Tuesday Dec. 28, 1943

Dearest Kitten:

My love for you is getting greater and deeper as the days roll by. How happy I will be when I will be able to take you in my arms and tell you of the great love that I have for you. Were it only possible for me to take you in my arms and lay quietly by your side. How heavenly that would be. Just to be able to touch you, hear you, and smell the sweetness of you, would send my heart into a tail spin.

Oh! well. Instead, I have to be a father to a group of men. They are nothing more than children really. Each with his own little problems, and each presenting a problem in itself. My job is to listen to all that the platoon sergeants allow to see me, and that is by no means a small number.

Life was comparatively simple before I took over the job of 1st Sgt. Now I have to think in terms of a Company of men, instead of a mere handful of men. It is a twenty four hour a day job. In the morning, I arise at 6:00 A.M. and my job is never through. I started this letter at 10:00 P.M. and I am rather tired.

"In the absence of the Company Commander, the First Sergeant shall take charge etc etc" so says the Army regulations. From that angle, you can draw your own conclusions. I never knew just how much trouble a group of men could keep themselves into, especially when the C.O. is away.

A First Sergeant is one of the most heartedly disliked men in the Company, but, he is the first man that the men run to whenever they have troubles or want a favor.

The Company Commander was giving me the works for about a month to see just how I would stack up. He evidently was satisfied.

Well, Beautiful, I must say good night and hope that I may dream of you.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you, Darling.

Your Loving, Devoted, and Faithful Husband

Bob       

(xx)

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