April 17, 1942 - Dear Audrey
My basic training ends the 24th of this month...
Just one week until passes can be issued. You can tell he's just living for that. We'll have to wait and see if she comes up this weekend or not. Where is the willpower indeed. Apparently typhoid is one of the worse vaccines you can get but yes, getting typhoid is even worse. But that's nothing compared to the poor guy who tied his shoes together and fell down the stairs during an alert at midnight. Just brutal. I wonder if that's the same fudge recipe I use. And 2 sisters living in a small trailer in Hartford during WWII? There's a sitcom right there. It'd be weird if they weren't fighting. lol.
Original Letter
Transcript follows:
Boston Globe - April 17, 1942
The surrender of Bataan this month will hasten the fall of Corregidor next month. General MacArthur has his work cut out for him. Americans are called back as the Germans take over Vichy, France. But while the men are at war, the ladies are stepping up. Major Emily Saltonstall - the Governor's daughter is a leader in the Women's Defense Corp. What an incredible role model for girls. Except for the shoes. Women are entering the workforce and having to wear men's clothing and boots until the fashion industry can catch up.
Story continues -
Ladies Auxiliary Fire Department at exhibition drill in Brighton.
These ladies are badass but it's the shoes....
Check out more about women's fashion for WWII:
Debbie L Sessions
Transcript - April , 1942,
Btry H. 9th C.A., Fort Banks
Dear Audrey,
I just got your letter and it's the one in which you tell me you are coming up this weekend. Where is your willpower? Do you want to wear that road out between here and East Hartford? Of course, I want to see you and another week is a long way off but we can stand it - I hope. By the time you get this letter it'll be next Monday. It’s Friday now and I don't think you will get this letter by Sunday.
We had to go up to the hospital this morning for another typhoid injection and I am beginning to feel the effects already. They tell me that we get a slight case of typhoid fever from the injections which is what makes us feel so rotten. I sure wouldn't like to contract a real case of typhoid if what we have is only a slight case.
Maybe I should stop drinking coffee just in case you do take it into your head to come up. If you didn't get any money except an advance the other day, I don't see how you can afford to drive. I forgot to put that money in again yesterday. What a guy. I tried to rush the letter at the end so I could give it one of the fellows going by the post office. And in that way forgot all about it. I will give it to you when I see you. You had better take it from me or I'll forget to give it to you.
My basic training ends the 24th of this month and we will start getting passes immediately. That means a week from today. Maybe I'll be in the first few and so I can come down there instead of you coming up next Sunday. They will post the day each fellow gets his leave on the bulletin board and so I'll know next Wednesday or Thursday. As I said before they give them out according to your position on a gun crew. They have to keep three or four gun crews on a hand at one time in case of an emergency.
A funny thing happened the other day during one of those times of emergency when they are apt to roll us out of bed in the middle of the night. They don't put the lights on and you have to fumble for your clothes and equipment in the dark. Well, one fellow slept right by the top of the stairs on the 2nd floor of the barracks and when the alarm rang, he swung out of bed, pulled his clothes on, grabbed his stuff and made a dash for the stairs. Well it turned into a dive and he fell down the stairs and then through the door at the bottom he went and down onto the ground. He had tied his shoe laces together in the dark. Boy what a racket. I thought he was killed.
Well, we are on schedule more or less now and I can look forward to what we are going to do next. But they keep us busy. Your fudge was pretty good and I ate most of it myself. You can make some more and send some up some time. Even though we do eat pretty good, I get hungry occasionally. Tell Vicki I got her letter and it was very enlightening or something. I thought sure you two are fighting in the morning. I’ll close now and lots of love and kisses.
Love , Leonard
Next Post - April 20, 1942 - Boston Marathon Results
Next letter Tuesday, April 21, 1942
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