July 2, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

02 Jul 2026 — 5 min read

Fort Ruckman 1940s - Nahant, Massachusetts (Picture Credit: Capt. Gerald Butler)

Are you still saving these letters.

Potato bag? He's in fine form. He's stuck until next Wednesday and she's probably working over the weekend. A simple picnic would be the most celebrating appropriate when there's a war raging. Not big lavish events. Laura is one of his sisters and he'll have to skip the fun. And the getting drunk part. Stupid war. Really stupid joke too, lol.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - July 2, 1942

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

Dear Audrey,

Well, how the hell is my old potato bag today? I hope you are feeling as chipper as ever? Are you taking care of yourself? How is business? I guess these questions will keep you busy for a while. I’ve just finished writing a letter to Tony. I think he is feeling blue because he doesn’t have the opportunities down there that I have up here. He can’t get over how cheap things are up here. What few women there are down there charge like hell for something that we get for practically nothing. I say nothing because usually all we have to give them is a couple of glasses of beer. The other night I couldn’t decide whether to take a fifteen-year-old or one who had been married thrice times before she was 23. I finally ended up with a mulatto. You know, half blonde and half brunette. As it was, I got the wrong end of the deal because she drank three glasses of beer on me.

They are tiring me out and I think I shall have to give up going out every night and just go out every other night. They will probably come climbing over the fence and into the barracks and try dragging me out of bed. I’ll just have to be firm with them and tell the boys I can’t go out. I’ve got to save something for my best girl. The one and only in my life. The nicest and prettiest girl in the world the only girl I love. You know sweet, I miss you very much. Tony is so far away he know he can’t expect to see Vicky, but I am just close enough to make your absence felt. Or my absence. I wish I could see you every weekend like I use to. Those were real nice weekends and I never appreciated them the way I should have. I took them for granted too much. Remember how I use to sleep with my clothes on. (perhaps I should also add with your skirt around your neck or perhaps I should add that at all. Is that right? Are you still saving these letters. Someday they might embarrass you.) It has rained hard all day today and so we have had it easy.

Why is a man like the Fourth of July?

Ans. – Because after the fourth, he is no good.

We were suppose to have an inspection but the rain scared them away. I’m just as glad. This rain has brought something else not quite as good. I have to go on guard tonight at 8 o’clock until 12. midnight and in this g.d. rain. They are doubling the guard because of this rain and fog and so I don’t know how long this will last. It will be cold and lonely tonight. I will think of you. I received a card from Laura and she wants us to go to a picnic or at least she says she wrote you. The only way I could get off for a picnic is to take off over the fence. You won’t get this letter until Monday anyway and I have hopes of seeing you a week from yesterday or this coming Wed. I can’t seem to realize this is the Fourth of July weekend coming up. A big weekend like this should have started me into a fit of planning the best way to get drunk.

I would have been looking forward to this for at least two weeks and also saving up my five dollars. This time is has sneaked up on me and the part that surprises me the most is that I don’t seem to care very much. Seeing as how I’m sure you won’t get this until Monday, it is safe to say that I hope you come up and I want to see you. I know you shouldn’t be driving up but I miss you too much to care about anything. That sounds hypocritical doesn’t it? I wrote my cousin Pearl a letter the other day and told her she should look you up. She won’t but just the same I told her you would like to see her. You still haven’t met all the family. There are a few more and you can back out any time. None of them are much to rave about and you don’t have to like them. You married the only good one in the family. Didn’t you? (oh, so you won’t talk, eh). Well it is still raining and I’ll have to get ready to go out. Have to oil the rifle. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

All my love

From your man