World War II-dated ALS signed “Daddy,” two pages, 8 x 10.25, postmarked by the U.S. Army Postal Service on February 15, 1944. Handwritten letter from John Wayne to his children, "Michael and Toni and Pat and Melinda," in full (spelling retained): “Daddy had an afternoon off yesterday and went to a native island. I got some spears and a bow and some arrows for you. I’m going to try and get Toni and Melinda native grass skirts. We used colored cloth tobbacco and soap to trade with the natives. They had lots of children around the village. It sure made daddy want to see his kids. The colored boys climbed up the cocoanut trees and dropped cocoanuts to us. They would then take a machete which is a loud heavy bladed knife, and chop off one end of the nut and let us drink the milk. It sure tasted wonderful. If you have written to me, I haven’t received the letter yet. Hope you have. Call grandma and say hello for daddy. The ocean here is warm and clear; we can see different shapes and kinds of coral on the ocean bed. There are a lot of sharks tho,’ so we really move while we are in the water. It’s pretty scarry. Be good kids and mind your mother.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original hand-addressed mailing envelope, with Wayne incorporating his autograph into the return address field, “J. Wayne, U.S.O.-APO 923, ℅ Spec Service, ℅ Postmaster, San Francisco.”
Wayne traveled overseas on USO tours to the South Pacific and Australia for several months in late 1943 and early 1944. 'Along with other USO performers, he entertained troops from Brisbane, Australia, to New Britain and New Guinea. Often wearing a Colt .45 on his right hip, he signed autographs and talked with the troops, sitting up late into the night drinking their 'jungle juice' and swapping stories of the battlefront and the home front.'
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