"Whatever Happened To...??"
**I write today with absolutely NO disrespect towards my grandparents. But I just couldn't help but wonder what might have happened with our sweetheart's former beau, referred to earlier in these letters as "Paul D." Oddly enough, the same day that she most likely received the last letter from Ft. Bliss before her soldier returned home to her, she very possibly also received this letter on the same day - A letter from PFC Paul D. Brookshire, stationed in Oahu, Hawaii.
Thursday Evening
November 16, 1944
Oahu, Hawaii
My Dear Dorothy,
Well may I say hello to you once more? I expect you are pretty busy now days so again I won't take up to much of your time. My self I have the duration, and six to go so I have plenty of time to myself. One of these days Uncle Sam is going to put my time to a good use, I'll be glad when he does just that. Then a person really has his mind off of things that trouble him. Do you follow me?
I'm not doing much writing here. I have mail piled up here that goes back two months or even more. It doesn't worry me at all, as long as they don't get the telegram from the War Department along with an insurance check they don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself, for awhile anyway. Right now I'm about ready to give up all hope for me. I'm telling you angel I just don't give a shit anymore.
Say what's this I hear about Chuck putting in for a furlough from his place to come home? That will sure be nice if he can come home. Me, I have been away so dam long now I don't care if I don't make it till the war is all pd. I'd like to see Chuck go home, and stay home where he belongs
(** "Chuck" is most likely a reference to her brother, Charles.**)
Oh yes, by the way tell them all I said hello and give them my very best in the world. That is if you will do this for me? Also tell Him (**Our sweetheart's soldier**) I wish him plenty of luck when they put him in an A.A.A. outfit. You are lucky in getting him if he is put in a triple A bunch. I hear that those guys are being put on the coast to stay. You know the U.S. is liable to be bombed any day now. I'd hate like hell to see him get hurt that way, I don't want to see you get hurt in any way. Just between you and me, by-God he better treat you right or one of the two may get hurt. Tell him that. If you don't think I mean it just let something happen that isn't doing any one any good. We will see. You know he may get sent over here some where, although I don't think so, you see Dot., they want men over here who know what they are doing all the time. It takes to long to track a boot Jungle training and then wait until he is out of the Hospital, but that time he is no good any more. So you see we want and need all good men over here on this side. Laying all jokes aside, Dorothy try to hang onto him as long as you can. You know what I mean?
Well beautiful I had better close for this you are probly bored as it is. Anyway I'm sorta running out of much to say. So I'll say so-long, and take care of yourself, don't do anything you may regret someday.
Good-nite.
As Always:
Paul "Sparks"
**Enclosed with his letter was this "interesting" snapshot with a notation on the back: "Southwest Pacific - You had better watch out if He gets stuck with something like this on some 2x4 rock. He may drop you out of his mind. I had a lot of fun down there I can tell you that much. ~Sparks"
Being the genealogy obsessed person that I am, I did a little research and found out that Paul came home to Indiana after his time of military service. He married a girl there and spent the remainder of his life there before he passed away in 1977. I think this letter was a sweet and final goodbye to the gal who once held his heart, and maybe a last chance to get final digs in towards the one who had swept her off her feet and away from him.
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| An earlier pic, taken probably 1943 or early '44 in Indiana. |
Thursday Evening
November 16, 1944
Oahu, Hawaii
My Dear Dorothy,
Well may I say hello to you once more? I expect you are pretty busy now days so again I won't take up to much of your time. My self I have the duration, and six to go so I have plenty of time to myself. One of these days Uncle Sam is going to put my time to a good use, I'll be glad when he does just that. Then a person really has his mind off of things that trouble him. Do you follow me?
I'm not doing much writing here. I have mail piled up here that goes back two months or even more. It doesn't worry me at all, as long as they don't get the telegram from the War Department along with an insurance check they don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself, for awhile anyway. Right now I'm about ready to give up all hope for me. I'm telling you angel I just don't give a shit anymore.
Say what's this I hear about Chuck putting in for a furlough from his place to come home? That will sure be nice if he can come home. Me, I have been away so dam long now I don't care if I don't make it till the war is all pd. I'd like to see Chuck go home, and stay home where he belongs
(** "Chuck" is most likely a reference to her brother, Charles.**)
Oh yes, by the way tell them all I said hello and give them my very best in the world. That is if you will do this for me? Also tell Him (**Our sweetheart's soldier**) I wish him plenty of luck when they put him in an A.A.A. outfit. You are lucky in getting him if he is put in a triple A bunch. I hear that those guys are being put on the coast to stay. You know the U.S. is liable to be bombed any day now. I'd hate like hell to see him get hurt that way, I don't want to see you get hurt in any way. Just between you and me, by-God he better treat you right or one of the two may get hurt. Tell him that. If you don't think I mean it just let something happen that isn't doing any one any good. We will see. You know he may get sent over here some where, although I don't think so, you see Dot., they want men over here who know what they are doing all the time. It takes to long to track a boot Jungle training and then wait until he is out of the Hospital, but that time he is no good any more. So you see we want and need all good men over here on this side. Laying all jokes aside, Dorothy try to hang onto him as long as you can. You know what I mean?
Well beautiful I had better close for this you are probly bored as it is. Anyway I'm sorta running out of much to say. So I'll say so-long, and take care of yourself, don't do anything you may regret someday.
Good-nite.
As Always:
Paul "Sparks"
Being the genealogy obsessed person that I am, I did a little research and found out that Paul came home to Indiana after his time of military service. He married a girl there and spent the remainder of his life there before he passed away in 1977. I think this letter was a sweet and final goodbye to the gal who once held his heart, and maybe a last chance to get final digs in towards the one who had swept her off her feet and away from him.
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