When It Cools Down

Marvin Dale Miller to his mother, 28 February 1971 — the day before his promotion to Specialist 4, and among the earliest letters in the collection. A short one: a roll of film going home for developing, a little money to follow, and the dry-season heat with the rains still three months off.

28 Feb 71

Dear Mom,

I'm sending home this roll of film to have developed. Maybe Dan can figure out what kind of film to get from this. Maybe he already knows what kind to get by now, I don't know. I don't know why they're not turning out very good. It was pretty old film, maybe that had something to do with it.

If I get a chance I'll send some more money home. Maybe I can get some out of the bank over here.

Well I'm fine and I hope everyone back home is too. It seems to be unusually hot over here the last couple of weeks. The rainy season should start in about 3 months.

Maybe I can write more when it cools down.

Love Marv

Transcription Notes

• The signature at the very bottom edge of the page is mostly cut off in the scan; "Love" is clear and the closing is consistent with his usual "Marv."
• A struck/retraced word appears in the first paragraph ("what kind of film to get") — a minor self-correction, final reading clear.
• Blue ballpoint, single page. All other text legible.

Archivist Notes

Earliest film/photography letter: This is the earliest letter in the collection to mention Marvin's photography, and it places his brother Dan at the center of it — "Maybe Dan can figure out what kind of film to get." Dan (an older brother) is the family's film/camera advisor, sourcing the right stock from home while Marvin shoots and sends rolls back to be developed. The "pretty old film… not turning out very good" is an early, concrete data point for the open camera-model question: he was already shooting in February 1971 and troubleshooting film stock with Dan's help. Compare the 12 Jul 71 and 21 Sep 71 letters, where the same develop-and-send-home routine continues.

The financial arrangement, early form: "If I get a chance I'll send some more money home. Maybe I can get some out of the bank over here." The send-money-home pattern that recurs throughout the tour (see the 3 Sep 71 PS) is already in place by late February.

Promotion the next day: Marvin was promoted to Specialist 4 on 1 March 1971 — the day after this letter. He does not mention the impending promotion, consistent with his habitual understatement.

Season and place: "Unusually hot… the rainy season should start in about 3 months" fits the dry-season dry/hot stretch in III Corps (the southwest monsoon typically arrives around May). He had arrived in-country roughly two and a half months earlier (~15 Dec 1970).

Cross-references:

• 15 Dec 70 — first letter (arrival); this is the next in sequence
• 26 Mar 71 — following letter
• 12 Jul 71, 21 Sep 71 — the continuing develop-and-send-home film routine