Letter # 28 May 16, 1943

May 16,1943
Sunday Morn.
11 A.M.
Hi you sweet thing;
I am going to try to write you a nice long letter if my ambition holds out, because I doubt if I will be able to write any next week. We will be out on bivouac all week I hear and if it is like last week I won't have time to write to sweet little you, damn it. Maybe I can make this one long enough so you can read part each day and imagine you are getting a letter every day. They bring our mail out to us so I get your letters, nice for me but bad for you, sorry honey. If I can possibly write I will. You see on these simulated battle maneuvers we can't have any lights, so if we don't get everything done before dark, which we seldom do we just can't do any writing. At least I don't think I can but I may try it sometime. I wouldn't have thought it possible for me to shave in the dark with an ordinary razor but I did it twice last week and didn't do so bad either. Wed. night I forgot to shave my upper lip so I had a mustach all day Thurs. but Thurs. night I did very well, not even a cut and only a few missed whiskers so maybe I can learn to write in the dark. If sometime you get a worse looking letter than usual, that's what happened.
Last week I addressed three envelopes in ink and took several sheets of stationery with me, so you see I had good intentions and it also explains the worn apperance of this paper. I'm too scotch to throw it away. I can't carry ink in the field so I write in pencil, don't give me hell like you did once remember? I just had to give you a dig for laughing at my spelling. I'd love you even if you gave me hell most of the time which you sure don't even if I do deserve it. You're sweet and I love you.
You may say you aren't a "Petty" girl but to me you are much better than any "Petty" or "Varga" ever made. Maybe I better quit writing such things so you can read more of my letters to others, but to hell with the others, when I want to love you a little while I'm writing I want to and I'm going to do it. Just like I always was, when I want it, I want it. You will just have to censor my letters if you think it is a little too personal for others to hear.
I went to the P.O. last night and mailed the glasses. They said I would have to make the insurance claim from the main P.O. here and that is over in South Camp and I would have a hell of a time getting there while they are open so I guess we will just forget about it and pay for it ourselves. You're rich and sweet enough to pay my bills for me. I always wanted a girl with money and now I've even got that. You sure are measuring up to specifications aren't you honey. I think you are and from reports of our friends, others think you are also. I still don't know how I was lucky enough to get you and dumb enough not to realize just how nice you were, until I had to leave you. Thank the army honey for waking me up and maybe you better keep some of these letters to show me if I ever again become unappreciative. You know I may slip after I've been with you for a few years again. I'll try not to honey and I sure hadn't ought to.
I guess I left out some things in my letter yesterday and will try to pick up a few of them. You see I was writing most of that letter while at the hospital waiting for transportation back to camp. I was sitting on a bench in front and was being bothered by W.A.A.C.S. crowding me off the bench nearly. I slid clear to the end and then anchored and stayed there. They were all waiting for transportation also. It was rather a new experience for me. I have seldom had a strange girl make the first advances, but I sure did then. They didn't need even an encouraging glance. I'm afraid I was a very unsatisfactory companion. I would answer their questions and then go back to writing to you. You sure must have something on the ball honey to be worth that many birds in the hand. I was even a little embarassed, imagine that. If that letter is queer blame it on the W.A.A.C.S. I did plenty of looking but nothing else.
The woods where we bivouac is literally crawling with snakes and insects. Nearly every kind of snake in the books. Coral rattler, Moccasin copperhead, black, and blue and all but the last two are poisonious. The boys killed severasl about 5' long and lots of little ones. All but the rattler will get out of the way if they can. I can now see the reason we wear leggings, it makes it impossible for a snake to get at us. They can't strike through to our legs so we are safe.
Remember the chiggers they talk of up at Put-in-Bay, well we sure have them here. My legs from the knee down are just covered with their bites. They get in our clothes and stay where the leggings are tight and have a swell time biting us. The medics smear soda, sulpher and water on the bites and they don't bother much but boy you should see what my legs look like, raw hamburger, from all the red welts. There are also plenty of mosquitoes and big ones, but I only have a few bites. Some of the rest of the boys have so many all over they look like they had measles. Leo's face and forehead was all swelled up from bites.
A lot of the boys have poison ivy also, so I am really lucky in comparison to them. If there was only some lake or river large enough to swim in I would like it better on bivouac than here in the barracks. It is cooler, because of available shade in the day and nearly cold at night. I can sleep as well on the ground as in these bunks and I always did like to be outside. Some more of the cave man in me.
You said you would like to take "Pop" Curtis' place as my bed partner and it sure would be O.K. by me but as much as mosquitoes bother you I don't think you would like it very much.
They gave us a medical inspection in the field Friday. Short arm and a check on insect bites and also to look for wood ticks. I had two wood ticks stuck to me and I didn't even know it until one of the medics said I had two of those damn diamond backs. They are an insect about the size and shape of a potato bug and they first suck their fill of blood and then gradually work their way under the skin. If they once get clear in they have to be cut out. These I had were still outside and the medic pulled them out with tweezers. They say the devils carry a fever germ and that is why we didn't have bivouacs sooner. They waited until we had our shots for that particular thing, so now they can't do us any harm. I wasn't the only one that had them.
I'm telling you all this because I think it interesting and I know you won't worry about it. We are well taken care of and they don't want any of us on sick list. They need us too bad.
We are to have a new company commander. I don't know the reason for sure but the grapevine says our old one is being sent across the water.
You probably have noticed in the news that General Devers was sent to take charge of the armored forces in Africa. He was the commanding general of the 8th so he is probably calling a few of the officers from here. The rumor says 16 are being called and our's was one of them.
Got another letter from Steve which I will enclose. He says John has left the store. I didn't think he would stay long. Hope Harold can get some more help or he will be in a spot. Also got a card from your Mom. Guess I'll have to be careful about sending cards. The Mother's Day cards seem to have been a great shock to both Moms. I'll have to warn them the next time. They just didn't know how nice I am did they? Guess I'm not, that was just an accident. Mom Kelser says she is sending me the Gazette for a birthday present. Tell her thanks. I hadn't realized it but it is nearly my birthday again. Just think honey you are married to an old man in his 30's. As long as you stick to men as old as Pappy for the duration, I won't mind too much because I think I can still compete favorably with them, especailly after being away from you for so long. I do miss you more than I can say and I bet I will show you some real loving when I come home on that leave. Don't worry honey I will have one someday and then other girls can be jealous of you.
I realized that I had forgotten to mention Terry after I had written that card to Kelly but then I didn't have room anymore so I sent it anyhow. Sorry. I'll try to do better next time. I have been wanting to write Tib a letter but I don't seem to find time to do more than answer the letters I get each week, and I know you are keeping them posted. I would also like to write to Fred and several others but I just can't do it. I have written 10 already today and that doesn't include the ones to my wife either. I don't look on that as a pleasant duty but as a priveledge. I like to write to you for some reason or other. Know the reason? If you don't just take all the parts of my letters about you and put them together, add several times as much as I have said and you will have a small idea of the reason. You mean about all there is to me. I just seem to start all my thoughts around you. It doesn't seem possible you could mean that much to me but you do and even though it is against all I ever said, I wouldn't have it changed for the world. You're the first real strong emotion I have ever had and I find myself eating it up. Just see what you've done to me. It took a few years but you did it and I love you all the more for it.
The towels are doing O.K. and anyhow we can get good ones for 50 cents here at the P.X. and also plenty of Lifeboy Soap for 7 cents a bar so I am well set on those items.
Sorry you're having so much trouble getting your sleep and getting all the work done. Don't try to do too much and wear yourself out. I want any wife all in one piece when I come home so if it gets too much leave part of the work go or if you can get along, quit working or do anything, rent the place or sell it, but for my sake if not your own don't hurt yourself by trying to do too much. You mean more to me than anything else so be damn sure you're O.k. and able to handle it all or else don't do it. I mean that just as I said it, you sweet old devil.
I'm getting along O.K. as squad leader and all the boys are very cooperative, of course I have all the athority in the world behind me and they can't give me any argument, and then being older than most they would be inclined to accept my leadership anyhow. Beside everybody always liked me anyhow. I'm sweet you know. You better think so. I love you honey.
I didn't notice the note about the P.O. box on your Wed letter until now but I'll put it on this one.
I am like you and will have to admit that if I stop to think too much I do ocassionally have a blue spell for a short time and you, darn you, are usually the cause of it, but that only makes me love you more so don't worry.
From what you say, and if I stay away for quite a time you will really be "So Nice to Come Home to"! Dreaming of me and even thinking of the sexual side of life. Boy will we have a real time. Both be in the same mood we were in that night in Michigan. The first night we ever slept together. Remember? You better be in different shape though. Never mind I would still be most awful damn glad to see you in any shape, but I'm going to hope for the best. Don't blame me do you.
I think the scrap book idea is O.K. and will send you anything I get. It probably will be interesting to look back in a few years and recall what happened during the time we were separated, and wonder how we ever stood it to be apart that long. Just think 7 weeks apart already and that much closer to the day when I come home to my sweet little wife again.
In lots of ways we both seem to have the same ideas. I am holding on to all the money I can also, just in case I have a chance for a surprise furlough. Must be we both want to see each other. Wonder why? Maybe it's love. Maybe, hell, I know it is. I'm not depriving myself either just being careful.
Glad to hear you still like my letters. It seems to me I am repeating myself a lot and thought maybe they read like copies. But if you are like me it still sounds swell even if it is the same. Nice to hear you say you love me. You're sweet.
I got the Esquire the other day so that is coming through O.K. It is a very popular magazine here in the barracks. Have a waiting line to see it.
Well honey this is about all I can do this time and if you don't get any letters for a few days remember I would write if I could and that I am thinking of you even though I don't write. I love you so much maybe you can kind of feel it or something. I love you so take care of yourself so I will have you as you are to love when I come marching home. By Darling.
Your husband and lover
Norm