June 11, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

11 Jun 2026 — 5 min read

Fort Banks - 1940s - Artist Unknown

Then every day will be like Wednesday.

So he got a 12 hour pass and she changed the AM to PM? Is that what happened? Brilliant. He mentions a 12-hour pass for Tuesday and going to Natick. Sounds like he went to East Hartford. Seems like they've figured out how to work the system. Simple matter of changing the date and time on the pass and bingo - no more worries. Picnic extended. Clever. Back at the base, all focus is on moving the battery up about 10 miles to Fort Ruckman just outside Lynn. Even the pool table! They are not going far. Here's a little map of Massachusetts to remind you where we're talking about - all locations are approximate.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - June 11, 1942

Btry H - 9^th C.A., Fort Banks

Dear Audrey,

Well I got back alright. In fact, I was early. That is before eight o’clock because I should have been here at six in the morning. You did a good job at changing those numbers. The guard never even look at the pass. We should have changed the first number in the date and then we could have been together a whole month. We had such a nice time yesterday. I suppose we have something to look forward to. We can think of how happy we will be when we can be together for ever. Then every day will be like Wednesday. I love you so very much. It was kind of tough to say good-bye yesterday. I tried to be funny, but I guess I didn’t do too good a job. Just a big bluff. I felt like calling you back but that would have made things worse. If we can leave each other lightly, as if I were going to see you the next night, it will be easier. I think! I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks thinking of another picnic spot so I can take you there when I get down there again. You are awfully nice to go on a picnic with. You are nice and soft. From all reports, I should see you at the most three weeks. We are going to another fort over in Nahant. That is the other side of Lynn and about ten miles from here. That is if they don’t change their minds between now and Sunday.

There are some very good indications that we won’t go very far because we are going to move everything that belongs to this Battery. The pool table and all. The name of the fort is Fort Ruckman and as I said before we will be an anti-aircraft outfit. I’m writing this letter in the latrine and so that’s the reason for the pencil and poor writing. The minute that guy found out we were all thru with this place, he stuck my name on the details for today. I’ve been in the kitchen all day and tonight we had a ball game. Last night when I got back, I did the washing. Quite a bit too. I use almost a whole bar of Palmolive soap. After the game tonite I had to break the iron out and do some ironing. Now do you realize what you married? After all these years it had to come to this before I am appreciated. Well you can see that I’ve been busier than a one arm paper hanger. Then when I start to write this letter to you, Betty and Homer show up and so I had to postpone it. I was glad to see them. I thought Betty looked good. I guess she is not worried any more. She was having a swell time talking to the guards when I got there. I can’t figure out whether it’s you girls or the guards that have the line. Oh yes, I forgot to mention we won the ball game by about ten runs. We are too good for this place. It’s a good thing we are headed for new places.

I can’t help feel that I am going to miss that radio school and other breaks that might come along by going out to this other fort. There is nothing I can do. I am going to be able to see that eye specialist after all because the appointment is still for this Sat. and I can get off then. It is too bad I don’t dare to E. Hartford. You have to spend $5.00 for another car stamp the first of July and so you have to save your money. Let the oil change go for a while. They sure make it hard for the car owner. I’ve just found out there is no sense in saving those gas stamps. You can’t use them after July 1^st. Be sure and have the book all punched out when you turn it in. Have the guy punch it out anyway whether you buy gas or not. If they see you didn’t use up your book, they are apt to cut you down even more. You can’t win. If I wasn’t getting more money, I would say roll the thing off the cliff and I mean it. You’ll have an excise tax pretty soon and it will be quite a bit. It has been quite hot here today. A good day for a swim. We got permission to wear our summer outfits or rather we were told to. I still don’t have a hat so I can’t wear mine. I got a letter from Peggy today. She didn’t have much to say. There was something else I was going to tell, but I can’t think of it right now. This place is no place to concentrate any way. I’ll write tomorrow noon.

Lots of love

Leonard