Letter # 410 July 4,1944

New Guinea
Tues. eve.
July 4, 1944
My beautiful;
Fourth of July.  Gosh what a difference from some we've known in the past.  I had always had a soft spot in my heart for the 4th and in the past seven years it has become a very special holiday.  Know why?  Sure you do.  That was the day at Put-in-Bay that I began to suspect why I always had such a good time when I was with you.  Only a month later I asked you and you - Oh, Oh, I forgot.  I wasn't going to tease you about that any more.  I'll never forget it though.  I thought I loved you a lot then.  I didn't even know what love was or could be.  I think I do now.  I love you, darling. 
I spent my Fourth afternoon at the beach again.  Some stuff huh?  Swimming and chasing crabs and things again.  The sea is peopled by a multitude of creatures that are strange to me and so must remain nameless.  We were hunting for some sort of small snail that has a very hard, smooth, shiny, shell of a cloudy green color.  They are rather pretty.  I'm making a collection for purposes which you can guess.  Such things are about the only souvenirs that I think worth a damn.  Nothing here.  These snails are clinging to the underside of coral rocks.  Wade around in knee deep water with shoes on because of the sharp coral and the crazy forms of animal life that show up is almost unbelievable.  The coral rocks have holes all over them, similar to a sponge, and every hole is filled with snails, shells, fish, and lots of things I have no name for.  The fish are little fellows, only a couple inches long and very highly colored.  Some blue, spotted, red, striped, in fact, almost any way you can think of. 
Hope you had a very nice fourth.  Bet you were on some sort of picnic or feed.  If it was a freezer of ice cream, I envy you.  I'm loving you and wishing I could be with you.  Can you feel it? 
I got two more letters today.  June 10 & 13.  That only leaves the 14th missing to complete the chain to and including the 16th.  Seems to be taking about 2 weeks by air mail.  Tell me if the V-mail gets there any quicker.  I haven't written you many since I've been here but you can tell by the ones to Vi and the folks. 
Now I think I'll answer a couple starting with the 10th.
Honey, you know darn well you can wear any of my clothes you want.  I hope you wear the pj's out entirely because I'll never wear them.  Will I?  Don't think I'll wear many of my clothes now that I am streamlined. 
I was wondering about the Co. picture.  Was beginning to think I had gotten took.  You only mention getting one.  I bought two of them.  Thought you would enjoy it.  I expect I could have sent a complete roster of names but didn't think the ones you hadn't heard about would be very interesting.  I've forgotten now where they are in the picture.  You'll have to wait until I get home.  You should be getting eight snapshots from La. too.  We got word that they had been sent today.  Your comments about the fellows amused me.  You are a good judge of people from their pictures, [all except mine]  Remember your first impression of Baker?  Well since we've been over here I'm finding out you were right. 
I was very sorry I couldn't send Pop a card for his birthday.  There weren't any mailboxes where I was then.  Honest, I did think of it. 
I'm not very much surprised about Bob thinking of getting married.  From what little I had heard I rather suspected it.  I'm glad you are writing to him.  I lost his address so I may enclose a note to him in one of yours and you can send it on or give it to him when he comes home in August.  He is young but I don't blame him.  It's a great life and no use wasting any time.  He's got a good job and very little chance of going to the army so what the hell. 
I'm afraid I'm going to waste some paper here tonight.  My light is about burned out and I'm too lazy to
refill it. 
Bye, Bye sweetheart.  I don't seem to have much luck with my sleep dreams of you but I do plenty of day dreaming.  I love you sweetheart.
Your hubby.
Norm.