Hello sweetheart husband,

Well darling I will start writing early this Sunday morning. Mom has already done the washing and I have almost finished cleaning the house. I have had a very good time playing with baby Jerry. He is such a good natured baby. I don’t feel as mad as I did last night when I wrote. One night’s sleep gets one over many things. Even the blues. I will have to make lunch very soon.

Hello again, an afternoon has passed and I haven’t yet finished writing. Addie came over this afternoon and I went to sleep. We think Bud is in North Africa. At least that’s what we can gather from what we hear. Jerry is sitting on my lap.

Hello Joe. This is baby Jerry. How are you? Well goodbye for this time. Jerry

That note is from baby Jerry’s own hand. Mom and I just made some homemade ice cream. I’m going to make some box soup and have ice cream for supper. I talked to Mrs. Lehner and she is going to write to you this afternoon. She heard from Will. He got back OK but what he is going into now isn’t so pleasant. The ship has been made into a Marine transport and I guess it’s will be Will’s job to get the Marines to shore and then try to get back to his ship. If he is lucky he will get back. All we can do is pray for him. You and all the thousands of boys.

Darling, I just had supper and have done dishes. I just can’t write today. My thoughts just run all together. Hope you can make a letter sense out of this mess. Darling, I do love you. That’s about all I can keep right in my mind. I pray for you and all the boys away from home and friends. I will always be true to our love and keep planning inside for the future. Our future. What is our future? Hard times, family, making new friends. Time will tell. As long as we love each other it will be complete. Even our love keeps us both going though thousands of miles are between us. It is something about being apart that only makes our love stronger and truer. I know that now.

I just washed my mom and my hair. I’ll try finishing this letter. I think I’ll have Iris, Lily, Bernice, Lucille, Addie and myself Saturday night to celebrate my 19th birthday. It’s right around again. Don’t try to send me anything. Just save it until we can use it together. That will be enough to make up for everything. Anyway, I plan I’m going to a show and then come home and Monday we will have a brunch. Addie will stay overnight as Iris, Bernice and I are going dancing Sunday night. To our plant’s party at Rose Hill. More fun I hope. It won’t be complete without my Joe. But will try. I know you will be thinking of me.

By the way, I forgot to put that dollar in that letter I said I did. We are all writing around here. Mom wants me to write Bud a few lines so I’ll have to cut it short. Good luck in your navel training. Be a success. I’m proud of you and I know I should be. I’ll always be proud of you. You will make me proud. Keep working and studying for us. I love you and you alone very dearly and always will.

Love,

Dolores, your future wife

P. S. See you soon and keep our love always in your heart. And growing. I do and will continue to love. Bye bye

Hello My Darling,

How are you this fine evening? Well I hope. I’m very tired as I stopped downtown and spent my whole check on bills. I gave to Twin City $10.00; Hoff $5.00 and your jeweler $5.00. By the way, his records show you owe him $16 and some cents. Is that what you thought it was? I’m having him make my ring a bit larger as it is very tight and also having J.A. and D.A. and the date put in it. By the way, do you remember the date? Just wonder if you remember the most wonderful one so far in our lives together (or at least on the most important).

I hope you O.K. my doing about the ring and is it all right or I mean is he alright to trust with my ring? I think now I should have asked first but when I’m downtown I don’t always have it on and I was there and everything . Darling he can be trusted with my diamond, can’t he? Mom was a bit put out with me because I left it with him, but after all you bought it from him and he’s a friend of yours. It is ok, isn’t it? I’m very worried about it so please let me know. I came home anyway and mom was cleaning house and I made a bit to eat and we had supper. Then we did dishes and we started closing the K. Mom got me down and I really gave the mopboards a work out. I just finished and I’m a mess. I bet  you can just about imagine.

I’m sorry I didn’t write last night but I got one off this afternoon from work so you shouldn’t miss. I got your letter of the 5th and I am sorry I ever sent you that sad letter. I really should not have but you know me. Try to make those cold tablets last as I’ve spent most of my check paying bills so I just haven’t got the money to buy it to send. I still haven’t been able to put any money away. I guess I’m just no good. It’s going to be a struggle for you to teach me how to hold on to the stuff. You’re so good at it. Have you gotten the box as yet? Did you find the dollar in the money belt?

Darling I’m just so tired I can’t write anymore. Try to forgive me for doing so badly but my hand burns from wringing the old mop rag. Remember darling I love you and I think of you all the time. God bless you and keep you. I’ll write more tomorrow. I just can’t go on anymore tonight.

Love,

Your wife DeLores

P.S. I’ll be all right after a few hours of sleep. I’m just tired so don’t worry about me.

P.S.S. These are all kisses for my darling.

The last letter introduced a friend of my grandparent’s… Will Lehner. He’s come up a few times now, and in this letter my grandma sends my grandpa a few pictures. Who is this guy they speak so fondly of but isn’t family? I asked my dad, and it turns out Will is a close friend of both of theirs from high school. My dad thinks he remembers Will being my grandma’s dance partner. He stayed very close friends with my grandparents throughout the years and they think he even came to my grandma’s funeral two years ago.

Will is a pretty remarkable fellow. He enlisted in the Navy in 1938. In the early morning on December 7, 1941, Will was on the gun crew of the USS Ward patrolling the entrance to Pearl Harbor. He fired the very first shots of World War II, intercepting and sinking a 2 man Japanese submarine at 6:40 am… an hour and 20 minutes before the actual attack on Pearl Harbor. Wow. That’s all I have to say about that.

Hello Darling Sweetheart,

Just got home and read your two wonderful letters. I also got your menu and it is certainly beautiful. Mom says I should have it framed for us. What do you think? I sort of agree with her.

Darling please don’t worry about my seeing Will and Ken. Mrs. Lehner had some kids over there last night, me included. Will hasn’t changed much — a little older. He wears a mustache, not bad. I don’t even know if it tickles. I didn’t try it. Aren’t you disappointed? I’m not. I’m very selfish. I’m saving them for us so I don’t run out. Will has taken to drinking pretty much and he insisted I have one with him. It was weak and only one. Please don’t be angry but I couldn’t tell him no after all this time.

News, Will met me up at the drug store so I wouldn’t have to walk down alone and Helen was with him. She holds on as if she is glued to him. All evening he invited her in front of everyone and everyone was talking about her behind her back. I only had a few words with him alone, but he said he would call and give me the dope. He did say however that he wasn’t worrying about it as life is too uncertain at the present time. He has asked her for the ring but she thinks it can still work out for them together. I really don’t think Will does.

Will got away from her long enough to meet Florence Saul or something like that. He said you know her. She lives up your way. He had try little to say about the war. But he said a sailor should not be married. He said it is too hard or something. I guess he meant it was hard to get along without. I think my husband is strong enough to control his, well, you know what. Ken is as bashful as ever, takes a few but not like Will. He is really off, but he can take care of himself. So much for the kids except they are leaving Saturday morning so I won’t be able to see them off. It would have only made more confusion anyway.

In your first letter tonight you were on my neck for not writing and in the second vica versa. Anyway, I do get a letter off almost every day and I can’t see why you don’t get them for a couple of days and then get 3 at once. Just another mystery. Anyway we are both doing our best and that’s all either of us can do. If your studying should be done, I’ll understand if you put it first. I just want you to make good. Very good.

I’m glad to hear you saw Mill and know there are a few of your friends out there with you. Have you seen Don D. as yet? You kids from school should get together some time. I mean if they give you any time off out of K.P.

Will is the best cook on his ship I hear. Not a bad catch for some gal, but not me. I can’t see what I even saw in him other than a friend. Oh well! We must live and learn.

Darling, about sending anymore for a couple of weeks I think not unless you really need them. You see, the government is only giving us $60 a year for clothing with the little I’ve got I’ll have to get a few things first. Please don’t think I don’t think enough of you to give up anything, but you should have enough for a few days.

Darling I won’t be angry about the luncheon cloth. I am a bit disappointed because you said you had left $.50 on it but it isn’t enough to get mad over. I hope you don’t think I’m going out too much. It helps to keep me from getting lonesome somehow. How do you suppose your mom found out about our plans? I’m very sorry too that she had to hear, but we can’t cry over spilled milk. I guess it was better now that I didn’t call her after all. Please write to her though and to Hi too if you possibly can. They would like to hear. They ask about you every day. I have to get to bed early tonight as it was 1:00 by the time I got into bed. Darling, I love you and you alone. By the way, Bob Law is enlisting in the Navy also. He expects to leave next week. Also to Idaho. I’m very tired so I’ll sign off for this time.

Love,

DeLores

Darling, if you ever go out, please take care of yourself in every way and I rust you to the end. This picture of the kids were taken in the spring so they aren’t too new, but it’s an idea. I love you darling and may God e with you always. Keep your chin and head and heart light.

Love,

Your future wife, “Me”

P.S. Say if you should get a leave in March maybe it might just be March 3, hmmmmm? Any day would please me but I’d like that one special. Anyway, we’ll see won’t we? Just so it is. See you soon!

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