The Coolidge examiner., 1942-08-07
vt Max Marta
Writes Relatives
From Australia

Private Max Marta, serving with
the United States armed forces in
Australia, is a native son OF Ari-
zona and came here nine years ago
with his parents TO make his home
on a ranch halfway between Cool
idge and Florence. He was born
at Globe, July 29th, 1918. is a
graduate OF Florence high school
and Of the University OF Arizona
at Tucson.
Today he writes his bother and
sisters from Australia, Il sent you
wire as soon as possible after
we got here, and also wrote a let
ter while we were still on the boat.
Did you get either of them?
We'll. to get down to facts. we
are in Australia (surprise, isn't it?)
This part of Australia which were
in is really very nice. can't say
what part of Australia II is, but the
country Is somewhat like II was
around Lewis. II rains quite bit
at present. but that's probably just
because winter is starting here.
Wasn't il a shame that we had TO
lose our summer? Two winters in
a row are fairly hard to take.
THE people are very nice to us
| and treat us even better than they
aid back home. The only trouble Is
that they are so hard TO under
stand. I'm getting on to their slang
terms and colloquialism so that It's
getting easier to understand them.
The Australian soldiers are fine
bunch of fellows and fairly easy TO
get along with. There are also a
lot Of other foreign soldiers around
here and il keeps US hopping TO tell
which is which.
We're camped fn tents Ike
those we had a Fort Bliss. with
fairly decent conveniences consid-
ering the circumstances. We're
about five miles from a small town
and fairly close to large city.
The city reminds me very much
of European cities. They are quite
behind the times around here IN
most respects. They have American
movies which are quite recent. and
their popular music isn't very old.
Daddy" and "Amapola" are the
latest hits on their Hit Parade.
However. like IT very much
and last week we had a very en-
joyable time in H.. We are allowed
about one weekend pass every
month or so. That's lot better
than we got at Fort Lewis. We
went TO dances and to the Zoo, but
mostly TO restaurants. Every one
seemed starved for steak dinners,
which are very plentiful, and for
ham and eggs. which are almost
unobtainable.
Cabs are very cheap and we
had a glorious time riding around
the city from one end TO the other.
They drive on the left hand side
of the road here. Every time we'd
meet a car coming from the oppo-
site direction IL would make me
feel like we were about TO crash.
We'll. | guess I've ratified on
enough about this country. It's
very nice and all that but boy.
wouldn't like 10 be back In the
good ole U. S. A II may be little
while before | get back to II. But
maybe this whole thing will be
over before next year, | certainly
hope so.
IL haven't received any letters
from you since we left Ft. Lewis
altho many OF the other fellows
received letters that were mailed
the first of this month. Therefore
| haven't any idea how you folks
are coming along. can only hope
that Won are well and aren't need
lesslv worrying about me. VIII Try
70 write as often as | can but they
keep us so busy that we reaiiy
haven't much spare time. AT pres
ent there is no electricity in camp
vet and we have only a single
candle TO light our tent. and that is