July 17, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

17 Jul 2026 — 4 min read

Fort Ruckman - Nahant, Massachusetts (Credit: Capt. Gerald Butler)

The Army is absorbing me and I am beginning to accept it.

Yes, I found the songs. They are swinging! Dad is one hip and groovy guy. Be forewarned he will use such language as "phooey" and "rubbish" to describe this war but it's not the hot take you think. You might be surprised. Kitchen duty has its perks but wisdom teeth woes continue. "One to Follow" at the end of the post is a news story that might affect life for Mom and the trailerites.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - July 17, 1942

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

Dear Audrey:

Remember how I once said different songs remind me of different things (not particularly girls). Well I’ve just come from the day room and I heard that song about the fellow in the Army with the girl back home. I think it is called “Dear Arabella” or something. I was down in Hartford last winter with Tony and we use to hear that so much we got sick of it. Well it is not the song or where I was that I’m thinking of now, but it is another song that we use along with it and just as frequent. And the name of it is “Goodbye Dear I’ll be back in a year”. They did quite a job on that song. Do you ever hear it now or have you for an awful long time? They hushed it up as if it had a bad case of B.O. It wouldn’t do to leave a song like that going around. Bad for morale.

In many, many ways we are not unlike the countries certain people are telling us we must crush before they crush us. Phooey!!! The British and the U.S. are as bad as Germany and make no mistake about it. Did you ever see England caught holding the bag? Russia is holding it for her now with one little help and if we don’t do something Russia will either let go or be forced to and then where will we be. England sold those other small countries down the river and not France. Poor France is a tragedy. Taking a beating on all sides. But the Almighty British will have you believe they are fighting to free the oppressed all over the world and to make a safe place for everyone to live. Rubbish!!! They are fighting for their own selfish interests and the poor common Englishman is not included in that. They have enslaved and oppressed for over 200 years and want to continue. Now I’m not approving Hitler’s method or his progress thus far. I am as bitter against him as anyone else but I dislike the way they throw their propaganda at us.

I mean the Allies. They are as left-handed as the one Goebbels dishes out for his side. Well that was quite a lecture or whatever you like. I didn’t intend to write so and now that I have, I shall slip it into the envelope before I decide to throw it away. I wanted to write you a letter and I didn’t have much to say so I started in and this is the result. One thing leads to another and finally I have something written. You don’t have to call it a letter if you don’t want to. Kind of a dull day. Like yesterday. I am getting into a rut. The Army is absorbing me and I am beginning to accept it.

All day in the kitchen today and still hungry. Usually I can steal quite a bit to eat but my jaw has not recovered yet and I can’t eat very well. I can’t chew very well. It seems to get better each day so I’ll be all right. Well, I’ll stop now. I love you and am looking forward to seeing you. You are the only girl for me. I am saving my love all for you.

Love

Leonard

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hit Parade!

Apparently, that's Ray Noble himself writing the letter.

Not sure why this one would be bad for morale, it's sweet!

War Update - The Lynn Daily Evening Item

Read more about it and support this work: Newspapers.com

Meanwhile in Hartford...

Here's One to Follow

This is from today's Hartford Courant - there on the front page. It's worth a follow since Mom lives in a trailer. Not sure if she lives in one of these camps. Are they really called "trailerites"??? Is it blatant discrimination? What do you think?