MAY 1946

 "4 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am again but not quite as strong. I've been feeling pretty low for the past few days but I'm improving pretty rapidly. It's nothing serious only a little stomach trouble that had me running back and forth to the men's room, (head in Navy lingo) to clear myself out. I think it was a light case of dysentery or diarrhea (?) but it's cleared up pretty well. It all resulted from a midnite swim Thursday nite. Our outfit is due to fold as I told you before so four of us chiefs called up the captain Thursday nite to talk the deal over. As we were gabbing the skipper passed out a few drinks, being a perfect host, and about midnite we all had one or two too many to stay sane. About that time someone suggested we all go for a swim and so off we went. A good time was had by all but during the course of the swim I must have swallowed some of the water that wasn't too clean and so here I am. The officers are really swell guys and I don't expect to meet another crowd like them, ever. So you see honey life isn't too dull out here after all although there is always something to be desired and my desire is naturally you as any fool can plainly see. I got two letters from you yesterday postmarked April 25 & 26 so they must have sent them out here by rocket. I hope they keep up this rapid mail service. I'll now get to answering them as fast as I can. 

You should know my dear that I am always interested in your measurements no matter how trivial they seem to be to you and I am glad that you are so measurement conscious now. Those pajamas I got you are on their way to you so be patient and you should receive them in five or six weeks if everything goes well. I'll look forward to seeing you in them when I get home so please don't wear them out. As for fitting all right the measurements you gave me should fill it out all right and in the right places too. About the pants of the those pajamas, please - please, don't try to fill up the seat of them as they appear to be quite roomy and I don't want your posterior ever to quite reach those proportions. When you put them on you'll see what I mean. Now let's get into that 'oomph' business in which we seem to be both interested a little more than slightly. My 'The Outlaw' Jane Russell is indeed a rare case and quite a publicized case also. She appears fine now but in five or ten years she'll be a 'droop' if you get what I mean. All you have to do is keep what you got and and any change for the better (ahem) will be greatly appreciated. Just keep the cigarette ad in mind and as you put it - aim to please. I'm glad you take take my comments on your development as helpful and appreciated as well as interesting. Some girls wouldn't understand but I know you and you know me so I guess it is all right. As for getting married right away that's my idea and my plan and I'm glad you favor it. As for married life it's turmoil and stuff, as you say it will work out for itself. I want to be with you and you want to be with me so that settles it. I want us to be together and married and the longer we're together the better. After we get married I don't think I'll be found more than arms length from you for a month. I'll be home on leave then so I'll have to rest and when I rest I sleep, sometimes, so you had better be prepared for lots of 'rest' as you'll be right along side of me all the time. After we get married and go on our honeymoon I don't think I'll get out of bed for two days. If I'm man enough and you are woman enough we'll see but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Are you agreeable honey?

So much for that, I'm beginning to sweat. I've been waiting all afternoon for the lights to go on but as yet no luck. They are stringing some new wires so the power is off. I have a mess of ironing to do so you see you're not the only one who has to do such easy work. I'll sign off for now so take it easy. I love you with all my heart and soul and miss you more than you'll ever know.

All my love to you

Always

John.

P.S. I love you."

"6 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

I received five letters from you today as I guess you know how I feel about this time.  It was really swell to get them. They have been rolling in in fine style. I really don't know how to thank you but I do from the bottom of my heart. They boost my morale sky high so thanks again. It is now two at night and I have just listened to Robert Taylor in 'Johnny Eager' as well as seeing the movie 'Dick Tracy.' The picture Dick Tracy wasn't bad at all as far as pictures of that type go in fact. I think it was half way decent. Johnny Eager was real good and since I saw the picture a year or two ago, it was refreshing to hear Robt Taylor's voice once again. I hope he knocks out a picture real soon as I'm kind of looking forward to seeing him real soon - on the screen of course. Last night we saw the 'Spiral Staircase' with Dorothy McGuire. It was a real scary job and was well liked out here by all. If you haven't already seen it and contemplate giving it the once over be sure to bring something along to hang onto as you will need it. I can remember when you used to start and give a cup whenever we saw one of those scary shows so be prepared. Yesterday afternoon I went riding around the island taking in the sights and things are still changing out here. Some outfits are breaking up while others are growing constantly. It's really surprising the way the 'rock' has changed since I arrived out here till now. All we are doing now is waiting for the final word on N.A.B. Awase to see if it is going 'to be or not to be.' We are sweating the affirmative but the odds are really against us. We'll keep our fingers crossed but good. Our work out here is slowly but surely straightening itself out so it won't be long now till I can take a little rest. I'm about due for one soon so I guess I'll be able to use it when it does come around, which I hope will be soon. I guess I'll resort to your letters as I'm running out of ordinary inspiration. Two of your letters were postmarked April 13 the other three April 22-23-24 so you see some mail is swift some slow but as long as I get it that's all that really counts, I guess. After reading about Mae's birthday party her 26th at that, you should feel quite young at your mere twenty-four. I guess I'll have to see Arthur Murray when I get back to get acquainted with a dance floor - it's been so long since I've seen one. As for me worrying about you drinking or smoking please don't you worry about me worrying. I've known you long enough to realize that you have a mind of your own. I really can't explain it just now as I can't gather the right words but just hold out till I get home. You really aren't missing anything at all outside of a big head and a disorganized stomach. Experience speaking! I see that you bought yourself an Easter outfit. It seems so long since Easter I'd almost forgotten. Out here Easter was just another day so your comments fill the void. If you took any pictures of yourself in your Easter finery please send them along to me as I would really appreciate them. I got that picture you pinned on the letter and it wasn't bad at all. I think the coloring threw it a little out of focus but all in all it wasn't bad at all. Thanks again honey. I wish I could get home soon but things just reel on and in and out here. I guess I'm trapped for the time being.  I guess by the time you receive this our anniversary, the fifth, will be just about a few days off. Right now I'd like to say that they have been five wonderful years for me knowing and loving you. I have never regretted a minute of them save for the fact that I haven't been able to see you as often as I would have liked. This wasted time I will have to make up to you in the future as best I can. I hope you never regret having met me. Time I hope will pass swiftly till I get home to you and then time can stop for about ten years so that we can get reacquainted as it were. Well honey I still have three letters to answer so I'll resort to another letter and close this out. I honestly and sincerely love you from the depths of my heart and miss you oh, so terribly. I'll close out now and with all my love 

Always

John"

Johnny Eager is a 1941 movie about the step-daughter of a district attorney who falls in love with a gangster on parole who her father had imprisoned.

I was trying to find a front view picture of Robert Taylor because my mother thought my father looked like him. 

The 1945 movie Dick Tracy has the detective searching for Splitface, a murderer who kidnaps Tracy's girlfriend Tess Trueheart. 

"May 6 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here I am again the same place same day and with the same motive; answering your abundance of mail. I am answering your Easter letter and only regret that I couldn't have been home with you and drive away some of your gloom. Out here it was really dull, just like any other Sunday on Okinawa. I didn't get to Communion on Easter I am sorry to say but I say silent prayers all the time for us expressing the same sentiments, that is that I get home soon, that we get married soon and that we have a long happy married life. I guess we are both praying for the same thing so one of your prayers should be heard and answered. That is another reason that I love you so dearly. You have a firm trust in God and in prayer something that isn't often seen out here and when I see it I appreciate it. I'm no angel or saint, merely a poor mortal soul trying to do good, sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail. I've not been as good a Catholic as I wanted to be since I hit out here. I could blame it onto conditions that exist but that would be a flimsy excuse. It's really me and I hope with God's help that I will improve. Please don't worry over these statements Ellen as I haven't gone to the dogs or anything it's just more or less censuring myself on paper. 

I'm glad that you had a pretty good time at Hibernian Hall on Easter Saturday, keep up the good work. I was really surprised to hear that dear Tom is a patron of the art of Terpsichore(?) It's a wonder the joint didn't cave in on him as he entered. Wait till I get back home. Oh those lucky girls. What am I saying? I had better scratch that or you will be getting wrong ideas and that would never never do. It seems like old times again with Joe Walsh around. I guess I'll be a stranger in my own home town when I get back. I'll be happy though as I know I can always look to you for comfort and consolation. I guess I'm just lucky.

If Rita keeps growing she is liable to dwarf you all. By the way I have a few new words for her that she can turn into bobby-sox language if she likes. They are both Okinawan and don't sound bad at all. The first is - joto - pronounced Joe-toe which means good and - hi-yaka - pronounced high-yak-a - which means hurry. Out here huba-huba is taboo. The natives think it means something bad or dirty and they don't use it at all. 

About Hannie's deal to go waitressing there isn't much I can say pro or con. That's strictly  up to you. It's about the toughest racket their is on your nerves and feet especially. Another thing you have to be cut out for that type of work so if you think you qualify who am I to say anything with that sort of money being thrown around. Columbus took a chance. Another thing she'll still have a job on the telephone in the fall and you will be out in left field without a glove. You decide.

When that paper said Allentown Pa was one of the liveliest small towns in the U.S. it didn't lie at all. Not one bit. As for your competition it was strictly minor league but I really had a good time there.

As for loving you always I mean always not this year or next year but always and always, believe me. I love you with all my heart. I'll close out now and will answer your other two letters tomorrow if possible. Good night now and all my love to you

Always

John"

"12 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

It seems like ages since I have written to you but with work, uncertainties and terrific heat I guess the days slipped by without my noticing them. I keep trying to write to you as often as I possibly can but it seems my efforts are falling short just now. I know how much my letters mean to you and your letters mean just as much to me. I guess I'm letting you down! Please forgive me as I'll try to do better in the future. The mail has been slow this week hardly any mail came in at all so you see I'm letterless but I still owe you a few from the last batch that I got. In my last letter I answered your mail up to the 22nd of April so now I'll start on this one. You had just received four letters from me when you wrote this so you must have been happy indeed. Your writing indicates it anyway. That is my basic reason for wanting to write to you so often. As far as your opinion of the patrons of Hibernian are concerned you don't seen to rate them very high as you usually classify them as jerks and words in that category. What a rabid fan and admirer I must have in you? Keep it up honey as you make me feel very very important indeed. The only drawback is the fact that some of the regular Hibernian trade may resent it no end. Now we get to the solid stuff; impulses - pro & con. I can understand now why you say you aren't as good as I think you are but there is absolutely nothing wrong indeed in what you told me. I guess I understand the situation. My only regret is that I couldn't quite fathom you when you were in, shall we say, naughty moods. I remember, after reading this paragraph, of a few instances where I responded in a timid sort of way to your feminine wiles. I guess I'll review them as they are fresh in my mind and I don't believe I'll ever forget them.

I guess I shall really be forced to go back to the first night that I ever saw you. You looked so young and kiddish, but I guess you stung me. This wasn't any planned outburst of emotion on your part but when we kissed outback – wow. I don't think I had ever been kissed like that before. You excited me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. That night I will never forget so help me. I remember one night when we were parked up into the Blue Hills and I put my hand on something I shouldn't have. Remember? That was one night you didn't want to be naughty I know. Oh for the days that are gone, but not beyond recall. You were very very shy and timid and I don't think you trusted me as far as you could throw me. What a couple of years together can do. My next remembrance of one of your 'bad' times was at Norumbega. Remember you kept messing around and teasing in true feminine fashion but I guess I didn't respond in true, masculine fashion. I guess you were lucky that it was you instead of some other slick chick. I guess by this time you had confidence in me, or else you wouldn't have been as easy as you were. The moment I remember best was the day at Revere during one of my leaves. That was the day we sat behind three or four Jewish girls, and you caught me admiring their 'developments' which you must admit were really some thing. Trying to distract my attention we went into the water and commenced a game of our own. Remember? That was the day I dropped your bathing suit down to your waist but I can't quite remember if it was my dignity or plain shyness that wouldn't let me look, but I didn't. Boy was I crazy. You also drop my tights to half mast but if you looked, that's your secret. That was the night I slept through the air raid and you were quite peeved at me to put it mildly. There were a few instances at the back door when things got jolly, especially the night I demonstrated my technique to you on the front steps. Am I mortified?

Remembering these things and writing about them is making me blush a little – not much though. There were many nights on the back steps when I wished that you would break down and say that you wanted to get naughty – just a little, but not too much. But I guess it turned out alright though. If I had only known then what I know now. Oh well as I said before there is lots of time to make up for and with your wolfish tendencys to support my own I guess we'll do all right. I guess I want you more than anything else in the world and I won't be happy until I get home to you and we can be together again. Honest I miss you so much you'll never know. A couple of nights ago I dreamt that on our wedding night we went on our honeymoon as happy as larks but who should tag along but Hannie and one of her friends. They haunted us all night, but I ended that nightmare by waking up. You see honey I even dream of you and us so that must be a good sign. Well honey, it's getting late so I better close for now as it's getting late. I'll write you again tomorrow which incidentally is Mother's Day. I'll have to write home also. Please take care of yourself as I love you with all my heart. All my love to you

Always

John.

P.S. Woody Herman's 'Who dat up there' is now being played on the radio. Remember that number?"

Woody Herman was a jazz clarinetist and a band leader. 

Link to Who Dat Up Dere - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hYeFYsk650

"13 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen

Well here I am again as I promised. Since it's Sunday I am relaxing as best I can and have paused for a while to rush off this letter to you.  All the other guys went fishing and shooting but it's so nice and breezy I decided to lay in my sack and be caressed by the breeze that is blowing in from the bay. The sun is terrifically hot but in the Quonset with the breeze blowing it's really nice. The breeze keeps coming up in gusts and a few times I was afraid that I'd be blown out of my sack. It's the height of comfort laying in my sack smoking a pipe listening to the radio and reading a good book. The Sunday afternoon radio programs out here are swell with loads of 'Pops' tunes like Clair du Lune by De Bussey etc. I guess I've developed a taste for the finer music as well as the popular and jazz stuff that I was interested in before I came into service. It makes me feel homesick for you and our Sunday afternoon date and especially the Pops Concert that we never did get to see or hear. Something else again that we will have to make up for. At Mass this morning I picked up three Sunday Visitors a periodical published at South Bend Indiana and similar to the Pilot at home. It is very interesting reading and I have read the three of them since I came from Mass. They had an article on choosing a wife which I gobbled up. You fill the qualifications all right except for one. They suggested that the poor guy sample his bride to be's cooking as married life is made up mostly of eating and if the stomach remains settled the rest of the body mind and heart will remain likewise. You had better get yourself over a cooking range and get checked out on a few different menus so that my frame of mind will stay intact once we are on our own. After all you will have to eat the same thing I do so for your and my self preservation I implore and beseech you to learn to cook. If you don't I'll be forced to and you shall have to be the breadwinner. 

I haven't heard from any of my buddies for about a month but expect to hear from them soon again. I guess they are still attempting to kick themselves loose from navy routine before they really settle down. I guess your nylon situation will improve in the future so that after awhile it won't be a problem at all. 

I have to write a letter to my mother now so I guess I'll close for now and will write again tomorrow. Please take care of yourself. My love to you always and always. I love you with all my heart and miss you terrible. All my love 

Always

John."

"15 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen

Hello again and I may add thanks again. I received another letter from you today so things are really tops despite local weather conditions. It's raining in a steady drizzle and has been doing so for the past twelve hours. I guess the rainy season has at long last arrived. Right now we are up to our ankles in mud so in a few days we'll really be wallowing in the murky stuff.  By the way I am enclosing a picture of myself and a chief from Jersey. It came out pretty well considering a lot of things. How do you like Naha in the background? It was once quite a city but the Navy really plastered it. All the buildings visible are gutted and are just shells. My friend in the picture would be a good match for Hannie as he loves to dance especially jitterbugging. He's one of the Palladium Romeos that kept the cats in Hollywood happy. He's a swell egg and a regular Joe. 

I just returned from chow and experienced something new for this part of the service. I had hot tea tonight for the first time since I hit the rock. To you it may not mean much but to me it's an event. 

Our work is slacking off a bit now but it's just the dark before the dawn. On or about the thirtieth of the month we expect to get forty aircraft and forty a month for five more months which will make a total of two hundred forty planes. The only catch is that we won't have anyone here after the first of July only a few chiefs and the officers so I guess it's just a plot to wear me down. Never fear though honey I won't work to hard to hurt myself. I just work as hard as I want to so no one is forcing me. Most of it will be just getting covered with grease and oil and getting messy in general. Our real purpose is just to work hard enough to keep our base in a half hearted operational status as our base is like a stateside country club in comparison to the other operating airfield out here. My cook friend went back to Oklahoma so now I guess I won't be able to get my steak or fried chicken while I'm on my watch. I guess I'll have to befriend another one. The chow even though he is gone has been real good and we are now getting steaks for breakfast instead of a steady diet of hot cakes and french toast. Our menu is drastically lacking in fresh fruit and our teeth show the effects as they are getting soft on us. Don't worry about it though as better days are bound to come sooner or later. 

As far as baseball and the Red Sox are concerned we get the scores from San Francisco each noon and we really root for dear old Boston. I'd really love to see them in action. If you don't send me the papers please send me the clippings or the sports page out this way. 

My complexion remains the same in color and composition rain or shine. My sunburns go away as fast as I get them. It seems I get burnt and it goes away in the shower. I guess a tan isn't in store for me - ever.  I guess that telephone my folks installed won't do me much good for a while I'm afraid. 

Well honey I guess I'll close for the time being and will write again tomorrow. I love you with all my heart honey and miss you like no one else in the world. Please believe me.

I'll close out now and with all my love to you

Always

John"

"15 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Well, here I am again as usual and feeling quite chipper. It all adds up to the fact that I received a couple of letters from you today plus your roll of newspapers. Who in the sweet name of all that is holy, wrapped those papers? Not that I am complaining but it took me about ten minutes to unravel the wrappings and then I was worn out. It's really the right way to wrap them as they get here in good shape after the trip. I read the newspapers and it's now on its way around the barracks being pored over by these news hungry guys from all over the States. I appreciate the newspaper honey and if you would keep sending them I would really appreciate them if I could get them more often. Thanks a million honey. I just got back from the movies after seeing Leo Gorcey and the Dead End Kids in 'Live Wire.' It wasn't bad but strictly Dead End stuff. Those kids are getting older every day and I'm afraid after two or three more movies they'll be bald or all crippled up from old age. Leo Gorcey is still the same although he is getting as fat and paunchy as a young pig. What a character!

Things are pretty much the same as always out here. Plenty of heat and a little rain. It's getting to be like Oklahoma from what I hear. In Oklahoma you can be up to your hips in real slimy mud and the dust will still be blowing in your face. At moments out here it is scorching hot and then all of a sudden the sky opens up and your soaked wet. I guess you'll have to figure it out as I've been unable to solve it during my stay out here. Maybe your weather will settle down to something constant pretty soon and then you'll be complaining of too much sunshine and not enough breeze and rain. 

I guess I had better answer your mail while I am at it or else I'll probably misplace them and won't be able to find them again for a month. They were postmarked May 1 & 2 so they didn't get here as fast as some of your others. I'm glad mine are getting back pretty fast. From the dates you give in your letters they are getting to you in between seven and ten days. Not bad at all. About my transfer please forget it for the time being as we are attempting to big deal something to keep us going for a few months yet. As far as China is concerned at least there will be something to do and see besides ocean, coral and the movies. It seems that every time I wear shorts there is never anyone around to snap my picture. Maybe it's for the best anyway. Don't you worry too much about the washing business as they have washing machines nowadays that take all the work out of it. They are a wonderful invention, no kidding. It will undoubtedly have to be one of our investments. 

I guess we have covered that impulse business pretty thoroly at that so we'll wait till we get together and let nature take its course and see what happens. I guess I must make things pretty difficult for you when I send home things like that list of recordings. Please ignore it honey as most of those records are impossible to get. Thanks a million for Talk of the Town by B. Goodman. Any thing by Goodman is bound to be good as the guy is perfection itself. 

The letter you wrote after the dance is really a lulu. You go out and spend an evening dancing and return home feeling glum and down in the dumps. I know you miss me and I miss you just as much but as of now there isn't anything we can do about it. When you go dancing forget about me for a while and enjoy yourself. You owe it to yourself and to me also. When I go home I don't want you a nervous wreck  and as wrinkled as a prune so go out and enjoy yourself. I love you and you love me so I'm asking you to kick loose. 

Well honey it's getting kind of late so I'll be forced to quit for the time being and get ready to hit the sack. That's one thing about out here you never have to worry about keeping late hours as there isn't anything to do anyway. I love you with all my heart and miss you terribly. All of my love to you always and ----

Always

John"

"17 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

How goes it? It's still raining out here so I guess the rainy season is here to stay with us for a while, damn it. All day long it drizzles and at intervals the sky opens up and all the water in the heavens just drops down on us. All we can do in that case is lay around drinking coffee and batting the breeze. We got a dispatch from Guam to load all our planes on a carrier the first week of June. That will clear us out completely and if our other planes don't come in, the ones we expect from China I mean we will be at the end of our rope. We are sweating those planes from China as it will mean just that much longer that we can hold out. Here's hoping!

We have the natives messing around the airplanes now doing all the messy jobs. They catch on pretty quick and they are willing workers. I'm in charge of about ten of them and I can't do a thing without them helping me. If I go to lift anything they crowd me out of the way and lift it themselves. Every morning I let them dig sweet potatoes and any kind of other vegetables they can find nearby. I never saw people dig spuds so fast. In about ten minutes they pick about forty pounds a piece. It's the only type potatoes they will eat. They don't like Irish potatoes at all and their main diet as you may have guessed is rice. The rock is covered with rice paddies and the part that is not developed for rice paddies is planted with sweet potatoes. There everywhere and that's all they want to do is dig them up. On our base now is a native barber and a native masseur. All the food services and dish washers are natives. What an outfit this is turning out to be. 

I didn't get any mail from you for the past few days but I guess I'm about due tomorrow. It's been coming along fine nevertheless and I haven't any complaints whatsoever! I hope you agree as I don't want to be one way by receiving and not giving anything. Keep me informed of the situation.

I miss you terribly honey and I still love you dearly. I can't wait to see you and hope it will be soon. There isn't much that I can do about it though but don't give up I'm still sweating it out. I'm running out of inspiration about now so I guess I'll close out for the present. I'll write again tomorrow. Until then all my love to you

Always

John"

"19 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Here it is early Sunday morning so I thought I had better write to you right away lest I forget during the course of the day. I'm waiting to go to Church but I still have an hour or so till Church time. How is everything back there with you people? It's still going pretty well out here but this rain is getting everyone on edge. We wash all our clothes and the rain coming two or three times a day doesn't give them a chance to dry. Such is life. I guess better days are coming.

We got a dispatch from Guam to close our base as soon as possible so I guess one of these days we'll all be going back to Yonabaro for duty. We'll postpone it for as long as possible but it will eventually come to be. I guess all the better things in life have left the 'rock' and we'll have to get back to more prosaic things. All Yonabaro has is dust mud and a mess of disagreeable people to contend with. Most of these disagreeable people are the officers who are living the life of Riley and know it and since the the Regular Navy won't accept them and they have to go home soon they are really mad at the world. All the good officers are here at Awase but they are uncertain as to their new destinations wherever they may be. As I told you before we are all attempting to get to China but I don't think it will pan out at all. By July first I don't think we'll have anyone here but the Chiefs and officers and a bunch of natives who will probably take over the place when we leave. As I said before Yonabaro is a combination mud hole and dust bowl where this place is really nice. We have very little dust and have trees and hills all around us. The skippers house is the cats. It couldn't be beat Stateside. It was formally a Marine Generals house built by the Seabees so you can imagine. It's really the best on the rock.

I haven't received any mail for a few days but expect some tomorrow. I did get a letter from Aleo. He's discharged and at home working for $50 a week but misses the service an awful lot. I guess he isn't alone in his misery as an awful lot of guys are feeling the same way. Once a sailor always a sailor. Well honey I guess I'll have to close out for this writing but will carry on this afternoon with another letter this afternoon. I love you with all my heart and still miss you terribly. I'll close now with love to you

Always

John."

Below the drawing on the envelope it says "Ye Olde New England Weather."

"May 21 1946

My very dearest Ellen

Here I go again. I promised to write to you Sunday afternoon but never did get around to doing it. The heat and everything else is sort of slowing me down. We lost about sixty more men so that isn't aiding my morale one little bit. The heat is terrific out here and the humidity is fierce. About the only time you can really do anything is late in the day after the sun has dropped down in the west a bit. Tonite I am writing a few more letters besides this to a few of my buddies who are now discharged just so that I can keep contact with them. I got a letter from Aleo the civilian and he is still moaning and groaning. He was pretty thick with a Wave at Willow Grove for a couple of years and they are still pretty thick. He wants to find out if it's the real thing or not. What a character he is. He hasn't changed a bit since he left from under my guiding wing. He is working at $50 a week so that isn't bad at all.

I haven't received a letter from you for over a week. I guess the mail planes are in pretty bad shape as far as carrying mail is concerned. There has been hardly any mail out here for quite a while. I guess you'll have to give them a boost back there.

Things as a whole haven't changed much in the past few days except for the heat and demobilization. Our skipper hasn't flown a plane since he crashed a couple of days ago. I must say that all these pilots that have crashed out here are indeed lucky. I guess God was on their side as none of them have had a scratch, and they really took some awful spills. I am enclosing a picture of what was left of our skippers plane after he crashed. The plane landed upright after nosing over and doing a cartwheel. If you will notice in the background you will notice me with hands on hips looking quite dejected. In the foreground is my buddy Puhl. Our base incidentally will keep going until July the first then only God knows what. I'm hoping for the best, but as usual, prepared for the worst. Well honey I'm going to the movies now to see 'Adventure' with Gable and Garson and if I have time I'll write my other letters. All I really care to write to is you but I must keep contacts you know. I love you honey, honestly. I guess I will forever and ever. I'd like to be home now with you, and we could go on an extended tour all over the map, just the two of us together. Gee I miss you an awful lot and keep thinking of what we could be doing but I guess it's just a dream. Maybe we'll manage someday when I get back but until then I'll go on dreaming as I must get happiness somehow. I'll close for now and will write again later. All my love to you

Always

John."

Adventure was a 1946 romantic comedy - Clark Gables's first post WWII movie. 

"23 May 1946

My very dearest Ellen

I received 7 letters from you yesterday so I'm on top of the world. I'm usually sky high as it is but your letters put me right on top. Your letters covered a period of 10 days so I guess they must have been held up some where on route. The batch of mail sort of flooded me as I never expected so many at once. That's the way it gets out here. One day you haven't any mail to answer the next you have so many you can't possibly handle them. But I guess that's me all over, taking more than I can handle but I guess I can handle them all right nevertheless. To get straightened out I guess I had better start answering your querries immediately if not sooner. I got a letter from my mother saying that you were out to see her. As far as you are concerned she thinks you are the ace of aces. She gave me a half hearted scolding in her letter about me not giving you any encouragement as to my arrival back in the states. Honey I'd give you a world of encouragement if I possibly could but I just can't. All I can say is that I'll be home as soon as I possibly can. As a usual rule they keep a man out anywhere from a year to eighteen months so at the latest I should be home or on my way around Christmas. I know that it will hurt but honey it's a two way affair. I'm as lonely as you are honey. I guess you know that as well as I do and if there was any possible way you must realize that I would promote a deal someway. It's best as it is because all the guys that went home last spring have all gone back out again so the longer I am forced to stay out here the better my chances of staying stateside when I hit there will be. I hope you understand honey, as I want nothing else but to get back and get married.

I guess Rita O'Hara will wind up a big deal operator who hasn't anything to promote. I fail to understand how any one person can carry on so long without catching on to herself and come down to earth where she belongs. It must be the movies or she's drinking Ovaltine to much and is having pipe dreams all day long.

I have a gripe to straighten out with you. In quite a few letters you have written to me you can't understand what I see in you to make me want to love you and marry you. From the tone of your letters you give the impression that you are of the opinion that you are a drab and odd sort of a person who doesn't know what's going on. I'm pretty particular in my choices and you give me the impression that I am making a mistake but I know different. Please stop this sort of stuff as you break down my confidence in myself and you give the impression that you haven't any confidence in yourself. Buck up dear girl and fly right.

By the way, I saw Gable and Garson in 'Adventure" and it wasn't to bad considering a lot. It was a typical Gable roll and I'm glad that he is back. There was a lot of atheism in it so I guess the Legion of Decency doesn't rate it too high. It was rather confusing but it was a lot better than all these class C pictures that we get out here. Maybe I'm seeing too many, one every night, and I'm losing my appreciation for the cinema but I'm becoming a damn good critic and can tell now a goodie from a stinker almost by instinct with out ever seeing it. I guess when I see Cynthia again she'll be dating some Waltham Romeo. Or maybe she will turn out to be an actress like her aunt Rita – God love her.

As far as Hibernians is concerned, it's hot enough during the winter never mind the summer. I recall the few times we braved the mobs and I'd swear I was swimming in my jeans after an hour in the joint and most of our time at the home of the Hibernians was during the winter. I guess it would be a swell place to go in order to reduce or get a good steam bath. As for me I'd sooner go swimming.

Well honey to keep some nice inspirations for tomorrow I'll close out for now. I love you with all my heart and miss you as you know – I hope. All my love to you

Always

John."

"29 May 1945

My very dearest Ellen

I haven't written to you now for about four days so I guess I had better be doing something about it but fast. The main reason is that we had a party here Saturday and I really blew my top. After the past weekend. I have drawn a complete halt to my imbibing of the devils brew. Never again so help me. I'm still suffering the after effects of the venture and at present I am troubled with a sore throat. I can hardly talk and for me that's bad. 

Well we lost some more men yesterday so we are getting fewer and fewer by the day. By the first of July there will be only thirty of us left on this base, after that who knows what will happen. It gets worse and worse every day, all work and no play.

I haven't had any mail from you for almost a week but with all the strike trouble you people are having back there, when it comes it will probably come in a rush and I'll be a week before I get around to answering them all. Which reminds me, I have a few letters I haven't answered as yet so I'll do it right away. I'm sorry that you can't remember me but as long as you recognize me when you see me that's all I ask. When I get home and see you all your questions of my looks actions and my love making will be answered in full - I hope. As for me giving the girls a break well that was strictly a remark that I inserted in my letters to you. My flings are over and my wild oats have all been sown so you needn't throw me to the wolves. I guess I should know by now with whom I'm in love and I don't think I'll need any trial runs to make it certain as we won't have time for it. As I said before we are getting married as soon as possible when I get home and no matter where I go you'll be with me. I hope you understand it. As for your friends getting bounced around with their love life maybe it was their own fault. As long as you and I get along that's all that I ask and I'm really thankful too. About this 'resting up' period of mine when I get back, you said you didn't mind if I stayed in bed two weeks as long as you were there, what I want to know is who do you think would be in bed with me for two weeks on our honeymoon except you. 

I love you honey with all my heart and soul and miss you more than you'll ever know. In your letters you say that your fortunate in that you met me but from out here it seems that it's just the reverse and that I'm the really fortunate guy in meeting you.  I wish I could get home to you really soon but as that's an impossibility I'll get there as soon as possible even if I have to walk back. I'll close out now for tonight and will write tomorrow again. All my love to you always and 

Always

John"

"May 30, 1946

My very dearest Ellen,

Happy Anniversary. I just simply had to get that in one way or the other. Boy are we getting aged. Before you know it we'll be fifty but still going as strong as ever but quite a bit closer. This separation can't keep up so it's got to be for the best no matter which way it turns. Today is Memorial Day and Ascension Day also but out here it is simply another day with plenty of rain and high winds to add to our misery. The power that be made it a holiday so we have no work to do. With all the rain it wouldn't have been done anyway. As of now most of our work is done and we are awaiting a carrier to relieve us of all out aircraft. A Marine outfit sent us 50 planes but they also sent the men along to do the work so we can relax for a change. We will hold out at our present address until July the first and then we are to be transferred to Yonabaru. All the planes that aren't going back to the states are going to be flown to Yonabaru tomorrow. The rock is going to the dogs fast as can be. On July 1st which in all appearances seems to be a popular day out here will find a grand total of 500 navy people on the island of Okinawa. Since the war ended they have been getting fewer and fewer and right now they are down to rock bottom. The army is not doing too bad as they are getting replacements now and then to fill up some of their vacancies where as we are not. Such is Okinawa to date.

I got two letters from you today and I guess I had better get around to answering them to keep peace between us. They were postmarked May 20 & 22 so it didn't take them long to get here strikes or no strikes. Incidentally I see they have cleared up the railroad and coal strikes at long last. Now maybe you people will be able to get back to normal once again without any sudden interruptions to impede your progress. I hope so because when I get home I want smooth sailing all the way with everything plentiful and at a nominal price. I'm glad that you are having a good time at Hibernian when you go over and that you aren't in a rut. I want you to have a good time always and always with no regrets whatsoever as you have earned all the good times that you can possibly have. I'm wondering how long Rita O'Hara will venture toward the Hibernian after the original shouting over a new face ends. I doubt if she'll go if she can't be in the limelight. I'd have liked to seen the May procession as they are usually nice to watch although as a parochial school boy I certainly disliked marching in them. As for Rita I'm afraid that she is going to be the prize package of the Keohane clan. Just give her a little time and you will see.

As for you're missing me please put your feelings in my place and multiply by a scillion and you'll get a faint idea of how much I miss you and how much I love you. I honestly and truthfully love you more than I can possibly say to you.

After reading over your running account of our five years of association it really brings back oh such pleasant memories of five years well spent. I love every one of them kid and I'll never regret them impulses or no impulses. As for my technique at the age of 20 well I can't say. Maybe it's natural although I may have had a few spasmodic escapades with the opposite sex in which I ironed out the rough edges in my technique. I guess you got me at my best. Now I'm blushing or should I say bloating with egotism. Well honey I'll close out for now and will write again tomorrow. All my love to you

Always

John"