Consists of a diary kept by an American soldier serving in World War II with entries covering the beginning and end of his time in the military. The entries briefly summarize each of his days from July 8, 1945 to January 31, 1946 in a few sentences; for the majority of his diary, he is stationed in Hawai'i. The entries begin by documenting his travels through the south from North Carolina or South Carolina to California and Washington where he had several weeks of training and orientation before he boarded the USS Victory for Hawaiʻi. Throughout his entries, he notes the various trainings, demonstrations, and lectures that he attends, varying from "class on tropical fruits and water supply," sanitation, and censorship to classes on stream crossing, scouting, demolition, and attacking fortifications. When he arrives in Hawai'i, he begins firefighter school and notes his classes on ladder work, nozzle holding, and fire extinguishers, as well their dry runs and drills. After his exam, he becomes an assistant station chief, and later becomes a station chief. He also notes his patrols, work details, and other duties. In addition to his training, he notes his recreational activities: playing volleyball, seeing USO shows, watching football and baseball games, and going to the movies.