I think it’s important to name that although this is a blog about love letters — war is not romantic.

At this point in my grandparents’ letters — March of 1943 — my grandpa is still on U.S. soil out in Washington state. He’s still training and waiting to find out if and where he’ll be sent overseas.

Admittedly, I know more about the timeline and politics and atrocities happening in Germany and Europe during this time. Knowing my grandpa ends up spending time in the South Pacific, I wanted to better understand that landscape.

National Geographic has a helpful and brief interactive timeline on their website. It’s obviously not all encompassing, but gives a bit of a frame for understanding the U.S. and Japanese war conflict.

Grandma and Grandpa were in their senior year of high school at Johnson in St. Paul during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Grandpa enlisted in the Navy on December 7, 1942 — exactly one year after the bombing. The letters continue into 1945.

During this time (from February 1942 – June 1946), the U.S. relocated more than 100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry into internment camps. Many of these Americans lost their homes and businesses and financial savings — and their liberties.

Additionally, this is the war where the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs to end it — causing devastating and long-lasting consequences. Was there another way? Some argue Japan would have surrendered that August anyway.

So, war is complicated.

These letters are a glimpse into the lives of a couple of humans during this time. But the broader context is important too.

Dear DeLores:

Greetings once again, and may I congratulate you on the new step in life. Mother wrote me that you and Joe were married when he came home on leave and that she was having a reception for you. All I can say is, the best of luck to both of you for anything you make undertake.

Things have really changed since I came back from leave. It’s something new and different to us all and there’s never a dull moment. I haven’t told mother because I think it’s best not to. She still thinks I’m at the same old place and that’s the way I want it to be.

By the way, where is Joe now?! Perhaps in time we’ll get to see each other. Sure hope so!! I suppose you heard that Ken and I were finally split up. He left around the 20th of Feb. and as yet I haven’t heard from him. He’s still at the same old place he was a year ago.

Well, guess I’ll have to close for now, but I’ll write again when I get the chance. Give my regards to Joe when you write him.

As ever your friend,

Will

W.S. Lehner
U.S.S. Ward (A.P.D.16)

My Darling Husband,

How is my darling husband in grand evening? I received your letter of last Saturday from U.S.O. You sounded lonesome in it. You aren’t going to be lonesome for long. I received your wonderful letter. It lifts me as mine do you. That’s why they are wonderful. You said you might be there 6 months. Well I hope to be there at least 4 of that time. If I can be with you one day of each week that’s enough. If I can l have that, I’ll be well paid for the trip.

I hope by now you have seen Dorothy. I can’t imagine how it is to be so alone but I want to come out and keep you from being so lonely. Stop.

I didn’t finish my letter last night as I started some fancy work and worked until I wanted to go to bed. It is morning relief and I’m sitting outside on a paint pail. It is really spring weather here. I’m working hard but that I don’t mind because I think about when I’ll be going out to see you.

I talked to Mrs. Lehner the other night and I may talk her into going alone if Dorothy isn’t home by the time I go. That would be rather nice. I hope my letters have been getting through and aren’t too disappointing. I do so want to keep you happy. You might think that I don’t love you but it isn’t at all that. I know you won’t even believe that I’ve stopped for even a minute loving you. I’ll mail this on my lunch so it won’t be long.

By the way, did you get the story of your leave yet? Correct it and send it back as I want to put it away.

By the way, I have the bedroom set paid up to date again and I got the rest of it home. It looks awfully nice. I’m not buying anything so I can come out in a hurry. Relief is just about over so I must close. I love you and will write more tonight. God bless you and keep you.

Love,

Your Wife DeLores

XXXXXXXXXX in return

Dear Joe,

Just another line to tell you to meet me at a different place. How about meeting me at the drift Inn instead of Bowman’s? It’s on Fifth Avenue between Union and Pike. Right next to the Blue Mouse Theater. You can’t miss it.

Please meet me there about 7:00. Really can’t wait until I see you again. It will really be swell. No kiddin? See you then Joe.

Just me,

Dottie

Dearest Wife,

I received your wonderful letter of the 18th this evening. It certainly was swell to get another letter out here.

I’m very sorry that I didn’t get a letter off to you yesterday. I know I shouldn’t have an excuse, so I haven’t. We weren’t very busy during the day and I played a little kitten ball. It was fun for a change. I went into town for a little while in the evening, but I didn’t do anything. It was just one of those days when I wanted to write but just couldn’t sit down and get a letter off. You know what I mean, don’t you?

Darling, I hope the letters you have received since I wrote that someone explains my work. It does look like I might be stationed here for a few months, maybe even longer. You really can never count on anything in the Navy.

Darling, I think I would be the happiest person alive if I could have you with me. I know you want to come so I think it will be. I’m not impatient at all, I know there are many things to straighten out, so don’t hurry too fast in getting here. Don’t think that I don’t want you right away. I do, but try and get things set a little. I know you won’t have any trouble at all in finding a job here if you want to work. The housing is a slight problem, but I’m sure that can be taken care of.

I’m glad to hear you get to talk to Mother now and then. I know that letters she got were short but at the time I didn’t have any information on the place. I was going to myself. I’ve written her since explaining the deal I have.

Don’t you even go saying things like you did. I mean about giving up a swell mother for you. I understand completely why you didn’t send me a present. I know I’ve got the finest wife in the world. I’m not a bit sorry I married you and I don’t expect to be. I know our lives shall be very happy.

It’s too bad that Mother sent a cake and cookies to Farragut. I suppose it will be stale by the time it catches up with me out here.

I’m glad that your mother doesn’t mind you wanting to be out here with me. I was kind of worried that she might object. She looks at it with a very level head. It’s just as she said. If it is possible for us to be together there isn’t any reason that I know of why we shouldn’t be. We both love each other so very, very much and Man and Wife are supposed to be together. I’m sure we’ll have loads of love and happiness and fun together when we are together out here.

Have you heard anything from Bud lately? I sure hope he is OK and writing home now and then. When you write him, give him your husband’s best regards and good wishes.

Well dearest, I guess I’ll have to close for this evening. I just received a card from Dorothy and will probably see her Wednesday night. I’ll say hello to her for everybody back home. I’m going to try and get a letter off to Mother Albright tonight or tomorrow. Say hello to her and dad for me please.

Don’t work too hard and I love you with all my heart and soul and will be so happy when I see you.

Bye bye for now dearest wife.

Your loving sailor husband,

Joe

P.S. XXXXXXXXX

My Wonderful Husband,

I wrote you a short note in my relief today. I expected to enclose it to this letter but the other girls and I went over to the Ad. Building for lunch today and ate so I mailed it from there. Darling, please try and be not too mad at me. I didn’t think I was doing as much as is being made of it. I admit I was in the wrong, but as usual I’m being well punished at home without getting a lot more from my honey. Mom even felt badly at me and says if I even get anymore crazy ideas like that she is going to put her foot down. She also says she doesn’t think it right of Hi and Alice to make a mountain out of it. After all I didn’t sit in a corner and neck and act like a rowdy. I didn’t have even a glass of beer and Alice can’t remember several things that went on but she can still find plenty wrong with my dancing.

You’re my judge and I tell you the facts. The truth and the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As you probably gathered from my note written on my relief, I didn’t have such a good day at work today. I was crying on the home. The boys were all trying so hard to make me smile. They all told me to divorsce my relations and devote myself to you. Do what we think and tell them to jump. I know now I don’t ever want to stay and live in the cities.I’m in agreement about living away from the families. I got a swell letter from you today. That helped to cheer me up except you didn’t sound so favorable about me coming out. Darling, I’ll let you in on something. I’m coming. I’m going to stay until you leave and if you go where I can follow, that’s what I’m going to do. It won’t even do you any good to say no. I don’t think. You want me and that’s where I want to be. I can’t take it alone. I could if I had to, but I still have you to lean on and I’m going until they take you as far away that I can’t follow you anymore. I love you and I want to be near you.

I know I can get a job if you’re near to help me. Your $35 are sure a swell start. I just called the depot. It will cost me $65.85 coach, $20 more for a pullman. I’ll set for $10 bucks a night. I’ll leave 8:25 :35 or :50 one morning and arrive 8:00 2 days later. That sure isn’t bad. You see, I’m really coming. So much for that.

I just called Mrs. Lehner and no one is home and I called the hospital to see how the baby is. He is ready to go home whenever they want to take him. I’m sure glad he came out of that ok.

Have you seen Dorothy yet? How does she feel about my coming out there? Perhaps she would have something to say. I must close for tonight so God bless you darling.

Love,

DeLores

XXXXXXXXXX. I hope you want these.

Throughout her letters, my grandma talks about catching the “line” or the streetcar. She takes it to work, to go dancing, to go shopping, and so many places. The Twin Cities streetcars and trolleys aren’t around anymore, a fact which is pretty heartbreaking to any fan of public transit. As a Minneapolis resident, I can attest to the fact that our current public transit infrastructure leaves much to be desired.

Recently my husband checked out a book from the library called Twin Cities by Trolley: The Streetcar Era in Minneapolis and St. Paul by John W. Diers and Aaron Isaacs. He got it for his own interest in public transit, but then when I typed up a recent letter and my grandma mentioned taking the “line”, we realized we could see if it was in this book!

We know from the address on my grandparents’ letters that she lives at 661 N. Lexington in St. Paul. She goes to the factory to work. She goes downtown Minneapolis to dance and shop. So I took a look to see if I could find out which line she might be taking.

And, this book did not disappoint! She very likely rode the Hamline line, which runs just north of University Ave on Thomas from Prior, past Lexington where she likely got off (walking two blocks north on Lexington to her house), all the way to downtown St. Paul.

The book explains that in 1906, this route was set up to “serve residential neighborhoods along Thomas and Minnehaha Avenues as well as the Northern Pacific Hospital and the manufacturing and industrial plants served by the Minnesota Transfer Railway near Prior and University Avenues.

They book details how “most of its traffic was eastbound, directed toward downtown St. Paul. However, its connection with the St. Paul-Minneapolis line at University and Prior Avenues attracted westbound riders headed for destinations along University Avenue, the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota, or downtown Minneapolis.

Even more exciting, the book specifically calls out that “during World War II, the Sperry plant at Prior and Minnehaha Avenues manufactured the Norden bombsight, employing hundreds of workers, many of whom used the Hamline-Cherokee line to reach the plant.”

To My Joe,

Darling, I’m at work and feel like hell. Alice won’t talk to me so you see I’m getting plenty of hell already. I don’t know what to expect from you. I can’t be much worse than what I’m expecting. Please darling I love you, do believe me. I went with an honest heart but people just won’t let a bride have a good time. I can’t just stay here and get mad. Plan on finding me a room about the 25th of next month cause I’m coming. I hope you still want me to come. Do you? You aren’t angry at me? I know you can divorce me if you choose and I can’t do a thing about it. But in my defense, what could I have done without someone to dance with? Just sat and been a wall flower? That’s now fun.

I can’t say I even enjoyed myself as is. Hi and Alice sat so they could stare at me all the time. And if they do write you the only thing they can say is that I was with Pat. He didn’t hold my hand or smile at me. I told you we were strangers and I say it again. All we did was dance. He even soled or performed for Hi and Alice on purpose. They made me mad. If you will understand why do I have to explain to anyone else. I’m relieved it’s just about over so I’ll close right now.

I’ll write more when I get home and in close, I love you. Believe me and I want to be with you. God bless you always. Please let me come out to be with you. I’m so unhappy here alone. I’m not doing so good at managing anything alone. Oh, darling. I feel awful. I must close, so bye for a few hours.

Your loving wife,

DeLores

To My Darling Husband,

How is my darling tonight? I hope he isn’t angry at me or not too disappointed in me. I promised myself that I wouldn’t say anything about my dumb act of Saturday, but Mom just called me on my actions. She doesn’t approve of what I did but she says she couldn’t say so because things have been going so badly. Every time she says anything she gets in trouble.

Darling, I have a problem. Should I go to Ed and Helen’s and try to make them act like grown ups? They haven’t even called Mom since the day of our wedding. Even Darlene is acting like a fool. She hasn’t time to talk when mom calls and never returns a call. Should I go to the kids and ask them to stop hurting Mother? She isn’t hurting me but it does hurt Mother. She just feels as though they don’t ned her anymore. Her job is done as far as the kids are concerned. Just what can I do? She cries all the time because of their acts. You just must advise me somehow.

So much for that. I got up this morning at about 9:45 and helped mom with the porch curtains. Then I got dressed and went over to Lucille’s house. We had dinner and then George Damstiad came over from the Fort. After he left we took a couple of pictures and then we went down to a show. We saw the Keeper of the Flame. It’s pretty good. It was about 7:30 and I went out to Lehner’s but they weren’t home. I let myself in and left a note for them. The baby is in the hospital. He has been awfully sick with a cold and I guess near pneumonia. You better not say anything to Dorothy as I haven’t talked to her since she saw him today. I only hope he comes out of this in a hurry.

Darling, I’m listening to Mrs. Anthony and I just can’t get my mind on this. Please however darling, try to tell me what you think now about your awful wife. I know now she isn’t as much as she thought she was. Oh hell. I hate myself. Darling, I’ve got to come out and be with you. I’m going crazy without you. I received your money order and it sure looks good. I mean that it will help me to get to see you sooner. I’m coming if you stay there, if you still want me or not. I love you. Maybe in a dopey way, but I’ve got to be with my. husband. I just can’t stand this much longer. I can’t explain how I felt tonight, but I could jump out of my skin.

Darling, please don’t worry about me. I’ll be ok in the morning I’m sure. God bless you and keep you, Sweetheart.

Your loving wife,

DeLores

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. For you always as you are always in my heart.

* read the other letter first this is No. 2.

To my husband,

I just got home from the Co. party and it is 2:00 bells. I have an apology first of all. Then an explanation and stuff. I didn’t write in advance that I thought very seriously about going to the party. All my friends were calling the fork or boss and asking service members. I asked mom about that and said definitely no. If any asks someone we know. I asked Pat which happens because he called when it was first on my mind. I hadn’t thought about it at all and I was looking for a dance partner for the night. As it happened he accepted but definitely and quick.

My sorrows mean nothing I know. This is no reason I just should have stayed home. The kid however didn’t want that. I let someone else )not Pat) make up my mind for me. Anyway, I didn’t tell Hi & Alice I was going with anyone and when they saw me I got a bit outspoken which only ruined any possibility of having any fun. He glared at me as though I wasn’t a lady and made me feel like a heel. Darling I know I can count on you trusting me. It isn’t a bit different perhaps my dancing with him as you know he has a girl. My going with Pat but what could I have done with a bunch of drunks if I couldn’t dance.

I never mistrust you when you’re alone at the U.S.O. I’m just saying what I did and ask that you trust me. We went together and dance together. There was food but we didn’t eat. We left the party at 1:45 and got the 2:00 line up from Minneapolis. It was shortly to 50 when he was out on his way home. He came in just long enough to give me my things I had given him to take care of since I didn’t have a bag. I feel right now like the lowest thing on the earth, but in my heart I know I didn’t do any more than if you were dancing with any strange girl. Somehow Pat is a stranger. I felt very uncomfortable with him at all. It wasn’t right, but nevertheless he doesn’t have to start telling me what to do. That I intend to keep for my husband.

This is the one big blow out the company will perhaps ever give and the kids wanted me there. So that’s how unhappy my evening turned out. I swear by God who protected us that I didn’t do anything out of the way. We didn’t even have a glass of beer and there was more if you wanted it. I’m sure you understand you silly and foolish wife. That is just another reason for me to be with you so I can learn fast to be more like you. See sweets, I know I have to make many changes in my make up. So I place that is in my husband’s hands. I remain

Your loving wife,

DeLores

P.S. XXXXXXXXXX Those are but definitely all yours. Always until you refuse them.