June 24, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

24 Jun 2026 — 5 min read

Today's view -it was much different in 1942

I feel amiable towards everyone tonight.

There must have been an optical delay since he mentions getting his glasses just yesterday. He just up and leaves. Then hangs out with Ralph and Elsie. They must be friends he knows in Boston. What a life. He's just so lucky to be where he is - an easy chair overlooking the ocean. Too bad there's a real live war going on and enemy subs in the bay.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - June 24, 1942

Btry H - 9^th C.A., East Point, Nahant

Dear Audrey,

I’ve got a nice easy chair and am sitting out on the porch with the whole Atlantic ocean in front of me. It is a wonderful view and if you could only be here, I wouldn’t ask for any thing more. After a rather hot day there is a nice cool breeze and for a change the war seems a long way from here. I feel amiable towards everyone tonight. I can even smile at the corporal who trys to make life hard for us over here. Yesterday I went into Boston and got the glasses. I wasn’t supposed to go because I didn’t have any pass but I went any way. It took my last dime for car fare. (that’s not a hint for more money – just conversation). It was around five o’clock when I got them, so I figured I had time to go see Ralph and Elsie because I was too late to get back for the five o’clock relief. They were home for a change and were glad to see me. I felt kind of envious of Ralph and it reminded of the way Vicky must feel when we are together down there. Ralph would grab Elsie and it made me wish you were there so I could grab you.

Boy. I miss you something terrible and I love you, darling. The paper said last night that the war might last five years, and I can’t imagine being away from you for five years. I don’t dare think of another year without you. Please don’t think it would be any easier if we hadn’t gotten married. This way you have given me something to look forward to. Even though it is not as close as I might like it to be. I don’t know just how to describe it but you have given me a new outlook on life. It is sort of something to work for. I don’t know, I’ll have to give it more thought. It is as if we have something between us that no one else has. Sort of a secret. Does all that make sense? Anyway, I’m the one who is lucky to have such a nice sweet wife. You know, honey, I can look for miles and miles and see the beautiful ocean and the rugged rocks and sailboats and schooners and lots of other things but I just wish you were here so I could look at you. Once again the good old rain welcomed the second shift last night, but fortunately it didn’t last long so your man didn’t get wet. They had a black-out along the coast during my shift and consequently the forts all had alerts.

This meant that every one had to fall out of bed and take their posts but because I was already on duty it meant nothing. I was glad I didn’t have to roll out of bed. For me that is a horrible thought and I hate to hear those sirens. If they have all their alerts between ten and two o’clock I will have no kick. To get back to Ralph and Elsie, we had quite a talk (Ralph and I) and I forgot the time. I wanted to leave around 7:45 so that I would have plenty of time to get back here but I didn’t leave until 8:15 and so I had to rush. It was dark by the time I started to bum and with this dim-out I had trouble getting a ride. In fact, I was on my way to being late (good and late too) when a guy picked me up and he insisted on driving me right over here. I never said a word to him about my having to be back here at 9:45 either and I didn’t object when he said he would drive me out here. It was a break and one I never expected to get.

We get our mail every day over here and I get it just as quick as if I was over at Ruckman. They get the mail over there and send it over here. I don’t know how long I am going to be here. We know about as much about what is going to happen to us as the newspaper boy over in Boxboro does. That is if there was a newsboy in Boxboro. They don’t even have newspapers over there do they? Some say we will be finished here tomorrow and if it was not for the night duty, I would be sorry to leave. The other day after we were off duty, we went down town for a couple of Ballantine’s and no one said anything. We come and go like the tide. Well sweet, I’m going to go in and lay down for awhile before I go on at ten. Maybe all the bunks will be taken though. If they are I’ll go to sleep standing up. Out on that rock around twelve o’clock I feel as if I could fall asleep standing up and then as soon as I get aback here, I’m wide awake. Oh well, too much sleep is bad. I love my girl very much and think of her always.

All my love,

Leonard