Sept. 8, 1942 - Dear Gertrude
I love you as much on Wed. as I do on Sundays.
I think he buried the lead again. A $4.00 raise is pretty good. Except for the pressure to give it up for war bonds. So we have an Army sleeping hack and poor Miss Rose Lambrey. She has to be something to put up with that harassment... I mean budding romance. Apparently while out on his pass last week, they made 2 trips up to Boston or thereabouts. Keeping a car well maintained is a challenge these days. There was something about Dad's friend Gunnar being ineligible for the draft so he is now enlisted to help out Mom. And it's never too early to start thinking about a frugal Christmas. Wonder what Tony and Vicky need to make up their minds about??? He's got another pass, and because the next letter isn't until Friday; I don't think he was able to save it for the 19th.
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 8, 1942
Bat H - 9th C.A., Fort Ruckman
Dear Gertrude:
At the rate I’m going it will take me quite awhile to catch up on my sleep and the future looks none too bright. There are so many shifts to pull and then, put a little drilling in there and I won’t take my clothes off for a week. I haven’t taken them off for a couple of nights. At that I suppose I shouldn’t kick because this way I don’t have to make my bed and so it is easier. Just tighten the blankets up and then when I do flop down to sleep, I just pull the comforter over me. What a life! Here is another address for you to keep for me. Miss Rose Lambrey – 97 Francis St. Roxbury. Sounds pretty good too. When you leave me I’ll look her up. One of the fellows on the line has persuaded the operator to give her name and address and that is it. She has promised to send a picture of herself if he does, and he said he would. I was the third party in the budding romance. It took him over an hour to get the information out of her and so I can’t see why he is so anxious to take her out. If I was him I would be afraid she would turn out to be a wet blanket. On the other hand, it might be that she is afraid of losing her job and that is the reason she is so cautious. All jobs are supposed to be strictly confidential. Anyway, I have quite a time listening on this line. Sometimes we have a fight and then it is funny. This morning there was a Navy man on one of the stations and he had been at Pearl Harbor and he mentioned some of the things there. It wasn’t anything to jump up and down with joy and slap your hands over. Then the other day I heard one of them mention that his girl lived in Natick and he was going to see her that night. I tried to find out who she was but he didn’t trust me. If he only knew how much in love with my wife I am he wouldn’t worry. She is so nice and soft and beautiful. I would be a fool not to be in love with you and I know I am no fool. You are the only girl for me. I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you. I hope you got back to East Hartford all right and without anything happening to you. Did Gunnar come over for the car? I am interested in the oil level in the car at the present time. I’m wondering if it used very much oil in these two trips up here and back. I hope it isn’t. I hope also you aren’t too tired. You aren’t supposed to get tired. You are supposed to be nice and soft and lovely all the time. And you are too!! I love you as much on Wed. as I do on Sundays.
I was called into the office today and asked if I was going to sign up for some defense bonds. They can’t make me sign up but I have to have a good reason for not doing so. I said I probably would but wanted to think it over. How much do you think I should give up or should I refuse? After all, you are buying and that should be enough. I get a $4.00 raise this month and I suppose I could sign this away. Add the taxes to the load you already carry and it looks big to me. I don’t like to see you loaded down so but I don’t see what I can do about it. I still think is a good idea to think a little about Christmas. We don’t want to spend much this year but it always costs more than you plan for. Then we have to worry over what we are going to when Tony and Vicky make up their minds. Oh well, this is all too much for a letter. Maybe I have an idea in the back of my head. I’ll save it until I see you. I don’t know about my pass yet. I hope I can save it until the 19th but I’m not sure. I’ll be down to you Wed if I can’t. So that’s all there is – there isn’t no more.
Lots of love
Leonard
War Updates
The Lynn Daily Evening Item
Check out those cute kids! See, back in the good old days, school never started before the Labor Day holiday. Never. But those "good old days" included WWII so -surprise- there's a teacher shortage. Along with everything else. FDR is trying to hold back inflation and avoid economic disaster. And the stupid war rages on.
Meanwhile in Hartford...
More on the inflation crisis. Gee, seems the president cares about prices and affordability. And note: elections are coming up.
The Women's Page for Mom
I'm noting that Dorothy Dix says that women are "curious creatures" NOT MEN. And of course a double duty dress is popular. Do you think hats will ever make a comeback? My sister makes hats. I'll share the website when it's finalized.
Next letter Friday, September 11, 1942
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