"16 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
I received a letter from you today so I am happy once again. It was your letter of 13 April last Sunday. Not having received one from you yesterday I was awaiting its arrival anxiously. Last night after I finished writing to you the chief that sleeps in this room with me invited me out to a spot about a mile from the base for a couple of beers. Well the same old story all over again. I thought that I could drink the joint dry and as a result I've been 'suffering' all day from the after effects. My head felt as though it was going to crack in two and my stomach was trying to do flip-flops but I kept it pretty well balanced. I'm swearing off this stuff for good. It's the first big beer drinking that I've done in ages and I have finally realized that the consequences don't pay off. What a day. I thought it would never end honest. Your letter was my only happy moment all day long.
There was a terrific explosion this afternoon and all our doctors and nurses plus our medical suppliers are now down there helping out. It was quite a bang as over a thousand have been killed or reported killed so far. I guess Texas isn't safe any more what with tornadoes and explosions. Nothing like that ever happens around here so I'm safe I guess. I have the duty today and although not having a watch I have to lay around nevertheless just in case something happens. I also have the duty this weekend and I will undoubtedly have a watch. I'll be prepared for it and I'm hoping that it isn't a night watch. I'll be glad when the time comes that I can get away from it all. I'll get to your letter now so that I can get a little inspiration. For missing writing to me for a few days I forgive you as you must have been busy. I have lots of time on my hands so I can write at least once a day to you. I'm agreeable to seeing the 'Jolson Story' again and again as it will always bring back such wonderful and happy memories for both of us. Every time I hear Jolson sing I think of us and our honeymoon and just the two of us together. It was wonderful!
As I told you in my letter Saturday, when we were cut off, I hung up and went to chow. The watch stander couldn't find me I guess when you called back. I'm very sorry that I didn't wait around as I wanted to talk to you some more. This Sunday if the strike is settled I'll call you but otherwise I won't be able to. All the operators are on strike down here and no one can get a call out. A couple of guys tried and couldn't make it. Incoming calls get thru here all right. I guess I'll have to wait until the following Saturday. It will be disappointing not being able to talk to you for a week. I'm glad that you had a good time at the Gordon Supply Party. How does it feel to be among the married set? We are not working at it now but when we get together things will be different all around. I hope the time rolls by fast so that we can get together for always. I can hardly wait until the day arrives. I'm praying for it to hurry. I'll close for now until tomorrow night. I love you with all my heart honey and I miss you so awful. I guess I'll turn in now and get rested for tomorrow.
All my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John."
The Bullock Museum in Austin, Texas has the following information on its website - https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/artifacts/shrapnel-texas-city-explosion#:~:text=On%20the%20morning%20of%20April,and%20ignited%20two%20more%20explosions.
"On the morning of April 16, 1947, a fire started on the SS Grandcamp, a cargo ship docked in the Port of Texas City, igniting 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer in its hold. The resulting explosion leveled the dock and surrounding industrial area and ignited two more explosions. The concussion and debris from the blasts damaged buildings across the city. At the time, the Texas City disaster was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history — an estimated 581 people were killed and thousands more injured.
The Grandchamp explosion ignited a second explosion at the nearby Monsanto Chemical Company plant and set fire to a second ship, the SS Highflyer, that was also carrying ammonium nitrate. The Highflyer exploded 16 hours later, adding more destruction and fear to an already devastated city. The explosions hurled parts of the ships, dock equipment, surrounding warehouses, and nearby railcars and automobiles into businesses and homes all over town. The Grandchamp’s one-and-a-half ton anchor landed two miles away. Each of the blasts sent shockwaves through the city, blowing out windows and setting new fires. In the end, the loss of property totaled about $67 million.
The first explosion left Texas City without emergency services, destroying all of its firefighting equipment and knocking out water and power. All 27 members of the volunteer fire department responded to the fire on the SS Grandchamp. Their initial attempts to put out the flames had no effect — the ship was so hot that water vaporized on contact. Unaware of the explosive power of the fertilizer in the hold, they boarded the vessel to fight the fire more aggressively. The ship exploded moments later, killing everyone on board.
Hundreds of locals immediately began rescue work with what resources they had, while an additional 4,000 Red Cross and other volunteers poured in. Local, state, and federal officials worked to identify victims for two months after the disaster. Victims were identified by physical descriptions, what they were wearing, where they worked, or other unique information. In some cases, the FBI matched fingerprints from unidentified remains with prints already on record. Despite their best efforts, 63 victims were never identified and almost 200 people were listed as missing. The destruction brought about new regulations for the chemical manufacturing industry. New regulations for ammonium nitrate required cool temperatures and specialized containers for shipping and storing, prohibited storage near other reactive materials, discouraged travel over long distances, and greatly restricted overseas transport. It also led to a more proactive approach to industrial disaster planning across the country, including the creation of mutual aid systems across states.
"17 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Hello again. I received another letter from you today so naturally I'm very happy indeed. I just returned from downtown in time to hit the sack as soon as I finish this letter to you. I needed a good bite to eat so I went down to one of the better restaurants in town and had a steak and French fries with shrimp salad as an entree It was really delicious. I need a good meal every once in a while to keep up my strength. I went to the show in town and saw Danny Kaye in a 'Kid from Brooklyn' and it was really swell! That Danny Kaye is really a character. The picture is almost a year old but it's getting its first run down here so you can imagine what the second run houses are showing. We have new pictures on the base six months before they get to the movies downtown. I didn't do very much today in fact I didn't do anything. I was classified this morning and the Navy has finally put me on one job and that will be in an A&R shop. It's a matter of routine and more paper work. Every time I move from one spot to another about a scillion people come around wanting to classify you. They ask you what you do what you can do and what you would like to do. They mark down the job you like best and that's that. If I haven't got a watch this Saturday I'm going down town and see about getting a job. It will be something to do to kill time over the long weekend. The week-ends are the longest days now that I have set up a routine at work. I haven't done anything for the past few days but the time is moving along all right. The longest part of the day is the last hour just before we quit. Anxiety I guess.
The biggest news around here is the big explosion and fire at Texas city, a few hundred miles up the coast from us. I guess it's all over the papers up there too. I just heard over the radio that Mayor Curley and Governor Bradford have sent their condolences and have offered their help on behalf of the city and State. From all indications it was a horrible mess. I'll get to your letter now. I'm glad that you got your allotments all right and my mind is at ease. I contemplated a battle to get them moving but I guess the boys are on the ball at long last. The allotments commenced the first of February the month that we were married and are for forty dollars a month. I had to make out an allotment in order to get that allotment that I told you about, $37.50 so out of my pay they take only $2.50 and the dear government kicks over the $37. 50. It's some sort of a ruling they made up. As soon as things straighten out I'll boost the allotment up some more. You can pay the phone bill with it and put the rest in the bank if you wish. You should receive the checks from now on about the fifth of each month for forty dollars a month until I boost the allotment. I'll let you know when I do. 'Tall in the Saddle' is a picture that I have been dying to see but I've never got around to it. I read the book once and I've been looking forward to the picture. Maybe it will show up here some day. Well honey that's all I can think of for now except that I love you and miss you a million times a day. I guess I'll have a dream about you tonight and see what turns up.
All my love to you
God Bless you
Always John x"
"18 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Another work week has ended and my duty week-end commences. I'll have one watch to stand and that will be from 4-8 Sunday evening. I'm glad that it is not a night watch as I'll be able to take in some sleep this time. I'll probably go down town tomorrow since you won't be calling this week-end and I'll look into the employment situation. Quite a few of the guys are working nights and they are making good money doing it. I'm going to look into it. Today I went to Captain's Mast, the first time in my Navy career. It was quite an experience. One of the guys in my outfit got himself in trouble and I had to go up to the Captain as a witness on his behalf. They had about thirty guys up on all kinds of charges and punishment flew left and right. Only three men went to the brig out of the lot although quite a few were held for court martials. The guys that went to the brig were up for shirking duty. Since they couldn't work the skipper gave them five days in the brig on a diet of bread and water. They are beginning to clamp down on these guys now and they can't get away with the stuff that they once pulled. My boy got off with 15 hours extra duty. He just finished paying off $180 fine for being over the hill. He went over the hill last fall and turned in at Philly. They held him up there for 90 days and sent him back here. At a stop over in St Louis he got drunk and mixed up with some female and lost his records after a four day fling there. He missed a muster the other night so I had to take him to see the 'man.' His was only a mild case as most of the others were serious. It killed the morning for me and the rest of the day whizzed by. I got a letter from you this afternoon so once again I want to thank you very much. It was only a short one but it built up my morale. Every little bit helps. I saw the minstrel show written up in the Boston Post tonight. I guess all minstrel shows are good and they will always be one of my first loves as far as entertainment goes. Its too bad there aren't more of them around as it uses up a lot of time for the kids and they are a world of fun to be in. I know that the few that I was in I liked immensely and I just wished and hoped that they would never end. I guess it's the lure of the excitement and grease paint and doing something that you didn't think possible. I learned an awful lot of human nature in shows like that. It took a lot of time and persuasion to get someone to sing and then they wouldn't stop. Deep down inside every body loves to sing and act but most people are scared stiff. I guess I'm over it now. I drive this buddy of mine crazy when I go into a Jolson routine for him. I guess every end man in a minstrel show is the Jolson type. They sing all his songs and if they aren't nervous they use his mannerisms. Even I succumbed. When I sang 'Ida" I got down on one knee a la Mammy but I was afraid my pants would split any minute they were so tight. In my first minstrel show I sang 'You must have been a beautiful Baby' and I must say that I wowed them. Remind me to tell you sometime how I, being a casual bystander, became an end man in that minstrel show. Me & my big mouth.
Maybe when I get settled down and become a civilian once again I'll take a fling at another minstrel show. When I was at Quonset I used to sing a lot of minstrel songs and it wowed them. I guess it was the songs. I really wish that I could have been there with you as I know that I would have enjoyed it tremendously, The last one I saw was with you up in Newton. Remember? That's the night you made me buy a hat, my first soft one, to keep the snow off my head. I'll never forget that night. There is a minstrel show coming up down here pretty soon and I may take it in if I can find out where it's at.
Well honey I guess I had better get some shut eye as I can't sleep late tomorrow. I have to muster at eight o'clock. I miss you terribly honey and I think of you all of the time, day and night. I love you so much that nothing else really matters, only us and happiness together for both of us. So long for now.
All of my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John x
P.S. I love you very much!"
My dearest darling Ellen,
How is my better half this fine day? Being Patriot's Day in Boston and vicinity I guess everyone is in a holiday mood. I was in a holiday mood myself but some poor Marine spoiled my day. I arose bright and sleepy at 6:30 this morning, washed shaved and went to breakfast such as it was. Nevertheless I was in a good mood and a wonderful frame of mind. All decked out in my greens I went down to my place of 'employment' and mustered for a watch that I won't have until tomorrow. Since my section has the duty over the weekend I had to muster regardless. I returned to the barracks still bright and cheerful woke up my buddy who was to accompany me to town and I then set out washing socks and underclothes while he was washing and getting something to eat. We finished our duties at about the same time and decided we should go in the bus to town. We grabbed the nine-thirty bus outside our barracks and headed for the gate, me still decked out in my newly pressed greens and my buddy in a set of khakis. After a short haul we pulled up to the main gate and that's where the Marine came in. He boarded our bus to check our passes and since I was in the front seat he didn't have too far to go to get to me. He informed me in a nice way, which incidentally is uncommon in the Marines, that I couldn't get out in greens as that morning, meaning this morning, the uniform was changed to khakis for officers and chiefs. I could have slid thru a crack. Here I am trying to get down town to put some money in the bank before it burns a hole in my wallet and I can't go. I got off the bus and after a long despairing wait a bus came along that took us, my buddy got off also, up to Ships Service where I purchased a pair of khaki trousers. That was simple buying them, then, I had to spend thirty minutes convincing the tailor that I had to have the cuffs turned up this morning before he ever worked up a notion to say yes. At noon I got my khakis. The bank closed at noon so I was beat there but I decided to take a run down town to look over prospects for a job down on he docks loading spuds at $1.50 per hour. After walking twelve blocks of fast walking in a terrific heat we got to the docks but since my luck was bad my prospects turned out the same way. No one was working so we had no alternative but to retrace our steps and get something to eat. After a big sizzling T-Bone, Kansas City style, I got disgusted with it all and came back here to while away the time. I washed some more took a nap ate supper and here I am right back where I started from. I hope that tomorrow doesn't turn out to be as down-beaten as this day but time will tell. Tomorrow as I said before, I have an afternoon watch and with church in the morning the day will not be long going by. The time is really moving along down here and I hope it is for you also. I'm counting the days until my leave will come around in July but the days sound to big so I'm counting the weeks instead. It will be 60 and some odd days or 9 weeks. Nine weeks sounds much sooner to me. I'm hoping that they will fly by as I'm dying to see you and be with you for as long as my leave will allow. My leave is my objective at present and it's the only thing I'm pointing forward to. After that leave I'll look forward to another leave later on in the year, maybe around Christmas. That's a little too far to plan for just now but it is in back of my mind just the same. I'm going to Communion again tomorrow if all goes well and I'll offer it up for us again with an added plea that the time will fly by for us and that we will be together again real soon. I love you and miss you fiercely. I was looking over our honeymoon pictures and my mind drifted back a short, but seemingly, long time to happy days together. When we get together again all our days will be happy for me and I hope that they will be just as happy for you. If I ever do anything that makes you unhappy hit me on the head with something, will you. Well honey I'm running out of words for now but I'll write again tomorrow night. I won't get any mail until Monday so I'll have to build up an inspiration during the day.
I love you with all my heart and I miss you very very much.
All my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John x"
20 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
It's almost midnite so I'll have to make this a 'quickie.' After my watch I went to the late show and it just got out. Sinbad the Sailor was the movie in question starring Maureen O'Hara and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. I consider it wasted time on my part and wasted time on the part of poor Maureen. Fairbanks attempting to duplicate the versatility of his illustrious father is purely a 'ham' for my money. If you haven't seen it already don't unless you have a lot of spare time and enjoy being dazzled by brilliant colors. I went to Mass this morning but failed to make Communion as I broke my fast in a weak moment. All day long I have been thinking up inspiration but none came along except how much I love and miss you. That is paramount in my mind and it shall be always. I miss you and dream and long for you all day and night. It doesn't drive me crazy but it does come mighty close to it. I sincerely hope that the days weeks and months roll along at a terrific pace so that I can get home to you to stay for always and always. This disaster they had down here dampened my chances of phoning you today. They have been announcing that only calls of dire emergency affecting life & property would be let thru due to the rush of calls by the rescue crews from all over south Texas. I'll close out for now until tomorrow.
All my love Always
God Bless you
Always
John x"
My very dearest darling Ellen,
How is my beloved wife this fine evening? I just heard my friend Christopher Lynch on the Firestone program and he is just as good as ever. His voice is as clear as a bell and his diction and phrasing is so clear that you can understand each and every word. That's something that other singers don't bother with. If he ever makes any recordings I'll have to make a collection of them. Well today went kind of slow for me as there wasn't much doing and since it was cloudy, hot and muggy I guess my ambition was a trifle stifled. It gets so muggy and sticky down here that it's uncomfortable to even sit still. One of the miseries of life I guess and if others can stand it I guess I can. I was going to get a job tonight but I was told that I needed my social security card. Since I lost that wallet of mine in St Louis that time, and my original card was among the missing I'll have to get a new one. It will take a couple of weeks but I'll be able to get a temporary one till the real one comes along. I'm taking tomorrow afternoon off to get it and maybe while I'm about it I can open a bank account down here so that I can save enough money to fly me home and back when I go on leave in July. Three ships pulled in today so maybe I'll be able to get some work. I want it over the weekends as they pay time and a half and sometimes double time for Saturdays and Sundays. I guess I can stand a little hard work for a few bucks an hour as I haven't much else to do Saturday and Sunday so the work will do me good.
I received a letter from you today and as usual I was so very glad to receive it since I drew blanks over the weekend. Please don't worry about me getting banged up down here as I'm very far away from all the oil tanks they have down here. I guess it was pretty tragic at Texas City and from the papers the mayor of the city is raising hell with the Red Cross for not doing anything only answering telephones. They are the biggest four flushing outfit on earth as every vet knows and at last they are being found out at home. It's about time somebody took a slam at them. Usually they get the big shots of each town city, state and the big wigs in Washington and give them some big honorary position in the outfit thus hushing any criticism from the powers that be. I'm really down on that outfit. The Salvation Army from all reports are doing a marvelous job down there but as usual they don't get the publicity. You must be unlucky as you always seem to be getting caught in the rain. I guess I had better get home so that I can pick you up and save you a drenching. With your hair all straight mussed up and plastered on your forehead I still think that you would have made a nice looking girl to me. I love you no matter how you look. I'm glad that you're back on schedule once again but I hope that it's not too dizzy. I guess it will return to normal eventually - at least I hope so anyway. If it doesn't get back on schedule soon I'm afraid I'll have to go to you and see what I can do about it. This being apart is affecting both of us I guess but my affections are different than yours I guess. I miss you so very, very much that it hurts sometimes, especially when I haven't anything to tax my mind. That's quite often too. All I do is build up a great big dream of what I'd like to do when I get out of service. It's fun though because when I recall them all they are all different but they all wind up with both of us very happy. I guess they couldn't be more perfect as that's all that I want, just a goodly share of happiness for both of us. Planning seems futile when we are so far apart but by saving our dough plans will be easy to formulate when we get together to stay. I agree with you when you say that you don't care how slow the time goes when we are together. I'll have to close out for now honey as it's getting pretty late and I must retire (ahem) for the night. I love you with all my heart and soul and I miss you terribly, honey.
All my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John x"
I found an envelope dated 23 April 1947 but there is no letter to go with it.
"My very dearest darling Ellen, 25 April 1947
I intended to write you a long letter tonight but the mail situation did not come up to my expectations. I had expected three letters but I wound up with one and that one is quite incomplete as you mailed it before you finished it. I'll do the best I can though and I'll see how many pages I can fill before I have to close.
Today was unusually cloudy and murky and a stiff breeze has been blowing. In my room now it is nice and cool and the wind is almost howling in the window. I expect to be showered with rain before the night is out but this welcome relief after the continual heat sure is a God sent to all of us. I hope that it continues for awhile and that it doesn't go away as fast as it came. I don't know if they have an autumn season down here but tonight it feels like it.
My hopes of a transfer fell short again today after word got out that it might have been possible. All of the men in one of the outlying fields are going to Pensacola Florida and if it was possibly to arrange a swap it would be officially approved at the Main office. Everyone got hot on the deal but nothing panned out as none of the other guys would swap to stay here in Texas. After the lift there are many sad and low hearts here tonight even my own. I'm trying to console myself to the fact that it may all be for the best but I can't see it just now. One of these days I'll run into a deal that will suit me because my life has got to change soon and it can't get any worse. If the deal could have been arranged it would have meant flight pay to me and an extra thousand in the bank for us. I guess I'm just getting greedy and money mad in my last few years of service but if the chance of getting the dough is around I'm going to try to be around to collect it. The opportunity doesn't present itself very often these days and all these guys down here play a cut throat game.
I'm in a better mood so I'll get off the subject for more pleasant things. The day went along at a steady certain pace not fast and not slow so I don't know whether to complain about it or not. I guess I'm getting like a woman with bad grouchy days every so often but it will wear off in time I hope. That new job I got I don't like already as it's a headache from the outset. No one wants the job and I can't get any cooperation from anyone. I'm going to dump it right back on their laps one of these days. All these students have a schedule and I've run it up to November some time without worry so between now and then I'm going to drop the whole deal. My old job may be hot and dull but at least I've set up a routine and time moves along for me. For some reason I just can't sit in an office at a desk doing nothing. I feel like a caged animal. I mustn't be housebroken yet I guess. Maybe it's the environment with everyone coming and going all day long with the continual chattering in my ears of this and that.
Tomorrow morning I go to school for a couple of hours so my day will be broken up some and it should move right along. It all adds up to the fact that I miss you terribly and I love you so very very much. I promise you that when we are together to stay I'll never let you out of my sight for an hour if I can possibly help it at all. We are going to live like we should live, never apart and within arms reach of each other at all times. I promise you! These last few months have been the loneliest months that I have ever experienced in all of my whole life. They will end in time and I'll never permit myself to experience them again. I guess you feel the same way but since you are at home the strain isn't so bad. It won't be long honey and then all will be sweet and serene always.
I had better get to your letter now before I get morose and break into tears which wouldn't do me much good down here with no one to comfort me as only you could.
When I got your letter at noon I was disappointed a bit that I didn't get more but Monday in our Post Office is a very unpredictable day. Your back mail should catch up to me by tomorrow and I'll be happy once again. I started to read this letter I got very intently but when I got to the second page it came to an abrupt halt. You probably had intentions of finishing it later but just forgot. It was your letter of Thursday incidentally in case you wish to recall. I'm glad that it's cool up there now so maybe the heat has gone away for a while and everyone can relax and cool off as Autumn draws near.
It hardly seems possible that summer is about gone and that the Fall is almost upon us. I may complain about this and that but time does roll along for us nevertheless.
Madeline must be going to have a big affair with all the bridesmaids and such but I guess it's okay if she wants a lot of fuss. Ours was still the best of them all even though at times I thought that I was going to shake myself down thru the cracks in the floor out of nervousness. I guess I should have had something to build up my nerves but now I'm glad.
I wish that I could be home to see it all as I'd like to see someone go thru my part for a change and then I'd be able to judge the contrast. One of these fine days somebody will oblige me but until then I'll just remember it all. It's getting kind of late honey so I think I'll go to bed and dream of you.
If I can't see you and be with you I can try to dream about (you) to sooth my loneliness.I miss you like mad Ellen and I love you sincerely with all my whole heart and soul.
All of my love to you
God Bless & keep you
Always &always
John xxx"
"27 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Hello again. Another Sunday has come and is almost gone so I'm that much nearer to you. I miss you like mad honey and I can't wait until the time rolls along until I see you once again. Why does time have to be so slow in going by? I only hope that I'll be able to stand the grind until I'm out for good. It seems so long since I've seen you and I want to be with you so very much. When I can be with you for always I'll thank God from the bottom of my heart, believe me. I went to Mass this morning as usual but went to the noon Mass instead of the eight or ten o'clock Mass. Our chaplain is going home this week and we are getting a new priest from Boston. I think he said his name is Father Murphy. There are a lot of Boston boys down here so he won't be lonesome. One of the guys that I work with comes from Beverly and another comes from Arlington. I also know a kid here from South Boston. I meet them all over at the library as we scramble for the Boston papers each night. It's a popular paper down here although it's three or four days old. The papers that they have in Corpus Christi have about as much news in them as that local paper that they have in Watertown. My main interest is the front page, editorials and sports. The sports page tells all about the local soft ball heroes and the like and the major league baseball results are away down in a corner in fine print. God love the library as it's saving us all from becoming Texans and isolated characters such as they have down here. They are all characters, the local yokels I mean. I developed a headache somewhere along the line today, I guess it's from reading. I just finished 'Some of these days' by Sophie Tucker and I am all set to give 'Starling of the White House' a whirl. Sophie Tuckers book wasn't bad as its more or less a history of vaudeville and the people who made it up into a big outfit. I liked it. This Starling was once the bodyguard of the Presidents so I'll see what he has to offer. Most of my reading is non-fiction as fiction doesn't interest me too much unless it's real good and I have to form my own conclusions on it. Maybe I'll run across some good fiction one of these days. I haven't done a blessed thing today and I'll be glad when Monday rolls around so that I can get to work and have the time roll by. I guess it's one of the few times that I'll be glad to see a Monday morning. I've been listening to the radio all day and have learned from it all that with Daylight Savings time you are now two hours ahead of me as we are still standard time down here. It doesn't make much difference one way or the other altho your days will be longer back home. I'd love to be home to enjoy the long evenings once again. The more that I think of you up there and me down here I get as mad as a hatter and I want to start pulling my hair out. I guess I had better relax or I'll wind up bald and that would never do at all. I miss you more than anything else on earth honey so I'm just lonely for you and you alone. I guess in my loneliness over the weekends I have too much time on my hands and do too much thinking and dreaming. I'll just have to find a way to speed time along if it's possible but I doubt it.
It's been muggy cloudy and threatening all day so I didn't bother to go down town today. I see by the papers that the Jolson Story is in so I'll have to see it again for old times sake. Every time I see it or hear a song from it I think of you so very very much as it's so associated to us. For you and I Jolson will never end nor will the songs that he sings. Well honey I'll have to close out for now until tomorrow when I shall write once again. I hope that I get a letter from you to boost my morale which right now is at a low ebb. I love you with all of my heart and soul.
All of my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John x"
"28 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Another Monday has come and gone and I have one day less to stay here. It was a dull slow day with very little to do only sit around or take walks all around the different shops to kill time. Tomorrow should be a little busier as all of the civilians will be over the dismal effects of the week-end and they will be working instead of spending their time in the men's room trying to figure out if it's going to stay down or are they going to be sick. On Monday morning they are all a very sad lot. My day was not completely dull as I received three (3) letters from you today and I was amazed. They were the letters that you wrote Monday Wednesday and Thursday and your picture and your 'masterpiece' was among them. It made me feel very wonderful indeed to receive so many at one time as I only expected one at the most. Thank you my dear, very very much, I appreciate you and your letters an awful lot. I don't know what to comment on first your picture or your letter. Your picture I guess will be first. The picture in itself isn't bad but it seems blurred and you are so far away from the camera. It doesn't do you justice. When I get home I'll take some shots of you, that is if they get the camera in stock at the Ships Store that I'm looking for. If not I'll have to get a 16 millimeter candid job that will suffice I hope. Keep sending your pictures as I don't care what you think of them as long as they are pictures of you. After not seeing you for so very long you look good in any picture. If they don't turn out good I'll use my imagination and they will become wonderful to me. Keep them coming honey. Now I shall get to your 'masterpiece.' You must have been really loaded when you wrote it. If you want me to I'll send it to you so that you can see what you wrote. I guess you must be very lonely like me. Right off the bat I want you to get rid of these phobias that you have and get rid of them right away as they will do you no good and an awful lot of harm. Another thing cut out your drinking, please, for your sake and for mine as it gives you an awful morbid outlook and it scares me. If anything ever happened to you I'd go nuts, believe me. I'm glad that you wrote to me and I deeply appreciate your honesty in telling me about your spree. About that night in the Melody Bar in Waltham when I told you I didn't want you to go to California I was really cruel and brutal. I've done a lot of things honey that I'm terribly sorry for but I'll make it up to you in time, believe me. I love you so much honey. I sometimes wonder if I can ever make up to you for all my forgetfulness over the years. You have been wonderful to me. I'm terribly sorry if I've ever hurt you and if I ever do or say anything that hurts you again I want you to promise to crown me with the first thing that you can get your hands on. I guess I've given you many occasions to be mad at me as I'm full of errors both of commission and omission but name my faults and I'll do my very very best to correct or eliminate them. How's that?
Marrying you was the first sensible thing that I have ever down and my regret is that the damned war had to interfere with us getting married sooner. If it hadn't come along we would undoubtedly be old married folks by this time with a family pretty well developed. Damn wars and damn this Navy. Please excuse my descriptive adjectives. You have never been nor ever will be a disappointment to me so please don't work up a phobia about that. You are the swellest person on earth and I want you to be that way always. If you get terribly lonely as your letter sounds, take some time off grab some dough out of the bank, and head down here. If I could get home to stay I'd do it in a minute, even less than a minute. I want you to be happy, as happy as can be, but please cut out drinking or you will have me a nervous wreck. Please! If going out with Hannie's crowd means drinking I want you to stop going out with them. I'm not bawling you out or scolding you, I'm pleading with you. You told me over the phone to disregard your letter but I can't. Get a grip on yourself kid and don't let go. I'm madly in love with you and I don't want anything to happen to you ever. It would drive me stark raving mad. Please take care of yourself, please. I love you and I miss you like mad.
All of my love to you
God Bless you & keep you
Always
John x
P.S. I'm sending you your masterpiece. "
"29 April 1947
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Another 'tough' day and I do mean tough. My rear end is beginning to sprout callouses from sitting down. I'm afraid if I keep up like this they will put a tag on me and inventory me as a permanent fixture. It seems as though no one is working and the decline is felt at my end. There is six of us in the shop and we are all getting sick and tired of looking at each other. I'm still walking around the joint so at least I'm getting exercise even though I'm not working. I went to a so called 'Minstrel Show' on the base tonight. It was the same show that cost $1.25 downtown and those that paid the price were robbed. There wasn't a 'black face' act in the whole show. From my position it was strictly a beauty contest with an orchestra. The minstrel shows that we put on at home were extravaganzas in a mild comparison. Someday I'll get a chance to put on a show for somebody someplace and it will really be a mistrel show - a good old fashioned show with loads of minstrel and show tunes and everything going off in clockwork precision. None of this stuff of six or eight girls stepping around the stage in two piece bathing suits not saying anything and being very unentertaining to everyone including themselves. I guess by now you realize that I am of the opinion that this show really (stunk) smelled out loud. A minstrel show has got to have life and jump with loads and loads of songs like 'Suzy' 'Rufus Rostus Johnson Brown,' 'Bill Bailey' Carolina in the morning and last but far from the least 'Ida' my favorite. I'm so nerved up about this show tonight that I'll probably sing a whole show tonight in my dreams. Enough about shows now I'll get to you, my favorite brunette. I got two letters from you today dated April 26-27. I guess that's Saturday and Sunday. They really got here in a hurry. Sundays letter came in the afternoon mail so I guess I'll go without a letter tomorrow. If I do I'll reread your old letters and keep posted. Thanks a million for both of them as they honestly sparked an otherwise very dull day. You can never realize how much they boost my morale down here. I sent you your 'masterpiece' so you can see how you write and think when you are slightly incapacitated. Please swear off honey and make that your last 'masterpiece.' I sincerely wish that I could be home with you to stay so that we could start our life of married bliss. It isn't too far off but the days aren't flying by fast enough. All I do all day long is try to visualize our life together and it seems swell until I return to reality and I get discouraged when I think of how long we have to wait. But tomorrow ends April so that's another month we won't have to think about. Now let the rest of them roll by like greased lightning and I'll be very happy indeed. I want you and to be with you always, more than I want anything else in this world and the time will never arrive soon enough until my hopes and dreams are realized. I'm waiting patiently for my leave to sneak up on me but it isn't sneaking up on me fast enough. I guess I'm just a little impatient about it all. When I do get home on my leave I'm going to forget everyone and everything but you. I'll date you solid every night and the best part of it I won't have to kiss you 'goodbye' each night as I've done on my previous leaves. That will be wonderful in itself. Days, please hurry by!
Just like you said in your letter sometimes it seems to me that I've known you for years and years and then again it seems as though I've know you only a few years. It was the war and all I guess. These past six years have been the finest that I've ever had and I know that the next six will be even better when I'll be able to be with you for keeps. Being apart like this gives me an empty lonely feeling that I can't fight. I can't explain it, but every now and them I come out of a deep reminiscing fog thinking about you and us and I feel funny all over, glad for the thoughts and sorry that reality had to intervene. Those are my affects of separation.
I see you crashed 'High Society' by attending the Horse Show. I've never witnessed one of those spectacles but maybe some day I will. I don't imagine they are very entertaining unless you're a rabid horse fan.
Well honey I have to hit the sack now for another 'tough' day tomorrow. I hope someone starts working soon or I'll go nuts. I love you with all of my heart and soul and I miss you very much.
All of my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John x
- 55 days to L.-Day -"
My very dearest darling Ellen,
Did I ever tell you that you are a very wonderful person? Well you are. I received another letter from you today and I must say that you are doing wonderfully well. I hope that you can continue at this rate and I'll never be disappointed at mail call. I love you very very much. Well today ends another month and tomorrow ushers in a new one - May one of the most beautiful months of the year. I only hope that it goes by as fast as April seemed to go and I'll be happy. It will I know ~ psychic I guess. I got paid today and if I can get to the bank Saturday morning I'll have my plane fare home all set aside safe and sound. These pay checks puzzle me as I haven't drawn the same amount twice since I arrived down here. I guess my next check will be for the right amount I hope so, as I would like to know where I stand monetarily. If I ever get it straighten out I am going to boost my allotment up to a hundred a month. It will leave me with enough to get along on quite easily and if an emergency should arise I can aways wire home for some. If I don't the dough I get will slip away from me on something foolish and when I need it I won't have it. It's happened to me before in the past but I've learned a lot in a few years as fas as money goes. It's good to have it but it's much better to hold on to it until you need it. I have plans for the future and if I don't start financing them now they will all wind up like some dream castle ~ tumbling down over my thick skull. I'll have enough to get by on.
This is my last sheet of paper so I'll have to say a lot in a few words. I'm afraid that I would be forced to give you a bawling out instead of sympathizing with you for getting so sick from smoking. Why in heavens name don't you quit? Sometimes I think you have a stubborn streak in you a mile wide. You must be a glutton for punishment. I can imagine what your poor mother has to put up with. First I get sick from clams and a couple of drinks and now you are sick from smoking. I'll have to write to her and have her turn you over her knee and paddle your sit-down until you get some sense. I guess I'll wait till I get home then I'll have the 'pleasure.'
I went down town tonight had a steak, a huge one, and wound up at a show. It wasn't bad the picture being Johnny O'Clock with Dick Powell. I planned to see the Jolson Story but since Jolson doesn't sing cowboy songs or play a guitar they only had it here for two days. I missed it by one day. I'll wait till I get home and then we will see it together again. Okay? Only 54 more days till I get my leave and what a happy day that will be. I haven't decided where we should go on our second honey moon as yet. When I get an idea I'll let you know. I was thinking of going to New York again but just as long as we are together the locale is immaterial to me. I'll look thru the papers and see what I can find. I'm about run out of paper so I guess I had better draw to a close about now. My ink is fading also. I love you dearly with all my heart and soul and I miss you so very much. Please take care and so long for tonight 'Sad Sack'
All of my love to you
God Bless you
Always
John. x"
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