New Guinea
Monday eve.
Sept 25, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Nothing of interest in my day so I won't dwell on it, just back at the old work like at Polk. I'll go right to answering your letters. Didn't get any today but I have three here to work on and then I'll be caught up again. Took me quite a while to get over that stack I had. Now for your Sept 11th.
I hope by this time you have been able to find Steve's first stopping place. Probably have to be a very recent map. Quite close to a place famous in the news of '42 - '43. I sure know where it is.
I didn't have as many letters when I got here as Steve did though. He had fifty four. That's a lot of them. Just the same, I bet they weren't as long or as sweet as the ones I get. I'd like to see a letter of his to his wife. Wonder if it would be like all the others he writes?
I don't quite get why Jean couldn't go to see Gus even if he does work seven days a week. He could be with her at night couldn't he? It does look a lot like he would get to stay in the states. Good for him. I'd like to be able to see my Mummy once in a while too. Once in a while, hell! I want to see her all the time. I love her so much.
You can bet I manage to keep busy at something most of the time. If the army slips and doesn't do it, I can always find a lot of things I want to do. Never get half of them done either. That's the way I want it anyhow. You know me. I can't sit still too long at one time and I sure don't need to spend any more time sleeping. Now with the W.A.C. in I can surely keep busy. Of course I won't resort to that unless I have nothing else to do. Just something to keep on tap.
I think you are worrying too much about the heat down here. I'm not kidding when I say it isn't a bit worse than La. Anyhow I don't mind it as much as I did there. I'm getting used to it I guess. The only bad part is the being wet constantly. The nights are still cool and I use a blanket every night, sometimes two. That's one feature we didn't have in La. Sleep like a log here and rest very well except on the nights when I find something similar to a very small log in bed with me. Don't let me kid you. I even sleep plenty well then. Wouldn't though if there was anything better to do. Gosh, honey, we're missing you plenty in lots of ways.
We must be getting into our rainy season. It's raining again tonight. It did that when we were first here. The change of the seasons must bring it on. I have recently learned that this particular section is one of the driest on the island and was chosen for that particular reason. Let her rain. I don't care. With my modifications on the tent, I'm nice and dry. When the thermometer gets here I can tell you what it really is. It'll register plenty high. I'm certain it has never been near 120 degrees yet.
So you're having fun teasing me about the surprises are you? That reminds me. I worked a little more on my surprise for you. I think it's going to be cute. It'll probably take me some time yet to finish it so don't get ants in your pants. If you wonder and are as much surprised as I was, everything will be ok. This won't be as nice as my surprise was but I think you'll like it.
Have you ever heard any more about Tony?
Gosh, honey, you don't know how glad I am that we all get along so well as a family. I hear so much swearing and cussing out of mothers-in-law all the time, it makes me sick. In some cases it may be true. They can't all have as nice in-laws as I have, but I think a lot of it must be their fault also. I've surely never had any reason to do the least bit of swearing at my new Mom & Pop. Much the contrary. I owe them a lot of thanks. It also makes me very happy to be told that they think about the same of me. I want them to, 'cause I like 'em. Gosh, honey, they sure raised a swell daughter. I'm very much in love with her. Did you know it? I am. She's still the best I've ever seen or will see I think
It does sound nice for Grafton in Hawaii, but some fellows that have been there since the war say it is little better in most ways than here and in some ways worse. Terribly crowded and almost impossible to do anything unless you stand in line for hours and hours. That's one of the reasons I seldom go anyplace since I've been in the army. I never did like crowds and that is what there always is. I'm satisfied with this as long as it has to be anything.
I was glad to hear about Gleason. I supposed he was still in college and here he has been over for some time already. They are nearly all getting in some traveling aren't they? If his mother is right and he is on an S.S.T. it seems funny if they are hauling wounded or prisoners. That is the type of boat that usually carries our kind of outfit to the scene of the operations. He went in as an Ensign, didn't he? Didn't you once say they were expecting?
You are right in thinking the "back to work" phrase meant we were getting equipment. I never realized that it wasn't a very definite statement.
Your guess as to what our job will be may be very correct. Until recently I would have bet on it but now I'm not so sure. I am almost of the opinion that there will be very little fighting for the Philippines. Probably cut them off and render them useless to Japan. This is merely my guess and isn't a bit better than yours.
This tent house of ours may look very primitive to you but, strange as it may seem, I like it a lot better than any barracks I was ever in. Very comfortable in this climate and beside all that, there is no scrubbing the floor every morning and no set time for lights, such as they are, to be out and also no standard way for equipment and things to be kept. In other words it's more like being in a home of my own making. Get the idea? A retreat from all the regular army shit. My things don't have to exactly match the other fellows.
Can you forget the surprise I'm cooking up for you? You're a softee too, I bet. This is kinda fun isn't it? I hope I don't build you up too much and then let you down when you get it. Don't expect too much. Things to work with are plenty limited down here.
If your library job is for the duration you won't need to worry about being out of a job, not if you accept the one I have for you. Of course, I am very much afraid the six months plus will be close to up by the time I get back, but you can be very sure I'll be there the first day possible. This having a perfect wife way over there, and me way over here isn't a bit to my liking. I want my wife. That's why I've got her.
Yes, honey, I'll vote seeing you are so set on it. I'll be glad to get any dope Pop may care to send only I'm afraid you're giving him a job he won't like very much. He will probably feel like he is influencing or telling me what to do. I won't take it at all that way but it is a delicate subject for most people.
Night, sweetheart. I'm loving you so much.
Your Hubby.
Norm.
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