother's table. Bill explains that he was "on watch and off
watch" continuousiy, and when a felicw can't sleep he can't gain weight. But
it was reversed in Kansas City. However, I can still see some lines around
Bill's physisgnomy which he hasn't orased entirely. Bill tells me he will be
here two weeks yet and by that time we expect him to be very rotund!

Lieut. Bobby Haynes came in a couple of weeks ago and had a fine visit.
with Dro Bobby -illen. Bobby Haynes and Bobby Allen were schoolmates in elemen-
tary grades, in high school and through the University. They had a great time
visiting ond playing golf together. Bobby Haynes told about a Jap shell that
went thrcugh three or four decks of his ship and passing through the hull be-
fore expioding. Bobby, who is a Naval flier, described some of the suicide
swimmers. All the boys want to capture them but not until they have divested
these Nips of their explesive luggage.

The Nips have never yot sunk a U.S, aircraft carrier. Truc, we have
had to dispese of some after they were badly damaged, but since the experience
of the USS Franklin the boys of the Navy say they will save the rest of them
from here on out. Since the war has progressed, damage contrel has improved

so.rapidly that it is possible now to save ships that heretofore the Navy had
thought was impossible.

Bobby allen and Jean lieFarland Allen are very busy at Bell Memorial
Hospital until July 1, when Bcbby goes into active service. Jean is one of the
receptionists at the hospital, and we are expecting them down to 801 Louisiana
about ten cr twelve days befere July 1 so Bob san got in his allotment of golf.
They tell me that these internes at Bell Hospital really give those "muni"
courses in Kansas City a geod going-over in the late afternoons.

Licut, EB. R. "Hoot" Mons, a Navy flier and the husband of Jane Allen
Mons, has his assignment for tho Pacific, Jane and Hoot are on the west
ecast visiting Mary Allen Hamilton and Pete, with ther three youngsters,
Lee, Jr-, Joan and Elizabeth = my "Wibbie-Wobble™. Grandma Allen and I are
keeping Jill, the Mons' six-months-old human bundle of loveliness, It has
been ‘said that "there is only cne pretty child in the werid. and every mother
has it", but Grandma Allen says she has it. This feeding scredule is keeping
the old bolks busy, but since we are the only ones in the house Jill keeps our
houschold in constant animation, se

‘Lt. (jg) Milton ¥. Allen is home from Boston on a twe-weeks leave. His
time is up Saturday and he will fly back to begin another four months hitch with