Category / WWII Love Letters

by schrackert

Dear Joe : 12/22/1942

Hello darling,

Just a line to let you know I’m still alive. I have been awfully busy tonight. I just washed my hair so writing while it dries a bit. Mom and I went out to Wards tonight to do that last minute shopping. The store was almost empty.

I don’t remember if I told you, Bernice and I planned a party out at work. Well, it’s coming off tomorrow. More work. A couple of days ago Alice said something about having to go places so often because of the cold. She said that whoever had her name should give her a baby diaper, so that’s what she’s getting. Well she will be surprised. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow night.

Mom wants me to have a bite with her, so I’ll continue in a few minutes. Back again in less than 5 minutes. Fast work.

We are having ice cream and cake for the party. Nice, huh?

Well sweetheart, I didn’t hear from you today, but maybe tomorrow. I can dream, can’t I? I bought you a make shift razor tonight. Hope it will serve the purpose when you get it. Don’t worry, I didn’t spend a fortune. You can’t find one to spend a fortune on. How are you feeling? O.K. I hope. I suppose you are still getting shots here and again.

I suppose you have gotten both cards by now. I’ll explain. I couldn’t make up my mind which, so I sent both. Simple isn’t it? I feel in awful good spirits today. No special reason, just do. Hope you can keep up the old peper as I never fear you will. My love at home will keep you strong and yours does make me strong. I never lose you for a minute. I just tuck you in my heart and there you stay. I love you so much and I admit it’s hard being so far apart, but…

Bud we think is on his way across Africa. Although we haven’t heard from him. Alice and Hi are going to get Bernice and her clothes tomorrow night and move her in with your mother. It will make company for both of them.

You still haven’t said whether or not I should call and try to make friends with your mother. Do you write to her as often as you do me? I would like to know, especially if I intend to talk with her. I would not want to hurt her. If you can’t write her every night write as often as you can Well, I guess I’ll put my hair up and turn in for the night. 5:00 comes so early when you go to bed at 10:00. I’ll write more tomorrow.

God bless you.

Love,

DeLores

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

12.22.42 d

by schrackert

Dear Brother Joe : 12/14/1942

I thought I’d take a little detour from the love letters to share a letter from my Great Uncle Hi to my grandpa.  Hi is the brother that my grandma mentioned in her first letter. He and Alice brought my grandma to Minneapolis to see my grandpa off when he left for basic training in Idaho. They believed in my grandparent’s love, even when grandpa’s mom disapproved.

Family is a crazy thing. Great Uncle Hi is no longer with us. He was about 25 years older than my grandpa, so he passed away quite a while ago. But I grew up with his great grandchildren! We still do family Christmas together. This one I share for my cousins.

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Dear Brother Joe,

Received your letter, we were very glad to hear from you, and also that you arrived safe and sound. We hope that everything will be O.K. Bernice got a letter from Ralph. By this time our dear brother is many miles out to sea.

Mother is quite lonesome, having to take care of the fort [??] is quite a job. The kids are all O.K. Hope everything will be O.K. with you. Keep your chin up and everything will be all right. Just two more lessons to go to finish my course.

It’s been trying awfully hard to snow. The streets are awfully slippery. Had a black out here Monday night.

Love,

Hi, Alice and Kids

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by schrackert

Dear Joe : 12/21/1942

UPDATE: So after I posted this, my mom read it and commented below. She made the connection that the beautiful bright red velvet robe that my grandma talks about below was actually given to me by my grandma when I was little. She gave it to me for playing dress up, and I loved that robe. It made the perfect royal cloak, red riding hood cape, blanket… you know, the normal stuff. I’m sure my grandma probably told me about the robe when she gave it to me, but it clearly didn’t stick with me. It’s too bad… because who keeps their dress up clothes? I’m sure that red robe was sent to Goodwill a long time ago.

Hello My Sweetheart,

Just a line tonight as I’m rather tired. Went downtown right from work and it’s about 8:45 o’clock now. I received your two letters and was very happy to hear from you. Boy, that Navy is sure giving you a work out, isn’t it?

Darling you sound as though you aren’t in favor of my freedom. Could be, I’m really being the girl you want me to be. Even if I go out with the girls I’ll conduct myself in a way you would approve of. Remember sweetheart, I’m planning on marriage.

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Mom and I bought almost all of our xmas gifts. I got Eileen an awfully cute red sweater and mom bought her a pair of satin P.Js. Not bad. I got Dad a couple of neck ties, Ed some cig. and some for Jerry. Donald got wine overalls and Baby Jerry a pair of slippers. Mother bought me a beautiful robe — bright red velvet. It’s just beautiful. I hope you’ll like it sweetheart. After all, it’s for our wedding outfit.

Have you heard anything about a leave as yet? Don’t mind me, after all there is a 1,500 mile lap between us. Say, I think I’m going to like this having a well trained husband. I’ll get my breakfast in bed yet. However, I would be satisfied if I could have you in my arms right now, trained or otherwise.

Don’t wait for a box. It may take a few weeks to get it all together. Are you running low on funds yet? Let me know if you want for anything other than me. I’ll send you anything you need. Tell me what you want for xmas as I don’t know what you can have.

Darling please forgive me for being impatient about your mail. I hear from you quite regularly. Two letters today. 17th and 18th. Well, I’m very tired so will retire soon. Will write more tomorrow. I love you so very much darling. Please keep up the old spirit. I’ll be everything you want me to be, Sweet. God bless you all.

Love,

DeLores

P.S. Guard these as you would have me guard yours. I missed your heart and I’ll take extra special care of our hearts. Please let me know if you hear anything about a leave. I love you more every hour. xxxxxxx

by schrackert

Dear DeLores : 12/19/1942

Hello darling DeLores,

How is my dear future wife this evening? I hope you are fine and at least out seeing a show with some of your girlfriends.

I couldn’t write you last night to save my soul. We got a double Typhoid shot yesterday morning and on top of a bad head cold it nearly knocked me out. I felt pretty rotten last night and went to bed about 7 o’clock. Most of the fellows went to bed about the same time as they were all pretty rotten. We had to send two boys to the hospital as they had such high fevers and went partly out of their heads. I guess they’ll be all right in a couple of days or so. These shots are really sore on the arms. When you have K.P. duties it makes it twice as tough. I’m pretty good tonight so I guess I’ll survive.

I received your letter today dated the 15th. I sure was glad to hear from you. I can’t explain how much a letter from you means when I’m so far away. The boys just jump on the mail orderly when he comes with the mail. Please darling, try and write me as often as you can.

I had my identification pictures taken today. I don’t suppose it will look very good as my hair is quite short. But it is only for identification purposes. If I get into town in a couple of weeks I’ll have a picture taken and send it to my future wife.

I love you very much darling. I long to hold you in my arms but that will have to wait for a little while. After this job is done we’ll be together in our own home. Darling please stick by me like a real trooper. You give me the thing to keep on going for. Sometimes it is plenty tough but I’m out here because when we win this war we’ll be able to have our freedom and liberty. It’s a great thing and worth fighting for.

How is the weather. back home? It sure is nice out here. It doesn’t even look like we’ll have a white Christmas out here. But we’ll sure have a nice dinner. The kitchen just got in turkeys for our Christmas dinner. Something all right. I hope I won’t have to be away from you another Christmas.

How is everybody back home? Please say hello to everyone for me. I sure would like to write each one separate but I just haven’t been up to it. Please try to explain to them for me.

Well! I guess I’ll have to close for now. The Merriest Christmas to everyone and may God bless you and keep you well. All the love in the world to the swellest honey out.

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Love and many kisses to my future wife,

Joe

P.S. I love you more than anything in the world an hope you do too.

I couldn’t get the greeting  finished so here is to a Merry Christmas. Well, a pretty merry one. I mean that from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

by schrackert

Dear DeLores : 12/17/1942

One of the most incredible things about these letters from my grandparents is that we live in the age of Google. I can plug “Camp Hill Farragut Idaho” into Google and connect these letters to the real world. It reminds me that there was a war going on and this stuff ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Of course it happened… but man, this literally brings it home.

So Google just taught me a few things. My grandpa’s training camp opened on December 2, 1942. That’s when these letters started. So he was there at the beginning. It was open for 30 months and trained over 293,000 recruits. So yep… here it is.

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Dear DeLores,

Well! I just got off of K.P. duty a little while ago and am a little tired. Not too bad today as I got off the pan washing job in the kitchen and was on serving line. That gave me about two hours off this afternoon. But I had to wash some clothes so I didn’t get any rest.

You really are going to have a trained husband when you get me. I have learned to wash my own clothes and boy is it tough on the hands. Especially when you have to use a brush and scrub the clothes by hand. My hands are all full of blisters. Don’t let it bother you as they heal in a short time and I’ll be all right.

I have another cold. I don’t seem to be able to lose it. But I always have them anyway so I’m used to them.

Am glad to hear that you and Bernice are having a little fun. You might as well enjoy yourself for both of us. I don’t have any time for any real enjoyment but I’m looking forward to the future when both of us may have our enjoyment together.

Sure dear, go ahead to the dance if you wish. I want you to have some fun. You know what I expect of you. I know you won’t ever do anything that I wouldn’t like you to do. All I want you to do is to remember me and be my sweetheart all the time.

No! There isn’t any special address for mailing boxes. Just the same as my letters. I sure would be very happy if you would make some cookies or something for me.

I believe that I have explained how this camp is located. It is in a large basin completely surrounded by mountains. When the sun shines it is really beautiful. One of the largest lakes in the country is located here. The lake has 515 miles of shoreline. The training station is made up of 6 separate camps. Each camp contains a 10 acre recreation hall, a large mess hall and a ship service, same as a canteen, and I don’t know how many 2 story barracks. Each camp also has 2 dispensaries. Each camp when full will hold about 5,000 men. Our camp is only half full and it has been open only 2 weeks. Here is a diagram of the barracks I live in.

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I hope you get some idea of the place I live in. The bunks aren’t bad as when I go to bed I’m so tired I fall to sleep nearly right away. I’ll have to close for now as I’m getting pretty tired. Please say hello to Marie, Addie, your Mother, Dad and anybody that may ask.

Give my special hello’s to Hi and Al and all the kids. Tell them I’ll write them very soon. To my future wife I send my whole heart. It is a little cracked from being away from you but I know you are taking good care of it.

I put a kiss there in return for the one you sent me. Take good care of yourself for both of us, Darling.

Your loving husband to be,

Joe

by schrackert

Dear DeLores : 12/16/1942

Good Evening Darling,

I hope you are in the pink of condition and getting a little fun out of your freedom. By that I mean not being tied up completely like me. When you join the service you give up all your freedom. Well! Nearly all of it. I’m starting to get used to this Navy life a little now so it isn’t too bad.

12.16.42

Boy! I sure worked hard in the kitchen today. I washed pans continuously all day. I ought to be a great help in our kitchen some day. I’m all tired out and I can hardly stand up. When I get done writing I’m going to wash up and shave and go to bed.

Say! Darling don’t be disappointed if mail doesn’t come too regular. The post office on the camp is really swamped and I guess they have a hard time getting out all the mail. You must try and be a little patient. I know it isn’t easy but we must be good troopers, dear.

There sure is a lot of noise in front of me right now. The boys have a concertina and a guitar and they are all playing and singing. So we do get a little fun out of it.

The weather is just like spring out here now. The temperature must be about 45 and all the snow has melted off the ground. I’m not used to this kind of weather in winter time but I’ll have to get used to it.

Darling! I love you very much. I don’t ever get you off my mind. All the fellows out here have heard about you because that is all I talk about.

I’m sorry dear, but I guess I’ll have to close now. Say hello to everyone for me and please be the swell sweetheart you have been all the time to me. I know you won’t ever do anything wrong. All the love in the whole world to you.

To my future wife my love,

Joe, your future husband

by schrackert

Dear Joe : 12/17/1942

It’s easy to forget how young my grandparents were when they wrote these letters. Grandpa was 19 and grandma was 18. They’d graduated from high school only 6 months earlier. My grandpa enlisted in the Navy one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. According to my dad, he was sworn in on December 7th, 1942 — my son, Peter’s birthday.

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December 17, 1942

Hello My Sweetheart,

Just read your two most wonderful letters. They are really appreciated. More perhaps than you can imagine. By the sound of things they are keeping you very busy. I suppose you are well in the midst of K.P. Is it as bad as what I know? The job is just what you make it isn’t it? Are your duties different for every day?

Saturday night watch did you see anything interesting? Do you kids get your evenings to yourself or are they arranged for you also? Darling, give me all the dope. Darling are you sure that not feeling good is only a headache? Do you have your glasses with you and do you put them on? I don’t like this not feeling good. After all I must look into my interests. Please try and take care of yourself. If not for you, for me. I guess working at a defense plant doing labor is nothing compared with 5:00 in the morning until anytime at night.

Ah, kid. All jokes aside, it isn’t a snap getting up at 5:00 and I should know. I almost overslept this morning. I got up and turned off the alarm at 5:15 and went back to bed. Mom finally called me at 5:45. Did I even move? I made the streetcar by 6:00 though.

Your mother just found out that Hi and Alice took me over to Minneapolis to see you off, and I guess she was very put out about it. The only way we can figure out how she found out is from Mrs. Lehrner. Oh well, what’s to be expected? Your mother is going to be put out about a few other things in a short time too. I know that’s a snotty attitude to have about the whole thing, but we are going to live our own lives and I’m sure we can make it a happy and full life together.

In spite of the fact that you  know nothing about a leave, I’m still dreaming and making a few plans. Buying a few clothes that will keep even if for a couple of months. I hope it won’t be that long but if it’s God’s will we’ll stand it.

Your telegram did not surprise me. Dad got the call as I was at the show with mother. He told me as soon as I got home. Coming like that it wasn’t such a shock. By the way, do you kids get nick nacks in the Navy? Sweets, if there is anything in the world I can send you please just let me know.

By the way, the only bill I have to pay is the jewelers isn’t it? Just how much was it? Oh! You said they were going to check for you, didn’t you? I was tempted to stop there this evening. Bernice and I were downtown shopping. We had to buy a few things for the Christmas party at work. More people downtown. You have to fight your way through the crowd. I have lots of shopping yet to do. I just haven’t felt up to it. I had an awful cold ever since you left. I guess I miss your loving care.

Hi is trying to look after me, but who could except you? Won’t you be happy when you can take full charge of this little girl. I’m just dying for the hour for us to say, “we do,” and he says “I pronounce you man and wife.” Well, you can’t stop me from dreaming.

I went to our old hangout for a steak supper tonight. They are still getting smaller. But very delicious. Also, Margaret Liss, Addie’s sister-in-law from Chicago, lost her baby in birth last night. Too bad isn’t it? We haven’t heard from Bud for the last two weeks. I suppose he is on his way somewhere. Who knows where. He, too, is in God’s hands. I guess those are about the best hands to be in right now.

Darling, remember I love you very much and I will be yours always. If it is God’s will we will be soon wed, as we both want so much. I feel it in my body it isn’t too far off. It just can’t be.

Well everyone has gone to bed around here so I think I’ll sign off and do the same. Try to write as often as you can. If you’re too tired, your sleep in this case is more important. Remember, I’ll soon be your wife and she’ll understand. Just be brave and keep looking ahead.

May God be with you and guard over you always. Until tomorrow night.

Love,

DeLores

P.S. Keep your chin up. I am. Just for us. Sometimes it’s hard when I don’t find you there to lean on, but I’m learning fast. xxxxxxx

by schrackert

Dear DeLores : 12/15/1942

There is one other incredibly special box that has been handed down to me. It’s the box of letters my grandparents wrote to each other during World War II. My grandpa was stationed in the South Pacific, and theirs is a beautiful story of high school sweethearts who were destined to be together, despite some pretty challenging circumstances. My grandma was a German Lutheran and my grandpa was an Eastern European Jew. Needless to say their families were not thrilled.

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I’ve had these letters for as long as I’ve had the recipes, and I’ve only gone through them at random. I owe it to my wonderful family to share these letters and their story. So… what better place than alongside grandma’s recipes?! I will try and add context where I know it. And I likely will not share every single one… these letters span YEARS. But they give a pretty fascinating glimpse into an interesting time in our country’s history.

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Tuesday, December 15, 1942

Hello Future WIfe,

I just received your letter today and boy was I glad to hear from you. I can’t really put it into words what that letter meant to me. It put a spark of new life in my heart. Darling, please try and keep writing every day even if I don’t write every night.

Our company is on K.P. duty in the kitchen this week and it is pretty tough. I didn’t write you last night because I work all day in the kitchen in charge of a crew of 8 men washing pans. I got back to my barracks at 7:15 and had to wash and shave and take a watch from 8 to 10. In the end there was a mix up on watches and I had to stay on until a quarter to 1. You have to walk all the time and I sure was tired. I only got 4 hours sleep last night and I put in from 6 this morning until 7 tonight in the kitchen. I can hardly sit up.

I know that you have been a very good girlfriend. I love you very much, dear. It is very tough to be nearly 1,500 miles away from you. I’m suppose to be a man now, dear, so I must be very strong, but it gets pretty tough at times. I miss you being close in my arms very much. You know that I love you more than anything else in the world. It’s the thought that you are waiting patiently at home for me that keeps me going. Please stick with me all the time. I don’t know when I’ll get home, but when I do we’ll be married. Keep up praying and things probably will come our way.

I haven’t bought a razor out here as they want too much money for a cheap one. I get along alright as I use my buddy’s. He rode out in my compartment on the train with me and we are in the same Co.

I was very sorry to hear that Jerry’s grand dad passed away. Give him my sincere sympathy. That sure was swell about Bernice. Yes! He does look happy. Thanks for sending it to me. I guess I’ll have to close for now as I have a washing that must be done. I want to get it done and shave and go to bed. Say hello to every every body for me. I’ll write everyone as I get time.

The biggest amount of love in the world to my future wife.

Love from your sailor sweetheart,

Joe