Letter # 461 August 24, 1944

New Guinea
Thurs. eve
Aug 24, 1944
My darling wife;
Sweetheart, your boxes are coming through in swell shape.  Got another today and also your Aug. 10. letter Another from the Dulaneys also.  I'll have to retract my statement of last night about the letter paper.  You sure set me up in a big way.  If I can find enough to say to cover a couple of these, I'll be doing very well.  I'd say I had plenty to last for a long time now.  I didn't bother to count the sheets.  There sure is a stack of them.  With that bunch of stationery and what I had on hand and this mammoth stack of your letters, I'm going to have to do some enlarging on my desk and foot locker combined.  I didn't plan on expansion when I built it.
Another cigarette lighter, more film, more soap, and, honey, you didn't forget did you?  A box of toothpicks.  I've been meaning to ask for them but always seem to forget when I'm writing.  I've been having a hell of a time remembering to bring a hunk of lumber along to whittle into toothpicks.  I'm chewing on one now.  Good too. The homemade ones answered the purpose but they weren't nearly so nice to chew on.  Taste bad.  Very appropriate thing to send along with a box of popcorn too.  Don't know how you happened to think of popcorn, I surely never would have thought of it.  I'm anxious to get into it now.  Think it's going to be fun.  I always did like it so much and haven't had any for so long.  I'll beg a little butter or cooking fat from the kitchen and some salt.  An old tin can will answer very well for a skillet and it's very simple to supply a stove.  A tin can full of sand and saturated with gasoline works well.  We're going to have a party here tomorrow night.  Got a new issue of beer, three bottles tonight, so it will be a party.
We've been getting our beer three bottles at a time, twice a week.  That makes our 24 a month.  I understand, however, that next month we are being cut to 12 bottles a month.  I don't care very much.  Warm beer just isn't anything I'd go very far to get.  It does give a break from water all the time.  I'm sipping at one now.  Save two for tomorrow night to wash down the popcorn.  You can send some more of that any time you want to.  You're wonderful to think of it.  You are a very sweet person. I love you so much.  More every day too.  If you keep on doing and being so many nice things, I'm likely to bust.  In one of your letters you said you could think of many things to send to me and I wondered what they could be.  I begin to see.  I'd never have thought of anything like that.  How can anyone have so much good looks and more brains?  I told you, you were my perfect wife, but I guess I don't know the whole story yet.  I'm loving you as good as I can right now.  Know it?  I doubt it, 'cause while it's 8 P.M. Thurs. here, it's only 5 A.M. Thurs where you are.  Even if it might happen that you were awake at that ungodly hour, I don't think you'd be too much in the proper receptive mood.  I'm talking from past experience.  May be different now.  How about it?
This box had taken quite a beating but everything inside was in good shape.  Someone had evidently had a box of chocolates in this shipment 'cause they were smeared all over my box.  T.S. I'd call that.  Pretty hot to ship that kind of stuff over here.
From all appearances they aren't kidding when they say this is winter over here. As it gets close to the end of your summer, I can begin to feel the difference here.  It's getting steadily hotter.  Your first day of fall will be our first day of spring.  The sun is coming back to this underside of the world and leave you in the cold again.  Poor Mummy.  No one to fire the furnace or warm her bed for her.  I've been wondering how you warm your feet these cold winter days.  They're the coldest things for such a warm person to have.  I'd love to warm them for you again.  Anytime.
Now, for your letter.  They are still coming in order.  I got the 9th several days ago.
Gosh, Gus's six weeks of school over all ready.  Doesn't seem that long.  Anyhow he has another six weeks before things begin to happen.  Apparently Jean is taking every possible opportunity to see him while she can.  Don't blame her.  It may be a long dry spell coming.  The news from over there surely sounds good though.  Paris back in French hands and the Allied Armies driving toward the German border.  I'm afraid they'll hit a tough spot over there.  If they don't and can keep going it sure looks like the end of that part of the mess.  Something like that happening might keep a lot of fellows like Gus at home.  It isn't so much a question of great numbers of men over here.  Time is the big factor.
The little pin you say you bought is very appropriate now. Our kind of outfit is usually used as a forward wall for the infantry.  Work very close together.
Your guesses or deduction as to my location, are gradually boiling it down.  Your guess about Cannibal Caravan is right.      
So you went to work on the 16th.  No more lady of leisure.  I do hope you like it.  You better keep yourself happy and well 'cause I'm going to need you a lot.  I do right now.  You're a big help with your letters and packages.  I love you, my passionate parcel.  You're sweet.
I knew you'd believe what I said when you saw the picture of the native females.  I don't have a great race prejudice but  I sure don't think this "stuff" would be any help at all.
Do you think it wise to build the house before you have the bird to occupy it?  Talking already of enlarging our little bedroom. You're a devil, honey.  I'll have plenty of time to finish that big one upstairs when I won't be quite so interested in going to bed early.  I can work late then 'cause I'd only be going to bed to sleep.
I'm glad Marg is doing so well after her operation.  That was a tough one.  You can tell Art that, even if he is on stud pasture, he is way ahead of where he would be if in the army.  It is hard lines though.  I feel for him.  I'd like to do some feeling for myself.  Wouldn't you?
That doesn't anywhere near cover your letter but I'm going to quit now and crawl in.  Night, Chubbins darling.  I'm missing you an awful lot.  You're my perfect wife.  I love you.
Your hubby.
Norm.