Letter # 418 July 12, 1944

New Guinea
Wed eve
July 12, 1944
Hello Sweet and lovable;
Gee, honey, I'm as thrilled as you were to hear that you had gotten my first letters. Rather that Mom and Jean had them and were sending them to you.  I had been waiting to hear that news.  While I was practically sure you would hear by the first, it is a relief to know for sure.  Of course they are only the ones written on the boat, but the others should follow closely and now we can talk again.  You report all six of the first ones to be V-mail.  There should be two or three regular air mail coming along with them.
I interrupted this to go to the show.  Rather good.  "Ladies Courageous".  They had too damn many girls in it.  Couldn't get them all straight.  It was good and I enjoyed it.  I'm like you say, Hurts when I see men with their girls or wives.  I sometimes wonder if I want to go, for that reason.  Makes me realize how much I'm missing being with you.  I know it all the time only the feeling is kind of dormant until stirred up by something like that.  I am very easily ignited these days.  I'd burst plumb into flame at first sight of you.
Now I guess I can get back to the starting theme of this letter.  The way mail comes over here it's hard to tell which is faster.  Today I got yours of the 25th.  I had the V-mail of the 25th three days ago but on the other hand, I also got an air mail from the 27th and a V-mail from the 30th today.  There are still several back ones missing.  You can make your own guess from that.  For my part, the possible few days difference is more than made up by the air mail letter.  It takes so long anyhow that a few more days makes little difference.  Whenever there is anything really important I'll use V-mail.  Otherwise I think I shall stick to this kind. Neither is private in my case, while in yours, airmail is.
Have I told you that I love you?  Well, I do love you so much.  I hurt good all over.  You're the best wife ever built.  I won't retract that statement either.
You also mention the letter from New Iberia.  It was kind of funny.  I didn't get my mail as soon as her
husband did and he had just finished telling me that his wife had received a very nice letter from Mrs. Effinger, thanking her for the pictures and asking her to write.  Then I opened yours and you mention hers.  It must have been her reply to your request.  Here's more proof that you are a very special kind of person.  Mrs. Clarius said she thought you must be a very nice person.  You can even impress people by your letters.  Is it any wonder I love you?  I'm damn lucky some other guy didn't get you first.  You're sweet.
Now, here is something else interesting.  Remember the fellow I told you about?  He had gotten caught using Army gasoline and was restricted because of it at the time he was supposed to get married to the girl he had gotten in trouble.  This John Clarius is the fellow, and Mrs. Bonnie Clarius is the girl.  They were married three weeks before we left Polk and then they found that no baby was coming.  They have no regrets and seem to be very happy about the whole thing.  I never met her but I saw her close several times.  Tiny thing.  Weighs less than 100 I imagine.  No shape like I like 'em, but she has a very pretty face. Part French. Mass of pretty black hair, black eyes, and light complexion.  That's the girl you are corresponding with.  Maybe that will make you a bit more acquainted with her. 
You keep on planning on our own special day only you can stop planning on what kind of day it will be.  It's beyond plans. Dreaming and anticipating is all that I think necessary.  I know what, and you better know the same thing.  I just had a bad thought.  What if you are - well, you know.  That would be bad but only a very temporary disappointment.  I'm loving you. 
So all the boys seem to be going over.  Fred Hazen and Tony.  You have a lot of war widows now. 
You can keep on telling yourself that I'm alright and will be. Still take more than this little business to keep me away from you a minute longer than necessary.  I'll be home one of these days none the worse for wear.  I'll need an awful lot of loving and tenderness to chase away all the accumulated loneliness and quite a bit of your cooking to replace the old padding on my carcass.  Those little things you know how to handle and will do an efficient and very satisfactory job of it in no time.  I'm going to love that transformation.  I might even play hard to cure in order to make it take longer than is really necessary.  I'm thrilling in anticipation already.  Night, sweetheart.  I love you and love you.
Your hubby.
Norm.