Sept. 16, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

16 Sep 2026 — 4 min read

Front page - The Boston Evening Globe. Find more and support this work: Newspapers.com

Besides I refuse to duck.

Just devastating news for the war effort - the sinking of the Yorktown. And it's hard to imagine how much crap is at the bottom of the ocean. Lucky for our hero, he remains at Fort Ruckman and will be with his sweetheart by Friday night. Today - and it's either Wednesday or Thursday, he's got some steam to blow off. It's bad to hold that in but try to tell that to men, geeeez. Yes, I've included the picture he mentions. Outlook is good. Should he have become a comedian? No, the answer is no.

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

September 16, 1942

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

Dear Audrey:

I don’t know what is the matter with me lately. For the past few days I have been as nervous as a witch and completely on edge. I have a hard time holding my impatience down and that is something I need around here. It is as if something was seething and boiling inside of me. But don’t get alarmed. I’ll get over it. All I need is to see you and I’ll be doing that tomorrow night. It is hard to explain or I should say impossible because it could be so many things. It could be because I’m tired, or fed-up or just dissatisfied. Tonight I had to take a test and I deliberately took a low mark and for no good reason either. I was so disgusted that if anyone had said six wrong words to me, I was ready to chase them with my bayonet. I hope you never have to put up with such childishness from me. All you have to do is give me enough room and I’ll blow off the storm harmlessly. It is a slow welling up and sometimes the blowing off of steam is all there is to it, but sometimes when I try to swallow it, I get worse. Anyway as I said, I always get over it and probably everyone feels like this some time or other. I don’t know why I mention it except it bothers me. It is funny I should write you such stuff because if I were living with you, I would let you find this all out for yourself.

Then too I guess I’m popping off a little and don’t know it. Maybe because we are losing so much time by being away from each other all this time, it is a short cut to know what a guy you married. The way I feel now, I’m not fit to live with you. I’d probably beat you and make you sleep without clothes on. You are such a nice girl and I love you so very much. Have you gone shopping and splurging lately? Am I sticking my neck out when I tell you to take your dollar this week and spend it on yourself? It is easy to tell someone to go spend their own money. Wait until the end of the month when my wife makes me cough up my pay and then watch me make her account for every penny and heaven help her if she spends so much as a cent for such frivolous things as a new dress. I shall not stand for that sort of stuff. Oh yes, I forgot to mention the clipping I got from the newspaper. I’ve labeled it Mr. & Mrs. Main 50 years from now and I think it is a good study. Especially of Mrs. Main. Please note the great expanse of chin and the nose. But I still love you. I’ll have to because if you look like that no one else will. Now don’t go getting mad and looking for something to throw. Besides I refuse to duck. Look for me Friday night and I’ll get there as soon as possible and without a ticket I hope. I love you so very much.

All my love

Leonard

War Updates

The Lynn Daily Evening Item

Well, it's election season.

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

Meanwhile in Hartford...

Down at the bottom of the paper, in a smaller font; the President "guesses" it'll be 3 more years. Elections matter.

The Women's Page for Mom

Dinner tonight, per the paper is Corn Cheese Souffle because meat is in such short supply. In fact, get ready for more meatless meals. And don't read Dorothy Dix, it'll just make you mad. Poor men.