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8 February 1945 Captain H. Loosly HQ. 275th Inf. A.P.O. 17815 - c/o Postmaster New York, N. Y. Dear Howard: I was very pleased to got your V mail letter and see that you had arrived at your destination successfully. I hope you got my long letter at the port which I sent via Captain Henry. I Just finished writing a little note to our friend, Allan Shapack, the Jewish boy with the long nose, who had a bed several down from me at Camp Croft. I will never forget him because he was the loudest snorer I have ever heard, and I think a very fine fellow all in all. He is someplace in the South Pacific. You will probably recall that I insisted on calling him "uncle" because he showed us a picture of his brother's baby. This pleased him so much that he now signs himself "Uncle Allan" in writing to me. We certainly did meet some character* down there, didn't we? I will always remember our long walks up on the hill back of Barracks 44. I realize what a discouraging time you must be having and my thoughts are with you often. Life is pretty grim and cruel a great deal of the time and a lot of it seems so unnecessary. However, we can be thankful that we still have faith which few of our fellow men have, that the eternal verities will still survive and that some day we will find out in the upper realm what it la all about. I have been learning a psalm each Sunday, and I am impressed more and more with the essential truth contained therein. If you happen to have a book of psalms handy, I recommend number 8 particularly. It must be very hard for you to be separated from your wife. and I realise how lucky I have been all through this horrible period. Sometimes when I chafe a bit at the bit and feel like complaining, I get very ashamed of myself thinking of those like you who have really had a tough time. However, the old phrase which we repeated down at Camp Croft is still true, "and this too, shall end." I am looking forward to a long talk when you return and don't forget if there la ever anything I can do for you back here, I will be only too glad to oblige. Sincerely yours,* WILLIAM M. MARTIN, JR,, Lt. Colonel, Infantry, A. U. S.
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