Good Morning Darling,

It is just 6:00 bells as I commence to finish this letter. I have slept on that news and it still doesn’t make me any happier.

Sweets, I put in an awful night, Mom not feeling well and me quite blue. Mom didn’t help it along any. More about that later.

Something happened last night when I read that letter. My bottom dropped out of all our plans. At least for the near future. They can’t keep true love apart. If you can’t get home I’ll come out to you. That is if I can get things paid for enough ahead. My big surprise I had for you was that I was or have done my room over. The set will arrive home on Saturday. I had it planned for us. To use first together. Anyway it will be home whenever you get home. I have also purchased a night table to match our set. It only set me back $29,00. The set wouldn’t be complete without it though. I hope you approve. So much for that.

Last night my Mom just about drove me bugs. She can find so damn many things to holler about. First, why hasn’t Joe sent you any money. I promised he would. Please darling, I understand but Mom doesn’t. Then she says, why hasn’t Joe my our his insurance to you. Here you set with better than $400.00 in bills on your back and what do you get. Nothing. Sweets, about your insurance, that is up to you. If you feels your mother has it coming, that’s up to you. But what can I say to my Mother? She hurt me so last evening. I felt so badly anyway and then she started in on me. I don’t care what you do with your money. It’s yours. Although I do think I have something coming. You are my life and I’m just living it for you. I know you love me too but that. Ah, darling I’ll snap out of this. I’m sorry I can’t make this a happier letter but all in all things have me down a peg.

Darling, work hard at this new job. It may be worth our while. Take advantage of every opportunity. I’m home here and I’ll always be waiting. Do your very best always for me. You have already given me reason to be proud. May God be with you always in this new adventure to help you when things get rough. I know you’ll be well at this work you have always wanted to do. Your father would be proud of you also today having heard such news. If not for me your work, do it for him. Best wishes and loads of luck and may God be with you always in this new job. With Gods help I’m sure you’ll do whatever you try. Don’t forget what makes me go on when things get bad. Our love won’t die because of a few short hours apart. Remember what Miss Lentz always told me. If you want to badly enough, you can do anything. I’m sure you can. Again I say God be with you.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Keep the old chin up. Mine is. I’m sorry I had to write such a bad letter but it is all out at once. I am not going to work today as Mother is feeling very badly. Darling remember that every cloud there is a silver lining. We’ll find it soon I’m sure. Bye Bye. “Me”

Dearest sweetheart.

I tried to start a letter to you last night but I didn’t get very far. On the ward work we aren’t supposed to write but I’m trying to get a letter off to you dearest. This job really takes a lot of my time. On my long days when I work until 9 I’m so tired of that I can’t do anything but go home, back to the barracks, and go to sleep I hope I don’t get too worn out.

I hope you are ok and feeling fine, dear. I have been thinking about you all day. I want so much to come home and be married and be with you. It just doesn’t seem fair times that I have to be so many miles from you. I suppose what is, is and all I can do is hope and pray that I get a leave in the near future.

I love you so very much. If I didn’t have you back home pulling for me and standing by, I don’t believe I could go on. It’s a tough job but I’m trying to do my best. We all have our jobs to do in this war and mine happens to be nursing ill sailors. I’m trying very hard to put my best foot forward and make the best of everything.

I’ll try and describe briefly how this hospital is laid out. First it contains beds for 2000 or more patients all on one floor. It is made up of wings with wards off of the wings all connected by passageways. Quite a fine layout. Here is a sketch of the ward I worked in.

The sketch isn’t too good but I hope it gives you some idea of the place I working. It is really modernly equipped. All brand new and clean. It is a nice condition to working. So much for the hospital just now.

I hope you don’t worry anymore about that sour incident that happened a week ago. I put all the trust in the world in you and I know you won’t ever break that trust. Our love means the world to me and I hope it does to you. We’ll get our chance for happiness yet. Just be a little patient and things will come our way.

I hope my pay accounts get straightened out soon and could sure use some money. As soon as it comes I’ll send you a nice check to help take care of our bills. I didn’t get that money order off to cover that phone call. It’s a good thing in one way that I didn’t says that the money I am counting on right now. I hope it lasts until the pay comes through.

How are all your pals and everyone else back home? I hope they are fine. I have been trying to figure out when I’ll write Mrs Lehner. With washing and sleep to catch up on in my off nights I haven’t much time left. I’ll try to get one off to her soon. I hope u can explain that my duties in the hospital really keep me going. I think they’ll understand.

Here is an idea of my hours for the coming week. I work from 6:30 to 4 Monday then a big washing and to bed. Tuesday from 8 to 9. Wednesday from 6:30 to 4:30. I hope to get to some letters off Thursday from 8 to 9 and Friday from 6:30 to 9 and Saturday 6:30 to 1 and off for the weekend. Pretty good and fast. I hope I don’t go to sleep on the job. That’s a bad thing. I think I’ll stay awake.

I hope your folks are feeling fine and not needing any attention like I give in the hospital. One good thing about it is that I have all kinds of medicines to take to keep my cool down. They work pretty good. I have all kinds of drugs in the sulfur family that help keep me going. Well! I guess I have to close for now. Take good care of yourself and I’ll try to keep myself well. I love you with all my heart and soul and with God’s help we will be united in marriage and have life forever. God bless you, sweetheart.

Love and kisses from your sailor husband,

Joe

Dear Joe,

Got your letter this morning and decided to answer right away. I should have written before but I’ve been sick in bed for 3 days. I had Dr McCarthy Tuesday and he said I had infection in the throat again. But he painted my throat and gave me some pills and today I have been up almost all day. So you see you are not the only one who has had a sore throat. I sure hope you are alright by this time and are right in the pink again.

I just finished writing a V. Mail letter to Ralph but as yet don’t know where he is. We send all his mail to San Francisco and then they send it across to him.

Your mother and I watched the parade last Saturday from the Safety Building. It sure was a nice parade but not many floats. Of course it was a Victory Parade and that was the reason for it. In the evening, I went for a while with a bunch of girls. It was Beulah’s birthday too so we really had reason to celebrate. We had a table reserved in a cafe and had a birthday cake.

I think I understand how you feel about DeLores and I think everything will work out alright.

We sure were glad to hear your voice over the phone. Its was just like talking to your next door neighbor.

Pop Parish and I cleaned the basement last week and what a mess. The coal man forgot to spray the coal and as a result the basement got full of coal Believe it or not go there was 4 inches of coal dust in the corner. I put your pants and shirt on and did I ever look cute. But when I got done I didn’t look so cute. I had to take a bath believe it or not. Of course my year wasn’t up yet but it couldn’t wait and I almost clogged up the drain.

Arlene called yesterday to find out how I felt and to say she had my mother in bed. My mother fell down the front steps going outside and sprained her ankle. She went to the doc for xrays and he massages it and put the light on it. I sure hope she gets better soon.

Well Joe, your mother has her birthday the 15th of this month so I thought I’d have a little surprise party for her. I sure wish you could get a chance to come for that day. So if you write don’t mention anything about it. Jennie Z. Is going to help me with the party. Right now mother is sawing wood she is laying on the davenport. I think that party will cheer her up a bit.

Its has been so cold that we haven’t had a chance to go visiting this week but hope it will be warm soon. Well I’m getting kind of tired so guess I’ll close for now.

Be good and take care of yourself. With lots of love from your sister in law.

Bernice

Joe dearest,

Received your letter was glad to hear from you. It was wonderful to talking to you Joe dear it made me feel close to you well that is all for today with loads of love and kisses God bless you and keep you from your loving

Mother

Dear Joe,

Got your letter this morning and decided to answer right away. I should have written before but I’ve been sick in bed for 3 days. I had Dr McCarthy Tuesday and he said I had infection in the throat again. But he painted my throat and gave me some pills and today I have been up almost all day. So you see you are not the only one who has had a sore throat. I sure hope you are alright by this time and are right in the pink again.

I just finished writing a V. Mail letter to Ralph but as yet don’t know where he is. We send all his mail to San Francisco and then they send it across to him.

Your mother and I watched the parade last Saturday from the Safety Building. It sure was a nice parade but not many floats. Of course it was a Victory Parade and that was the reason for it. In the evening, I went for a while with a bunch of girls. It was Beulah’s birthday to no we really had reason to celebrate. We had a table reserved in a cafe and had a birthday cake.

I think I understand how you feel about DeLores and I think everything will work out alright.

We sure were glad to hear your voice over the phone. Its was just like talking to your next door neighbor.

Pop Parish and I cleaned the basement last week and what a mess. The Coleman forgot to spray the cold and as a result the basement got full of soap. Believe it or not go there was 4 inches of coal dust in the corner. I put your pants and shirt on and did I ever look cute. But when I got you I didn’t look so cute. I had to take a bath believe it or not. Of course my year wasn’t up yet but it couldn’t wait and I almost clogged up the drain.

Arlene called yesterday to find out how I felt and to say she had my mother in bed. My mother fell down the front steps going outside and sprained her ankle. She went to the doc for xrays and he massages it and put the light on it. I sure hope she gets better soon.

Well Joe, your mother has her birthday the 15th of this month so I thought I’d have a little surprise party for her. I sure wish you could get a chance to come for that day. So if you write don’t mention anything about it. Jennie Z. Is going to help me with the party. Right now mother is sawing wood she is laying on the davenport. I think that party will cheer her up a bit.

Its has been so cold that we haven’t had a chance to go visiting this week but hope it will be warm soon. Well I’m getting kind of tired so guess I’ll close for now.

Be good and take care of yourself. With lots of love from your sister in law.

Bernice

Joe dearest,

Received your letter was glad to hear from you. It was wonderful to talking to you Joe dear it made me feel close to you well that is all for today with loads of love and kisses God bless you and keep you from your loving

Mother

Hello darling,

How is my darling this grand evening? Fine I hope. The weather today has been beautiful. It was 35 degrees. I sure hate to stay indoors when it is this way. I wish you were home tonight. It is just perfect weather for a hike to Como. Oh well, it is only 10 days until you are out of boot camp. Then we can hope for anything. Can’t we?

If you can possibly let me know when you will get a leave I would surely like to know. At least wire before you got here. I want to meet you and be with you every second while your home. Let’s hope we can be married the second day after you get here. I don’t suppose your leave will be very long and I have so much to talk to you about. I’m much in need for one of those talks we used to have.

I’m lonesome this evening as I didn’t receive a letter from you today. I got one yesterday so didn’t really expect one today. One of the girls out at work insists upon telling me what to expect from my first night. Boy, you have a lot to live up to. If only they knew what we know about each other. I just can’t help playing it over and over in my mind. It’s going to be a wonderful life together isn’t it? I only hope I can make you the kind of life you hope to have and truly deserve. I know you’ll always be very good to me and I’ll always try to understand you.

If we have one week together it will have to be a short lifetime. It will be something that we will always remember and hold dear to our hearts. Our wedding will be simple but so lovely. I have plans just what I want to wear even to the flowers. What we do after the ceremony I don’t care or even what time it takes place. Just so it makes you forever mine.

I never knew what I had until you left me. I said to the kid in the car tonight that I have been a better girl since you left. The only reason I have is that you were here to protect your interests and now I just don’t feel as though I can take advantage of your trust. That’s the way it is always going to be between us. Love and trust in one another.

I called Mrs. Lehrer last night and she said she hadn’t heard from you. If you can answer her letter before you come home. She is one person that we will have to invite to our wedding. Ken’s mother is leaving Sunday to spend a month at the coast with him she hopes. Work is just the same as ever. I took and extra long 90 minutes relief and went to the Ad Building and had lunch today. I guess what makes work so tiresome. These damn lunches.

Well darling, I’m going to close short tonight as I must get at my room. I have so little time to work on it and would like to have it finished by the weekend.

Please let me know how you feel about Dar being the maid of honor. I love you darling and will wait to hear from you. God bless you darling.

Love, DeLores

P.S. We heard from Bud,  and he is ok. Dar says hello and hopes to see you soon. That’s unanimous. Must get to work so for this time. I love you. Bye bye.

Hello my Darling,

I received your cute letter on Wednesday. I’m very sorry my letters don’t get through but as I remember I wrote almost every day. I can’t say that for this week. I haven’t done much writing this last week but I promise I’ll do better here after. By now you have received my Sunday letter. Pease darling, I hope you see fit to forgive me. I didn’t do anything that wasn’t right, except not getting in, but that’s what happens when you depend on someone else to get you home.

I also got a letter from Will today. I received a letter from you written the last of November. He won’t answer it he says he hasn’t your address. He is still on land as he is seeing his sister. He hears from Florence regularly and would like us to spend one evening with his folks and Florence while you’re home. I guess he wants to know how we feel about her.

I can’t say I would enjoy your type of training. It is a bit hard I bet. That isn’t my idea of fun. We still have some cold days and had a little more snow yesterday. I hope it will be a little warmer by the time you get home. I’m just dreaming how you will look. I think about you all the time. I can’t imagine why except that I love you so much that it almost kills me to be away from you. I am really ashamed of myself for ever doing what I did. I haven’t any excuse but I must get it off my mind until I hear what you have to say about it.

Darling, I still love you and by all means still intend to be your wife if you want me. I love you with all my heart and I want to help to make you your whole life a bit happy. I promise I’ll do my best to make the type of life you want. I know I can’t find anyone else I could ever love like I love you. I want to make you happy and I sincerely hope I am given the chance. There can never be another Joe Joe. And I hope you won’t ever find anyone to find my place while I am still around. I want you as much as you want me. I know I will never get tired of saying sweet things to you. I always love to hear you say you love me. I guess our love is just that way.

Mom and I have had a bad weekend. Me all tired out and she had baby Jerry. He is really sick and Dar just can’t take care of him. He has an awful cold and mom stayed up and took care of him. We got my room papered yesterday but I still have to paint he woodwork. Please try to make something out of this. The baby is playing with the pen as I write. He’s been playing and writing all over the paper. He just insists he sits on my lap while I write to you.

I have a lot of work to do and so I’ll have to close for this time. I write more tomorrow. I only hope your mail gets through to you. God bless you darling and keep loving me always.

Love
DeLores

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.s. These kisses I send you are just a sample of what I’ll give you when you get home. Please God let Joe get home shortly after boot camp. I miss him so much and I need him so much. I just have to sit down and talk to him very soon, so dear God let him come home.

Darling, I hope you don’t think I’m silly but that’s just how I feel about it. Don’t feel too badly as you must put forth your best so you can get that leave that we so much depend on. Our beginning of life together. I just must stop or I’ll go on all evening. Bye bye my darling. I love you very much, sweets.

Hello My Darling,

Please forgive me not writing much this past week. Haven’t a good excuse but I know my Joe will understand. I love you very much. I should write to help my darling do his best, but when you get home we can get that all fixed up.

I received your letter Tuesday and it was well together. I also got that box of old letters but failed to find one I sent you. It was of a V letter from Millie, Bernice and myself. Didn’t you ever receive it or what? I am going over to Iris’ so so I can learn to Farragut’s song. I look okay as far I can figure out.

Darling, if you need any money for anything to get home or anything just let me know. If I haven’t it, Mom will. I am paying board when I can. Gave mom $10 this week and put $18 away. Next week I’ll pay on the bedroom set and then that’s all for another month. I’ll also try to give the jeweler some. I’m trying so hard so will have money when you get here but I don’t know.

Darling, I have something to tell you and please try very hard to understand. I went to a party in Minneapolis with the kids from work Friday night. It wasn’t perhaps what I should have done but you have to do something once and a while. Most of the kids got stinko but you know I didn’t touch a drop. Neither did Millie. It was a house party and lasted very late. I had fun at the time but don’t feel the same way about it today. I was depending on someone else to get me home and they almost didn’t. I got home just in time to go to work Saturday morning. I went and stayed all day. I couldn’t miss that $8 we need so much. I got home and went right to bed. That explains why I didn’t write last night.

Please try to understand. I didn’t do anything out of the way I must tell you. I danced all evening and there was a fellow. Who was very good at the stomp and he taught me several new steps. Please sweetheart, I promise I didn’t mean anything by it. I went because the kids wanted me to. Next time they will just have have to work.

I know you didn’t want me to go out that way but please don’t get angry and try to call off everything. That would just about kill me. I trust my Joe will understand and not get sour at me. I love you too much to want anything to happen to our beautiful plans. I just had to tell you and try and make you understand. I would not want anyone else to tell you but me. Please try and understand your (I hope it will remain) future wife.

I have to stop for a while as Mom and Dad are going to paper my room so I can have our bedrooms at home when you get home. We will use it too. I hope. Or will we? Let’s say 1 the first night in a hotel just for fun. I never have stayed in a hotel with you and that will be something for us always to remember.

I suppose I will have to have dark as my attendance but I just can’t figure out who the best man will be. Of course that is your decision.

Are you still willing to become a Lutheran for me? I would like it and hope you haven’t changed your mind about it. Sweets, can we get a license to get married? I must stop for a while and will write more later. God bless you and help you to understand. I’ll be worried until you answer me on the letter. So answer it as soon as possible.

Just remember I never did, or will do anything to make you to mistrust me. I’m yours and yours to have if you want. I was and will always be a good girl. That much I will always be for you. Please try to understand and make me happy by forgiving me for one night of foolishness. I want to be your wife, please don’t change that because of this.

Love,
DeLores