July 30, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

30 Jul 2026 — 4 min read

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

Tomorrow nite can’t come too soon.

So some light teasing from the Casanova of Natick to kick off the letter because ...tomatoes? Can you imagine the family packing up their picnic lunch and driving all the way out to Nahant just to find out Dad's gone on a pass? Must have been a little spontaneous since they didn't write him to let him know. Weather is the other big story. They can get some pretty good storms on that coast. Newspaper below mentions a storm that missed Lynn but it didn't miss Fort Ruckman.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - July 30, 1942

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

Dear Audrey:

Just got a letter from you and so will respond while your remarks are still fresh in my mind. What do you mean “tag along after me”? If you think I am going to have you around to cramp my style, you are crazy. I’ve got to have room to work my points. You would probably be up to the fence every night so early the other “tomatoes” would have to get here before chow time to beat you. Then there is always the possibility of a fight and I wouldn’t want three or four girls fighting over me. (two is enough). Another thing to consider is that with you around I wouldn’t want to look at any other girl. I would only have eyes for you. You are so nice and soft. None of these “tomatoes” could come close to you. You are wonderful and treat me so good that I can’t imagine anything better than having you nearby. I am wondering if Tony really knows what is going to happen to him. I don’t think they will ship him very soon, but I could be wrong and very wrong too. I got a letter from Gunnar and Elmer this week. They are doing pretty good. Gunnar seems to be going to some school in Georgia. Elmer sent me a picture of him and his girl. He wants it back but I’ll send it along to you. He says she is a real nice girl but he can’t forget his girl in Natick. Oh yes, I got a letter from Natick also but not much news. Laura and Nancy were going to Nantucket on Nancy’s birthday and then were going to meet Bernice and David in Boston and Peggy and Eleanor at the Beach. That is quite a combination.

The Sunday I had a pass and went to see you, they came over to see me. My Uncle Hillard and Aunt Alice, Mom, Laura, and the kids and they brought their supper with them, and they were disappointed to not find me here. It’s too bad because I only leave this place once in a great while. I will say when I do leave it though it is with a sense of relief. Tomorrow nite can’t come too soon. How are we going to make out this month? I went on guard last night and did it rain. From eight to twelve and then it stopped but as usual I was right in the midst of it. For a while I played smart and let the other fellows walk the beach. I sat, nice and cozy in the cubby-hole for three hours and then I got hooked into walking. From where I was the storm had not seemed bad but was I fooled! As soon as I got into the open the wind and rain hit me and nearly knocked me over. That wind must have been brewed 99 miles out to sea because when it hit you, you had to lean into it to stay up. In ten minutes, one side of me was soaked through and then when I turned around and started back the other side got drenched. Like toasting a slice of bread. When I went out this morning I had to have a complete change of clothes. Well I’ll close to get this to get it in the mail. I think I’ll take the train down tomorrow. I’m like a school boy waiting for summer vacation.

Lots of love

Leonard