U.S. At War: How the Furlough Went

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He had the feeling that she was sure Bill was dead and he had the idea that she found some peace in it. He sensed what she must be thinking now, with her only other son going off to fight in the same theater. He talked about the rotten climate, Jap savagery. He hated to do it but he had to harden her. She took it all right.

That evening he looked up the Rasmussens. They lived on Reservoir Street. Dick Rasmussen had been nicked by a bullet and was still on the other side in a hospital. "I'm Charles Horn, one of Dick's buddies," he said to Mrs. Rasmussen. She looked as though she were going to cry and invited him in and made him stay all evening.

Horn kept looking at his watch, wondering what McGuire was doing, but Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen would not let him go.

A whole evening out of his 30 days. But he left the Rasmussens feeling pretty good inside. That Sunday he looked up the folks of another buddy, Jimmy Martinet, who was also in a hospital.

Trip to Hermosa. It was on Sunday that he bumped into Victor Harvey. Vic had been out in the Pacific with the Air Forces and was staying at a friend's place at Hermosa Beach. He suggested that Horn join him. Well, why not, Horn figured. He had done about all there was to do around Los Angeles and seen about everybody he wanted to see. So he went out to Hermosa.

They lived in bathing trunks. They played Duke Ellington platters on the phonograph. There were plenty of girls and plenty to drink at the Hermosa Biltmore. One day he drew a heavy ring around a date on a calendar hanging behind Joe's bar — the 24th. That was the end of it.

It was expensive living. He cashed in some of his war bonds — two on a Wednesday, two on a Saturday, two the following Monday. Well, they wouldn't do him any good if he didn't come back.

There were more women than a man could handle. He got so he could laugh easily.

When he had enough drinks he could laugh at anything.

Next Date — . One day Pfc. Horn lay on his belly in the warm sand and watched the surf rolling in from the Pacific. Some body kicked sand over him and he looked up at a pair of legs. A girl said, ൺrry, were you sleeping?" "Well, you're nice to wake up to," Horn cracked.

He leaned on his elbows while the girl sat down and got acquainted. She finally suggested they have a drink. Horn got up and walked with her across the sand and stood up at Joe's bar where the calendar hung with the ring around the 24th. This was about the end of it. He ordered drinks. "Here's looking at you," he said.