Somewhere on the West Coast, Thursday April 20, 1944

Dearest Sweetheart

How are things at home? Have you paid up all of your bills yet? Is everyone well and healthy? Did you get to see Andrew when he was home? Is Mother still working? Do you still love me? That takes care of all my questions, now to settle down and give you some news.

Sgt. Harold Schoop and I went into San Francisco on a pass and have just returned. We went to Sgt. Schoop's aunt and uncle's. We were treated like kings. Sgt. Schoop had not seen them for 23 yrs. They have two sons and they are both in the service. We occupied their rooms. Do not be surprised if you receive a letter from Mrs. Schoop as she wanted your address so that she could write to you.

Mrs. Schoop took us around in her car and showed us the towns of Alameda, Berkeley, and Oakland. We saw all that there was to see. They were d--- good to us.

They are very nice people and very religious. She was telling me all about her two sons and all about their churches, schools, convents, etc. She is as Irish as Ireland itself. What a home they have too. If you could only see her kitchen, I know that you would want one almost like it. You have seen pictures of model kitchens, well hers looks just like one.

She took a morning off to show us around. On our travels we were introduced to their Congressman's wife and a dozen or two of very nice people. I really enjoyed myself.

Golden Gate Bridge, 1942.
USS San Francisco below.

We saw the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Treasure Island, where the fair was held, University of Calif. and the majority of all the interesting spots including Chinatown and the international settlement.

The city of Frisco is built on some very steep hills. They have cable trolley cars to make the hills. We, of course, had to ride the thing. They reminded me of the Toonerville Trolley. That is how old they are.

Chinatown and the international settlement are nothing more than a bunch of stores, restaurants, and nightclubs open to any and all suckers.

Do you know that your husband is very much in love with you, Beautiful?

Sorry, but I have to close. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving and Faithful Husband

kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss

(kiss kiss)

Somewhere on the West Coast, April 17, 1944

Dearest Sweetheart:

It is a little over a day since I called you up and I am rather lonesome to hear your voice again. With any luck at all you will hear from me again before this letter reaches you.

After calling up yesterday I had very rough going before being able to settle down to work. See, just hearing your voice does things to me. By that you can judge what seeing you would and does to me. What I would give just to be able to hold you in my arms and tell you of my great love for you.

Now for some information about some of the sights that I saw on our trip here.

First we saw the swamps of La. and Missouri, nothing very interesting about them. The sights began when we hit Kansas City, Mo. The middle west is very interesting. From rolling plains to towering mountains. The mountains had snow on the tops. The state of Colorado is a very beautiful state to pass through. We stopped at Colorado Springs one morning and we could see Pikes Peak. The City of Colorado Springs is a very beautiful city. It is situated at the base of a range of mountains and is a very nice sight to see.

We passed by the great Salt Lake. It is like a small sea in the middle of a range of mountains.

Eight thousand feet above sea level is a long way up and we were up that high when we went over the great divide. My ears felt rather queer for awhile. Being up that high makes you conscious of your breathing. It seems that you have to take a deeper breath.

Now for some news about censoring and what to expect from me when and if I ever get overseas.

First, incoming mail is not censored so you do not have to worry about that. As you can see I have not let the censor bother me too much. Especially about how much that I love you. I do you know. I did not just marry you for your money.

In a few days I am going to fix up my allotments. As I told you before I am going to take out an allotment for a fifty dollar war bond and sixty five dollar allotment to you.

In case that you receive a cablegram from me occasionally, it will only be to let you know that I am well and OK, because there will be times when I will be unable to write as often as I would like, and I will want you to know that I am still up and around.

You will be receiving a great many requests for a box. The box can not exceed five pounds or thirty six inches in combined length and circumference.

With luck I may be able to get out of camp. If I do I hope to be able to get to San Francisco.

Well Beautiful, I have to close with all my love.

Your Loving, Devoted, and Faithful Husband

P.S. Regards to all and kiss the babies for me.

kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss

kiss kiss for the babies

TRAVEL TO WEST COAST

April 8-16(?), 1944

Friday April 7, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Forget about sending me some money. I owe only $30.00 and will be able to take care of it myself. Thanks for your prompt and interesting letters. I really enjoy them.

Enclosed you will find some pictures that I can not take with me. The reason is because my insignia shows. Rather than ruin the pictures, I am sending them home.

I sent Roland & Marion a Company picture also one to your family.

I love you Sweetheart but I am so busy that I have to steal this time to write even this short note.

Still here but ----------------.

I love you. Regards to all.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

Sunday April 2, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It is raining cats & dogs out, just a few minutes ago the sun was shining. What a place! One minute the sun is shining and the next minute the dew is falling so heavy that to venture out is to take a chance on drowning.

By the time that you receive this letter you should have received the three Company pictures that I bought. Give one to Mother and one to Roland and Marion.

In the very center of the picture is your husband sitting in the front row. The four men, two on each side of me are my four platoon sergeants. The odd man on the right is a mystery. How he got there nobody knows. Reading from left to right - T/Sgt. Kufeldt - Ryan - Myself - Betcher - and Ellis. My Company Commander is directly behind me slightly to the right in the second row of men who are standing. He is flanked by 5 officers on each side. If you look real close you can see their bars on their caps and the insignia on their collars.

Here I have gone a whole page and as yet I have not told you of my great love for you. You know that I do love you Sweetheart? I love you so much that it hurts to even think of being so far away from you. How I miss you Beautiful. There is an ever present ache in my heart. Caused from loving you so much and being so far from you. We are all packed and ready to go. We will not be in this station much longer.

I could tell you a lot of what is going on but it is not permitted so I will have to stick to unimportant details, such as, I have to do my own laundry from now on. And perhaps you have noticed that my title has changed. As o the first of the month I am officially the 1st Sgt.

Sorry but I have to leave.

I love you my Darling.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you Beautiful.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(xx)

Tuesday 28 March, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

I love you with all of my heart and soul and there is very little that I would not do for you. How I could love you right now. Just to be able to take you in my arms and bury my tired heard into your anxious arms. How I would appreciate the feel of your body against mine, the smell of you, and the sound of your voice. I would be sure that I was in heaven if I could only do it.

My health is fine but I am tired as hell. Ever since last Sunday, I have been getting a couple of hours sleep a night. My body has reached that point where it moves not by its own volition but from perpetual motion has taken over. I worked till 5:00 A.M. this morning and got one hour sleep this morning. It sure has been rough lately. Things are going from bad to worse.

I will be a very happy man when everything is crated and everything is ready to go. Maybe I will be able to get some rest then. I have to steal even the little time that it takes to write this letter. Forgive me for being so lax in writing, but at 2 or 3 in the morning I never quite feel up to writing to anyone, especially when I have to get up at 05:30 in the morning.

We are in our Sun Tans now and it sure has been getting hotter than hell down here.

How soon are you moving across the river? Do you think that you will like your new apartment? It should take you about three weeks to get prepared to move, seeing as you are all alone.

Of course the neighbors may not be too friendly and the district may not be the best in the world but we have to get along the best we know how.

My hair is now at its G.I. length. I almost have enough hair so that it shows.

I have a confession to make. Since returning from my furlough, I have been unable to get to mass except on Sunday.

Well things are piling up again so I will have to close.

Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

I love you Beautiful.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob