August 24, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

24 Aug 2026 — 5 min read

Big Guns! Casemated 12-inch gun at Fort Ruckman. Source: Wikipedia

You are a hot apple.

Well, IT HAS HAPPENED. "Up to their necks in trouble"!! The panic, joy, confusion, happiness, fear, more panic, worry concern, plus all the questions. Thank goodness the pass is coming up because they have a lot to talk about. It's 1942 Massachusetts (who am I kidding, it's 1942 America) so there's no choice, no birth control and don't you dare utter the word "abortion" lest damnation befall you so; ready or not....

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript

For some context, War Updates follow the transcript. It includes the front pages of The Daily Evening Item from Lynn, Massachusetts (local to Fort Ruckman) and Mom's local Connecticut paper the Hartford Courant for additional news, plus the Women's Page so you're up on the latest recipes and styles, especially hats!

Research, learn, and support this work. Go to: Newspapers.com

August 24, 1942

Bat H - 9^th C.A., Fort Ruckman

Dear Audrey:

I guess we are due for a nice long talk. Now that you are willing to admit that we are up to our necks in trouble we will have to make some plans. Maybe it would be better if I come down there this coming weekend. I am fairly certain I can get out of here around noon and so could be down there by five or six Sunday night. Are you sure about this? I don’t know what to say. How long can you work. It sounds mercenary and not very cheralous but you’ll have to work and save a little money. I won’t be able to help you. I don’t even know whether I’ll be able to be with you. That is only a few of the thoughts that have hit me so far. I hope we can plan something sensible. I don’t want anything to happen to you. It is you I love and love so very much. The car is nice and all that but we don’t really need it. If you get this letter by Wed. you can write me and say whether you want to come up or not, or whether I should come down.

Last night I thought it was a good idea for you to come up but if you do we will do too much running around. Either way will be a change for me and by coming up here it would be a change for you and that would be good. That is if you get Mon. and Tues. off. I’ll leave it up to you. But this other thing. Of course I’ll be glad. You are such a wonderful wife. Please don’t try to put the blame on yourself. We both knew what we were doing. The girl in this book I am reading reminds me so much of you. She trys so hard to please the lad and he doesn’t need any of it because he is so much in love with her that she can do no wrong. And that is the way with us. I won’t say I won’t worry about you because I will and I have been for weeks. I went up to the Math class tonight and the teacher could have talked himself blue in the face with trigonometry and I couldn’t have paid attention to him. How much does one of these things cost? Wouldn’t it be better to see one doctor and just one doctor or doesn’t that come now? How long do you go before it shows?

I could ask a lot more questions. What do you mean I’ll have to put up with your awkward condition for nine months. According to that article you sent me a woman never feels better than during pregnancy. See, I really did read it. You sent me the article and said it meant nothing and then in your next letter you tell me this. You are a hot apple. I haven’t taken up knitting as yet but I have done the next thing to it. I’ve been darning the old ones and a good job if I do say so. I think I’ll put a sign on my bunk to the effect that I am ready to take in washings and sewing. Fancy stitching too. I’ll need the extra money now. How much does a electric train cost? They come before a baby carriage to me. That and a hockey stick. I’m only kidding sweet. I got your letters from Fri. and Sat. today and I got the nicest feeling reading them. Of course I’ve been waiting for you to tell me but just reading about it gives me a tingling feeling all over. I’m excited and am looking forward to Sunday with greater anticipation than before.

I can’t help thinking of what we are going to do. By the way that joke is very old with me and not funny. You decide what to do for this weekend and let me know. If I don’t hear from you I’ll come down. Whatever you do arrange things with the dentist and don’t forget this because I want to have them taken care of. It is very cold out tonight. I never thought it would get so cold up here in August and I have to go out in it. I think I’ll put my over coat on. Well all I’ve written about is the big event in our lives and it will be too. I can’t be happy away from you darling, but I am glad we have done this. I feel like saying a lot tonight but I don’t know where to start. If you were only here we could lay in bed and talk all night. I love you and want you so very much. I hope things are going to be all right.

All my love

Leonard

-Maybe I shall get a great big doll too.