Sunday 8 April 1945

 

Dearest Kitten:

Here is your loving husband again to let you know that you are always with me, in my dreams as well as in my thoughts while awake. How I love you, Sweetheart of mine. I can not begin to tell you how much I miss you so I will not even try.

I have invented a little game with your mail. With each letter I make a mental bet whether Barbara’s picture will be on the stationery. It is the first thing that I look for.

It is getting chilly down here again as winter is beginning to set in again. We wear our Sun tans yet but are permitted to wear our field or battle jackets. It is nice during the day but gets quite cool in the evening.

Tomorrow I am going to Coolangatta again. Sgt. Nicholson is going with me. This is the third time for the men in the company. Twice a week we send thirty men down in a convoy. On Monday morning thirty leave and come back Wednesday afternoon on the convoy that brings the men down Wednesday morning.

It costs eighteen cents for a bed, twenty four cents for a breakfast and forty eight cents for a dinner or supper.

Yesterday afternoon I got a truck and loaded it with men that wanted to go swimming. It was a bit cool but we enjoyed ourselves. We went to a swimming pool out on the edge of town. The men started playing tag and they got me into it. In about a half an hour I was all pooped out. They tried to keep me it and did a fairly good job of it. We then started building pyramids in the water. Where they did not step on my while climbing up I could not say. The rest of the men were allowed out on pass but the most of them stayed in and worked on their clothes and equipment or wrote letters.

The picture For Whom the Bell Tolls is coming to one of the shows in town. Seeing as you recommend it, I guess I will have to take it in.

Yes I remember Paul Hamel. Sorry to hear about his leg but he is fortunate in being at home.

What is Lorraine going to do when Jr. comes in from making mud pies etc? He is a boy and must expect him to get dirty once in awhile.

Yes I still go to church. There is a catholic church about a half mile from our camp where I go. We do not have a chaplain with us so the men have to go out of camp to attend church services.

Jack & Mary are the middle aged couple aren’t they? I think I know who you mean. You certainly have been running around a good deal lately. I am glad because it keeps you young and I do not want you to become an old nag. Not that I think you ever would.

Sweetheart, I am glad you told me to let you know when I get home, whenever that is. I did not realize that you feel that you must meet me looking your best because it will not make any difference to the way I feel about you. You could meet me in a suit of burlap with your hair in rag curlers and your face smeared with grease and you would still be the most beautiful sight that I have ever seen.

What the hell gave you the idea that I liked the Army? You were never so wrong in your life. The only thing that I am living for is to get my job with the Army completed and get the hell back with my family. But, I do want to do as good a job as it is in my power to do. A lot smarter men that I run this army, my job is to see that their orders are carried out. My ability to do this is the yardstick of my success or failure as a 1st/Sgt.

Besides Sergeant Nicholson there are three other of my sergeants going with us tomorrow. It depends on whether they will give me a chance on whether I will write to you from down there. I doubt if they will leave me alone long enough to get off a letter to you.

Well Sweetheart I must close. I love you Darling Wife. Give my regards to all the folks and kiss the babies for me. I love you.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob