Oct. 16, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

16 Oct 2026 — 4 min read

Yes, they need more scrap. Boston Globe - Learn more and support this work: Newspapers.com

Hang the war effort.

I hate to think the Packard is at risk. Damn the war. Fun fact: It was actually "Who Hit Nellie with a Flounder" as a running joke back in the 40s. Meatball worked too. Poor Nellie. Obviously an optional presentation at 9:00 at night. Or would that be 2100 hours. Can you imagine if the General had shown up??? Hilarious. It's getting quite cold up there especially on the coast. Would you get out of bed? I hope Elmer is ok. Signing off on a short letter this time. Stay tuned.

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!

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October 16, 1942

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

Dear Audrey:

What do you mean sell the car in our all-out war effort – Hang the war effort. My morale has dropped another fifty points. What is this morale they are talking about. I’m going to change my team (theme) song from “If I had the wings of an angel over these prison walls I would fly” to “Who hit Nellie in the belly with a meatball”. They came in and told me to get up out of bed and go down to the theatre for a presentation last night at nine o’clock and really expected me to get up. I was real tired and I just told them to go jump in the lake. I wouldn’t have moved if the General himself came in. It was the first time I ever refused to do anything when they told me to do something. Boy, I didn’t care if school kept or not and I was ready for any consequences but nothing happened. I know I went back to sleep and I haven’t heard anything yet. Are you really beginning to show in the mid-riff. Every time I think of you like that I get goose-pimply. You are a hot one you are. Going and letting yourself get so fat. I won’t be scared or mad at you if you are getting fat.

All I want to do is wrap my arms around you and squeeze you. I love you so very much. I’ll be so proud of you. Those pretty brass buttons on my blouse will be popping off my chest every other day. I am having a tough time tonite writing this letter. I can’t think of anything to say and I don’t feel like raving along. I don’t feel like saying – how dry will a corn cob get or did you know that whale blubber comes from whales? I could go another page along this way but…. I wrote Elmer a letter a long time ago and never received any answer so I took it for granted that he was shipped someplace. It was a good letter and I’m sorry he didn’t get it because it was wasted and I don’t have too much time. I’ve got to clean my stuff up for inspection tomorrow and that is quite a job. I should spend at least two hours cleaning but I probably will give a half an hour on it. All this letter is good for is it is better than nothing and it will serve until tomorrow. I’ll try and write a better one Sat.

Lots of love

Leonard

War Updates

The Lynn Daily Evening Item

Continue to struggle and sacrifice because there will be a post-war boom! Well, there will be but Swope doesn't know that. Girls will be considering military careers like men so marching and drilling exercise replace volleyball and other games. I guess they'll also need to train women to fight fires too.

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

Meanwhile in Hartford...

Bartenders hitting customers is what starts liquor curfews. That Wartime Homemakers School has been a huge success. And if Mom and Dad want tires, they may have to get to know a one George Christensen.

The Women's Page for Mom

THIS IS WHERE MOM LIVES! Recall from the letter Oct 12 - just earlier this week:

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.

Of course there are murder trials too. I will try and follow this. Also, free hats if you buy bonds.