New Guinea
Friday eve
Sept 22, 1944
My Gorgeous armful;
You are an armful too. A big one. I know. I got something when I get hold of you. Very precious something too. I love you. Wish I had an armful of you right now. Bet you'd get squoze as you've never been squoze before. I'm hungry for a hunk of you. Gosh, it's nearly six months now and that's way too damn long to be away from you. Something about you. I always want to be near you. The nearer the better. Think it's because you're so nice and sweet and beautiful and satisfying? That's got a lot to do with it. I love you.
No more letters today so I'll go on where I left off last night. I was talking about the native dance. I had just come in the day before from the hike and then walked about ten miles to see the dance. Guess the hike must not have hurt me too much. I'm tough. Call me Jungle Jim now. I guess I must have a queer makeup 'cause I really enjoyed the whole thing and most of the fellows hated it all.
As I was walking up to the dance I passed several young couples coming away from it. I was struck by the happy look of them and more so by the fact that they were holding hands as they walked along. I later learned for sure what I suspected at the time. They were young fellows who had bought their first wife at the dance. That look couldn't have meant much of anything else. For them the dance had lost its interest. Wonder what they had in mind? I can't even venture a guess. Ordinarily there is absolutely no show of affection or tenderness between man and wife. In fact, it usually seems much the other way. She is practically a slave.
You mention that their marriage vows are not held sacred at dance times. In the first place there are no vows. She goes to the highest bidder and is apt to be one of three or more wives. Not a very good set up for fidelity. After all, she is a female and maybe she likes someone else better than her husband. Ain't it?
Every race of humans has its harlots and these people are no exception. At one of the missions they have a bad girl institution. They have been trying to curb adultery among the natives and when a girl is caught cheating she is confined to this place for six months or so and not allowed to associate with any men. These girls work the mission gardens and flowers and etc. There were quite a few of them serving time too. I can also see why. They were, even to my eyes, the best looking bunch of "Marys" I've seen among them all. They couldn't miss being popular. All young and in their prime. No men allowed, honey. So don't worry.
In some tribes, when the husband dies or is killed the women are also killed. That practice has been discouraged by the white men and where it has had effect, they find the widows usually become the village harlot. Guess they are only human.
Another interesting bit of information I picked up is that they know and practice a sort of birth control after conception. The Aussies have tried for years to get the secret without success. An unmarried girl or a wife that isn't to be that way and is, goes away from the village for a few days and comes back ready to start all over again. Curious huh?
I guess I better get at these letters again or I'll never get them answered.
The Charlie I mentioned: The bugler isn't in the picture. He is in another company. No I'm not any better at music than I ever was. I was told the piece was "Lady in Red". Hell, honey, I can hardly tell the difference between retreat and chow call. Look at my watch to be sure.
Gosh, honey, I guess we will have to get busy on this Mom & Pop stuff. Even the kids like Bob Kindig are getting way ahead of us. When we get the chance we'll do our part or, if not, it won't be for lack of trying will it?
Your mention of Dick Elder reminds me. He made the whole trip like a man and we had a picture taken together at the end of the trail. Two Medina boys are staying in the same unit anyhow.
Still teasing me about your surprise, you devil. I couldn't forget it if I wanted to, which I don't. I like your surprises. If they are all as nice as the surprise I have already gotten they are worth being teased about. Then there are some other surprises you've given me in the past months that didn't come by mail. [ Wish they could, damn it]. I'm talking about the kind you turned loose for the first time last year in Kentucky and then again, both times I was home. That kind of surprises are my favorites but these others are swell as long as we can't do any better. I'm going to expect some surprises when I get home again too. Can you furnish 'em? You're a surprising girl. I think you can. I'm so proud of you and love you so much. You're my darling wife. Gee I'm glad I gotcha Mummy.
Yes, honey, the worn out material in our sawmill was the big reason we gave it up. We had gotten enough material to build the camp anyhow and now we have other things to do.
I had another letter from Steve and it's a good thing I didn't get a chance to try to find him. He left the same day he wrote the letter. Said he had 54 letters waiting for him when he got there. That's quite a few. Also he had gotten over his first drunk and was ok, only missing his wife plenty. I know all about that. I hope he wasn't drinking jungle juice. If he was I bet he's cured now.
Jean's friend's brother isn't in this area and I don't know where that A.P.O. is. New one on me.
While you're talking about boxes, it reminds me that I haven't sent any request for a couple weeks. The same old stuff still goes. I can use tobacco and soap and lots and lots of that candy and cookies you sent. It sure tasted like more any time. The tea and canned stuff went very good too. I've used the last of the tea only last night. I drink a cup of it while I sit here writing. You do get swell ideas on what to send. You're swell. I love you.
I do like the idea of bunks for our upstairs only I'm not sure how they would work out. I'll have to do a little drawing. They would only be used in the small room 'cause we were figuring on the big one for us and I sure as hell don't want any bunks there. I want you right in the same bed where you can wake me up once in a while as you've promised to do. Bunks in the small room might work out and would be the thing for a son if we have one. We'll think about it.
Getting pretty big for your pants aren't you? Only working a couple weeks and doing it all by yourself. Smart girl. I'm so glad you like it so much.
I'm sorry about Harold getting the picture of me. Steve was going to send them to you but I guess he can't be blamed for slipping. Just married and then being shipped over right away. Guess you'll just have to visit Helen once in a while if you want to see it. There should be others also. Maybe you'll get them yet.
Honey, I was crocodile hunting one day on our trip. Got one too. What do you think of that? That's stretching things quite a bit. I wasn't hunting. I was swimming and it was entirely accidental and he was only a baby one. I saw him floating along in the current and thought he was dead. I picked him up and the poor little devil wasn't dead but darn near drowned. Laid him on rock in the hot sun and gave him a bit of artificial respiration and in a few minutes he began to come to. When he had sufficiently recovered he tried to make up in fierceness what he lacked in size. He was only about a foot long and had hardly any teeth yet. He did his best though. Squirming, hissing, and trying to snap at us. Gave him to a native. Suppose he ate him. See, you were beginning to get excited over nothing weren't you?
I'm told there are some, though, as big as 35 ft in length and so powerful they can easily drown a horse. Gosh, I would like to have a crack at some of them. I'm glad you're giving me permission 'cause I'm afraid I would anyhow.
The question about why Sgt Jarvis and now private Jarvis. These ratings aren't any more permanent than any civilian job. A man can be fired there. Here, he's broken.
What do you mean, I always had some project that didn't include you? If you remember I was always telling you, you should get out more and get some exercise, wasn't I ? You just didn't take to it very much. I had lots of work to do outside and Sunday was the best chance to do it. I reckon it will be the same in the future, but it always includes you if you want it to. We're partners in everything you know. I like to have you around if you don't bother me so much I can't work. Hard to keep my mind on work if you're too close. You're a luscious, exciting devil to me and I love you so much.
I'll always be satisfied to get up first only I'll still want Mummy to get my breakfast. O.K.?
Now, I'm up to your Sept 3 letter so I'm catching up a bit. Maybe I can finish up over the weekend. I'm only hitting the high spots and not commenting on them as Id like to but, gosh, to do that on on two week's letters and still keep up on the current ones, is more than I could manage. I think I'm answering all your questions.
Well sweetheart, here it is the end of another letter and another day. Every one is just so much closer to the day when we won't have to talk and love by long distance letter. It can't be too quick for me. I may not be much of a talker but by talking and acting I think I can do better than by letter. I'm loving you sweetheart.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Letter # 475 September 21, 1944
New Guinea
Thursday
Sept. 21, 44.
My sweetheart wife;
No letters today so maybe I'll get a chance to catch up a bit. I sure have a stack of them to answer. Don't be expecting any more two letter days. That's a bit much for me. Lot of writing on two letters. I just wanted to say I had done it at least once anyhow. You seem to be able to do it quite often but you're just that much better than I. I'm not going to try to compete. When it comes to loving I think I can compete favorably. You can't possible love me any more than I love you. That's for sure.
Well, honey, for the first time since I last saw you I spent I spent a day at the old monkey wrench business. Seems pretty strange. Forgot a big part of what I used to know. It's been almost six months and that's a long time to remember such stuff. There are things that I may get a bit out of practice on, but I'll never forget or want to forget. Know what I mean? You can guess I'm sure.
Now I'm going to answer some more letters. I had seen the piece in the Gazette about Dr Wildrom getting hurt but I didn't know he had been sent home. The Gazette gets here regularly but it's pretty old. The latest I've got is Aug 11.
Gus is really doing all right, isn't he? Third class P.O. and only been in a short time. That is the equivalent and carries the same pay as mine. Good for him. I imagine his expenses where he is are a lot more than mine where I am now. So far this month after I paid for my beer and cigarettes, I've spent a shilling [16 cents to you]. Cheap living isn't it?
I rather thought you would reconsider not playing bridge with the girls. I know you'd want to. How would you keep up on the dirt and gossip if you didn't? You know I'm not very good at playing newspaper. I don't remember that I ever made a special effort to stay awake until you came home and I'm making no promise to that effect now. I'm very apt to be a sleepy head after this army training. Anyhow I think you used to come home early before.
You devil you. You no more than quit teasing me about one surprise and you start in on another. This time a four ounce package that you are sending first class mail. You say I'd better like it but don't mention the penalty if I don't. I'm sure I will anyhow. I like anything you send. I like anything that has anything at all to do with you.
I can see that Jean is in a pickle and no mistake. I don't blame her for wanting to be by herself and yet it's a hard thing with the children. I guess it's another of the miseries of war and can't be helped.
Gosh, honey, do I still have a bottle there? Don't remember. The anniversary would be a good time for you to kill it. Did you? I surely couldn't drink a toast of anything stronger than tea or coffee to you on that day. I was way up in the mountains at that time. Some different than four years ago when we were in the mountains. Didn't need anything to drink then to make things rosy, did we?
Speaking of a bottle. If I had that bottle of liqueur here, I bet it would surprise you the price I could easily get for it. Fifteen pounds would be easy. That's $48.00. Think of it. Some of the boys will pay any price for anything alcoholic to drink. There is some bootleg stuff made here by some of the G.I.'s. Called "jungle juice" cause it's made in hidden stills in the jungle. It must be about 150 proof and probably rubbing alcohol or something similar. Anyhow the fools that get drunk on it, really get drunk and boy, do they have a hangover. Remember that raw corn that Gus gave Harry one night and he nearly exploded when he drank it? Well I had a taste of this stuff one night and that corn is soda pop in comparison. I only had one swallow and it took me five minutes of gasping and washing with water before I could get so I could talk. A couple hours later I could still feel a hot spot in my stomach. I'm cured until I get back to civilization. Even such stuff sells for six to ten dollars a quart. Guess I'll turn bootlegger and make me a future.
As far as I can see you are a long ways from loosing your grip, as you put it. I think you're doing a very splendid job. So good, in fact, that I don't see what good I ever was to you in any way except loving. Even there you could find a lot of very good substitutes. Don't ever get the idea that I'm not coming back though. I need you even if you don't really need me. I love you and I'm sticking to you plenty tight under any conditions. Anyhow I'm very proud of the way you are carrying on in a hard situation. So there too. I have never doubted for a long time that you can and will keep things going for us. Think I'll let you keep on after I come home. How about it, honey?
I'm very glad that you like your library job so much. Too bad you couldn't have had it last year and saved yourself a lot of dissatisfaction. You can remember some of the spicy books and pass them on to me, but not when I'm old and infirm, you devil. I'm not going to be that way for a long, long time and you darn well know it. If you don't I'll be plenty ready to prove it and maybe make you say, uncle, even. What do you think of that? Oh, well, honey, I don't care what you say I'm so in love with you I can't even tease you back.
Go to it, honey, if you can pull a deal like getting the weeds mowed that easily. That would be a simple fast way of doing it.
OK, honey, I won't say another word about your leg picture. I was only teasing you anyhow. I like any picture of yours and you know it.
I guess I must have written a "blue" letter or something to get this pep letter you you wrote. I didn't mean to and I usually am holding my morale in good shape and will. I'm only wanting to get back to you so much it hurts. Then, it can be taken more than one way too.
I'm sorry to hear about the "eyesore" across the road. I was hoping they would at least be presentable. Maybe they will be yet. I hope. Anyhow we can shut them off and only see it when we come and go. Leaving our wood in front was a good move I guess.
I've gotten to your letter of Aug 29 where you say you'd as soon I didn't get into the interior. Guess it's kind of too late for that now. I got back before I got your letter and anyhow I don't believe I'd have let your reluctance influence me much. I just had to do it. The old itchy foot you know. The opportunity and really no reason why I shouldn't. I'm very glad I did go and you probably will be too when you hear the whole story. Anyhow the army says you have a right to be proud of me for taking one of the stiffest imaginable physical and guts endurance tests the army has ever put out. I came out with a very excellent rating, in fact one of the few that got the highest rating given. I also had the honor, if you can call it that, of being one of the first Americans ever to cross a few of the trails and in fact, except for a few Aussies, the first white men. Almost an explorer now, aren't I ? Does that make you feel better or worse? It's all past history now anyhow. Your picture was with me.
It was safe to tell me about the intriguing aspects of the native dances, cause, like the other, I had already seen one by the time I got your letter. This one wasn't quite as bad as the picture you paint of it. It was held at one of the Missions and I was only there in the day. At night is when they get wild and unrestrained and this one was plenty so, as I found out from a native police boy the next day. He was still a bit tipsy and so worn out, not from dancing either, that he could hardly stay on his feet. Consequently the tracking class he was to teach was a loss. He couldn't even follow a trail in the mud. A preview of my condition the first week or so after I get home.
The dances are very colorful and similar to Indian war dances. They paint themselves all up and wear feather headdresses and colored grasses and all the leg and arm bands they own. The music is all drums which are made in the shape of an hourglass from one piece of wood, hollowed out in the center, of course, and over one end is stretched snakeskin. They beat therm with their hand and the sound, similar to the sound of a cork being quickly pulled from an empty jug, only louder. Can hear it a long way and yet, when close, it doesn't sound loud. There is a definite simple dance step and movements similar to a square dance only the men and women don't dance together. The women stay on the outside and follow the movements back and forth. The men sing a chant all the time. I took a whole roll of pictures of it.
There were hundreds of natives participating. Quite a sight. Quite a smell too. I've found out though, that it's possible to get used to the odor to the extent that I don't notice it. My smeller never was very good anyhow.
Gosh, honey, I've used my quota for today and only scratched the things I have to say. Didn't answer many letters either. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and you'll get another installment of something. When I can talk to you I can really elaborate on all this so you have more than loving coming. Loving comes first though you can bet on that. During breaks I might be able to talk a bit if I can get my mind on the subject. We'll make out somehow over a period of time.
Night, sweetheart. I'm loving and dreaming of you even if I haven't said so very much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Thursday
Sept. 21, 44.
My sweetheart wife;
No letters today so maybe I'll get a chance to catch up a bit. I sure have a stack of them to answer. Don't be expecting any more two letter days. That's a bit much for me. Lot of writing on two letters. I just wanted to say I had done it at least once anyhow. You seem to be able to do it quite often but you're just that much better than I. I'm not going to try to compete. When it comes to loving I think I can compete favorably. You can't possible love me any more than I love you. That's for sure.
Well, honey, for the first time since I last saw you I spent I spent a day at the old monkey wrench business. Seems pretty strange. Forgot a big part of what I used to know. It's been almost six months and that's a long time to remember such stuff. There are things that I may get a bit out of practice on, but I'll never forget or want to forget. Know what I mean? You can guess I'm sure.
Now I'm going to answer some more letters. I had seen the piece in the Gazette about Dr Wildrom getting hurt but I didn't know he had been sent home. The Gazette gets here regularly but it's pretty old. The latest I've got is Aug 11.
Gus is really doing all right, isn't he? Third class P.O. and only been in a short time. That is the equivalent and carries the same pay as mine. Good for him. I imagine his expenses where he is are a lot more than mine where I am now. So far this month after I paid for my beer and cigarettes, I've spent a shilling [16 cents to you]. Cheap living isn't it?
I rather thought you would reconsider not playing bridge with the girls. I know you'd want to. How would you keep up on the dirt and gossip if you didn't? You know I'm not very good at playing newspaper. I don't remember that I ever made a special effort to stay awake until you came home and I'm making no promise to that effect now. I'm very apt to be a sleepy head after this army training. Anyhow I think you used to come home early before.
You devil you. You no more than quit teasing me about one surprise and you start in on another. This time a four ounce package that you are sending first class mail. You say I'd better like it but don't mention the penalty if I don't. I'm sure I will anyhow. I like anything you send. I like anything that has anything at all to do with you.
I can see that Jean is in a pickle and no mistake. I don't blame her for wanting to be by herself and yet it's a hard thing with the children. I guess it's another of the miseries of war and can't be helped.
Gosh, honey, do I still have a bottle there? Don't remember. The anniversary would be a good time for you to kill it. Did you? I surely couldn't drink a toast of anything stronger than tea or coffee to you on that day. I was way up in the mountains at that time. Some different than four years ago when we were in the mountains. Didn't need anything to drink then to make things rosy, did we?
Speaking of a bottle. If I had that bottle of liqueur here, I bet it would surprise you the price I could easily get for it. Fifteen pounds would be easy. That's $48.00. Think of it. Some of the boys will pay any price for anything alcoholic to drink. There is some bootleg stuff made here by some of the G.I.'s. Called "jungle juice" cause it's made in hidden stills in the jungle. It must be about 150 proof and probably rubbing alcohol or something similar. Anyhow the fools that get drunk on it, really get drunk and boy, do they have a hangover. Remember that raw corn that Gus gave Harry one night and he nearly exploded when he drank it? Well I had a taste of this stuff one night and that corn is soda pop in comparison. I only had one swallow and it took me five minutes of gasping and washing with water before I could get so I could talk. A couple hours later I could still feel a hot spot in my stomach. I'm cured until I get back to civilization. Even such stuff sells for six to ten dollars a quart. Guess I'll turn bootlegger and make me a future.
As far as I can see you are a long ways from loosing your grip, as you put it. I think you're doing a very splendid job. So good, in fact, that I don't see what good I ever was to you in any way except loving. Even there you could find a lot of very good substitutes. Don't ever get the idea that I'm not coming back though. I need you even if you don't really need me. I love you and I'm sticking to you plenty tight under any conditions. Anyhow I'm very proud of the way you are carrying on in a hard situation. So there too. I have never doubted for a long time that you can and will keep things going for us. Think I'll let you keep on after I come home. How about it, honey?
I'm very glad that you like your library job so much. Too bad you couldn't have had it last year and saved yourself a lot of dissatisfaction. You can remember some of the spicy books and pass them on to me, but not when I'm old and infirm, you devil. I'm not going to be that way for a long, long time and you darn well know it. If you don't I'll be plenty ready to prove it and maybe make you say, uncle, even. What do you think of that? Oh, well, honey, I don't care what you say I'm so in love with you I can't even tease you back.
Go to it, honey, if you can pull a deal like getting the weeds mowed that easily. That would be a simple fast way of doing it.
OK, honey, I won't say another word about your leg picture. I was only teasing you anyhow. I like any picture of yours and you know it.
I guess I must have written a "blue" letter or something to get this pep letter you you wrote. I didn't mean to and I usually am holding my morale in good shape and will. I'm only wanting to get back to you so much it hurts. Then, it can be taken more than one way too.
I'm sorry to hear about the "eyesore" across the road. I was hoping they would at least be presentable. Maybe they will be yet. I hope. Anyhow we can shut them off and only see it when we come and go. Leaving our wood in front was a good move I guess.
I've gotten to your letter of Aug 29 where you say you'd as soon I didn't get into the interior. Guess it's kind of too late for that now. I got back before I got your letter and anyhow I don't believe I'd have let your reluctance influence me much. I just had to do it. The old itchy foot you know. The opportunity and really no reason why I shouldn't. I'm very glad I did go and you probably will be too when you hear the whole story. Anyhow the army says you have a right to be proud of me for taking one of the stiffest imaginable physical and guts endurance tests the army has ever put out. I came out with a very excellent rating, in fact one of the few that got the highest rating given. I also had the honor, if you can call it that, of being one of the first Americans ever to cross a few of the trails and in fact, except for a few Aussies, the first white men. Almost an explorer now, aren't I ? Does that make you feel better or worse? It's all past history now anyhow. Your picture was with me.
It was safe to tell me about the intriguing aspects of the native dances, cause, like the other, I had already seen one by the time I got your letter. This one wasn't quite as bad as the picture you paint of it. It was held at one of the Missions and I was only there in the day. At night is when they get wild and unrestrained and this one was plenty so, as I found out from a native police boy the next day. He was still a bit tipsy and so worn out, not from dancing either, that he could hardly stay on his feet. Consequently the tracking class he was to teach was a loss. He couldn't even follow a trail in the mud. A preview of my condition the first week or so after I get home.
The dances are very colorful and similar to Indian war dances. They paint themselves all up and wear feather headdresses and colored grasses and all the leg and arm bands they own. The music is all drums which are made in the shape of an hourglass from one piece of wood, hollowed out in the center, of course, and over one end is stretched snakeskin. They beat therm with their hand and the sound, similar to the sound of a cork being quickly pulled from an empty jug, only louder. Can hear it a long way and yet, when close, it doesn't sound loud. There is a definite simple dance step and movements similar to a square dance only the men and women don't dance together. The women stay on the outside and follow the movements back and forth. The men sing a chant all the time. I took a whole roll of pictures of it.
There were hundreds of natives participating. Quite a sight. Quite a smell too. I've found out though, that it's possible to get used to the odor to the extent that I don't notice it. My smeller never was very good anyhow.
Gosh, honey, I've used my quota for today and only scratched the things I have to say. Didn't answer many letters either. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and you'll get another installment of something. When I can talk to you I can really elaborate on all this so you have more than loving coming. Loving comes first though you can bet on that. During breaks I might be able to talk a bit if I can get my mind on the subject. We'll make out somehow over a period of time.
Night, sweetheart. I'm loving and dreaming of you even if I haven't said so very much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Letter # 474 September 20, 1944
New Guinea
Wednesday eve.
Sept. 20, 1944
My delectable, desirable, darling;
I'll have to do a little work on that kind of salutation. It takes more than one word to even come close to what I'd like to say. Oh, hell, I don't even want to have to say it. I want to show you in person what I mean. Anyhow, it all amounts to one thing. I love you. If I can believe the look on your face in this surprise picture, you love me too. I'll say you put your heart in it. Wish I were in reach and you looked at me like that. You'd soon be back in practice again, or else. You're sweet and I love you so much.
At last I'm doing it, honey. Writing two letters in one day. Never thought I'd come to that, but then I never thought I'd love anyone as much as I love you. Great stuff, this love. Makes a man do a lot of things he doesn't expect to.
Seeing as how I won't be able to get all your letters answered for several days I'm going to make this one largely a lesson on N. Guinea. First I want to tell you I'm glad you liked the ring and the card I sent. I really didn't expect you to wear the ring. It's only intended as a keepsake or token but I won't argue if you want to wear it. I'm still mad at some bloody bastard for stealing the first one. It was nicer. It is made from a 32 cent Australian coin no matter how it looks. Hammer, file and polishing cloth are the only tools needed for the job. Hazel hinted for one in a letter I got today. I don't know the size of her fingers as well as I did yours.
I can see you are encouraging me to keep drawing cards. It's a lot of work for a fellow of my ability but I will try another sometime. I rather like to when I can manage the time. Anyhow I'd keep on trying because you seem to like them so much.
I got three more letters today. Sept 8, 9, & 10. I'm glad to hear your revised report on "Jackie". Mom seems to think she is a bit of all right too, only she says if you heard her talking and couldn't see her you'd swear she was black. True southern drawl.
Honey, I'm beginning to believe that your snap judgements on men are a lot more accurate than on women. Anyhow I surely hope your last opinion is the right one. If it's the right girl a man is set for life. Very beautiful life too. I know. I've got the best wife a man could ever have. I love her an awful lot. Always will and I'm happy about it.
Gosh, here I've used up one page gabbing and haven't even started on the lesson. I'll get at it now. While I think of it and just in case you want to do more reading and research on New Guinea here are a few reference books you might be able to get hold of.
"Life of a New Guinea Magistrate" and "Further Adventures of a New Guinea Magistrate". Both by Lionel Monikton. "Papuan Gold" by Louis Lett, and "Mountains, Gold, and Cannibals" by Doris Booth.
Honey, my conception of N. G. has surely undergone a great change. Even after living on the island for three months I had no idea of what it really was like. The more I see of it the more I like it. If it wasn't for the climate I'd really be tempted to try my luck here after the war. That is, of course, if you could also be persuaded to try it. Don't worry. I'm not serious about it. The climate is against my principles.
I had told you before it was a beautiful and appealing country. Well I didn't know half of it then. I've seen a lot of pretty, rugged, and beautiful country in the states but never anything any more beautiful than the sights I saw on this trip. It's really grand.
I wish I really could be an artist and put some of it into picture. I never had any idea that rivers on South Pacific islands could be so beautiful. As we got into the hills we crossed innumerable streams and rivers each as clear, cold, and fast running as in our own mountains. In places I swam in pools that were eight to ten feet deep and so clear each piece of gravel on the bottom could be clearly seen. From the bank the water is a beautiful emerald green in color. Add to that the picture of white water where it rushes over rocky rapids and riffles and banks lined with giant trees, hanging with vines and plants of all sorts and seemingly so thick there is no break in the wall of foliage. Always in the background is the bulk of the forest covered mountains and peaks, part of them hidden by fleecy white clouds and other parts in deep shadow from another cloud, while still another part is in brilliant sunlight. Beautiful! I hope my pictures are good.
Went across small plains covered by kunai grass where the sun beats down mercilessly and not a breath of air moves and then into the jungle again where even the brightest sunlight never penetrates the solid, leafy roof a hundred or more feet overhead and is perpetual twilight. The ground is wet and moss covered and the air is steamy but, at the same time, gratefully cool in comparison to the open plains. On along such thick trails and without warning of any sort, break into a native village. Small clearing of bare ground, usually with coconut and betel nut trees growing for shade and food. Thatched pole huts built entirely without the aid of nails or other modern materials and set on four foot stilts to get away from dampness and reptiles. Little huts, perhaps ten by fifteen feet in size are the home of an impossible number of kids and grownups. Little pile of rocks on the bare pole floor acts as a fireplace for cooking and also for heat. The nights are unbelievably cool. Sometimes cold under two blankets and yet the thermometer wouldn't register less than 68 degrees or 70 degrees. Gourds are used for water pails and utensils. Clothing is practically nil.
The men wear a belt of snakeskin or bark and a loin cloth similar to our own Indians. Numerous arm and leg bands and some with bones piercing ears and nose. The women, in some villages, grass skirts, and in some, only a ribbon for a belt and another ribbon, not more than an inch wide, for a "G" string. That is all and it surely leaves very little to the imagination. In fact, nothing. No wonder they have large numbers of kids. With two or three wives as accessible as that, I'm afraid I'd have a family too.
The natives usually do a small amount of cultivating. Around each village will be a small area of trees and brush but with the stumps still standing and there, the women raise tarro, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash, sometimes corn and cucumbers, and watermelons. Then there is usually an area of banana and pawpaw trees, wild. Some of the bananas are like ones we know and others are large, red skinned ones. As large as a foot long and two inches in diameter. The red ones are really good. Best I've ever tasted.
The pawpaw is also a very tasty dish. It's a green colored fruit growing on the trunk of the tree in a cluster and much the size and shape of an eggplant. They turn yellow when ripe and taste like a very excellent muskmellon. The seeds are good for indigestion. Contain a high content of pepsin.
Learned a new way to eat bananas too. Take them green and boil them up in a stew or throw them in the coals, skin and all, and roast them. Not bad either. Fern tips make good spinach if you like spinach.
Two villages we went through are a bit on the wild side and aren't, even now, too safe for a single white man. I went to bed with my gun under my hand too. They looked plenty mean to me. A lot more to that story I'll be able to tell you when I get home.
The life expectancy of these blacks is short, 30 - 40 years at most. Rather small in size. Probably weigh about 150 on an average and about 5' 6" tall at most. They mature very young. At thirteen to fourteen they are mature and take their wives, sometimes one, but usually two or three or even more. [At least two are pregnant most of the time, with the other for a spare. Tough luck for the guy with only one wife.] The women do nearly all the work and you'll see them going up the trail with a big sack of food or something and a couple kids on top of that and the old man coming along behind empty handed. How does that sound to you? Some of the boys thought that would be a good thing. Personally, I'm afraid I'd have a hard time converting you and beside I wouldn't like it at all. I want a wife and partner, not a slave.
The dickering with the natives is rather fun if a man has a bit of Jew in him. They understand a few words of English and we know a few of theirs and the rest is sign language. Ask for bananas or anything to eat and the first answer is no, and then if you persist, out comes green and second rate stuff. Refuse that and then the better stuff comes out and soon you can do a land office business and get almost anything they've got. Razor blades, cigarettes, tobacco, and matches are the best money. One razor blade buys a dozen or more bananas.
Well, honey, there is a very small part of some of the things I saw and learned. I'll give you some more of it from time to time. Saw a big dance and all that goes with it. Plantations, rubber, coffee, and etc. Talks with the Aussies and lots of interesting things. Want to hear about them? Next installment sometime in the future.
Night my sweetheart wife. I'm loving you so much. More and more all the time.
Your lover.
Norm.
Wednesday eve.
Sept. 20, 1944
My delectable, desirable, darling;
I'll have to do a little work on that kind of salutation. It takes more than one word to even come close to what I'd like to say. Oh, hell, I don't even want to have to say it. I want to show you in person what I mean. Anyhow, it all amounts to one thing. I love you. If I can believe the look on your face in this surprise picture, you love me too. I'll say you put your heart in it. Wish I were in reach and you looked at me like that. You'd soon be back in practice again, or else. You're sweet and I love you so much.
At last I'm doing it, honey. Writing two letters in one day. Never thought I'd come to that, but then I never thought I'd love anyone as much as I love you. Great stuff, this love. Makes a man do a lot of things he doesn't expect to.
Seeing as how I won't be able to get all your letters answered for several days I'm going to make this one largely a lesson on N. Guinea. First I want to tell you I'm glad you liked the ring and the card I sent. I really didn't expect you to wear the ring. It's only intended as a keepsake or token but I won't argue if you want to wear it. I'm still mad at some bloody bastard for stealing the first one. It was nicer. It is made from a 32 cent Australian coin no matter how it looks. Hammer, file and polishing cloth are the only tools needed for the job. Hazel hinted for one in a letter I got today. I don't know the size of her fingers as well as I did yours.
I can see you are encouraging me to keep drawing cards. It's a lot of work for a fellow of my ability but I will try another sometime. I rather like to when I can manage the time. Anyhow I'd keep on trying because you seem to like them so much.
I got three more letters today. Sept 8, 9, & 10. I'm glad to hear your revised report on "Jackie". Mom seems to think she is a bit of all right too, only she says if you heard her talking and couldn't see her you'd swear she was black. True southern drawl.
Honey, I'm beginning to believe that your snap judgements on men are a lot more accurate than on women. Anyhow I surely hope your last opinion is the right one. If it's the right girl a man is set for life. Very beautiful life too. I know. I've got the best wife a man could ever have. I love her an awful lot. Always will and I'm happy about it.
Gosh, here I've used up one page gabbing and haven't even started on the lesson. I'll get at it now. While I think of it and just in case you want to do more reading and research on New Guinea here are a few reference books you might be able to get hold of.
"Life of a New Guinea Magistrate" and "Further Adventures of a New Guinea Magistrate". Both by Lionel Monikton. "Papuan Gold" by Louis Lett, and "Mountains, Gold, and Cannibals" by Doris Booth.
Honey, my conception of N. G. has surely undergone a great change. Even after living on the island for three months I had no idea of what it really was like. The more I see of it the more I like it. If it wasn't for the climate I'd really be tempted to try my luck here after the war. That is, of course, if you could also be persuaded to try it. Don't worry. I'm not serious about it. The climate is against my principles.
I had told you before it was a beautiful and appealing country. Well I didn't know half of it then. I've seen a lot of pretty, rugged, and beautiful country in the states but never anything any more beautiful than the sights I saw on this trip. It's really grand.
I wish I really could be an artist and put some of it into picture. I never had any idea that rivers on South Pacific islands could be so beautiful. As we got into the hills we crossed innumerable streams and rivers each as clear, cold, and fast running as in our own mountains. In places I swam in pools that were eight to ten feet deep and so clear each piece of gravel on the bottom could be clearly seen. From the bank the water is a beautiful emerald green in color. Add to that the picture of white water where it rushes over rocky rapids and riffles and banks lined with giant trees, hanging with vines and plants of all sorts and seemingly so thick there is no break in the wall of foliage. Always in the background is the bulk of the forest covered mountains and peaks, part of them hidden by fleecy white clouds and other parts in deep shadow from another cloud, while still another part is in brilliant sunlight. Beautiful! I hope my pictures are good.
Went across small plains covered by kunai grass where the sun beats down mercilessly and not a breath of air moves and then into the jungle again where even the brightest sunlight never penetrates the solid, leafy roof a hundred or more feet overhead and is perpetual twilight. The ground is wet and moss covered and the air is steamy but, at the same time, gratefully cool in comparison to the open plains. On along such thick trails and without warning of any sort, break into a native village. Small clearing of bare ground, usually with coconut and betel nut trees growing for shade and food. Thatched pole huts built entirely without the aid of nails or other modern materials and set on four foot stilts to get away from dampness and reptiles. Little huts, perhaps ten by fifteen feet in size are the home of an impossible number of kids and grownups. Little pile of rocks on the bare pole floor acts as a fireplace for cooking and also for heat. The nights are unbelievably cool. Sometimes cold under two blankets and yet the thermometer wouldn't register less than 68 degrees or 70 degrees. Gourds are used for water pails and utensils. Clothing is practically nil.
The men wear a belt of snakeskin or bark and a loin cloth similar to our own Indians. Numerous arm and leg bands and some with bones piercing ears and nose. The women, in some villages, grass skirts, and in some, only a ribbon for a belt and another ribbon, not more than an inch wide, for a "G" string. That is all and it surely leaves very little to the imagination. In fact, nothing. No wonder they have large numbers of kids. With two or three wives as accessible as that, I'm afraid I'd have a family too.
The natives usually do a small amount of cultivating. Around each village will be a small area of trees and brush but with the stumps still standing and there, the women raise tarro, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash, sometimes corn and cucumbers, and watermelons. Then there is usually an area of banana and pawpaw trees, wild. Some of the bananas are like ones we know and others are large, red skinned ones. As large as a foot long and two inches in diameter. The red ones are really good. Best I've ever tasted.
The pawpaw is also a very tasty dish. It's a green colored fruit growing on the trunk of the tree in a cluster and much the size and shape of an eggplant. They turn yellow when ripe and taste like a very excellent muskmellon. The seeds are good for indigestion. Contain a high content of pepsin.
Learned a new way to eat bananas too. Take them green and boil them up in a stew or throw them in the coals, skin and all, and roast them. Not bad either. Fern tips make good spinach if you like spinach.
Two villages we went through are a bit on the wild side and aren't, even now, too safe for a single white man. I went to bed with my gun under my hand too. They looked plenty mean to me. A lot more to that story I'll be able to tell you when I get home.
The life expectancy of these blacks is short, 30 - 40 years at most. Rather small in size. Probably weigh about 150 on an average and about 5' 6" tall at most. They mature very young. At thirteen to fourteen they are mature and take their wives, sometimes one, but usually two or three or even more. [At least two are pregnant most of the time, with the other for a spare. Tough luck for the guy with only one wife.] The women do nearly all the work and you'll see them going up the trail with a big sack of food or something and a couple kids on top of that and the old man coming along behind empty handed. How does that sound to you? Some of the boys thought that would be a good thing. Personally, I'm afraid I'd have a hard time converting you and beside I wouldn't like it at all. I want a wife and partner, not a slave.
The dickering with the natives is rather fun if a man has a bit of Jew in him. They understand a few words of English and we know a few of theirs and the rest is sign language. Ask for bananas or anything to eat and the first answer is no, and then if you persist, out comes green and second rate stuff. Refuse that and then the better stuff comes out and soon you can do a land office business and get almost anything they've got. Razor blades, cigarettes, tobacco, and matches are the best money. One razor blade buys a dozen or more bananas.
Well, honey, there is a very small part of some of the things I saw and learned. I'll give you some more of it from time to time. Saw a big dance and all that goes with it. Plantations, rubber, coffee, and etc. Talks with the Aussies and lots of interesting things. Want to hear about them? Next installment sometime in the future.
Night my sweetheart wife. I'm loving you so much. More and more all the time.
Your lover.
Norm.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Letter #473 September 20, 1944
New Guinea
Wednesday
Sept. 20, 1944
Hello beautiful and bewitching;
How's my three "B" girl today? I hope now, that the letters are coming again, I am all forgiven for not writing for a while. Even though it was for only fifteen days I know it seemed a long time not to hear from you and I know you felt the same. It's really bad when we can't at least write to each other.
I have just reread and arranged all your letters that were waiting here for me. Nice pile of them and all complete up to the one of Sept 7. That's doing pretty good. I sure enjoyed them a heap. I'm still looking at the picture and loving it a lot. You're beautiful. Really, you are. I love you. I can stand teasing any time for such a nice surprise. You're sweet.
I guess I didn't quite finish about the boxes last night. I'm still working on the cookies but they won't last much longer. You probably think I'm a pig and you may be right, but I excuse myself another way. The ants are so bad it's very hard to keep anything like that around so I eat it before the ants get to it. Is that any excuse? Anyhow it's better than no excuse. They are all very swell. Taste like home. Thanks so much, honey. I seem to remember you saying that Tib had something to do with it. Thank her too.
The map is a good one and will do what I want very nicely. More stationery. I guess I'll never have the excuse that I'm out of paper again. Hell, I don't want an excuse anyhow. I like to write to you. The little waterproof bag is dandy. More cigarettes and funnies too. You sure are taking good care of me, aren't you? You're sweet and I love you so much. Beautiful too.
I also had a package from Mom & Hazel. Candy, tobacco, soap and film. I'm being taken care of, seems like.
I've got six rolls of film I took on the trip ready to send in. Hope they are good. Should be some dandies. It takes about six weeks for them to come back, so maybe by Christmas you'll get them. Long time isn't it? Several of me and my beard and a lot of scenery pictures too. I haven't yet taken the color roll. I took it on the trip but most of the time when I wanted to use it, it was slightly hazy and I was afraid to try without plenty of sun. I'll see about getting some special ones on it yet.
I want to tell you all about the trip but think I'd better catch up on some of your letters. Lots of nice ones to answer. I've got the day off to rest up and clean up equipment. Most of it is going to be spent in writing letters.
I'm relieved to hear that you were able to get a new tire. Seems like you have plenty of pull, getting a grade one tire. I think you're being very well taken care of. What you got, honey? As if I didn't know. Now, if you can manage a couple more of some sort, you should be able to get along.
While I;m thinking about the car: It wouldn't surprise me if it would need a general overhauling to make it run this winter. I guess you can take care of anything that comes up. You have been doing swell and no kidding there at all. That's a score we'll have to settle with Jean.
So you're feeling like a wolf, are you? Well, just keep it up cause I feel worse than that. I guess you
are right, if we carry out all our threats and promises, we'll probably both have to stay in bed or else use each other for support to keep us on our feet. I don't care. It's going to be fun no matter what the result. Ain't it?
Yes, honey, the war news from Europe is very encouraging. Hope it continues and ends as quickly as rumor says it will. Of course that won't mean very much over here immediately, but it sure will speed things up an awful lot. Let her go. The quicker it's over, the quicker I'll be seeing my wife again. That's what I want more than anything in the world.
Gosh, honey, from all the things you've already done, I don't doubt a bit that you would be able to do carpenter work or most anything else on that proposed house of Arts & Margs. I know you can drive the tractor to dig out the basement. You did that once before. Remember? You could get some practice finishing our upstairs first and then go at theirs. There, see, it's all fixed up already. Sound good? Don't worry. We'll get a chance to partly even up some day.
That's the stuff, honey. Keep that "home front" in good shape. I'm itching to get back to it and see for myself.
Sweetheart, you're too much worried about my so called "bad leg." It had nothing at all to do with my not going on the detail with the other boys. They wanted me here to finish some of my carpenter work. I guess you have realized all that since I told you about going to this school. Surely no one with a crippled leg would ever volunteer for anything like that. Not even me. You seem to be under the impression that I'm belittling the truth. I'm not. Remember? We had that all out last fall and I promised to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. I have been too. My bad knee hasn't bothered a bit for a long, long time and didn't on all this march I've just been over. Took it like a veteran all the way. Was one of the first to reach the end of the trail and still under full steam. It was no Sunday afternoon walk either. Your old man may be bald headed but he's still a long way from infirm. You'll find out one of these days. Another promise.
I did see plenty of black women and some not too badly built or very well covered either. They still look black as night though and smell worse. In fact, I think if, as Mom suggested, you did send me a pig, I'd sooner keep the pig for a bed mate than the black or blacks it would buy.
You can tell Mom I appreciate her interest in my welfare but that she can't marry me off to anyone else as easily as that. You're stuck, honey. I won't accept any bait that would give you a chance to get away from me. Not by a little bit. I love you too much.
The dreams you are working so hard to finance sure do sound good to me. However, most of the dreams that I'm dreaming at present don't require much financing. It only takes you and I to fulfill them. I mean you and I together. How about it? No kidding though. I am proud of the bank account you are building up. It's swell and will be plenty handy. I'll try to add another small contribution from time to time.
I'm glad to hear you have your coal now. That's another thing taken care of. I didn't know that Harry had a truck. Where did he get it? Southern Ohio? The price was reasonable enough for these times. Paid nearly that much the last winter I was home.
Ha! I rather got the laugh on you for not getting any mail for some time. When I did get it all your teasing about your surprise was lost, cause the surprise was here too. It was a dandy surprise and no mistake. You devil! I love you.
You were very correct in your estimation of Fairhaven. Happy go lucky and devilish as can be. The sad part is he was killed in a peep accident the day I left for school. Tough break.
Earl Hanson and Oke Hanson are no relation whatever. Never knew the other existed until they met in the army.
Your speaking of our place as being an ideal spot for raising a family reminds me of a story I heard from an Aussie. An English soldier with a large family of about fourteen got on a train and after much trouble succeeded in finding seats for all but himself. An American soldier had been watching the
performance and seeing the Englishman had no place to sit began to laugh. The exasperated Englishman asked what the hell he saw so funny. American replied it tickled him to think how the Englishman had f_____ himself out of a seat.
Me, for a sensible size family by means of birth control not abstinence. Right? You may be having the feeling that it won't be long now but, as for me and the trouble I have with it, it surely must be longer.
So, my wife has come to smiling at strange men, hoping they will be attracted enough to do things like mowing our weeds for her. That's really getting good, honey. It seems to work too. Afraid I made a mistake, telling you so much how irresistible you are. You have gotten to believe it and are putting it into practice so you now have proof of it. I better hurry up and win this war or I'll be loosing me a very perfect wife. When you can get that much for only a smile ---- gosh, you could be a rich girl. I'm wondering who the guy with the mower is. If I find my wife gone I want to know who to haunt.
Well, honey, I haven't gotten very far on your letters yet and this is all I can put in this letter. Maybe I'll pull one of your stunts and write another one yet today. That's no promise cause I've some duty ones to get off. I'll see.
Bye, my darling. I'm loving you even if you do seduce other men to do things for you. You're tops in my book no matter what you do, as long as you call me sweetheart. I love you beautiful.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Wednesday
Sept. 20, 1944
Hello beautiful and bewitching;
How's my three "B" girl today? I hope now, that the letters are coming again, I am all forgiven for not writing for a while. Even though it was for only fifteen days I know it seemed a long time not to hear from you and I know you felt the same. It's really bad when we can't at least write to each other.
I have just reread and arranged all your letters that were waiting here for me. Nice pile of them and all complete up to the one of Sept 7. That's doing pretty good. I sure enjoyed them a heap. I'm still looking at the picture and loving it a lot. You're beautiful. Really, you are. I love you. I can stand teasing any time for such a nice surprise. You're sweet.
I guess I didn't quite finish about the boxes last night. I'm still working on the cookies but they won't last much longer. You probably think I'm a pig and you may be right, but I excuse myself another way. The ants are so bad it's very hard to keep anything like that around so I eat it before the ants get to it. Is that any excuse? Anyhow it's better than no excuse. They are all very swell. Taste like home. Thanks so much, honey. I seem to remember you saying that Tib had something to do with it. Thank her too.
The map is a good one and will do what I want very nicely. More stationery. I guess I'll never have the excuse that I'm out of paper again. Hell, I don't want an excuse anyhow. I like to write to you. The little waterproof bag is dandy. More cigarettes and funnies too. You sure are taking good care of me, aren't you? You're sweet and I love you so much. Beautiful too.
I also had a package from Mom & Hazel. Candy, tobacco, soap and film. I'm being taken care of, seems like.
I've got six rolls of film I took on the trip ready to send in. Hope they are good. Should be some dandies. It takes about six weeks for them to come back, so maybe by Christmas you'll get them. Long time isn't it? Several of me and my beard and a lot of scenery pictures too. I haven't yet taken the color roll. I took it on the trip but most of the time when I wanted to use it, it was slightly hazy and I was afraid to try without plenty of sun. I'll see about getting some special ones on it yet.
I want to tell you all about the trip but think I'd better catch up on some of your letters. Lots of nice ones to answer. I've got the day off to rest up and clean up equipment. Most of it is going to be spent in writing letters.
I'm relieved to hear that you were able to get a new tire. Seems like you have plenty of pull, getting a grade one tire. I think you're being very well taken care of. What you got, honey? As if I didn't know. Now, if you can manage a couple more of some sort, you should be able to get along.
While I;m thinking about the car: It wouldn't surprise me if it would need a general overhauling to make it run this winter. I guess you can take care of anything that comes up. You have been doing swell and no kidding there at all. That's a score we'll have to settle with Jean.
So you're feeling like a wolf, are you? Well, just keep it up cause I feel worse than that. I guess you
are right, if we carry out all our threats and promises, we'll probably both have to stay in bed or else use each other for support to keep us on our feet. I don't care. It's going to be fun no matter what the result. Ain't it?
Yes, honey, the war news from Europe is very encouraging. Hope it continues and ends as quickly as rumor says it will. Of course that won't mean very much over here immediately, but it sure will speed things up an awful lot. Let her go. The quicker it's over, the quicker I'll be seeing my wife again. That's what I want more than anything in the world.
Gosh, honey, from all the things you've already done, I don't doubt a bit that you would be able to do carpenter work or most anything else on that proposed house of Arts & Margs. I know you can drive the tractor to dig out the basement. You did that once before. Remember? You could get some practice finishing our upstairs first and then go at theirs. There, see, it's all fixed up already. Sound good? Don't worry. We'll get a chance to partly even up some day.
That's the stuff, honey. Keep that "home front" in good shape. I'm itching to get back to it and see for myself.
Sweetheart, you're too much worried about my so called "bad leg." It had nothing at all to do with my not going on the detail with the other boys. They wanted me here to finish some of my carpenter work. I guess you have realized all that since I told you about going to this school. Surely no one with a crippled leg would ever volunteer for anything like that. Not even me. You seem to be under the impression that I'm belittling the truth. I'm not. Remember? We had that all out last fall and I promised to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. I have been too. My bad knee hasn't bothered a bit for a long, long time and didn't on all this march I've just been over. Took it like a veteran all the way. Was one of the first to reach the end of the trail and still under full steam. It was no Sunday afternoon walk either. Your old man may be bald headed but he's still a long way from infirm. You'll find out one of these days. Another promise.
I did see plenty of black women and some not too badly built or very well covered either. They still look black as night though and smell worse. In fact, I think if, as Mom suggested, you did send me a pig, I'd sooner keep the pig for a bed mate than the black or blacks it would buy.
You can tell Mom I appreciate her interest in my welfare but that she can't marry me off to anyone else as easily as that. You're stuck, honey. I won't accept any bait that would give you a chance to get away from me. Not by a little bit. I love you too much.
The dreams you are working so hard to finance sure do sound good to me. However, most of the dreams that I'm dreaming at present don't require much financing. It only takes you and I to fulfill them. I mean you and I together. How about it? No kidding though. I am proud of the bank account you are building up. It's swell and will be plenty handy. I'll try to add another small contribution from time to time.
I'm glad to hear you have your coal now. That's another thing taken care of. I didn't know that Harry had a truck. Where did he get it? Southern Ohio? The price was reasonable enough for these times. Paid nearly that much the last winter I was home.
Ha! I rather got the laugh on you for not getting any mail for some time. When I did get it all your teasing about your surprise was lost, cause the surprise was here too. It was a dandy surprise and no mistake. You devil! I love you.
You were very correct in your estimation of Fairhaven. Happy go lucky and devilish as can be. The sad part is he was killed in a peep accident the day I left for school. Tough break.
Earl Hanson and Oke Hanson are no relation whatever. Never knew the other existed until they met in the army.
Your speaking of our place as being an ideal spot for raising a family reminds me of a story I heard from an Aussie. An English soldier with a large family of about fourteen got on a train and after much trouble succeeded in finding seats for all but himself. An American soldier had been watching the
performance and seeing the Englishman had no place to sit began to laugh. The exasperated Englishman asked what the hell he saw so funny. American replied it tickled him to think how the Englishman had f_____ himself out of a seat.
Me, for a sensible size family by means of birth control not abstinence. Right? You may be having the feeling that it won't be long now but, as for me and the trouble I have with it, it surely must be longer.
So, my wife has come to smiling at strange men, hoping they will be attracted enough to do things like mowing our weeds for her. That's really getting good, honey. It seems to work too. Afraid I made a mistake, telling you so much how irresistible you are. You have gotten to believe it and are putting it into practice so you now have proof of it. I better hurry up and win this war or I'll be loosing me a very perfect wife. When you can get that much for only a smile ---- gosh, you could be a rich girl. I'm wondering who the guy with the mower is. If I find my wife gone I want to know who to haunt.
Well, honey, I haven't gotten very far on your letters yet and this is all I can put in this letter. Maybe I'll pull one of your stunts and write another one yet today. That's no promise cause I've some duty ones to get off. I'll see.
Bye, my darling. I'm loving you even if you do seduce other men to do things for you. You're tops in my book no matter what you do, as long as you call me sweetheart. I love you beautiful.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Letter # 472 September 19, 1944
New Guinea
Sept. 19, 1944
Tuesday, eve
My beautiful and neglected wife;
Hello. Honey. Your wandering man is back again and all in one piece too. Not a bit the worse for wear. The worst part of the whole thing was not hearing from you for so long. I was hurtin in that respect and I don't mean maybe. I was well rewarded though when I got back today. A whole stack of letters waiting for me here. In fact there were seventeen of them from my sweetheart and several others from other people. There were also two packages from my lovely, both with lots of good stuff to eat. Then there was another letter air mail package with a very beautiful ladies' picture in it. Never knew that I believed in love at first sight, but I do now. I just can't help it honey, but I'm so much in love with that girl that I'll never be satisfied until I can be with her and ask her to take over the duties of being my wife. [again]. Will you do it? I'll promise to be good to you and love you all the time. - well, almost all the time anyhow. Gosh, honey, you are a nice looking lady. I love you so much. I gather this picture was one of the surprises you have been teasing me about. I didn't have the fainest idea what it was and didn't expect to get it so soon. It was well worth all the teasing and waiting and curiosity it caused me. Honestly, honey, you look good enough to eat. You'd think I was going to, too if I could have you as close as your picture is. I'm loving the picture as hard as I can and hoping you can get some good from it. Can you? Did you know that you even went up the trail with me? You did. My cigarette case is transparent and I put one of your recent snaps in it so I saw a lot of you every day. Loved you too.
Honey, I suspect you're a devil, of course a very sweet one though. I've been under the impression all along that you weren't wearing your hair up any more and here in this picture it's up again. Did you do it just special for me like you did last summer when you came to Kentucky? Bet you did. You're sweet. I loves you so much. Am I also right in thinking you have your special black dress on too? There isn't quite enough of you showing to be sure but I suspect it. Damn lucky photographer! You look so sweet and happy, just like you were looking at me and, as you say, sending me all your love. Now I'll have to arrange my pictures. This one comes first now. [Even before the bare model girl]. How's that? I do love it, honey. Thanks a million. You can pull that kind of surprise and teasing on me again any time. It's worth it and I'm not kidding.
I realize I was rather dumb not to guess what the surprise was. Laugh, darn you. It was the same procedure, exactly as you pulled last year before you sent the inside pictures of the house and, on top of that, you told me you were going with Marg to have Ronnie's picture taken. Right?
I don't care. I'm glad I didn't guess what it was. I opened the little bag and saw that bill of sale folder from Gibbs and I wondered "what the hell?" Then inside I found the best picture of the best little wife in the world. Grand surprise. I love you, honey. Can't hardly quit looking long enough to write a decent letter. It's so real it seems you must be going to wink at me or say something. Gosh, you look swell sweetheart. I love you.
I hope you haven't been hurtin or worrying too much while you haven't been hearing from me. I know how empty and dull the days without letters are and I'm sorry as hell I saw fit to do you that way. Hope you forgive me. It really was worth a lot to me and I should have hated to miss it very much. I've learned a lot about the island, the natives, the jungle, the "Aussies", and Australia. Other things, too that I won't be able to write about, but can tell you soon, I hope. I will write about all I can as I get around to it. I've so many letters to answer and so much loving to catch up on it may be a few days until I get to it. I still remember that I left my other trip in Los Angeles. Don't worry. I have a fair memory and will someday get around to it when I run out of more important things to talk about.
Honey, you should have seen me when I came in today. You wouldn't have liked me very much I bet. I hadn't seen myself all the time I was gone but I sure felt like I had more hair on my face than on my head. I guess that isn't saying very much, but it sure is true as can be. I almost jumped when I looked in a mirror for the first time. Must be a man 'cause I really had a beard. Could have passed for a Mennonite any day. Those whiskers were at least half an inch long and thick as hell. Not a bit curly though. Straight and bristly. Hell of a job shaving them off. Every half dozen would completely plug the razor. I got playful and left a mustache and goatee and I think I looked pretty good. Different anyhow. You should see me with just a mustache. Gable, himself.
Now don't let it worry you. You can be sure I'll never want to raise any hair on my face. I never was so annoyed with anything in my life. Itches and tickles like a bunch of ants walking over my face all the time. I disposed of them as soon as I got in. First time my face felt really clean in the past two weeks. No sir! No beard for me. You either, if I remember correctly. No matter how much I wanted one, I'd never have it as long as it kept you away from me. I want you close and closer all the time. I love you.
Now, for the boxes. One, July 28 and one, Aug 10. Both in good shape, and , believe it or not, everything was more than fit to eat. The maple candy in the one had suffered most. The ones in the coffee can were all melted and run together. Ate 'em with a fork. Sure didn't hurt the taste a bit. The ones you wrapped in paper were dry and and a bit sugary but still taste plenty good. I'm just telling you this 'cause I imagine you want to know. I'm not complaining you can be sure. Far from it. You can do it again anytime. The other box of cookies was swell. Honest, honey, I'm not kidding. They are as fresh and tasty as though made yesterday and not even broken up. They're swell. I'm sure going for them and so are the boys.
You can send more cookies and candy anytime. That's almost an order instead of a request. Gosh, sweetheart. I guess I'll have to stop and hit the hay. It's late. I'll keep 'em coming again now. Night, sweetheart. You're so darn sweet and I love you so much.
Your lover.
Norm.
Sept. 19, 1944
Tuesday, eve
My beautiful and neglected wife;
Hello. Honey. Your wandering man is back again and all in one piece too. Not a bit the worse for wear. The worst part of the whole thing was not hearing from you for so long. I was hurtin in that respect and I don't mean maybe. I was well rewarded though when I got back today. A whole stack of letters waiting for me here. In fact there were seventeen of them from my sweetheart and several others from other people. There were also two packages from my lovely, both with lots of good stuff to eat. Then there was another letter air mail package with a very beautiful ladies' picture in it. Never knew that I believed in love at first sight, but I do now. I just can't help it honey, but I'm so much in love with that girl that I'll never be satisfied until I can be with her and ask her to take over the duties of being my wife. [again]. Will you do it? I'll promise to be good to you and love you all the time. - well, almost all the time anyhow. Gosh, honey, you are a nice looking lady. I love you so much. I gather this picture was one of the surprises you have been teasing me about. I didn't have the fainest idea what it was and didn't expect to get it so soon. It was well worth all the teasing and waiting and curiosity it caused me. Honestly, honey, you look good enough to eat. You'd think I was going to, too if I could have you as close as your picture is. I'm loving the picture as hard as I can and hoping you can get some good from it. Can you? Did you know that you even went up the trail with me? You did. My cigarette case is transparent and I put one of your recent snaps in it so I saw a lot of you every day. Loved you too.
Honey, I suspect you're a devil, of course a very sweet one though. I've been under the impression all along that you weren't wearing your hair up any more and here in this picture it's up again. Did you do it just special for me like you did last summer when you came to Kentucky? Bet you did. You're sweet. I loves you so much. Am I also right in thinking you have your special black dress on too? There isn't quite enough of you showing to be sure but I suspect it. Damn lucky photographer! You look so sweet and happy, just like you were looking at me and, as you say, sending me all your love. Now I'll have to arrange my pictures. This one comes first now. [Even before the bare model girl]. How's that? I do love it, honey. Thanks a million. You can pull that kind of surprise and teasing on me again any time. It's worth it and I'm not kidding.
I realize I was rather dumb not to guess what the surprise was. Laugh, darn you. It was the same procedure, exactly as you pulled last year before you sent the inside pictures of the house and, on top of that, you told me you were going with Marg to have Ronnie's picture taken. Right?
I don't care. I'm glad I didn't guess what it was. I opened the little bag and saw that bill of sale folder from Gibbs and I wondered "what the hell?" Then inside I found the best picture of the best little wife in the world. Grand surprise. I love you, honey. Can't hardly quit looking long enough to write a decent letter. It's so real it seems you must be going to wink at me or say something. Gosh, you look swell sweetheart. I love you.
I hope you haven't been hurtin or worrying too much while you haven't been hearing from me. I know how empty and dull the days without letters are and I'm sorry as hell I saw fit to do you that way. Hope you forgive me. It really was worth a lot to me and I should have hated to miss it very much. I've learned a lot about the island, the natives, the jungle, the "Aussies", and Australia. Other things, too that I won't be able to write about, but can tell you soon, I hope. I will write about all I can as I get around to it. I've so many letters to answer and so much loving to catch up on it may be a few days until I get to it. I still remember that I left my other trip in Los Angeles. Don't worry. I have a fair memory and will someday get around to it when I run out of more important things to talk about.
Honey, you should have seen me when I came in today. You wouldn't have liked me very much I bet. I hadn't seen myself all the time I was gone but I sure felt like I had more hair on my face than on my head. I guess that isn't saying very much, but it sure is true as can be. I almost jumped when I looked in a mirror for the first time. Must be a man 'cause I really had a beard. Could have passed for a Mennonite any day. Those whiskers were at least half an inch long and thick as hell. Not a bit curly though. Straight and bristly. Hell of a job shaving them off. Every half dozen would completely plug the razor. I got playful and left a mustache and goatee and I think I looked pretty good. Different anyhow. You should see me with just a mustache. Gable, himself.
Now don't let it worry you. You can be sure I'll never want to raise any hair on my face. I never was so annoyed with anything in my life. Itches and tickles like a bunch of ants walking over my face all the time. I disposed of them as soon as I got in. First time my face felt really clean in the past two weeks. No sir! No beard for me. You either, if I remember correctly. No matter how much I wanted one, I'd never have it as long as it kept you away from me. I want you close and closer all the time. I love you.
Now, for the boxes. One, July 28 and one, Aug 10. Both in good shape, and , believe it or not, everything was more than fit to eat. The maple candy in the one had suffered most. The ones in the coffee can were all melted and run together. Ate 'em with a fork. Sure didn't hurt the taste a bit. The ones you wrapped in paper were dry and and a bit sugary but still taste plenty good. I'm just telling you this 'cause I imagine you want to know. I'm not complaining you can be sure. Far from it. You can do it again anytime. The other box of cookies was swell. Honest, honey, I'm not kidding. They are as fresh and tasty as though made yesterday and not even broken up. They're swell. I'm sure going for them and so are the boys.
You can send more cookies and candy anytime. That's almost an order instead of a request. Gosh, sweetheart. I guess I'll have to stop and hit the hay. It's late. I'll keep 'em coming again now. Night, sweetheart. You're so darn sweet and I love you so much.
Your lover.
Norm.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Letter # 471 September 3, 1944
New Guinea
Sunday aft.
Sept 3, 1944
My bewitching sweetheart;
I was busy as a beaver all morning getting my equipment ready to take off tomorrow morning. About noon we all got a pleasant surprise. Packages and papers from home. I got the one you sent on July 20. Nice box, honey. Your ideas on things to send are swell. You seem to think of everything. This package was especially opportune. The tea and canned sausage and meat are going up the trail with me. I'll have one over the army's "C" rations. You must have known I was going to need them for such a purpose. A hot cup of tea after an all day struggle through he jungle is going to taste mighty good. The waterproof tobacco pouches are right in the nick of time also. I've got them full of cigarettes and tobacco and etc. All packed for the trip. Two more rolls of film. I'm taking five plain and the colored roll on the trip. If I take all those and get them back undamaged, there should be some mighty good ones. Then the pipe. That was a good choice, honey. Just what I wanted. I was lucky enough to buy another at the PX the other day, and now, with you keeping me supplied with tobacco, I can smoke pipes all I want to. I like to suck on them while I'm writing to you. Some of the tobacco and cigarette papers are also going along. Easier to keep dry than readymades. You see, in the country we'll be in, it rains every day and sometimes more and I'll be sweated wet all the time anyhow.
I'll bet you can't guess what I've been doing since noon. You sent a bunch of funnies. Now can you guess? Caught me up pretty well on them. I found out who "Jungle Jolly" is and lots of things. Earl gets a Sioux City daily and Sunday both so we have been getting some but not all of my favorites.
By the way, Earl is now a T/5. Got it last night. Wren, the boy who said, "Gosh she's a good looking lady." when he saw your picture, is a buck Sarg. Sarg Neice is a pvt. and transferred, from the co. gossip. I thought you'd be interested and I put it in while I thought of it.
I also got four Colliers, a Reader's Digest, and four Gazettes, the latest being Aug 1.
Don't send any more envelopes, honey. They are all glued together when they get here.
The rest of the boys, Mack, "Oil", Baker, and Sam each got two boxes today. I beat them before and now we're even on the packages. Their boxes were mostly candy and tobacco. No one else seems to think of the extras like you do. You're sweet. Did you know it? I love you. You're my B.B.B. girl. Know what it means? Beautiful, beguiling, and bewitching. How's that?
Don't break your neck trying to get film for me. There aren't many cameras over here and lots of the boys are getting film and expecting to use the cameras that are here. I can come in on a cut of all those pictures too. I'll still take what you can get but don't worry if you can't get any.
Here's another little thing you can send me. Pipe cleaners. Earl's folks sent hand made candy and his dad put it in a can and soldered it tight. Came in perfect shape. Baby, if you can manage it sometime, I would like some of yours. Barry & Ritter will do the soldering if you ask them to. I'm a devil ain't I? You told me to ask for anything I wanted so you brought it on yourself. Am I asking for enough? I'd like to ask for lots more but as Gebby's wife said, you can't send it. Well anyhow, you can keep it and someday I'll come and get it. How's that? Is it a deal? If it is you better have plenty. I don't want to travel so far unless it's worth my while. I could always make Australia my new home. They have white girls there and if the couple Aussie girls I've seen are any sample, they would do if my own special girl doesn't want me to come back. I'm teasing you and I even think the little devils came out for a look and danced a bit. They'd sure dance if they could look at you. You're the only music they like to dance to. We all love you so much, honey. Won't ever be the same until you are back with us again.
Now, for a little bit about the pictures Bonnie sent you.
#1 is the Fresno, Calif. station. #2 Some Calif park I don't recall where. #3 Tulane station. #4 & 5 Calif mountains. #6 Lt. Colonel David on left and Capt. Spencer. The band to see us off in the background. Taken as we were leaving Polk. #7 Capt. Spencer signing over the company area as we were leaving Polk. #8 Mrs. John Planktikow on left, Bonnie on right. They were waiting as we marched to the train. The big building in the background is the Field House where the basketball games were held. Barracks on left. I'll never forget how lost and forlorn those girls looked as they saw their husbands leaving for someplace. I was glad you weren't there. I didn't know either of them but I sure had sympathy pains.
#9 Here is the picture I had in mind once before, only Kohan still isn't in it. Left to right, back row. Earl Hanson, Mac, Norman W. Effinger, Baker. Front. left to right. Bowman, Clarius, Brown, and Talkington. #10 Taken from train at Polk. #11 Capt. Spencer giving the highball and farewell to Polk. #12 The band again from the old outfit. #13 Marching to the train. #14 Bakersfield, Calif. station. #15 Phoenix, Ariz. Station. # 16 River in Texas. #17 Arizona country. #18 Bridge in Calif. also #19. #20 El Paso power station. #21 Calif. #22 Burning oil well. The rest are all Calif mountains. There, that may make them mean a bit more.
Now I'm going to wait for mail call and see if I don't get a letter. So long for a little while, honey.
I'm loving you.
Hello, my three B girl: I'm back again. I thought I'd get some letters tonight and I wasn't disappointed. Three of them, Aug 20, and two from Aug 21. Another two letter day. Don't see how you do it but I'm not going to kick a bit. Especially this time. It's the last I'll get for a couple weeks. I'm going to miss them a lot but I can't kick. You'll be missing them too. I'll have a pile all at once when I get back and you won't. Can you take it, honey? Hope you don't blame me too much for getting myself in a spot where I can't write to you. I'm mean. I do think it's a worthwhile and necessary training if we get into things. I'm trying to do all I can to take care of myself. Anyhow, I'll gain a few experiences to earn those sandwiches and drinks from Jean. I'll be loving you all the time, honey. You can be sure of that. Might be some comfort.
I'm going to do a quick job on your letters now. Aug 20. There is so a lot of wonderful things about you. In fact everything about you is wonderful. Don't deny it either. There's too much proof against you to make any denial stick. I could enumerate only I can use only one more sheet and that isn't enough to do the job. Not even one of these big sheets. So there too. You'd have to be wonderful or I wouldn't love you so much.
Some of these days I'll get around to telling you some more about the trip to the coast and the trip over. I can talk about most of it now. If I get it on paper before I forget any of it. I can always have notes to elaborate on later when that day comes.
You don't need to tell me that girls are saying you have nice legs. It could be that men don't say so in so many words but they do in looks. I know it and I'm proud of them. Gosh honey, you're nice all over. Believe it? Never saw me trying to get away or turning my back so I couldn't see you, did you?
I won't promise to really get "pussed". I never did like to go quite that far but I sure will be willing to tip a few and get you "floating". You're cute then.
I surely can't answer the question of when I'll be coming home. My guess is much the same as yours. Next summer or fall but it could be sooner and I'm praying all I can for it to be very soon. A year and a half without even seeing you would be a very bitter pill to take. I loves you.
Sweetheart, I hope you aren't bragging when you say you can not only stand all I can give, but will ask for more. That would be a new and I think very nice state of affairs for me. I'm not going to do much bragging but you know I'll try to make you say, "uncle". Good time shaping up there by the sound of things.
You tell me you made a note of this letter of Aug 21. You always did like puzzles and it seems you are having a good time with this one. It's very simple. I know the answer. Your first guess is closest to correct only a little too far west. As you know now. Steve is very close here and not where you thought at all. He is supposed to go back and forth quite a bit. I've also learned that W.A. ,Harold's brother, is in Finchaven.
You may be a devil but I don't blame you a bit. Instead I love you more than anything in the world.
Well, darling, I guess I've got about all the weight I can put in one letter so I'll have to stop. It's going to be quite a while before I can have these nightly talks with you again. I don't like that part of it at all. I should have a lot to write when I get started again as well as a lot of letters to answer. Night, beautiful. Take good care of yourself and I'll do the same for me. I'll be loving you all the time and seeing your face in the moon and on the trail. You'll keep me going when it gets tough. I love you so much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Sunday aft.
Sept 3, 1944
My bewitching sweetheart;
I was busy as a beaver all morning getting my equipment ready to take off tomorrow morning. About noon we all got a pleasant surprise. Packages and papers from home. I got the one you sent on July 20. Nice box, honey. Your ideas on things to send are swell. You seem to think of everything. This package was especially opportune. The tea and canned sausage and meat are going up the trail with me. I'll have one over the army's "C" rations. You must have known I was going to need them for such a purpose. A hot cup of tea after an all day struggle through he jungle is going to taste mighty good. The waterproof tobacco pouches are right in the nick of time also. I've got them full of cigarettes and tobacco and etc. All packed for the trip. Two more rolls of film. I'm taking five plain and the colored roll on the trip. If I take all those and get them back undamaged, there should be some mighty good ones. Then the pipe. That was a good choice, honey. Just what I wanted. I was lucky enough to buy another at the PX the other day, and now, with you keeping me supplied with tobacco, I can smoke pipes all I want to. I like to suck on them while I'm writing to you. Some of the tobacco and cigarette papers are also going along. Easier to keep dry than readymades. You see, in the country we'll be in, it rains every day and sometimes more and I'll be sweated wet all the time anyhow.
I'll bet you can't guess what I've been doing since noon. You sent a bunch of funnies. Now can you guess? Caught me up pretty well on them. I found out who "Jungle Jolly" is and lots of things. Earl gets a Sioux City daily and Sunday both so we have been getting some but not all of my favorites.
By the way, Earl is now a T/5. Got it last night. Wren, the boy who said, "Gosh she's a good looking lady." when he saw your picture, is a buck Sarg. Sarg Neice is a pvt. and transferred, from the co. gossip. I thought you'd be interested and I put it in while I thought of it.
I also got four Colliers, a Reader's Digest, and four Gazettes, the latest being Aug 1.
Don't send any more envelopes, honey. They are all glued together when they get here.
The rest of the boys, Mack, "Oil", Baker, and Sam each got two boxes today. I beat them before and now we're even on the packages. Their boxes were mostly candy and tobacco. No one else seems to think of the extras like you do. You're sweet. Did you know it? I love you. You're my B.B.B. girl. Know what it means? Beautiful, beguiling, and bewitching. How's that?
Don't break your neck trying to get film for me. There aren't many cameras over here and lots of the boys are getting film and expecting to use the cameras that are here. I can come in on a cut of all those pictures too. I'll still take what you can get but don't worry if you can't get any.
Here's another little thing you can send me. Pipe cleaners. Earl's folks sent hand made candy and his dad put it in a can and soldered it tight. Came in perfect shape. Baby, if you can manage it sometime, I would like some of yours. Barry & Ritter will do the soldering if you ask them to. I'm a devil ain't I? You told me to ask for anything I wanted so you brought it on yourself. Am I asking for enough? I'd like to ask for lots more but as Gebby's wife said, you can't send it. Well anyhow, you can keep it and someday I'll come and get it. How's that? Is it a deal? If it is you better have plenty. I don't want to travel so far unless it's worth my while. I could always make Australia my new home. They have white girls there and if the couple Aussie girls I've seen are any sample, they would do if my own special girl doesn't want me to come back. I'm teasing you and I even think the little devils came out for a look and danced a bit. They'd sure dance if they could look at you. You're the only music they like to dance to. We all love you so much, honey. Won't ever be the same until you are back with us again.
Now, for a little bit about the pictures Bonnie sent you.
#1 is the Fresno, Calif. station. #2 Some Calif park I don't recall where. #3 Tulane station. #4 & 5 Calif mountains. #6 Lt. Colonel David on left and Capt. Spencer. The band to see us off in the background. Taken as we were leaving Polk. #7 Capt. Spencer signing over the company area as we were leaving Polk. #8 Mrs. John Planktikow on left, Bonnie on right. They were waiting as we marched to the train. The big building in the background is the Field House where the basketball games were held. Barracks on left. I'll never forget how lost and forlorn those girls looked as they saw their husbands leaving for someplace. I was glad you weren't there. I didn't know either of them but I sure had sympathy pains.
#9 Here is the picture I had in mind once before, only Kohan still isn't in it. Left to right, back row. Earl Hanson, Mac, Norman W. Effinger, Baker. Front. left to right. Bowman, Clarius, Brown, and Talkington. #10 Taken from train at Polk. #11 Capt. Spencer giving the highball and farewell to Polk. #12 The band again from the old outfit. #13 Marching to the train. #14 Bakersfield, Calif. station. #15 Phoenix, Ariz. Station. # 16 River in Texas. #17 Arizona country. #18 Bridge in Calif. also #19. #20 El Paso power station. #21 Calif. #22 Burning oil well. The rest are all Calif mountains. There, that may make them mean a bit more.
Now I'm going to wait for mail call and see if I don't get a letter. So long for a little while, honey.
I'm loving you.
Hello, my three B girl: I'm back again. I thought I'd get some letters tonight and I wasn't disappointed. Three of them, Aug 20, and two from Aug 21. Another two letter day. Don't see how you do it but I'm not going to kick a bit. Especially this time. It's the last I'll get for a couple weeks. I'm going to miss them a lot but I can't kick. You'll be missing them too. I'll have a pile all at once when I get back and you won't. Can you take it, honey? Hope you don't blame me too much for getting myself in a spot where I can't write to you. I'm mean. I do think it's a worthwhile and necessary training if we get into things. I'm trying to do all I can to take care of myself. Anyhow, I'll gain a few experiences to earn those sandwiches and drinks from Jean. I'll be loving you all the time, honey. You can be sure of that. Might be some comfort.
I'm going to do a quick job on your letters now. Aug 20. There is so a lot of wonderful things about you. In fact everything about you is wonderful. Don't deny it either. There's too much proof against you to make any denial stick. I could enumerate only I can use only one more sheet and that isn't enough to do the job. Not even one of these big sheets. So there too. You'd have to be wonderful or I wouldn't love you so much.
Some of these days I'll get around to telling you some more about the trip to the coast and the trip over. I can talk about most of it now. If I get it on paper before I forget any of it. I can always have notes to elaborate on later when that day comes.
You don't need to tell me that girls are saying you have nice legs. It could be that men don't say so in so many words but they do in looks. I know it and I'm proud of them. Gosh honey, you're nice all over. Believe it? Never saw me trying to get away or turning my back so I couldn't see you, did you?
I won't promise to really get "pussed". I never did like to go quite that far but I sure will be willing to tip a few and get you "floating". You're cute then.
I surely can't answer the question of when I'll be coming home. My guess is much the same as yours. Next summer or fall but it could be sooner and I'm praying all I can for it to be very soon. A year and a half without even seeing you would be a very bitter pill to take. I loves you.
Sweetheart, I hope you aren't bragging when you say you can not only stand all I can give, but will ask for more. That would be a new and I think very nice state of affairs for me. I'm not going to do much bragging but you know I'll try to make you say, "uncle". Good time shaping up there by the sound of things.
You tell me you made a note of this letter of Aug 21. You always did like puzzles and it seems you are having a good time with this one. It's very simple. I know the answer. Your first guess is closest to correct only a little too far west. As you know now. Steve is very close here and not where you thought at all. He is supposed to go back and forth quite a bit. I've also learned that W.A. ,Harold's brother, is in Finchaven.
You may be a devil but I don't blame you a bit. Instead I love you more than anything in the world.
Well, darling, I guess I've got about all the weight I can put in one letter so I'll have to stop. It's going to be quite a while before I can have these nightly talks with you again. I don't like that part of it at all. I should have a lot to write when I get started again as well as a lot of letters to answer. Night, beautiful. Take good care of yourself and I'll do the same for me. I'll be loving you all the time and seeing your face in the moon and on the trail. You'll keep me going when it gets tough. I love you so much.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Letter # 470 September 2, 1944
New Guinea
Sat. eve.
Sept 2, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Well, honey, it's happened. I am going to jungle training school, starting Monday, Sept 4. I guess that is Labor day, isn't it? I'm tickled about it. Think it's going to be very interesting and at the same time instructive. I'll have a chance to learn a little from fellows who know the jungles and how to live in them. That might some day be a bit of learning I'll need very badly. The instructors are natives and Australians.
They let me trade with Baker after all. We go by truck to a mission in the foothills and from there it's all on foot. About a hundred miles round trip. Think I can walk that far with a pack on my back? I don't know but I will soon. I've been put in as squad leader so I almost have to keep going.
I see Dick Elder is to go along as one of the medics. I wonder how he'll make it?
Here are the boys that are going from our company. You can pick them out in the picture.
Capt. Spencer, 2nd Lt. Williams, [he's a recent addition so you won't find him]. T/4 Effinger [I think you should be able to locate him], T/4 Pendelton, T/4 Plantikoa, Cpl. Almasy, Cpl. Deltaven, Cpl. Dyke,
Cpl. Elslager, Cpl. Fabiny, Cpl. Matthews, Cpl. Mucci, Cpl. Scaffider, Cpl. Schifsky, T/5 Westerman,
Pfc. Caswell, Pfc. McCarty,
I just thought you might like to see who was going on this trip. As I said last night, the only thing I don't like about it is I won't be able to write to you for a couple weeks. No place to mail a letter, where I am going. I hate that a lot, honey, but I'll make up for it when I get back. Should have a lot to tell you. The camera goes along too, so I should have some good pictures.
No other news to tell you and no new letters so I'm going to try to completely answer what I still have here.
It doesn't make me a bit mad to have you keep teasing me about what you're sending and etc. I'll just tease back whenever I get a chance. Honey, that kind of teasing doesn't worry me a bit, but there is a kind of teasing that would make me slightly mad if you did too much teasing and nothing else. Get what I mean? I like that kind of teasing too, only not too much of it. Just so you know.
Stephen is a good name all right. Lends itself readily for shortening up for every day. I really haven't gotten as far as the names yet. I'm inclined to wait and see if and what it is. May have to call it moron or something like that. It is rather funny that we all of a sudden take to this idea and at a time when we can't do anything about it. I've always heard it takes a war to increase the birthrate. Maybe it's a disease of some kind and we've caught it. I really think it's because you are about the only wife in our set that isn't a mother and we don't want to be left too far behind. We had always said, sometime, and thought very little more about it.
I guess I could stand another stretch of buck pasture if you don't do like Marg did this time. That soon and that long a barren stretch would not be very agreeable. If you act as you're supposed to and say you will, I'll probably be ready for a rest. Not as young as I once was any more. Who said that? I've still got young ideas you can bet. I'd prove it if you were anywhere within reach. Gosh, honey, I'm loving and missing you a hell of a lot. I could use a lot of your best brand of loving anytime. I loves my passionate parcel.
Why shouldn't I call you "legs"? I call you "Bubbles" and other things that are descriptive of one of your various good points. That picture showed more leg than anything else. Damn good looking legs too. I'd let them in my bed anytime.
I don't think the question of whether I vote or not is as important as you seem to think. You were sweet enough to get it sent to me so I won't fail you. You send me a little of the dope and I'll scratch my x's on it and send it in.
Here you're hoping I'll always be able to keep writing to you nearly every day and I've just fixed things so you won't get any for a couple weeks. I'm sorry, honey. I'm a meanie. I know how you feel about the letters while I'm gone but, boy, will I have a pile when I come back. Mummy won't have though. Poor Mummy always seems to get the short end of things. Anyhow you can be sure I'll be loving and thinking of you all the way over the trail. I love you so much, honey.
Just happened to think. I'll spend my part of our anniversary on a mountain trail again, only you won't be along this time, damn it. We did have such a nice week didn't we, honey? The beginning of the best life I ever knew.
You devil, telling me now of some special two or three little items you're sending me for Christmas. You're a tease. Don't you know presents are supposed to be a surprise? I don't care, go ahead and tease. I'll love you anyhow, but I'll get even some day. I'll walk away and leave you when you want to love or something like that. What do you think of that? Does it sound like me? I'm afraid that would be too tough a threat to carry out just to get even.
Johnny tells me his wife has sent out all the pictures and that you should have them by now. I guess she had some job. There were 6 hundred and some of them all told. Think of all the sets like the one you got, all going different places, she had to send. She also numbered the backs of each picture and Johnny has the originals all numbered the same way, so I'll tell you tomorrow what they all are. I never expected her to go to all that trouble. I paid John for the pictures.
I'm going to send the pictures John Deelaney sent me. I also found another of the pictures I bought from the Aussie. It had gotten lost in my junk. It's only a picture of native headdresses made mostly of
bird-of- paradise feathers.
I've got one roll of film ready to send in and I'll soon have more. If you wait patiently a while longer there may be pictures coming your way soon. I think this trip should be a good place to use the roll of color film. Oh, yes, I'm still remembering you want a couple of me on that one. I certainly hope it will do a good job on the color. There are some beautiful spots here on the island.
Well, honey, I'm going to quit until tomorrow. I'll see if I can make that a good one, 'cause it'll be the last for a while. Poor Mummy. Empty mailbox again. I do love you ever and ever so much, darling, even if I can't tell or show you. The day is coming when I will be able to do both.
Your hubby.
Norm.
Sat. eve.
Sept 2, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Well, honey, it's happened. I am going to jungle training school, starting Monday, Sept 4. I guess that is Labor day, isn't it? I'm tickled about it. Think it's going to be very interesting and at the same time instructive. I'll have a chance to learn a little from fellows who know the jungles and how to live in them. That might some day be a bit of learning I'll need very badly. The instructors are natives and Australians.
They let me trade with Baker after all. We go by truck to a mission in the foothills and from there it's all on foot. About a hundred miles round trip. Think I can walk that far with a pack on my back? I don't know but I will soon. I've been put in as squad leader so I almost have to keep going.
I see Dick Elder is to go along as one of the medics. I wonder how he'll make it?
Here are the boys that are going from our company. You can pick them out in the picture.
Capt. Spencer, 2nd Lt. Williams, [he's a recent addition so you won't find him]. T/4 Effinger [I think you should be able to locate him], T/4 Pendelton, T/4 Plantikoa, Cpl. Almasy, Cpl. Deltaven, Cpl. Dyke,
Cpl. Elslager, Cpl. Fabiny, Cpl. Matthews, Cpl. Mucci, Cpl. Scaffider, Cpl. Schifsky, T/5 Westerman,
Pfc. Caswell, Pfc. McCarty,
I just thought you might like to see who was going on this trip. As I said last night, the only thing I don't like about it is I won't be able to write to you for a couple weeks. No place to mail a letter, where I am going. I hate that a lot, honey, but I'll make up for it when I get back. Should have a lot to tell you. The camera goes along too, so I should have some good pictures.
No other news to tell you and no new letters so I'm going to try to completely answer what I still have here.
It doesn't make me a bit mad to have you keep teasing me about what you're sending and etc. I'll just tease back whenever I get a chance. Honey, that kind of teasing doesn't worry me a bit, but there is a kind of teasing that would make me slightly mad if you did too much teasing and nothing else. Get what I mean? I like that kind of teasing too, only not too much of it. Just so you know.
Stephen is a good name all right. Lends itself readily for shortening up for every day. I really haven't gotten as far as the names yet. I'm inclined to wait and see if and what it is. May have to call it moron or something like that. It is rather funny that we all of a sudden take to this idea and at a time when we can't do anything about it. I've always heard it takes a war to increase the birthrate. Maybe it's a disease of some kind and we've caught it. I really think it's because you are about the only wife in our set that isn't a mother and we don't want to be left too far behind. We had always said, sometime, and thought very little more about it.
I guess I could stand another stretch of buck pasture if you don't do like Marg did this time. That soon and that long a barren stretch would not be very agreeable. If you act as you're supposed to and say you will, I'll probably be ready for a rest. Not as young as I once was any more. Who said that? I've still got young ideas you can bet. I'd prove it if you were anywhere within reach. Gosh, honey, I'm loving and missing you a hell of a lot. I could use a lot of your best brand of loving anytime. I loves my passionate parcel.
Why shouldn't I call you "legs"? I call you "Bubbles" and other things that are descriptive of one of your various good points. That picture showed more leg than anything else. Damn good looking legs too. I'd let them in my bed anytime.
I don't think the question of whether I vote or not is as important as you seem to think. You were sweet enough to get it sent to me so I won't fail you. You send me a little of the dope and I'll scratch my x's on it and send it in.
Here you're hoping I'll always be able to keep writing to you nearly every day and I've just fixed things so you won't get any for a couple weeks. I'm sorry, honey. I'm a meanie. I know how you feel about the letters while I'm gone but, boy, will I have a pile when I come back. Mummy won't have though. Poor Mummy always seems to get the short end of things. Anyhow you can be sure I'll be loving and thinking of you all the way over the trail. I love you so much, honey.
Just happened to think. I'll spend my part of our anniversary on a mountain trail again, only you won't be along this time, damn it. We did have such a nice week didn't we, honey? The beginning of the best life I ever knew.
You devil, telling me now of some special two or three little items you're sending me for Christmas. You're a tease. Don't you know presents are supposed to be a surprise? I don't care, go ahead and tease. I'll love you anyhow, but I'll get even some day. I'll walk away and leave you when you want to love or something like that. What do you think of that? Does it sound like me? I'm afraid that would be too tough a threat to carry out just to get even.
Johnny tells me his wife has sent out all the pictures and that you should have them by now. I guess she had some job. There were 6 hundred and some of them all told. Think of all the sets like the one you got, all going different places, she had to send. She also numbered the backs of each picture and Johnny has the originals all numbered the same way, so I'll tell you tomorrow what they all are. I never expected her to go to all that trouble. I paid John for the pictures.
I'm going to send the pictures John Deelaney sent me. I also found another of the pictures I bought from the Aussie. It had gotten lost in my junk. It's only a picture of native headdresses made mostly of
bird-of- paradise feathers.
I've got one roll of film ready to send in and I'll soon have more. If you wait patiently a while longer there may be pictures coming your way soon. I think this trip should be a good place to use the roll of color film. Oh, yes, I'm still remembering you want a couple of me on that one. I certainly hope it will do a good job on the color. There are some beautiful spots here on the island.
Well, honey, I'm going to quit until tomorrow. I'll see if I can make that a good one, 'cause it'll be the last for a while. Poor Mummy. Empty mailbox again. I do love you ever and ever so much, darling, even if I can't tell or show you. The day is coming when I will be able to do both.
Your hubby.
Norm.
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