Letter # 231 March 17, 1944

Mar. 17, 1944 Fri. eve. Chubbins, darling; Here it is the end of another week already. St. Pat's day too. Only 5 more days and I'll have been in the army a whole year. Gosh, that's a hell of a long time to be practically a bachelor. I don't like it worth a damn either. I'll take married life anytime, anywhere and for the rest of my life. I'm safe saying that 'cause I've a very satisfactory wife all tied up and waiting for my return. I'm lucky and I know it. If my wife was like some I could mention I wouldn't be so sure about it and might not even want to come home. Another day of working on the tanks. We are getting them in shape slowly. Maybe they will get out a day or so before they start falling apart. I hope. I'm rather looking forward to the problem. If the weather stays like this it will be swell to live in the field. Like summer. Must have been nearly 90 degrees today. I know I was sweating and my shirt was even wet part of the day. Summer is getting close down here. Too damn close to suit me. I'd go north most any time now. I may change my mind about this trip after we are out a few days. Might be glad to get back in camp. I'll write as often as I can and keep you posted on events. This is one time when I wish I was a "fuck up". [Private that has never gotten a definite job and is usually too lazy to care] They are getting furloughs while we are on the problem. They aren't necessary so they are letting them go. 8 of them I think. See, honey, if I hadn't worked I'd be on my way home to you. I'd sure trade in these stripes for a furlough any time. Beside that I had to get me one of the most essential jobs in the battalion and that makes a furlough harder than ever to get. A mechanized outfit can't go far or do much without the mechanics. We are important boys. We had our big parade as scheduled. Like everything else we do it was a fucked up affair in some ways. The officers were each doing a different thing at the same time so I'm afraid it wasn't a very beautiful parade. We did better as rookies than we did tonight. Very poorly planned on the part of the officers. I bet that 2 star general that reviewed us blew his top after it was over. I can almost hear him chewing the major's ass out. We'll probably catch hell later as it comes down the line. I guess that is all the news so I'll answer your Monday letter. I got it this noon. So you'd be glad to quit teaching and living alone and take over a husband again anytime. That's O.K. but don't forget you have a husband that wants to be taken over. I've no doubt you could easily find a substitute but if you did I'd kick him out and take over when I come home. You're mine and I've got letters to prove you like being mine. The wicks for the cigarette lighter seem to hold out rather well. I've only used about half of the first one. I would think they could be gotten most anyplace. If I see any I'll get a couple extras 'cause it's quite a handy gadget. Honey, you are not a bitch. Not the way you said it anyhow. Sometimes you are a teasing bitch and don't want to do anything about it, but I kinda like that too. You may not be quite as nice as I think you are but you're so damn near that nice that I'll never have any reason to kick. When we are together all the time we are bound to become a bit annoyed with each other once in a while. We never did have a scrap as far as I can remember. Now that we have lived together the first few years and become adjusted to each other, there is no reason why we won't do as well or better than ever. I, for my part, know that I appreciate you more fully and love you more than I did before I came to the army. I don't think I'll ever change my present opinion of you very much, unless it's for the better. You are really a very swell person and I love you so much. You surely didn't disappoint me the times we were together the past year. Didn't even act a bit "bitchy". You were deliciously passionate. Even scared me by holding off the "red days" until I went back to the army. Night sweetheart. I'm going to bed now. Not much fun but I need my sleep. I love my wifey. Your hubby. Norm.