Sept 22, 1945
I spent most of yesterday in LA and coma out here (Santa Monica, CA.) last night. It is quite nice here and the weather is real warm. In a couple days I will have more time to see the things of interest such as Hollywood, etc. I am staying at the Edgewater hotel. The army is turning this place back to the civilian owners in a couple weeks or so, so I am lucky that I came back now. I haven't heard any more yet about a discharge but we were told that ex-PW's get a battle a star for being PW so that will mean 5 more points. I guess it will depend mostly on whether there is a shortage or a demand for radio operators, at any airfields.

Oct. 9, 1945
I found out yesterday that us ex-kriegies could get more red points so I got some. They figure we need them to get built up I guess.

Last night the army or Red Cross gave a party, or rather paid the expenses for anyone who wished to go, to Slapsie Maxie's night club, so I went. It is quite a famous place, in Beverly Hills. Max Baer is master of ceremonies and Ben Blue the movie comedian is in the floor show which is very good. We also saw Billy Conn there. We had a nice chicken dinner and a few drinks, all free to us.

I am leaving for Santa Ana at 3 this afternoon so I should know by tomorrow how long it will take to get out.

Oct. 13, 1945
I've been down here (Santa Ana) about 3 days now. When we got there the colonel told us we would have to wait 3 weeks before processing, but now it look's as if we will only have to wait about a week at the most as they are getting organized and turn more men out per day. It only takes two days to get processed and discharged. We will go though exactly the same thing as we had at Santa Monica so it seems foolish to me.

I have been doing some skeet shooting the past 2 days and my shoulder is black and blue. They have all types of entertainment here the same as they did at Santa Monica. I've never been anywhere they feed as good as they do here. They have a line of food 30 or 40 feet long for dinner and supper. Also we have ice cream for dinner and supper plus cake or pie. One mess hall is open at night for a snack bar and they serve hot dogs, bologna, ice cream, milk and free coca-cola. I got weighed day before yesterday and hit 177 so I've gained about 3 or 4 lbs.

I am surely lucky I was a prisoner of war as we are exempt from details. Otherwise we would have to do KP every other day. All we have to do is keep our barracks clean. We also get priority on discharge. That is one reason I may get home sooner.

At first they were making ex-PW's work. They even had one of the gunners who was on the Dolittle Tokyo raid, and was prisoner of the Japs from then on, on KP the day after he got here. The papers got hold of that and raised such a fuss that the commander here ceased working ex-PW's.

Oct. 16, 1945
I finally know when I am getting out. We started processing yesterday by having a lecture, and this AM we had our physical. Tomorrow we have several appointments and then Thursday is the big day when we get our pay and "Homing pigeons."