30 Dec. 1944 (Saturday)

Dearest Kitten:

Received letter #160 in which you were asking me to forgive you for being so neglectful in writing. Sweetheart, I understand how it is around Xmas time and so I will forgive you.

Who am I to talk? It seems like yesterday that I wrote last, but I know that it was Tuesday. It is wonderful to have such an understanding wife. She never gives me heck for not writing as often as she thinks I should. Lately it seems as though my time is always taken up.

It bothers me not to be able to write as often as I would like. Knowing how I feel when I do not get any mail for a long time, I can appreciate how you feel.

Thursday night we had the company party and everyone had a marvelous time. We started off with a chicken dinner, with the company band supplying a background of music. After the meal we cleared the floor and the hostesses started arriving. We had dancing for about an hour and a half, and then a bit of entertainment. The Master of Ceremonies wanted to use me as his dummy so I agreed. He explained what he wanted in two minutes and we let it go at that. Without any practice we did O.K. The men got a kick out of me being up there.

Letters #161+2 were just delivered with one from Roland. Your letters made me homesick as hell. From your letters I presume that you are very lonesome, the same as I am. How I only wish that I could take you in my arms and tell you how much that I love you. What I need most in the world right now is you. There is nothing wrong with me that you could not cure. What I am trying to tell you is how much that I love you.

Enclosed is another edition of the Beach comber, with an account of the party. I am not certain whether it is because I am the most popular 1st Sgt in the Battalion or the most feared, but I always seem to get into print.

I had a man from one of the other companies tell me that he would rather meet the Colonel or the Major in town than to meet me if he is out of uniform. It gives me a good feeling to know that the men respect me for the fact that I do my duty, no matter what.

This may sound funny, but over here the accepted thing to do over Xmas is to go to the beach. It has been very hot and I have been melting by inches.

Well Beautiful I must close with all my love. Give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you with all my heart, Sweetheart.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

December 26, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Here I am once more, still in one piece and still very much in love with you. After the Xmas holiday, I am fortunate to be able to claim that I am still whole.

Xmas Eve your husband got stinko, I regretted it Xmas day though. Wow what a night. It was so hot that as fast as I could take a drink, it squirted right out of my pores. At midnight I attended mass at the Brisbane cathedral. My uniform looked as if I had been taking a shower without bothering to undress.

My morale was quite low so to offset it I kept slightly mellow, starting Saturday night and stopping Xmas night. If I were offered a million dollars to write you a letter, I would be just as poor today as I was Saturday, know what I mean?

Last night we had a stage show “Stars & Stripes”, composed of all soldiers and were they good. They have been all over the Southwest Pacific putting the show on and are they good. I laughed so much that the muscles in the back of my head were sore.

After a week of no mail I finally received two V-mail & letters 156-7-8-9.

You certainly had a time Saturday Dec. 9. I got a boot out of the letter that you started that night and in which everyone wrote something. It made me feel as though I had been there and that I were just reading about something that had happened to me. It is a rather funny feeling, believe me.

Was d--- sorry to hear about Andrew. He must have gone through more than anyone at home will ever know about. It is no fun to think that maybe you have gone nuts because there are times when you lose control of your nerves. A good rest will do wonders for him and he will be all right, I know. It will be better for him to get non-combat duty and stay of there for a little longer than for him to go home. In that way he will be able to regain his confidence in himself before he faces the family. Being able to fulfill a job and know that he is capable of doing it gives a man something more tangible than family sympathy to get straightened out by.

So I’m a big brute now? Careful what you call me or I may beat you up. You’re not so big you know, even if you got the mistaken idea that you are capable of handling me.

There is something that I must let you know about. The First Sgt. in my company is very much in love with you. I know for a fact that he is. He has never told me so, but I know it. Where? Deep down in my heart, because that is where the love I have been talking about is located. Funny but I do not mind having my heart full of love for you. It is a very wonderful feeling.

I get a kick out of my two children writing to me. Although I know that you are guiding their hand in whatever they write to me.

We are having a company party in town. The Red Cross has consented to handle it all for us. Did I say consented? The way my C. O. puts it, they just took it right out of our hands. Chicken dinner, floor show and m-m-m hostesses. Hope I draw a blonde. It is going to be quite a time. Wish that you could be with me, I know that you will see about the best bunch of wild Indians in the world.

Got to leave Beautiful. Take care of my heart until I reclaim it, please. Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. How do you like the request to Santa that someone put in the paper for me?

1944-12-25 V-mail Christmas card

Wednesday 20 Dec, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

This is your very tired husband writing to you. I have been taking an hour of calisthenics a day and it is knocking me the hell out of me.

I did not have my pen with me and sent my charge of quarters down for it. He let me use his pen while he was gone for mine, that is the reason for the paint brush writing when I started.

The reason why I haven’t written since Saturday is quite simple. I have been busy as a little beaver or a one armed paper hanger with the seven years itch and the crabs. Even though I am so busy your are always a part of my thoughts every minute of the day, and are always in my dreams.

Things are getting worser & worser. Can’t even take a shower in peace anymore. Whenever I lay down to sleep I always finish my prayers off with a prayer that someone does not come and wake me before 05:15. Even if a man loses his way to his bunk, he seems to be able to locate me to find out where he is supposed to sleep.

Received six of your Xmas cards. They were all very nice and while opening them I got so d--- homesick that it was not funny.

Enclosed is a letter that I wrote to Andrew. The A.P.O. must be wrong so the next time that you write to him, please enclose the letter. Even if it is about four months old, a letter from me is a treat indeed.

Took some more pictures on Sunday. It takes about two weeks to have them developed & printed so it will be a while before you receive them. I used the roll of film that you sent to me.

Sorry Sweetheart, but I have to close. I love you Beautiful, with all of my heart.

Give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Wednesday 13 Dec, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

The weather is much nicer today and I feel almost cool it is only about 90 degrees. According to the daily paper, Monday it reached 100 degrees. Nice cool weather huh?

Today I received a package from my daughter and one from Mrs. Foley. The stuff is piling up so much on me that I do not know what to do with it all.

Complying with a suggestion offered by one of the officers I had a sign made and put a big box in our day room. Anything in the line of sweets or anything that the men receive that they do not want we are collecting in the box and are going to give to the poor children of the city. It may sound funny to you that we should want to give it away, but everyone is receiving more candy, and cookies than we can eat, so rather than throw it away, we will give it to someone who will use it.

I am keeping the candy that is boxed as it is in good shape, but the way some of the other stuff reaches us is a crime. That our people should spend their money when we either throw or give it away is too bad.

The slippers that your mother sent me will come in handy around the barracks. Thanks for the T shirts.

Sgt. Nicholson and myself had some Campbells soup Tuesday night. The first soup from the states we had had except for the few cans that you had sent me. We never get soup for chow as it is impossible to handle the stuff when the men are eating out of mess gears.

You mentioning Andre, brought back my first furlough from Florida to my mind. My feelings during that time is hard to describe. I hope that I never have to go through another experience like that.

Reading about the Laurier club makes me homesick. Sure wish that I were in a position to take you down to see the floor show occasionally.

The next time I send you a joke, I will also include a map. I always gave you the benefit of the doubt as to whether you were as dumb as you look. Here you go spoiling it.

On re-reading your request for a stuffed Koala bear, I noticed that you seem to want a real one that is stuffed. I doubt if there are any available, I do not know for sure. There is something else that I have in mind for you so please be patient.

There are two packages on the way. You may have received them already, then again it is hard to tell how long it will take them to reach you.

To reach the race track that your friend was telling you about, we have to travel quite a way. There is a camp near the track that we have to pass by.

The doctor does not seem to be doing you much good. He is good, but this time he is slipping. Having the two children inoculated was the one thing that relieved me a great deal. What a time Bobby and I used to have while waiting for the doctor. We would go round and round.

What is this about Bobby being afraid of a girl? Don’t tell me that he is going to be a sissy.

Didn’t I always say that Lowell was lousy? Letting Lawrence beat them on Thanksgiving day. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Where is Salem St? I do not seem to remember where it is.

The heat is knocking some fat off of me so do not worry about my getting so fat that I will not have a lap.

With every day that passes my love for you grows. How I could possibly love you more is a mystery to me, but it seems to be growing deeper into me.

Give my regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you Sweetheart.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday 11 Dec, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Your husband has been sweating it out in more than one way. Just imagine a temperature of 99 degrees while you are shivering in bed some night. When I die the good Lord will not have to send me to hell in order for me to suffer the torments of hell. All that He will have to do is to send me to Australia in the summer.

Before I forget it, please do not send me any more candy, cookies, or anything that is not wrapped in a hard individual container or a can. So far I have received a box from Estelle, Leo & Janette, both of my Mothers’ and my son. I really appreciate all your thoughtfulness but I had to open them up and throw all the cookies, soft candies that were not boxed and the peanuts away. The candy that is boxed are usually in good condition but taste funny due to being reheated while crossing the equator. Canned goods go good but do not put yourself out just to be able to send me some. If canned goods are still rationed forget about it and send me only the things that I may ask for until further notice. Due to the length of time it takes for packages to reach here, anything not protected by a can usually gets stale. Candy wrapped only in a bag container usually melt together into a slightly sticky mess. So you see what a waste some of the goodies turn out to be.

This is one time that a package goes a long way. Everybody is trying to give everybody else a piece of candy .Due to the climate we dare not let anything sweet laying around or we will be infested with ants.

For a change I received some mail. Letters #147-8, 150-51-52 finally reached me and I was happy to hear from you.

Getting around some lately, aren’t you? I am glad to see that you are able to get out once in awhile to enjoy yourself.

You wanted to know if the soldier was right about the shiela’s here being pretty. Afraid that I will have to agree with him. On an average the gals over here are prettier in the face than back home. They do not have the manners or ladylike qualities that the girls back home have though. Strictly my own impression.

Enclosed are two pictures that did not come out. The thin man with me is my supply sergeant, Nicholson. The other man in the second picture is a cook who wanted the pictures and owned the camera. In the trip overseas, something happened to his camera. Two roll of film were spoiled in the same manner. The center of all pictures were clear and the top and bottom were blurred.

This will be all for now except that I love & miss you terribly. Take care of my heart as you are the holder of the precious organ. I love you.

Regards to all the folks & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. I will see what I can do about a Koala bear.

Wednesday 6 Dec, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

18 more shopping days till Xmas. Things are not going to be very merry over here I am afraid. Here we are roasting from the heat and singing about a white Xmas.

Had a little luck with the mail tonight. A Xmas card from Leo & Janette, a box from Estelle, and a returned letter that I mailed to Andrew, two hits and one error. Not a bad average. Received a letter from you yesterday also, #149.

Please send me Andrew & Pat’s new addresses. Andrew’s letter was undelivered because he must have changed A.P.O. It is rare for me to write to anyone outside of you and I hate to have them returned undelivered.

Leaving you at the South Station was one of the hardest things that I have had to do. I know that it affected you the same way. There will come a day when it will not be necessary to part again, under the same circumstances.

Bobby is certainly growing up fast. I am unable to believe the pictures of my two youngsters. They are so big that I doubt if I would know how to handle them now.

There is an increasing unrest growing inside of me for a chance to look at you and hold you in my arms. What I would not give for the opportunity to see my youngsters and all the people who I love so much.

I hope that Rita F. knows what she is doing with Hank. For her own sake, I hope that she never regrets it. After the treatment that she received though, no one can blame her.

The only thing that I need is you, and I can not have that so I guess that my needs are nil at the present time. When ever I get to the point that I need some thing, you sure will know about it.

Did you hear the story of the elderly colored man who was in the Merchant Marines when the war broke out? It seems that he was on a tanker and it was torpedoed. After being rescued and while waiting for transportation back to the states he was in about a dozen bombings. He finally got transportation and upon passing by the Statue of Liberty in New Your Harbor he was heard to murmur, “Lady, if you ever see me again, you’ll have to turn around to do it.”

Today the temperature reached 98.6 in the shade. Nice warm weather with your husband rapidly being dehydrated.

Now it is raining and cooling off rapidly, thank goodness.

Well Sweetheart I must go to bed and dream of you. I love you.

Regards to everyone - kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Sunday 3 Dec, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It has been a week since I have heard from you. It is not your fault I know because no one has been getting mail. There is a very good explanation for the mail being in a mess. The Post Office has been moved from one building to another some distance away. Everything being in an uproar as it usually is when anyone moves, it takes time to settle down again.

It is a beautiful day today and with a little luck I may get an hour sun bath for myself.

The mail clerk was just in to inform me that there was no mail addressed to me again today. Such is life. Maybe my luck will change tomorrow and I will receive a batch that will keep me busy for a month.

By the way, did I tell you that we had some cooked turkey for Thanksgiving. The men were given two hours for their meal instead of the usual one. Outside of that it was just another day on the calendar.

Last night I was lazy so instead of writing to you I went to the movies and saw “Man Hunt” with Walter Pidgeon and Joan Bennett.

This morning I had my pitcher taken again. If they come out food I will send them to you. My supply sergeant +T/5 Paul Murphy my night fireman, in the mess hall, are in the picture. Paul Murphy is the little guy who wants me to visit him after the war. He lives just outside of Washington DC and has never gotten over the way I helped him when his sister died when we were in Florida.

Supply sergeant Nicholson is from New York City and we get along very well together. We usually go in town together whenever we go anywhere. He is only 21, but is very intelligent and we get along very well together as we have about the same interests. He has a dry humour and between the two of us we do quite a job on everyone, that is between ourselves.

I kid him about being true to his gal friend back home and he kids me about being married and being forced to live the life of a bachelor. He quite a surprising guy. Not bad looking and very sociable, he has yet to go out on a date. We make a good pair due to the fact that we are both very cynical.

After being in town together for an evening we are usually in very good morale. We get a kick out of panning everybody and everything. Nothing is sacred to us. One evening we were walking down the street and along came a yank soldier pushing a baby carriage with a girl. We stopped him and asked if he had been over here long. He was so surprised that I guess it went over his head. See what I mean.

Another time on a tram there was this woman with a tremendous overhang. We were daring each other to go up and ask her if they were real or just padded. Later we saw a pregnant woman, Sgt. Nicholson turned to me and said, From all indications, the Yanks have been over here for some time.

This will be all for this time Sweetheart. Just as an afterthought, did you know that I loved you with all my heart. Yep it’s a fact that is always with me. My very existence is due to you and at times I am so lonesome that I can not even think straight.

Give my regards to everyone - kiss the babies for me. I love you, Darling.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob