My Dear Joe,

I received your letter a week ago and again have no idea how happy we were to hear from you. I understand just now busy you are so you’re excused this time but, don’t do it again now.

However, I understand just how it is when you are in Military service. It is about as hard as. I’m working to build ships, Joey. I’m a welder and believe me it’s hard work. But, at least I know now that I’m really doing something to help win Victory and I do hope that now I’m on the job it won’t be long before we will be Victorious so all the boys can get back home again.

So you were at Spokan, Washington. How nice and I’m glad that you like it so well there and that the people were so nice to you. It would be more though a thrill to see you Joe. I hope that it won’t be long before you can come out here. I’m off early then we will be able to be together a lot.

Joey, have you heard from Ralph. If so where is he? What do you hear from Mother? I just wrote her a letter and I hope that she is O.K. Joey I want to send you a package as a birthday gift but it won’t be until in another couple of weeks or so but I want you to keep on writing to me until then.

Well this is all the news for this time. And I hope this will find you in the best of health as we are all fine and little Helen is as darling as ever. You will have a good time with her you’ll see.

How is the weather your way? Out here it’s still pouring cats and dogs and you can imagine the road in the ship yards we are just up to the neck in it.

Now I’m closing with loads of love and best wishes from all, I’m as ever yours.

Cousin Rose
San Francisco

Hello My Darling,

How is my sweetheart this grand evening? I’m fine after the first day back on the job. I must tell you all about it. As I came into work the kids started singing the Wedding March. I took a bit of kidding this morning and at our usual lunch hour. Alice told us that the girls wouldn’t go to lunch until 12:00. I didn’t get it but went about my work. at 12:00 o’clock Alice told me to take off my overalls. We went to lunch at the Ad building. The girls planned a nice dinner for us. We had chow mein too. Schoff and Eliz Hawn made cake and brought them over for us.

After lunch they gave us a gift. It is a 34 piece set of china. It is darling. It is ivory with strawberries on them. They are really nice. The big bosses give us the right to take as much time for lunch as we needed. We used about 1 hour and 15 minutes. So much for that.

I’m listening to Vox Pop tonight and it sure is swell. It is English sailors in the states somewhere and it is really wonderful how they sound. Their moral is fine.

Well it won’t be long before you arrive at camp. Hope you aren’t too late. I suppose you will be though. Anyway it looks as if I have forgotten all about love. One letter gone, this one 2 pages and not a work of love. I’m madly, deliriously, and crazy in love with my husband. Please darling you must let me come out to Farragut. I miss you so darn much already. It will get lighter as time goes on. Are you planning on asking for a transfer to Mpls? That is the only good reason that I wouldn’t come out to Farragut. I’m going to work for a few weeks but then you can expect something.  Anyway, I’m in love with you and I want to be with my darling.

We got (dad got) a swell letter from Bud today. He doesn’t say much but says he is fine and likes the climate. They say the Red Cross is good to them.

Last night when I got ready for bed I came down to kiss your picture and the radio was on and they sang the most appropriate song: When I Kiss My Baby Goodnight. I went up to bed and cried and held your pillow. I miss you so much. I know you miss me too so we can confide in each others grief. I must sign off for tonight as the job was a bit hard today .Not used to it anymore. God Bless you my husband.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Hello Husbie,

How is my darling this new day? Hope the trip isn’t getting you down. I bet you’re just plenty tired out today. It is about 5:00 o’clock and I’m home alone. I slept most of the afternoon and I’m still tired. I didn’t realize that I was all in until I began to relax. I sure hope you can get (or did) get some sleep on the train.

I was so mad at myself when you called that I hadn’t gone over to Mpls with you. I could just as well have gotten a ticket to Mpls. Oh well, it was meant to be this way. After you called I shed a few tears but I’m being strong.

Floyd, Bud’s friend was over about 11:30 o’clock. He says he is going across when he gets back. He’s all happy about it.

I talked to Dar a few minutes ago. I asked her about wanting to talk to you alone the other night and she did. You’re pretty smart. She is still feeling badly about Mom giving her hell and I just told her to forget. That it didn’t bother us but that it hurt Mom. For the first time she didn’t get sore when I talked to her.

Well, sweetheart I’m going to go back to my story of a 9 day love. We are ready to go to the Hotel right now. I’ll send it to you when I finish it for corrections. God Bless you my husband. I love you and always shall.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Keep up the good work and I’ll keep up mine. Bye Bye “wife”

And with what looks like a wedding night and some hotel keepsakes, Grandpa heads back on the train — now a married man!

Dearest Wife,

Just a line to tell you I’m O.K. and that I love and think about you always. The train is on time so I’ll be O.K. Say hello to Mother and Dad. Take good care of yourself, darling. I love you with all my heart.

Your loving husband,

Joe

And this, my friends, is the long awaited telegram of my grandpa coming home to St. Paul to get married.

Hello there Sweetheart,

How is my future husband this grand day? I bet your awfully angry at me for not writing all weekend. I’ve been so busy I just haven’t had time. I’m very sorry that I let other things come before you. Especially such unimportant things. I suppose I should start from the beginning.

I just don’t remember just when it was I last wrote but I’ll start back Thursday. Got home from work and went downtown with mom. I got one dress on Will Call, and she has at least 10. We came home and went to bed shortly. I’m to work again. Got home. Over to Minneapolis, shopped and went to see our girls from work at the hospital. I’m finally getting some thoughts of someone else besides myself. Sometimes I wonder the way I neglect writing.

I got home anyway about 10:00 and Dar was over. She finally consented to wash my hair so we did. I put it up and she left so I got to bed about 11:30. Saturday another day. Got up and went to work a shining example of what staying up makes you. Came home and mom was all in. She didn’t have the whole house clean so I helped her. We ate about 6:30 and I talked to Lucille. We had planned on going out together and so we did. We went downtown and saw “Life Begins” at 8:30. If you get the chance, see it. We had a chat matted and came home. Mom an Dad were papering their bedroom when I left and they were placing the furniture when I got home. Fast work. We all went to bed about 1:00 o’clock and she and I got up about 10:00. Mom was already half done with the washing.

I made breakfast for ourselves and fired the house up and I was expecting company. I mean more company. I had had a call the the curtis. That means only one person. Kate. She got over about 3:00 was here at 2:00. Lu went home about 3:30 o’clock and I went out with Kate and her friend. 4 of us to be exact. They had planned on going to the fort we were ended up at the Prom. Thank God. We danced from 9:30 until 12:30. I put the kids on the street cars and walked home alone. Or ran. Mom was so angry at me for not helping her again all weekend. Please don’t be mad too. After you work six days you want to let your hair down for a day.

Anyway it’s Monday evening about 9:30. I’m all tired out and just can’t figure out how I wrote this much. Mom and Dad and I were over to Wards this evening. I got my full supply of cloths Undies. So much for the life of one girl with a sailor sweetheart.

I received your most wonderful and unexpected letter Friday. I have the $50.00 and just about dropped when I saw the amount. Darling I sure hope you aren’t cutting yourself $ short. If you need money I’ll always have what you send me. That’s as good as in the bank. It’s our future start.

It makes me so happy to have you enjoying your work. I was sure you would but mom said, “Well maybe he likes the work but isn’t the type.” Well, you know Mom. All I can say is God Bless all of you. You in your work, those you help and those that are still helping us. I never worried much about Bud before but it’s been such a long time since we have heard. I worried about him. Mom would make anyone worry. We don’t know and I told mom tonight that no news was good news. The best news I could get would be a wire from a train coming to St. Paul .I will be soon and I’m still in fighting spirit. It makes me warm when you trust me. I’m trying to be just your future wife. I could go out and be mean when you were here. You were here to defend yourself but it’s different now. I just haven’t the heart to consider giving up what we have already built. I love you and I’ll write and promise tomorrow. God bless you and lead you forward.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Yours til the end of the world. I’m so sad that it almostlooks as though I’m running after you insted of your running after me. Anyway, I love it. Bye, Bye.

Dearest DeLores,

I hope you understand the reasons why I don’t get as many letters off as I would like to. I really put in some long hours and I usually am so exhausted that all I can do is go to bed. I like my work, but it isn’t the easiest thing. If letters come a little slow please try and understand dear. I think of you always and I do want to write to you every day, but my energy just gives out.

Darling, your Valentine to me was beautiful. It made me cry. I know you think of me always because the box was so swell. The candy tasted swell and everybody certainly thinks I have a swell girlfriend to send me such a swell box. I love you very, very much and I shall always love you. I know you think the same towards me.

I received your card that you mailed from the Prom. Makes me feel good that you even think of me when you are out. I’m glad you enjoyed the flowers. I shall always try to give you nice things as it makes me feel good to know that you are happy. I hope you and Addie had a good time. Say hello to her and please apologize for me, for not writing. I have all I can do to write to you and mom.

I’ll try and explain a little bit of what I do. We take the patients temperatures and pulses, respiratory every four hours. That’s quite a job when you have 35 patients. We change bedding and give bed baths. At certain times we give the patients their medicines. If patients are restricted from going to the toilet we jockey bed pans. Those are the main duties outside of seeing the ward is clean and any other things that may come up. I have been working with a spinal meningitis case. Wen you work with something like that, that’s contagious, you have to wear sterile gowns and be very careful. I can’t worry about it because it is all in the duties of a medical coreman. Don’t worry about me. Just pray that I don’t get anything. So much for my job just know.

I received a letter from Lucy today. She said Dale is in Texas. At least he is where it is warm. She wondered how come I didn’t get a leave after Booth’s. Well, I guess Farragut just doesn’t give Booth leaves. The only fellow from the company that got leaves were the fellows that went to sea. There only were about 12 of those. Keep your chin up and let’s hope and pray that I can get one soon. If I do happen to get a leave I won’t telegraph until I get on the train so you won’t be disappointed again. They’ll have to give me one some time and then we’ll get married and I’m sure have lots of happiness.

I was glad to hear that your mother took a week off. I’m sure she needed it very bad. I hope she is feeling much better now. Say hello to her for me.

I hope Jerry and Dar and the baby are okay. I suppose they are sore that I haven’t written to them but I just haven’t any time. If I get any time I’ll sure have a lot of letters to write.

Well dearest sweetheart, I guess I’ll have to close for now. I love you so very much that I wish this war would end so we could be together and have our own home and happiness. I know you want the same dearest. We’ll just have to keep up hope and maybe things will break for us soon.

If I do get a leave I hope you have everything ready dear. I’m very happy that you have the set home. I’m sure we’ll get much enjoyment out of it. Until we use it together you certainly should have the comfort of it.

Bye bye for now, darling. God bless you and giving xxxxxxx in return until I can give ou a ooooo.

Your loving sailor husband,

Joe

Dearest Joe,

Received your loving letter and was very glad to hear from you. You know dearest one is nobody wishes you more luck than your Mother, and I know you make good with God’s help.

I pray day and night for my children’s welfare for health and happiness. I want to thank you for those beautiful flowers you sent me for my birthday. Hoping next birthday we will all be together with God’s help.

I had a card from Rose you know she never forgets. I wish you dropped her a line. Well that is all for now dear with loads of love and kisses.

From your loving

Mother

Hello Darling Husband,

Just a line this evening as I’m very tired and must get to bed. Mom and I just got back from town. She put 10 dresses on layaway. I put just one. It is rather nice. A black and white suit dress. As usual, it’s black, but darling remember we can only get black, white and 2 shades of brown shoes.

I saw Bernice downtown also. She still has t heard from Ralph. I wish she would hear. It is awful just waiting. We haven’t heard from Bud for a long time again. We hope and wait.

Darling I have an awful thought. I would like to join the W. Please forgive me. I know you don’t want me to, sometimes I think it would make waiting so much shorter. I am so lonesome. On the way home I let myself dream. Maybe Joe will be there when I get home. Maybe that’s why I haven’t heard from him all week. Then I get home and no Joe. Sometimes I wonder just what I’ll do when I see you. Will I laugh, cry or kiss you? Oh, darling, I just want to be in your arms.

We both want it and will both have faith to keep our love for the duration. So much for that. I’m feeling much better this evening but my eyes bother me. In the morning they are all pasted shut. I’m getting over it slow but sure.

Tomorrow evening I’m going to some hospital to see a girl from work. She isn’t sick, just had an operation.

Well darling it’s time for me to put my hair up and get to bed. I’ll try to write tomorrow. Keep your chin up and your spirits high. God bless you and please try to write.

Love,

DeLores

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

They will be better than this when you get home or when I get to your destination.

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.