The Academy Awards 1944

The 16th Academy Awards Ceremony was held at a new public venue, Grauman's Chinese Theater. Uniformed soldiers were given free tickets to the ceremony. Also, for the first time, actors in supporting roles received full sized Oscars.

Jack Benny hosted the Academy Awards radio program broadcast to the Armed Forces overseas.



A few of the Oscar winners are listed below;

Outstanding Motion Picture- "Casablanca"
Best Director  Michael Curtiz
Best Actress  Jennifer Jones
Best Actor  Paul Lukas
Best Dramatic Score "Song of Bernadette" Alfred Newman
Best Animated Short "Yankee Doodle Mouse"

Letter #3 Continued "The Tent Gang Really Liked Your Photo!"

Pages three - five

 "Speaking of bowling, there's only been one time lately that this game found me trying again. It was out in Hollywood in a big joint with a lot of alleys and while things were being done on a big scale (ten pins) I had a big girl with me and she was big. On account of my being a gentleman, she bowled first and you would've had a fit. And this is the tooth, she picks one up and with hardly a wind up she lets it go like a rocket. It sailed thru the air half way down the alley, then crashed on the lane and splintered a couple of the pins. Her aim wasn't so good but what an arm! The rest of the family which we met later ...were also large - the younger brother, around 14 stands at six feet - She was a barrel of fun."

" Speaking of pictures, here is one which was contributed by my public. It was taken over a year ago in Camp Elliott, Calif. by a buddy of mine who is still with me. He's been saving a lot of shots like that and I had a helluva time getting it away ..."

"... he requested a look at the photo of you to see why I was so anxious to "send" mine and he and the tent gang really liked it. Upon examining my photo closely you will perceive inside the hut the end of a double bunk, the bottom one containing the pair of shoes so modestly worn by the wearer who is in the favorite position of a nap - the hobby of all us bored individuals."

"Hey! your middle name must be better than you said; as long as it's "B" it must be for beautiful but I still believe it to be "L" for lovely.  Apparently my opinion's confirmed, for the small number of guys who have had the luck of seeing your photo have made more than the necessary exclamations. So I'll keep it under cover before some wise guy opens up and finds himself in the wastebasket. Well "forget - you - not," maybe you are wondering what the patch is, it's the old 1st Marine Amph. Corps insignia, not that it makes any difference but I had no use for it here. "

"So goodbye, Lovely Fran and pardon the girl scout pin,
Your pal,
Wick - grr"

Letter #3 February 5, 1944 "Swell Pictures of Fran"

Pages one and two

"February 5, 1944"

"Dear Fran,"

"Today your second letter came and it was even better than the foist. There is one section I reread several times...Fran, I don't know what I'd do if that old stump would be taken away from The Park."

"Saaay, thanks for the (oh my god) swell pictures - remember the ancient radiators in the h. s. and how they'd shake, rattle and knock then give out a shower of steam ? Well those snapshots left me like that only still full of steam."

"You really threw a scare into me when you mentioned a nurse's uniform, but it disappeared when you explained it. For a moment it seemed like you had joined that outfit...I'm happy that you are still a civilian, and please stay that way."

"As for other things not so interesting, young Ollie is not so far away now being in New Caledonia. Before long he'll be here... Also, the other night at the movies there was a Pete Smith sport short on the topic of horseshoe pitching. There was a glimpse of Lee Fletcher keeping score. He lived on my mail route, was in the bowling league and got in all the horseshoe tournaments. This caught me by surprise and before the brain could function properly I had half yelled his name and "I know that guy!"

"Aw yeah, don't expect this writing to continue so regularly as sometimes occasions arise when it can't be done. But the V-Mail will suffice ..Today I got seven letters, five with different months on the postmarks Nothing like it."
                                                                                                        

to be continued...

Yes! We Have No Bananas (1923) the hit tune and great sing a long song!

"Yes We Have No Bananas" a big WWII change for Twinkies!

 The banana cream filling in Twinkies has been changed! Vanilla cream is the new flavor. Bananas, another casualty of the war, are seldom available. I can say after sampling one, well maybe two, they are quite good and surely Twinkies will last forever. Yes, we have no bananas but we still have Twinkies!

Letter # 2 January 25, 1944 "I Live In A Tent With Three Square Heads"

"Dear Fran,"

"Haven't heard from you but knowing the mail situation, there probably has not been time enough. Got a letter from Johnny (Wick's brother) the other day and he said he had a touch of malaria. He's in Panama most of the time and gets to fly around in Latin America and occasionally to the southern US. Apparently he got over the malaria as he's been working almost all the time. This sickness is no joke and every guy around that's had it has lost around twenty pounds and fast..."

"Johnny's a great guy, he's been writing ever since being overseas that he's going to send a snapshot or picture but as yet this has not happened. So don't you be like that my Fran. Coach Yarnell used to write every few months but the inevitable losing address happened and that has stopped..." 

"A bunch of us on a working party were riding down the road in a truck and in front of us was a jeep with these two(women)and naturally a couple of limey guys. They happened to turn around and what a flop. You remember the old comedies in the movies where the guy would see the gal from the rear ( and what a back!) and she'd turn around displaying a horse face? Well it happened this time..."

"Answering your question; I'm in my early twenties, five-eleven,blue eyes, two ears and a harelip (mustache) I wear green dungarees, a hat with the globe eagle-anchor and a set of duration chains.Instead of taking care of a house, my time is now devoted to a tent with three  square heads as company. Across the "street" is another tent identical in every detail, with (also) four square heads instead of the very pleasant sight which 16 Oakwood Road used to house...Goodbye for now and be good."

 "Your old buddy, Wick"