Kenneth Dole to Folks | Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections

Kenneth Dole to Folks

1945-05-18

To: Folks 1945_5_18 From: Kenney [3 page letter] Date: 5-18-1945 New Guiena May-18 Dear Folk’s: Haven’t written to you for sometime but I really haven’t been able to as we were on the alert and ready to leave at any time, but we are still waiting with no idea as to when we will leave, but I do hope it is soon, as I am getting restless, just waiting to leave at any moment. Received my first magazine yesterday Newsweek it was only 8 days old and the latest news I have had since I left the states we get a lot of magazines but that are 4 or 5 months old and hardly news at that time, also received a Russell News dated the 22 Dec-44 but that must have been misplaced somewhere along the way [sic] haven’t had a package since the horse- shoes don’t know what makes them so slow but there isn’t anything you can do except wait until they get here- never did get my bracelette [sic]- lighter-shoes- watch, but so hope that they will arrive before long. Page-2- Hope you have heard from Bob, and I do hope that he is getting along O.K. he may be fortunate enough now that the war is over to be discharged as I doubt very much whether he will be sent over here especially after being wounded two different times, he probably will never know just how lucky he really was, but I know that God was with him, and out prayers have been answered. I understand the army will discharge men by a point system and I personally think men overseas with combat time lie [sic] first and second men with children- then men with length of service regardless of whether married or single- this will make me about the last one to be discharged as I now have only 45 points and it takes 85 it will rake 20 more months over here to get the required 85- 2 pts. each month overseas and 1 for any months in the states. Page -3- I guessed the war on Germany would end May the 1st but missed it by 7 days- only hope I can guess this one [over] as close, I don’t think this war will be over until March of 1946. I can’t possibly see it over any sooner, the Japs more so than the Germans will fight to the last man and vary seldom a jap is taken prisoner as the Germans were, there were only 5 prisoners taken from [Fivo], and so far from Okimama [sic] it is less than 50, so you can see at this rate it will take longer, the japs may even ask for Peace [sic] but they will never get it, I don’t think they have any secret weapons as did the Germans, and they cannot use Gas [sic] as it would endanger their entire civilian population so the war will be fought man to man, yard by yard I don’t see how they can last for another year, Please use the address of APO 718 and not APO 565-over Back of Page 3 Sgt. Kenneth D. Dole- 37531283 Hg. Co. Base ‘S’ A.P.O. 718 % R.M. San Francisco, Calif. I was wondering what to do about the magazines I don’t have their address or I would send my new address on to them so I can continue to receive my news news, with such good services- has my watch ever arrived as of yet one of the boys sent one home the same time I did and it is home now, hope that you have it by the time this reaches you, let me know all you hear from Bob.- Will write when possible.

np_1945_5_18

Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections

Nancy [Dole] Poche Collection (Old Finding Aid - For Reference Only), 1938-1963 [information restricted]