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

Thursday 30 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It has been two says since the last time that I wrote and told you how much that I love you. Funny thing, I still do. That’s odd, I wonder why I do? You won’t let me kiss you, make love to you, or even put my arms around you. Could be it is because you are so far away. Hm-m what I could do to you.

Enclosed is a money order for ten dollars, this is what I want you to do. Cash the money order and take five dollars and go down and open a joint savings account at the Union Old Lowell Bank at Kearney Square. Tell them that I am overseas and that I want a joint account. They will give you some papers for me to sign or perhaps they may send the papers themselves. As soon as the account is opened I will have a class E allotment made out to the account. I will have $50.00 a month deposited for us. The reason for a joint account is so either of us can draw on the account. If ever you get into a jam you will be able to draw whatever you need.

With the other five dollars you can buy yourself some bubble gum. In other words buy whatever you want with it.

That is all for tonight so give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me. I love you with all my heart, Beautiful.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Tuesday 28 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

This is just another short epistle to let you know that I am still very much in love with you. I always will love you no matter how far away from you I go. Time will not affect my feelings for you either. For more reasons than I have time to enumerate, you are the only gal in the world for me. What more can I say to make it clearer to you of my great love.

Enclosed is a picture of one of my men & myself which was taken about six weeks ago. The man’s name is Buonadonna. He is Italian and is from New York City. He has a little Bambino at home and gets a big kick out of showing me the latest pictures of her. He plays the violin for the Battalion band and is very fond of good music. He has a very cheerful personality and is always laughing.

Sunday I went to see the football game which we lost 18 to 13.It was a good game and I enjoyed it very much despite the heat.

Since Sunday it has rained quite a bit and we are thankful for the relief from the heat. Due to the fact that it is raining right this minute, I am able to sit quietly for a short while and write to you. Did I say quietly?

Later:

In letter 145 I am glad to see that you realize that it is not entirely my fault that your letters do not arrive with the same regularity that they are written.

You wondered if I would return bossy. You never know. I doubt it, but where men are concerned, I have learnt a lot in handling children, because children is all that they are.

Why doesn’t somebody shut Leo up once in awhile. The onlyest thing that he can talk about it buses. I hope that when I return he never gets on my nerves about them. I am rapidly acquiring a habit of shutting people up.

You got something when you wrote, “Darn this war.” But in the paragraph before that sentence, about turning on the radio and off with the lights, you really got something there.

Was glad to hear about Norman getting a furlough & Arthur being O.K. Arthur does not know what he is missing. When Arthur and I return we are going to raise a football team between us. So tell Lorraine so that she will be prepared.

Freddy is a man after all. Give him my best wishes for an easy pregnancy. Tell him if he is very careful his wife will not divorce him before it is over.

I love to hear about the youngsters getting into trouble. At least they are full of life anyway.

Leo Mainvelle? Please write plainer. There is no one I know by that name. Maybe he is one of your secret admirers. From the way your wrote his last name, I could not be sure how it was spelled.

The picture that I told you about did not come out. It was all blurred. I asked my C.O. if I could have a picture taken with his camera and he is willing. Now all I have to do is wait for the sun to shine.

No remarks about where Bobby gets his brains.

See how well I obey you?

Where that bond came from I do not know, as I have not made out an allotment for another as yet. In fact I had been wondering about sending some money to the bank each month instead. I want to open a joint account for us and have the Army make a monthly deposit. Let me know what you think of the idea.

Boy are the mosquitoes terrible around this place. I ran into a very generous one though. The night was dark and sultry. I was completely done in from battling the mosquitoes and from loss of blood. I was completely limp, too weak to call to the medics when along came Percy, the skitter with a delicate ego. Seeing my plight and knowing that I was only good for another hour or so if something was not done immediately. He buzzes off to the Red Cross blood bank and returned with the necessary blood in his body to take care of me. When he got through with the transfusion, I felt like a new man.

In appreciation I have kept him for a pet. I have him chained to the orderly room. Better than a watch dog, he is.

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

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. Wish they wouldn’t give me so many furloughs.

Saturday 25 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

I am having a hard time to concentrate on this letter. You see I am writing this at my desk and bordering the paper is snapshots of you and the children. All I have to do is move my eyes ever so slightly and there are pictures of my loved ones.

Do you know how much I love you? How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? Despite letter #144 I am still head over heels in love with you. Impatient woman, slow down before you blow a gasket. What will you be like when you have to wait two or three months before you hear from me. The Lord help me, you will probably skin me alive in your letters.

It seems that a traveling salesman was very discouraged with his wife as every weekend when he would return home she was filthy, the house was filthy, and the kids were filthy. He decided to kill his wife and upon reading about a man killing his wife with too much sex relations, decided that was the best way to kill her off. All one week he got to bed early, ate raw eggs, oysters and everything to build him up. Upon arriving home that Saturday, he started in on his wife. He even kept her in bed all day Sunday. Monday morning he was half dead but figured that he had made a good start, and given a couple more weekends and a chance to recuperate through the week, he would be making good progress. The following Saturday night he walks into his home all primed for his wife and behold. His wife is all spruced up, the house is immaculate, the children are clean and his wife looks like she did before he married her.

Unable to curb his curiosity longer, he asked her how come all the improvements. And what did she answer but: “You treat me right and I’ll treat you right.”

Was I surprised to read that Bobby helps you with the dishes. It is good training as well as a help to you.

Yep, just keep hoping and use a little patience and our day will come. Maybe sooner than either of us expect.

Sorry to hear about your tooth but that is what you get for giving your husband hell. Bad on you. You should be more patient with your poor henpecked husband.

We are getting to have quite a library. By the time I get home, we sure will have quite a home if you keep it up.

Sweetheart, I am seriously thinking of sending some money to be put into a joint savings account, rather than buying a bond every month. The idea being so that we will have some ready cash upon my return home. Sound O.K. to you?

I must close Sweetheart. This letter has taken me just six (6) hours to compose. Do you wonder why I hate to start a letter. The only way that I can get a little peace is to get out of the Company.

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

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. Am going to a football game tomorrow.

Wednesday 22 Nov. 1944 - Thanksgiving Eve

Dearest Kitten:

Here it is Thanksgiving eve and I am thinking of the many things that I am thankful for. Having a beautiful wife like you and two darling children. Being fortunate enough to enjoy good health and liberty. Tomorrow a great many people will spend their day in concentration camps or under the yoke of a conquering tyrant. So you see even though I am miles away, I have many things to be thankful for.

We are having turkey tomorrow and I hope that it is good. We are more fortunate than a great many who will be battling the enemy. They will be lucky to even get something to eat.

One of my officers got a glass window from a plane for me. I got it on my desk with about a dozen snapshots and the latest pictures of my family under it. All day long I have been having a hard job to concentrate as I could not help myself from looking down at the pictures. The glass is about two feet long by a foot and a half wide. It is nice and smooth for writing purposes.

Today has been a relief after the hot weather. It has been fairly cool all day and now it is raining out. After the past heat, this is a very welcome relief.

So Bobby was all excited over the snow. He must remember raising heck with his dad in the snow. Remember the day that I was shoveling the walk and he was helping by throwing snowballs at me?

Your certainly have been busy entertaining the past month or so. I am glad that you are lucky enough to have someone visit you to break the monotony.

The name is familiar but I can not place it right now. I should know but it just slips my mind.

Well Sweetheart I have to close. I love you with all of my heart, darling Wife. I exist only for the day when I will return home to you.

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

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday 20 Nov. 1944

Still at Brisbane

Dearest Kitten:

I have neglected you disgracefully and am duly ashamed of myself. Things have been in more or less of an uproar around here and my time has been very much occupied.

Yesterday, I grabbed my supply sgt., Nicholson, and we went to the seashore and enjoyed ourselves. It is the first time that he has been in swimming and he got a wonderful sunburn. We got back to camp at 8:00 in the evening and I had hopes of writing to you but no, my good luck had forsaken me and it was necessary for me to take care of my little chick-a-dees. It seems that they are always hungry and it being one of my sad duties to see that everyone eats, it was too late and I was too tired to write when the mess got straightened out.

For some time to come my mail will not be all that I would like to make it and not the way that you like to receive it. You see that at some future date my APO will eventually change. But there is something that will never change and that is my love for you. There isn’t a day goes by but that I think of you and home with all that the word home implies.

There are times that I get very lonesome but the majority of the time I am too busy to get too lonesome.

Oh there are times when I wonder where and when this separation will end. It seems that the longer I am in the Army the longer it seems before I will get out.

By the way, your husband can now wear a gold bar on his left sleeve, denoting six months overseas. Marvelous isn’t it? I only hope that they do not reach my elbow before I am repatriated to the states. As one 1st Sgt. who sports six of them put it to his company commander, “Sir you will either have to break me or allow me to wear them on the other sleeve.”

There is a drought over here at present. It is quite hot and has not rained for almost a month. The air is full of dust & smoke. The dust is so bad that in three hours time I have to dust off my desk again as it feels gritty to the touch. The smoke is from wood fires - they call them brush fires over here and let them burn as long as it does not endanger buildings. At four this afternoon, I could look directly into the sun with my naked eye. That is from the dust and smoke and is no exaggeration.

The Aussies over here have a habit of always carrying something. I guess they do not feel dressed without a basket, bag, or pack.

If my mail has been delayed it is because the Post Office over here has been changed and it may be some time before they get properly settled. There are a lot of Aussies employed in the Post Office and they take a month of Sundays to get anything done.

Letters #140 -1 & 2 came and also a package from you and Mother. I wrote to Estelle, thanking her for the peppermints that she sent. I tried to make it as funny as possible and I hope that she likes it.

Of course there were some sheilas around at Coolangatta - what-a-name. Sheilas to the left of me, sheilas to the right of me, right in amongst them rode the brave amphibian. Hmm-m was that me? Immodest women - bare legs clean up to their shoulders. Try as I could, I couldn’t get any of them interested in me. Better luck next time. The swimming was good anyhow.

What a couple of scrappers we are going to have with Bobby & Barbara. They must keep you hopping.

I enjoyed reading about Blanche. She looks good in her uniform. They certainly gave her plenty of publicity.

There you go talking about snow when I am dying from the heat. At night I go to bed with my pajamas only. I tuck my mosquito net in nicely around my blankets that I use for a mattress, go on a skitter hunt inside with a flashlight. After killing all the skitters that I can catch, stretch out and go to sleep. We have used our net ever since we came over practically. The mosquitoes go around in dive bomber formation over here. We have already lost one man that way. The last time he was seen was one night he was headed for the latrine. The only thing that we can figure could have happened to him is that he couldn’t hold himself and dropped his pants. That is all these mosquitoes need around here. I suppose that somebody someday will find his dog tags because I can not imagine these mosquitoes leaving even the skeleton. They don’t only take your blood, they take blood, flesh and bone.

Glad to see that you had some company to break the monotony of things.

Sorry but I must close. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you Sweetheart.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Tuesday 14 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

From the letters that I have been getting from you, I take it that my wife is still very ambitious. Painting, sewing, and cleaning, you sure are doing quite a job on our house. Too bad that I am not present so that I can appreciate it. It makes me very happy that you take so much pride in always improving our home. The time will come when we will have our own home.

Do you know that your husband is madly in love with you and can hardly wait for the day when he can take you in his arms again. Funny guy this husband of yours, all he wants is to be sent home. Nobody can blame him, seeing that the most beautiful wife in the world is waiting for him.

You’re so understanding, how could I help but love you. Even though you hate to write letters, every day you manage to write a letter to me, because you know how much I look forward to your letters.

I can imagine how the little girl upstairs must have been with the two indians that we have. Poor kid was probably frightened to death.

By the way, I received a box from Estelle and it was just what I asked for - peppermint patties. She sent me four pound boxes from Pages. The piece that I had was very good. I am only kidding. I passed one box around and got the empty box in return. Have started my second box. They were in very good condition in spite of crossing the equator. Candy from the old country sure tastes good. Funny but I have very little craving for candy. After a meal a peppermint pattie tastes good though.

The wheel barrow is a very nice toy as it helps exercise almost all muscles of the body. I am glad that Bobby likes to play with it. Maybe the youngsters believe in the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It is partly your own fault for going back to bed and leaving them up. The sin of the apple theft will be on your conscience.

Tell Lorraine D. that taking care of somebody else’s baby is a very poor way of satisfying her motherly instincts. Tell her that any time she wishes that I can take care of the matter and guarantee results.

What back pay is it that Mother got? It was a nice amount to get just before Xmas anyhow.

It is about time that they fixed the ceiling for you. Gosh I will probably go right past the house if there are many more improvements.

One question if I may, you say that you hemtoned the walls. What is hemmtoned? Please spell it.

[Kem-Tone Wall Finish?]

Now for some news of what I did. Late Saturday afternoon I was wilting from the heat so I grabbed my bathing suit and went in town to a swimming pool. I followed the directions that one of my Sgts gave me on how to get there and made it without getting lost. They are called baths over here. Beach bathing is called surfing.

Sunday morning I got up early and went down to the Red Cross. They send out a couple of trucks to the beach each Sunday and a couple more out to a mountain. They have picnic lunches and have a good time. I went to the beach and wore myself out swimming.

Historical Postcard of Ogunquit Beach/Marginal Way

The woman in charge of the outing got talking to me and her uncle goes up to Ogunquit every summer.
We had quite a chat. She got a big kick out of the pictures that I carry of my family.

For lunch we had hot dogs, cheese, tomatoes, celery & soft drinks. I enjoyed myself very much.

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

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Friday 10 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

How’s my favorite wife these days? Sounds as though I had a harem, doesn’t it. I wonder what it would be like to have a wife for every day of the month. I can just picture thirty females battling over the same man. There is only one woman for me though and that is you. I guess it is because I love you so much. I do you know. Without my love for you, I would be a very lost guy. It is something that I can depend on when everything else seems to be going to hell.

Your husband is starting to get into condition. Every day I put on a heavy wool undershirt, work pands & work shoes and go out and do a little running and calisthenics. I am getting too fat & too soft, so I decided to sweat some beer out of me and toughen up a little. I usually start at 10:30 and quit at 11:30. An hour each day should do the trick. Right now my legs are a bit stiff from running though.

As I write this letter, I am dragging on my pipe that I bought on the ship. Hard as I try, I still can not get used to a pipe.

The proper way to paint is with a brush. You’re not supposed to daub it on with your fingers or feet. You must have been a cute looking sight with paint all over you.

It was always my impression that it was men who never grow up, but I guess that women are very little different from men. Did you enjoy your Halloween party?

Neglecting your husband, huh? Letter #135 was supposed to be a long one, and what do I get? Just two pages. Keep on neglecting me like that and I will go home and beat you up. I understand how things are. You have your day all planned and what happens. Something unforeseen comes along and, phit, goes your plans.

So Bobby is trying to learn to swim in the bath tub. He must have been funny looking when he swallowed the water.

It is hard to tell how much longer this war is going to continue. If all hostilities would stop tomorrow it would be twenty four hours too long. The way things look at present, it will be some time yet before we can write finis to this mess.

Hate to hear about anyone like the girl that you were telling me about. A great many times it is not the fault of the person. Circumstances and everything has to be taken into consideration. Without a doubt she is better off.

It made me happy to hear that Bea & Paul’s youngster is walking. I often wondered if he ever would. Let’s hope that the next one does not give her as much trouble as this one did.

Paul has been fortunate to be stationed in N.Y.C. for as long as he has. It is about time that he went over. Mercenary, aren’t I?

Stop worrying about Roland & Marion. It is their life to live as they see fit. Nothing we could do would make any difference to them.

If you keep buying things for the house, I will not recognize my own home when I return. It makes me happy to know that you take pride in keeping our home up to date.

Well Sweetheart I must leave you for now so: Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you my Darling Wife.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Tuesday 7 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It is a marvelous day out and it makes me feel slightly lazy. Spring fever or something I guess. What I feel like doing is to stretch out on a beach in the sun. That would be ideal if you could be with me.

I do not understand how it can be possible for me to love you anymore than I do, but from day to day my love for you is getting bigger. If I stay over here very long I am sure to explode from love of you.

Sunday we went to a baseball game between the Army & Navy. The Engineers furnished a whole team for half of the game and the other half was made up of a team from other units around here. We got the pants trimmed off of us by the Navy. It was mostly due to the fact that they had six major league players in their lineup.

Tell Roland Thurber that they pitched Charlie Wagner - Benny McCoy FstB - Phil Rizzuto SS - Rocco English 3rd B - Don Padgett LF & Dom Dimaggio CF. The Army lost 17-0. The Engineers held them to five runs in the first half of the game. I was like a kid at his first circus and enjoyed the game very much. It was played at the Exhibition Grounds in Brisbane and a goodly crowd was there.

http://blog.nola.com/entertainment/2007/11/new_world_war_ii_museum_exhibi.html

From letter #131 you sure are raising H--- around the house. Getting very ambitious lately, aren’t you? Expecting your husband home? Or maybe it is the milk man. Anyhow I am glad to see that you are keeping my workshops in order.

Yes they are Xmas gifts if you must know so stop being so curious. You will get what is coming to you eventually.

There are some very nice beaches around but due to transportation it is a bit hart to get out to them.

By golly, Arthur & Lorraine certainly have something to be proud of. Their son is a very nice looking youngster. I feel sorry for Arthur that he has never seen his son. He is not the only one that is that way though. There are a great many men in the Army today who have never seen their youngsters.

The youngsters did alright for their birthdays. They should have toys enough to last them for awhile. Too many toys is apt to spoil them though.

Well Sweetheart I must close as I have run out of words.

I told Mother about getting out more and not to center her life around the youngsters. A trip to Hartford will do her a world of good and I kind of hope she gets a job and stays there for awhile.

Darling, I love you with all my heart. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Sat. 4 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

This is only a hold over until I can get more time to write to you. I am doing my best to write every other day but there are times that it is impossible to do so. A couple of my men have taken pictures of me and if I can pull a little rank on them I will send you a print of them.

You would get a kick out of seeing me iron my suntans. You see I wear suntans all the time now and I am lucky if they last the day out. Laundry facilities are such that I have one of the men do them for me and then I was ironing them myself. I have gotten so that I can do a good job on them. The only trouble is that we can not get starch. They do not look to bad never the less.

Last night at the theatre they were showing “High Sierra” and I wanted to see it. It never fails to happen, it stated to rain and the power went off. Oh well, I may get to see it some day. The lights were off all over camp so I went to bed early for a change.

I can picture the youngsters during their party. They certainly must have enjoyed themselves. Too bad that I could not be there. I would have loved to be there to watch them. It must have been funny to see them opening their presents.

If Roland wants to have some of the letter published that I sent to him I do not care. My memory is bad and I do not recall exactly what I did write. He must have gotten a boot out of it anyhow.

Well Sweetheart give my regards to all the folks and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Thursday 2 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

As the holidays draw closer, my thoughts are ever wandering back to the hustle and rush of past years and I seem to fail to warm up with the expectations that these future events used to arouse in me. It perhaps is mainly due to the fact that I will be so far from the ones that I desire to be with during these times.

Gosh but I love you Sweetheart. It is a sad fact that I am afflicted with that fatal disease called love. It is fatal because I will have to go through all my life with love in my heart. Funny but I do not mind it a bit. In fact seeing as you are the cause, I like it very much.

From now on please do not send your manuscripts to me. I am not a publisher. Just kidding you about the long letter that you wrote to me. Boy what a pip. Eighteen pages long is a very large letter. Thanks I enjoyed it very much.

Your husband has been busy as a little beaver. Everything seems to happen at once. You know that saying, it never rains but what it pours. Same way in the army. Everything goes along O.K. and then all at once there are a thousand and one things that have to be done.

Getting real ambitious lately aren’t you?

Have you gotten Bobby to wash his own hands and face? He certainly is growing up fast. Remember when I used to give him his exercise on the bathenette. How he used to laugh. And Barby, that little flirt, just like her mother. Gosh but I miss them. I am missing the fun of watching my children grow up. When this is all over, I hope to make up for it though.

You want to take advantage of every day possible. Whenever it is nice out, go out and enjoy the day. Soon it will be too cold for you to go out and stay very long, so at every opportunity enjoy the outdoors.

I hope that we may be able to live in the country after this as it will be better for the youngsters. They will be healthier and better off all around in the country.

Say who is this heel that you lost? Oh pardon me, I see now that it was the heel of your shoe.

Just like her mother, Barby is starting young isn’t she. David had better watch out or he will be henpecked like me.

The next time that you see Charlie, tell him that I had nothing to do with it, even if Tess does want to give a boy my name.

Roger is lucky to be put in the Navy. He will be a lot better off than in the Army with his sight.

I will send another ring for Barby. So do not feel too bad about it.

Was sorry to hear about Paul Couture. From now on you will be hearing more and more about casualties as our men are really in the thick of it now. I would like to write Mrs. Gagnon a letter but I do not have her address. If you can find it for me, please send it.

What do you mean that through Barby you will be living your childhood over again? When did you grow up?

How many times must I tell you not to jump at conclusions. When my mail stops for a while then you can give it a few thoughts, but every time that something happens, stop thinking that I am right in the middle of it.

You are very fortunate that there are a few honest people left in the world. You had better get a new catch on your bracelet as soon as possible.

Well Sweetheart I must close now as duty calls. I love you Beautiful Wife. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday 30 Oct, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

How lonesome I am for you. It seems like years since the last time that I kissed you. A great many things have happened since then and a lot of water passed under me, yeh damn near the whole width of the Pacific. Still I can visualize you just as plain as if I had seen you yesterday.

My dreams and hopes are centered around you and the babies. All I need now is the opportunity to carry them out. And yet I am still not certain just what I want when I return home. One thing that I am sure of is that I want to be with you always.

Letter #128 came tonight and I was glad to see that my package arrived OK and that you liked it. The third bracelet was meant for Mother. I wrote to you about it in a letter the same day that the package was mailed, telling you about the contents so that you would not throw anything away thinking that it was only the packaging.

I am getting another package assembled for you but it will be some time before I get what I want.

You sure get your visitors in bunches. It breaks the monotony of doing the same thing day after day.

Yesterday my mess sgt., Sgt. Troise and myself took a train to one of the beaches about forty miles away and went for a swim. What a crowd. We had about two hours on the beach and then started back. We left at 12:30 by train then had to transfer to a bus before we reached the beach at 2:30, then started back at five. We had dinner out there and supper in town. Was I tired when I reached camp last night as I had to stand going both ways.

We ate supper at a Chinese restaurant. While I was up getting some orangeade at the counter, Sgt. Troise talked the waitress into bringing me chopsticks to eat my chinese soup, noodle soup. He told her that I had spent ten years in China before the war. You should have seen all the people watching me try to manipulate the chopsticks. Sgt. Troise had hidden my spoon from me. Finally he took pity on me and gave me my spoon, so I did not starve. An enjoyable time was had by both of us.

We tried to wolf a few of the bathing beauties, question mark, but the wedding rings scared them too much. Sgt. Troise is married also. We had a good time figuring out the different approaches we would use on the different gals we saw. We got a lot of laughs out of it anyhow. We talked a good wolfing game anyhow.

Don’t get to be too much of a stick at home. When I return home you are apt to want to stay home all that time, and that will never do.

Yeah, I’d consider taking you out some time. How much dough are you worth? If it is enough I might even consider marrying you if you promise to support me in a manner to which I am unaccustomed.

So my youngsters are proud of their gifts. They should be as their daddy wants them to always be proud of him.

Does a fish swim? Does a bird fly? Do I love you? Boy, and how. Know what question I am answering.

Good night, Sweetheart. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Did you know that I loved you? Honest I do. When I think of you, I get poetic, but unfortunately my abilities are such that it’s impossible for me to compose the poetry that would do you justice. The following is an example.

Roses are red, Violets are blue, I’m damn lonesome, How the hell are you?

See what I mean? The feeling is there but the words aren’t. So Beautiful you will have to be content with a man that is just an ordinary guy. Of course to you I am the greatest guy that ever lived. If you do not think so, then you do not truly love me. I am not worrying because I know how you feel.

To me you are the greatest little Sheela, Babe to you, that ever lived.

Tell Pauline for me that she had better forget about the sergeant in the picture. His name is Betcher and he is very much in love with his wife. Just like your husband.

I received my first Xmas card from Ray & Cle. They certainly mailed it early enough. This will be my second Xmas away from home. I plan to get stinko too. Last Xmas I stayed cold sober but not this Xmas. Last year I was about the only sober man in my company. I do not plan to make the same mistake again. Of course I will have to stay under cover away from the rest of the company as it is bad business for any sergeant to be seen by his men in that condition.

It is nice and warm today and it makes me feel like going in for a swim. Too bad but a cold shower will have to suffice. Tomorrow I may get a chance to go in for a swim.

I have a confession to make. I had planned to write a letter to both Barby and Bobby on their birthdays and I never got around to Barby and here it is Bobby’s birthday and I do not feel up to writing to him. So do me a favor and give them both an extra big hug & kiss for me. I know that you probably already have taken care of it, but given’em a go again.

The men in my Company have hung up a record in a certain type of work that will stand for some time to come. Now they are after a different record that will also stand for a long time. The work is in the construction of the barges. Sorry but that is all that I can tell you about it. Some day I may be able to tell you all about it and draw pictures and maps. In a couple of years maybe.

Well, Sweetheart, last night I was feeling down in the dumps and Sgt. Ryan & Donohoe took me over to the club and wanted to get me plastered and feeling the way that I was, I decided to go to a show and then to bed. They did their best to get me to take a drink but the only thing that I had was a coke. This morning I was feeling good and was just as happy that I did not take anything to drink. The beer over here is like a weak whisky and it does not take much to get high on.

I can not get over the last pictures that you sent me. Every time I look at them I feel so proud to have such a nice family.

Afraid that I am all unwound so until later I love you Beautiful. Give my regards to all the folks and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Thusday 26 Oct. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

There is never a day that goes by but that my thoughts turn to you and home a thousand times in the course of a day. At times it aggravates me, not because I do not like to dream of you and home, but because it takes me that much longer to complete whatever I am doing. Sounds funny I know but it is hard to concentrate on work when your mind is thousands of miles away. Know what I mean?

The men in my company are going after the record for constructing a barge and it looks like they are going to set a record that no one will beat. Despite the fact that we have the fewest men working on a barge per day. A man has to be an awful heel not to feel a great deal of pride in his men when they show up so well against the other companies.

Letter #125 & two V-mails came today. I am happy to hear that Andrew is doing well. So far he is the real veteran of the bunch. Stop being so optimistic about by getting home in two or three years. Please stop shattering my dreams. I can at least keep the hope in my breast that it will only be a few more months. In that way time flies and before you know it, years have passed.

Listen Sweetheart, you had better stick to your diet so that you will be able to hold me when I return home. You treat me right and I will treat you right. Remember that story?

You sure are getting company these days. Seems like everybody that you know has been up to see you the last few days.

How would you like to have me paint the rooms? I sure would be only glad to help you if I could.

So Bobby has pulled a fast one huh? He must have looked funny when he came into the house sucking on the fudgsicle.

I got a boot out of Andrew’s letters. He reminds me of my own shortcoming, inability to write a letter. Already I have been an hour on this letter. See what I mean when I say that I lack the time to write. It takes me so long that I actually dread writing a letter to anyone, even you. When I finally finish this letter I will tell you how long that it took me and perhaps you can understand why I am unable to write once a day or oftener as I would like to.

Well, thanks for giving me the date that I will be back home. Wow did you say three more children? Woe is me, what a beating I’m going to take.

Did you say that I will receive about twenty boxes? Popular guy, aren’t I?

Goodnight, Sweetheart, I love you will all my heart. Give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you Sweetheart.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Reading time: 30 sec

Composition time: 1 hr. 35 minutes

Tuesday 24 Oct. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Letter #123 came today and what a pip it is. A punch line in every paragraph, with never a dull sentence. Whew, you have swept me off of my feet. I surrender dear.

Unfortunately, surrendering is the only thing that I can do. If it were not for the distance that separates us, I would probably break your very pretty neck. Oh well, what is done is done. If a fake fireplace is what you want, rather, what you got and you want to keep it I will probably appreciate it as much as you when ever they send me home. One question please. What did you do with the nickel change?

The Fake Fireplace - left side of photo.
(Christmas, some time in the mid-60s)

The next time that I write to Mother, I will mention what you want me to. She probably will not take my advice but, I can at least try.

It is only natural for parents to be very proud of their offsprings, but I honestly think that we have two very nice children. The last pictures that you sent really showed me how big and how beautiful they are.

Bobby and Barby must be very near set for winter clothes after the rampage you went on. I suppose that clothing our two youngsters is going to be one of the major problems of bringing them up. Oh well work, work, work. Such is life, and not too bad a life if I must say so myself. It is far better to work than to die of boredom.

Women is funny peoples. First you tell me about spending a lot of dough and are half frightened that I am going to give you hell. Then after giving me the full and horrible amount, you start your next paragraph by asking me if I love you. What a Woman.

Of course I love you. It is something that I can not help. Even if you do things that aggravate me, I still can not lose my feelings over something like that.

So the doctor has been giving you & Eva some injections, huh? I am beginning to get suspicious. Just what is that about? Hm. Sounds bad. You had better watch out. Don’t worry, I am only kidding you. You have me wondering now about Eva. Let me know as soon as you find out anything.

Cut out trying to have me doing things that you think I may be doing. It is bad for your morale. And stop worrying about me. I doubt if anybody will ever accuse me of being a hero, so for G-- sakes stop worrying.

Enclosed is another sheet from our newspaper, I hope that you enjoy it.

You know that I love you so much that there are times that I can hardly breathe. When I get feeling blue I sit on my bunk and go through the pictures of my family. It helps to a certain extent and makes me feel proud.

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

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Thursday Oct. 19 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Here it is almost a week since I last wrote and all because I am selfish. Last Sunday my Company commander, Capt. Harris, told me that I could go with a small group of men to a Red Cross rest area at Coolangatta. Coolangatta is a beach summer resort. It reminded me of Ogunquit.

US Servicemen at Coolangatta Beach during WWII

I enjoyed myself immensely and got to feeling like a civilian for a change. We left Monday morning and returned Wednesday afternoon. There was three other of my sergeants along with me and we went swimming, sunbathing, took a hike to the top of a mountain, rode bikes, played ping pong, made pub call twice a day. Anything that even smelled like work was studiously avoided. The three sergeants would not let me alone long enough to write you a letter as they claimed that letter writing was work and had to be avoided.

It is a bit early for the vacation season down there and we had the town more or less to ourselves. The beach is quite beautiful and the sand is the same as at Ogunquit. If they had left me alone I could have gotten pretty homesick. My thoughts were of you and home a great deal and how I wished that we could be enjoying everything together.

I sure hated to come back and get into the harness again. Oh well such is life without my wife.

Now for a crack at answering some of your six letters that I had waiting for me on my return.

Of course I am proud of my company, I would be a heel if I weren’t. Espirit-de-Corps and all that sort of thing, but it is what make an outfit tick.

Your letters are always interesting and you do a very good job of telling me how much that you love me. Just keep on writing the way you do and I will never have a complaint.

So Paul is an ensign. Good on him. It is about time that he did something. Of course I imagine that there weren’t any strings pulled to get him commissioned.

Since going on the diet you have become very ambitious. Keep it up and when I get home I will give you a kiss on your cheek for all your trouble. Nice of me huh?

I am carrying the quarter as a pocket piece. At least as long as I have that, I will never be broke.

When we have our own home, we will have a fireplace. I know that you will like that.

Julie must be a very happy and contented girl. After waiting all that time she deserves a break.

Your Uncle Fred certainly gets around. I can appreciate how you felt about your family not letting you know but do not let it get you down. When I return, we are not going to be so close to them and we will be better off not to be bothered too much with them. Relatives make poor friends.

So, you have been reading some of my old love letters. Now is that nice? Lucky for you that the letters you did get hold of were just ordinary run of the mill type. You see I do not keep any of the real mushy ones just for reasons like that. One never knows who is liable to get to read an old letter.

You’re so kind to me. I am going to appreciate the T-shirts when they get here.

Of course it isn’t fun going to bed alone after being used to having a husband climb in and scratch your back whenever it was itchy.

Do me a favor and tell Gerty to be patient. She will be more than well rewarded when I return. Poor little kid I feel for her. I should not have fooled with her so much. She misses me I bet.

Sorry to hear about Jerry’s little girl. When I hear of a youngster being born a cripple, it does something to me. I am a bit too tender hearted at times.

What do you mean that I am getting to be an old man? A man is only as old as he feels and I feel like sixteen. So look out when I get home.

Sweetheart, do not blame yourself too much about wanting to go to Lorraine’s party. Whenever anything like that comes up, just stop and think, then make your decision. Going in to Boston to an opera, show or something like that is a very good idea. It will do you good and give you a little diversion.

A good soldier can always be spotted by his feet. A soldier’s feet are his most important accessory, his weapon next.

Sorry to say but my Dad overlooked my birthday. Yes I received the box from your mother. There must be some of my letters missing as I wrote and told you about it.

Stop jumping to conclusions whenever my letters are delayed. There are more reasons for delayed mail than you have hairs on your head.

Exactly what kind of injections are you referring to that would make you miss having your friend. H-mm maybe I should look into this.

So you will not have to buy Barby a wig after all. It is about time that her hair grew in. For awhile I was worried as to whether she was every going to have any hair. I get a boot out of reading about all the funny things that they do.

It has been a long time since I have told you how much that I loved you. If I had my way I would be in a position to tell you all the time. My love is like a good whiskey - it gets mellow with age. The amount remains the same but like whiskey the ingredients change slightly - they become more concentrated. Like a bottle, that is me, you can fill a bottle only so full, my body has reached that point. I am full of love for you. The only change is in the ingredients that go to make up that love.

If I had Charles Boyer’s technique and his voice, I would make a recording of my voice so that you could hear me telling you how much that I love you.

Well, Beautiful, I have run out of words so until I write again - I love you with all my heart.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Wednesday 11 Oct. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Had a very enjoyable evening last night. One of my platoon sergeants had put in for Officers Candidate School and yesterday he received his papers ten days late. He was supposed to report on the first and it was too late for him to make the school, so the Captain told him to go into town and get drunk. It is the third time that he has missed out on O.C.S. by some mistake exactly like that.

I went in with him and another sergeant. We went to a hotel and had a wonderful meal and drank beer during our meal. Later we went to a newsreel theatre. Got back to camp at about ten. We were crying in each other’s beer and consoling each other as best we could.

Took a sun bath this afternoon with only occasional interruptions. It is very restful to stretch out in the sun and forget everything, almost. I may as well get my skin into condition to stand the sun as we never know what we will be up against later on. A good coat of tan may prevent a bad case of sunburn later on.

As I lay there I was remembering the few days that we spent at Hampton and also the sunburn that you got on my first furlough. We have had a great many good times together that I am thankful for, and am anxious to get back to continue them.

Received seven cards for my birthday. It made me feel that at least I am not forgotten by the folks back home.

Tomorrow night I am invited to a stag beer party being run by one of my platoons. They have invited the Captain and myself, so I will have to attend for a little while anyhow. Such is the life of a 1st Sgt. Nothing but a round of parties, a social butterfly, that’s me. You can not blame me for living up to my social position.

Sorry Sweetheart but duty calls and I must desist till a later date.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me. I love you with all my heart and miss you so much that it is not funny.

I love you Beautiful.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday October 9, 1944

Monday August 9, 1944 [I believe this date was a mistake - that it was actually October 9, because that year August 9 was not on a Monday, but October 9 was.]

Dearest Kitten:

Another week has passed, which means one week closer to the day of my return to you and the ones that I love. The loneliness in my heart is still part of me. The guy that said, Out of sight out of mind was a damned liar. The more time that passes, the more conscious I am of the loneliness in my heart.

The longer that I am away from you, the more I realize how much that I love you. My love for you is forever burning inside of me. Consuming and controlling my thoughts and desires.

Yesterday morning I went to early Mass and took all day off for myself. Another sergeant & myself went out to a beach close by and had a marvelous time. The only thing that spoiled it was the traveling. The lack of proper transportation facilities takes the pleasure out of going anywhere.

So you like to play poker and sip rum & cokes? If my memory serves me, your diet schedule calls for abstinence from alcoholic beverages. Have you decided that it is no use to try and compete with the debs? They might beat your time with me when I return if you do not put some effort into hanging onto me.

I got a boot out of your answer to all the wolves. When I get home you are going to have to put up with the biggest wolf that you ever saw. You will have to help me to control myself in front of other people. There is one thing that I have found out in this Army and that is that there is nothing like a passionate G.I. and I am most apt to act according to the best G.I. traditions when I get home.

Hope that the doctor’s treatment went O.K. as it has me slightly worried. Take care of yourself and dont cheat on any of the treatments. It may not seem like much now but later on in life it may show up.

When a man is in a combat zone, he is fortunate if he has time to wash his hands or even time enough to eat. Remember that there are lots of times when he has to make a choice between sleep which he has not had for a week or spending part of his precious few hours sleep to write, if he had the material to write with. A soldier in combat moves fast and light. The lighter he is the faster he can move. In a situation where speed means the difference between life and death a lot of men discard the most pertinent essentials knowing the hardships that it will impose on them due to the lack of them. Envelopes, writing paper & a bottle of ink would be the last thing that I would pick up to carry.

Poor Bobby, he is having a hard time trying to understand where his poor Daddy is. There are many youngsters who will go through life with a ghost of a memory of their father. They will always wonder just what their father was like. An unanswered question for a lot of fatherless children.

Excuse me for writing like this but I have to get it off of my chest. The smug complacency that is mirrored in the periodicals that we receive from the States is the main cause. Everything is Post-War and immediately after the Peach settlement. The way the magazines put it, we are just waiting for the Germans and Japs to sign the agreements. It is a long, tough way yet before it is all over.

Tell Bobby for me that his Daddy loves his Mommy very much. He sure can ask the darnedest questions.

I appreciate the words to the two songs that you sent to me. They are very sentimental but they aroused my curiosity as to how the music goes.

Thank goodness that Bobby is not shy. Let us hope that he never gets that way.

Well Sweetheart I have to close and attend to a few details. Give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you Beautiful.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Friday Oct. 6, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

By the time that you receive this letter, you should have received the much promised package. I am going to tell you what it contained so that you will not have thrown anything away that might have been wrapped up. There is three rings - one for you, Bobby & Barby. If they are too small, have Roland ream out the centers. There is three bracelets. The plain one is for Mother. Tell her to have it engraved for me as it takes so d---- long to have it done over here.

Anytime that you want to polish the rings or bracelets, take some dry tooth powder on a dry rag and rub briskly. It is surprising the things that we find that we can use for different things over here. I hope that you like the bracelets.

Yesterday I received your mother’s package and last night I enjoyed a big bowl of mushroom soup. Was it good tasting too. While eating last night my thoughts were of you and all the little things that you used to do for me. This separation has made me appreciate you more than ever. I miss all the little favors that you used to do for me and that I used to take for granted. Maybe the time will come again when I will start to take things for granted. When I do get that way, just let me know and I may keep from getting that way.

Hmm - teasing me huh? You should be careful not to arouse my sex urge or your husband is liable to jump a plane and go home to his Darling wife. How would you like that? Some of my sergeants have made copies of your little item and are having a good time with it.

One of my men wrote and told his girlfriend back home all about his love affair with an Aussie. She wrote back asking what the Aussie girl had that she didn’t. The answer was very simple - Nothing only she has it over here. Not a bad joke huh?

A nice brunette like you is more appealing to me than any blonde that I have seen so far, and I have seen a lot of blondes. You have nothing to worry about.

You certainly are doing O.K. with your diet. What do you mean that you will not [care?] how much you weigh when or after I return? Don’t you want to hang onto me?

What do you insinuate, that Bobby is like me because I can not take it and neither can he? If he can not understand women, then I can agree that he is like me. I hope that Bobby & Barby always do get along well together. Naturally they are bound to have their little spats. It is only a human trait to find fault in someone else.

Sweetheart I stopped my bond allotment for the next month as I want to buy some gifts and prices over here are so bad that it is impossible for me to do so on my pay. These Aussies over here see the Americans coming and what a bunch of robbers.

Getting your Xmas shopping done early aren’t you? It is the best thing for you to do anyway. The rush this year will be worse than anything that anyone has seen.

Herman is rather fortunate to be able to stay in the states. Being overseas is no fun in any sense of the word.

As soon as my flowers start blooming, I will send you a picture of myself in front of my garden. Yep, I got some flowers planted out in front of my orderly room.

So you enjoy playing poker now. Did you say that it does not cost much to play. Maybe not for you but as far as I am concerned, it always costs me dough.

Andrew had plenty of opportunities, huh? Too bad that I had not been there - woo-woo what a time I would have had, learning my french I mean.

Wednesday afternoon I went and played eighteen holes of golf all by my lonesome. The sun was nice and warm and the air was nice and clear except when I would miss a shot. Then the air would not be fit to breath. My game was pretty lousy.

Every chance I get, which isn’t too often, I get out in the sun stripped to the waist. It is beginning to show a little. Most of the men in the company are a beautiful brown. Can’t let them get ahead of me too far.

I have not been feeling well for some time and I think that it is serious, in fact I know that it is serious. My heart is missing and I will not feel better until it is returned to me. Without you Sweetheart, I am about as useless as a man without a heart. So take good care of it Beautiful.

Well Sweetheart I have to close. Give my regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you my Darling Wife.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob