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David R. Elder correspondence, June-July 1944

1944-06-20 Page 1

R.T. W.R. Arnold 37678355 APO 711, Ca Co 76 5th R.D. c/o P.M. San Francisco, Calf June, 30, 1944 
Dave Elder Evening Journal Washington Iowa
New Guinea
Hi Dave,
Well if I don't wind up in the dumbest places. I'm on a bay in the beautiful island of New-Guinea. The natives are very friendly and for a cigarett they'll hand over a coconut. Some have red hair, which is very long and fuzzy. They wear a lot of jewelry. Many beautiful birds live here in the jungle, but of course there is a dark side, with the snakes, bats, lizards and many spiders. I had two scorpions for bed partners, and find them very unpleasant. It rains here almost every day, But soon after there is dust in the open places, but the deep jungle never dries up. Two thirds of the fight here is with disease. Malaria and [illegible typhise?] tops them all. Jungle streams are very nice to bathe in, with sand bottoms and warm water, but there always some risk. Here you've been having some nasty weather in Iowa. Hope it didn't set the [illegible] back too much. I don't know what we would with out them. And also the Red Cross is doing a swell job here. Well Dave must go to work, and hope this finds you and Mrs. E okay. Keep em coming. As ever Bill Arnold

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R.T. W.R. Arnold 37678355 APO 711, Ca Co 76 5th R.D. c/o P.M. San Francisco, Calf June, 30, 1944 Dave Elder Evening Journal Washington Iowa New Guinea Hi Dave, Well if I don't wind up in the dumbest places. I'm on a bay in the beautiful island of New-Guinea. The natives are very friendly and for a cigarett they'll hand over a coconut. Some have red hair, which is very long and fuzzy. They wear a lot of jewelry. Many beautiful birds live here in the jungle, but of course there is a dark side, with the snakes, bats, lizards and many spiders. I had two scorpions for bed partners, and find them very unpleasant. It rains here almost every day, But soon after there is dust in the open places, but the deep jungle never dries up. Two thirds of the fight here is with disease. Malaria and [illegible typhise?] tops them all. Jungle streams are very nice to bathe in, with sand bottoms and warm water, but there always some risk. Here you've been having some nasty weather in Iowa. Hope it didn't set the [illegible] back too much. I don't know what we would with out them. And also the Red Cross is doing a swell job here. Well Dave must go to work, and hope this finds you and Mrs. E okay. Keep em coming. As ever Bill Arnold