Leonard

My Dad, Leonard Barnes Main was born in Natick, Massachusetts on November 12, 1917. That makes him 24 years old when drafted. He had a fairly typical childhood and family for the time. He was tall and lanky with dark hair. He had 6 sisters and 2 brothers: Clifford, Laura, Donald, Leonard, Betty, Bernice, June, Nancy, and Jean. He graduated high school and works with trees but has never ever considered a career in the Army.

Just a Regular Guy

When he met Mom, he has a job as a tree surgeon with a crew of tree trimmers and everyone called him “Joe”. He doesn't have much money. He doesn't come from money. But his uncle is doing ok - you'll learn more about his uncle in the letters to come. Anyway, everyone knows there's a war in Europe. There are heated debates in D.C. about what to do and then, the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, among other places. Imagine being a young man of draft age and waking up to this news on December 8, 1941. By the evening edition, we'll be at war.

Getting Hitched

By January, Dad has received his draft notice. So decisions have to be made. Mom and Dad have been dating for a while and decide to get married. Their big day is Saturday, March 7, 1942. It’s a small wedding at the St Paul's Episcopal chapel in Natick. It’s across from where Dad grew up. Mom is just 21 and wears a borrowed blue dress. There's family and a few friends that attend - Vicky and Tony are there.

There is a little drama... There could have been a rumor to just a vibe Audrey felt but Dad's sisters are pretty sure that they "had" to get married, if you know what I mean. They'll be proven wrong. The wedding is followed by a wonderful month of being together haunted by the upcoming dreaded day.

Ha, Ha April Fools

Maybe it’s the greatest April Fool’s joke ever. Nope. On April 1, 1942 they’re on the train platform saying their good-byes. His family is there too so to keep from breaking down, Joe bottles everything up and makes a hasty retreat. Can’t let anyone know you’re scared and might break down. On the plus side, he’s not alone. There are a lot of Natick boys boarding the train for the first stop; Fort Devens, Massachusetts up by Ayers.

A New Perk - Free Mail

He promises to write everyday and boy howdy; he pretty much does - mostly with green ink. That’s how you communicated back then, you wrote a letter. Green ink simply meant you got a good deal on the bottle. The cost of a stamp is only 3¢. You have to have your own paper, envelopes, and something to write with but service members won’t need postage. What luck! The free mail for service members goes into effect on April 1, 1942. It does cost Mom to write, 3 cents per stamp plus.

And so the story begins. Through the letters, Dad describes his new life in the Army. Going into detail for Mom what it's really like. And trying to be funny. Oh he tries. It's a part of Army life that's fascinating while being incredibly mundane.

Please subscribe and join me.