July 23, 1942 - My Dear Wife

Jan Palson

23 Jul 2026 — 3 min read

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

Makes you run around madly accomplishing nothing for a few minutes.

Truly, he does not have it so bad. Fellows are probably getting shipped out all the time but Dad remains. Hiding in the barracks and sleeping through the bugle. Battle alerts sound terrifying - did you know how close the war got to us? I wish we'd get more specifics - where the heck is Gunnar posted?

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - July 23, 1942

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

My Dear Wife:

What a day I had today. Nothing happened or did I have to do anything. But I slept until eleven o’clock and that is very unusual. They just forgot to wake me up. Once I heard someone start thru the barracks and I pulled the covers over my head and then fell asleep again. I was tired (I am always tired around here) and it sure felt good to sleep thru that bugle. I don’t see why I think I am abused so because I am really not too bad off. You have only one day off in seven and you have to get up almost as early too. Last night I was climbing in and out of my bunk like a fellow who had drunk too much beer the night before. I had to get up once for a battle alert, which was around mid-night, and then at two-thirty to go on guard.

When I was relieved I went back to bed and slept as I said until eleven. When the “battle alert” sounds, it is the fire truck going up and down the streets with the sirens going full blast. It has a terrifying effect on you when it wakes you out of a dead sleep. Makes you run around madly accomplishing nothing for a few minutes. I never remember to put on enough clothes and so I have to stand around freezing. Gives me something else to gripe about. Maybe I will write you a letter on these “alerts” some time. I got a letter from Gunnar today and he says the last letter I wrote him took 18 days to reach him. You would think he was in Bataan. He doesn’t say he likes it, but he is stationed at a swell place. And from the sounds of it, it must be nice. But the only nice place I can think of to be quartered at would be E. Hartford. Then I could see you every day and that would be wonderful.

I wouldn’t mind weaving myself a tent (I can’t imagine anything much worse than sleeping in a tent) to live in if you were near by. I think of you constantly. I never thought an old buzzard like me could ever be so madly in love with anyone. Yet here I am loving everything about you and not caring to think of anything or anyone but you. You are the only one in my life. I love you very much darling.

Your adoring husband -

Leonard

P.S. - I got another haircut today.

P.P.S. - It is a lot shorter than before.

P.P.S.S. - I’ve been mistaken for a cue ball twice.

P.P.P.S.S. - You won’t be able to grab anything.

P.P.P.S.S.S. - This could go on forever.