Letter # 69 July 25, 1943

July 25, 1943
0600 Sun.
Good morning honey;
I can risk saying good morning to you this way and not get a scowl for an answer. You never were too sociable at this time of the morning, were you? Especially if I would have wakened you this early on Sunday. Wish I was near enough to try it though. I'd risk a scowl. I might even try to break your rule about no loving in the morning. Maybe you've changed in that respect also. Have you? I love you, you old devil and I think maybe I'll try it the first chance I get.
If the army doesn't change its mind about sending me to Fort Knox I'm going to take you up on that business of coming to see me so maybe it won't be too long until I have a chance to try. I sure am keeping my legs crossed and hoping.
Every time the C.O. or first Sargent want to see me I get scared. Think the bad news might be coming. It just seems too good to be true, being shipped back so close to my good old wife. I'll really heave a sigh of relief when I get on that northbound train. I don't know when anything has meant so much to me as the prospect of seeing you again does. I'm afraid I've allowed myself to dream a little too much about this and if it doesn't happen I'm going to be very much disappointed. Now don't go thinking, "Well, damn it I'll go to La." because I won't be so broken up that I would want you to do that.
You can believe me honey, this weather is hell and to someone not used to it, it would be something worse. Yesterday it was 116 degrees and already this morning I am dripping and I don't sweat until it gets about 90 degrees anymore.
This past week we had two Nco's come back from furloughs in the north, Sgt. Rush, the one I bivouacked with that night, from New York, was one of them and they nearly died after they got here. Had to stand on the train for long periods of time and the heat nearly got them. They had to give Rush two heart shots to keep it from stopping. They are both recovering slowly.
Now that I have gotten used to it, it doesn't have much effect on me other than keep me constantly dripping, but I don't think I will ever kick about cold weather again.
They've kind of had me on "unlimited" service again the last couple days, didn't even get time to write you yesterday. I got up Friday noon and worked Friday night. Sat morn they had some special lectures "Ernie", Sgt. Marinics, and I had to attend. Got to bed at 1000 and they called us back to duty at 1130. We worked until 2000 last night. Almost like the old days when I spent nearly all my time on my feet. Although then I had some very pleasant work to do part of the time. Loving you.
The "old man" can still take it. I wasn't even sleepy so i took Sgt. Caruso's trick at C.O. for him. His wife is living in DeRidder and they had kept him so busy last week he didn't get home at night. So when he asked me would I take his turn I felt sorry for him and did it. He was so tickled he offered me $5.00 for it but I couldn't take money for that. He had asked all the rest of the qualified men first. He knew I hadn't had any sleep. None of them would take it for him. He looked so down hearted I don't know how they could refuse. Anytime I can do anything to help a man see his wife, I'll sure as hell do it.
I finally got to bed at 2400 and had hardly gotten to sleep when one of the boys came in and got me up again. He had been given an emergency furlough and then a 4 day extension and had overstayed that for 6 days so he is in trouble. I had to do a little record work on it and get him settled under company arrest. Then I went back to bed until 0500 this morning. He sure has himself in a jam. He will be court marshaled and probably get at least 6 mo. in the guard house, and may get up to 10 yrs. They sure are tough on A.W.O.L. In this outfit they have already given 2 yrs for 2 days A.W.O.L. and they accept very few excuses. Even a few minutes to an hour late for any formation without a very good excuse, give a week of K.P. or other extra company duty, such as digging stumps, hauling gravel or any kind of work there is to be done.
Even this morning I had orders to call the company out at 0800 for "police up" and then had to go through the barracks and take the names of men that didn't fall out. They are now on detail for the day. It sure pays to stay "on the ball" in this man's army. I learned that quick and have so far been lucky. I've done a lot of extra work but none of it has been for punishment yet.
This C.O. business explains the reason I'm writing this letter so early. I had to get the cooks and K.P.'s out at 0500 so I just decided to do my writing this morning. I go off duty at 1200 and then I have quite a lot of laundry to do and a few other things to take care of so I'll be ready to take off when the time comes. They'll probably only tell us an hour or so before we are to be on the train. I can't send my laundry out because it wouldn't be back quick enough. I still need my "red headed secretary". I seem to be finding too many things for that mythical secretary to do. Guess all I want is a wife. I already have the best one of those available, but she's too damn far away. I love you darling. Do you believe me now or haven't I told you often enough?
I just nearly got mobbed and if as they say, I wasn't an old bald headed man they would have, but I don't think that was the whole reason. I am just as big as they . However I guess maybe I had it coming. Sgt Brown & Sgt Otis were sitting around here in the orderly room and we were "throwing the bull" about this and that and as is always the case, the subject of furloughs came up. They were ribbing me about going so close to home and not being able to get any closer so to get back I started to say how nice it would be to be on the headwaters of a nice clear, cold mountain stream watching the trout scoot by over the riffles and be able to follow the stream bed with the eye up through a pine clad canyon to snow capped peaks and a beautiful cool looking blue sky. To have nothing to do but sit there on the bank and dream or fish or maybe have some very nice female companion to keep you company or whatever. That was as far as I got. Both of them are from the mountains, Brown from Calif. and Otis from New York. You can imagine when you stop to think where we are and where they are from how many memories that would bring back and how they would feel about it. I got back at them and couldn't have blamed them very much if they had mobbed me. I did such a good job of it, it even made me feel bad.
We're going to have to do that sometime honey, when our ship comes in and we can afford to take a couple weeks vacation. That would be a nice life. You and I and have nothing to do in those surroundings but fish and ---- and love. Can you guess the missing word?
Honey, I think you're the one to say "It's me" when we meet again. It just doesn't seem like the old you. Getting up and calling the boy to go out and do chores. I can't believe it. Why you must be changed so much you even look different. However I can tell from your letters that I'm still going to love you more than ever, even if you have changed.
The expressions are probably colloquial. I spelled it the same as you, so if it's wrong it's your fault. I had never heard that one. "Aw blow it out your ass" "fuck up" and "pissed off" are the most common around here. The "pissed off" means to get mad and I have explained the others before.
Well honey I guess I rambled around quite a little in this letter but I wanted to write something. I quit now and see if I can compose something to the folks. Bye honey, I'm loving you and at present doing a lot of dreaming. Hope they aren't just pipe dreams. Keep up the good work honey and have a good time. So long, I'll be seeing you, you darling. I love you and love you and love you.
your hubby.
Norm.