Air Mail From Dip: Recent Episodes

Christian Olsen

Dorance "Dip" Alquist sent letters home during the entirety of WWII. They are now going to arrive in real-time over the next 4 1/2 years.

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“Dear Marion –”

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“I’m still here in Gifu waiting!”

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“The suspense is awful…”

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“The place is badly burned and bombed…”

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“Expected to be on shore long ago…”

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“the typhoon also did an “about face” & caught us…”

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“They told me it rolls heavily in a choppy sea…”

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“just hope I don’t get too sea-sick…”

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“We’re not training at all right now – instead we’re busy packing…”

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“Marion – have you seen anyone wearing our Div. shoulder patch?”

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“Last weekend in Manila we had quite a unique experience. We took in a real football game.”

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“Let me commend you on your prompt letter writing…”

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“I hope they get the news around the countryside in a hurry…”

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“V-J-DAY”

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“Chuck & I surely has a fine time in Manila…”

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“We went dancing at a night club called Cielito Lindo on the outskirts of Manila…”

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“Yes we were in Manila last weekend”

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“Our area is strictly a sea of mud these days…”

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“Today’s my anniversary – four long & barren years in the army”

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“Get set for a lengthy paragraph…”

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“We got a beer ration today…”

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“I’m at the airstrip again for a little flying…”

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“Today the mail finally caught up to the fightin’ soldiers…”

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“You’ve probably heard of the battle of “Balette Pass” – I’ll never forget it…”

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“It’s a typical “blue-monday” – cloudy and rainy…”

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“I got a few pictures back from the army processors this week…”

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“You see I have a new job now – Btry. executive.”

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“War is sure hell, Marion…”

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“I have a new pair of combat boots!”

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“We’ve been at it now for 120+ days without rest…”

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“Oh happy day – two down & one to go!”

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“…Germany surrenders unconditionally Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!”

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“I’m still on duty as aerial-observer at the air-strip…”

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“I know better than to mess with poetry…”

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“Marion you can’t realize how much you miss such things as radio & lights ‘till you do without them…”

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“sorry I can’t help out on your “Men Wanted” request…”

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“For the last 4 or 5 days I’ve been over my chin in legal papers…”

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“Don’t be too shocked about my doing a little front-line fighting…”

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“Isn’t it an odd life we lead over here?”

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“…at the moment I’m enjoying a cool bottle of Ruppert’s beer.”

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“…a bit quiet this morning here in the gun position…”

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“I’ve been up on the lines again in those nasty ol’ foxholes…”

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“…I want to come home so bad I can taste it…”

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“Somehow he zigged when he should have zagged…”

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“…I almost fell out of my foxhole when I realized my birthday was the day before…”

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“I went up the front today, collared the General & told him to take time out…”

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“The explosion rocked the plane…”

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“I drank “to peace in ’45!”…”

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“We’re still busy as little bees here – moving all the time…”

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“…we are going to be paid next time in Filipino pesos…”

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“Wish I could tell you exactly where I’m at, but censorship forbids it…”

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“I’m writing this letter in my history class…”

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“The last two letters I wrote you were scribbled in a rush aboard ship…”

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“Spose you’ve been wondering what the h—l happened to Dip…”

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“Well, here comes the last year-end recap of this project!”

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“At a later date I’ll tell you more about my Xmas of ’44…”

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“Today was strictly a red-letter one for me…”

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“Well I have no big news to divulge…”

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“Gee, those pictures your cousin took of you are really nice…”

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“I’m anxious to hear how your Thanksgiving was…!”

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“I said my letters might be a little bit farther between for a while…”

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“I’m enclosing a menu so you can see for yourself…”

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“Oh, I almost forgot, this has been a red-letter day for yours truly…”

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“But it’s a big day today for another reason…”

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“If I had my way we’d stay out here in the woods…”

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“PS. Gee, five pages – even I’m impressed!!”

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“Today was a lazy warm day – I just sorta slept it away…”

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“Sun. morning we went to church and then took some pictures…”

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“I promise I won’t keep you up late…”

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“I certainly hope something drastic happens soon…”

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“I had the job of creating an ammunition dump…”

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“You see I just moved into a new battery in the Bn…”

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“It’s Sunday afternoon – everyone else but me is asleep…”

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“I imagine the leaves on the trees up there are now sporting all the colors of the rainbow…”

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“S’cuze me for almost writing Mrs. on the outside envelope…”

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“It’s Sunday morning so just returned from church…”

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“Say what d’ya know – I now have a dog, of all things…”

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“…one of the jeep drivers drove over an embankment trying to avoid hitting a cow…”

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“I’m writing this letter on a Life magazine…”

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“Yes, the war news certainly sounds good…”

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“Gee, this surely is a crazy letter so far…”

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“I’m the voting officer for the Btry…”

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“Had a swell time in town just messing around with the boys…”

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“Just to see if I could still do it; I developed a roll of film…”

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“…I just got letters from two married women…”

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“We are going to get a chance to vote this time…”

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“…let’s just relax on your front-room sofa and have a little chat.”

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“…keep your fingers crossed for this thing to end soon…”

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“I went to church this morning…”

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“P.S. Let me know if this has been censored!”

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“Marion you’re a clever gal!”

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“To you it might sound dangerous…”

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“The only thing that’ll excite me now is an armistice.“

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“Doesn’t the war news sound good now?”

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“…it’s Fathers Day… and I drink to your continued good health…”

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“We officers play volley ball every night after training hours…”

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“I spose my sarcasm has made you mad now…”

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“We made a little photographic tour up the island…”

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“…here I am all alone & lonely on this forsaken Pacific isle…”

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“I meant to explain about that “grinning toothpaste ad” picture…”