Bob Dole Letter Excerpt
from: http://www.news.ku.edu/2003/03N/JulyNews/July18/doleexcerpts.html

April 4, 1945

Dear Mom, Dad:
...I finally got a break and wound up in Rome. It's really swell here almost like home, but it won't last long.

I was very fortunate today I ran in to Dean Nesmith and Bill Hargiss who are in Rome conducting a sports program. Nesmith was our trainer at K.U. and Hargiss was my track coach. I've spent the entire day visiting with them. I've a pretty good chance of going to the next class if I do I'll be back in Rome before too long. Maybe you've read about the Sports School in the K.C. paper. A class lasts 2 weeks and is composed of 60 men, half officers and _ enlisted men. During the two week period you are taught practically every sport in the business. What they are trying to do is to develop instructors for the post war world. If I'm lucky enough to get in I'll let you know. I'd sure like to relax for 2 weeks with nothing to do but play basketball, football, and run. I plan on taking a tour tomorrow to see some of the sights that I used to study in history.

I had my first plane ride yesterday. I caught my ride from Florence to Rome, it was really a thrill. I'm really convinced now that the Air Corp is a racket. I think I'd trade my bars for a (P.F.C.) stripe in the Air Corp. They go home after 50 missions we stay until the war ends.

When I saw Coach Hargiss and my old trainer Nesmith I was convinced that I'm going back to school. Primarily to study but also to compete in athletics. I love to play basketball and football and compete in track meets. I hope I'm not too old when the war ends for I really want to do a lot of things.