Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-28
MARK
.HELLINCER
In The South
Pacific Ocean
Special to THE DETROIT TINES


special to THE DETROIT TINES
EN- ROUTE TO AUS.
TRALIA, June Fl Delayed
I'm in a beautiful plane as I j.
write this: twin of the ship
that few President Roosevelt to
Casablanca.
Bougainville is now behind
me. But I carry with me many
memories Of that strange island.
There was the night they
held the prize fights, and the
37th Infantry band gave a con-
cert. No women for many,
many miles around. and all the
boys with their private dreams.
Yet the band. in an ironic mood,
featured three numbers: Lover.
Come Back TO Me" Night and
Day, You Are the One and
for the big finish-"No Love,
No Nothin u
The fights. as IN all tropical
boxing contests, were limited TO
three rounds of minute and a
half each. The fighters. sew
eral of whom had just returned
from difficult patrol duty
against the laps fought hard
and well. The price OF admis-
sion was willingness 10 cheer.
Reward for the winning fight
ers? Yes, indeed. Two bottles
Of warm beer-When and if such
beer arrived.
THEN there was Sgt. Caesar
L Bova OF Baltimore. Caesar
is a fine soldier, but he has a
strange hobby for a fine soldier.
He likes 10 paint insects. and
ne rs forever trying 10 catch
new types Of butterflies. And
! can assure you from personal
experience, starting from
scratch, that If a guy likes in
scots. BOugainville is his para
disc
Today then. Caesar Bova is
very happy man. He catches
rare butterflies by the score.
and in his spare time, he paints.
Furthermore, his pals swore 20
me thal-in one engagement
with the Japs. Bova had a but.
terhy net resting beside his rife.
Id have 10 see that 10 believe
H. But having met Bova. Id
say il could be.
| asked painter-soldIer Bova
II ne was married.
NO. indeed. sir" he replied
promptly insects are the only
things that fascinate me"
Then there was Henry Nc
Lemore. expert columnist who
IS now combat correspondent
on BouCaInvllle Henry is in line
for a ScrgeantS stripes. but he
Mas Observation-Disclosures.
And doing everything the hard
way too
No doubt Henry could have
had commission but ne was
afraid they d put hun some
where in an office SO he went
IN As a private. He has lost
many pounds. He is happy do
inc what he is doing
Many people. living selfshly
and easily Al home VIII find n
hard 10 understand that ! am
sorry for those people Because
they will never know how Won
derful guy feels when he has
done the right thing.
THEN there was the KID who
L received the Dear John"
letter Know what a Dear
John" letter IS2
It's when a girl writes n a
boy out IN action and says she
doesn't know how 70 tell him
this but she met another boy.
and after All girl has 10 look
At her future and this now boy
is making lot Of money and
she knows you wouldn't want
10 stand in the way Of her hap :
plness. and so goodby, John. ans
she'll always remember what a =
wonderful fellow you were
When chap gets Dear
John" letter out here he's sup
posed 10 tell the fellows, and
It's always an occasion for
party There isn't much you
can do along party lines on
BOuGalnvllle. but the boys rustic
up whatever they can find
Gags are invented and Jokes
are told and retold and every
body congratulates the man
who received ne Dear John"
letter. They assure HIM that.
If the girl quit while ho was
away he's much better of than
he ever was before.
Well. this kid whose name I
will not mention. received his
Dear John" letter. They held
the usual party. and was asked
to drop in The other fellows
slapped the kid on the shoulders,
and they kidded him and he
was a great sport about every
thing
He laughed lot and he told
few Jokes Of his own and he
said he didn- feel z htt badly.
But when ! left tho tent, he was
sitting outside in the rain. And
his face was vet. And IL wasn't
from tho rain.
Invest In Invasion RuN n Bond----