Sept. 14, 1942 - Dear Audrey
You are my North star.
You'll never guess who's coming to Lynn, Massachusetts tomorrow. The glamorous movie star, Dorothy Lamour. It's a bond rally for the war effort and the goal is a half a million dollars. Dad finally gave in to the pressure and signed up for a war bond - there goes his raise. That doesn't seem fair. But to see Dorothy, you had to pledge a bit more than that. This breaking into the mess hall is getting kind of cloak-and-dagger. Like breaking into Shaw's Hotel. It is nice paper though. Hopefully Mom is feeling better. Grippe? That's a thing. They have three whole wonderful days coming up. Unless they send him someplace. Enjoy some nice weather while you can.
Original Letter
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!
September 14, 1942
Dear Audrey:
Did I say I wasn’t going to raid the mess hall anymore? Can I help it if I get hungry? Around eleven thirty I felt like eating the dog that hangs around here. The trouble is I sleep through the meals without meaning to. When I’m off, I fall asleep and the next thing I know someone is waking me up to go to work and then without anything to eat. Well last night the other lad and I matched to see who would sneak over for a sandwich and I lost. I got the door open all right but when I tried to dip through the screen door backwards so that I wouldn’t make any noise, I fell in with a crash. At least to me it seemed like an awfully lot of noise and I thought it would bring the guards running. And then what a time I had trying to find the bread and meat. I tried holding a match in one hand and butter the bread with the other and it was quite a job. In order to leave no evidence, I put the burnt matches in my pocket and the crumbs I had to eat.
All in all it was quite a job to steal a couple of sandwiches and though they were pretty good (even if I do say so) I guess I’ll wait for a while. By the way, this paper we got from the hotel one night when I was walking guard there. We found a window and did some exploring inside and this was the result. We got a bundle of it. If you want some writing paper, I’ll bring you some. Just boyish pranks. It is quite late to say anything now but I hate to think of you spending the whole weekend all alone and sick too. Did you have such a tough time? I wish I had been there to feed you a glass of beer and whiskey. Are you sure it was a touch of the grippe? I’ll worry about you until I see you and that will be Friday night. It has been changed from Sat. and it is too bad it could come one day early and then we could have Fri off together. Friday will be your day off this week won’t it? I’m going to drive down and probably leave you the car. Then the following pass should bring me a three-day pass and that will be good. Like last month it will come after payday or at least it has been promised me and I hope they don’t change their minds or send me someplace. I am looking forward to spending three days with you. We can do some shopping around for places to look to live and maybe we can decide on what to do. At least we will have more than twenty-four hours and that is something. You know that is not such a bad idea about coming up here.
If you are going to lose your overtime, the job won’t be quite as attractive as before and if you want to come up here – well that will be swell. It will be nice not to have to travel for five hours to see you and then leave so early. Maybe you could get a good job up here. I don’t see how Reyneart supports his wife on what he gets either and one thing is sure, I won’t be able to support you very well. Well we will have to talk about this Friday. I signed up for five dollars a month for a war bond. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken so much but I was willing to give my four dollar raise and five dollars was the nearest thing to it. Two dollars was the lowest. They picked out four fellows that were buying one whole bond or more to go see Dorothy Lamour this morning. If you weren’t buying that much, you had to pledge to buy that much and even that didn’t stop the fellows from volunteering in droves to go see the gal. $18.75 is a lot of money every pay day and I don’t see how any Private can swing it. Your husband had to work so he couldn’t grab the opportunity and it is a good thing because he would probably have signed everything away including his wife’s allotment.
We’ve had some wonderful weather the past few days. Not too cold and not too warm and just last week it was so cold we had a fire in the barracks (don’t mistake that – the fire was in the stoves). Well this letter has lasted longer than I thought it would. I didn’t think I could cover the first page. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you they postponed the rifle shooting so I did not have a chance to make a fool of myself. Do you realize how much I love you? When I say I love more than I do a good mashie shot that should mean everything. You are the love of my life. You are my North star. I love you.
Love
Leonard
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
War Updates
The Lynn Daily Evening Item
It's primary time and they don't expect a big turnout in Lynn for some reason. Maybe because the men are off fighting the war. Women's vote will weigh heavy so you'd think this is the time to pass birth control. In 1942, it's not easy going up against the priests and their churches. Bigger than the election is Dorothy Lamour and her ability to sell war bonds. More on the tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Hartford...
A lot of war and horrible crimes. Just a thought here — we interned the Japanese but not the Italians. Why is that?
The Women's Page for Mom
Dorothy Dix is spot on today - don't be mean to your kids. We're having broiled veal chops for dinner and check out the latest in styles. If the dress is chiffon, is it a nightmare to iron? And for fall, we're wearing pumpkins on our heads.
Next letter tomorrow, September 16, 1942
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