"1 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here I am once again corresponding as usual. I just got back from a night baseball game downtown and though our Navy team may be full of errors I've never seen the likes in any pro league before. Pensacola committed 12 errors and as a result lost the baseball game. I started heckling at the very outset and I really gave one guy an awful bad time for quite a while. I restrained myself after he began to sizzle. I guess my remarks begin to aggravate these people after sundown. Tomorrow at long last I go on duty once again and it will indeed be a very welcome relief to this life of doing absolutely nothing. While you were here I was forced to beg for time off now that you have gone I'm overloaded with it. I just can't seem to win no matter how hard I may try. Today at least brings on a new month so one more has bid us adieu and has passed into the land beyond recall. Now if these remaining four go along swiftly I'll have no complaints at all and I'll be where I want to be, with you. I miss you more than I can possibly ever tell you and each and every day I miss you more and more. Please hope and pray that the time hastens by and that we will be together again real soon to stay. I went over to the club earlier tonight but it was absolutely dead believe me so to get rid of complete boredom I went to the ball game. Since you left everything seems very dull and so uninteresting to me. Time will change everything I guess at least I hope so anyway. Well I haven't anything further to write about except that I love you and miss you with my whole heart and soul. I still haven't received any mail from you but I'm still waiting quite patiently for the time being. I'll try to write tomorrow if I get a break.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx"
"3 May 1948,
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Still no mail and since you have been home for a week now with no word I'm about to get on edge for a change. I've been at ease awaiting word from you but I'm beginning to get just a little bit uneasy after such a long time. I hope that tomorrow will bear fruit for me. Yesterday I intended to write to you but I never did get a break. Nothing at all seems to be happening around here since you left and I'm living a life of almost complete seclusion. Yesterday I was chatting with a chief in my section who is making money hand over fist down here dabbling in real estate. I give hime all of the credit in the world because he is earning it but after all his efforts are really paying off. He arrived here at about the same time that I did and already he has cleared a seven thousand dollar home and is set to sell his umpteenth investment at a cool $4000 profit. It made me feel very lazy and jealous as it seems that I could be doing the same thing but I'm only marking time. The secret of his success is in the fact that he is on the ball. Buying choice lots at a fair price and then buying and moving a house onto the lot brings him his profit. He has been urging me to go into the game with him but as yet I'm undecided about it all. His total investment in any deal amounts to about $2500 and he sells for about six thousand and 6500 dollars. A lot of work is involved in the whole deal but in the end it pays off but good. If some day you get an urgent plea for a couple of thousand you will know that I've gone into business with both feet. Right now I'm uncertain about it all. I just miss you like mad my dearest and I'm dying to see you once again. This separation deal is really out of this world and I won't be able to stand it much longer believe me. I want you and need you so very very much and I'll never be content until I can have you with me always and always. I've been giving a great deal of thought as to what I'll do in the future but I'm going to wait until I'm with you for a while before I decide. I'm still like a little boy lost in the woods with no responsibility at all. I'll have to make up my mind soon. I'll have to sign off for now honey until a little later when I'll write to you once again. Please take care. I miss you and love you with all of my heart and my soul.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxx"
"4 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
I finally traced down three letters from you today and I ask you to change the address to Chiefs Mess instead of the squadron. It was a last resort but I went over to the squadron just in case and my hunch paid off. It was swell to hear from you once again and now that we have commenced corresponding I'll be expecting a steady stream of words of good cheer until I see you again in July. Today was another off day for me so I didn't accomplish much except lose a few pounds at baseball practice. We have a game tomorrow and another Friday so I'll have something to look forward to anyway. I haven't seen Melvin for a couple of days but you can get in touch with Mary at 301 W. Chase St. Pensacola Florida if you intend to write to her. They were really swell while we were together down here. Tomorrow is a standby day for me and I'll have to be on hand most of the day. Thursday is my workday and won't have to go to bat again until Monday. I have plenty of spare time as you can see. It really gets me down when I realize that we could be having so much time together. One of these fine days all will turn out wonderful for us if I have to go beach combing to support you and me. I really enjoyed myself while you were with me and like you I hated to see you go away.
Tonight is bingo night at the club and since I haven't anything else to do to occupy my mind I'll be on hand to give it a try. I'm just hoping that my luck holds out for the best. My finances are holding up quite well and tomorrow is pay day once again. I have to begin to look forward to my leave in July so I'll have to take it easy on my spending until I have accumulated enough for plane fare to home at least. I can't afford to be a constant drain upon our meager finances so I'll try to be self sufficient if possible. Only about 60 days to go so that isn't too long to wait. Keep smiling and I'll be home again before you know it. I'm going to call you up on Mother's Day so be around during the day at our usual time. Speaking of Mothers Day and mothers give Peggy and Paul all of my best wishes and congratulations for many many more. One of these days we shall have to go into competition with them. Well honey time is drawing this letter to a close so I'll have to close out for now. I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you terribly. Please take care.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx'
"6 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here I am once again ready to write to you once again. I missed up last night because I ran out of envelopes but I replenished my stock today so I'm all set once again for a month or so. I received another letter from you today and I am indeed very very happy because your letters do bring me a great deal of joy and happiness. I didn't contemplate on getting a break but the weather took a turn for the worst so I'm all set for a while. I have an hour yet util a transport is due so maybe I can put a few things into writing. At the outset I must say that I miss you with all of my heart and soul and I'm longing to have you with me. I had tremendous intentions of sending you some flowers but due to circumstances above and beyond my control my finances are now on edge if I intend to go home around July the fourth. I only hope that you will understand honey because I definitely desire and wish to get home to you but definitely. The flight orders are pretty drab in my new job so I can't count on them. Nevertheless I'll call you Sunday so that I can hear your voice once again to boost up my morale and all of my courage. Since I'm on duty tonight I can't really get down to brass tacks and answer your letters but I'll try as best I can to answer a bit of everything in a general way. The letter that I got today was your letter of last Sunday and from all accounts everyone is heading into dire circumstances for some reason or the other. I'll guarantee you this much honey that if it becomes really necessary for you to work for our livelihood that's the day that I'll take gas and end it all come what may -, even if it means that I have to ship over for a few years to see us through. As far as that goes I'll wait until September to decide for sure, when we will have plenty of time to decide the whole issue. Maybe this weekend I'll write to Aunt Nellie and Fred so that I'll be able to keep them well posted on all the developments past present and future. I hope that you have given Peggy and Paul my very best wishes for the very best of everything. As far as Pete and Madeline are concerned I'm really quite surprised. When I receive each and every report I feel we are indeed very lucky and quite fortunate, knock on wood. Well honey I have to get ready to go to work again as it's now ten thirty.
I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you tremendously.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxx"
"7 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here is your poor tired worn out husband almost ready to tumble into bed from weariness and lack of sleep. Last night I managed to get in about two hours sleep but since today was inspection and cleanup day and since we had a ballgame to boot I didn't make out in the sleep department at all. I just returned from the club and the amazing deal of all is that I didn't even have a beer. I went over at 6:30 and spent three hours in the joint without taking anything stronger than a coke. I just didn't feel in the mood for it so I let well enough alone. I received another letter from you today and I'm very grateful. With a lot of spare time on my hands your letters are about all that I have to look forward to down here.
Yesterday seemed to be deathly slow but I guess it was the rain that produced the effect. We were almost flooded out by torrential showers all afternoon and late at night that handicapped flying considerably. As long as it doesn't rain on the days that I have off everything will go along smooth and lovely and I won't growl and complain more than is necessary. From the tone of the letter that I received today you must really be snowed under with work both at work and at home. See the dismal fate that is in store for you when I get (home) and we settle down at long last. Don't let it get you down honey as better days are coming sometime and we will both be there to enjoy them. Once everyone gets over the excitement of Peggy and the baby the world and the Keohane household will return to normal once again and you can turn your household chores back to your mother and Rita. I have pity on your mother if the baby is a squaller and bawler as she is probably all worn out from pacing the floor with him. She must be quite happy though to have a boy in the family.
I'm still awaiting the word if you had any drastic results from your vacation down here with me. Let me know as soon as possible. You should have returned completely refreshed because we spent an awful lot of time in bed come to think of it. Well honey I'm going to sign off for now and I'll write you a longer letter over the weekend. I love you and I miss you tremendously with all of my heart and soul.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx"
"10 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here I am once again my pet but I must confess that I slipped up last night. I was so elated hearing your voice yesterday that I slopped up a couple too many brews and by the time that I got back here to write to you I was strictly out of this world. It was wonderful to hear your voice again and although I had to wait an hour or so it was well worth it. When I put in the call the operator told me that there would be at least a four hour delay due to the heavy traffic for Mother's Day. Yesterday I did manage to write to Aunt Nellie and my mother. When I wrote to my mother I was slightly looped an I can't even recall what I wrote to her about. I hope that my thoughts were all concentrated on her instead of you because if they weren't that letter is liable to be a little confusing. It's too late to recall it now because it's on its way home. I've sworn of beer until I go home in July. I'm going to knock off a little of my surplus weight and with beer off my diet and baseball as exercise I'll make out I think. We played again today and won 13-1 so we are really in high gear just about now. If we can maintain the pace we should walk away with the league. I won't go into it too deeply because I'm sure to jinx us.
I received another letter from you today for which I am very, very grateful. Keep up your good work. Today is my duty day and since I managed to get a break I am writing to you. I have to go on duty in an hour or two as a transport is due in about midnite and then I have the last watch from 2-6 in the morning. Tomorrow I'll be groggy from it all but I'll manage to survive somehow. I'm still awaiting word of your condition whether it will return to normal or if it will become delicate due to your visit down here. I guess I'll have to wait until the end of the week or the beginning of next week. Pretty soon I'll be on pins and needles so please keep me posted. As far as my real estate ventures are concerned I'm still being approached by this chief. It's a good deal but it requires a lot of work. He shops around for a decent looking house that can be bought cheap and then he has it moved to a nicer section of town and paints it and fixes it up himself. On each sale he just about doubles his investment and in some cases he triples it. The reason he wants me to go in with him is that the work is too much for him. You saw the houses up on blocks down here so there are no cellars to worry about, just paint them and sell them and they sell like hot cakes down here. I'll keep him interested and see what I can do without shackling myself. Well I'm going to close out for now but I'll write again tomorrow. I love you and miss you with all of my heart and soul.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxx
xxxxxxx"
"11 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here is your poor old man once again ready to hit the sack as usual. Whether I'm with you or away every time I think of it I'm always going to bed. Down here it's a matter of necessity with you it's a pleasure. I'm getting awful in my old age I guess. I just got back from bingo and as usual my luck was lousy once again. I doubt if I could even win if I was all alone in the game. My beer fast continues and I intend to go on a prolonged fast and cut down on my expanding girth. My frame has taken on a pinkish hue as I've been lulling around in the sun for an hour this afternoon. Maybe by the time I get home I'll be tanned or as red as a lobster. We shall see what turns up. One of these fine years I'll tan for sure or I'll die in the effort. I hope that our kids will be blessed with skin susceptible to tan instead of my delicate skin texture. Next to getting a little sun I spent the rest of the day sleeping. Last night after I wrote to you I hit the hay and spent about an hour sleeping. That turned out to be my total for the night. I was dead this morning when we secured and I didn't waste any time going to sleep. This new time deal on the Crash Crew is okay but nevertheless a twenty-four hour grind is really tough and it takes about two days off to fully recuperate from it all. I'm just not accustomed to this all night stuff anymore. No percentage I guess.
I got another letter from you today. Your letter of last Saturday. After reading it over I have come to the firm conclusion that you are working like a mule with with housework and your job at G.S. Co. I'm afraid that I'll have to go home and relieve you of all these rough tiring jobs. It's about time that I assumed a meager bit of responsibility for a change. I want to thank you for your sweet words and praises in regards to my Mothers Day card. They build my morale considerably, and I agree with everything you say - I'm awaiting that letter from your mother and I'll feel very important to receive it. Now that Peggy has had her baby baptized all that is left is the squalling and bawling and bundles of dirty diapers. Oh, the pleasures(?) of married life, I would trade it off for a scillion dollars. One of these fine days we will have our chance and opportunity to settle down to our own home and live our own lives and every time I think of it it I go into a dreamy fog trying to visualize it. This September will be the time and date for it all. I'm going to close out now for tonight my pet and I'll write again tomorrow night. I love you my dearest with my whole heart and soul and I miss you more than I miss anything on earth. Please take care.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxx"
"12 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here I am once again a little the worse for wear after an afternoon of baseball in the broiling sun. It was really hot and I sweated like an overworked horse. Since it was all for a winning cause I didn't mind too much. We seem to be on a winning streak now and I'm hoping that it will continue. No mail today but I should make out again tomorrow and I'll be back in the groove once again. My day didn't start until about ten oclock when I finally woke up after a good nights sleep. I didn't accomplish anything except the ball game today but the day passed quickly and tomorrow brings on another workday for me. The days are really clicking along and this month will be gone before we really know it. My back is a little pinker today as I messed around in the sun for about a half an hour at noon. As I promised you I'll either be tanned or lobster red. Remember when I told you about the steam shovels well there is only one left so I guess your photography really was beneficial in getting rid of them, - or else they scrapped them. You should have asked the guy for a commission on the deal. You may not be here with me but the memories of your visit linger vividly and very strongly my pet. I'm biding my time now until I can get home once again to renew acquaintances. I'm still anticipating news of your 'condition' and if I don't hear about it soon I'm going to begin sprouting strands of grey hair so please let me know soon because I'm not destined to be 'a man of distinction.' I've been reading thru your mail and I've run across your intention of getting a folding bed one that goes into the wall, on our next honeymoon. Why?
You are right though honey I'm full of ideas but I never do accomplish much when the time comes. Give me time and I'll settle down to a life of some sort of routine and accomplishment. I'm just a poor host, and I'm always thinking of myself. I do miss you tremendously honey and I long and pine for you all of the time. I'm just lonely and I'm fighting to overcome it I guess. One of these fine days I'll be with you to stay and then I'll be completely happy for always and always, believe me. I'm sending you back a couple of the pictures at a time but I intend to keep a couple of you for memories sake. They came out real good but my wrinkles amazed me no end. Well as usual I'm going to sign off about now and hit the land of Nod once again. I love you with all of my heart and soul my dearest and I miss you so very much.
I love you with all my heart
God Bless & keep you
Always
John xxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx"
"13 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
A day of toil has just passed me by and a longer day stares me in the face all day tomorrow. As you may have guessed its my twenty four hour deal. I was stuck with night flying tonight and they just quit a few minutes ago at midnight. I'm getting accustomed to the whole deal slowly but surely but it will take quite awhile to thoroughly convince me that it's all an absolute necessity. I did manage to get a few hours leisure this morning and I spent it flying. I took a leisurely trip over to New Orleans so I had a change of scenery at least. The trip itself was quite uneventful but I did notice the terrific damage that the hurricane did down through this section late last fall. Typical of the rebel attitude it's tossed around laying flat just like the wind left it. No ambition down here at all. After seeing how these houses are set up on blocks you can fully understand why the wind, especially a hurricane, would tear them to pieces. I guess they never will really come out of their fog. I received two letters from you today so I'm really and truly happy and in gay spirits once again. It really may (made) my day a success to hear from you once again just as it does each and every letter that I receive from you. Incidentally is it getting any warmer up there these days? The last time that I heard any news about your weather, the snow was beginning to melt. I'll be coming home in July and I'll want the temperature to be at least above freezing. I finally got word of your condition and I thank you very much for letting me know as soon as possible. Now I guess I can get off my perch of pins and needles and settle down to relaxing until I can get home again. Calling me a 'fiend' is a brand new name for me and I hardly deserve it, I tell you. I'm just an affectionate lover who attempts to be very romantic all of the time that I'm with you. If that makes me a 'fiend' then a 'friend' I'll have to be. I'm going to save this letter for reference especially the section of it that states that you are going to be very cooperative in our bedtime escapades. Who knows but by next Mothers Day you really will be on your way to be earning and deserving a Mother's Day card. With an added attraction like that I'll be counting the hours until I get home. I'm just hoping that conditions above and beyond my control doesn't exist to thwart my efforts if you know what I mean. I'll have to check the calendar and trust to luck. I miss you like mad honey and I love you with all of my heart and soul. I have to sign off now and get some sleep as tomorrow will seem endless. Please take good care of yourself.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway
John xxxxx
xxxxxxxx"
"14 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Hello honey baby, and how are you tonight? I have about an hour to lay around so I'll see if I can write you a letter in the meanwhile. Tonight, I am afraid is going to be a sleepless affair as the plane schedules are close together and what with lay overs and all, we will be up and about until morning. I won't complain because I have all day tomorrow to sleep and then if I'm still tired I can spend Sunday likewise. It all adds up to zero I guess. I'll manage to survive somehow. We played ball all afternoon and our winning streak continues, four in a row. Between baseball and this all night routine I doubt if I'll see any of tomorrows sunshine. As usual, my chin is burnt and sore from the sun and nothing seems to soothe it, so I'll let it go on and on. How I wish that I could only tan a little bit.
I didn't get any mail from you today but as usual it will catch up to me tomorrow once again. I still have your letter of last Monday on hand to provide me with inspiration if and when I need it. My beer fast continues on and on and although this weekend will provide a world of temptation I'll manage to live through it. I think I'm dropping a few pounds here and there although I haven't weighed myself for a day or two. After you left I soared up to 190+ but I've rid myself of about ten or fifteen pounds in the past week. Your departure left me lonely and blue so I almost drowned myself in beer to overcome it all. I'm all straightened out now though and I'll try to be in pretty fair shape when I get home to you. When I write to you tomorrow night this month will be half gone and only 120 days will remain until I'm home with you to stay. I have my calendar all marked up with notations and figures to keep me posted on time and what have you. I guess I'm going nuts with anticipation. It can't roll around too soon for me, my pet. Just about now the world situation seems to have settled down to a lull and I certainly hope that it continues that way for awhile so that we can all take a deep breath for a change. I've been reading your letter and St Pats Minstrel show must have been all right. It's too bad that I couldn't have been around to give it a little boost. Maybe next Spring they will have the pleasure of my company. Your appeal really flatters me and the more I read it over the larger my head grows. Pretty soon a new hat. Well honey between smoking thinking and writing my time and paper is running out so I'll close for now. I love you and miss you tremendously honey so please take care until I get there.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx"
"15 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Once more your ever-loving husband is writing to you just before I retire for the evening. I didn't wake up until about three this afternoon but I('m) tired from sleeping I guess. I didn't do a blessed thing all day just run over to the club and to the mess. I still haven't consumed a brew this week and after this night of boredom I think I'll manage to survive for a while. There is absolutely nothing whatsoever going on around here so I guess I'll just spend my time sleeping. I'll be up early tomorrow morning for Mass and another long day will ensue At times like this I wish to God that I could be home with you or you down here with me. I'm tremendously grateful that only a short time remains until we will be together to stay as the grind is getting tougher and tougher. Four months from today I'll be a free man at long last and time cannot pass too swiftly for me so that we can be together. I guess I'm down in the dumps again but I do miss you so very very much honey that at times I get desperate. Tomorrow I'll probably wake up with a sunny disposition but I'll still miss you tremendously. I got a letter from you today so once again you saved the day as your letter prevented a total loss. I'm listening to the radio with hilly billy music galore. Sometimes I fear that the hill folk from Kentucky and Tennessee have migrated much too far south. Everyone to his liking though. By the beach has been officially opened as of today, Pensacola Beach that is. I just noticed it in the paper while I was collecting my thoughts. From your letter I see that you are as busy as a bee doing your almost daily chores of washing ironing etc which reminds me of the fact that I have a bundle of dirty clothes to wash also but I'm just to lazy to get at it. Maybe tomorrow I'll give it a try and see how much I can accomplish. Oh the drudgery of it all! I see that Norman and Hannie are still going to the Mission Church on Wednesday evening but if he had to pay a $5 fine I guess he had better figure out a few ways to get it back. It could happen to anyone I guess. Down here a speeding rap runs into twenty dollars plus court costs. I'm lucky that I haven't that to worry about at the present time. Soon maybe if Dame Fortune smiles down upon us favorably.
Well honey I'm going to draw to a close now until I write again tomorrow. I love you with all of my heart and soul and as I've already stated before I miss you tremendously and at times quite desparately. please take care of yourself.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx"
"16 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Sunday has come and gone and a new week is about begin. I went to Mass this morning and since then my accomplishments have been nil. I did manage to get off a letter to Aunt Hannah and Stephen so if and when you get a notion to visit her you will hear all about it from her. I must stay in the good graces of one and all and from this spot letters are my only course. I did manage to avoid any of the devils brew so one great temptestuous period has passed me by. During the week it isn't too bad but weekends get mighty monotonous but I've been able to survive. I had good intentions of listening to a ball game by short wave but they didn't broadcast it this Sunday. Every time I do hear it down here, it reminds me of our trips down to the Cape with Fred and I sloshing up his private stock and listening to the ball game in the meantime. What a way to spend an afternoon! I'm dying to see him again and partake of a nice big chicken dinner as only Aunt Nellie can prepare. When I'm about due to go home I'll have to write her a letter and drop a few hints along that line. My mouth is watering already just thinking about it. Tomorrow brings around another work day for me and I'm glad in a way as it will give my mind something to do besides figuring out how to waste time. I haven't done any studying for ages and I'm afraid that when I start I'll have to begin at scratch. Right now I'm biding my time waiting quite anxiously and knocking myself restraining my impatience. In four months I'll be a free man once again and we will begin life anew as we both see fit. I'll really be very happy when the time comes. This week also brings pay day at long last and also another dental appointment neither of which I mind at all. I should get a letter from you tomorrow so that will help my poor morale considerably and it will be a good reason to jump out of bed. Speaking of bed it's about time that I put my mine to use once again. I'll be glad when I can snuggle up to you once again even though I probably won't do much sleeping. We'll see about that when the time comes. I do miss you tremendously honey and I love you with all of my heart and soul. Please take care of yourself my pet.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
"17 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Hello once again my pet here I am once again still missing you like mad as I always do. The day was rather exciting as we had a crash landing to keep us on edge plus a practice fire run on a banged up plane. Sandwiched somewhere in between was an hour or two of baseball practice so you can see that the day was filled with excitement. I received three letters from you today so my day I must say was very wonderful for me. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your mail as it has helped my morale more than I can possibly tell you. They gave me the lift that I need to see me through these few days that remain, that could quite easily seem endless from down in this end of the woods. Please do the very best that you can to keep them coming my way as they are really appreciated. One of these fine days it will all end and we will be together once again and we will be able to throw away our pens and pencils. When I get down to a hundred days I'll begin to mark them off and let you know how time is moving. These long days makes the days seem much longer than they are but I'll manage to get accustomed to it all as time goes by. I went to the baseball practice in trunks and sweat shirt today and as you may have guessed my legs got burned a little bit not much, just a little behind my knees. Live and learn I guess. The crash we had was a routine crash and no one got hurt. The pilot couldn't get his wheels down so he came in on his belly. No smoke, fire but just an excavation job for my department. The fire drill that we had was just a routine affair. Luckily we didn't have any night flying so I got a brake at last. I'm hoping that my luck holds out because tomorrow is my long day and I'd like to get a little sleep. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the picture of Joe Walsh in the middle of the chorus line. He really is in his glory and I would really love to have seen him in action. I miss the whole shebang especially during the minstrel season.pk Maybe next year things will be for the best.
Give Annie my heartiest congratulations on her new offspring. I imagine that she has burning ears imagining all the old shrews counting up the months and days. She will get over it in time. I guess it's Madeline's turn next but I should be home then so I'll be almost on hand. Maybe our turn will be next and I'll strive to those ends providing no obstacles arise in our path and efforts to succeed. Well honey I'm going to close out until tomorrow when I'll write again. I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you tremendously. Please take care.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx"
"19 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Hello again my pet. I missed up last night as I had the duty and we didn't manage to get much sleep. We quit at 12:30 and were do back on the job at 5:30 AM so I did my best to get some shut-eye. I attempted to make up for it today but I could only sneak in an hour or two. Right after we were relieved this morning I had a dental appointment that lasted until 10:30. After that I was in the mood for a cup of coffee and before I finished it dinner time rolled around so I ate. At noon I hit the hay but I had to get up at two o'clock to play baseball so I've been wide awake ever since. Tomorrow is pay day so that will mean another early rising but it will be profitable for a change. I had a couple of teeth filled today and it was a jumpy ordeal. I'm glad that it's all over with and now I can relax for a change. One filling was down on the side of the tooth just at the gum line and it was as sensitive as could be. All the clamps and gadgets that the dentist put into use amazed me. You would have thought that he was repair(ing) a broken jaw. Such is life though.
Our ball team is still on its winning streak as we won our games yesterday and today. I'm just hoping that every one doesn't get cocky now and blow a couple. Yesterday was really a scorcher and my face was burned and chapped as usual. I let my beard grow though and I didn't shave until tonight. My beer famine continues and at my last weigh in I tip the scales at 172 so I've come down considerably. If I continue I'll be a mere shadowy skeleton of myself. I'll endeavor to maintain a strict fast on the malt of the hops but I doubt if I'll lose anymore weight. The weight I lose during a ball game now I put on by drinking water so I think I have reached my level at last. I'm glad that you had your eyes examined because I worried about all your office work and reading etc and since you aren't a stickler for good lighting a lot of damage could have resulted over a period of time. I'll have something else to look forward to when I get home ~ you with glasses. On you they should be quite becoming. My sunburnt back, after an attempt to tan, has vanished and I'm once again lily white. I guess I'm just not cut out to tan. Getting weather beaten is my only alternative I guess. I'm just hoping that the next generation fares out better than me. Time will tell. I didn't receive any mail these past couple of days but tomorrow will probably bear fruit. I'm hoping for the best anyway. I'm going to sign off now until tomorrow when I'll write to you again. I miss you very very much my pet and I love with all of my heart. Please take good care of yourself.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx"
"22 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
I've really doped off for the past two nights but I'm back in the groove once again. Thursday night I went downtown to the ballgame with another chief and since we didn't have any car at our disposal we had to resort to the bus and off we went. Getting there was comparatively easy as we had only to walk three blocks after we got off the bus. You probably remember remember where the place is because we played the Police on the vacant lot across the street. Remember? While at the game we looked around for someone with a car but our luck was poor so once again we had a bus ride to look forward to in order to get home. After the game we walked the three blocks to the bus line and since we were about a half hour early we decided to walk until we ran into a diner. We walked and walked and trudged and trudged still no diner and still no bus. We walked about two miles and finally we reached a diner and sat down to rest and eat. Our hunger satisfied we set out to get a drink of something stronger than beer and our hike commenced. Do you remember where that bridge is in Brownsville where after we crossed it we were on the road out here, well that's when the bus caught up to us. Boy was I tired. Last night I got into a gloomy mood as we lost our first ball game and I broke my beer fast. In fact I almost made up for the two weeks that I was off the stuff. Three of us went downtown to a joint or two and we wound up eating chicken downtown at about two. I began recalling the different fluids that I consumed and I kept wondering how I managed to survive at all. I ate about a pound of bacon and a couple of eggs for supper - washing it down with coffee and washing that down in turn with lemonade. After that I went to the club and downed about a dozen cokes and 7-ups. I got sick and tired of drinking that stuff so I sampled new beer that they had and that started me off but fair. I had about six beers there before we got a ride downtown. Between beer and whiskey and all the soda pop I was really going around in circles but I navigated all right. No harm done only a few hours of lost sleep. I had a foggy far away feeling all morning but it passed me by all right. With the conglomeration of fluids I expected to have a terrific headache but only a slight one hung on most of the day. I'm swearing off again now for another extended stay which I hope will last until I get home again. I guess the monotony of it all just overtook me.
I was without mail from you for two days but I got one from you today so I'm all set again. I also got a letter from my mother so I'm all caught up on local current events once again. I had the duty today but we had only two planes to service so all we did was hang around. I was going to give myself a workout at the gym but they had movies so I have to wait until Monday I guess. I went swimming in our pool the other day and I'll have to work it into my daily routine somehow. Tomorrow is Sunday once again so off to Church I will be going. I'll be able to get some sleep tonight as there won't be any planes in for us to mess with for a change. I guess as I'm writing this letter you are at the dance and I'd give my right arm to be with you instead of wasting my time doing nothing down here. One of these fine days it will all change for the best. In about forty days I should be home again for a spell and I'm waiting as patiently as possible. It won't be too long in passing I hope. After that leave I'll be really on my last stretch as only about sixty will remain of separation and I'll be able to be with you indefinitely. Well enough of my wishful dreaming I guess I had better get to the business at hand and answer your letter. You seem to be having quite a bit of confusion in work and because of a puny little mouse that was probably thoroughly terrified with all the shrieks and screams coming from female voices. The shrieks and screams because of the mouse were probably the greatest effort that Miss Mac has put out in ages. Just for creating the disturbance you should bring the little fella a niblet of cheese as a token of appreciation. I think I would if I were in the same position because he most certainly eased the monotony. I see that you are already making plans for my homecoming by informing me that you are going to be the mistress of the situation. I usually give you free rein all of the time but if I'm to sleep on the floor I'll have to bring that letter you wrote not too long ago promising cooperation in our bedtime struggles just to see if you keep your word. I'll have to make a special note of it so that I won't forget. Well honey time is growing late so I think I'll close out now until tomorrow when I'll write again. I miss you with all of my heart honey and I wish that we were together again. I love you with all of my heart and soul my dearest and I will always.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx"
"23 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Another week commences and I'm a day nearer to you. It's been a very uneventful day all around but my radio has supplied me with a good measure of entertainment. Mans greatest piece of equipment when days are long and activities are few and far between. I still consider it one of my very best investments as it has paid for itself over and over again many many times. As usual I went to mass this morning and we have a new chaplain down here with us now. He was formerly at Chelsea Naval Hospital. He seems like a pretty nice person. I had intentions of going to Confession and Communion but I didn't quite make it. I guess I'll manage next week for sure as I haven't been since Easter Sunday.
This afternoon I managed to pick up the ball game from New York so I had some diversion. Tomorrow is another free day for me but I'll manage to do something to kill the time. We have a ball game in the afternoon so all I'll have to worry about will be the morning and I can always sleep through that if worse comes to worse. Tonight I've secluded myself in my cubby-hole but I'll have to break loose soon as I'm getting a little hungry and the joints close soon, the Club and soda fountain that is. My inspirations are at a a minimum today but I'm doing the best that I can under the circumstances. I really just have you in mind all of the time and I wanted to tell you that I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you tremendously all of the time. I'll write again tomorrow. Please take care.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxx"
"24 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Monday, another day, another week and here I am once again writing my usual nightly letter. Today turned out to be quite hot and inactive but I've managed to survive it all. I didn't get up til almost noon and since we had a ball game this afternoon the day went along pretty rapidly. In my spare moments around noon I managed to get my hair clipped short and I do mean short. It should grow out rapidly though with all of this heat and my various activities. It must have been six weeks since my last haircut and if I'm not mistaken it was before you arrived down here to visit me. If I had let it grow any longer I'd have to ask you to send me down a few curlers and a fist full of bobby pins. Now all of that is overwith and I can have a cool head once again without resorting to Calvert's. I got another letter from you today and it made my day complete I must say. Is it getting any warmer around those parts as yet? The heat is really beginning to get fierce around here as the thermometer is constantly soaring up to between 90 and 95 degrees. While playing ball I sweat so much from the heat that my sweat shirt is soaked and the shirt of my uniform is almost as bad. I guess I still lose about ten pounds a game but I put it back on by gulping down water during and after the game. By the way we win this afternoon so we are back in the win column once again. It was a good game close and tight all of the way. All of our previous encounters have been one-sided slug-fest. Our athletic officer is going to sea next week so today was his last game with us. I don't know who will take over after he leaves. So much for activities from this end now for your mail. Your ink situation is really drastic but I guess you have managed to change the situation as of now. Speaking of movies, I haven't seen one for ages so when I get home and we contemplate taking in a movie we won't have to pore over the paper trying to locate one that I haven't seen. As far as teaching you to drive goes I'll get to it when I get home in July and see if I can get you well on the way. Don't let Hannie and Peggie worry you too much. By the way have Mary & Eddie made any definite plans about the future? Well honey I'm going to close out for now and get a little shuteye as tomorrow is another work day. I love you and miss you with all of my heart and soul and I will always. Please take care honey.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx"
"27 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
It seems like ages since I have written to you although it has been only two nights. I'm very sorry that I did miss up but circumstances arose that prevented it. Wednesday night we played a night ball game about forty miles out of town and by the time that we got back and I cleaned up and all it was almost three 'clock in the morning. I was worn to a frazzle from it all. The heat and humidity sapped pretty near all of the ambition out of me before the game was half over and when I returned here I was almost too tired to shower but since I was covered with red dirt and dust plus a thorough rinsing of perspiration I was forced to wash. Needless to say we lost the ball game but the experience of it all will come in handy if we ever have an occasion to play under the lights again. Last night was my duty day and what a twenty-four hour deal or ordeal we went through. All day long we received calls to stand-by the strip as planes were coming in with flat tires or oil leaks or anything that the pilots could dream up. After all of our scurrying around they all landed safely without any trouble whatsoever. Nightly flying found us out in the field keeping alert for any incident but all went well. We were relieved by the other section at ten and we returned to the shack where I promptly turned in Der Bingle for a little relaxation. Just as I made myself comfortable the crash horn blared and off we went like a herd of cattle. A student had crashed outside the gates somewhere but no fire resulted. When we got to the end of the landing strip the pilot was standing there unhurt and pointed in the general direction of the plane out in the middle of the woods. Since there wasn't any fire we stood by for a while looking at each other. When all the switches were turned off and fire hazards were eliminated we returned to our shack. For the rest of the evening we were subject to calls by everyone who considered himself a big shot wishing to know all of the particulars. We finally got to bed at two-thirty. Luckily this morning no early call rousted me out of bed unless they forgot me which I doubt. Today was rainy for a change and I just slept away my time. I managed to do some washing and studying so I accomplished something. Tonight for a change I went to the movies and saw 'Fort Apache' with John Wayne. It was a far fetched version of Custer's Last Stand on which I'm getting to be an authority from reading a great deal about it.
I haven't received any mail from you for the past two or three days but I should be getting some tomorrow I hope. Tomorrow, Friday, is another non working day so I'll lay around in bed all morning. I miss you tremendously my pet and I love you with all of my heart. Please take care.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxx"
"28 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
As I expected I made out in the mail department so everything is back to normal once again. They were your letters of Monday and Tuesday plus your letter of Sunday morning they were held up along the way I guess but I've received them at last so that's all that really counts. Today was another day of laying around and to make it worse it rained most of the day. I didn't do much of anything but I did manage to get in about three hours of study on algebra. I'm accomplishing something at least. Tomorrow is another day of rest for me so I'm really doing absolutely nothing. What a life I lead and I miss you like mad especially when we could be enjoying ourselves so much with all of this time off. In about thirty-five days I'll be home on leave and then maybe we can try to make up for lost time. In 114 days I'll be home for good so time is really moving along for us. This month is almost over and a new one starts Tuesday. If time keeps rolling along like this for a few more months I won't have a complaint in the world. We shall see what time will produce and I'm hoping for the best along the way. About this hour you and your mother should be on your way to New York for the holidays. I hope that you have a good time and that the change of scenery will do your mother a lot of good. Being cooped up at home really gets one in a rut as I well know. In my case it will all change once I get home with you. I wish that I could only be on my way to New York and Jersey with both of you because the last visit that we made I really enjoyed immensely and I sincerely hope that once we settle down for good that we will be able to manage a trip once again.
I'm going to let your letters go until the weekend as I'll need a little inspiration then to keep me going in my letter writing. You won't receive this letter until after your trip is all over but nevertheless I'm hoping that your trip is very enjoyable. I'm going to sign off for now until tomorrow so until then please take care of yourself. I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you tremendously.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Always & Always
John xxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx"
"31 May 1948
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Here is your husband once again a few days late once again but slowly but surely I'm getting back on the ball. The holidays are about over now and everything should return to normal once again. I know that you will hate returning to work after your trip and I can't blame you at all. I hope that you really enjoyed yourself. As for me I only regret that I was unable to accompany you. Life is really tragic. Our day is coming so I won't mind too much. Now I'll be looking forward to the Fourth and my leave and will hope that the time between now and then will really roll by at a rapid rate. I had to work yesterday but today and tomorrow are days of leisure for me. I don't ever remember having so much time off on any one job. Oh how I wish that we could be together under these circumstances. I'm afraid that you would grow sick and tired of seeing me so often. I doubt it though, but nevertheless I do miss you tremendously my pet. We have known each other a matter of seven years now and as I look back on it time has really flown by for us. The war really took up a great portion of it but time really has moved. I guess we are just getting old slowly but surely.
Nothing much has happened around here for the past few days so I really haven't much to report. The long weekend has suspended mail deliveries so I haven't any mail to resort to as inspiration. Everyone left the area for the holidays except a few trusting souls like myself. I've managed to survive. I haven't had a beer for ages it seems so I'm leading a very solid and righteous existence. I'm saving up until I get home when I should be in shape for whatever may come along. Tomorrow brings on June the month of brides and flowers but to me it will mean another month to hurdle until I can see you once again and I hope that it rushes right by even though it may cause a few brides inconvenience. Well honey commencing tonight I'll endeavor to pick up my nightly correspondence once again. Please take care of ourself. I love you with all of my heart and soul and I do miss you so very very much.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Alway & Always
John xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx"
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