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

Dear DeLores:

Surprised to hear from me?!! Remember I told you I’d write. So tonight while I have the time I’ll make the first attempt. Well, first of all, I’ll tell you I received a letter from Joe last week and the guess what! It was dated last November. I didn’t write him yet because at present I haven’t his address and figure he’ll be home soon anyway. What do you suggest?!!

Things are going quite well with me so I guess I can’t complain. I received so many letters from Florence since I got back it almost doesn’t seem real. Hope this one isn’t like the last one. But then I think I know her better than that. Say, De, would it be possible for you and Joe to spend an evening he gets home? I was thinking that mother could invite Florence down there and you’d have a chance to meet her. How does that sound to you?! Joe has already met her years ago and I’m sure you’d enjoy her company. Please let me know what you think of the idea.

Haven’t seen Dorothy since last week, due to the fact that I’m broke, but as soon as payday comes around I figure I’m taking her out again, you know she and I really understand each other now, and it’s really swell having her here. Well, guess I’ll have to close for now, but will write again. You do the same.

As ever,
Will

P.S. Say hello to Joe when you write.

W.S Lehner
U.S.S Ward
c/o Fleet Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif.

Hello darling,

I’ve been an awfully bad girl. I suppose you haven’t had any mail for 3 days. Its has only been to since I last wrote however. Tuesday mom and I wash the curtains and windows and Wednesday I went forward to the degree. I was elected treasurer and it was installation of officers.

Last night mom met me downtown from work and we went shopping for my birthday present mom. Need a very lovely bag. Good leather. Black but very plain. It wouldn’t be me if it weren’t plain. I also got my Easter suit. It is very beautiful. I changed the color from black to navy. Then we bought mom a pair of house shoes. They are her Christmas present from Dar. When I got home then we have a few things that just had to be done first so I put you off again. But not for long as I’m writing in the street cars send my letter will be in the mailbox same as ever.

I received your letter which brought me your picture. I can’t help saying they don’t do you justice, but I love them and showed them to all the gals at work yesterday. I also can’t approve of you ever taking a few beers, but I know I can trust your husband. You have to make and keep new friends and all and all. Sometimes you must meet them halfway. I got notice of an insured person for me but they, postal, would not leave it without someone to sign so mom is going to the post office for it tonight. I’ll have it for my birthday and I’m sure I’ll just love whatever it is.

We are at 7th Street so I must sign off. Will write tonight.

Love,
DeLores

xxxxxxxxx

God bless you.

Dearest future wife,
You will have to accept another excuse from me for not writing last night. I’ll be frank as you are with me. I was feeling pretty bum from a sore throat, headache and I guess a dose of the stomach flu. I had to go to bed early as I couldn’t staying up. Today I stayed in the barracks and I believe I didn’t even look up. I’m beginning to feel better so don’t worry about me too much.

I received two letters from you today. One you wrote the 16th Saturday and the other the 17th Sunday. They are enough to make me get well in a hurry. They sure were nice. Say darling, I don’t like this monkey business that has gone on at work. That certainly isn’t very nice at all. If trouble still continues to brew I would politely go to the guard and tell him to keep his mouth shut or you would see to it that he would. I hope you find some ways to straighten it out. Now don’t scold me for worrying about it. You are my sweetheart like I’m yours. Well, write me on how it comes out.

That little letter that baby Jerry wrote was very cute. Give him a big hug and a kiss from me. You won’t get jealous will you? I’m very glad to hear that you and a girlfriend are going to celebrate your birthday. Your first party and I am unable to attend in person. But I shall be there in mind as well as thoughts. I hope you have a very nice time, darling. I am hoping and praying that we shall never be apart for any of your coming birthdays. Don’t be angry for the small presents I’m sending. They aren’t very much. But they contain all of my feelings toward you. That is that I love you more than anything in the world. I shall always be as true as gold to you as I know that’s exactly as you feel towards me. Love certainly is the greatest thing in the world. It certainly keeps me going when I feel down and blue. I sure hope I get my leave after boot camp. If it doesn’t come true I should have it shortly. I hope you have everything in order for that big day of ours.

You asked about that note your mother put in that letter? Well all she told me is that she hoped I could be present in mind at your party Saturday. That was all.

So you think Bud is in Africa? Well! You never know what they’ll do with you. They try and take complete control of you. I sure hope he is OK and that Addie and your mother aren’t too much on the blue side. It’s a very tough world but with God’s help everything will come out okay. I hope my friends aren’t sore at me for not writing. Between my colds and studying they are trying to kill me or something. Try and make them understand that I really haven’t forgotten them but that the circumstances are a little tough.

Say! Dear see how much Benimon wants for a stretchy watch band. Write me the price as one of my pals out here would like one. Boy! This place is sure odd for weather. It just finished snowing for 24 hours leaving about a foot on the ground. Now it is starting to turn cold so you can guess what I think about Farragut.

Well! Dear, I’m going to have to close for now. Keep your chin high and know I love and miss you. Here is a kiss and a hug for my wife to be.

Loads of love from your sailor husband to be,

Joe