Anne Bosanko Green: "Thrilling Times!"

Anne Bosanko Green joined the Women's Army Corps (WAC) on September 20, 1944, and served stateside as a surgical technician. By the end of the war, Anne was stationed at Birmingham General Hospital in Van Nuys, California. The military routine and its restrictions grew tiresome, and Anne rejoiced with the rest of the nation when the Japanese surrendered on August 14, 1945, and at the prospect of returning home. In her memoir, One Woman's War: Letters Home from the Women's Army Corps, 1944-1946, Anne shared the following (unedited) letter sent to her family on V-J Day.

View original letter.

Letter Transcript

U.S. NAVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES DEPOT
1357 NORTH VINE ST., HOLLYWOOD, 28, CALIFORNIA

MEMORANDUM

Date V-J Day, 1945

TO: the family of an inebriated WAC

Hello family dear, I probrbly shouldn't be writing to you when in this condition but I feel that You might like to know how the Army reacts to the wonderful news of the end of this bloody mess. I'm at prewent slightly the worse for Schenley's at a naval offce as you can see from the letterhead. I8ve been excited evre since Friday when the ews started to come in. We were avsolutely glued to the radio n Surge - Miss Kirkman brought her radio in and in between ops we rushed into the work room ti hear thw latest. It was gay and mad what I mean aren't we living in thrilling times¼ Only six more months before i8m s sweet little co-ed again.. Maybe I8ll be home for Xmas. Let us hope so

Hollywood is full of drunk wanton people even tho all th the bars closed at 4:00 when the news came. niose - horns

paper litterng the streets. great surging mobs of fake people.,;: all being photographed like mad from every angle by the navy army movieseat al but still its fun an and I'll never foret it.

oh whee. especially the poor little swabbie here at the offce who coundn't hold his liquor and proceeded to regurgitate all over my nice clean uniform... how aboot thatz?

Perhaps you better not read this to Mike-- He might think his sister was an old sot, But after all as I sad before its the end offnthe war and a little blowi g off steam is allowableand forgivable.

You will, Won't you. Forgive me I mean

All my love dear little family whom I miss so such.