Letter # 215 February 25, 1944

Fri. Night.
Feb 25, 1944
My darling wife;
I seem to be getting way behind on my letters to you. Got your Tues. one today. That's more like it. Maybe the mail will be on the ball again for a while.
I've got 4 letters of yours here to answer. I'm in better shape to do it than I was last night. If beer parties are considered a success if everyone gets either drunk or sick, this one was a big success. Even your old man was somewhat the worse for wear as you could probably tell by my letter. I did manage a short note and that was all I could do. Went to bed and slept like a log.
Tonight, being Friday, we scrubbed the barracks, and there is an inspection of all our field equipment, shelter halves, blankets, mess gear, and etc. and it all has to be clean and shining, so I didn't get started to write as early as could be, tonight.
The way things look and sound, we will be off about 4 tomorrow and all day Sunday. Hard to predict, though.
I did call the shot on one thing. The alert is lifted and the first men go on furlough Mar. 1. That is something. Unless the unexpected happens it will be a long time yet before my turn. They are only sending 8 men at a time. 7 day furloughs plus traveling time as allowed by the army. They are giving the furloughs in the same order they were given the first time, so that puts me way back. The men leaving now had their first one the last part of August. That will mean about 2 months before my turn. This damned alert screwed up the works or I would have been close to the top now. I hadn't hoped for too much but I'm disappointed never-the-less. Two more months is a hell of along time, but I guess we can take it. Maybe it will make our next honeymoon all the more loving and ardent. I sure as hell would like to see you and love you and everything about now. I do love you so much, sweetheart.
Summer is surely coming now. The past few days have been almost hot. Wearing only fatigues and if I move very fast, I can get up a sweat. Been running around the area tonight with only a pair of suntan pants. It's still rainy and cloudy most of the time.
Now for your letters.
You surely must have been busy writing me letters Saturday. Three of them in one day. Honey, you're a devil. A very nice, sweet one though. I could just squeeze you to death.
I don't know if I'd call the mail situation interesting or disgusting or what. It is funny as hell how it works. Probably most of it is due to lack of help and very little of what they have is experienced. Some days there won't be more than a dozen letters for the whole battalion and then next day there will be a truckload. Don't get it sorted everyday I guess.
I don't think you're nuts at all. I think you're a very swell wife and lover. None better. I like to hear about all the things that happen to you. Keeps me on the inside and seems like I'm not so far away. I want to know when you have a cold or when your nails split and all such things. I love you, honey, and anything that concerns you is interesting to me.
It may sound a little cocky, as you say, to be laughing at the captain, but it isn't. After all, he isn't much older than I and I don't think he knows a hell of a lot more either. I've rather outgrown the rookie days when I thought officers were supermen or something. They are only ordinary men with marks of rank on their shoulders. They don't like this business any more than the rest of us.
I'm looking forward to this summer also and hoping we can be together. Even if I'm still here in La. I'll be ready and waiting for you to come. As I told you a while ago, you're on your own. Come to see me anytime and anyplace you want to. I'll love you to death. I was hoping to spend your birthday with you. That's out now so maybe we can substitute mine. Hell, honey, I don't care whose birthday it is. I want to see you.
Your letters are very nice and sweet. If I could save them I could prove it. I like every letter you write and you do a lot of sweet talking about me. If you do too much more I'll get really egotistical and be hard to get along with. I've such a nice, sweet person to write about, I should be able to do much better than I do.
Seems like you got a chance to write a thank you note also. That was nice and thoughtful of you. You're even nice to other people aren't you? You're nice to everyone. You're a nice old gal. I should know.
You may have me fooled about you being the best loving ever came down the road. I really haven't any comparison experience. If you aren't, I'll never know, because I haven't much desire to try proving my opinion wrong. I'm completely satisfied. As far as I'm concerned you'll always be the best of everything. Can't see how anyone could better these last performances of yours. Still gives me a thrill. Can almost feel the ecstasy and full satisfaction. Boy, thrills me, honey.
I'm not at all worried about any training I may have to give you. I'll love you so much and make you so happy, your war nerves will disappear in a hurry. I know mine will.
I haven't nearly finished your letters but I'm signing off for tonight.
Night, Mummy dear. I loves you so much. You're my wife.
I'm your husband.
Norm.