June 4, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

04 Jun 2026 — 5 min read

Fort Banks - 1940s - Artist Unknown

Right now I don’t know when I’m going to see you.

Soldiers with sickles to cut overgrown grass has to be quite a site. Nice to have special duty and get out of the harder jobs. Now time for problem solving to save the world. It's the "wearing of the pants" explanation. Last I knew, Mom was at Pratt and Whitney in Hartford so no clue what job she's looking for. While pay is low, it's also fixed like retail prices and rents. The war really is a big selfish baby. I said it. Postage is 3 cents so the Dad's family writing separate letters just uses one envelope and one stamp. Got to save where you can. Woods Court is in Natick, MA. BTW. Stopping all passes is the worst news. We continue to keep our chin up.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript - June 4, 1942

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

Dear Audrey,

From the window I can see the fellows falling out with sickles to cut grass tonight. Most of the fellows downstairs have to go out to cut grass as punishment because the inspecting officer saw an ashtray and an oil can where they shouldn’t be. I really shouldn’t call it punishment because that isn’t what it is. The grass is getting too long and it has to be cut, so this is the method they use to get fellows to cut it. Ordinarily they wouldn’t be so small. The fellows are sore because it happened to them. They feel more like sticking the sickle in the inspection officer than the grass. I usually catch all these details so I’m amused to see myself out of this. Since I’ve been doing this special duty during the last three weeks, I haven’t had any detail. No kitchen and no coal pile. This job is boring, but it is nice to get away from the hard work.

Which brings us to your problem. If you have a problem- anything at all, just bring it to your Uncle Leonard. No problem too large or no problem too small. Anyway, to get down to the business at hand. Anything that involves my wife’s finances is business to me. If my wife makes more money, it improves my status because in wearing the pants of the family, all moneys naturally revert to those pants pockets. In other words, she makes it and I rake it in.

And speaking of more money, there was a position open in the Battery the other day which paid more money. Some General in Boston wanted a chauffeur and orderly and so they decided to pick him from Battery H. It meant a soft job and more money. No more inspections, work, or getting up at 5:30 and doing exercises, just do whatever the General wanted. And there lay the catch. For a fellow who can do that, it’s all right, but I couldn’t. But I didn’t even get a chance at it so there is no use of my saying anything. They picked a fellow from upstairs and he is gone already. It would have been a good safe place for the duration. But I won’t be satisfied until I get some stripes on my arm or bars on my shoulder. That job was just a crap boys’ job.

So, what is this job you can get. The situation you have now is bore some. If this new spot has promise of interest besides more money, well grab it. I don’t want you to ruin your health. Those hours from 3:30 to 12:00 don’t sound too good. I want you to do as well as you can, of course but I don’t want your job to interfere with what little fun you can have at night. If you don’t like the job you have now, by all means look for something else over there. There should be openings. It’s your problem and you do as you see fit.

I got a letter from Woods Court today. That is, it was on 5 different pieces of paper and from everyone. My mother says she got a letter from Aunt Ada saying she saw you and Vicky and that you were going over there some Sunday. So she is expecting you. Homer was drafted but turned down in Boston, so he is home again and in 4F. The guy is lucky and doesn’t know it.

Right now I don’t know when I’m going to see you. They might stop all passes at any time and then I won’t even get that 10-hour pass. It wouldn’t matter too much because I can’t get down to you anyhow. It will be in August when I get a decent pass again I expect. Gad that’s a long way off. I’ll probably be talking to myself and drooling by then. I love you so much. You deserve so much and I can give you so little. It is not fair. I think of you always, darling and wish I was coming home to you tonite. Well keep your chin up sweet.

Lots of love,

Leonard