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Showing posts from March, 2012

3 November 1944

Friday all day  (if it don't rain) My dearest & darling:      Hello darling just a few lines to remind you once again that I love you.  Sweetheart in ten minutes after I was up this morning a fellow handed me a letter from you.  I didn't get to eat any breakfast but I would rather have a letter from you than all the food in Texas.  It makes me feel so releived to hear you are feeling better, it won't be long honey till you will be going to shows again and not by yourself either.      I went into camp yesterday afternoon and took a shower & shaved and got all cleaned up then I went back out to my truck and I went to sleep till the sergent came and told me he was ready to head back for the desert. He said he would drive if I was tired and wanted him him to so I gave him the wheel for I was really sleepy but just as soon as we started rolling I got to thinking about you and the harder I tried to go to sleep the more I thought about you.  I might as well drove myse

2 November 1944

Thurs. Afternoon "Somewhere in Hell" My dearest & darling:      Darling I love you more everytime I think about you and that is all the time.  Honey just think tomorrow is Friday and a week from tomorrow I will be through with my basic training.  Some of the boys are signing their furlough papers today I guess I will go over and sign mine pretty soon.  I was sure glad to hear you are feeling better, just take care of yourself now honey and don't worry about my furlough.  Mabey if you are still in bed when I get home I can talk the preacher into coming down to the house but don't worry honey you will be O.K. by then.  Yes darling I have been told about your operation and sweetheart we sure are lucky.  As your mother said in her last letter we can still have those littel blonds, can't we?  Have you ever changed your mind about waiting awhile or do you think we ought to have them right away?  If you think we ought to have them right away its o.k. with me.  yo

November 1, 1944

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I wonder if our soldier's mother often thought back to these days, when her boy was only a few months old,   Ft. Wayne Dearest Son:      Got your letter this a.m.      I went up & wired money this P.M. now honey don't you drink nor gamble.  You'd better have it put in safe or somewhere for someone will roll you & don't let anyone see it, for you can't trust anyone.  And I have talked to 3 soldiers they say if you don't speak up, you won't get traveling time, just say if you hafto put in 5 or 6 days on road it leaves you such a short time at home.      Saw Chas & Esther today they said they hadn't from you I don't know if they are dreading to see you or anxious.      Well no news.  I'm going to Dr. and get my shot & go to GE & get my little ck.  I haven't worked for over a wk.  I guess I told you I've been eye trouble, supposed to get my bifocles tomorrow, mabey I'll be better.      Georgia went to Chic

October 1944, one more time

**The last in a series of letters, written in October...his sweetheart was sick in the hospital, but he continued to write to her as well as the occasional letter from home via his mom and dad. October 26th - ...I have to write mother and have her send me some money to come home on.  I would rather take a beating than do it though.  I'll tell you the reason why when I get you in my arms.  You know I have began to wonder where Jimmy is at, he only had fifteen days and it seems like he has been gone a lot longer than that.  He is just about as slap happy as Laverne and I am afraid he might put a littel extension on his furlough.  There is a kid sitting here cussing because he is restricted.  You see his wife is here in town and he can't go in and see her.  He is going to send her home as soon as he can get into town because the next two weeks we will be on the desert.  They live in California.      I wish there was some way of knowing where my next camp is going to be.  It do

October 1944, continuing on

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October 19th - ...last night I got to see Kay Kyser.  I didn't have to really but all the boys wanted to get over there early so they could get a good seat and of course I wanted to sit with my own gang.  We did get a good seat too and I thought it was a pretty good program.  I really enjoyed myself.  Did you listen in to the broadcast?  I don't suppose you had a chance but I hope so.  He was only on the air for an hour but he put on a show for us before he went on the air and after he signed off.  I think all together he entertained us for about 2 hours and fifteen minutes.  I sure was glad I went to see it.  Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are on the radio now so you can expect anything in this letter.      Honey I would give anything if I knew how you are feeling.  I hope you are feeling fine, but I suppose that is too good to hope for.  You know what, we had another inspection today, yes sir, tractor and tool inspection.  The major couldn't find one bit of dust or rust.  

October 1944, still.

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**I'm using my authoritative power as blog owner and editor, as well as being the one who currently has possession of the letters, to save you all 3 weeks of a one-sided conversation between my soldier and his sweetheart.  The fact of the matter is, she spent an extended period of time in the hospital in October of '44, and was unable to write and respond to the letters her soldier boy sent to her until he finally received a reply from her dated October 31st.   All of this time that he was writing to her, they both knew his furlough would be soon arriving, and I believe they were planning on being married as soon as he got back to Indiana.      In the interest of my free time, and you're boredom - I am editing and combining the 20 letters that my soldier wrote to his love as well as the correspondence from his mother between October 11 and the 31st. (From mother)      We got both your letters this a.m. so sorry you hafto have so many worries and I know just how blue you

9 October 1944

**What started as a seemingly minor infection to be treated with antibiotics, now has our soldier's sweetheart bedridden in the local hospital, and she's been there two days, still awaiting her surgery...a surgery that by any rights would be devastating to any young woman who is months away from marrying her sweetheart and starting a family.  He couldn't be with her during this time, but his family stepped in and spent much time at her side in the hospital. My dearest and Darling:     I hope this finds you feeling better darling, a whole lot better in fact I hope you are at your best.  I have been feeling pretty good since I got my stomach straightened out.  I received a letter from mother today and she said that she was going to stay with you.  I am sure glad she is too.  Nobody knows what I would give to be in her place.  I love you so much darling.      I should get your package tomorrow that you gave mother to send me.  It just seems like your not happy if you aren&

8 October 1944

What does a soldier in training do when the girl he loves is not feeling well?  He sends her mail to cheer her up, of course! But what does he do when he gets word from home that the girl he loves is not only sick but has been admitted to the hospital?  There's not much he can do. Except worry.  And continue to write and remind her of his love - even if that meant multiple letters in one day.  One that was written early afternoon, and another that was written that evening. Sunday I love you darling My Dearest Darling      Oh honey I am so blue and broke up I don't know what to say but maybe I can think of something. I had written a pretty big letter to you yesterday and was just ready to mail it when I received Mother's letter saying you was in the hospital. I hope you have went through the worse part and feeling better by now. In that letter I wrote you yesterday I warned you about taking care of yourself. I guess there wasn't much use in sending it now but ho

October 1944

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October 2, 1944 Converse, Indiana Dearest Darling,      Well Sweetheart here I am again, back in bed. Imagine that. Do you think I'll ever get all right. I'm about to give up all hope of ever being so I won't ever have to go to a Dr. I am feeling better today than yesterday, it isn't my leg either. Yesterday I started having pains in my left side and it never let up on me all day and mother made me go to a Dr. last nite. I know I never had anything to hurt me so bad not even when I was operated on.... She goes on into detail about her visit to the doctor and after I did some research on the symptoms she described and what she vaguely referred to as the diagnosis in her letter, I believe that she was most likely diagnosed with a pelvic infection and was given antibiotics to clear it up at this time.      ...I didn't want to tell mother but since Pug went to the Dr. with me she told mother and I am in bed. Aunt Ruth is helping mother out today. Honey if i

17 September 1944

**There was a large gap in the dates of the collected letters, I have to think that many letters were missing.  The next dated letter comes from our soldier's grandmother. (My Great-great grandmother!) I personally love this little piece of correspondance that I have from her.  She speaks of Georgia and Aunt Opal, both aunts of his, and Bud being the brother of the girls. Bement, Ill Sun nite Hello sugar, how are you?  Hope you are fine.  I have one of those colds I grab every winter but I started early this time to avoid the rush.  We are having grand weather.  Georgia is in Ft. Wayne, she is working.  If you have time write your aunt Opal.  Her address is RR 4 Tucson Ariz.  she was wondering why she had not heard from you.  Bud R isn't getting much better and Opal is working in a office.  Poor kid, it has been an awful job for her as Bud never was sick and this worry must keep Opal up set.  I hope it isn't so hot down ther by you, or does Texas ever cool off.  I am

4 August 1944 - Ann, Mother, and Bing!

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Oh what a day it was. On this day in history, Nazi Gestapo would find and capture Anne Frank, her family and other Jews who had lived for two years concealed in the attic of a building in Amsterdam.  She would remain in German Concentration Camps until her death in March 1945.  The diary that Anne kept for 2 years while in hiding would eventually be published by her father, Otto.  Ft. Wayne, Ind.      Read your letter this a.m. makes me feel very badly to think of you being so unhappy but dear when you start feeling down in dumps always try to remember you are far from alone and so many others are so much worse off.  Those poor fellows across who are really going to town and I feel sure are soon going to make it possible for you you to come home and have life and things you want and are entitled to.       I am so sorry you couldn't have been sent else where.  I have planned on coming to see you as I don't see why I should stay away from you while you are in the states. 

27 July 1944

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(The next letter from our soldier to his sweetheart - typed here "as is") Thurs. Even My Darling:      Just a few more lines to the sweetest and dearest littel thing in the world.  Hope you are feeling as good as you was one nite when you were in my company at a certain skating rink.  I will never forget that nite how could I when I have something as wonderful as you to always be reminding me of it.  Everytime I look at your picture I think of how we started our future we ought to have a good ending for we sure had a hell of a beginning.       Honey I believe I must be slipping I didn't get a line today from anyone.  But it is no wonder because I can't find time to write anyone but you.  If I have my way you will always come first so I am not complaining.  Hon I don't know any news so please excuse me if my letters don't sound very interesting.   I have been out on the rifle range just about all day.  I was on the machine guns for awhile this morning

My 1940 Cast of Characters

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I love this photo - it reminds me of my "Ohio Farmers". www.census.gov Taking a moment to make a public notice of those family members I will be looking up in the 1940 Census when it's released on April 2 (a mere 23 days away, but who's counting?) Who am I kidding?  I'M COUNTING!! I'm counting down the next 23 days as if it were an impending birthday - like my own (which by the way is 157 days away and it will be, oddly enough, the big 4-0) I know...you don't know those who came before me, nor do you probably care.  BUT, if I take the time to make note of these loved ones here, it serves a two-fold purpose.  First of all, if I happen to lose the sheet of paper where I have written down the specific names that I will be looking for, well now I have a back-up list.  Second (and this is the important one), IF one of my fellow genealogy peers has extra time on their hands and wants to search for a name or two....well here they are.  Please.  Feel fr

22 July 1944

The #1 song at the time was sung by Bing Crosby ~ "I'll Be Seeing You" Ft. Bliss, Tex My Darling:      Well darling I will start you another letter.  Jimmy just went down to take a shower and then I guess we are going to the last show if we have time.  I got another letter from you at the evening mail call and you talk as if you might be getting a littel disgusted with me.  But I sure can't blame you I know I didn't do you right I should have taken time to of dropped you at least a line or two and I promise to do better from now on.  I received your money and those seven wonderful letters today.  Who did you borrow the money off of?  Dearest I love you so much.  I will never be able to repay you for all you have done for me.      Honey in my letter from mother she told me Sherry was home.  I will enclose letter and you can read it for yourself.  But you don't need to worry I made my decision along time ago as you know and I am going to have you

18 July 1944

A quick note from our soldier's mother ~ I wish if they had to take you so far they would make it Calif. I would of come. I'll come later sorta divde up the time mabey we won't get home sick that way. I'm hoping and praying your furlough will be more than 10 days they sure seem to be going after them germans now. well bye bye. **Although she lived in Indiana, his mother mentions wishing for California.  The trip would have been a welcome opportunity to not only visit her son had he been moved there with the Army, but also to travel to Hollywood, California where her sister was living at the time.     This was only a brief note that he received from her, but she also made sure to include the addresses for his grandfather, grandmother, and his two aunts to make sure that he would write to family members.

13 July 1944

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**Today's letter included a little secret message on the envelope that I've never been able to decode: "D.D.C.Y.K.B.M" - I believe it may be "Darling Dottie" ...but I don't know what the rest stands for.   "Can You Keep Being Mine"?  "Can You Kiss Bulldog Monkeys"?  Any ideas or creative suggestions?  Leave a comment! :) My Darling Littel Angel:      Just a hurried line to let you know where I am at and where you will probably be able to find me in case you want me in the next four mojnths. The reason I am in such a hurry I want to write mother and I haven't much time and I had to write you first because this is the most important. I could put hers off for a couple of days but I need three of four dollars right away if you have it hon. Now don't you wish you had picked soemone besides me about nine months ago. It looks as if that skating trip is going to be pretty damn expensive don't it. But hon, please believe m

11 July 1944

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**Today's letter was addressed to our soldier, as usual, at his Ft. Benjamin Harrison address.  That address had been crossed out, and stamped  to: AA RTC Ft. Bliss, Texas The Army had separated our loved ones even more.  What once was a 60 mile distance in the same state between the two, had now grown to a 1,500 miles chasm through the states of Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas all the way to the Mexican border.  As she wrote this letter, she had no knowledge yet of where her love had been sent. My Darling Sweetheart,      Here I am as usual, So lonesome I can hardly stand it and no bright remarks honey I can't lay down to it either.  I mean cause I'm lonesome.  Darn it all anyway honey I've been in this darn old bed for a week now.  But as soon as I get them x-rays taken I hope I won't have to stay in bed.  Gosh honey I miss you so much and I love you too.  Yes I do.  But I don't suppose you'll believe me.  I'm still writing not knowin