Note from the editor: Recently, we were going through some of the old letters we have in the TFC archives and found this one from a solider, who was stationed in what called the Dutch Indies or Indonesia today. The name of the former TFI student is Baldermo Rodriguez, who graduated from the high school in 1940.
September 3, 1944
Dear Mr. [Kelly] Barnes,
Please forgive me for not writing any sooner, but I have been on the move for nearly four months now. I have made another combat jump and came out alright—“Thank God.†It is the third combat mission in which I have taken part. Everyone has been very tough and in everyone, we have had a little fun with the [Japanese]. [I‘ll] be glad when this is all over because I have done some walking in my three years in the Parachute Infantry, and I have seen all the bullets flying over my head that I wanted to see. I am ready to take a rest out of the tropics and far away from the [Japanese].I am sending a few pieces of Japanese money which they were going to use in their conquer of the world. Well, piece-by-piece, we are taking it all back. Some of the money is real [Japanese] money. [The] other pieces are nothing but invasion money.
Well, I have to close for today, but I will write again soon.
Sincerely,
RodriguezP.S. Give my regards to everybody at T. F. I.
