New Guinea
Sept. 19, 1944
Tuesday, eve
My beautiful and neglected wife;
Hello. Honey. Your wandering man is back again and all in one piece too. Not a bit the worse for wear. The worst part of the whole thing was not hearing from you for so long. I was hurtin in that respect and I don't mean maybe. I was well rewarded though when I got back today. A whole stack of letters waiting for me here. In fact there were seventeen of them from my sweetheart and several others from other people. There were also two packages from my lovely, both with lots of good stuff to eat. Then there was another letter air mail package with a very beautiful ladies' picture in it. Never knew that I believed in love at first sight, but I do now. I just can't help it honey, but I'm so much in love with that girl that I'll never be satisfied until I can be with her and ask her to take over the duties of being my wife. [again]. Will you do it? I'll promise to be good to you and love you all the time. - well, almost all the time anyhow. Gosh, honey, you are a nice looking lady. I love you so much. I gather this picture was one of the surprises you have been teasing me about. I didn't have the fainest idea what it was and didn't expect to get it so soon. It was well worth all the teasing and waiting and curiosity it caused me. Honestly, honey, you look good enough to eat. You'd think I was going to, too if I could have you as close as your picture is. I'm loving the picture as hard as I can and hoping you can get some good from it. Can you? Did you know that you even went up the trail with me? You did. My cigarette case is transparent and I put one of your recent snaps in it so I saw a lot of you every day. Loved you too.
Honey, I suspect you're a devil, of course a very sweet one though. I've been under the impression all along that you weren't wearing your hair up any more and here in this picture it's up again. Did you do it just special for me like you did last summer when you came to Kentucky? Bet you did. You're sweet. I loves you so much. Am I also right in thinking you have your special black dress on too? There isn't quite enough of you showing to be sure but I suspect it. Damn lucky photographer! You look so sweet and happy, just like you were looking at me and, as you say, sending me all your love. Now I'll have to arrange my pictures. This one comes first now. [Even before the bare model girl]. How's that? I do love it, honey. Thanks a million. You can pull that kind of surprise and teasing on me again any time. It's worth it and I'm not kidding.
I realize I was rather dumb not to guess what the surprise was. Laugh, darn you. It was the same procedure, exactly as you pulled last year before you sent the inside pictures of the house and, on top of that, you told me you were going with Marg to have Ronnie's picture taken. Right?
I don't care. I'm glad I didn't guess what it was. I opened the little bag and saw that bill of sale folder from Gibbs and I wondered "what the hell?" Then inside I found the best picture of the best little wife in the world. Grand surprise. I love you, honey. Can't hardly quit looking long enough to write a decent letter. It's so real it seems you must be going to wink at me or say something. Gosh, you look swell sweetheart. I love you.
I hope you haven't been hurtin or worrying too much while you haven't been hearing from me. I know how empty and dull the days without letters are and I'm sorry as hell I saw fit to do you that way. Hope you forgive me. It really was worth a lot to me and I should have hated to miss it very much. I've learned a lot about the island, the natives, the jungle, the "Aussies", and Australia. Other things, too that I won't be able to write about, but can tell you soon, I hope. I will write about all I can as I get around to it. I've so many letters to answer and so much loving to catch up on it may be a few days until I get to it. I still remember that I left my other trip in Los Angeles. Don't worry. I have a fair memory and will someday get around to it when I run out of more important things to talk about.
Honey, you should have seen me when I came in today. You wouldn't have liked me very much I bet. I hadn't seen myself all the time I was gone but I sure felt like I had more hair on my face than on my head. I guess that isn't saying very much, but it sure is true as can be. I almost jumped when I looked in a mirror for the first time. Must be a man 'cause I really had a beard. Could have passed for a Mennonite any day. Those whiskers were at least half an inch long and thick as hell. Not a bit curly though. Straight and bristly. Hell of a job shaving them off. Every half dozen would completely plug the razor. I got playful and left a mustache and goatee and I think I looked pretty good. Different anyhow. You should see me with just a mustache. Gable, himself.
Now don't let it worry you. You can be sure I'll never want to raise any hair on my face. I never was so annoyed with anything in my life. Itches and tickles like a bunch of ants walking over my face all the time. I disposed of them as soon as I got in. First time my face felt really clean in the past two weeks. No sir! No beard for me. You either, if I remember correctly. No matter how much I wanted one, I'd never have it as long as it kept you away from me. I want you close and closer all the time. I love you.
Now, for the boxes. One, July 28 and one, Aug 10. Both in good shape, and , believe it or not, everything was more than fit to eat. The maple candy in the one had suffered most. The ones in the coffee can were all melted and run together. Ate 'em with a fork. Sure didn't hurt the taste a bit. The ones you wrapped in paper were dry and and a bit sugary but still taste plenty good. I'm just telling you this 'cause I imagine you want to know. I'm not complaining you can be sure. Far from it. You can do it again anytime. The other box of cookies was swell. Honest, honey, I'm not kidding. They are as fresh and tasty as though made yesterday and not even broken up. They're swell. I'm sure going for them and so are the boys.
You can send more cookies and candy anytime. That's almost an order instead of a request. Gosh, sweetheart. I guess I'll have to stop and hit the hay. It's late. I'll keep 'em coming again now. Night, sweetheart. You're so darn sweet and I love you so much.
Your lover.
Norm.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Letter # 471 September 3, 1944
New Guinea
Sunday aft.
Sept 3, 1944
My bewitching sweetheart;
I was busy as a beaver all morning getting my equipment ready to take off tomorrow morning. About noon we all got a pleasant surprise. Packages and papers from home. I got the one you sent on July 20. Nice box, honey. Your ideas on things to send are swell. You seem to think of everything. This package was especially opportune. The tea and canned sausage and meat are going up the trail with me. I'll have one over the army's "C" rations. You must have known I was going to need them for such a purpose. A hot cup of tea after an all day struggle through he jungle is going to taste mighty good. The waterproof tobacco pouches are right in the nick of time also. I've got them full of cigarettes and tobacco and etc. All packed for the trip. Two more rolls of film. I'm taking five plain and the colored roll on the trip. If I take all those and get them back undamaged, there should be some mighty good ones. Then the pipe. That was a good choice, honey. Just what I wanted. I was lucky enough to buy another at the PX the other day, and now, with you keeping me supplied with tobacco, I can smoke pipes all I want to. I like to suck on them while I'm writing to you. Some of the tobacco and cigarette papers are also going along. Easier to keep dry than readymades. You see, in the country we'll be in, it rains every day and sometimes more and I'll be sweated wet all the time anyhow.
I'll bet you can't guess what I've been doing since noon. You sent a bunch of funnies. Now can you guess? Caught me up pretty well on them. I found out who "Jungle Jolly" is and lots of things. Earl gets a Sioux City daily and Sunday both so we have been getting some but not all of my favorites.
By the way, Earl is now a T/5. Got it last night. Wren, the boy who said, "Gosh she's a good looking lady." when he saw your picture, is a buck Sarg. Sarg Neice is a pvt. and transferred, from the co. gossip. I thought you'd be interested and I put it in while I thought of it.
I also got four Colliers, a Reader's Digest, and four Gazettes, the latest being Aug 1.
Don't send any more envelopes, honey. They are all glued together when they get here.
The rest of the boys, Mack, "Oil", Baker, and Sam each got two boxes today. I beat them before and now we're even on the packages. Their boxes were mostly candy and tobacco. No one else seems to think of the extras like you do. You're sweet. Did you know it? I love you. You're my B.B.B. girl. Know what it means? Beautiful, beguiling, and bewitching. How's that?
Don't break your neck trying to get film for me. There aren't many cameras over here and lots of the boys are getting film and expecting to use the cameras that are here. I can come in on a cut of all those pictures too. I'll still take what you can get but don't worry if you can't get any.
Here's another little thing you can send me. Pipe cleaners. Earl's folks sent hand made candy and his dad put it in a can and soldered it tight. Came in perfect shape. Baby, if you can manage it sometime, I would like some of yours. Barry & Ritter will do the soldering if you ask them to. I'm a devil ain't I? You told me to ask for anything I wanted so you brought it on yourself. Am I asking for enough? I'd like to ask for lots more but as Gebby's wife said, you can't send it. Well anyhow, you can keep it and someday I'll come and get it. How's that? Is it a deal? If it is you better have plenty. I don't want to travel so far unless it's worth my while. I could always make Australia my new home. They have white girls there and if the couple Aussie girls I've seen are any sample, they would do if my own special girl doesn't want me to come back. I'm teasing you and I even think the little devils came out for a look and danced a bit. They'd sure dance if they could look at you. You're the only music they like to dance to. We all love you so much, honey. Won't ever be the same until you are back with us again.
Now, for a little bit about the pictures Bonnie sent you.
#1 is the Fresno, Calif. station. #2 Some Calif park I don't recall where. #3 Tulane station. #4 & 5 Calif mountains. #6 Lt. Colonel David on left and Capt. Spencer. The band to see us off in the background. Taken as we were leaving Polk. #7 Capt. Spencer signing over the company area as we were leaving Polk. #8 Mrs. John Planktikow on left, Bonnie on right. They were waiting as we marched to the train. The big building in the background is the Field House where the basketball games were held. Barracks on left. I'll never forget how lost and forlorn those girls looked as they saw their husbands leaving for someplace. I was glad you weren't there. I didn't know either of them but I sure had sympathy pains.
#9 Here is the picture I had in mind once before, only Kohan still isn't in it. Left to right, back row. Earl Hanson, Mac, Norman W. Effinger, Baker. Front. left to right. Bowman, Clarius, Brown, and Talkington. #10 Taken from train at Polk. #11 Capt. Spencer giving the highball and farewell to Polk. #12 The band again from the old outfit. #13 Marching to the train. #14 Bakersfield, Calif. station. #15 Phoenix, Ariz. Station. # 16 River in Texas. #17 Arizona country. #18 Bridge in Calif. also #19. #20 El Paso power station. #21 Calif. #22 Burning oil well. The rest are all Calif mountains. There, that may make them mean a bit more.
Now I'm going to wait for mail call and see if I don't get a letter. So long for a little while, honey.
I'm loving you.
Hello, my three B girl: I'm back again. I thought I'd get some letters tonight and I wasn't disappointed. Three of them, Aug 20, and two from Aug 21. Another two letter day. Don't see how you do it but I'm not going to kick a bit. Especially this time. It's the last I'll get for a couple weeks. I'm going to miss them a lot but I can't kick. You'll be missing them too. I'll have a pile all at once when I get back and you won't. Can you take it, honey? Hope you don't blame me too much for getting myself in a spot where I can't write to you. I'm mean. I do think it's a worthwhile and necessary training if we get into things. I'm trying to do all I can to take care of myself. Anyhow, I'll gain a few experiences to earn those sandwiches and drinks from Jean. I'll be loving you all the time, honey. You can be sure of that. Might be some comfort.
I'm going to do a quick job on your letters now. Aug 20. There is so a lot of wonderful things about you. In fact everything about you is wonderful. Don't deny it either. There's too much proof against you to make any denial stick. I could enumerate only I can use only one more sheet and that isn't enough to do the job. Not even one of these big sheets. So there too. You'd have to be wonderful or I wouldn't love you so much.
Some of these days I'll get around to telling you some more about the trip to the coast and the trip over. I can talk about most of it now. If I get it on paper before I forget any of it. I can always have notes to elaborate on later when that day comes.
You don't need to tell me that girls are saying you have nice legs. It could be that men don't say so in so many words but they do in looks. I know it and I'm proud of them. Gosh honey, you're nice all over. Believe it? Never saw me trying to get away or turning my back so I couldn't see you, did you?
I won't promise to really get "pussed". I never did like to go quite that far but I sure will be willing to tip a few and get you "floating". You're cute then.
I surely can't answer the question of when I'll be coming home. My guess is much the same as yours. Next summer or fall but it could be sooner and I'm praying all I can for it to be very soon. A year and a half without even seeing you would be a very bitter pill to take. I loves you.
Sweetheart, I hope you aren't bragging when you say you can not only stand all I can give, but will ask for more. That would be a new and I think very nice state of affairs for me. I'm not going to do much bragging but you know I'll try to make you say, "uncle". Good time shaping up there by the sound of things.
You tell me you made a note of this letter of Aug 21. You always did like puzzles and it seems you are having a good time with this one. It's very simple. I know the answer. Your first guess is closest to correct only a little too far west. As you know now. Steve is very close here and not where you thought at all. He is supposed to go back and forth quite a bit. I've also learned that W.A. ,Harold's brother, is in Finchaven.
You may be a devil but I don't blame you a bit. Instead I love you more than anything in the world.
Well, darling, I guess I've got about all the weight I can put in one letter so I'll have to stop. It's going to be quite a while before I can have these nightly talks with you again. I don't like that part of it at all. I should have a lot to write when I get started again as well as a lot of letters to answer. Night, beautiful. Take good care of yourself and I'll do the same for me. I'll be loving you all the time and seeing your face in the moon and on the trail. You'll keep me going when it gets tough. I love you so much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Sunday aft.
Sept 3, 1944
My bewitching sweetheart;
I was busy as a beaver all morning getting my equipment ready to take off tomorrow morning. About noon we all got a pleasant surprise. Packages and papers from home. I got the one you sent on July 20. Nice box, honey. Your ideas on things to send are swell. You seem to think of everything. This package was especially opportune. The tea and canned sausage and meat are going up the trail with me. I'll have one over the army's "C" rations. You must have known I was going to need them for such a purpose. A hot cup of tea after an all day struggle through he jungle is going to taste mighty good. The waterproof tobacco pouches are right in the nick of time also. I've got them full of cigarettes and tobacco and etc. All packed for the trip. Two more rolls of film. I'm taking five plain and the colored roll on the trip. If I take all those and get them back undamaged, there should be some mighty good ones. Then the pipe. That was a good choice, honey. Just what I wanted. I was lucky enough to buy another at the PX the other day, and now, with you keeping me supplied with tobacco, I can smoke pipes all I want to. I like to suck on them while I'm writing to you. Some of the tobacco and cigarette papers are also going along. Easier to keep dry than readymades. You see, in the country we'll be in, it rains every day and sometimes more and I'll be sweated wet all the time anyhow.
I'll bet you can't guess what I've been doing since noon. You sent a bunch of funnies. Now can you guess? Caught me up pretty well on them. I found out who "Jungle Jolly" is and lots of things. Earl gets a Sioux City daily and Sunday both so we have been getting some but not all of my favorites.
By the way, Earl is now a T/5. Got it last night. Wren, the boy who said, "Gosh she's a good looking lady." when he saw your picture, is a buck Sarg. Sarg Neice is a pvt. and transferred, from the co. gossip. I thought you'd be interested and I put it in while I thought of it.
I also got four Colliers, a Reader's Digest, and four Gazettes, the latest being Aug 1.
Don't send any more envelopes, honey. They are all glued together when they get here.
The rest of the boys, Mack, "Oil", Baker, and Sam each got two boxes today. I beat them before and now we're even on the packages. Their boxes were mostly candy and tobacco. No one else seems to think of the extras like you do. You're sweet. Did you know it? I love you. You're my B.B.B. girl. Know what it means? Beautiful, beguiling, and bewitching. How's that?
Don't break your neck trying to get film for me. There aren't many cameras over here and lots of the boys are getting film and expecting to use the cameras that are here. I can come in on a cut of all those pictures too. I'll still take what you can get but don't worry if you can't get any.
Here's another little thing you can send me. Pipe cleaners. Earl's folks sent hand made candy and his dad put it in a can and soldered it tight. Came in perfect shape. Baby, if you can manage it sometime, I would like some of yours. Barry & Ritter will do the soldering if you ask them to. I'm a devil ain't I? You told me to ask for anything I wanted so you brought it on yourself. Am I asking for enough? I'd like to ask for lots more but as Gebby's wife said, you can't send it. Well anyhow, you can keep it and someday I'll come and get it. How's that? Is it a deal? If it is you better have plenty. I don't want to travel so far unless it's worth my while. I could always make Australia my new home. They have white girls there and if the couple Aussie girls I've seen are any sample, they would do if my own special girl doesn't want me to come back. I'm teasing you and I even think the little devils came out for a look and danced a bit. They'd sure dance if they could look at you. You're the only music they like to dance to. We all love you so much, honey. Won't ever be the same until you are back with us again.
Now, for a little bit about the pictures Bonnie sent you.
#1 is the Fresno, Calif. station. #2 Some Calif park I don't recall where. #3 Tulane station. #4 & 5 Calif mountains. #6 Lt. Colonel David on left and Capt. Spencer. The band to see us off in the background. Taken as we were leaving Polk. #7 Capt. Spencer signing over the company area as we were leaving Polk. #8 Mrs. John Planktikow on left, Bonnie on right. They were waiting as we marched to the train. The big building in the background is the Field House where the basketball games were held. Barracks on left. I'll never forget how lost and forlorn those girls looked as they saw their husbands leaving for someplace. I was glad you weren't there. I didn't know either of them but I sure had sympathy pains.
#9 Here is the picture I had in mind once before, only Kohan still isn't in it. Left to right, back row. Earl Hanson, Mac, Norman W. Effinger, Baker. Front. left to right. Bowman, Clarius, Brown, and Talkington. #10 Taken from train at Polk. #11 Capt. Spencer giving the highball and farewell to Polk. #12 The band again from the old outfit. #13 Marching to the train. #14 Bakersfield, Calif. station. #15 Phoenix, Ariz. Station. # 16 River in Texas. #17 Arizona country. #18 Bridge in Calif. also #19. #20 El Paso power station. #21 Calif. #22 Burning oil well. The rest are all Calif mountains. There, that may make them mean a bit more.
Now I'm going to wait for mail call and see if I don't get a letter. So long for a little while, honey.
I'm loving you.
Hello, my three B girl: I'm back again. I thought I'd get some letters tonight and I wasn't disappointed. Three of them, Aug 20, and two from Aug 21. Another two letter day. Don't see how you do it but I'm not going to kick a bit. Especially this time. It's the last I'll get for a couple weeks. I'm going to miss them a lot but I can't kick. You'll be missing them too. I'll have a pile all at once when I get back and you won't. Can you take it, honey? Hope you don't blame me too much for getting myself in a spot where I can't write to you. I'm mean. I do think it's a worthwhile and necessary training if we get into things. I'm trying to do all I can to take care of myself. Anyhow, I'll gain a few experiences to earn those sandwiches and drinks from Jean. I'll be loving you all the time, honey. You can be sure of that. Might be some comfort.
I'm going to do a quick job on your letters now. Aug 20. There is so a lot of wonderful things about you. In fact everything about you is wonderful. Don't deny it either. There's too much proof against you to make any denial stick. I could enumerate only I can use only one more sheet and that isn't enough to do the job. Not even one of these big sheets. So there too. You'd have to be wonderful or I wouldn't love you so much.
Some of these days I'll get around to telling you some more about the trip to the coast and the trip over. I can talk about most of it now. If I get it on paper before I forget any of it. I can always have notes to elaborate on later when that day comes.
You don't need to tell me that girls are saying you have nice legs. It could be that men don't say so in so many words but they do in looks. I know it and I'm proud of them. Gosh honey, you're nice all over. Believe it? Never saw me trying to get away or turning my back so I couldn't see you, did you?
I won't promise to really get "pussed". I never did like to go quite that far but I sure will be willing to tip a few and get you "floating". You're cute then.
I surely can't answer the question of when I'll be coming home. My guess is much the same as yours. Next summer or fall but it could be sooner and I'm praying all I can for it to be very soon. A year and a half without even seeing you would be a very bitter pill to take. I loves you.
Sweetheart, I hope you aren't bragging when you say you can not only stand all I can give, but will ask for more. That would be a new and I think very nice state of affairs for me. I'm not going to do much bragging but you know I'll try to make you say, "uncle". Good time shaping up there by the sound of things.
You tell me you made a note of this letter of Aug 21. You always did like puzzles and it seems you are having a good time with this one. It's very simple. I know the answer. Your first guess is closest to correct only a little too far west. As you know now. Steve is very close here and not where you thought at all. He is supposed to go back and forth quite a bit. I've also learned that W.A. ,Harold's brother, is in Finchaven.
You may be a devil but I don't blame you a bit. Instead I love you more than anything in the world.
Well, darling, I guess I've got about all the weight I can put in one letter so I'll have to stop. It's going to be quite a while before I can have these nightly talks with you again. I don't like that part of it at all. I should have a lot to write when I get started again as well as a lot of letters to answer. Night, beautiful. Take good care of yourself and I'll do the same for me. I'll be loving you all the time and seeing your face in the moon and on the trail. You'll keep me going when it gets tough. I love you so much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Letter # 470 September 2, 1944
New Guinea
Sat. eve.
Sept 2, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Well, honey, it's happened. I am going to jungle training school, starting Monday, Sept 4. I guess that is Labor day, isn't it? I'm tickled about it. Think it's going to be very interesting and at the same time instructive. I'll have a chance to learn a little from fellows who know the jungles and how to live in them. That might some day be a bit of learning I'll need very badly. The instructors are natives and Australians.
They let me trade with Baker after all. We go by truck to a mission in the foothills and from there it's all on foot. About a hundred miles round trip. Think I can walk that far with a pack on my back? I don't know but I will soon. I've been put in as squad leader so I almost have to keep going.
I see Dick Elder is to go along as one of the medics. I wonder how he'll make it?
Here are the boys that are going from our company. You can pick them out in the picture.
Capt. Spencer, 2nd Lt. Williams, [he's a recent addition so you won't find him]. T/4 Effinger [I think you should be able to locate him], T/4 Pendelton, T/4 Plantikoa, Cpl. Almasy, Cpl. Deltaven, Cpl. Dyke,
Cpl. Elslager, Cpl. Fabiny, Cpl. Matthews, Cpl. Mucci, Cpl. Scaffider, Cpl. Schifsky, T/5 Westerman,
Pfc. Caswell, Pfc. McCarty,
I just thought you might like to see who was going on this trip. As I said last night, the only thing I don't like about it is I won't be able to write to you for a couple weeks. No place to mail a letter, where I am going. I hate that a lot, honey, but I'll make up for it when I get back. Should have a lot to tell you. The camera goes along too, so I should have some good pictures.
No other news to tell you and no new letters so I'm going to try to completely answer what I still have here.
It doesn't make me a bit mad to have you keep teasing me about what you're sending and etc. I'll just tease back whenever I get a chance. Honey, that kind of teasing doesn't worry me a bit, but there is a kind of teasing that would make me slightly mad if you did too much teasing and nothing else. Get what I mean? I like that kind of teasing too, only not too much of it. Just so you know.
Stephen is a good name all right. Lends itself readily for shortening up for every day. I really haven't gotten as far as the names yet. I'm inclined to wait and see if and what it is. May have to call it moron or something like that. It is rather funny that we all of a sudden take to this idea and at a time when we can't do anything about it. I've always heard it takes a war to increase the birthrate. Maybe it's a disease of some kind and we've caught it. I really think it's because you are about the only wife in our set that isn't a mother and we don't want to be left too far behind. We had always said, sometime, and thought very little more about it.
I guess I could stand another stretch of buck pasture if you don't do like Marg did this time. That soon and that long a barren stretch would not be very agreeable. If you act as you're supposed to and say you will, I'll probably be ready for a rest. Not as young as I once was any more. Who said that? I've still got young ideas you can bet. I'd prove it if you were anywhere within reach. Gosh, honey, I'm loving and missing you a hell of a lot. I could use a lot of your best brand of loving anytime. I loves my passionate parcel.
Why shouldn't I call you "legs"? I call you "Bubbles" and other things that are descriptive of one of your various good points. That picture showed more leg than anything else. Damn good looking legs too. I'd let them in my bed anytime.
I don't think the question of whether I vote or not is as important as you seem to think. You were sweet enough to get it sent to me so I won't fail you. You send me a little of the dope and I'll scratch my x's on it and send it in.
Here you're hoping I'll always be able to keep writing to you nearly every day and I've just fixed things so you won't get any for a couple weeks. I'm sorry, honey. I'm a meanie. I know how you feel about the letters while I'm gone but, boy, will I have a pile when I come back. Mummy won't have though. Poor Mummy always seems to get the short end of things. Anyhow you can be sure I'll be loving and thinking of you all the way over the trail. I love you so much, honey.
Just happened to think. I'll spend my part of our anniversary on a mountain trail again, only you won't be along this time, damn it. We did have such a nice week didn't we, honey? The beginning of the best life I ever knew.
You devil, telling me now of some special two or three little items you're sending me for Christmas. You're a tease. Don't you know presents are supposed to be a surprise? I don't care, go ahead and tease. I'll love you anyhow, but I'll get even some day. I'll walk away and leave you when you want to love or something like that. What do you think of that? Does it sound like me? I'm afraid that would be too tough a threat to carry out just to get even.
Johnny tells me his wife has sent out all the pictures and that you should have them by now. I guess she had some job. There were 6 hundred and some of them all told. Think of all the sets like the one you got, all going different places, she had to send. She also numbered the backs of each picture and Johnny has the originals all numbered the same way, so I'll tell you tomorrow what they all are. I never expected her to go to all that trouble. I paid John for the pictures.
I'm going to send the pictures John Deelaney sent me. I also found another of the pictures I bought from the Aussie. It had gotten lost in my junk. It's only a picture of native headdresses made mostly of
bird-of- paradise feathers.
I've got one roll of film ready to send in and I'll soon have more. If you wait patiently a while longer there may be pictures coming your way soon. I think this trip should be a good place to use the roll of color film. Oh, yes, I'm still remembering you want a couple of me on that one. I certainly hope it will do a good job on the color. There are some beautiful spots here on the island.
Well, honey, I'm going to quit until tomorrow. I'll see if I can make that a good one, 'cause it'll be the last for a while. Poor Mummy. Empty mailbox again. I do love you ever and ever so much, darling, even if I can't tell or show you. The day is coming when I will be able to do both.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Sat. eve.
Sept 2, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Well, honey, it's happened. I am going to jungle training school, starting Monday, Sept 4. I guess that is Labor day, isn't it? I'm tickled about it. Think it's going to be very interesting and at the same time instructive. I'll have a chance to learn a little from fellows who know the jungles and how to live in them. That might some day be a bit of learning I'll need very badly. The instructors are natives and Australians.
They let me trade with Baker after all. We go by truck to a mission in the foothills and from there it's all on foot. About a hundred miles round trip. Think I can walk that far with a pack on my back? I don't know but I will soon. I've been put in as squad leader so I almost have to keep going.
I see Dick Elder is to go along as one of the medics. I wonder how he'll make it?
Here are the boys that are going from our company. You can pick them out in the picture.
Capt. Spencer, 2nd Lt. Williams, [he's a recent addition so you won't find him]. T/4 Effinger [I think you should be able to locate him], T/4 Pendelton, T/4 Plantikoa, Cpl. Almasy, Cpl. Deltaven, Cpl. Dyke,
Cpl. Elslager, Cpl. Fabiny, Cpl. Matthews, Cpl. Mucci, Cpl. Scaffider, Cpl. Schifsky, T/5 Westerman,
Pfc. Caswell, Pfc. McCarty,
I just thought you might like to see who was going on this trip. As I said last night, the only thing I don't like about it is I won't be able to write to you for a couple weeks. No place to mail a letter, where I am going. I hate that a lot, honey, but I'll make up for it when I get back. Should have a lot to tell you. The camera goes along too, so I should have some good pictures.
No other news to tell you and no new letters so I'm going to try to completely answer what I still have here.
It doesn't make me a bit mad to have you keep teasing me about what you're sending and etc. I'll just tease back whenever I get a chance. Honey, that kind of teasing doesn't worry me a bit, but there is a kind of teasing that would make me slightly mad if you did too much teasing and nothing else. Get what I mean? I like that kind of teasing too, only not too much of it. Just so you know.
Stephen is a good name all right. Lends itself readily for shortening up for every day. I really haven't gotten as far as the names yet. I'm inclined to wait and see if and what it is. May have to call it moron or something like that. It is rather funny that we all of a sudden take to this idea and at a time when we can't do anything about it. I've always heard it takes a war to increase the birthrate. Maybe it's a disease of some kind and we've caught it. I really think it's because you are about the only wife in our set that isn't a mother and we don't want to be left too far behind. We had always said, sometime, and thought very little more about it.
I guess I could stand another stretch of buck pasture if you don't do like Marg did this time. That soon and that long a barren stretch would not be very agreeable. If you act as you're supposed to and say you will, I'll probably be ready for a rest. Not as young as I once was any more. Who said that? I've still got young ideas you can bet. I'd prove it if you were anywhere within reach. Gosh, honey, I'm loving and missing you a hell of a lot. I could use a lot of your best brand of loving anytime. I loves my passionate parcel.
Why shouldn't I call you "legs"? I call you "Bubbles" and other things that are descriptive of one of your various good points. That picture showed more leg than anything else. Damn good looking legs too. I'd let them in my bed anytime.
I don't think the question of whether I vote or not is as important as you seem to think. You were sweet enough to get it sent to me so I won't fail you. You send me a little of the dope and I'll scratch my x's on it and send it in.
Here you're hoping I'll always be able to keep writing to you nearly every day and I've just fixed things so you won't get any for a couple weeks. I'm sorry, honey. I'm a meanie. I know how you feel about the letters while I'm gone but, boy, will I have a pile when I come back. Mummy won't have though. Poor Mummy always seems to get the short end of things. Anyhow you can be sure I'll be loving and thinking of you all the way over the trail. I love you so much, honey.
Just happened to think. I'll spend my part of our anniversary on a mountain trail again, only you won't be along this time, damn it. We did have such a nice week didn't we, honey? The beginning of the best life I ever knew.
You devil, telling me now of some special two or three little items you're sending me for Christmas. You're a tease. Don't you know presents are supposed to be a surprise? I don't care, go ahead and tease. I'll love you anyhow, but I'll get even some day. I'll walk away and leave you when you want to love or something like that. What do you think of that? Does it sound like me? I'm afraid that would be too tough a threat to carry out just to get even.
Johnny tells me his wife has sent out all the pictures and that you should have them by now. I guess she had some job. There were 6 hundred and some of them all told. Think of all the sets like the one you got, all going different places, she had to send. She also numbered the backs of each picture and Johnny has the originals all numbered the same way, so I'll tell you tomorrow what they all are. I never expected her to go to all that trouble. I paid John for the pictures.
I'm going to send the pictures John Deelaney sent me. I also found another of the pictures I bought from the Aussie. It had gotten lost in my junk. It's only a picture of native headdresses made mostly of
bird-of- paradise feathers.
I've got one roll of film ready to send in and I'll soon have more. If you wait patiently a while longer there may be pictures coming your way soon. I think this trip should be a good place to use the roll of color film. Oh, yes, I'm still remembering you want a couple of me on that one. I certainly hope it will do a good job on the color. There are some beautiful spots here on the island.
Well, honey, I'm going to quit until tomorrow. I'll see if I can make that a good one, 'cause it'll be the last for a while. Poor Mummy. Empty mailbox again. I do love you ever and ever so much, darling, even if I can't tell or show you. The day is coming when I will be able to do both.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)