May 16, 1944
No. 25
Dear Folksies,
Saturday afternoon we had a good baseball game with the same Headquarters outfit that beat us the first day that we played. This time we did better, coming from behind to whip them in the last inning. They’ve challenged us to another game, and we will undoubtedly oblige.
Sunday I baked on the beach in the P.M. and yesterday was out there again. Now they have put a raft out quite a ways and one can swim out there, relax for a while and then swim back in.
Today am taking things easy. The men are having a hard-ball baseball game this afternoon, so will probably watch them.
Loads of love,
.
Mondello Beach
Philip Westdahl writes in his journal about this fallow period after the 59th Evac Unit turned the hospital over to the 154th station group. “[We passed} the time as best we could by playing ball, swimming at Mondello beach, going to shows or reading and writing at night. I know of no more frustrating feeling than to be left behind sitting around doing nothing while there are men fighting at the front, and hospitals almost too busy to handle the volume of casualties, who would be grateful for a relief. During our civilian days we would have given anything for just a few free evenings and a week-end or two with our wives, and now that we have this time we are in such a position that we can’t enjoy it and are more than anxious to get buried in work. We continue to hope that we will have our opportunity.”