Tag / Idaho

by schrackert

Dear DeLores | January 10, 1943

Dearest Sweetheart,

I hope you are feeling fine this Sunday. I really feel pretty fine outside of a slight cough. It isn’t bad at all so don’t worry about it.

I just couldn’t write last night. We had our organized athletics yesterday and I was all in. We started out in the afternoon by running about 3 miles, then over the obstacle course, then double time back to the drill hall to play basketball for an hour and then swim. They sure are trying there hardest to make real men out of us. It turns you out but I have been able to stand it so far.

Yes, dear, I am trying very hard to get good marks in my tests. I am going to study my Blue Jackets Manual today as we are going to have a test on half of it some time this week.

I really feel pretty lonesome today. It just seems that I have been away from you for ages. I know it must affect you the same way too. Darling I don’t know when or if I’ll get a leave right away but I know you will wait for me. I look forward always to the day when we will be married. I can’t seem to end the words in my vocabulary to express the love in my heart for you. I love you so much. You are the power behind the man with the gun that keeps him going. Your faith and love in me gives me the extra punch when the going is tough. I just seem to sense that you are here with me all the time. I know that our true love will carry us both through these hard times. Love is truly the most wonderful thing in the world. Especially when it is so wonderful and great like ours.

Have you heard where Bud is? I hope he is fine and not too far away. I suppose by now he is across. If you write to him please send him my regards and loads of luck.

How is Addie? I suppose she likes her new job a lot better than down at Cuday’s. Say hello to my future sister-in-law and I hope she’ll excuse me for not writing. Tell everyone back home that I’ll write them as soon as the Navy gives me a little time.

Well, darling, I’ll close for now but will write some more a little later in the day. Please take care of yourself dear. I love you very much and here is a little kiss for my one and only.

Your loving sailor man,

Joe

by schrackert

Dear DeLores | January 4, 1943

Before sharing Grandpa’s letter for today, I wanted to post a picture of the adorable man. Love him.

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Hello Darling,

I sure was glad to receive your letters. I received three of them today.

That certainly is wonderful that Will and Ken got home. Boy! It made me feel plenty bum that I couldn’t be home to see them, but I’m in the Navy too and don’t have anything to say about what I do. I bet you really were glad to see them. You tell me just how they look and are, won’t you? Give them my best wishes and regards and tell them that after this thing is over with we’ll all get together again. I sure bet that Will’s mother was happy. I don’t mind at all that you see Will. I sure ought to be able to trust you now dear. I know you didn’t really mean it such as you were going out with him. I take it that you would probably go some place as old friends and I’m glad that you know what to do. Just use your own judgement and remember me and I’m sure you won’t do anything that I wouldn’t like.

I really trust you with my life, dear. I know you really are being as true as I am and that is as good as gold. Our love is really true and great and will carry us through anything. Please give them my sincere feelings. You know how I feel toward WIll. He is my best pal and tell him that he’ll always be very close to me. I can’t really put it into words, but it is in my heart. I’m going to write him a letter tonight at his home. I think he’ll get it before he leaves. Don’t give him too many kisses. I’m just kidding dear. I know you won’t give too many of ours away.

I’ll be very glad to get your box. Don’t worry anything from home tastes like a million. I’m sure I won’t complain on the cookies at all. I’ll just be very happy to get them.

So it cost you $1.56 for that medicine. Well you can feel good at heart because it was worth 100 times that to me and the fellows out here. It really helped and you are having a part in keeping the sailors health.

Darling, don’t be angry at me, but when we had that little argument I cashed in that slip for that tablecloth at the Mart. I was kind of down in the heart at the time. Don’t be sore at me. I’ll buy you a better one yet. Just wait. I’ll see that my wife has everything I can possibly earn with my two hands.

I am very much in love with you. You are all I talk about. I don’t really seem to be able to put it in to good words. My body and soul love you a whole lot. I’m trying my hardest to be a man about everything and as long as I know you love me as you do and are behind me all the time, I’ll keep on plugging with my chin to the grindstone.

I received a letter from my mother today and it sounds like she has gotten wind of our plans. Well, it is too bad that she had to find out just now but there isn’t anything anyone can do about it. We’re two people very deeply in love and I’m sure that marriage is made for us. I know we can make a go of it. You know that our love is stronger than anything so I hope we’ll find lots of happiness in the future.

Boy! Our company sure is getting the dirty details. We have been good on all the inspections so we aren’t on the “shit” list. We have to start another week of K.P. tomorrow morning. The boys don’t like it at all, but we have to do what we are told and make the best of it.

I haven’t heard anything about when we get done with training but I suppose it will be sometime in February or March. We still don’t know about a leave, but I’ll keep on praying and you keep on too and maybe God will see to it that I get it so we can get married.

Say hello to Iris and everyone for me. I sure wish I could find time to write to them all but you come first and then I have to study. By that time I’m usually about all in and the bunk really feels good. Tell them the circumstances and I hope they’ll understand.

You wanted to know how I liked the Navy. Well, it isn’t too bad. Boot camp is supposed to be pretty tough and it is. I really think I’ll like it a lot better than the Army. When I get into my rating I think I’ll be better. As a whole, the Navy isn’t too bad. If I had to go into some service, I’m not at all sorry that I picked the Navy.

Yes! I know that you really look forward to my letters. I try very hard to get one off every night to you and I have been doing pretty good. You just try and write as often as you can too because your letters are all I look forward to every day. I know you’ll try and get one off every night.

Well! I’m just about out of news for tonight, so I’ll have to sign off. Take good care of yourself and I hope you don’t have too much trouble with you know. I love you dearly and I shall always be the fine guy you want me to be. Loads of all my love and a bunch of kisses.

Bye by darling,

Your sailor husband to be, Joe

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.

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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 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