27 July, 1944 V-Mail

Dearest Kitten:

Do you know that there is a certain guy on the opposite side of the world that is very much in love with you? There is, he happens to be your husband. Yup' I am very much in love with you and it is a rather nice feeling to love someone as beautiful as you.

In yesterday's letter I failed to tell you about myself and twenty other men going to see our team play baseball. The driver had been given instructions on how to reach the town that the game was to be played in. It was supposed to be about sixty miles away. After traveling about sixty-five and asking everybody that we had met for the last twenty, where such and such a place was and nobody knew, we gave up hope and returned home. We enjoyed the trip though. We got a dusty-eyed view of Australian country side.

We were really away from civilization. We would pass a horse with a rider and the horse would shy away and take off. We stopped in a fairly large town to get something to eat and the people were gazing out of windows and around corners at us as though we were foreigners. Mmm guess we were at that.

Last Saturday I went with the company commander to a farm nearby and we had our pictures taken with koala bears, as soon as they are developed I will send you one. There were three other officers with us and two of them were snapped with a boa constrictor around their neck. The snake almost got the best of one of the officers and started putting some pressure on his neck the attendant unwrapped him OK. It looked so funny that we had quite a time over it.

Our open air theatre is completed and now we have shows every night. It gives the men something to do at night besides sitting around thinking of home which is not conducive of the best morale.

I have had the golf balls for some time now and as yet have not had the time to go to the course as yet. Maybe in a couple of days I may get the chance to get out and play a few rounds. It will feel funny to get a club in my hand again.

Do you know what a man in CO C(?) thinks of his wife who is more worried about her brother than her husband? There are people like that in this world you know. Do you think that she really loves her husband? Will he escape? Will he put up with a woman like that? Or will he turn to the pretty aussie blonde? To find out the answer to these thrilling questions tune in tomorrow at the same APOp number. This cereal is brought to you through the courtesy of soapless suds, the suds without soap. Signing off till tomorrow, this is #*#*#*#*#*#*#* Sorry folks we just blew a fuse.

Give my regards to every one and kiss the babies for me. You have all my love.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Wednesday 26 July, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Today is a very poor day for writing a letter to the person that I love the most. It is a wet rainy day and is inclined to dull the spirits of anyone. My morale is none too high at the present time and it is mainly due to the weather.

Enough about that for the present and now for a more cheerful little earful. Your check came yesterday with letters 55-8-9 and the card. I must say that you are very considerate of your husband. It is very satisfying to have a wife as nice as you. Because you are like that is the reason that I love you so much. But if you continue to give me h--- about not writing as often as you think I should, I will beat you up the next time that I get home. It may not have occurred to you just what kind of a job it is to censor every letter that is written by the men. On top of that it is spot checked by a base censor. Outgoing mail takes longer than incoming. You may have never noticed, but, when addressing my letters, I leave a wide margin on the left of my return address. That is for the convenience of the base censor, if he desires to check my letter, he can tear the left had margin off without destroying the address. The mail situation over here is much more complicated than in the states, so keep your shirt on. You will receive at least one letter a month, but if you start riding me it will be one letter a year.

All kidding aside, I will write as often as possible but it is impossible for me to write every day. Just be patient and thank God for every letter you receive.

Did you ever think of having a phone put in? It would be a very good idea, don't you think? Then you could save yourself a lot of trouble and running around.

I only wish that I were home so that we could take the children to the beach for a couple of weeks. The day will come when we will be able to enjoy life the way we want to.

One of my men who lives in Maryland has given me an invitation to his home after everything is over and we get back home. Almost everytime that he speaks to me he reminds me that we have a date for after the war. He wants me to come down with my family and stay with him and his wife for a few weeks. He is a little old guy that treats me like his son. To his way of thinking, I am quite a guy.

Your two little boxes have not arrived yet but I received the third large box a couple of days ago. My aunt sent me a letter that I received Monday.

The two pictures of Barby are cute. I have them stapled together and standing on my desk. Everybody that comes in looks at them and ask me about her. Proud pappy that I am, they are probably sorry that they asked by the time that I get through talking about her.

Lorraine must feel pretty bad about her rings. I bet she hates to tell Ray about it. I feel sorry for both of them. They hardly know what married life is.

I must drop that poor girl in Alexander's a letter. As yet I have not answered her. She must have been surprised when Tess told her about it.

Dad should have received a couple of letters from me by this time, and as yet I have had no answer. I will do my part but at least he can send me a note.

I hope that Norman goes the other way. In this area the soldiers have to combat insects, disease, & Japs. It is hard enough to fight the enemy without having to contend with everything else.

Do you want to know why I am unable to write to you more often? Well, there is this Blonde Aussie Babe with eyes of blue, a figure that puts a Varga girl painting to shame, skin like a baby's, nose, ears, and mouth that are so close to perfection that it is unbelievable. She has her own convertible Packard Coupe and has loads of dough and willing to spend it. Her father is a big political official and owns half of Australia. Now put yourself in my position, would you stay in and write to your wife or would you go out with the babe?

Well that is what most men would do only that there is no such Babe. Too bad, it sounded good anyhow.

I started this letter at 8:00 and it is now 12:10. That will give you a vague idea of what I go through while writing a letter. Even a V-mail is a two to three hour job. If I could sit down and not be disturbed, everything would be just fine.

Victor must have been glad to meet his father after all these years.

If you can, send me a few cans of tomato paste, grated cheese, in cans or cardboard containers, and a couple boxes of spaghetti. If you can get a hold of some mushroom soup, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you so darn much that it hurts,

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. Send some calcium tablets for my teeth. Obtainable at all drug stores.

21 July 1944

Dearest Kitten:

I received your third box tonight & your cablegram yesterday. Your cablegram was not very clear. It said that you had received money, and I never sent you any money. I imagine that it should have read that you sent money. Thanks anyhow, it is always nice to hear from you.

Letter #54 came and Barby's picture is very cute. She sure is a darling, just like her mother. Her eyes are so bright and intelligent, just like her father, hm-m.

For some reason I am in a happy mood tonight and this letter is not giving me any trouble at all. I wrote to your folks today and will write to Mother tomorrow.

Sorry that I should ask you for some money right on the month that you have so many bills. I am happy to say that the money was well spent anyhow.

Just for your own information and to possibly prepare you for the worst, do not be surprised if one of these days I get reduced to the grade of private. There are a couple of men in the Company who are always giving me trouble and one of these days I am apt to lose my temper sufficiently to start walloping one of them. If I get caught at it, it will probably mean my stripes. The only reason that I have not done so before is the thoughts of losing all that dough.

There is very little anyone at home can do for a man when he is in combat except hope & pray. I know that it is impossible to keep from worrying but try not to let it get you down. You should have more faith in your brother's ability to take care of himself. I have no doubts but that he will make out O.K.

Your uncle sure has gotten the visiting fever. It must have been nice to see him again, but if he keeps it up, he will have to start claiming Lowell for his legal residence.

If my letters sounded lonesome, it was because I was lonesome. Today I feel pretty good, but for the past few weeks I have been rather down in the dumps.

Arthur writes pretty regularly, doesn't he? I am glad to see that you correspond regularly with him. It is always nice to hear from friends.

The thing about having beer on ice that I miss the most is having you around. This month I have consumed 16 quarts and have another sixteen waiting for me for the rest of the month.

Our new club is almost finished and the night that we open it, I am going into town and stay there because, it will be a beaut of a binge. I want to be a few miles away when they start imbibing the fire water.

Reading about the folks going to the beach and out to the lake reminds me of how much I would like to be doing just that. It must have been fun with the children. You must have had a good time with them.

We have a lot of living to catch up on Sweetheart. When I return we will not waste any time so as to make up for all the lost time. I love you so much that when I look at one of your pictures I get thrilled so much that my toes tingle.

Well, Beautiful, until next time, I love you.

Regards to all & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Wednesday 20 July 1944

Wednesday 20 July 1944 [This day/date is incorrect - it was either Wednesday 19 July or it was Thursday, 20 July]

Dearest Kitten:

The weather tonight is very crispy and it would be a beautiful night for a brisk walk if it were only possible to have you by my side. We could start for a walk and do as we used to by winding up at some dine & dance place, hungry as a couple of bears and full of pep for a few dances. And so home to bed. Those days will return and this d--- mess will just be another chapter in Man's D----- Foolishness - A book of boners.

Since writing to you last I have received letters 51-2-3-6 & 7. Your snapshot in the 57th, tells me more eloquently than anything else just what is happening to you. Man alive are you putting on the pounds- Whew, better watch your calories or I will not recognize you when I get home.

Julie deserves a break if anyone does.  She sure has been patient. I hope for both their sakes that he will be home before this letter reaches you.

Please stop aggravating me with your description of some of your meals. How I could go for one of your Sunday specials right now. After a year and a half of Army food I will not know how to act in front of a self respecting roast or grilled steak.

Barbara must have looked funny with all that lipstick all over her. But you must have been disgusted especially when you were trying to get ready to leave.

I know just how Pat must feel about his sister-in-law.

Bobby must have been thrilled at all the sights that he saw on the trip to Boston.

Please send me some Calcium carbonate pills. I want to take them to keep from losing my teeth. One of the main troubles over here is the lack of Calcium in the drinking water. So before my teeth begin to deteriorate I think I will start taking care of them.

No I have not answered the young lady that wrote to me as I would rather write to you. She does not know where I come from and the address must have come from one of your rolls of pennies. Sometime when I have time I will answer her but I'll be darn if I am going to put myself out.

Yes I answered both your mother and my aunt. What more do you want? Blood!

Sorry to hear that my brother is acting up. Try to find out if I could mail a letter to him at work. There may not be anything to it but a few well placed words from me may be of some help.

So Norman expects to take a trip overseas too. Well that is what he has been training for. I hope that my aunt does not take it too hard if he does go.

Earl Littlefield is a distant cousin of the lad I introduced you to at Ogunquit.

It is O.K. for Bobby to be a boy but there are limits. Correct him of the habit or you will have real trouble. He has to learn a little modesty even if he is still young.

Sorry Sweetheart but I have to close, till tomorrow night. I love you Beautiful. Regards to all & kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday 17 July 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It is a beautiful night out. It reminds me of a cool fall evening at home with the smell of burning leaves in the air. The smell of burning leaves is missing over here though. Nevertheless I can still appreciate the cool, quiet evening.

The memories that are flashing through my brain are all pleasant because they are all centered around you. How could they be otherwise, when you are the very heart of all my happiness and pleasure. All that I am trying to say is that I love you. My love for you is deep and trusting. Every time that I think of you and home there is a great longing that settles over me. Every cell of my body seems to yearn for you. The only way that it will be relieved is to take you in my arms again, and that time is not too far distant, I hope.

Since writing to you last, I received your 53rd letter. I am glad that you had Bobby taken care of. You may find a big difference in him now that his tonsils are out. I bet he was happy to be able to eat all the ice cream that he wanted.

I can visualize what they are like from your everyday account of them and also your snapshots that you send.

Yesterday our team played B Company's baseball team and we lost 2 to 1. It was a very good game and I enjoyed it very much. Sports, especially competitive, are very good for the men's morale. It gives them something to talk, scrap, and kid about. When you have a bunch of men with something else to think about, other than the mess that they are in, then the morale of the men is high! We are very fortunate here because we have good and diversified facilities for the men. There is so much going on that they hardly know what to do or where to go. Their work is highly satisfactory to clinch the bargain.

Now that Lorraine W. has returned, you should not lack for company. I expect to be hearing that the three of you go out regularly. It will do you all good to get out to a show or something occasionally.

Have not had a chance to get out to a golf course yet, but with luck I may make it one of these days.

This afternoon I went out to see a couple of my men in the hospital. They appreciate a visit like that more than if I had given them a million dollars. It gets very boring staying in a hospital when no one ever calls to see you. I should know.

My cold is very much better and I am back in fine shape. The only thing I need is you.

Give all the folks my regards and kiss the babies for me.

I love you with all my heart.

Your Loving, Devoted, & Faithful Husband,

Bob

P.S. I have not received Ce's letter as yet.