Hello Sweetheart,

Please forgive me for not writing last evening but I was too sick to hold my head up. I came home from work and went right to bed. I didn’t get up until 9:00 and came downstairs and walked right back up. Mom brought me some toast and cocoa to bed. Then like a damn fool I got up this morning and went to work. Don’t worry about me though as I’m feeling much better this evening. I might even take in a movie tonight. I still have an awful head cold but I’m improving.

By the way, is your pen wearing out? I haven’t heard from you since Monday either. I’m not angry as I know how tired I get working all day. At least I have regular hours and I don’t’ have my washing to do when I get home. Sometimes I don’t see how you kids stand it. Say, small favor you haven’t told me what you work in. Do you wear white uniforms or what?

Darling I’m so very, very proud of my future husband. You made me so awfully happy by sending me flowers I hadn’t thought about your mother. It almost brought tears when Alice told me you had sent flowers to your mother also. I wish you could be my husband and some. I’m sure I couldn’t have much to squacks. Always remember her. I love you for doing it. Hope you will always remember he as you do your mother.

Hi again,

Well it is about 7:00 bells and I just got back from supper, dishes and stuff. As the evening grows older I feel worse. I’m just going to finish this letter then I’m going to bed.

Darling, I miss you so darn much tonight when you would be with me, comforting me as you used to do. Oh! Darling I wish the war could be over so we could have all those days together again. We’ll make up for all the days we’re missing now. I’ll always try to be everything you want me to be. I know I’ll have to make a lot of small changes. I have a friend (or something) that is trying to unspoil me. She says every time I can’t have my way my voice goes up about 6 feet. You should hear her lay in on me. Say, I’m going to be model by the time you get back. I know we’ll both have to give many small points for me. I’m willing. I love you and I know we can be happy together. I must say goodnight. God bless you darling. I’ll write more tomorrow. See you soon.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Try to keep your chin up and I love you and I’m taking care of the home front. I love you so do our best.

How is my darling tonight? I hope you are feeling fine. I’m feeling pretty good. It is hard to believe that I keep feeling so good because I’m around sick people so much. 

How is your Mother feeling? I hope she is much better by now. I’m glad you do your best to try and take care of her. What she needs is good rest. But that is against her make-up. I mean she just can’t lay off. I sure hope she knows that you can’t keep going forever without completely relaxing. Take good care of her.

I feel pretty tired tonight but that isn’t unusual. I’m getting used to it and I’m beginning to like the hospital. I guess it is what I have really wanted to do. It is a fine work. Trying to help ill mates is fine. I know you understand my feeling, sweetheart.

I hope that God will see fit to see that I get home soon. I love you so much, Darling! Don’t get disgusted that things didn’t come true right away. We’ll get our chance I’m sure. Our love is really true. I’m positive of that.

Darling, please forgive me for closing so soon but my eyes are quite sore. I just had to drop you a line.

I’ll try and write a big one tomorrow. Bye, bye, lover. Xxxxxx God bless you.

Your loving sailor husband,
Joe

Dear Joey,

Bess tells me you made it. You are in the service, eh? Lots of luck boy. Well Joey, tell me all about it. What branch you are in, what you are doing, etc. Let me know all about yourself. 

Here I am in the navigation preflight down in Texas. I am about 18 miles out of Houston. I just got 1 day from finishing my 1st 3-week period of a 9-week course when I had to go to the hospital for kidney trouble. I am in the hospital now. It is a swell place to lay around and rest.

Houston is a swell town with plenty to do and see. I met a beautiful girl on my first night in and have been seeing her since. She is really nice.

I get letters from Serp every once in a while. I haven’t heard from him since the 2nd. His mother and girlfriend were down to visit him.

I hear from Bess and Marge quite often. Everyone seems to be doing ok in Kellen’s Super[market]. They have the grocery clerks union in now. Marge wrote that Abe Kristal died. He was the produce buyer. I think you knew him. I knew him very well.

Joey boy, try to get a few minutes to spare and drop me a line. Be sure to tell me all about yourself and hope your mother is feeling, etc.

Lots of luck. Your pal,
Mickey

Dearest DeLores,

Please don’t be angry at me because I haven’t written for a couple of days. I have been working quite hard and I usually am all worn out by bed time. I had the weekend off and went to Spokane. I thought I could find a place to write you from there but the boys and I were so glad to get to town that we were on the go most of the time. I’ll explain what we did a little later. I know you understand, dearest. I always understand you and I know you do also.

I received your letters of the 8-9 and 10 today when I came to work. They are the first ones since I wrote the rotten news of my transfer. I was waiting to see how you took it. I know how hard it was for both of us. After planning and you making so many fine things in your room for me, it really was tough. I hope and pray and wish so much that I could be home with you to enjoy our bedroom set and have you. Darling, please don’t let your chin down. We are bound to get our chance and then I’m positive that we’ll have loads of happiness. Keep everything going back home and I’ll do my best to do good here at the hospital.

It is one of the toughest things we’ll ever meet in our life. But I know with all my heart that I love you with my whole body and soul and want you for my wife very much. I know that you feel the same and I don’t worry at all about our love. It’s the swellest feeling when you’re away so many miles, to know that you have the swellest girl in the world waiting for you. I’m going to try every which way to see if I can get a leave. If I do the only time you’ll know about it is when I’m on the train steaming home. I don’t want to disappoint you and make you cry. I love you so much that I don’t like to have you crying. We’ll see what I can do about it.

I hope your Mother is feeling better by the time this letter reaches you. I’m very sorry that she has been so bum. Try and do your best like you have in taking care of her. Rest and quiet is what she needs. Say hello to her.

About my insurance, dear. All of the $10,000 is in your name. It was that way from the start. I didn’t tell you because it really doesn’t matter because I’m coming home anyway. The reason you haven’t received any notice is because the insurance department is so short-handed they are 10 to 12 months behind. I don’t know when you’ll get the notice. The insurance is in operation anyway. It went into effect the minute I signed it. Believe me, dearest, I’m trying to run my end of the partnership just as if we were married right now. I know I carry the same responsibility as if I were your husband right now. I’ll do all in my power to straighten out your Mother’s silly ideas about the way I am handling our money out here. Enclosed is a money order for $50. I would have gotten it off sooner but I couldn’t find a place to buy it. I know you’ll manage it well. If you can save a little, it would be nice in case of an emergency. Do your best and I’ll be happy.

Here is what I did over the weekend. I got off the ward at 1 o clock and had to help clean the barracks so we could get our liberty passes. I left the station at 4:30 and went to Cour De Jean. There I had to transfer buses and I had to wait 1 hour. I didn’t get to Spokane until 8. Three other fellows and I went together. They are real nice guys. Don’t ever drink at all so I didn’t even touch any beer and I didn’t miss it. We ate a little dinner and started to look for a room. Every decent hotel was packed. We didn’t know what to do so we stopped at the U.S.O. and the Navy Mother found a private room for us. Really the people treat servicemen swell. After we had that off our minds we went back to the U.S.O. where they were having a Velentine’s Day dance. It was nice but I got blue as I wanted to be with my Valentine. I hope next Valentine’s Day I can be with mine.

We certainly had a nice place to stay. The lady fixed breakfast for us and she was very swell to us. It really feels good to have someone take an interest in you when you’re so many miles from home. We left her house about noon and went downtown and saw “Arabian Nights.” It was really pretty good. After we got through with the show we ate and bummed around town for a little while. It was nice to get away from the job for a while. I started home about 8 and got in the barracks about 11:30.

Well dear I guess I’ll have to close for now. I hope you don’t get tired reading this long letter. Take good care of yourself, darling. I love you very, very much and I’ll always be the finest guy to you. Keep your chin up.

Loads of all the love and have xxxxxxx to my swell wife.

Your loving sailor husband,
Joe

Dear Joe,

Well, we just got home from the show so I decided to drop you a few lines before I go to bed. 

Say young man, please don’t keep your mother waiting so long for a letter. She sure was worried. I called Delores Saturday night to see if she got a letter. We thought you were sick or something.

It’s been so darn cold down here that we are kept cooped up in the house. In fact it’s too cold for anyone to come over so I guess your mother will have a quiet birthday. I have been kind of busy running to my mother’s and taking care of her house. She is still laid up with her ankle. So all the plans for your mother’s birthday went haywire. But that’s the way when you plan something.

Well Joe, I sure am glad to hear that you are stationed at the hospital and that you like your work.

I took care of my brother’s kids Friday night so I called Delores from there. She works at the same place my brother works. He was feeling kind of good so he talked to her and was kidding her.

Bertha Kaufman’s sister came from Europe a couple of weeks ago but as yet they haven’t been to see us.

Your mother got a beautiful card from Rose but then she never forgets her birthday.

Bertha said to say hello and for you to drop her a line if you are not too busy.

Norman Ackert has the measles so can’t go to school. Alice is still working and I suppose you know she is the boss in her department.

Your mother got a card from the government, which was signed by Ralph, saying he had reached his new destination. I got so darn depressed sometimes I could just crawl in a hole and cover myself up with dirt. If I don’t hear from Ralph pretty soon I don’t know what I’ll do.

Your mother will write to you tomorrow as her hands aren’t very good. Did you get the cookies she sent?

Mr. Kroenke is working as a guard at New Brighton so he had to go to work tonight at eleven. He sure likes his work now.

Mrs. Stone told me that Charlotte is going to have a baby so she sure is glad after all the trouble she has had.

Well guess I’ll climb into bed now as I have told you all the latest gossip. Keep well and write soon.

Your sister-in-law,
Bernice

P.S. This notice came for you so your mother told me to send it to you.

Dear Joe,

Happy St. Valentine’s Day. How are you Joe? I imagine you are studying pretty hard too. So is Dale. I guess he must be pretty good. He didn’t say so but he told me they had to have a special pass to go over fifty miles and they couldn’t get that pass unless they had good marks.

I received a telegram from him today and it was from Houston, Texas. That is ninety miles from where Dale is stationed. In case you two find time to write to anyone else I will send you my honey’s address. It is:
Dale E. St. John R.T. 20
Company 21 – B5 Building 4
U.D. N. T. School
College Station, Texas

I have a cousin that is in Farragut, Idaho. He sent my mother quite a few pictures from there. It sure is a beautiful place. He sent a box with pictures of different winter snow scenes that were taken around Lake Pond Ireille.

I sure was glad to hear that Dale had another leave. I was dying to see him. It is too bad that you didn’t get yours. How come? I thought that everyone got a nine day home after boot camp. DeLores was planning so strongly on it too. I guess you must can’t plan on anything anymore. I saw her new house robe Joe. She modeled it for Dale and me one Sunday.

My job is swell. I like it a lot. I have been working on some of Bigelow’s war work for the last couple of days. I have been painting deals. You know me and a paint brush. Whew I get a hold of one and it really isn’t work so now I feel I am getting paid for playing.

I imagine you met quite a few kids down in Idaho from St. Paul. I know that quite a few kids from school were training there also. Did you run into any?

Well, Joe, I have to finish my letter to Dale so I will say so long for now.

Be a good boy and I hope and pray you can come home soon.

Love, Lucy

Hello Sweetheart,

Well here it is Friday night and nothing to do. Mom and Dad have gone out to see the kids and I stayed home again. I received a wonderful box of candy and a swell letter from you yesterday. I’m sorry I didn’t write last evening but I had all I could do to get to bed. Mom was sick and I took care of her so now it’s my turn. I’m still not feeling good but I’m getting over it. Mom took off all week from her sick spell.

I got myself in an awful mess today. They (the heads) transferred two girls into our department yesterday from Fabric. They don’t like it and caused a lot of fuss about. Today they went to Personnel and one got sent back and the other is to stay for the day. Anyway, I was cutting polds and this Mary was working with me. One of the inspectors came over and she called to him and he came over and put his arms around her and kissed her. I didn’t say anything to her and went on working. I did say something about it to one of the fellows and I told the girls about it when we ate dinner. Someone (Alice) told the guard and he reported it and they were called about it, so naturally she came back to me. Boy, did I feel like an ass. Anyway, I guess I’ll just have to learn to keep my mouth closed, but defiantely.

Sweets, it sure is nice. I mean that week and off you get. Sure wish I could come and spend one with you. Maybe this summer sometime I can if you’re still there. I want so much to have you hold me close again. I need one of our talks so badly. I sure do miss not having you around when things don’t go right. Perhaps it is just what I need to make me stand on my own feet. Sure hope it does some good. Darling I know you need money and today was payday, but I just didn’t get my check. I’ll try and send you a couple of dollars this week. I know I’ll get it back with interest (in a husband).

I love you darling believe me. I think of you all the time. I certainly wish you were with me today as I’m going to use our set for the first time. Darling haven’t you something personal that I know of you you can send to me to put in your part of the set? It is awfully hard to use it without you. I had so planned on us starting it together. Anyway, it will be fine when you come regardless.

Guess what dear, I sure wouldn’t like to work your hours. That’s worse than mine. By the way, mine are improving. I’m finally going to get a ride from the door to the door. That means I can sleep until 6:00 instead of being on the street car at 6:00. Not bad. Say, how do you like the Navy’s food? Do you eat at the hospital or at the same as the past? Darling, tell me everything you do.

About your doing good, I’m sure you will. You have everything to work for. Your advancement, me (us), a memory. Those are all good reasons each in itself. I can’t forget also for yourself most of all. I know you want to make good and if you want to you will. I’m not worried because I’m sure you enjoy the work. Our love and future is something else so keep up the good work there. I’ll keep up the home front. I’m being a good girl. Nothing will ever happen like that again. Our future means more than a couple hours of foolishness. I’m trying to save but somehow I just can’t get ahead of the bills. Bernice just called me and wanted to know if I have heard from you. Your mother felt awful that she didn’t get her letter Thursday as she usually does. I wish you would let me go on Sunday and write her without fail. It means so much to a Mother to hear. I know from the way Mother takes it. Please take time to get that letter a week off to her. I might go out with Bernice to a show tomorrow night. Hope you won’t object. I know you won’t. I’m going dancing with Addie at the Prom Sunday night so that’s my weekend. I must close so God Belss you and keep you and keep you happy and well.

Love,
DeLores

Xxxxxxxxx

P.S. When you get paid, try and save some of your money. If you can’t get home I may get there. See you soon!

Hello Darling,

I’m sorry I didn’t finish my letter yesterday. I just didn’t get back to it. We expected company in the evening and we made doughnuts for lunch and then I had to get dressed. 

Addie and I had fun at the Prom last night, but I wish you would have been Addie. We were both thinking of our dearest’s at the Prom. I had you with me though. I wore my beautiful flower and rings and your darling little pin. I keep you with me always.

Anyway, it’s Monday and I started riding with a new driver. I don’t get up until 6:00 bells and just run out to the car. That is just wonderful. Work was just another hard day. I worked hard and steady. The kids in Fabric are all mad at me over the deal of last week. I found out what kinds of friends I thought I had. I got home at 5:30 tonight because the Fabric had a talk after work. (You see I ride with kids from Fab.) I guess they are going to start working for a change. 

Anyway, when I got home I had two great letters. I sure enjoy reading them. In fact I read Thursday twice already. About your not being willing, I know you’re just as anxious as I. We both want our love united more than most anything. Our love will carry us through and soon or whatever it may be before our lives conclude. If you can’t get a leave I’ll try to get wherever you’re stationed. If that doesn’t work we will be married as soon as your get home. About the money you’re sending, I’ll try to hold on to it as we’ll have it if you get home or just in case fund. I manage to make the m bills out of our money so will save your money. I don’t know if I’ll start a bank account though. If you should get a leave and be broke, having all our money in a bank wouldn’t do me any good. What I am trying to say, I may not have it at my fingertips when I truly need it.

By the sound of things you enjoy your new job. I’m sure you can be a success at that job. Know that you’re getting wised up, maybe you have some advice about getting rid of a two week old cold. I’m really happy that you can take care of your health. I just can’t shake a cold anymore. I’ll sure be glad when summer comes.

About our bedroom. I had enough to get it home. I’m awfully glad you want me to enjoy it, but you know I wanted it for us. For us to use together for the first time. Anyway, JoDe was with and you were on the chest of drawers watching over me. I can feel you as near when I close my eyes. I love to close them and dream but I have to open them again. Well darling, I’m going to have to close as this is all the paper I have. God Bless you sweetheart and I’ll write more tomorrow evening.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. xxxxxxxxxxx Always keep our love the dearest thing we have. I do. I love you above all. Bye bye “me”

Hello My Darling,

I’m so happy I just don’t know what to say. I just received the flowers. They are just beautiful. It made me a bit blue not having you to kiss as we used to do. I wasn’t even dressed up so I could put them on. I just wish you were here in place of the flowers. Anyway that’s too much to hope for so thanks from the very bottom of my heart. The corsage is made up of 3 carnations, Lilly of the Valley and some little flowers I don’t know. It is all white and red and it is the most beautiful corsage I’ve ever received. It means so much to know you’re thinking of me way out there. Thanks again.

I don’t know if I’ll get to wear them but I hope to. Until the flowers I hadn’t heard from you since Thursday. I know they keep you very busy at the hospital and I do understand. I love you so much it hurts this day. I want you near me so badly. Wanting won’t do any good, but working hard and praying may bring results too. Let’s keep hope anyway.

 

Dearest future wife,

Hello dear. I hope you are fine and everything is going along O.K.

I’m writing this letter on the patient’s rest hour. They are sleeping so it gives me time to get off a letter to my darling sweetheart.

I received the swell letter you write Sunday. It was swell and it made me feel very good to read it. There were some things in there that I’ll answer.

Don’t think for one second that I have changed my love or want to marry you. I love you very, very much with all my heart and soul and want you for my wife more than anything. Maybe at times my letters don’t sound exactly that way but don’t ever thing that. Our love is true. I have all the faith in the world in you and I know you have it in me. I’m sure we’ll get our chance to have happiness.

Keep your chin up dear. I know it was a hard thing to find out that I wasn’t coming home right away but I didn’t have any power over those orders. I wanted to go home and become your husband very much. So much that when this order came through I just didn’t know what to say or thing. They’ll have to give me a leave shortly and then we’ll fulfill our happiness twice as much. You keep the home fire burning and I’ll do my best out where I am.

I’m glad your room is all fixed up fine. You enjoy it for now and when I get a leave we’ll both enjoy it. If enough of the set is paid for you take it out. I want you to have all the fun and pleasures that are possible. Just because I’m under orders is no sign that my dearest sweetheart shouldn’t have enjoyment out of freedom. When I get home we’ll both share everything together.

I was very unhappy to hear that your Mother has been feeling bum. I hope she takes care of herself a little better than she used to. I kind of thought that she had a bum heart. I hope she is much better by the time this letter gets home. Say hello to her for me and tell her that I want her to take better care of herself and not move like a cyclone all the time. Give her my very best regards.

I’m glad you liked that ribbon and insignia. They weren’t much but I had a chance to get them so you see I’m always thinking of my future wife. I know you wished you had some of my clothes but when it came time to send them back it had to be done in such a hurry that I couldn’t do much about where they went. Please understand sweetheart.

No, dear I shall never be really tough. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just when you have to see and take orders and other things at times you just sort of don’t care much. In other words you get down in the mouth and there isn’t anything you can do about it. I know after I get out of the hospital work I’ll be different as far as pain goes. When you have to sit and watch a patient dying before your very eyes and can’t do anything for him you feel how small you are. I can’t put it into words but I know I’ll have to harden as far as seeing persons die before me. I’ll never be hard toward you or anyone else. You know that way in my heart I try to be a friend to everyone.

Well I finally got my pay that was coming. It was for 2 months. After they deducted from the $132.00, $20 I drew, $12 for insurance, I got $95 today. I get into town this weekend and for some am going to send you a nice money order. Use your own judgement on how to use it. I hope in time you can start a bank account so we can have something saved to start out on. Do the best you know how with it and I’ll never say anything. Twice a month I’ll send you an amount to take care of the bills and such. Things ought to be running smoother as far as money is from now on.

I guess I’ll have to close for today. I have written all the news I know at the present, except don’t ever think that I don’t want to marry you. I do love you with all my heart and soul and pary all the time that we may become man and wife soon.

Say hello to everyone for me, please. Loads of kisses and hugs from your loving sailor husband.

Joe

P.S. God Bless you, lover.

Dearest Sweetheart,

I’m very sorry that I haven’t been able to get a letter off to you for a couple of days but certain things came up at the hospital that took all my time. One of our patients developed a serious case of pneumonia and we had to put an oxygen tent on him. When we have a tent on a patient we put on what you call a special watch. It’s the same as a private news. I had to stay until 10 o clock with this fellow Monday and Tuesday night. It isn’t really hard work but very tiresome. I had to watch the tent and watch the guy’s temperature and everything else. I’m just about a real news now. I know you’ll understand how tired I was and I didn’t want to write from his room. As germs were all over. You’ll understand dearest that my duties in helping ill persons sometimes just have to come before you. I know you’ll understand and feel proud of me.

I have received some beautiful letters from you lately. They are wonderful to read. May God always see that our love keeps and I always have your sweet letters to look forward and receive. It did hurt me to read how many things you were doing and planning for our marriage when I was supposed to get home. Knowing that I couldn’t get home just now and you still thinking I was coming nearly tore my heart out. I wanted so very much to see and hold you again, to have you for my wife. It’s just one of the many bumps we’ll have to face in life. It seems that that’s all life is, is a rotten mess of things, at least right now. I hope and pray that this war ends soon so we may be together always. I’m sure we’ll find loads of happiness together. I know I have the swellest and best girlfriend in the world waiting home for me. Our love is what keeps me going. I have placed all the trust in the world in you, dearest. I know you would never do anything to ever harm our love.

I have been feeling pretty good lately even though I work among sick persons with colds and pularsg and scarlet fever quite a bit. If I start to feel punk I usually take a sulformilihide tablet. They certainly are rightfully called the miracle drugs. They make you feel like a new person in a couple of hours.

I hope you and the family are O.K. I certainly wouldn’t know how to take care of my wife now. Ion the week I have been in the hospital, I have learned many things to combat bad colds and such. I have also learned how to be a good housewife. I’ll really be a catch when we get married.

I’m going to have to close for just now as I’m on the job. Will write more this evening. God Bless you and keep you, dearest. All the kisses and hugs I have to my sweet wife.

Love,
Joe