WW2 Era Letter Written by Serviceman in Burma. He mentions getting attacked in a recent Japanese Air Raid.

[Heartfeltzero]

This letter was written by a Charles H. Mong. He was born in 1920 in Pennsylvania. He would enlist into the armed forces in October of 1942 and would go on to serve with the 559th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion. Their job was to utilize radar technology to provide early warnings of incoming air attacks, allowing defensive measures to be taken. The letter reads:

“ Somewhere in Burma
November 28, 1944

Hello again!

I am unable to express just how pleased I was to receive your letter of Nov. 5th. I am going to attempt answering it early this evening just incase Tojo decides to pay us another of his unwelcome visits. He made one of his unfriendly calls the other night and dropped a few of his nasty calling cards. It happened to be my first experience of this kind. During his short stay “old mother earth” and I fell deeply in love with each other. At least we were hugging each other very close. I guess it was me that was doing all the hugging and shivering (and it wasn’t from coldness) Maybe it won’t be so bad the next time.

So I didn’t have much of a stay in India. I wish I could have known that Velma wanted one of those fans. I could have bought her one for five rupees, which is about $1.50. I’m afraid I’ll not have much of a chance to get one now, but I will keep my eyes open when I get into a town. At present I am in a Signal Air Warning outfit stationed at an outpost in the Burma jungles.

Life out here isn’t as bad as could be expected. Our food is just about the best I have had since being in the Army. I have been doing the same kind of work that I was doing back in the States.

I would have liked to have stayed in India long enough to look up some of the fellows from back home. John Yeager and Johnny Mohr from Reno are both over here someplace, but it is just my luck to miss everyone. I was fortunate enough to see Norman Krupp while we were at Greensboro N.C. It was the first time we had seen each other since he joined the Army. We had a very good visit and made plans to go on a pass together, but he was transferred the next day. The last I heard of him he was in Egypt.

I guess you are right about people not appreciating your extra work around school. I believe the only ones who do know much about such things as that are the students who take part in the plays, etc.

I got a very good laugh the other day. In one of mother’s letters was the picture of the group who was in our senior play. It was the one that was published in the news-Harold. It brought back memories of a lot of good times. One that I will never forget, when you caught Jay Infield, Max Wygant, John Bunnell and myself smoking back stage at the Baptist church. Holy moses! Were you ever angry at us. Those were the “good old days”. If I could only suddenly drop back into them again.

Well, I guess I will have to close for this time. Tell the teachers I send my best regards. Bye now.

Yours truly,
Charles.

P.S. My new address is:
559th Sig.A.W.Bn.Co.B.
A.P.O.#218%P.M. N.Y.N.Y “

Charles would survive the war and return home. He would pass away in 1994 and is buried in the Cooperstown Cemetery in Pennsylvania.