Sunday, Jan. 23, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

My love for you is so sweet and lovely that when I think of you, nothing seems to matter in this world except my getting home to you. At night when I gaze at your picture, my heart stops for a few beats. It sure is great to have a wife like you. The more I think of it, the surer I am that I was the luckiest man in the world the day that you became my wife.

Although we are miles apart, it is not as though we were really separated, because your life is mine and my life is yours. Everything that I do, you are in it with me, and everything that you do, I am in it with you, I can not say that I do not miss you because I do. The only thing that will stop the ache in my heart is for me to be holding you in my arms once more. To feel your body, hear your voice, and smell the sweetness of you, would be all that I need to send me into an ecstasy of happiness. How you manage to be all my desires and able to satisfy all my longings is a mystery to me, but that is just what you are to me.

Some people desire money, others desire power, but as for me, all that I desire is to be with you and allowed to stay with you. Everything else is subordinate to you. As long as you are mine, I know that money and power will take care of itself.

I have your letters of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday before me. I hope to answer them all today. If I have to cut short on my letter, you will know that something very important has arisen and I will not have time to continue.

Thanks for being so understanding about my being unable to write as often as I would like to. There is a lot of studying that I have to do and it takes up all of my time. The studying is the Army regulations. There are five volumes of AR's so you can see what I mean.

So Lorraine does not like her new job in Conn. She should get a little army discipline and then she would appreciate a job where she knows when she starts and when she is finished for the day.

If Estelle did have another baby it would be the best thing for the both of them. They should not wait too long either as they are not getting any younger.

The day will come when we will be able to wash each other's backs again. My back must be pretty dirty by now too.

You are getting a taste of what it means to have a new baby in the family. It will always be that way in any family. The newest born is always the center of attraction.

Your mother could have a cancer, but do not let it worry you too much. It is probably something else and I hope that it is nothing serious. Has she been to a doctor about it? She should if she hasn't.

If the babies did not keep you busy, you would be bored stiff. Talking about something stiff, there is something stiff that I would like to give you right now. Um-m.

Why do you let Roland get your goat so much? You should know how he is by this time. Everybody isn't like your husband. I am perhaps too easy going for your own good.

Relatives are very poor people to have for friends. The old saying holds true. "You can pick your friends but not your relatives." I realize how you feel when they pull something mean on you, but why let it get the best of you? It isn't that you do anything wrong, it is just that you are one of the family and they do not figure that they have to treat you with their best company manners.

You are wrong when you say that I am the only one who cares about you. You would be very surprised to know how much your family cares for you, but not for you "little feelings".

I know that you will bring up our children properly. I knew you would the day that I proposed to you. Remember what I said? That I would like to have you for the Mother of my children.

Thank you for keeping me up on the things that our children do. From the things that you tell me about them, I live them over in my mind, picturing the two of them doing all the funny things that they do. I miss watching them grow up.

It is about time that Ray & Cle came up to see you. We have been over there enough that it is about time that they paid us a visit.

I am going to write to Norman today. I think that he would appreciate it very much.

There are quite a few men in my outfit that would do most anything for me. There are quite a few that I have done some favors for that they will never forget. My job is to be a father, brother, uncle, and a mean old B---- to my men. On my ability to handle them depends on how good a soldier will be, also their morale is in my hands. It is a big job to handle three hundred and fifty men and see that they all get a fair treatment and proper punishment. No matter what happens, a 1st Sgt. is blamed or credited by the men under him.

To be a good 1st Sgt. I will have to be known as "The Hardboiled Sgt." Army life is very different from civilian life. There are a great many things that I do in the Army that I would never do in civilian life. Men in the Army are hard to describe. In many ways they are like children and in others they are very shrewd and smart.

So Bobby is going to be a great lover huh?

Is my wife really beginning to handle money. By the time I get home for good, you should be a very good financier.

Are you sure that it is slacks that you wear around the house? It isn't your pajamas by any chance? I am only kidding, wearing slacks is a very good idea.

Well Beautiful I must leave you and go to Mass. I love you with all my heart and soul and my only desire is to be with you for always and always.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, Affectionate, & Faithful Husband

Bob

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Friday, Jan. 28, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

I love you with all my heart and soul. The things that I would be willing to do to make you happy would surprise you. All my hopes and dreams center around you. Without you my ambition would mean and be nothing to me. You are so much a part of me that if anything should happen to you, I would be like a vacant house, just a shell with nothing inside. Do you know what I mean?

I am sure that you do because I am positive that you feel the same way about me as I do of you.

Arthur told me about the expectant birth. He seemed quite pleased about the whole thing. Under present conditions it is rather tough, but he will have a half grown child to go home to when this mess is all over.

Maybe if time permits that I will write Ray a note tonight. I imagine he would like to hear from me.

Things are beginning to pile up on me around here lately. This afternoon I had to go to a Court Martial for two of my men who have been A.W.O.L. for a few days. We gave been having too many men AWOL lately so we are going to have to burn a few men for the benefit of the whole.

Andrew does very well in the line of writing. How he does it is a mystery to me. Of course they are short but nevertheless they are letters & news.

It is about time that you got some new shades. You sure needed them. Let us hope that I may get home soon to see them.

I got a kick out of reading about Bobby playing cards bare a--. He is going to be a lively devil, I hope.

Well Beautiful I have to leave as the Company Commander came in and it will be a matter of seconds before he will be calling for me.

Do you know that I love you Sweetheart.

Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

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Wednesday, Jan. 26, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

How I would love to take you in my arms and give you a great big kiss. It seems to be years since the last time since I did just that.

My love for you is a demanding type that wants you to be physically present at all times, so that I may be able to kiss you and love you all the time. I know that you feel the very same way about me, Beautiful.

You are Beautiful you know. To me anyhow, you are the most beautiful woman in the world and I love you with all of my heart and soul.

So you went over to Roland & Marion's. It is about time that you did.

You should know by now what the package was. It was parts to a model of a P38 airplane and insignia for Roger with a letter saying that I made Roger my official mascot.

It is about time that you learnt that when you go out is always the time that you have company. It never failed to happen to us that when we planned on going somewhere and went, someone always came up to visit us.

Too bad about Mrs Girard's floor. It is such a nice floor too. Huh!Huh!

Roland should stop worrying about being in 4F. It is not his fault and he is lucky that he does not have to leave his family. I am glad that he is back in the kitchen. The fountain was too much for him anyhow. His worse trouble is that he tried to please everybody. Which is impossible to do.

Thanks for being so reasonable about my letters. It is rather tough to write to you every day. I will write as often as possible though.

So you're getting to be a sleep head huh? Remember how we used to stay up so late. Those days will come again Sweetheart.

No, I do not think that you are childish. I only wrote that to try and snap you out of your mood.

I bought some stamps down at the main post. I go down quite often to cash money orders and checks for the men. Usually about once a week.

So you think that I will be coming home soon huh? I only wish that it were true. The way things look, it will be quite some time yet before I do get a chance to see Lowell again. Never mind though, that day will come, and when it does Wow!

So you like the picture. It is none too good but nevertheless they will all be nice to have to torment myself with some time when I get home for good.

The fellow who took my picture up on the golf course went home on an emergency furlough and came in to see me the day before he left. He was going to have the film developed while he was at home and give me the negatives when he comes back. Just hope that he keeps his word and you will probably be receiving some negatives in a couple of weeks.

I hope that you had a good time at Norman's party. They usually do have a good time at their parties.

Sweetheart the weather has been wonderful for the past few days. Regular spring days. It makes me home & love sick. I am finding it harder and harder to keep my mind on my business.

There are time when I feel like giving up this job. It demands too much of a man. Especially in this outfit where we have about twice as many men to a Company as any other Company.

Oh Well! I imagine that I will just continue to work and slave until I am requested to quit. Never let it be said that I quit anything voluntarily.

Gosh but I love you Kitten. Always remember that and always trust in it.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

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Thursday, Jan. 20, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

I love you with all my heart and soul. My love for you is so powerful that at times I do not know whether I am going or coming. As the days pass by, I find myself getting more and more impatient to get home to you again. Although I am usually busy from morning till night I still have spare minutes to think of you and home. I am lonesome for you as you spell peace, quiet, and restfulness. How I miss being able to lean my head on your bosom and feel the warmth and closeness of you as you stroke the wrinkles off of my brow. Make me forget my worries and troubles.

No I have not received my rating as yet. It will take a little time for that to happen. They may have to make me a technical sergeant first and then a 1^st Sgt. It seems that a jump over one rating can not be made. In other words, I have to get a stripe at a time and not two. From S/Sgt. to T/ Sgt to 1^st Sgt. is the way it may have to be done and not from S/Sgt. to 1^st Sgt in one promotion. It is rather odd that I am over three technical sergeants and myself only a staff Sgt. As soon as the official promotions come through, I will let you know. At present I am only acting 1^st Sgt. Does that clear it up or not?

The fellow that took the picture of us when we went golfing has been transferred and I saw him a few days ago. He told me that as soon as he finished the roll and had it developed, he would send the negatives to me. So just do not let you jo(?) get hot. It takes time in the army to do anything.

You should take a walk with our children as often as you can manage it. The fresh air is just as good for you as it is for them.

So they finally took my cousin Paul. It is about time that he was taken. I wish him luck anyway.

Your letters are much better. You seem to have gotten over your perpetual grouch. Just stay that way until I can get home to straighten you out properly.

I only wish that I could be home to kiss Bobby, then I would be able to kiss his mother too.

I received a letter from André and Arthur Smith both. If I get the time today I will answer both of them. Your sister wrote also. I sure will have a lot of letters to answer if I do not get on the ball.

It sure was a tough break for the Gagnons. She will probably be able to collect. It would be very handy for you to keep your carriage down in the hallway. By this time, that is what you are probably doing.

The bassinette has done its duty. When I was home last I was wondering how much longer it was going to stand up with Bobby bouncing all over it.

When we have another baby ------ What am I saying? Two was supposed to be enough. Maybe you were right in saying that when I get home, I would change my mind. Only time will tell about that.

I was thinking about you when I said that two would be enough. After all I do not want to tie you down with too many children. When everything is straightened around again, I want to be able to take you places. Places where it would be impossible to bring small babies to.

It will be fun to take you and Bobby & Barbara out on picnics. We sure will have fun with them, huh? Sweetheart. Pals, that's what we are going to be. Fishing, hunting, hiking for Bobby and me. Skating, picnicking, sliding, and everything for all of us. Sounds good, doesn't it. Well, it will be good.

There was a lot of things that I would have liked to bring back from Maine, but I never did get the chance to. We could have used a lot of the things that were left up there. Oh well! It just can not be helped now.

So you would like to have a little loving from your husband huh? Well, just keep praying and hoping, then one of these days your husband will return to you for good. Uh huh! What a time that will be.

Enclosed you will find André's letter.

I love you Beautiful.

Regards to all & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

Sunday, Jan. 16, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Your wonderful letter of Wednesday night came today and I was very happy to see that you had snapped out of it a great deal. It is great to hear from you and much nicer to know that we love each other. Our love is as nearly perfect as humans can attain. As the years roll by our love will just become so deep rooted that nothing will ever change it.

Enclosed you will find a picture taken last November. It was taken out on one of the firing ranges that we built. I was standing in about the middle of the clearing. You can imagine how large it was. We built the range in two weeks time, which is fast time when you consider the jungle that we had to clear away.

I am wearing my steel helmet, which was part of our uniform that we have been wearing since reaching this camp. The white square to the right of me is the 500 yard marker. In the far left of the picture is a bull dozer. Running across the picture directly in back of me is the tracks of a bull dozer.

We marched out there and back every day for two weeks. Were we happy when that was completed. The picture was taken about three days before the completion of the range.

Was I happy to see that you had snapped out of your lousy mood. Something must have been bothering you a great deal to get you riled up like that.

So-o-o-o, you are looking around for somebody that might be as nice as I am. Huh! What's the idea? You are not even supposed to be interested in seeing if there is anybody else as nice as I am.

Do I love me, huh?

Your description of how things will be after I return for good has made a little home sick. Um, you sure make it sound so nice.

The worst time of the day for me is just after I climb into bed and start saying my prayers. A feeling of homesickness sweeps over me as my thoughts take me home to my family.

Maybe Bobby will be an artist, who can tell, maybe he might even be famous some day. As for Barby, she will probably turn out to be the belle of Pawtucketville, with the city at her feet.

I was very fussy too, remember? I even waited till I found you. So do not take too much for granted with Bobby. Whatever he decides to do will be up to him.

"No Time for Love" played here a few nights ago but I did not get a chance to see it. You must have enjoyed it. Sorry that I could not be there to hold your hand for you.

Going to see Andrew was just a pleasant thought that I had. It is very doubtful if I will be able to make it. I will try but it looks rather doubtful at present. It is quite far and the way transportation is around here, I doubt very much if I can manage it.

I just got back from looking up on the map where he is situated on the map and it would be impossible to go visit him.

Gosh but I love you Sweetheart but I have to leave.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband

Bob

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