V-Mail # 398 June 22, 1944

Thurs. June 22, 1944
Darling;  II
I had expected to make this a continuation of yesterday's, but I got interrupted and had no more chance to write until today.  I guess I can quit telling you how much I liked your letters and tell you a little you want to know.  Your guess and Marg's were way off the beam.  I am in New Guinea.  Steve was very close to right.  The climate is very much the same as La. but it cools off very nicely at night.  It's damp as hell and nothing will dry very well.  I may get just as sick of this as I did of La. but at present it is very interesting.  Plenty of hills and mountains and you know how I like them.  The jungles are very strange and interesting.  I have been prowling them every chance I get.  I haven't been able to identify many of the strange trees and plants yet.  It's interesting to try.  I can sure appreciate the phrase, impenetrable, steamy jungle now.  It's just that exactly.  There has been some logging done in these woods and still it is almost necessary to cut your way through.  Vines and creepers all over.  When you walk into the woods you have a feeling of entering a steamy shower room. 
continued
Norman Effinger

Sweetheart;   III
The natives are little, black, bushy haired fellows and talk fairly understandable English.  They are always willing to cut poles or trade something for cigarettes.  They surely have few clothing troubles.  A sack or any old piece of rag tied around the waist is their only clothing.  Sometimes not even that.  Brown claims he saw a couple small kangaroo but so far I haven't.  There are bananas and coconut trees.  None of the latter in this particular area.  It is surely all new and interesting.  We are living very nearly like we did on La. maneuvers.  Feeding well even if it isn't always what we like.  I can't tell you much more.  Wish I could.  I do as you say in one of your letters.  Remember and tell you all about it when I come home. These haven't been much for love letters.  They will come later when I start answering the grand stack of yours I have here.  I do love you so much darling.  I'm thinking of you an awful lot.  The nights are so long I'll have lots of time to dream about you and make plans for us in the not too distant future.  Bye sweetheart.  I'm loving you.
Your hubby
Norm