June 16, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

16 Jun 2026 — 6 min read

Big Guns, Fort Ruckman 1940s

We lost our home when we left Fort Banks.

Sounds like he got those pictures enlarged. That's what keep him going. You can look up 808 Commonwealth. It's now part of Boston University. And the Cottage Farm Bridge is now the Boston University Bridge, part of the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path. So a rock solid plan in place for Saturday and we'll call the typewriter business "fixing the pass". This is when my Dad starts wearing the Army issue black framed glasses. I can not imagine him without them. Gas rationing and upcoming Father's Day are on his mind. Mom's visit with Dad's fam and someone killed a cat??? And what's up with passes?

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - June 16, 1942

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

Dear Audrey,

I feel kind of low tonight. I got your letter with the pictures in it and I just sat on the bunk and stared at your pictures. I miss you very much and feel like getting the h-ll out of here. The weather and this place does nothing to bolster my spirits. It’s been dreary all day and it started to rain a couple of hours ago. Your letter was very good and I feel better after I read it. Maybe I should read it again. I know I should look at your pictures again. You look nice in every one. In your letter you say you and Vicky are coming up Friday nite and I can’t offer any objection and to be truthful I’m looking forward to it. I don’t suppose Vicky can hang over Sunday and go back Sunday nite. They start issuing passes tonite and mine comes up Sunday nite. I’ll get out around six and we could drive back to Hartford together but I guess she can’t. Today I went to Boston and was fitted for a pair of reading glasses and now I have an appointment for Sat. morning to get them. The fellows will think I am gold bricking. I’ve been getting outside quite a bit. Well, you could pick me up Sat. morning and take me into the dispensary and then we could have the rest of the day. We will have to fix the pass up with the typewriter. It won’t take me long to pick up the glasses Sat. Are you coming over here Friday night? This place is not like Banks and I don’t know whether we can have visitors like we use to.

If you don’t come over Friday night and the more I think of it, you hadn’t better because you will be tired and in the dim-out it will be hard finding your way down here and it is really hard driving in this dim-out. Why don’t you go to the farm and then meet me Sat. morning at 808 Commonwealth St. and that is directly opposite from Cottage Farm bridge at nine o’clock. That will be easier for you and just as easy for me. You can park anyplace around there, and I’ll spot you. You can’t miss the place, it has a sign saying Headquarter of 1^st Corps Area. If you can’t do that call me up. There is a phone here under Batry H-9^th C.A. – Fort Ruckman, but I don’t know what he number is. I think you’re right about the gasoline. You can have all you want until July 15, but don’t try to make too many trips over here. Once is enough. You’ve got to spend some time with you folks. And never mind my father on father’s day. Don’t spoil him. He doesn’t look for anything and usually he gets it. I want you to spend your money on your father. Get him a can of pipe tobacco or a jug or something. I’ve just come from night chow and the latest news is that there will be no passes tonite. We are confined to the fort until further notice. We are on a “battle alert” 24 hours a day and we even have to do guard duty. Boy you should hear the boys gripe. Some of them had their passes taken away from them just as they were ready to leave. It is hard to tell what will happen next. I’m quite certain that I’ll get this special pass Sat. morning, but it is doubtful about Sunday night. We lost our home when we left Fort Banks. This is a dusty barren hole and cold. Boy I’m going to put on my winter drawers.

It is going to be cold and wet walking guard all night tonite. I am glad I don’t start tonite. I woke up this morning and my feet were like ice and even now I can see my breath in the air. I guess you must have talked my Uncle’s ear off Sunday. What is the idea of filling him full of that stuff. You didn’t “hook” me! How else could you have ever got anyone to marry you? My disposition is improving already from writing you this letter. I guess I never told you about how we killed that cat - he was a big one and Alvin and I had quite a time. It makes quite a story. By the way, Alvin has been smoking a pipe for around three years. I’m sure you made a hit with them because you are so nice you make a hit with all of them. They all like you and not because I am the favorite because I am not, but you are so nice. Did you meet Althea or Avis? They are the two married girls. If I have to I will buy you a farm, but I’ll make you take the place of the hired hand. Those nice soft hands will be all callused from milking and cows and pitching hay. You’ll have to pull the plow when the spring plowing comes around. Will you like that? You will have to get fat to stand the hired work and if you do get fat I will whip you. Will you love me as much when I whip you? Every time someone comes into the barracks the situation gets worse. From the latest reports we won’t get a pass for a month. What a place. Getting use to these new guns will take some time and they are not much better than the guns we left. This is only a training place. We sure get a lot of baloney.

Well sweet I’ll be looking for you this weekend. Don’t forget to drive carefully. I’ll see if they allow visitors at the gate or not. Here we go tonite on some detail. What a place. In the rain too. How I wish I could be with you tonite and always. I love you and I love you so very much. You are so nice and soft. You mean everything to me and I think of you always. I love you darling.

All my love

Leonard