Letter From Bataan, A (1944)

[Music] [Music] [Music] la [Music] [Applause] [Music] easy Pete it's the last one [Music] well maybe it'll be quiet tonight come on Pete let's give him a welcome get they get you oh got cramps go ahead Johnny blast my daddy PE what about I can't see him Johny over here over here Johnny I tell you I didn't see him nurse utation mhm we're out of anesthetic and we have to do without them with the shock doctor can he survive it sometimes I think these boys can survive [Music] anything Pete didn't have to go I should have got that jaite I just couldn't see him night blindness you have to have fresh vegetables to see at night hang on private keep his heart going I thought that was it hold tight I can't go out now n now my wife Mar mom I got to tell them something Pete and me were talking about it [Music] keep talking [Music] soldier I've got to write a letter it's important I've got to write it so so that they know [Music] [Music] they didn't catch me napping I stopped up that you just ought to see that seller of mine I've got 28 cases of canned goods and 200 lb sacks of sugar and all the C excuse me Mrs Jackson hello Mr dumit oh afternoon Mr Lewis nothing but the regular monthly bills add from The Emporium oh yes uh here's another little item a letter from batan from Johnny Mary Mary a letter from Johnny hey Chuck watch those tires oh we'll get more don't worry about that stuff Chuck Roy a letter from Johnny well G let's have a look Char we all want to see it come up on the porch me too ain't I've been bringing his mail ever since Mary sent him his first Valentine Dear Mother and Mary we haven't got a regular mail now but I sure hope this one gets through we've had a pretty bad time here but one things made it lots easier for me thinking how Mary took it when I decided to go I'd been thinking about it for some time I was worried about what Mary might say Mary you want me to do what I think is right don't you what what brought that on Johnny well it passed the draft today and well I'm not waiting but we're not in it yet it's only a question of time I'm joining when Johnny tomorrow tomorrow marry you're not mad are you hey wait a minute this is not stop yes it is City Hall come on City Hall well if you're joining up tomorrow we're getting married today married come on and you mother you just said take care of yourself son that was all nothing's too hard to take for a family like mine we may have to give up ban but it won't be the Japs that beat us it'll be lack of food and equipment and Medicine when they jumped us we just went ready for them that's all reminds me of the time that I had the trouble with Tuffy when I was a kid remember I got an awful pasting guess I just wasn't ready but when he did get ready what a Tron I got a long time since anyone called me Tuffy but you folks have had time now to get ready a pal ofine Pete I wrote you about he died because I couldn't see good enough to knock down the that got him the doc called it night blindness you get that for not having enough vegetables we didn't have enough of anything it's too late to do us here on batan any good but it'll win for the others who are carrying this fight this is the important part you've all got to do without things Pete told me a lot of this he was going to be in a account he had a great head for figures for one thing don't hard food keep it working we haven't had anything but a little horse meat and rice for days I've seen guys cramped up with stomach pains for lack of food men like that can't fight and along the same lines mom don't waste any kitchen fats kitchen fats make glycerin and glycerin makes explosives 2 lounds of fats can fire five and tank shells last year Housewives threw away 2 billion you want a new refrigerator Mom that's 140 lb of Steel 2 million Americans bought refrigerators last year today they've got to do without that was enough steel for 20,000 light tanks for 66,000 and aircraft guns for the HS of 21 Cruisers to sink the Jabs and that brother-in-law of mine Roy why that glute would never use the same razor blade twice it takes 12,000 razor blades to make the tail assembly for one 2,000lb bomb royd wear a muff if he knew the blades he saves might make the egg that wrecks the German Munitions dump and rubber that's the worst no matter what you hear there isn't enough don't let anybody waste it tires ask Chuck to go easy on those curves will you see I've been telling you yeah I guess you're right murdered rubbber is going to mean dead soldiers from now on five car tires make one bomber Tire Four battleships could be equipped with rubber used by Weekend golfers and other athletes in 3 months of last year that's a lot of rubber tell the folks mom they've got to nurse those tires like their own babies and here's one that really opened my eyes shellac from six jukebox records would waterproof the primer cups of 100,000 m in 30 caliber cartridge mom Pete died because we didn't have the things we needed the others the millions in the fight now get two Japs for every Pete that was caught short you folks will have to go without the little things so they can have bombers and guns and tanks that we didn't have we know we can count on you no other American boy is going to die in a Strange Land because somebody at home didn't go without I don't think I'll what is it what's wrong man I thought it's nothing go on mother well there isn't much more I don't think I'll be able to write again soon but don't worry about me tell Mary I think about her always and God bless you all John so right when you think what those guys are doing for us uh Mrs JW Lewis yes sign here please aome deeply regret to inform you that your son John W Lewis died at batan February 6th in performance of his duty and in service to his C Johnny I'll be back this evening Ro no other American boy is going to die in a Strange Land because somebody at home didn't go without well that's odd huh the telegram says Johnny died on the 6th that's right this letter was written on the 7th [Music] [Applause] [Music]