July 5, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

05 Jul 2026 — 4 min read

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

They used to call me ‘Fleety”.

Reading between the lines, he left without a pass to hang out with Mom for mashed potatoes? So when you don't have a pass you can change with a typewriter, just walk back in like you own the place. He's really getting the hang of this joint. Then comes the baloney.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - June 3, 1942

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

To my little potato from her sturdy potato peeler:

Did you get back to E. Hartford all right? I did the right thing last night or rather tonite (Sunday). I walked up to the gate as if I had a pass and the guard never even tried to stop me. He hardly even looked at me let alone challenge me. It was so easy. I had a funny feeling along the nape of my neck as I walked away towards the barracks. I had to cross my fingers. I thought at any moment he was going to call me back. I didn’t take a deep breath until I got out of sight. You can’t say it was all luck because I am going to take a little credit for it. I’ve been thinking of trying to bluff like that for quite a while and this opportunity was made to order. There are so many fellows coming and going with passes that they took it for granted that I could produce a pass on request.

Maybe they did let me go and I am not as smart as I think, but I had a good chuckle over it. I was going to walk down to the fence and chew the rag with you for a few minutes, but I wanted you to drive as much as possible during daylight. If I weren’t going to see you in a couple of days, I would have come down, but I can wait until Tues.- easy now. You’ll never know how many times I almost cracked up from falling asleep. It is hard as h-ll to stay awake when you are really tired. By the way, you have me all tired out. I’ll sleep good tonite. I have gotten use to this bunk and I can sleep good in it. I’ve finished my washing and my back is broken. I work and slave my boney fingers down to their marrow and for what. Do you appreciate it? You do!!! Hang on tight here we go again. I’ve got to fill this letter up and it might as well be a lot of baloney. Besides what is the matter with baloney? A lot of people eat baloney and like it so who are you to complain. Always complaining about the food I give you.

Some night you shall come home and there won’t be anyone home. Do you know where they will be? At the ball game. That is where. There is nothing like a ball game to find a good fight and I thrive on fighting. When I was down in Jebru skinning bananas for the Skinless Banana Co. I used to have duels before breakfast. Insults at twenty paces. Which reminds me of Twenty Paces which was a race horse I use to race down in Guatematille. If I didn’t have my oatmeal for breakfast he would beat me, but usually I could nose him out by an ear. And a dirty race err, I mean ear too. They used to call me ‘Fleety”. That was before I started racing mosquitos. I used to catch so many of them that they conspired against me one day.

I started after one, one day who was so big he looked and sounded like a dive bomber, but he was no match for “Fleety” because I soon over took him. But also, they had injected him with the dreaded “crud” and so I died. Hm, that is kind of a spooky ending, but I am glad it is ended. I might add of course that any similarity to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Are you still listening? You are either crazy or in love with me if you are. If you do, you are lucky because I am crazy about you. I love you with all my heart. I just left you and am looking forward to seeing you already. Shall we go on another picnic? I hope you get this letter Thurs. after I have gone.

Lots of love

Your Man