Sgt. Ed Cunningham
YANK Field Correspondent

At a U. S. bomber base, INDIA — For the first time in military history, the mournful hearts have organized. The Brush-Off Club is the result. In this land of sahibs and saris; as usual, it is strictly G.I.

Composed of the guys whose gals back home have decided "a few years is too long to wait," the club has only one purpose — to band together for mutual sympathy. They meet weekly to exchange condolences and cry in their beer while telling each other the mournful story of how "she wouldn't wait."

The club has a "chief crier," a "chief sweater" and a "chief consoler." Initiation fee is one broken heart or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Applicants must be able to answer appropriately the following questions:
1. Has she written lately?
2. Do her letters say she misses you, and is willing to wait no matter how long?
3. Does she reminisce about the "grand times we had together, and the fun we'll have when you come back?"
4. Does she mention casually the fellows she is dating now?

Membership in the club is divided between "active members" and "just sweating members" — the latter being guys who can't believe that no news is good news.

Members are required to give each other the needle; i.e., full sympathy for all active members, encourage "hopeful waiting" in the just sweating members. By-laws state: "As we are all in the 'same transport,' we must provide willing shoulders to cry upon, and join fervently in all wailing and weeping."

One of the newest members of the club was unani­mous­ly voted to charter mem­ber­ship because of the particular circum­stances of his case. He recently got a six-page letter from his fiancee back in Texas. In the last paragraph she casually mentioned, "I was married last week but my husband won't mind you writing to me occasionally. He's a sailor and very broadminded."

This G.I., so magnanimously scorned, is now regarded as fine presidential timber.

Present officers of the club, all of whom are active torch-carriers, are: Cpl. Henry W. Asher Jr., New Orleans, La., president; Pvt. Francis M. McCreery. Marshall. Mo., vice president; Cpl. John McConnell, Garden Grove, Calif., chief crier; S/Sgt. George M. Lehman, Bozeman, Mont., assistant chief crier; Sgt. John Crow, San Jose, Calif., chief sweater; and Lt. Richard L. Weiss, Milwaukee, Wis., chief consoler.

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