Oct. 12, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

12 Oct 2026 — 5 min read

In 1942, they love parades! The Boston Globe - Columbus Day (aka Indigenous People's Day) Newspapers.com

Wow! Is that me talking?

Currently the war is kitchen duty and football. At least for Dad. Plans are being made little bundles and Al's trailer. All you have to do is write to the bank and let them know you don't want to make payments for a while. It's because of the war that the Packard is an issue - gas rationing and tire shortages. Can he make motherhood sound any more appealing?

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Transcript

For some context, War Updates follow the transcript. It includes the front pages of The Daily Evening Item from Lynn, Massachusetts (local to Fort Ruckman) and Mom's local Connecticut paper the Hartford Courant for additional news, plus the Women's Page so you're up on the latest recipes and styles, especially hats!

Research, learn, and support this work. Go to: Newspapers.com

October 12, 1942

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

Dear Audrey:

After a hard day of wrestling pots and pans guess what I did? Yeah, I went out and played football and ran myself ragged. I was so tired while we were cleaning up the kitchen that all I could think of was writing to you and then hitting my sleeping sack but then when I seen them playing I forgot about being tired. I sort of reached down and grabbed some reserve strength someplace, but I am sorry now. I am doggy. I wrote Amelia and Al a letter and I’m waiting to hear from them. Have you asked any questions of Sheckatoff (I don’t know how to spell his name) as to whether we can keep the trailor there for a few weeks. I suppose he wouldn’t have any objections if we paid him the regular rate and I don’t blame him, but I think he should give us a break. We’ve been paying him for almost a year now and he can’t say he hasn’t made any money. If we get it down there by the 1^st of Nov., we will have a lot of fun fixing it up. I am not very good at fixing things so I hope you have a lot of good ideas on how to brighten it up.

My brother was always the handy man around the house. Never the less it will be fun to have you all alone. And what is this about you putting on weight around the waistline. Do you really think it is noticeable? I hope it has blonde hair like yours and I hope it is as pretty as you too. I don’t care whether it is a boy or a girl. It is you I love and it is you I want always. I want the baby of course, but I haven’t seen the darn thing yet so I don’t know – I love you so much and want to be with you so much. I’m counting the days until I see you and they are just crawling by. When are you going to get the suit? I’m anxious to see how you look in it. You better have a new pair of shoes, hadn’t you? (Wow! Is that me talking? When I do start buying things for you it is going to be like pulling teeth to get any money out of me.) You better get all the things you can because if that little bundle is coming to us, it will take all of our money and then you won’t be able to get anything. You will have to wear your shoes with card board in the soles and your stockings will be that heavy kind. Your hair will be stringy and your coat shabby. In other words, your husband will treat you rough but still love you very much. I will always love you darling.

You are the nicest and softest gal in the world. I am the luckiest guy in camp and I wouldn’t change positions with the Colonel (Lord I don’t even know how to spell that. What a dud I am sometimes). Don’t you dare drive up here this time. I am going to get out early so that I can get there shortly after you get through work. And if I can get a three-day pass the 27^th, I’ll also try to get down there for supper. If I can get my pass around noon I’ll be all set. If I get the pass I might drive back but I don’t know whether I should. It would make the furlough easier. A lot depends on what Amelia says in her letter. The arrangement My offer was that we would give them $300 down and the balance by Jan. 1. And so we have to wait and see what they say and whether Al can pull the trailor down to E. Hartford on Nov. 1. I wrote to the Finance Co. and they were all right about it. They suggested we have the contract rewritten so as to make the payments smaller but I wrote another letter to them saying we didn’t want to do that, but what we wanted was to let the payments slide for a few months.

I don’t know what they will say but I hope they don’t get too nasty. I would like to keep the car if possible but if we start going into the hole we can sell it pronto. It is an expensive and a family man with my responsibilities has no right owning a Packard. I’m sorry I couldn’t have walked in on you when you were wishing so hard for me. I miss you so much. I hope I can walk in on you the 27^th but please don’t expect me because this place is the most uncertain place in the country. I’m not sure of anything until I am on my way. So my love, look for me when I get there and in the meantime, be planning our first real little nest.

Love,

Leonard

War Updates

The Boston Daily Globe

It's 1942 so Columbus Day. Of course there's a parade in Boston.

Read more about it and support this work: Newspapers.com

Meanwhile in Hartford...

Scrap collection continues. Those kids got a wienie roast as a reward. Homemaker school starts soon.

The Women's Page for Mom

First, we love the hat. Next, Dorothy has an issue with women saying what they want and doing what they want. Her response is very 1942. More meat substitutes to enjoy.