1946 April

"1 April 1946

My dearest Ellen

Here I am on my Sunday afternoon schedule once again. I just got back from my usual jaunt around the rock and it is changing for the better slowly but surely. Most of the outfits have discarded the tents and are now living in Quonset barracks except for a few army outfits that are due to break up soon. The Navy by all means surpasses the army as far as neatness is concerned in their areas and buildings and it can be noticed almost immediately. Who knows but in a few months I won't be able to recognize the joint. I guess about the only things that can't be changed are the weather and the mud. With fairly good facilities I guess we will be able to stand either of the two. Our airstrip here at Awase opened today for the first time in a long while as they just finished putting an asphalt surface on it. Now N.A.B. Yonabaru will be closed while they do the same thing down there. All Navy aircraft out here will be operating out of our strip so we will be in for a pretty busy time until their strip is completed. They can't work us over twenty-four hours a day so that's a consolation. I guess when the carrier comes in and takes our planes out most of our real work will be done and we will be able to take it a little easier. At least I hope so. I heard them say last November that we weren't going to get any more planes in our Pool but we are still getting them. We now have close to one hundred and only twenty men to take care of them.

During the war they would have had at least two men for each plane and then some. Such is life. I guess I might as well explain the outfit more clearly so that you won't get confused. When the Marine and Navy air groups leave the states they take their aircraft out here with them and keep them in as good a condition as they are able. After so many outfits hit an area a certain number of spare aircraft are sent out and kept in a centralized spot within reach of each group operating in the area. When their planes get worn out they fly them into us and we give them new planes in return. The worn out planes we preserve with an application of oils and various mixtures so that they won't corrode and then we send them to Guam or to the States where they are overhauled as good as new and sent back out. We have only a few planes now that are new and all the old ones we are due to get rid of as soon as the carrier comes in. We are or I should say were supplying Marine groups in China Korea and Japan with new planes but since we haven't any new ones for them we can't do them any good.

Well honey I'm running dry of inspiration for the time being but I promise to write to you tomorrow as I know that their will be mail for me to answer. As it is I haven't had time to answer my buddies mail that I received two weeks ago. I answer yours when I can grab a bit of time. I love you that's the main reason but I am dogged tired when I get through work and since yours is the most important to me I take time out to answer it. I miss you honey and if ever I get close to you you won't never get rid of me. Your secondary duties will be to be my corresponding secretary. Well I'll close for now till tomorrow and tell you that I miss you tremendously and love you with all my heart

Always

John."

"6 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am again on another Saturday nite and once again I am (on) watch. It seems to me that Saturday nights watches and myself are getting to be synonymous. Nevertheless I can bear them as they are all early watches and I can retire at midnight and get some sleep for all my Sunday activities which out in this neck of the woods amount to very little.

This has been a really trying week for we poor occupants of this forgotten isle. We have had so far this week two typhoon warnings plus a tidal wave alert. Tuesday we were alerted for a typhoon and stood around waiting for it to hit when we got a message that a tidal wave was due to hit  us. This tidal wave alert came on Wednesday while we were still awaiting the typhoon. After securing and tying down any thing that moved we left for the hills. After a two or three hour wait we came back to camp and hit the sack. Yesterday we got another typhoon warning and once again we went 'round and 'round lashing down everything and by now we are all set. The latest word I've got so far is that it has passed us by and that we will only receive high winds at about 30 to forty miles an hour which is a little higher than a normal day out here. I guess anything can happen in Okinawa during rainy season. The rainy season incidentally has just started and will continue for six to eight weeks. So far the rain has appeared in the form of fog only but today the rain pelted down as heavy as ever and in a few minutes we were ankle deep in mud once again. I guess the typhoon was the cause of it. I hope the rainy season continues as it started, but I guess we will be pestered by typhoon alerts and conditions that will bring the water that is a necessary evil. The whole trouble with these typhoons is that only a few get close by and none of them cause any damage. We have a mess of warehouses out here that a typhoon would do no harm to and it would save us the trouble of keeping a man on watch on them. Maybe in time God and nature will be good to us and blow them down.

These typhoons are holding up our incoming and outgoing mail so I didn't get any mail from you for about a week. I hope my mail isn't too disrupted due to the elements. I did get a letter from my brother Joe yesterday and he is on his way to South Carolina and then for a discharge. He has been on patrol duty out of San Francisco and from his letter it was pretty rugged duty. They sailed out 700 miles and then after cutting their engines drifted for thirty days. I guess he's pretty glad to get away from that duty. Well honey I'll close out now till tomorrow as things are beginning to pick up a bit around here. I love you with all my heart and miss you more than everything. I wish I could be with you or you with me and then things would be fine. I'm waiting and waiting and only hope that we can get together really soon and stay together always. I love you I love you -------I love you

Always

John".             

There are 2 envelopes postmarked Apr 8 1946 but only this letter. Both envelopes are very similar. 

"8 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am as I promised and as I said before mail is slow. I have a couple of letters here that I ran across that I don't remember answering so I'll take care of that  little matter right now. They were written March 15 and March 17. I also received the same day another letter with an old letter enclosed that had been sent back to you for want of another or a better address. I don't know why they sent it back to you unless the mailman slipped up out here and returned it by mistake. As it is they have about a thousand men to take care of and they have to forward mail to all these guys that have gone home. Its a pretty rugged job and I often wonder why they don't make more errors than they do. I see that you also got my recording list. Well honey don't worry too much about it as it's more or less a result of a moment of loneliness that caused me to write it up in lieu of something better to do. You can be the sole judge of what you want to do about it. Most of them are old recordings that will be pretty difficult to get if not impossible. As far as your changes of mood are concerned you are doing splendidly and I hope you can keep it up as it helps out quite a bit. The only moods I'll put up with are happy and loving moods and since they will only be registered on paper at this time it will keep you and me in the right mood till we can be together once again for keeps. 

Your letter also states the very obvious fact that Peggy & Paul are 'jerks' as you put it. From what Peggie is getting out of the romance I'd say she was a pretty clear headed girl and shouldn't take a back seat from anyone. Paul from his antics could be a 'jerk' but a good egg just the same. I guess Peggy isn't doing to bad at all. Your opinion of me really makes my ego stand up and take notice. Keep it up hon, as that really makes me feel good. Your also afraid that if I keep saying I'm not romantic I'll probably convince myself that I'm not. I'll change my attitude towards romance as of now and by the time I get home and commence to romance you you'll probably swoon before I can really get started into high gear. How does that appeal to you? You can count on plenty of lovin's and loads of wolfing from yours truly when I hit the states so when I do get started you'll have no excuse as you started it. I'll sign off for now with the usual I love you which I mean with all my heart and I will love you

Always 

John."

I wonder what caused that statement about Peggy and Paul? Paul Navin is the guy that my mother had spent time with according to her diary entries from a couple of years previously. She had told me that after she had met my father, she told her younger sister Peggy to write to Paul - apparently a romance developed. Maybe she was jealous that Peggy was getting along in her life while my mother's life was on hold because my father was in the service?

There are two envelopes dated April 13, 1946 but no letters to go with them.

There is no envelope for the following letter - April 14, 1946 - unless my father made a mistake with the date and it was really April 13? I suppose we will never know. 

14 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

It is now after nine Sunday night and it is my first opportunity to write to you for quite a stretch. I just finished work and after drying out and scraping the mud off I have finally come to the conclusion that I have to write to you. We were loading planes on a carrier for the past two days thru a steady drizzle and sometimes heavy downpours. It is all finished now thank the Lord and I hope it will be the last carrier that we will have to load. We have been getting these planes ready for this carrier for the past few weeks so maybe now I'll be able to relax and slow down to a gallop for a few days a least. I am taking tomorrow off so I guess I'll be able to catch up on all the letter writing that I missed while I was toiling so strenuously to help out the poor Navy. 

Yesterday I received the amazing total of seven letters and all from my one and only. I'm used to receiving one or two letters every few days but seven letters in one day really floored me. I want to extend to you my heart felt appreciation for your efforts and I really appreciate it. I get to love you more and more each day and on days like yesterday I get to the point where I adore you, honest. You think or I say you say that my letters are so good for your morale well honey add another as your letters keep me going and help me out an awful lot. I'll try to avoid answering them tonight and will leave it 'til tomorrow when I will have lots of free time to really answer them at length.

As it is now I am a bit weary from my toil the past few days so if this letter doesn't contain much news or information blame it on the Navy. But weary or not I still miss you an awful lot and love you more and more each day. I guess if you were with me or I with you I wouldn't feel the least bit tired as I figure you would cheer me up an awful lot. It really would be nice to have you near me as I miss you so much. I guess I'll close out for tonight and I will commence answering your abundance of mail the first thing in the morning. All my love to you now & 

Always

John"

"15 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I go now answering your mail as I promised you last night. The first one that I'll answer is your letter of April first which I consider at the spur of the moment the most interesting as it tells me all about you in more ways than one. I see that you are getting my mail at a pretty good rate so I can relax for a minute and since you praised me on my constant writing I'll pat myself on the back and strive to do an awful lot better now that my real heavy, time-taking work is over. Maybe I'll have your morale sky high in no time at all. I hope so anyway. Your letters have been spaced so well that I hardly noticed your lack of writing while you were sick in bed so you needn't apologize for it. All I care is that you are well once again and able to get around again as usual. Now I'll attempt to clarify a few statements I made in my previous letter in regard to your developments such as they are. When I asked for your measurements in a previous letter when I anticipated a trip to China you sent me a waist 28" and a bust 34" measurement. Your waist measurement astonished me as I have only a 31 or 32 myself and you are so much smaller than me around the waist. Now that you tell me that 28" is your skirt size I fully understand the situation. Twenty-eight inches isn't so bad when you consider the overhang to the rear of each hip if you get what I mean. I guess when I get home I'll be forced to put you thru a few exercises or turn masseur or massager or whatever it is and knock a few pounds off of where you don't need it and push it around to where you do need it. Since you measured your waist and got 25" I guess I'll sleep a little better. I'll love you no matter how much you measure around the waist unless it gets over 30 inches. I'm giving you a break! Now for the other portion of the anatomy that is usually the first point of interest depending on the way people look at you, especially me. I guess I'm turning into another Earl Wilson of 'Behind my 8 ball' fame whose only interest seems to be busts and accessories. Your 34 inch development in that sector surprised me a little but it didn't amaze me. You are getting more 'oomph' day by day so keep up the good work. You are only three inches smaller than Jane Russell whose picture I am enclosing and from my point of view she has the most 'outstanding' oomph of any girl I have yet to see. You know honey, I went to a burlesque show in Philly one night and they featured a strip teaser who had the most oomph of all even Russell and when she went into her act it was as outstanding as neon lights. At the close of her number she removed her do-dad (I can't spell it) and her 'oomph' sagged almost down to her knees. Everyone moaned and moaned. I have finally come to the same conclusion as Teresa the girl you work with. Remember when you told me what she told the wise kid at work! Well I guess all over a handful is wasted especially when you have to carry around so much at once.  To sum up the whole issue my comment and advice to you is to follow the cigarette advertisement that says 'Keep them so firm so round and so fully packed.' If you do that I have no complaints whatsoever.  (over)

After reading this over I am almost afraid to mail it as it sounds kind of raw but you asked for my honest opinion on your developments so there it is. I'll expect your comments on my comments in the near future. Please don't disown me, please.

As for wives and brides-to-be coming ot Okinawa I haven't heard any more on it as yet but I will keep you informed of the issue as soon as possible. I hope it materializes and that you will be able to come out as I certainly would love to have you around with me, always and always.  I'll finish this letter out now by saying again that I love you with all my heart and soul and miss you terribly.

All my love

Always

John"

"15 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am once again still answering your terrific influx of mail as best  I can. I hope that I can catch up on it real quick. I just received another letter from you so that makes eight that I must answer at present. I guess we are both doing pretty well as far as correspondence is concerned so what say we both resolve to keep up the good work till we meet again. Agreed? I sincerely hope that our meeting won't be too far off as I get lonelier and lonelier by the day just to be with you. I guess when I finally do get home I'll be the wolfish type so far as you are concerned, and you won't be able to find an unloving moment through out the course of the day. I or should I say we must catch up on all this wasted time and being wolfish is about the only way I can see to do it. I hope you won't mind. I don't think you will as one of your previous letters requested such action on my part if I am not mistaken, so that is about all the permission that I need. As I told you in my letter  last night I have today off after slaving yesterday thru the rain and after sleeping till noon, eating dinner, reading till now my day is finally  rounding into shape now that I am writing to you again. The letter I got from you today I shall answer now. It was written March 27 after you came home from the dance with Hannie. I guess I must have a mess of twins floating around that look like me and since they make you blue and melancholy I'll have to publish an official edict a la Ceasar or some other big shot, and have them all liquidated except me. When I was back in he States I spotted a couple of girls who reminded me of you and since their wasn't anything I could do about it at the time being I went into a gin mill and drowned my sorrows with a little firewater. I guess we all get our blue moments. I get them out here when I hear music or programs that I associate with you or home and I get depressed something fierce. After a few beers I loosen up and my blues pass. If they didn't I guess I'd go rock happy out here by my lonesome. As for the stork pictures I put on the envelopes, they contained no hidden or obvious meanings but if people wish to attach meaning to it let it go as it can do us no harm one way or the other. I got a copy of some movie magazine and saw Mr Stork as a plug for the picture 'Stork Club' and since it looked nice to me I put a reasonable facsimile on the envelop of a couple of my letters to you. No hidden meanings nor secret intentions were held by yours truly believe me. I guess we can't worry about stork trouble till I get home so don't give it a second thought. It was merely a decoration, pure and simple and o, so innocent. Tell Hannie I'm surprised at her for having such illusions. Now to switch to another epistle of yours if I may, your letter of March 26 in which you state that you are not really as good as I think you are. Honey I know that you are a god kid but only God is perfect so you must have faults, everyone has. Nature endows everyone with habits and traits some good some bad but taking all these understandable things into deep consideration I still think you are a good girl especially when you waste time with a lug like me. Since you are afraid I'll disown you if I ever hear of your misdemeanors please tell me about them as they can't be as bad as you say. Like the mission fathers say when they prepare the congregation for Confession - You haven't done any thing that I haven't heard someone else say that they had done before. Let me hear about them and let me be the judge. If they are worse than murder I'll think twice before I forgive you so let me hear about them. After all in the near future you will be my wife and I'll find out sooner or later so why not forewarn me. As for my spree out here I've had another that wasn't too bad although it cleared up my cold and got rid of a case of nerves for me so all in all these sprees are medicinally beneficial from my way of thinking. Please don't get any ideas clear or vague that I am getting rummyish as I'm not. I'll return to you just as I left you in good shape good health and good spirits thru the grace of God. As for our spree how about the night we get married? I guess that night we'll really need it. I'm really glad you don't drink as that is one less worry on my part and one fewer gray hair on my dome. About waking up together with big heads that's another issue. I try to avoid them and when they do arrive - wow. I learned a secret formula to cure them and for once it really works. After a tough night I mix a half a glass of beer and half a glass of tomato juice  and drink it right down just before I hit the sack. The next morning there are no after affects whatsoever. Tell Hannie to try it after one of her boiler maker nights. Well honey I'll close this letter out and will write again. I miss you terribly and still love you with all my heart and soul.

My love to you 

Alway

John"

"15 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here it is the same day but at a different time. Right after I finished my last letter to you I was rudely notified that I was fifteen minutes late for my watch. The real reason that I was late was simply the fact that I didn't know that I had the watch until I was told. So without any real difficult deduction on your part or mine you can realize that I am again on watch. Last Saturday night was the first Saturday in quite a while that I didn't stand a watch. Instead I was working so I lose either way. I guess I may as well continue answering your mail which incidentally has now reached the amazing total of ten. At supper tonight I received two more letters from you. Wow are you working for my side. Keep it up. One was written at work the afternoon previous to the dance at Roseland. The other was your letter discussing our mutual impulses and stuff along that line, really interesting to be sure. I'm trying to decide whether to answer it now or devote a whole letter to it. It really deserves a whole letter as is really an important issue. I'll postpone it for the time being and discuss less important questions. 

I haven't reached Shanghai as yet but two of the chiefs here made the trip and your measurements came in real handy. I had them get me a set of pajamas for you. They really are slick no fooling. It has a blue top and jet black bottoms. My only objection is that it hasn't an elastic waistband but I guess you will be able to dig one up before we get married and you get around to wearing them. These chiefs sent back a mess of stuff and when I go I'll dig up a few more items namely a very nice kimono and a housecoat. I haven't sent it to you yet but I guess I'll get to it tomorrow for sure. I can't wait to see in them but I guess I'll have to wait nevertheless as at present nothing can be done to help me out.  I guess that will be another reason why I will demand that we get married as soon as possible once I get home. Tell Rita that I will think up an appropriate picture for her now that I know her weight. She must be growing something fierce to weigh that much.

I've got to close out now for the time being and I will endeavor to answer some more of your letters tomorrow especially the 'impulse' one, but first I'll have to think up an inspiration. I love you with all my heart now and always

My love always

John"

"21 April 1946 

My very dearest Ellen.

A very happy Easter to you and all. I have just finished my work for the day and after a shower and a light supper I have finally come around to writing to you. My work today wasn't my usual toil as it was more or less housework. I washed and ironed all my clothes today and I've been doing it since eleven this morning. I finished at four thirty this afternoon so you can see that my day has been indeed complete for a change. The sun was very bright and very hot and since I was running around in shorts, I have now a slight sunburn to bear for all my troubles. It isn't bad so maybe I can work into a tan for a change if only my body will cooperate.

I haven't had any mail from you since I wrote to you last but I guess I'll have a few tomorrow. Those ten that I received in two days really had me going and I still haven't got around to answering them all. My intentions are really good as far as letter writing is concerned but sometimes a lot of complications arise that sort of throw me off the beaten path. Please bear with me for a while and I'll strive to succeed. You have put up with me now for this long so I guess you can stand me for a little longer. I hope. Your letter of April 5, impulses and stuff, that I promised to answer. I will attempt to answer now. I'm still very glad that my letters build up your morale as much as they do, and I would like to say the same about yours. They keep me happy and in fine spirits so keep up your fine work as I appreciate it with all my heart and soul and I can't thank you enuff.

Now to get into the theme of things namely impulses and stuff. I'm glad that you enjoyed parking with me the last time I was home although I really don't know why you wouldn't. Maybe it's because we did things we never did before, and neither of us blushed once. At least I don't think we did. As far as you're doing anything I asked, I'm glad we only went as far as we did. If we went any further who knows what might have happened. I'm glad though that I am the object of all your impulses and to be truthful your the object of all of mine. I guess when we get married we'll get along fine so never you mind about anything at all.

As far as your lack of experience, actual experience I mean, is concerned, I guess after a honeymoon everything will work out fine for us. Never fear that you will be a disappointment to me. Remember honey that when I see you and marry you that you will be the first woman I've seen since I left the States so forget everything. I'm glad that you feel the same way that I do about making up for lost time as I was afraid that I would be doing all the lovemaking. I'd do a little better in this letter save for the fact that I am in the barracks and I can't really concentrate on the subject so I'll write about it again in the near future. I love you with all my heart and soul and miss you terribly I'll close now with all my love to you.  

Always  

John."

The date on the following letter is April 23 1945 but I think that was a mistake as the address is the same as the other letters in April before and after this one.

"April 23 1945

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am on watch once again so once again you are getting a letter from me to keep up your morale. I received a nice long letter from you today and if time permits me, I'll answer it in this letter. We are standing our watches in a Quonset hut, and it is terribly hot. In fact it has been real hot around here since Saturday and there is no relief in sight as yet. I'll struggle through it all I guess as hotter days have yet to come. Our outfit is breaking up first of May but please don't get the idea that I'll be going home as I won't. I still have some time to do out here so I will undoubtedly get transferred somewhere else probably back to Yonabaru.

I was talking to the Personnel Officer about the breaking up of the outfit and he is going to try to place us in the best spot he can find for us. I've requested Shanghai or some other Chinese port and if my luck holds out I'll probably reach my requested destination. I'm not trying to get any place I can't get home from but I want someplace that will be halfway decent. After all I want the best I can get so please understand honey. Since I started to write this it has begun to rain, so maybe it will clear up some. Now for your letter of April 8 from which I just got a whiff of powder that seems strangely familiar. I'm glad that you liked the pictures that I sent to you as I thought they were pretty good myself. As far as our glamour girl is concerned, she is only a painting of a girl that adds charm to our jump joint. If we didn't have her around what would the guys talk about when they get gassed up. She is a good reminder of the fact that there is still white women on earth although they seem quite far away right now. We have Red Cross girls out here but they aren't worth the ground they walk. In a few years a big stink will be raised over these Red Cross gals especially the way they acted morally out on these rocks. Not all of them but a good percentage of them.

I'm glad that you went over to my house again as I know my folks are always glad to see you. I guess when I get home I won't know anyone of the family they have grown so since I left the States. As far as Tom is concerned I guess he'll manage Edwina or do without her. He really has a one tracked mind. Richie making his first Communion really surprise me no end. I still regard him as a mere baby. I guess I have been away for quite awhile.

As for writing to my folks, well, I must confess that I have slipped quite a bit. What with all my work I've only been able to keep you on my steady correspondence list and that in itself is a real struggle at times. I'll have to do better or I'll be disowned. I guess my father is my biggest booster as far as married life is concerned. I told them in my letters about us getting married as soon as we can get together once more. I'd like to have him meet your folks so if you can swing the deal do so by all means as I'll appreciate it immensely.

I'm glad that you have a good time when you go to the dances at Hibernian and anywhere else that you go as you deserve every good time you can muster up. I'm in favor of you having a good time and being as happy as you possibly can be. After all I don't want to go home and find you all wound up with wrinkles and bad nerves from sitting around doing nothing. Enjoy yourself honey as you are a long time married. As for your wild life it can't possibly be as bad as you say. As long as you love me as I love you everything will be fine indeed. I'm too hopelessly in love with you to disown you no matter what you do so that's that.

Since you reminded me of the lack of mail that my folks are getting from me I guess I'll drop them a line as soon as I finish this letter to you. I got a letter from them a couple of days ago so I guess this would be just as good as any time to answer it. I'll close out now honey with my usual ending. I love you sincerely and miss you an awful lot. All of my love to you now and 

Always 

John."

28 April 1946

My very dearest Ellen

Here I am again, and still going strong. I hope. Our work is still piled up and to top it off some goof ran a tractor into three of our planes and I have just that much more work to do out here. I guess a man's work is never done at least it doesn't look that way. I received about four letters from you this past week and this is my first opportunity to answer any of them. I have fallen off a bit in my letter writing but I'll try to improve. What with all our work and stuff I had two social engagements during the week on Wednesday and last night. It was really a blowout on both occasions and I came back to my sack a little worse for wear on both occasions. Today we played a game of ball and I got a pretty nice red rosy sunburn as a result. It doesn't hurt much, but it does make its presence felt. I guess I must have lost four or five pounds of my extra poundage during the course of the game and in turn sweated out most of the beer that I drank at the parties. So all in all I'm right back to where I was when I wrote to you last. As far as answering all your letters is concerned I'm afraid I can't do it.

About the best I can do at present is to get your letters in a digest form, and answer them as best I can. They are coming fast and furious which you know is the way that I like them to come so in order to keep your morale up I'll have to keep up at a pretty rapid pace myself.

I'm glad that you are making progress on my recordings but as I told you before you really don't have to try too hard as it's really unimportant. Most of them are really 'oldies' and would be difficult to get no matter how hard you searched for them. With all that money you're paying in taxes I have come to the conclusion that you must be paying the war debt on your own. I am immune thank the Lord. Madeline will never really learn the score I guess. She is really a sucker for punishment so there is nothing that can be done about it. Peggy and Paul are really getting themselves set up in a big way. I guess they mean what they say and are going to it in a great big way. As for your buying furniture I'll leave everything in your hands and you do as you see fit. As it is, I'm not around those things now and after being out here I doubt if I'd recognize a sofa or an arm chair if I saw one. You do what you think is best honey and it will be all right with me. You can tell Hannie that my man Puhl is single, unattached and available and is just as hubba as he looks. I don't know what she wants in a man as after she sees him for a while she leaves him flat. What a female! Was Mary Blackburn and herself no man will be safe I guess till they capture one. I'm glad that I'm over here. Thanks for your blotter pin up but I guess no one could be like that no matter how hard they tried so so never worry about it. Well honey, I'm getting groggy from the sunburn and this mosquito spray they are using so I better sign off for the present. I miss you and love you with all my heart. Take care of yourself and my love to you

Always.

John"

The postmark on this envelope looks like April 20 but maybe it is 29? If it is April 20, there is no letter to go with it.

I wonder what that mosquito spray was that they were using?

March 1946

"March 2 1946

My dearest Ellen

I got three letters from you in the past few days. They were postmarked February 12 – 13 – 15 so I guess the letter of the 14th will drop in at any time. I was going to go to the show and the boring bouts tonight and answer these tomorrow but nature intervened. It is now raining like mad. It seems to me that even the elements are on your side. I guess I better answer your mail now before I start rambling off on some subject that doesn't amuse you at all. As far as driving is concerned I guess driving lessons could be managed for you. It's pretty simple in itself the driving I mean, and all that's required is patience and good judgment plus a little experience. I guess if Gin can drive you can too that is if someone teaches you the fundamentals. When I get home I'll see what can be done about it. Agreed? That family of yours is really giving you a few bad hours in a good natured sort of way. I'm glad that you can take it and give back to. Who knows maybe those nipples will come in handy sometime in the future and it will be so much saved on your part. 

As far as our cozy estate out here in Okinawa is concerned the rain is now seeping in in a spot or two so tomorrow I guess we will have to fix it. It's raining to hard now and besides it's very dark out. We have a large refrigerator in our hut too but it don't go. It hasn't any chemical in it to freeze or cool the box.

The guy that fixes them doesn't seem to know where we live because we've sent for him a few times but no soap. Oh well such is life! As far as our home is concerned I guess we had better wait till we get married and settled down before we decide on anything definite. Financial reasons I guess. 

You said in your letter that you dreamed that we were getting married and that when you were halfway down the aisle you discovered that you had on loafers. Well kid I had a dream quite similar but I can't quite remember what it was that made you back out but it was some thing. All I know is that you walked out on me and left me there at the altar embarrassed confused and what have you. The priest married me anyway but I don't know where you were. When I woke up I was covered with sweat and couldn't remember where I was at. It must have been something I ate. Boy what a dream that was. Never again. I'll send a few pictures of our huba natives and would like to hear Rita's comments. I don't figure she will wear these out. By the way I'm learning a bit about photography out here. The developing and printing angle I mean. The guy I bunk with took it up for a year in college and is pretty well hep on the stuff. It's really interesting no kidding. I guess I'll have to develop the idea and make a good use of it. The pictures I am sending you mostly of Suicide Cliff where the Japs leaped to their death before they would give up. It's just as rough as it looks and I guess any kind of a leap would be good for a trip to the Pearly Gates or what have you. I'll close out and will write again tomorrow. I love you and miss you an awful lot. Keep your chin up and keep smiling.

I love you always

John"

This picture of Suicide Cliff, Okinawa with the guys at the edge gives me the chills.

https://www.ww2online.org/image/suicide-cliff-okinawa

"March 3 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Well here I am again. Your letters really piled up on me so I guess I had better finish answering them this morning. Miss or is it Mrs Mac is certainly giving you people a bad time. You really surprise me by standing up to her the way you do. I'm really glad to hear that you can stick up for your own right. Theresa busting out in tears really disappointed me after all you told me about her. I guess one never knows. Keep up the good work kid I'm proud of you, honest. As far as her being a what you call "frustrated female" I can't say as I never looked up the definition but if she is what I think she is after your description she should do the world a favor and drop dead.

As for settling down after marriage I guess we can kick around for a couple of years, just the two of us just so that you will see what you haven't been missing. We'll let the heirs apparent wait a year or two. All right? As far as eloping with a Red Cross gal or a nurse is concerned don't let it bother you at all. They are strictly officer bait and enlisted men marry them when the officers get thru playing with them. I won't say all the women are like that but there is a good percentage. They aren't for me and I'm damned sure I'm not for them. We have a club out here operated by the Red Cross girls. They are about the only women we see except for one or two getting off the transport planes going to Japan or Tokyo. Never worry about me honey as you are stuck with me if you like it or not.

We went out yesterday and shot some pictures. We found a native village and shot away. We are printing the pictures and I will send you a set when they are dried out. While we were touring around I got in a sentimental mood and really began to realize what the army and marines went thru out here to take this place. In about 2 miles along one of the valleys we counted twenty tanks that were knocked out by the Japs. It's really something when you park a jeep on the road and look up the sides of these hills and wonder how in the name of God they ever made it. I guess the cemeteries give the answer. Along most of the roads you can still see the effects of war what with ruined tanks and Jap trucks, tree stumps all black from flame throwers, shell craters and the tombs and caves all pock marked by rifle and machine gun fire. I stopped to realize what the invasion of Japan would be like if this was a preview. They had over 80,000 dead servicemen out here taking the southern half of this island, and that doesn't include navy casualties on the ships that were hit by the Kamikaze boys. Our Acorn was slated for Japan whether you know it or not. I'm glad that the war ended when it did as my luck may have run out if it didn't.

Well honey I'll close out now before I get to morbid. I love you honey and miss you dearly. Keep praying that I get home soon and I will try to make your prayers come to reality. I guess I miss you as much as you miss me but my mind is kept occupied most of the time. Maybe it's a good thing or else I'd go stock raving mad out here.

I'll sign off now and will again say I love you with all my heart and miss you

Always

John"

I was quite touched when my father was talking about realizing the human cost of the war - 80,000 families whose sons or fathers weren't going home. 

"5 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen, 

Well honey here I am again a little slow but very sure. I got a letter from you today the first this week so I am doing all right for the time being. It was one of your moody letters but nevertheless I read over a couple of times. Where you seem despondent I only read once so cheer up. At last you find that you are not the only one having romantic troubles as Hannie is also having hers. I guess Peggy is the only one having a half decent time these days but wait a while and things will change. By the way give Peggy my best wishes on her 20th anniversary. Boy ain't everyone getting old all around us. Who knows maybe we are too but I doubt it. That guy Paul must have plenty of dough to run around to Steuben's and the Carleton. Give me a line on him. What does he do or who does he do for a living? He must have a pretty good racket.

Your plans for my homecoming are really something hon, no kidding. I guess I had better stay in shape so that I won't be snowed under when I hit deah old home. Oh you do the planning I'll tag along and try to keep up the faith till the bitter end. I guess one good wild night would really swarm me under after being away from the bright and gay spots for so long. All I do is sit around and figure out ways to make money. I really figure out some lulu's no fooling. I make thousands upon thousands of dollars then come to, still as low financially as when I started. I've been thinking a lot about real estate and it still looks like a pretty good bet. When we get married is the time I'm really going to start making money and living if I have anything to say about it.

As far as sending me anything there isn't anything I need really. You see I was thinking about a camera but I don't need one. When I get around to need one I have a buddy with me who worked at Eastman Kodak before the war and thru his sister at home he can get me a real good one at half the usual price. I can tell you what you can do for me if you will. It will take up a lot of your spare time and who knows maybe it will be a good hobby for you. I've been hearing a lot of real old Bing Crosby recordings out here lately and was planning to make a collection of them when I get home. Maybe you can dig up a few for me in the meanwhile.

I'll make a list of recordings I like and then you can get them for me in your spare time. You can send me a box of stuff like at Christmas and can include a few song sheets Sunday funnies and the like if you will plus the local papers. I'd really appreciate them honey. If they run into money let me know and I'll send you a money order to cover expenses. Especially for the recordings. I'm sending you some more pictures of Okinawa in general. I have a few of me that I'll send along at a later date.

Well honey I'll close out now for the time being and will write again tomorrow or sooner. I have to develop some pictures for further distribution. I miss you a lot honey and I love you dearly always and always will

All my love

Always

John"

There is another envelope also postmarked Mar 6 1946 but no letter to go with it. In the above 5 March letter, my father opens it saying 'Well honey here I am again' - I wonder if he had written another letter earlier that day? Here is the envelope anyway.

"9 March 1946

My dearest Ellen,

If my writing at times seems shaky it is due principally to the fact that my fellow chiefs are playing ping-pong and as a result the floor of the Quonsett which in turn supports my table is vibrating something fierce. Oh they just finished thank the Lord so maybe things will be a little quieter for a while. Did you get my last letter as yet? All I can say is why did I do it! I got a letter from you Thursday in which you were praying that my transfer would come through. No sooner did I finish reading your letter then I was informed of the fact that I was being transferred to N.A.B. Awase immediately. Oh I guess that was a rapid answer to your prayer. All the chiefs that I knew down here have gone home except for two and one of the two is the Chief Cook who in Navy lingo is a Chief Commissary Steward. The Chiefs here now were formally attached to Casu 11 and were transferred down here a few weeks ago. Everything is going fine so far. We had an inspection this morning first thing so we all had to look sharp. Oh I guess we looked sharp enough as the old man the captain I mean didn't say anything to the contrary. They are ashphalting the fields so there is no operations going on. At present we are sweating out growing pains as the unit was formed only recently. Things are still pretty much in a state of confusion what with only a few men on hand and the boys going home on points. With a little time and a lot of patience we may persevere. Who knows?

Commencing tomorrow they are going to start building homes for the wives of the servicemen out here and from the plans they are going to be really all set. If they follow it through it may turn out to be a pretty good deal after all. This overseas duty I mean. I'll keep you posted on developments as they occur and will see what can be done as far as I'm concerned. I am sending you a few more pictures of myself the ones I promised before. As you can probably see I need a shave and one shot that really could have been all right was turned out too dark which added a little more stubble to my features. I guess I'll never get over that squint when I have a picture snapped. I'm sending a couple of small prints of the female decorations they have on the planes out here. Some really are good the others are much better. Lately they were forced to push dresses or similar effects on the art as it might make these Red Cross hags jealous. You know all that neat meat and I am such a sad sack. What brought that on? Well honey I'll close for now and will write again tomorrow. Take care of yourself Please.

I love you and miss you an awful lot, honestly.

All my love always and always

John"

"12 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Well another weekend has passed away and still nothing new has happened. I really like it down here but confusion is still the rage. We are getting straightened out by degrees and every day shows an improvement over the past. Who knows but in a few weeks things will be running smoothly once again and everyone will be happy. I didn't get any mail from you today but I figure I'll get one or two tomorrow so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed until then. 

The Navy is going back on a peacetime status on or about the first of April and Navy Bulletins are flooding into Personel office out here amending this or canceling this or announcing something new. One came out now affecting rates from now on in. In order for a man to make Chief he will have to be in the Navy for almost 7 years according to the minimum time between rates posted on the order. After seeing that I was really glad that I made it when I did. If I didn't I'd have to wait another year before I could attempt and would have to put a year at sea before I could get it. As a chief I am still acting appointment which means that the skipper can break me if I am incompetent or get in any serious trouble. It's more or less a probationary period to see if you can handle the job satisfactorily. Before today in order to be Permanent appointment you had to be an Acting appointment chief for one year if overseas or two years in the states. Now you have to have a years sea duty as acting appointment before you make permanent appointment and no other way. My time out here acts towards permanent appointment so I have no worries about us on that count.

Once a chief is permanent appointment he cannot be broken down in rate by anyone except the Chief of Naval Personal in Washington and then only on a very serious offense is he usually broken. So you see what I am striving for honey. I want to earn permanent appointment out here and when I go back to the states I'll be practically immune to severe discipline and everyone can go to hell. We'll be set for life or as long as we wish.

We had a party yesterday at our club and what a doisy it was. We had beer that we had and a couple of quarts of whiskey that our officer friends brought down. We had the party, a farewell affair, for two pilots who are going home on reassignment, and for two guys that are getting discharged. It was really a success. I was bartender for the night, till 3 AM to be exact, and everyone got as stiff as a plank. I guess I mixed the right concoctions for myself but the wrong ones for the others. Everyone got sick except me, but I guess it was because I was moving around so much that I wore off the sickening effects of too much liquor. All in all everyone had a good time and went home happy.

I tried Hannie's boilermakers after I was about half gone but got a better kick out of the 'depth charges.' The 'depth charge' is a shot of liquor in a beer and it's really potent. I've sworn off now till next weekend, I have to recuperate.

I miss you a lot when I'm having a little fun like that and wish so hard that you were with me to either control me or help me out. When I get home me and you will throw a mess of parties of our own in private or in public and see who wakes up the next morning with the biggest head. That should really be some thing no fooling. I can't imagine you waking up in the morning and telling me that you have a big head. Of course it could happen even to us. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe some night when we are on our honeymoon we'll really knock ourselves out, what do you say? I've only seen you tipsy once and you weren't so bad then except that you had a far away look in your eye. Remember?

By the way I saw the 'Harvey Girls' too and incidentally I thought it stunk. The songs were all right but the action and the story were lousy. About the only spot I liked was the waltz sequence they had at the Harvey Girls party. That reminded me of home and you and all. Maybe that's why I liked it so well. I also saw bells of Saint Mary with Bing Crosby and liked it a lot although the sound machine out here really murdered Bing when he sang. That Chase must be a pretty swell guy especially when Hannie intimates that she really likes him. Maybe she'll get trapped and wind up getting married after all.

My mother wrote to me a couple of days ago and said that you were going out to see them quite often. They think your swell and they mean it. Keep up the good work kid.

I guess Jim is taking a long rest before he goes back to work again. I don't blame him a bit no fooling. I guess I'll follow suit.

Well honey I'll close out for now and will write again in a couple of days. I love you honey honestly I do and miss you an awful lot. I'll close for sure now

All my love 

Always 

John"

I hadn't heard of the 1945 movie The Harvey Girls - it starred

Judy Garland, Angela Lansbury, and Ray Bolger - Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics for On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe, the most popular song from the film.

Bells of St Mary was another movie that I loved - it used to be on around Christmas with Bing Crosby's other movies - Going My Way, Holiday Inn. I loved Ingrid Bergman - She almost made me want to become a nun!

"13 March 1946

My dearest Ellen, 

As I figured I received two letters from you today so I am still in a fine frame of mind. Seeing that you are on the switchboard, reminds me of old times when you were on the switch board before up at Newton. Remember? Please excuse this pen but I misplaced mine somewhere or the other and I had to borrow this from one of the other chiefs for the time being. I'll find it for sure tomorrow as this pen is really lousy. 

I see that Madeline has finally landed a job at the Veterans Bureau. I suppose that now she'll have more men than ever to ease her sudden letdown at the hand of her ex flame Peter. I guess it was really a stinking trick on his part to be serious for a moment but she has no one to blame but herself. From your description of her escapades she does all the rushing and the poor guy has nothing to do about it. Maybe now that the war is over and things have settled down a bit she'll latch onto some guy that won't drop her so that she'll bounce. If she doesn't catch on soon her heart will wind up in a thousand pieces. Too bad!

I guess Hannie still hasn't settled down completely but I guess she will eventually. In fact the world itself hasn't stopped spinning but when it does everything will return to normal and every one will carry on once again as they did before the war.  The war gave them a cockeyed view of fast living and its pretty rough slowing down after you've been going full blast for a few years. As I said before you weren't living fast and you didn't miss anything.

These letters that I received from you were both mailed and written the 21st of February. The first you wrote at work the second at home after you came home from bowling. The second letter is very loving which I  wish mine were at times. I guess I'll have to get a book and learn how to write love letters but they would only be a novelty. Maybe if I wrote you a love letter and read it over before I mailed it I'd probably blush all over. Please honey never fear that I am fed up with you or that I'll get a change of heart as I know I won't. I wish you wouldn't get in these depressed moods of yours or you'll drive yourself crazy. I love you with all my heart and there is nothing that I can do about it. 

I'm glad that you feel as you do about my staying in service but as soon as it doesn't live up to my expectations I guess I may change my mind. As of now its been good to me and as long as its at least a fifty fifty proposition the Navy and I will get along. Well honey I guess I'd better sign off now and return this damned pen to its rightful owner and let him do with it as he pleases. If it were mine I'd know where to put (it.) I love you with all my heart Ellen please believe me; and I miss you an awful lot. I'll write again tomorrow.

All my love always.

John" 

"16 March 1946

My dearest Ellen

It seems to me that I am a few days behind in my writing, but I am really pressed for time at the present and if I am a little lax please forgive me. We are, that is the chiefs and officers, trying to organize the station and put it on a paying basis but we are running into a lot of difficulty from a thousand and one angles. The station setup as it now stands is made up of about two hundred men including officers and we have to take care of an area about half the size of Watertown. Included in this area is the landing strip with two big work areas, the camp area we live in, an enormous bomb dump loaded down with bombs plus an aviation supply depot they decommissioned but didn't remove the supplys from. Every area is loaded down with loads of expensive equipment and is a very tempting dish for looters both native and G.I. Every night some one of our areas is raided by looters and the chiefs and officers are broken out to investigate. These looters are really low characters, and if we ever catch up with them I'm afraid they will wind up in Naval Prison. The guys don't know what discipline is and as a result they are making it rugged for the other guys out here. We are making progress slowly but surely and in a few weeks I figure we will have them pretty well in hand. 

I've been receiving mail from you regularly for the past few days so that is at least one bright spot in my day. Keep your letters coming honey as I really get a lift from them. We played the officers today in the season opening soft ball and won as usual. Our team isn't as good as last year as you can see by the score which when the game ended saw us with 20 runs  to ten for the officers. It was really a loose game, I caught the whole game behind the plate which is usually a hot job as it is, but to add to my misery it was muggy and drizzly and I sweated like a bull. Right about now I'm kind of tired, but can manage this letter I guess. 

Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day and my second St Patricks Day without liberty. I guess I'll have to throw a private party to celebrate a bit or maybe I'll go to Confession and Communion tomorrow which I guess will be more beneficial in the long run. Well honey I'll close out for the present and will write again tomorrow afternoon. I guess I'm getting old and can't take it any more so I'll hit the sack if nothing else turns up for me to do. I love you kid with all my heart and miss you an awful lot. All my love to you

Always

John"

"20 March 1946

My dearest Ellen,

Hello again. I guess you must think that I am lost I have slowed down in my writing so much. Please don't give up on me as yet as we are still going hot and heavy out here. Today it rained so I can write to you at last. We have a mess of carrier planes out here that have to be sent out to China, Japan and back to the states so they are keeping us rather busy loading them aboard ship. Tomorrow we will be going really heavy. We were supposed to load a seaplane tender with planes today and were slated to unload another tomorrow but since it was raining and quite windy we will have to do both jobs tomorrow. I guess we will be all day working and all night too as it's a slow job. On top of that we are still attempting to organize the station which is slowly coming around all right I think. Oh well I asked for work so I guess I'm getting it all right so I shouldn't complain too loudly. I got a letter from you yesterday postmarked March 4th. You must have spent all night writing it as it was eight pages long. What a girl! Keep it up, but definitely kid as I love every page of them. As far as your photo album is concerned you should have a good one started on Okinawa and vicinity already. I'll keep sending them along as fast as I can get them in order that in my old age I'll be able to see what I went thru and wonder why and how.

I got your sizes down at last, about the only thing you missed was the size of your hat. I guess I had better get home in a hurry from the sizes you sent me. That 28 inch waist really gets me. Where do you hide it? You complained about me not knowing your measurements at this late date, please tell me hon, when did I ever measure your waist and bust? Maybe I really would have welcomed the opportunity but maybe I can look forward to it in the near future. I hope so anyway as the pleasure will be all mine I assure you. Now I'm speaking like a gay blade or whatever they call it so I had better cease, nevertheless it's good work if you can get it. On second thought what (have) Grable or Rita Hayworth got that you haven't got. I'll have to read Earl Wilson's 'Behind my eight Ball' and find out. When you marry me I guess you're going to have a hectic life. As for family life honey you seem to be worrying an awful lot about it. Well I tell you what I'm going to do! You tell me how many kids we're going to have and I'll compromise with you. They are bringing wives out to the island now but not to Okinawa as yet. As soon as they get out here I'll let you know. If I can swing a deal I'll send for you with the idea that we shall be married as soon as you get here. It's (scuttle butt) rumors that wives are coming out here in the near future and I know that the Doctor has had orders to put up a Maternity ward but please don't bank all your hopes on it as yet. I'll keep you posted as fast as things develop! Out here things happen fast and the idea may be dropped without notice, that's why I don't want you to bank too much hope on it. It's still in the rumor and suggestion stage and will not be official until it's put down in black and white and published. Right now they are as far out here as Guam. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

As far as Hannie is concerned I still think that she will lose money when she gets married. After all 42 bucks a week ain't hay no matter what way you look at it. Who knows maybe if she does join the ranks of the wedded she may run into a million or win the Irish Sweepstakes. I've got to run off to my sack now as I must get up early tomorrow to carry out my duties as a member of Uncle Sammy's Navy. I dread the thought as 6 AM is really the middle of the night as far as out here is concerned. I miss you terribly honestly I do kid and only wish you were here. As I said before I'll keep you posted on developments as they develop and since I'm on the subject watch out for your own. Development I mean. That thirty four bust really fooled me but keep up the good work. I guess I'm getting rock happy writing like this so please forgive me. I love you with all my whole heart and always and always will. As I've often said before, my manner of expressing my love and feelings may seem very unromantic but I do love you with all my heart now and always. So long from now and I love you

Always

John"

"25 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Hello again, and I hope you are still in good spirits. Today I received four letters and not one from you, but never mind I got three from you the day before today which to my way of thinking should be yesterday. Can you figure this out? If so let me know so that I'll understand it. I looked at the post marks and found that the letters came from Boston New York Philadelphia and Detroit. After three seconds of thought I came to the conclusion that I was a pretty cosmopolitan sort of a guy as far as knowing people from different areas is concerned.

The Boston letter was penned by a no less renowned character than my friend Aleo. He is home now as a civilian and is back at his old job. He hates the civilian life as it's quite boring after kicking around for over three years in his bell bottomed trousers. He has a mess of complaining to do and may join up again for two years to get away from it all. He really misses the old crowd we had at Willow Grove. The whole trouble is that they all got married on him and he was left all to himself. What a fate for a fun loving guy?

The letter from New York was from my friend Webers. He's a civilian also as I think I told you before. Instead of opening a tavern or being a fireman as he was before the war he is now driving a truck; one of those long distance affairs. I guess he's happy about the whole affair as he has no complaints whatsoever except that his celebrating keeps him from getting all the sleep he needs. He'll get along as with him it's no strain and no pain.

The letter bearing the Philadelphia postmark was written by my favorite bartender at Willow Grove. I really should say bartenders as two of them collaborated on the story. I guess it was written in one of their, shall we say 'off moments' as they're writing room at the time was the game room of the Jenkintown Fire House. Knowing that room from old and adding the fact that they were both out of work I figure that it took a little indulgence in the Devils Brew to inspire it. They are both very good friends of mine and since they are both approximately sixty years of age and unmarried they do nobody any harm except themselves and that will amount to little. They informed me that the girl that was supposed to marry my Polack friend who is or was on Iwo Jima with Tom is going to marry some other Joe. Do you remember that Irish I used to write you about, well she upped and got herself married to some guy from Chicago and has gone out their to live. I guess I'm putting out more news of personal interest to me then does the Associated Press and all its competitors. I hope you don't get bored with this. I know these guys and gals and I have written to you about them so therefore I figure you have an interest of some sort in them also.

The letter I got a letter from Detroit from a fellow I came over seas with but who has been discharged and has also gone back to his old job. He has invited me to drop in on him and his wife any time I'm thru Detroit. He's a pretty nice guy except for the fact that he's a big dealer and that's no discredit when you can make out all right. His primary interest though is procuring some snapshots of the airstrip out here which I shall attempt to do as soon as I can dig a few up.

Well I guess that takes care of that for the time being. Now let's talk about something that's more important and better still more refreshing. Naturally I mean you and I. The letters I received from you four to be correct instead of three as I said before were postmarked February 20 and March 5 - 9 - 11. 

I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll answer the first two now and the other two later. How will that be? You seem to be keeping late hours honey staying up till 1130 and 12 AM writing to me. You eventually will wind up with bags under your eyes but I'll love you just the same. You know that don't you? As for Miss Mack well she can stick her head where it will do her the most good, if she can ever find a place that can stand it. I think she is jealous because she has no one to think of only her own miserable self. I guess that's telling her off! As for Rita and her Huba and such voguish jargon (ahem)  I'll spot her on my envelope for a change. The drawing is not so hot but I am running out of big envelopes and it will have to do. As for your jealous nature and despondent moods over other girls having dates and good times, well kid I blow my top quite a few times myself when I commence thinking of all the good times I'm missing by being out here but all I can do is think of all the fun and stuff we can have when we get together again. Take it easy and relax. I love you so very much kid sometimes I think of all this time wasted and I almost break a rib trying to hold myself back from doing some thing desperate. Out here it doesn't pay. I've got to close this one out now kid and will write again later on tonight. I love you with all my heart and only wish you could be around to cheer up a few of these lonely hours. All my love always

John"

Interesting learning that my mother was jealous but also despondent at times. It must have been so difficult maintaining a long distant relationship for such an extended period - especially now that the war was over, and life was resuming some semblance of normalcy at home. She had been going out to the Hibernian - maybe she was going out with Hannie now that Hannie was home. It sounds like she was willing to move to Okinawa if the chance arose.

I felt a bit of a dilemma with the following letter because of the intimate nature of some of the conversation. I delayed publishing this post while I wrestled with the pros and cons. The cons included whether I should include intimate conversations between my parents - I'm sure my mother would probably be mortified, but she did keep these letters - she could have destroyed some of them. Another con is the reaction some of my family might have - I felt squeamish reading the letter so I am sure they might feel that way.

The main pro for publishing it is that it is part of our family history - it is part of history in general. I love history - I imagine my father and mother were not the only ones going through a long distance romance during WWII, and my father's letters give voice to their struggles. I also discussed whether or not to publish it with my brother and sister-in-law. They both felt it was part of our history and should be published. My sister-in-law even noted that we have all gone through the same thing and had the same urges/impulses. I rationalized that if I was an only child, I would publish the letter unedited without a second thought. So here it is:

"24 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Well here I am again as planned. The date may seem different but as far as I'm concerned it's still the same day. You see I'm standing a watch again, this time from 11 PM to 0800 in the morning so I can answer some more of your letters and will try to answer the rest of my mail also. You asked me about the weather out here and at the present moment it is raining. It has been practically all night. The rain season starts in a week or two so this is only a preliminary of what's to come. I guess I'll be able to stand it if the natives can. I intended to answer your letters sooner but as I told you in a previous letter I am working like a dog. We unloaded 17 planes of a seaplane tender Wednesday and loaded six more aboard another one. I'm just getting over it. We worked from 7 AM to 8 PM to accomplish the job. On or about April 15 we will load 59 planes on a carrier so if you don't hear from me on or about that date you are being forewarned. I can't complain as I've been asking for work and have at last got it. I guess I had better answer your letters while I can or else I'll forget to later. As for me striking out in the ball game, well honey even the best of us strike out at times. I am not conceited, just self-confident. (Ahem)

You and my folks at home in fact everyone in general seem to think that I am getting, shall we say pudgy. It has gotten so that I am believing it myself. But as long as you think I look lovable that's all right with me. As far as some lovin's hon, I guess it could be arranged by proxy but that would be only a one sided affair. Your substitute out here would be some gold tooth native who undoubtedly would be quite repulsive and since I am the particular sort that arrangement would never do at all. Me and these native damsels don't get along no how and that's the way I like it. As for my drawings I thank you for your compliments as it's merely a passing fancy on my part and the drawings are just a simple process I've worked out. I thought that you would like them so that is the reason I am doing it. Something special for me gal.

I'd like to see that new hairdo that you gave yourself. I guess from the way you talk the hair is short enough now so that it won't get into my eyes and mouth when I'm around. I'll have to remember that for a future reference. I guess with your hair short and Hannie smoking etal you can stop worrying for a while. Poor Hannie I guess no one realizes that she is now a woman of the world. I guess she'll keep smoking as long as she can afford cigarettes, after that who knows. With Annie and Mary B getting married that Cupid guy must be running wild in Watertown. Don't worry honey we're as good as married right now so consider us so. Incidentally that picture of Nancy you sent me will appear on one of my envelopes real soon. Thanks for sending it out.

You suggested in your letter that I tell you about myself and that I will. I am in good health good spirits and not bragging a bit I think I look real good. I guess I am getting a little stocky but I'm not getting fat at all. Laying around out here for six months without any manual labor to perform has sort of softened me up but a few weeks of real work will take care of that I am sure. I guess that there is nothing the matter with me that a little loving wouldn't cure in a hurry so I guess we are both in the same boat. To be the indefinite type you tell me some personal things about yourself that I don't know. I said before in this letter we are as good as married, and I am a big boy now so you can tell me everything. As for myself I guess you know my habits pre-war and war time and I will change the evil ones to suit your fancy i.e. drinking beer etc. I've actually come to a real slow down and drink on an average of less than a can of beer a day.

You are enlightening me as far as my technique is concerned really flattered me no end. I'll admit I have a technique but so has every other guy. Hon you let me know more every day. Don't tell me you never had 'impulses' before I took you out or I'm liable to get a big head and figure I'm another Boyer. All I want to know is if you enjoyed the parking and especially hey if you enjoyed the 'impulses' as you call them? If you did you could let me know and I'll make a mental note of it for a future reference. In all sincerity Ellen did you enjoy the ''parking we did the last time I was home? Please answer. I did as it proved to me that you were human and that you were as deeply in love with me as I was with you, otherwise you would not have let me be as free with you as I was. Give me your opinion after all you are going to be my wife and as your husband to be I guess I'm entitled to at least your ideas on the matter.

If I appear to be blunt give me the word and I'll drop the whole subject. I love you with all my heart kid and like to know what you think and feel. I don't intend to be smutty or dirty. Being risqué is all right as long as we are this far apart so no damage can be done and before any damage will be done, morally I mean, we will be married and then it won't be damage but just a common function of married life. Do you get what I mean. Anything you want to tell me about yourself tell me as I said before I'm entitled to know and it won't do us any harm.

I'm sending you three pictures in my next letter that are really nice shots. I'm in them and I think I came out really well. I'll close out for now and will write right again real soon maybe tomorrow. Honest kid I love you with my whole heart and mind and miss you something fierce. I wish I could be with you for a while just to see you and realize that you are around. I miss you, honest I do.

I've got to close out now for sure, so I'll say 'so long' for tonight.

I love you with all my heart

Always

John."

Who was Nancy in the picture my mother sent?

"25 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen

This well have to be a quickie as I have a mess of work to do tonight that has to be ready for Friday. Oh, what a life! Maybe in a day or two things will slow down to a mad dash. Today they opened our field for a few hours to fly in airplanes and as luck would have it the last plane in the first group of three crashed. How the pilot lived I'll never know. All I can contribute it to is the grace of God. The crash was bad enough and when the plane failed to catch on fire God was truly on his side. I got three letters from you today and will answer them tomorrow or tonight later if I can get a little time. This is the letter I promised you before with the pictures enclosed. I hope you like them. I personally think they came out pretty well. You will probably miss my drawing tonight but as I said before I'm terribly pressed for time these days and will continue my usual practice as soon as is possible. I'll close out for now and will write again tomorrow. I love you with all my heart and miss you

Always

John"

"27 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

I guess I had better answer your three letters before I lose track of myself. As it is I am running around in circles but eventually I'll get straightened out and then maybe I'll be able to slow down a bit. The letters I received from you yesterday were postmarked March 12 -13 & 15. Your letters seem to be coming in bunches to which I have no objections whatsoever as single or in bunches I am always very happy to receive them. With all the snow that has fallen back there this winter all the rivers should be flooded beyond all bounds this spring. I don't believe it will affect you people but I guess quite a few may be homeless later in the spring.

I guess I won't recognize Bertha when I get home if she is getting as fat and as big as you say. I guess she could use a few pounds but if added weight will remove her shyness and quiet attitude I'm all for it. Who knows but when I see her again she may turn out to be a real chatterbox? As for Cynthia, well all I can say is observe closely as your offspring may be just as rugged. I don't know where Cynthia gets her curls as if I remember rightly your family doesn't have curly hair nor does Bertha. Maybe it's just a transition and her hair will get straight again.

I'm glad my pictures and literature enlightened you as far as Okinawa was concerned. To be truthful and fair about it when it rains, Okinawa stinks in more ways than one and when it's dry it is tolerable, that is if you can stand a coral dust that is continually blowing about. As far as confusion over the island's possession is concerned the island has adapted the attitude as far as weather and conditions are concerned. In all confusion is the key word for Okinawa itself.

I saw that picture with Zachary Scott and Faye Emerson, 'Danger Signal' I think it was. It wasn't any rave picture but as far as we are concerned it was tolerable. Now that I think of it Easter isn't too far after all. If you get a few pictures of yourself in your new Easter bonnet please send it right along in this direction. I got a letter from my mother also and Tom is in the States but Joe is out to sea again. I guess by the time you receive this letter Tom will have arrived at home so this won't be any news to you. I wish I were in his shoes but as fortune would have it I'll have to love you from afar and miss you all the more. I love you an awful lot you know and on top of that I honestly and truly miss you so very much. Please understand kid, I know I'm just nuts over you and I am very glad about it. I'll have to close out now for a while, until tomorrow I guess as I have to go to work. I love you and miss you so much

Always

John."

Danger Zone was a 1945 dark movie released by Warner Brothers.

"31 March 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

I am a little off schedule as far as my corresponding with you is concerned but I guess I am off schedule all the way around. Our field has been closed for quite a while and they opened it a few days ago to let some planes that we are supposed to overhaul come in. Two landed and the third crashed. Immediately after the crash they close the field. It will re-open tomorrow I hope. We are up to our necks in work and will be until May or June. I asked for work and I got it and how. I'm running around in circles but I kind of like it. It's a lot better than laying around all day waiting for something to happen that never will. The only real inconvenience this work situation has caused me is the postponement of my letter writing. I usually write to you once or twice during the week and Saturday and Sunday. I was all set to write to you last night but I hit a watch and while I was on watch a situation arose that kept me busy all the while. Such is life! Your letters are coming out here real fast. The last one was postmarked Mar. 20 and I got it Friday the twenty-ninth. Not bad in fact very good. In the letter you quoted two sentences that I used in the letter and wanted them explained.

Well honey I can't offhand as I don't remember the situation or the circumstances. I'm glad you liked the pictures I sent you and you will like the pictures I sent you in my last letter also. They really turned out real good for a change. Maybe that's one man's opinion but it's my opinion at least. As you know now my transfer came thru at last and every thing is working as planned. As far as the Chief Cook is concerned he and I are buddy buddy. I was working the other night rather late and he had a steak party in our club. He wouldn't let anyone eat until I was brought around to sample his cooking which incidentally is very very good. While I was on watch last night he brought me up some cake and ice cream plus a big pitcher of coffee. I guess he and I get along very very well together. He is a swell Joe himself. He comes from Oklahoma. That house I was living in before I got transferred I haven't missed at all even though we had to build it. The one that I am living in now was built by the Marines when they were out here so I was saved a lot of labor in the process.

As far as your sickness goes I hope that it isn't anything serious as that would indeed be something really drastic. Please take good care of yourself honey and don't let anything happen to you ever. Maybe it's just spring fever making you feel down in the dumpish, I hope so. Well honey this will be another letter without a picture as I haven't had time to do anything about it. I'll close out for now and will write again in a few days. I love you and miss you honest –

Love always

John"