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WORLD WAR II LETTERS
Written by
DONALD AND MARGARET LEAR TERRELL
EACH OTHER
25 Aug 1944 through 02 Aug 1946
Compiled by
DONALD AND MARGARET LEAR TERRELL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
i-ii
Pictures of Donald and Margaret Lear Terrell
iii-iv
List of Libraries and Historical Societies where this
Book of World War II Letters, written by
Donald and Margaret Lear Terrell to each other,
25 Aug 1944 through 02 Aug 1946, may be found.
v-x
Chapter I
Don at U. S. Marine Corps Boot Camp
Parris Island, South Carolina
Maggie at Virgil, New York
1-...
Chapter II Don at U. S. Marine Corps Combat Training
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
(after 10 day furlough home with Maggie)
...-...
Chapter III Don aboard ship and at U. S. Marine Corps
Transient Center, Pearl Harbor, Oahu
...-...
Chapter IV Don with U. S. Marine Corps Combat
Military Police on Maui Island
...-...
Chapter V Don at U. S. Naval Hospital, Pearl Harbor
and at U. S. Marine Corps Transient Center,
Pearl Harbor, Oahu
Maggie at Ithaca, New York
...-...
Chapter VI Don at U. S. Marine Corps Headquarters
Special Services Office, Pearl Harbor, Oahu
(first four months at the Headquarters)
...-...
Chapter VII Don at U. S. Marine Corps Headquarters
(second four months at the Headquarters)
...-...
Chapter VIII Don at U. S. Marine Corps Headquarters
(third four months at the Headquarters)
...-...
Chapter IX Don on way home to Maggie
...-...
Chapter X Other letters received from and
sent to family members
while Don was in the U. S. Marine Corps ...-...
FOREWORD
Margaret Ellen Lear was born, 22 Jul 1925, in Cortland, NY. The first of
four children, she lived with her parents in Virgil, NY. They lived in a
small house in the village for the first 12 years of Margaret's young life and
she attended the Virgil School, later to be the Virgil Central School.
Several of her aunts and uncles also lived in Virgil. Her grandparents, Frank
and Florence Faure Ward, lived on a small farm just outside the village.
When Margaret was about 12 years old her grandparents traded their little
farm in the country to her parents for her parents little house in the
village. Margaret lived with her parents on the little farm and continued to
attend the Virgil Central School.
Donald Leon Terrell was born 11 Jun 1925, in Cortland, NY. The second of
five children, he lived with his parents in Cortland, NY. They lived in a
small house in the city for the first 5 or 6 years. After his grandfather,
Fred Terrell, died they moved to Homer, NY to live with his grandmother, Grace
Keeling Terrell, in his grandmother's house in the village. Donald attended
the Homer Central School during this time.
When Donald was about 12 years old his grandmother died and his parents
sold his grandmother's house in the village of Homer, NY and bought a small
farm just outside the village of Virgil, NY. Donald lived with his parents on
the little farm and attended Virgil Central School.
This is when Donald and Margaret first met each other. Donald lived
about 1 mile from Margaret on different country farm roads. Donald's family
raised goats and Margaret's family also raised goats. Donald's family did not
have a billy goat but Margaret's family did. When Donald's father took their
nanny goats up to Margaret's father's billy goat for breeding, Donald would go
along and sometimes Margaret and Donald would see each other.
Margaret had been seeing other boyfriends before she met Donald and
continued to meet other boyfriends for a few years. Donald had been seeing
other girlfriends before he met Margaret and continued to meet other
girlfriends for a few years.
Margaret played the violin and Donald played the cornet in the Virgil
Central School orchestra. Margaret also played the piano and accompanied
Donald when he played cornet solos at the Virgil Central School assembly.
Margaret and Donald would practice together at a piano in the village Grange
Hall. This was about the time that Donald probably began to like Margaret
more and more. Margaret says that she liked him long before he paid any
attention to her.
Margaret and some other girls signed up for a typing class at school.
Donald and some other boys signed up for the same typing class. Margaret says
that they only signed up so as to be with the "girls". Donald will not deny
this because he always wanted to be a farmer and had no intentions of becoming
a "typist" in later life. Donald had no idea that later on in his life the
U. S. Marine Corps would try to pull him out of going into active combat with
the Japanese and instead keep him stateside at Camp Lejeune, NC as a typist.
And then a year later actually pull him away from active combat and put him
behind a desk for the next year as a "typist". Donald now admits that signing
up to a typing class with the "girls" probably would have kept him out of
combat if he had not turned down the offer at Camp Lejeune, NC and very likely
saved his life when actually ordered away from active combat and into the
U. S. Marine Corps Headquarters' Special Services Office in Pearl Harbor,
Oahu.
Donald and Margaret started going out with each other during the last
couple years of high school. Margaret started first grade 1 year earlier than
Foreword (cont'd)
Donald who went to kindergarten and, being one year ahead of him, graduated
from high school in 1942. While she was waiting for her "boyfriend" to
graduate she attended a Business School in Cortland, NY where she learned
business math, secretarial and shorthand skills. On 15 Apr 1943 Donald and
Margaret became engaged to be married. Maggie had a
been called Margaret
by her parents, relatives and friends until Don came along and lovingly gave
her the name of "Maggie". Her parents and relatives continue(d) to call her
Margaret for the rest of their lives. Don continues to say, "I love you,
Maggie!".
Because World War II was already in full swing and farmers were needed to
keep the home front productive, Don and some other farm boys were given a
spring break from high school to work on the farms. They were still allowed
to graduate provided that they passed all of their regents exams. Don took a
job on a very large dairy farm in East Homer, NY that his grandfather managed.
Don lived with his grandparents, Clayton and Grace Pratt LeRoy, during the
next few months while working as one of three hired men on this dairy farm.
On 26 Jun 1943 Don and Maggie were married and moved into one of the
little tenant houses beside the main farm house. Don, and Maggie at times
also, worked for Don's grandfather for the rest of the summer and into winter.
That winter Don and Maggie rented a smaller dairy farm in Virgil, NY. Maggie
drove every day to Cortland, NY where she worked for Cortland Line Company
making tennis rackets. Don struggled to keep the diary farm productive but
soon lost out to mastitis in the dairy herd. The milk was continually
rejected by the Creamery and the milk checks quickly shrank until the owner
finally sold the farm, cows and equipment a few months later.
During this time Don's parents' farm house caught fire and was badly
damaged. Don and Maggie later moved into the burned out farm house with Don's
parents and family. During this time Don took a truck driving job with a
local trucker in Virgil, NY who picked up milk from the farmers and delivered
it to the Creamery in Homer, NY. During the rest of the day they picked up
and delivered lime, fertilizer, baled hay and roofing material to the local
farmers and contractors.
Maggie continued to work in Cortland, NY and Don helped his Dad and
family run their little farm when he was done trucking for the day. While
Don's parents were having their house rebuilt from the fire they decided to
have a small 2 car garage built in the pasture beside their farm house. They
decided to temporarily convert it to a small apartment for Don and Maggie to
live in. This is the little house that Don and Maggie were living in when Don
was drafted into the U. S. Marine Corps on 25 Aug 1944. Maggie stayed in the
little house waiting for her husband to come home from the service. During
this time she took a job as a secretary to the principal of the Virgil Central
School.
This is the point in time when we continue the story of Don and Maggie's
lives in the following World War II letters written by Donald and Margaret
Lear Terrell to each other, 25 Aug 1944 through 02 Aug 1946.
Note: The square brackets, [ ], were used by Don, 50 years later,
when he entered their letters into the computer, to clarify names, places,
subjects and also for comments to Maggie, their children and grandchildren.
Grandchildren: We hope that these letters will give you a little better
idea of how grandpa and grandma lived during the first few years of our
married life even though many, many miles apart from each other. We love you
all very much.
Donald and Margaret Lear Terrell, 505 Hector St., Ithaca, NY 14850
List of Libraries and Historical Societies
where all four volumes of the
TERRELL LEROY LEAR WARD
and Related Families Genealogy
Ancestors and Relatives of
The Children and Grandchildren of
Donald Leon Terrell and Margaret Ellen Lear Terrell
World War II Letters
Written by
Donald and Margaret Lear Terrell
Each Other
25 Aug 1944 through 02 Aug 1946
may be found
[Note: Margaret Ellen Lear Terrell and Donald Leon Terrell compiled and
printed the four volumes of the TERRELL LEROY LEAR WARD and Related
Families Genealogy in 1993-95 (plus Ancestors and Relatives of ... plus World
War II Letters ...) for the private use of their children, grandchildren and
relatives. However, Margaret and Donald Terrell realize the possible
historical and genealogical value of these four volumes (plus Ancestors and
Relatives of ... plus World War II Letters ...) to historians and genealogical
researchers around the country. Therefore, Margaret and Donald Terrell have
sent, or will send, all four volumes (plus Ancestors and Relatives of ... plus
World War II Letters ...) to the below list of libraries and historical
societies for use in their historical and genealogical reading areas.]
[Note to our relatives: Margaret and Donald Terrell have compiled and printed
these four volumes (plus Ancestors and Relatives of ... plus World War II
Letters ...) primarily for private use by our children, grandchildren and
relatives, therefore they are not for sale and will not be for sale. We are
sending the volume or volumes that pertain to you and your family to you, from
us, with love. Because we cannot afford to send all of our relatives all four
volumes, we have duplicated some of the letters, pictures, poems etc. (no
letters, pictures, poems etc. in Relatives and Ancestors of ... ) so that this
additional information may be shared by as many of our relatives as possible
with little additional printing expense. For those of our relatives that did
not receive a volume, or would like to read one of the other volumes, we
suggest you review the following list to find a library or historical society
near you where these volumes may be seen at little or no expense to you. We
hope that you will enjoy reading about your ancestors as we have.]
[Note to our grandchildren: Grandpa and Grandma have chosen the libraries and
historical societies listed below to send all four volumes (plus Ancestors and
Relatives of ... plus World War II Letters ...) to because these are the
primary areas where your great- (and many more great)-grandparents lived for a
few years while raising their families (your ancestral uncles, aunts and
grandparents). As each of you grow into adulthood and possibly get married
and have children of your own, we hope that you will be able to take your
children and possibly your o
to visit some of these libraries
and let them read about their ancestors and how they lived. You may choose
also, by going through old court house records of deeds and abstracts, to then
go out into the country and see some of the actual places that they lived.
i
You may even be fortunate enough to locate the house, farm building, school or
church they used!! For those of you who may choose, you may even be able to
locate the cemeteries, with or without their headstones, where they are
buried. Cemetery plot locations for most of these cemeteries are available at
the cemetery offices or at local libraries or historical places.]
Listings by States and Countries
ARIZONA
Arizona State Genealogical Society
Box 6027
Tucson, AZ 85733
Arizona State Library
State Capitol, 3rd Floor
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Family History Center
LDS Library State
500 S. Langley Ave. (For location purposes only.)
Tucson, AZ 85701 (No mail delivery to this address.)
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut State Library
Genealogical Department
231 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT 06106
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Library of Congress
History and Genealogy Reading room
General Reading Rooms Division
10 First St. SE
Washington, DC 20540
ILLINOIS
Brown County Historical Society
Mt. Sterling, IL 62353
(For location purposes only.)
(No mail delivery to this address.)
Illiana Genealogical Historical Society
P.O. Box 207
Danville, IL 61834
ILLINOIS (cont'd)
Illinois State Historical Library
Old State Capitol
Springfield, IL 62706
Nancy Tyrrel Theodore
DOR Corresponding Society [Descendants of Roger (Terrell)]
P.O. Box 589
Hudson, IL 61748-0589
Schuyler-Brown Historical
and Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 96
Rushville, IL 62681
Versailles Area Genealogical
and Historical Society
P.O. Box 92
Versailles, IL 62378-0092
INDIANA
Allen County Indiana Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 7003
Fort Wayne, IN 46807
Covington Public Library
622 5th Street
Covington, IN 47932
Indiana State Library
Genealogy Section
140 N. Senate Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts State Library
Beacon Hill
Boston, MA 02155
New England Historic
Genealogical Society
101 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116-3087
MISSOURI
Missouri State Library
308 East High Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
NEW YORK
Cornell University Library
Rare and Manuscript Collections
Carl A. Kroch Library
Ithaca, NY 14853-5302
Cortland Free Library
32 Church Street
Cortland, NY 13045
Cortland County Historical Society
25 Homer Avenue
Cortland, NY 13045
DeWitt Historical Society
of Tompkins County, Inc.
401 E. State Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
L.D.S. Family History Center
114 Burleigh Drive
Ithaca, NY 14850 (For location purposes only.)
(No mail delivery to this address.)
New York Genealogical and
Biographical Society
122-126 E. 58th St.
New York, NY 10022
New York State Historical Association
Lake Road, P.O. Box 800
Cooperstown, NY 13326
New York State Library
Cultural Education Center
Local History and Genealogy Area
Albany, NY 12230
Onondaga County Public Library
The Galleries of Syracuse
447 South Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13202-2494
Attention: Local History Level 5
Onondaga Historical Association
311 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phillips Library
31 South Main Street
Homer, NY 13077
NEW YORK (cont'd)
Seymour Library
Local History and Genealogy Area
176 Genesee Street
Auburn, NY 13021
Steele Memorial Library
One Library Plaza
Elmira, NY 14901-2799
Attention: Genealogy Second floor
Tompkins County Public Library
312 N. Cayuga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Virgil Historical Society
East State Rd (Rt 392 Virgil)(For location purposes only.)
Cortland, NY 13045 (No mail delivery to this address.)
PENNSYLVANIA
Pioneer Historical Library
242 East John Street
Bedford, PA 15522
Genealogical and Historical
Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Pennsylvania State Library
Walnut and Commonwealth
Education Bldg.
Harrisburg, PA 17126
Genealogical Society of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 East North Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
WISCONSIN
State Historical Society of Wisconsin
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706-1482
CANADA
Ontario Genealogical Society
40 Orchard View Blvd. Suite 251
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M 4 R 1 B 9
CANADA (cont'd)
London Public Library
305 Queen's Avenue
London, Ontario, Canada N 6 B 3 L 7
Attention: Genealogical & Historical Department
ENGLAND
The Society of Genealogists
14 Charter House Buildings
Goswell Road
London, England E C 1 M 7 B A
Guildhall Library
Genealogical & Historical Department
Aldermanbury
London, England E C 2 P 2 E J
In Memory of
our parents
LEON KEELING TERRELL
13 Jun 1900 - 18 Apr 1981
CLARA GENEVIEVE LEROY TERRELL
14 May 1900 - 27 Dec 1974
GEORGE ANDREW LEAR
24 Jun 1902 - 16 May 1974
DAISY MAY WARD LEAR
06 Sep 1897 - 07 Apr 1972
our sons
BRUCE ALAN TERRELL
11 Mar 1952 - 06 Oct 1987
DANA LEE TERRELL
05 Oct 1957 - 26 Jun 1986
CHAPTER I
Don at U. S. Marine Corps Boot Camp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
25 Aug 1944
I just got home and changed my clothes. I guess I'll go up home and sew
on my blouse. Dad's leaving tonite [to visit his folks in Illinois] so maybe
I can help Mom do something. Leon saw Mr. McGuire up at the County Garage on
the way home. George Muncey was in McGraw so McGuire was the only man left to
ask about the cesspool. McGuire is the "Big" Boss anyhow, even over Muncey.
He said to tell Dellos, that little man that runs the steam shovel [Clam], to
go ahead and dig it. I don't know about the ditch across the road, but I
imagine he will dig it too. Leon was kind of tickled. He said it would save
a lot of hard back-breaking work.
Doug [Terrell] and Dick [Terrell] came back with me, but your Mother and
Jean [Terrell] and Elsie [Riehlman] went up to Grandma LeRoy's for the day.
Doug [Terrell] and Dick Matson are in here now, playing with the typewriter.
Don [Riehlman], Uncle Brayton, Aunt Mildred [LeRoy] and kids, Grandma and
Grandpa LeRoy and my Dad and Wayne [Lear] all went to the Cortland Bus Station
this morning to see you off. They waited and waited but we didn't come and
they thought Leon [Terrell] had taken you direct to Binghamton. They called
out here and Cork [Dad and Mother's carpenter that was remodeling their house
after the fire] told them we ought to be there because we had to have you in
Cortland at 8:00 A.M. So they all felt kind of bad because they missed seeing
you. They thought that since Bob [Terrell] left from Cortland the last time
he went after induction -- you know, after his two weeks home -- you would
too. They didn't realize Bob had come back after he went the second time
instead of going on to camp.
Honey, it was just like I told you it would be. I felt O.K. until I had
to start home without you and then I started thinking, and that's bad. I
walked in the door and it seemed O.K. until I came to that you wouldn't be
with me until you got a furlough and that will probably seem like a million
years.
Well, I'm going to take Snoopy [our dog] up home so the kids [Lear] can
play with him and see if I don't feel better with somebody around. Bye for
now.
I was getting ready to leave and Warren [Givens] came and asked about the
wires across the road into our house. He said they would have to be taken
down if the Clam dug across the road. So Dick [Terrell] took them down.
Warren said they were nearly through with the bridge so I went out and
transplanted my posies and tree. I've got dirt an inch thick under my
fingernails but I thought I'd come right in and tell you because the Clam is
digging our ditch across the road r
! Too bad the 25th couldn't have
been tomorrow, then you could have watched them and saw how it would be done.
---------- Just went out and watched them dig. They're dumping the dirt just
about in our path to our front door but they're just going to stick 2 pipes in
it (the hole) and then cover it right back up. The hole for the bridge is in
back of the Clam and the hole for our pipes are in front so he'll have to move
it before he leaves to dig the cesspool. He's really digging down for our
pipe. Of course the trench looks bigger because the Clam makes it wide. Bye.
It's 7:30 P.M. Friday, honey. I'm going to stay with Mom tonite, at
least. She says she thinks she'll feel funny alone and I think I'll sew
tomorrow. Say, hon, our cesspool is about 7' deep and 10' or 12' wide. They
dumped all the dirt smack on my left handed posie bed under the big elm tree.
The pipe is all put in across the road -- 2 pipes. One for water and the
other to slip the gas pipe through. Dad got a new suit, a size 46 this time,
his last suit was only 42. He's trying it on and seeing if it suits him
before the last minute. Just a minute ago he said to Mom "I guess I'll wait
until tomorrow night to go. I'm tired and not packed or anything." -- and
Mom looked at me and grinned sort of sheepish and said low so Dad wouldn't
hear her "He's backing out", and I figured that that was the way you would
have acted if you had been going on your own and not according to orders.
I'd like to know what you're doing tonight. Then maybe I could imagine a
little what it's like. Did that Earl Stannard get the Marines and did Tic
[Kenneth Ticknor] get into the Navy and then the big question. Did my honey
get where he wanted to be? I'm hoping you did, honey, because then you'll be
satisfied. I wonder if the Marines can do as good at that as I did.
Dad said tonight that he saw you and Tic [Kenneth Ticknor]. I'm glad but
I wish Brayt [Uncle Brayton LeRoy] and Gramp [Grandpa LeRoy] and all of them
could have seen you too. Well, it's 7:45 now and I guess I'll quit for today.
Bye, honey. Good night, too.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
25 Aug 1944
I finally made the Marines. At first they weren't going to give it to
me, but I begged them until they did. Write later.
25 Aug 1944
Here I am in Albany and wishing you were here with me. We are assigned
one room to every two or three persons according to the number of beds in the
room. My buddy and I just got through playing an hour of pool for 45 cents
and it wasn't bad at all. Then I got to thinking about my honey and decided I
had better write her.
When we got to Binghamton there was three of us who had to take our exam
over because we had our other one more than 90 days ago. I passed all right
until it came to the question of what branch of the service I was to go in,
then I had a tough time. They said that the Navy and Marine quota was all
filled up so my only choice was the Army. But being "bull headed" as you call
me I argued with them until they finally let me have it.[Marines]
We rode in a Navy station wagon over to the Marine recruiting station,
got our orders and went on a train to Albany. I was given charge over our
group of two who are to report to the Marine Recruiting Station here in Albany
at 8:30 tomorrow morning.
The fellow with me is James Dopp also from the Homer Draft Board and is a
graduate from Cornell. We played cards and cracked jokes all the way up and
the time flew very fast. Jim had a time schedule so we could keep track of
all our stops.
On the way up we met an Army troop transport that was taking troops
somewhere. We happened to stop right along side of them for about 5 minutes
and we made the most of it. We bought ice cream and cookies from them at a
very low price and had a lot of fun joking with them. Just as the troop train
started to pull out one of the fellows handed one of the Army guys a dollar
for some ice cream but could not return the change before the train was on its
way. Later we passed the same train a few miles on. We made a lot of stops
and finally arrived in Albany.
After being sworn in at the Marine Recruiting office here, we will leave
for Parris Island [S.C.] for our basic training tomorrow night.
I'll write when I get at Parris Island.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
26 Aug 1944
Well, Dad's gone [to Illinois on the train] and Leon [Terrell] called and
read your post card to me over the phone and was I tickled! I'm so glad you
got in the Marines but now I'm scared for fear they will send you clear out to
California. If they do I'm going to make Wayne [Maggies's brother] hitch-hike
out and back with me.
Mrs. LeRoy [Uncle Charley LeRoy's wife, Helen] called this A.M. and asked
Mom and I to come up for a while this P.M. Minnie [their daughter] is home
with her baby, Eva [their daughter] is home too, so I guess we're going up for
a while.
Say, you, I better get a post card, too, this morning or I'll leave off a
whole page of this letter.
[later that evening]
Don, I got your card this A.M. I was up home so your Mom called and I
asked her to read it to me. You don't know how good it made me feel to get a
post card from you. Right now I'm writing on my knee. Raymond [Ward] got
awful cramps in his belly so we brought him to the Dr. Ryans here in Dryden.
We don't know but what he's got appendicitis. I've felt punk all day. I've
got pains in my stomach. Not all the time but every once in a while. That
tomato soup I ate yesterday A.M. for breakfast really made me sick. I'll be
all right, though. Mom says she thinks maybe it's mostly nerves. I think
I'll stay at our house tonight. I thought maybe you would call tonight if you
had a chance. Say, hon, if you can't read this it's about 8:00 and I've got
the dome light on in our car and I'm holding my pad half on my knee and half
on the steering wheel.
Say, Donnie, both Carl and Rita [Oaks] and Betty and Bob [Brown] named
their off-spring Barbara Jean. Isn't that funny -- or peculiar -- rather?
Lynn Ellen's [our planned for future child] a lot cuter and it goes much
better with Terrell, don't you think?? Well, here comes Raymond [Ward] so
I'll sign off.
We're back home now. Raymond didn't have appendicitis, at least the Dr.
didn't think so. Raymond still has awful pains across his tummy. I hope you
feel all right tonight. Those pains of mine are going away now, I guess.
They haven't hurt me in 10 or 20 minutes. 'Night, honey, and sleep tight. I
love you.
27 Aug 1944
We've just got back from Grandma Ward's and a swell chicken dinner. I
took the "Pooch" [our dog] and we played with him out on the lawn almost all
the time. Prof [Hagadorn] was at the store this A.M. and he asked me how I'd
like to work this next Sunday. I said O.K. What else did he think I'd do on
a Sunday?
Clara told me this A.M. that we -- you and I and the rest of your family
-- maybe only Clara and Leon [Terrell] -- I don't know, were invited up to
Olney Fields tonight. They didn't know you were gone. I went down to our
house this morning and Leon and Dick [Terrell] were digging down a little
further on the ditch you guys already started with the scoop-shovel. They may
have it finished by now, I don't know.
I'm not going up to Fields tonight. It wouldn't be any fun without you.
Your Mom wasn't feeling well this morning. She had the "back-house
trots". I wonder what is making everybody feel so punk. Aunt Elsie
[Riehlman], Clara [Terrell] and all the rest.
Didn't go up to see Minnie's [LeRoy] baby. I felt bad yesterday
afternoon and so did Mom so we slept practically all afternoon after we
finished morning's wash. It's the first time I've ever seen Mom sleep from 2
till 5 in the P.M. But we must have been tired 'cause we went to sleep as
soon as we hit the bed. In fact I went to sleep before Mom got in bed.
Grandma Ward gave me some Coronet and Readers Digest magazines and I'm
going to read 'til the cows come home.
The Pooch [our dog] had been going out to feed and milk[cows] with Wayne
[Lear] every time he went and they both enjoy it. Maybe it will make a
"farming" dog out of him, so that when we get a farm he'll know what the
jiggers are for and how to treat them.
I'm hoping to have a postcard from you tomorrow. It's funny, you know as
long as I'm writing to you it seems like you're here and then when I quit
writing and it starts to get dark and I get lonesome.
You had better start "begging" again and get the head ga-zinks to send
you to Parris Island instead of California. Dad should be at our Aunt Faye's
[McAllister] tonight. Grandma [Lear] and Ford [Lear] who won't leave from
Flint [Michigan] until today so they won't get there until about Monday night
or Tuesday A.M.
Gee, honey, you won't feel disappointed about the length of this letter.
It will probably take you two days to read all of it 'cause you never could
read my scribbling. I can just hear you saying "Why, the god-darn fool, she
didn't need to send me a book!" But I'm doing this just as much to make me
feel better as you, so I guess you'll just have to stand it. Two kisses and a
dozen squeezes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
27 Aug 1944
Just arrived here at Washington, a little tired but all in one piece. We
have to wait here at the U.S.O. lounge until 2:40 before taking our next
train.
Saturday morning at 8:30 we reported at the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting
station and after answering lots of questions and having our finger prints
taken for filing, we were finally sworn into the U.S.M.C.[R.] at about 12:10
p.m. by a very nice Captain. We met two women Marines who were Sergeants,
working in the office as secretaries. They were very nice to us and I asked
them about the qualifications for enlistment and they said they were taking no
more [women] for a while and the age required is 20 -- although they expect to
take a few from each district later on.
Jim and I expected to meet more Marine recruits there but were surprised
to see that we were the only ones leaving from Albany. Since Jim was more
familiar with New York and Washington, he was put in charge of us (the two of
us). We were given train tickets, on a coach only, from Albany to Parris
Island and also enough money to buy a dollars worth of food at every meal and
also our subway fees.
The Sergeant at Albany U.S.M.C. recruiting station fixed it up for us so
that we could leave for New York at 1:30 instead of 4:30 p.m. as scheduled.
That allowed us about three hours of leisure time before catching the 9:15
p.m. train for Washington.
We took a double decker bus out 5th Ave. within a few blocks of Broadway,
then got off to see what we could see. We started to go up to the top of the
Empire State Building but decided we had better save our money, for the
admission tickets were $1.25. We saw the R.C.A. building and I showed Jim
where we walked around the top of it with the Class of '43. We read the world
wide news from the New York Times Building as it flashed it's uncanny
knowledge off and on with a remarkable setup of flashing light bulbs.
We stopped along the way to see a big cartoon of a soldier blowing big
smoke rings out over the streets of Broadway (an advertisement for Camels).
We stopped into a couple of the penny Arcades and tried quite a few rounds of
antiaircraft fire, twenty twos, air guns, baseball, soccer, submachine gun and
all the kind of shooting practice a fellow wishes all for 2 cents. If I do
say so myself I brought down many a bomber, fighter, tank and ship with
accurate deadly shots. But the funny part about it all was that they kept
coming back.
Well, we have got to catch the train now.
P.S. Say hello to Mom, Dad and the kids.
9:30 p.m.
Didn't have time to mail this at Washington before taking train so I am
sending it from Parris Island. Arrived here about 7:30 this evening after a
steady ride on a coach from Washington. Will write about my first day here
tomorrow night. So far we have been treated very good.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
28 Aug 1944
I'm going to leave off a page of this, by gee -- anybody that writes 2
pages full to their "Mama" and "Daddy" and only o
to their h
that's been
stewing for 3 days. I suppose you think I wouldn't have liked to know what
happened to you Friday. You big jerk -- God help you when you come home, if
I still remember that! I swear I'm only going to write 39 pages instead of
4
. Damn! I guess I'm just jealous but when I've been writing every other
hour I should think you could manage at least a couple of pages. Write back
and tell me if you think I can give anybody hell as good in a letter as when
I'm speaking right to them? I think it's a tie, myself. That above -- all of
it -- sounds just like I did when you were standing glaring back at me, but
that's how I felt when I read all you put into your folk's[letter]. Some of
that description like in your folk's letter, I wouldn't mind at all. You
know, on the average you got hell about 3 times a day and just think this is
o
time in 3 days. I guess I'm slipping but maybe I'll get warmed up in
another day or two -- or maybe a tough Sergeant will substitute for me 2 days
out of 3. So a little more description and a few facts to describe, please,
or you'll be getting a
your letters from Mama and Daddy, and I'll be the
"War-Widow without a letter to write". P.S. I drove clear to Cortland so I
could get your letter. It wasn't patriotic, but I thought I couldn't wait
'til Leon [Terrell] came home. Next time send it out here -- it will get here
just as soon (R.D. #2).
I'm glad you're going to be stationed at Parris Island. Find out
approximately how long you'll be there so I can start planning my Christmas
vacation soon -- Ha Ha. We did a whale of a washing today, ours for almost
two weeks and Mom's for one week. The "Pooch" [our dog] has been going with
me every place and he really acts like a grown up dog sometimes. When the
mail gets to Cortland it would no doubt come out with the mailman that day.
It's harder in a way for me to wait when Leon's told me it's there, and if it
was at the Post Office I wouldn't know, so I wouldn't go up and get it. I
know darn well if Leon's got it I'll go get it, even if I have to walk. You
see, it came this A.M. so I think our mailman would have brought it today.
While I remember -- spelling for today's letter: File for further
reference -- SCHEDULE - not as you spelled it; UNTIL - not untill; PARRIS not Paris. Well, that's the spelling lesson for today. If teacher's little
man can learn these three by next time, I'll give him 2,000,000 extra kisses
for every one learned, personally by me, next time I see him. I think that
would be a good excuse for all the "mushing " I'm going to do on next
furlough. Or first, what's the difference?
"Pooch" is in on the rug by Mom's and my bed, stretched out asleep. I'm
going to let him out to P and then I'll put him out in the back room and he'll
sleep on his rug and burlap bag out there. He P'd before Wayne [Lear] let him
out. Wayne broke the flashlight and tried to fix it after I woke Pooch up so
he just went in the Living Room and saturated the rug.
Every night I think I'll take Pooch and go down and stay alone, but when
it starts getting dark, I start feeling "scardy-cat" and then I think -- well - tomorrow night. Some day soon, I'm going down and clean all day, and get
straightened up and then stay all night. There's no heat down there, either,
and it's been awfully chilly since you left, just like fall and I'll probably
freeze to death, first night I sleep alone.
This P.M. Mom and I went down and had our hair shampooed and set, but the
wind has got mine blown helter-skelter already.
I paid Harold Vunk Sunday A.M. He brought 4680 lbs. of coal and the
charge was $30.42. I didn't have anything but a $5 bill so I owe him 42 cents
(he didn't have change either). He said anytime convenient for me after
October 1st he'd bring the coal for us. So I told him to bring it just as
soon after October 1st as he could. Well, my fingers are getting tired so I
scribble so I guess I better go to bed. Night, honey, and I'll keep your bed
warm and the dog fed.
29 Aug 1944
Here I am at the top of another page. I've almost finished my pique
blouse and I and Mom cut out my plaid skirt. I feel normal today, the first
time since you left that I haven't been sick someplace or had a pain. Gee,
honey, I miss you. Of course from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. it's no different
but from 5:00 P.M. 'til 8:00 A.M. I certainly feel peculiar. Have you seen
anyone you knew on the way to Parris Island? Is that Jim Dopp still with you?
I'm glad you had fun on the way down. I suppose you either had those Dÿ
shots today or else will have them tomorrow. I hope you feel all right after
they "inject" you. It makes a lot of guys awfully sick but it shouldn't hurt
you -- or should it? I haven't touched my ironing as yet, but I'll probably
get at it tomorrow.
We got 5 post cards from Dad, today. He said he'd never seen so many
soldiers in his life. He had to stand up from Indianapolis to St. Louis, or
rather we think he did, 'cause he said some had to stand up and then he said
his left ankle was all swelled up. So we figured he had to stand up.
I haven't called or anything to see if I got any letter etc. from you
today. In the first place your Mother or Father would most likely call me and
in the second place, I imagine you were on the way then and not able to write.
Raymond [Ward] felt good today so I guess he's going to start home tomorrow.
He was packing tonight and looking at road maps.
I wonder -- have you applied for my allotment yet? And how did that
Marriage License do for documentary evidence? If you have to have more proof
than that I'll get one of those affidavits from a Notary Public. Writing to
Rev. DeGraw and all that monkey business would take ages.
Have you learned to make a bed right, yet? I'm betting you'll get stuck
with that job when you get home. Of course, I'll have to get up so you can
make it but it would be worth it. Will you have any choice about what branch
i
the Marines you will be in -- Radar, Cooking School, Artillery etc.? I
hope you get in something that's interesting to you and not dangerous to me -such as being guide for sight-seeing and t
Marines. The
Artillery would be O.K. by me, but if they send you to Cooking School, you'll
finally find out what you were talking about after we first got married.
Those times you tried to tell me how to cook. It was my secret heart's desire
to marry a Chef, anyway, as I would eat much better and with less work on my
part. Say, while I'm thinking about things like Chefs etc. Do you still love
me? If you do just blow me a kiss every time you think of me, and I'll b
satisfied and content. I guess I'll sign off and read a little and go to bed.
Good night, honey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
29 Aug 1944
Pvt. Donald L. Terrell 983241
Plt 504 U.S.M.C.
1st Bn.
Well, I finally got time to talk to you, although I'm not alone, for
there are sixty three other fellows here with me. But I'm not going to let
them talk to you, they are just on the sideline right now.
I'm sitting here on my trunk, which contains all of my belongings under
lock and key except my rifle, hat, poncho, cartridge belt and canteen for now.
As I never was very good at talking, I still am not very good now, - but I can
think of lots of things to tell you about.
I just got back, before I ate chow, from the double B barracks where I
signed papers for your monthly allowance. I did not need yours or my birth
certificates nor did I need our marriage certificate copy. The reason for
this is that they will take your word for it, later check up in the files and
if you are lying you had might just as well be dead. A couple women Marines,
who talked to us, told me that your first allotment would probably be sent out
the first of September, but don't depend on it.
You had ought to see me now, honey, I don't believe you would recognize
me if it wasn't for my monkey face. I have a hair cut that you might just as
well call a very close shave but it is the best thing in the world for us. It
is much cooler, out of your way and you don't have to comb it or worry about
getting lice or other hair troubles. We haven't, as yet taken our jabs in the
arms and our Parris Island physical but expect it tomorrow.
Our P.X. bag which they issued us Monday contained everything that we are
to need for the next two weeks or so, therefore we have no chance at the P.X.
post or anything to spend money on.
I started out with $15 and ended up with $17.50. How? Well the Sergeant
at Albany gave us a dollar a meal for the time we left until we reached P.I.
and since we didn't have much time or place to eat, we came out ahead. I'm
going to turn this money along with my knife into the Captains safe until I
leave, for I probably won't spend over a few dollars throughout my basic
training.
Say, by the way, honey, will you get Grandpa and Grandma's [LeRoy]
address, Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie's [Riehlman] and the rest of them for me? I
am sending a post card to George and Daisy [Lear]. Has George [Lear] left for
Illinois yet or was he held up? I hope he has a good trip but I wouldn't want
to ride that far on a train.
Well, I've got to knock off to get ready to hit the sack in a few
minutes. A sack is our bunk, the head is the toilet. All in all we live in
kind of a ship with the floor being the deck and etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
30 Aug 1944
Raymond [Ward] left today for Kentucky. Wayne [Lear] went to the fair
tonight and Louise Mc [McGuiness] is up visiting with Mom and I. That plaid
cloth I was going to make into a skirt, made a skirt a
a jerkin (a sort of
vest), too. Your Mother ordered some for a skirt for Jean [Terrell]. I don't
think so much of that. I'm not used to having my clothes look like anyone
elses, and I don't aim to get used to it now. But I didn't say anything,
anybody can buy the cloth, but from now on, I'll keep my cloth in a hidden
room until Wiltsies sell the rest of the bolt of material.
Gee, I was glad to hear from you today. I couldn't go up for the letter
this P.M. as I was b
sewing. It came in this Afternoons Mail Delivery up
to the station [Dad's and Harry's gas station]. It wouldn't have got h
until tomorrow morning, but I didn't see it till Leon [Terrell] got home so I
guess it might just as well have come out here. I just about go nuts, waiting
for Leon to come home. I told Wayne [Lear] to get it, but the ape forgot it.
Your Mother said tonight (I read your letter to your Mother over the
phone at 9:00 P.M. I don't think anyone listened. Are you mad at me?) that
Louis Folmer and a guy named Consroy -- both Lawyers I think, were going to a
Clambake at Franklin? (which Briggs I don't know) Briggs on the Scott Road and
ran head-on into a truck. Consroy was thrown from the car and killed
instantly and they didn't expect Folmer to live more than an hour tonight.
Say, honey, Harvey Caywood and Betty [Wilkes] are going to be married
September 16. We haven't got any invitation but Grandma [Ward] and everyone
are planning on going, so I guess we just go -- invitation or no. Or maybe
they know there's an invitation coming.
Your letter today was swell, honey, 'cause you described enough so I know
and can imagine you doing what you did. I don't know why it makes so much
difference, but when I can imagine you doing all those things, I feel closer
to you by about 900 or so miles. I thought P
Island was in North
Carolina, closer than it really is. If you made it from Albany to P.I. in 24
hrs. I guess I could get there in about 24 or 30 hrs. That makes it seem a
little better, knowing I can get to you or you can get to me in 24 hrs.
I hope you write your letter about your first day so that I can see how
all of it happened. I think it would be sort of like a new job -- meeting new
bosses and fellow w
Thanks for finding out about the Women Marine Corps for me. Somehow,
when you wrote about the Women Marines I didn't feel jealous, I just loved you
more 'cause I know you were thinking a little about me. You know you always
said I was jealous but this is one time when I wasn't.
Robert Hoose is in France, chasing Germans. Isabel [Hoose] and her
Mother think maybe they will come out and visit for a while Friday. Isabel
said Robert said they were advancing or traveling quite rapidly, so I said
they were probably just keeping up with the retreating Germans. I hope so,
anyway!
Dad called last night and said he would call later in the week as to when
he would start home. Mom wants him to start home Friday. This is the longest
time he and Mom have been apart since they were married. I imagine Dad's
about ready to come home, though.
Well, honey, I wish we were going to crawl in together, tonight. Would
you drop right off? I feel wide awake, myself.
The Pooch is getting so he "holds his water" until he gets outdoors
pretty good, now. If I forget him, tho, he just stands and lets'er go! And
boy, the puddle would start a swimming pool.
There's only one thing you could use a little more of in your letters -you know that song -- a little love -- a little kiss. Well that's what I like
plenty of -- from you -- not Howard [Haskins] or Hayden [Olmstead]. It's
funny, but I haven't heard anything from either of the Romeos up to present.
But we'll see what tomorrow brings forth -- as Wilna [Olmstead] says. Maybe
they figger if they wait a couple of months or so, I'll welcome their
affection more than I would now. God -- What a couple of drips! They belong
in a stream.
Well, here's where I run out, almost. I think I'd better fill up the
other side, I'll have to pay postage on it, filled or unfilled. I'm pinching
stamps, you know.
I only have 12 sheets left in my pad. How's yours? I guess I'll use the
back of this to show some of my esteem and affection for Pvt. Donald Terrell.
I can't get used to thinking about you as a Pvt. Say, when do you get to
be a P.F.C.? I'll bet you make Lieutenant before Bob [Terrell] does. Here's
hoping.
These letters probably will take a week to reach you after they reach
P.I.[Parris Island].
Herbie Carrier and his wife just had a baby. A Son. Eleanor Spaulding
said it made their 3
. They're certainly not wasting any time, are they?
They're the couple that we thought lived up between Palmer Sherman's and
Wetherbys -- on the farm on the same side of the road as Palmer's.
Well, honey, I'll sign off and get some sleep so I'll be awake enough to
write to you tomorrow night. I hope I'll get another letter from you
tomorrow. Nite.
Gees, honey, what an address. It takes me 5 minutes to address one
letter. I put on 4 cents worth of stamps so they would be sure and get there.
Mom says hello and we're all glad you got in the Marines. Bye until tomorrow
night.
31 Aug 1944
Have you got my first and second letters, editions or whatever they were?
I sent them off this morning. They say it takes a new guy quite a while to
get mail, at first. [Note: Maggie wrote me every day but couldn't send them
to me until I was at Parris Island and had a mailing address. So she put the
first six days of letters into 2 envelopes and mailed them off to me on the
31st of August.]
I heard a musical program from Parris Island this afternoon about 4:30.
There were quite a few guys there, from the noise they made, and I wondered if
you were one of them. It was a program that's on every Thursday from the
Recruit Station, I think they said. A woman sang -- a man sang, too. Dave
Rose led the band and they played a new piece "At The Front". When the
fellows cheered at the end of the program I sorta listened for you but I
didn't hear you. I thought maybe I could, the way you used to holler for
animals at 4: in the morning.
Our school's going to start on time as scheduled, I guess. Buffalo isn't
opening their schools until Sept. 25. They have 400 cases of infantile
[Polio] just in the City, itself. 465 in all Erie County.
How's the chow, honey? I'll bet it's good. We had corn-on-the-cob for
supper. The corn's always good that way. Remember when we ate it up on
Davis' Farm last fall? Grandma [LeRoy] gave the ears to us if I remember
right.
It's been a week ago tonight just about this time -- 7:45, that we
started on our last spree for a while. I wish you were here tonight. I'd
like just one or two kisses with your trademark on them. I think next week
would be more fun if you were here for awhile. I've been dreaming about you
every night. It's funny 'cause I haven't dreamed much since a year ago last
June. I guess that's how I make up for your not being here.
Did those Marine barbers clip your hair clear off? And is it hot as hÿ
down there? Where is Parris Island near? Charleston or what is the nearest
town? I tried to find you on a map today and they don't designate Parris
Island, just the towns. I'm going to price the R.R. [railroad] and Bus prices
to there so I'll know how much to save.
When do you have week-end passes, etc.? Can you skip those and have them
apply on a 4 or 5 day furlough? I think they do that in the Navy sometimes.
Maybe you would rather have weekend passes 'tho, huh? Week End passes must be
fun, after being in Camp for awhile. Shows and stuff would be about twice as
funny.
We cut out my blue wool suit today. My Jerkin and skirt out of the
maroon plaid are finished. The blue jacket is going to be harder to make. It
will probably take a week to make it.
They were going to move in the big stove last night, down at our house -but Leon [Terrell] had to work in the cellar, so it didn't get done.
The Pooch is getting a growl that sounds like a real he-man dog. He can
bark like nobody's business, too. Today he came in the door. I was sitting
on the davenport and he was so tickled to get in he jumped for me. His jump
landed him about half way up on the davenport, but he fell off. Then he
jumped and landed laying cross-ways on my lap. Then he barked and licked me
like I was a hunk of sugar. Dumb, isn't he? Y
even knew I wasn't half
sweet enough to be even half sugar.
I'm making more mistakes tonight than a kid in 4th Grade and the way my
brain feels I should be in 4th Grade.
I think I'll get a $10 permanent from Aydee [Reynolds] before or just
after school starts. My hair's getting hard to take care of, because it's a
little too long. I'll get it fixed and then have a good picture taken.
Well, honey, I'm getting sort of run out so I guess I'll have to close
for tonight. I want to keep right on writing 'cause I love you, but when I'm
run out -- I'm plumb dry of thoughts. Goodnight, honey. Sleep tight. Just
pretend you're in our bed and I'm right there where you can reach me, that's
what I'm going to do.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Don to Maggie]
31 Aug 1944
This is the end of our third actual training day. This morning we took
several classification tests which were fairly easy. We also saw a movie on
the different jobs in the U.S.M.C..
Say, honey, will you please send me Bob's [Terrell] overseas address for
I would like to write him a few lines.
I had one of my poor teeth pulled yesterday and have more appointments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
1 Sept 1944
How are you by now? Have you had your shots and did they make you sick?
I hope not. I feel pretty good, kind of sleepy from too late reading at
night. I guess the rest of Cortland County will be reading more for a while.
The Health Dept. of Cortland County has ordered all theaters, churches and
places of Public Amusement or Recreation closed until further notice. It's
because of the Infantile. Our school has been postponed from opening until
further notice, too. That means I don't get paid for maybe another month.
There are only 16 cases in Cortland County but I guess they're scared it will
get bad like it is in Erie Co. Are there any guys down there with it?
Mom read in the paper tonight that Earl Stannard was training over at
Sampson Naval Station. I wish Parris Island was as close.
Gee, honey, there isn't much news to write tonight. I could tell you I
love you but that's been going on now for 2 years (and then some!), and I feel
like it will keep going on for about 70 odd years. Probably you'll get all
over loving anybody after you've been down there about 3 or 4 months. But you
had better not, or I'll be suing the U.S.M.C. for alienation of affection.
I'd sue them for enough to live on for the rest of my life -- enough for you
and me and all the kids.
Mom talked to Jenny Smith, Bob Brown's Mother, tonight on the phone and
kidded her a little and called her "Gramma". Jenny laughed and said all that
ailed Mom was she was jealous -- and then Mom laughed at her and said no, she
wasn't, that she thought it was best this way as long as you're gone.
Mrs. Hoose and Izzy [Isabel Hoose] were here today and Mrs. Hoose was
talking about my job and she said a woman said to her "I wonder who'll take
care of the baby -- Mrs. Terrell [Clara Terrell, Don's Mother]? And Mrs.
Hoose said she didn't know as there was a baby. But the woman said "Ah no,
but there's one coming." I thought I'd die laughing, and I said my stomach
was all that would make anyone think that, it sticks out so. So, according to
the public I guess you're going to be a father, but my gramma [monthly period]
says different. 'Night, honey.
P.S. Flossie Austin is engaged to a Fred Foote from Freeville. The
announcement was in the Post Standard tonight.
2 Sept 1944
Honey, honey, honey, honey, Hi! Eyes on Paper! Brain ready to work!
Body at Ease! Ain't they some commands?
I just got a call from your big brother Dick [Terrell] and he said if I
wanted a letter from you to come and get it and in about 1 second flat I was
on my way.
Gee, honey, it's the best letter I ever got. It was descriptive enough
so I could almost see you sitting writing with those other 63 guys doing just
about the same. When you get my letter asking for more description -- just
ignore it. You really can write swell letters. You -- the guy who couldn't
ever think of anything to write about. I told you you'd be able to think of
something, didn't I? If you keep letters coming like that I'll feel a lot
better and closer to you, too. And it will make it easier for me to find
something to talk to you about, too.
Say, honey, Dad and Mom (so did your Dad and Mom) got your cards today.
You probably know by now that Dad went to Illinois and I'm staying with Mom
for a while. I think that I'll go down tomorrow and clean our house up and
stay there from tomorrow on. I still haven't got my blue suit finished. Mom
did most of the sewing. She can make things so nice and I don't know how I'd
do on wool.
Say, what is that toilet -- at the head of the sack -- a real toilet or
what? Say, you didn't censor that part about the riding on trains good
enough! As if you meant to! I could read e
word of it and it reminded me
of what I'm missing, darn it! And by the way -- you said I wouldn't know you
except by your monkey face. Which did you mean?
My darn face is breaking out, is yours? You know what Dad said about us
getting married and losing our skin-eruptions. Well, it looks like he was
right.
How long will you be at Parris Island? I hope you get something to do
that you like to do. And do you have any idea where you'll be shipped after
your basic training? Camp Lejuene maybe?
I'll let you know when I get my allotment. It hasn't come yet, but don't
worry about it. I'll get along.
Say, here's the ones I'm sure of -- the addresses, I mean.
Mr. & Mrs. Clayton LeRoy
R.D. #1
Cortland, N.Y.
After October 1, their address will be:
12 North Church St.
Cortland, N.Y.
Mr. & Mrs. Brayton LeRoy
12 Pleasant Street
Cortland, N.Y.
Mr. & Mrs. Robert LeRoy
West Homer Road
Cortland, N.Y.
This is the address given in the phone book. I think it will reach Uncle
Bob all right.
I'll have to get Don's and Elsie's [Riehlman] later. I don't know
whether it would be Preble, R.D. or Tully, R.D. Don't you know it? You ought
to, honey. They've lived there quite a while.
It's beautiful here today. The sky is blue and far away. The sun is
shining h
as if it wasn't going to get to shine again so it was getting all
shined out today. There's quite a breeze and the tree leaves are rustling,
like they're starting to get ready to dry up and fall. They'll be coloring in
a week or so.
I haven't had any he-man visitors and I better not have, 'cause I think
the Pooch would tear them apart if he got mad.
After this, honey, don't tell me about letting my hair grow long and not
getting it cut off. After all the things in favor of short hair that you told
me, I think I'll go right down and get a close-shave -- on my head!
What was in your P.X. bag -- candy, etc.? I gave those cigarettes that
you got in your U.S.O. bag to Uncle Don [Riehlman]. It's a package to a
person now, you know, and Clara [Terrell] said she thought Leon [Terrell]
could get all he wanted, so I gave them to Don [Riehlman].
Well, I guess I'll sign off now. I'm all O.K. Not tired 'cause I've
been getting a
my sleep.
I am enclosing a picture of Flossie [Austin]. Meant to last nite but the
letter sealed before I remembered it.
.
Signed -- M
That means -- have a good afternoon, honey. You're still No. 1 on my
List of "Who To Love". And how long before you're a P.F.C.? Well, I love you
just as much when it's just Private. Bye, honey.
I still have to copy your address. What a lot of words for just o
guy.
But if it gets them (my letters) there, why I don't care.
2 Sept 1944
I wrote everything to you I could think of this P.M. so I'll just write
three or four lines to let you know I love you and I'm thinking of you. I
just finished taking a bath. I'm going to read awhile and go to bed. I love
you. Night, honey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
2 Sep 1944
Say, honey, will you get me some big needles suitable for sewing through
coarse khaki cloth and send them in your next letter. The needle I have here
buried itself about half way into my finger last night while attempting to sew
my dungaree trousers cuffs up out of the dry and clean parade grounds we are
so fortunate to have out here, and I don't mean dirty for they really are
cleaner than main street in Cortland.
Speaking of cleanliness, I'll bet our deck (the floor), our head (the
toilet), our ladder (the stairs), our bulkhead (the siding) and our sacks (the
bunks) are the cleanest, most sparkling pieces of masterpiece that you ever
lay your sparkling eyes on and I am not kidding. To prove it, the Captain was
in this morning to talk to us about war bonds and etc. and he never said a
word about untidiness or disorder. According to the Corporal, he, the
Captain, is very strict about neatness and order.
The Corporal just came in with a new Marine paper, called the Parris
Island Boot, for every one of us.
It is, as I told Daisy and George [Lear] on a post card, as hot as a
fifty burner oven in an insulated siding [building].
Yesterday two of the fellows played out [passed out] on the parade ground
and were dragged off. Finally after a little hell, the Sergeant himself
played out and had to let the Corporal take over, but the rest of us, being
supposedly supermen, went over the top, JUST. As the Sergeant left he asked
where the other two fellows were that played out. We said they had been taken
to the hospital, given a shot in the arm and sent to bed. In reply, the
Sergeant said "I could sure as hell use a shot right now myself".
Have the boys [Dick and Doug Terrell] done much work on the ditch [water
and sewer lines to our little house] yet, honey?
About our financial business. Your allowance of $50 should be on its way
to you by now. Your middle name might be changed from Ellen to May but that
doesn't matter because at the time I couldn't think of it. Then later on I
started thinking of Lynn Ellen [our future planned for child] and it came to
me right off the bat.
I have signed up for $10,000 worth of life insurance (about $6.50 out of
every monthly pay). I paid Dad for about four months of my Metropolitan Life
insurance. Please keep track of that, honey, and pay Dad more money for it
when the time comes (It is about $2.79 a month).
As for the house rent please pay Mother and Dad [Terrell] $10, $15 or $20
a month for rent, whatever they think they will need. Use what you want of
what's left and what's left after that please put in the bank.
The War bonds which we subscribed for this morning was $6.25 out of every
pay, starting Nov 1st. That means that every 3rd month a $25 War bond will
come home to you in my name and with you as co-owner. By that it means that
any time you are badly in need of money and I am overseas and can not be
gotten in touch with, you can cash them in without my signature. That leaves
us as follows:
$50.00 Pvt's pay
$ 6.50 life insurance
$22.00 your allotment from me
$ 6.25 war bonds
-----$15.25 what's left for me, approximately
Since I have no use for this money I have considered raising my war bond
allotment to $18.75 a month (a $25 bond). Please write me and tell me your
opinion of this idea.
About my classification: We were individually interviewed by experienced
men last night after chow. I forgot to ask him how I came out on my I.Q. test
but I assume I came out at least average for he gave me plenty of choices and
talked to me quite a while. He asked me a lot of literary questions about big
cleat track tractors, bulldozers, heavy trucks, my type of work and etc..
When he asked me what branch I had considered, I said that I hadn't
considered any part in particular but wouldn't mind the tank corps, trucks,
telephone line men, communication or anything of that kind. When he mentioned
radar, I said that I hated to spend a lot of schooling on a course and then
after the war drop it all since I wished to make farming as my career. So he
said that I could take about 5 weeks or more of radar training and be the
truck driver for a radar land crew. I said this would be nice, too, and he
wrote that down as a possible prospect.
He also asked me the subjects I took in school and when I told him he
told me to take a time test in typing. I did but the darn L. C. Smith
[Manufacturing Co.] typewriter they had there was just about ready to fall
apart, so I don't think I got too many words per minute.
Please don't be mad for me not asking for a lot of schooling, honey,
because I wanted the chance for a little higher rating than Pvt. and yet a
chance to see some action. If I took a lot of schooling, I might not get out
of school until way after the war was over and besides you know, honey, that I
don't like that kind of career.
Well, I'll knock it off now and read the paper a bit before the Serg.
calls us out to see if he can make a few more of us fellows black out in the
damn hot weather.
It really isn't too awfully bad, honey, except that it is very much
different than one is used to, even us supposedly hardened farmers. But it
all is for our own defense and good and I know that the whole platoon feels
that way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
3 Sept 1944
Today was just as beautiful as yesterday. And tonite the moon is just as
huge as it was last night. They're Fall moons, honey, and I wish you were
here with me so we could look at it like we did 2 years ago this Fall. Last
year we didn't have time for it, getting up at 3:30 A.M. etc. A guy [on the
radio] just said 2100 Army Navy time. He forgot the Marines. I didn't go
down home today. We haven't heard from Dad, and Mom would like me to stay
'til he comes home and I think I will. The Pooch is getting big, honey, and
he really knows me. He comes when I whistle and jumps up and licks me. He
doesn't bite as much as he did, 'cause I've slapped him every time he bit.
He'll be quite a pup when you get a furlough.
Ted Kerr said tonight that you had 120 days doing some of the hardest
work you'd ever meet up with, so I take it, if he's right, that you'll be at
Parris Island 4 months. He said he almost got duty at Parris Island. He was
a Navy Pharmacist Mate, you know practically a Navy Nurse, I guess.
Timmy [Hutchings] was here today to see about a furnace pipe. He was
kidding about kids, whether it would be a boy or girl. He makes me slightly
mad. He said a lot of crap like he usually does.
I'm giving up hope of ever seeing any of those "he men" alone before you
come home. Too bad, I was looking forward to them coming visiting, like Hÿ
Mom had sort of a spell with her heart, this morning, her heart beats so
fast and hard, she says it poops her all out.
Gee, honey, I love you talking to me but I'm not so good at doing all of
it myself. It's so much fun to get letters from you. Just think I've heard
from you f
times since you left. It's good to hear from you. I hope you
like to get my gabbin' letters.
Well, honey, I think this is going to be the end of this letter.
Have you got my first and second half letters yet? It was so big I split
it [Maggie's first six letters to me while waiting for my address]. This
one's going to have 4 pages in it. That's some letter but I don't know
whether I said anything worthwhile or anything you'll care about reading.
Do you guys listen to radio? Or aren't there any down there? When
do you eat supper, and what do you do afterward -- loaf, drill or what? After
I
eat supper I
do dishes and then I
write to m
honey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don, Ted [Kerr] said you'd be tired as hÿ
at night, but I'm still
hoping to hear from you. Well, honey, it's really so long this time. I'll
write again tomorrow night. Nite, honey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
3 Sep 1944
If a slight bit of weaving is noticed in my penmanship, please give the
credit mainly to my dishwater hands which are spotless white from dirt or
grit. Your husband has suddenly but unwillingly, but obligingly and
patriotically and obediently turned combination bed maker, house cleaner,
knitter and sewer and cloths washer and ironer and dryer.
I would be satisfied with a picture of you in your new dress and a
constant stream of your heart warming chatter.
Going to a show, write later.
3 Sep 1944
I don't like to think about it, honey, but there is no possible way in
which you or I can see each other within less than three or four months.
You see it is this way, honey, we have at first about 2 weeks of close
order drill and hard calisthenics (exercises); then we have about one week of
police or guard duty in which all we do is to take two hour shifts as guards
in different sections throughout the island; then we have about 24 days on the
rifle range during which we have a half hour of hard exercises in the morning
and the entire rest of the day is devoted to learning how to handle and fire
all different kinds of light arms, especially our U.S. 30 cal. M-1 rifle (this
is described as a gas operated, air cooled, semi-automatic, clip fed, shoulder
rifle).
Then we come back to our barracks and have between one and two (sometimes
only one) week working in the mess hall or any other work detail desired by
superior officers. Then we pack up everything we own into our sea bags and
take off for New River [N.C.] or Camp Lejeune [N.C.] (this is where Bob
[Terrell] went and also where you get your stiff combat training like jumping
15 ft. into the lake, learning how to abandon ship and also swim with full
pack, rifle and equipment).
After about, and there is no way to find the exact date, 4 to 12 weeks then and only then are we allowed a 10 day furlough and even at that I don't
know whether that 10 days includes traveling time too.
We are never to leave our barracks without proper authority. But don't
think that we are restricted from everything. We still are allowed to go to
the P.X., the night outdoor movies and play sports of all kinds, but we can do
so only when under proper authority.
As for getting week-end leaves to go out to a town or city, there is no
such thing within quite a few miles. There are, of course, small villages but
are populated mostly by negroes and southerners.
As to our location on the map, we are about a two hr. drive from a little
town called Yemassee [S.C.] or something like that and then a little closer to
us is a place called Port Royal [S.C.]. These should be on the map. Parris
Island [S.C.] is really an island, connected with mainland only by one main
highway.
I'm glad to hear that our school is going to start on schedule and also
that you have a part time job there.
Yes, honey, the Marine barbers did cut our hair very short.
Please buy me those needles and also buy a small brush at the hardware
store about 1 1/2" wide or less or more. This to clean my rifle with. Please
don't send me anything perishable, honey, because it will only spoil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
4 Sept 1944 Labor Day, But who's been working?? Y
Judas, honey, they've dug the ditch the rest of the way between the two
houses! And late this afternoon they were digging on the cesspool ditch!
They also moved the living room Heatrola Stove into our house. Your Mother
called and told me all this and was I happy! Dalley [Ray] is supposed to be
home from the North Woods tonight or tomorrow night and they wanted to have
the ditches dug so he could proceed -- with caution, of course. Your mother
also said that we might have a gas stove, and gas jackpot in the kitchen and
store our big stove. She said she'd thought of putting hot water coils in the
big Heatrola and just having it and a gas cooking stove in the whole house.
Wouldn't that be swell? Say, honey, should I start paying rent Sept 1, or
wait until they get the gas and water in and drained out to cesspool? And
what about the price -- $10, $18 or what? You know your Mother spoke about
$18 last time rent was mentioned. Whatever you say, I'll do.
Oh, honey, I hope they finish off the Germans this month. Then they'll
all land on the Japs and it hadn't ought to be long before you come home to
me. If they all help, you Marines won't have to lick the Japs all by
yourself. They were 5 miles inside The Netherlands today and marching toward
Germany.
Don, you know what you said about hitting the sack? I read it to Mom and
the kids. Last night Roger [Lear] hollered in to me as he was climbing into
bed and said "Hey, Margaret, I'm going to hit the bags." and I just about
burst laughing. Then he said "Oh, I mean Sack." He made two good ones
yesterday. We were talking about a story in the Country Gentlemen and Rog
said "It would be all right if it wasn't "
. Mom and I laughed and
then we explained that friction was rubbing two objects until heat resulted
and fiction was a story that wasn't true.
I found 2 cartoons I thought you might like in a 1943 Life Magazine.
It's not a last minute cartoon, but they're cute, I thought.
We almost finished my blue suit coat today. We're going to put on the
finishing touches tomorrow.
We didn't hear from Dad, yet. We think maybe tonight he might call and
say he's coming home this week. His vacation is up soon anyhow. Mom says
maybe he's deserted her and then there'll be t
women without men in our
family.
I'm going to send you 2 letters tomorrow. There'll really be 3 letters
in 2 envelopes, 'tho. Maybe it will take you 3 nites to read them. I send
them from here. I think they get to you almost as fast. It would be
different if you were worried to death about me and wondering if I was all
right until you heard from me.
Will you be apt to get a furlough between your basic training at P.I. and
your next Camp -- and won't it be about December if you do? Please write and
tell me the answer to this 64 Dollar Question even if that's all you put in
one letter.
Gee Whiz, honey, I love you. I wish I could crawl in with you tonight
and "cuddle up". It's just the right kind of weather up here for cuddling.
It's quite cool now, nights and it was only 66 degrees today. How does that
sound to you -- C
? It's some relief after such a hot summer.
Honey, guess what?? Leo [McGuiness] and Louise [Cook, now McGuiness]
finished their haying today. Can you believe it? Here's another gossipy tidbit -- Beverly Fisher is really that way, but her Momma and Pappa won't let
her get married. Mrs. Francis is quite broken up, and she says she'd expect
that of any of her boys but "Dick". Ain't that the way??
Pooch drank about a gallon of milk tonight, and for a while I wondered
whether we had a "He-pup" or a little "She-pup" ready to hatch. His little
belly was swelled up so that he wobbled and his back legs were spread apart,
he was so full.
Well, honey, I've done better tonight than I did last night. I've filled
up 2 whole pages. Say -Mr. & Mrs. Donald Riehlman
Tully, New York
Mr. & Mrs. Robert LeRoy
R.D. #3
Cortland, N.Y.
Does that satisfy you, honey?
Sleep tight and dream -- about me, I hope. Not some dame in a grass
skirt.
P.S. I was the Censor that opened this letter. I forgot your cartoons.
5 Sept 1944
Hello, hon, I'm just about ready to take Mom over to the Dr. so I'll
finish this when I get back. 'Bye for now.
Hello again, It's 9:50 now and I'm here again. I got a swell 3-page
letter -- written on both sides!! -- from my own special honey! Haven't you
got any of my letters yet? Isn't that a silly question? If you haven't been
getting my mail, you won't read this for a while, and if you get this you've
probably got the others. So I just hope and pray that you've got my letters.
I'm so tickled when I get one of yours that I can't hardly wait to read it.
Don, I'm not mad about your not asking for a lot of schooling, but I'd
kind of like you to "snoop" into Radar and see if you wouldn't like it. You
loved Math. so that it seems like something you could put it to work in and
would be something you would like. I hope your typing test came out better
than you thought. I love you and I hope you get in what you like but I
think
you'd go for Radar, if it has anything about Math. in it. And it would be
nice for you to know something like Radar (as if you don't know enough all
ready, about too many things).
I'm sending my honorable husband some b
needles in this letter. I can
get bigger ones, honey, like we mended the rug with that time if you want
bigger ones than these.
P.S. How about a thimble? Ha Ha. Or would you really like one? Or
wouldn't you know how to keep one on your finger?
I'm sending a kiss on the outside of that needle package so you will have
good luck and not puncture your poor finger again. You know, thimbles are the
finest preventatives of punctured fingers that I know of -- and that comes
solely from my own experiences! Honey, I can't imagine you sewing up your own
cuffs. What's the matter with pins? Or couldn't you find any handy? O
, was
it a little matter of a Sergeant who wouldn't approve of pins?? Gee, honey,
I'm going to come and see you some day. I wish I could touch you, or better
yet, kiss you.
So, you think your bunks, etc. are clean? Well, wait till I get down
home and get going! Prof. wants me to work tomorrow and all days after that
until we get the business ready for school to start. I worked this P.M. from
1:00 - 4:30. Then I took Cork [the carpenter] home.
Honey, we did get showers here this P.M. They were s
but they
were a little wet, anyway. Say, did you have to walk over the bodies of your
comrades? Or was I right? Oh, you said in your letter they dragged them off
so I guess you kept on going, didn't you? Gee, Don, I knew they wouldn't
leave fellows laying like that. That would be just plain cruel.
Don Terrell! So you couldn't think of my middle name! Margaret May
Terrell. Now, isn't that beautiful. I like Margaret Ellen Terrell a little
better and while we're on the subject -- Lynn Ellen [our planned for future
child] is spelled L y n n (e), take it or leave it. E l l e n -- not Allen.
Next time say Lynne Ellen. Lynne Ellen Terrell -- isn't that pretty? I think
I asked you that before and you said "yes". Say, maybe Lyn, as you spelled it
is prettier than Lynn. I think we'll just change her first name to Lyn. Lyn
Ellen Terrell. O.K.?
Honey, why not take out just 2/3's of a bond a month. You know, $18.75
would leave my Private p
, but definitely! $2.75 for a whole month. 2/3's
would be $12.50 and you'd have $9.00 left. I think that would be best don't
you? Put what you have left in your Captain's safe or wherever you keep it.
Then you'll have a little nest egg of your own.
Forget the question I asked about what price rent to pay in my other
letter. You answered it in this letter.
Don, if the rest of my mail hasn't got there it's because I wrote the
address so near the top of the envelope that the Postmark blotted out your
last name and your serial number. Please write and tell me if you haven't got
any mail from me. I've written every night and I've sent about 8 letters and
my first one had 9 pages split between two envelopes -- one had 5 and one,
four.
Did the Earthquake last night shake you down in your sack? It shook our
bed so that it woke Mom up but I slept right through it. It was just a mild
tremor, up here.
Dad called last night at 12:00 midnight. He said he forgot about the
change of time and was in Chapin, Ill. so he forgot to call earlier.
Well, hon, I guess I'm written out but I'll be on paper again tomorrow
night at about the same time, trying to talk to my honey. "Bye for now.
Sleep Tight!
When I say "Bye and Sleep Tight, I mean -- With all my love and kisses,
honey. And I love you, and about 4 million other things, so if I don't really
write them, you'll know what I mean.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
5 Sep 1944
Haven't got time to write a letter. Still kicking and dreaming about
you. Write tomorrow night.
5 Sep 1944
Got time for one more good night before mailman leaves. Just starting
guard duty. It rained today. Cooled off better.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
6 Sept 1944
How are you by tonight? O.K.? I'm tired as heck and I haven't done much
today, either.
Mrs. Smith [Carrie], you know the next house up, was taken sick this A.M.
and Mom had to go up and take care of her all day. None of her relatives
would come out and stay with her and she was so sick we didn't dare leave her
alone. She's better tonight and she's staying alone. Mom's just about
tuckered. Mrs. Smith has summer complaint or grippe I guess. That's what the
Dr. thought.
Today was Mom's Birthday, too. I baked her a three-tier Birthday Cake
this P.M. and Wayne [Lear] brought home ice-cream. The cake was fair, I
guess. Aydee and Whit [Reynolds] came up tonight and brought Mom a big
bouquet of Gladioli -- pink, white, yellow, lavender, red and orange ones.
They are beautiful.
Gee, honey, I love you. Tonight I love you extra special. I feel sort of
blue and I wish you were around within a mile or two. I haven't had a
lonesome feelings very often. But tonight I really am lonesome, just for you.
Pooch really grows every day, hon. Say, while I'm thinking of it, don't
you like Pooch or Poochy as well as Snoopy? I've just got in the habit of
calling him Pooch and Snoopy doesn't seem as good a name, somehow.
Say, hon, this is my last piece of paper in my pad and they've all gone
to you but one page I started to Don Sandman before you left. That shows you
how much I've written. I talk as much writing as I do when I'm talking, if
you see what I mean. I'll have to get another pad, I guess. How is yours
holding out? Do you still have quite a few pages left? Unless I get 3
letters tomorrow you probably have a few pages left.
Well, hon, I'm sorry this is a shortened version, but I don't think I
could have thought of much more anyway. Love and Kisses and Hugs and e
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
6 Sep 1944
The Serg. kept us pretty busy yesterday cleaning drilling and exercises
and classes or lectures. We started out yesterday after chow for our morning
calisthenics then we drilled and studied until noon. Then after chow we moved
all our sacks (bunks) over close to the bulkhead and 64 of us set out to clean
the whole ship until you could see your face sparkle back at you from it. We
all chipped in and bought 12 boxes of Snow Flakes Soap Chips and went right to
town on the deck with hand brushes and plenty of elbow grease. After
scrubbing it twice for about two hours, then washing it off and then mopping
it, the Serg. decided it was fairly clean.
Have you had your picture taken yet in your new dress and $10 permanent?
Don't forget, honey, don't have too big a picture taken because I haven't much
of a place to keep everything I have, although I can always find place for a
picture of you, dear.
Have you bought me those big sewing needles yet, honey? I mean the ones
like you used to sew up our living room rug the other day (it seems like) and
don't forget to get me a little brush (I mean paint brush) to use to clean the
sand out of the deep parts of my rifle.
I hope you have finally decided to go back down to our house and stay for
a spell, honey, because I like to think of you as waiting for me in a place of
our own.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
7 Sept 1944
Well, I'm out of paper so I'm borrowing some of Mom's. I got 2 of your
letters today. The ones you wrote Sunday, September 3. What show did you
see, honey? Was it good? Did you misunderstand me or haven't you got my
letter that said School was postponed and the Theaters, Bars, Granges and all
Public Meeting Places were ordered closed by the Health Department? I imagine
you hadn't got that letter by the time you wrote. They say it's going to
freeze tonight and school will open next Monday, but that's just rumor, not
official. I worked this morning but Prof. didn't want to work this afternoon.
He told me my pay has started, same as if school had opened the 5th. That
made me feel pretty good. We'll get paid twice a month this year.
I forgot to tell you that I enjoyed the letter you wrote at 6: P.M. When
I finished reading it I felt about 90% better. You sounded like you loved me
and that always makes me feel better. Your second letter had the answers I've
been wondering about. Clara and Dick [Terrell] thought that 10 day furlough
would include traveling time. I hope so. Say, hon, will you know two or
three days ahead when you will get your furlough? If you had to stay in
Washington for a while you could telegraph me a couple of days before you left
Parris Island and I could meet you in Washington. We could stay there maybe a
day and see all the sights. I've wanted to and I know you would like to see
them too. Wouldn't that be fun? Or maybe you'd rather come straight home. I
could meet you just the same in Washington and we could have maybe a day more
than we could have otherwise. If you had traveling time that could make 11
days together instead of 10. It would be fun too, riding home together. Just
another trip for our honeymoon. Don't forget to write and tell me what you
can do about telegraphing or phoning about your furlough. Or can't you do
that while at P.I.? Maybe a letter, if you knew far enough ahead of time.
And write and tell me what you think about meeting in Washington.
Dad called last nite at 11:50. He said maybe he'd be home Saturday or
Sunday. He didn't know which.
Ray Dalley hasn't started to work on our water, etc. yet. Tues. night it
rained about 6:30 or 7:00 so he didn't work and Wednesday nite they called
your folks and said Ray has summer complaint.
Don, when you said to have my picture taken in my new dress, you meant
the jersey dress that Mom and I made with the yellow buttons, and tassels on
the belt, didn't you? Write and tell me what one if not that one.
Did you mean a 1 1/2" paint brush? That's what I'm going to buy and send
to you and if it isn't right, write and tell me right away so I can buy the
kind you want. I sent your needles in a letter yesterday. I hope you get
them. Please tell me if you do get them. They ought to be there if they're
going to be by the time you get this letter.
By this time you probably realize that I've been gabbing to you every
night. I'm going to keep right on writing, too, even if it's 12:00 when I
finish. So you can plan on mail every day except Wednesday or Thursday. That
will be because I don't get to mail one on Sunday, even though I do write one.
If I go up to the show after the ban is lifted and the theatre starts running,
I'll send your Saturday Nite's letter then and then you ought to get a letter
a day.
Don, I'm so glad you're writing so good to me. Every time I get a letter
I feel happy for the next 24 hrs. You've wrote good letters, too, not just
"Hi, How are you? I'm fine. It's hot here. Goodbye -- Don." and that's
quite a comfort. Believe it or not I thought your letters would be as scarce
as hen's teeth -- even while I was trying to convince you that you'd be so
glad to hear from home that you'd write quite often. I kind of thought you'd
write, though 'cause I figgered maybe you loved me enough to make you write.
Well, I'm running out again, so I'll lay off for tonight. It's 8:00
right now and I've been writing pretty steady, too. How long did it take you
to read my Book?
I was at school today, this A.M., and Mom called me and said Jean
[Terrell] had called her and said I had 2
letters from you down home. So in
about 45 min. -- at noon, I quit work and tore right down and read them.
Thanks, honey, for writing and you wrote 2
on one day! Isn't that swell?
Here's hoping I get another tomorrow. Nite, honey, I love you. I love you
twice.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
7 Sep 1944
You know, honey, it's funny as hell, here I never used to give a damn for
writing letters or the like and now it seems that is all I want to do during
my spare time. You would split your guts laughing, honey, if you could walk
into these barracks tonight and see 64 American boys from all over the United
States all trying to pass these few minutes away before lights are out. Yes,
they are all sleepy because some of them were up during different parts of the
night last night on guard duty, but the most of them seem to want to stay up
for some reason or other. The two fellows right next to my sack (one of them
is our mail man who takes our mail to the mail box every night at 9:00 o'clock
sharp) are always writing every time you look at them.
But about walking into the barracks, you would see 64 fellows, some naked
(who just came back from taking showers), some in just their shorts who are
writing letters or field stripping their rifle and cleaning it thoroughly.
Which is just what I should be doing right now but I would much rather talk
with you.
I just had to get up and close the window at the foot of my buddie's and
my sacks. It is now raining cats and dogs out, honey, and we sure needed a
little cooling off.
It is thundering and lightning all around me now, honey, and as I look
out the window it looks like flashes of big antiaircraft guns going off
constantly. It is the most lightning I have ever seen and real close. It is
a wonder that some of the barracks are not hit before now, maybe they are.
The flashes are making my eyes so tired I don't think I will write much
longer. You see our barracks are lined all the way around with big windows
and every time a flash of lightning comes down it nearly blinds you.
I pity the fellows who have gone to the outdoor movies for I am afraid
they will be slightly damp before they get back to their barracks.
Last night and tonight our platoon started on guard duty and since it is
way ahead of our schedule for guard duty we must be doing all right. One of
the fellows was talking with the Sergeant of the Guard down at the guard house
today and he had a schedule down there that read at the time that our platoon
was not to have the week or two of mess duty after we come back from the rifle
range. So you see, honey, it's not probable but possible that we might get
our furlough a couple weeks earlier. Of course that will be all right with
me.
Well honey, the most of the fellows are in their sacks now and hollering
for the lights to be turned out so I guess I had better say good night for
tonight and get a little sleep before the Corporal calls us in the morning and
says "Hit the deck you bums!"
Last night I wrote a letter to Bob [Terrell] and just bought some
air mail stamps off one of the fellows so I guess I will write him again when
I get time.
Please, honey, write Bob [Terrell] a letter or two because I know he
would like very much to hear from his sister-in-law.
The "ducks" (non-swimmers) just came in, that is the reason why I wrote
you a little longer. I'm sending this stuff home, please save it for me,
honey, I'll send some more later.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
8 Sept 1944
I just finished washing dishes so I thought I'd scratch out a page or
two. I hope you got one of my letters today and maybe your Mother's and
Jean's, too. But most of all I hope you got mine -- there I go being selfish
again. I didn't get one of your letters today but I guess I'll have to say I
got two yesterday to make up for the one I didn't get today. The two
yesterday were so nice I hadn't ought to need another letter until next
Monday, but I'm hoping for one tomorrow 'cause I certainly won't get any
Sunday.
I was going down to Aydee's [Reynolds] and get my hair all cut off and
permanented last nite, but Aydee was tired so she said how about tomorrow nite
(really tonite, now). I was afraid she would be too tired tonite so I called
this afternoon and asked how about tomorrow? She said -- O.K. 1 P.M. S
,
tomorrow, Saturday, at 1 P.M., I'm going down and get a permanent, and I'm
going to have it cut as short as I did last time.
Is it awfully hot down there, Don? It almost frosted us up here last
nite. It was 49 degrees this morning about 8:00 A.M. Say, Don, I was
sitting here at Mom's dining room table, writing and Pooch was laying asleep
at my left on the floor. I heard a slight noise and all of a sudden I began
to think Hitler had began using poison gas. Then I recalled that Gypy
[Mother's and Dad's dog] had done the very same thing once while laying in
front of your Mother's big fan. The result was the same poison gas, only
spread to a greater area by the fan. I'm beginning to think Pooch is taking
after his foster "daddy" (You!).
Mom and I went to Cortland today where I bought my special Marine what I
presume to be a 1 1/2" brush, suitable, I hope, for cleaning his rifle. I'm
also sending another little something you may find helpful to your pursuit of
your tailoring or alteration work.
The peaches are ripe over in the Seneca Lake Region. Louise [McGuiness],
Dorothy Hutchings and Eva Puderbaugh went over today and Louise says the
peaches are awfully nice this year. If Dad gets home tomorrow maybe we'll go
after some Sunday. They're $3.00 a bushel, which is a very moderate price
compared with the one last year. For that matter they're $2.69 less than the
Southern peaches we got this early summer.
I worked this morning, honey. I transferred a few Regents Marks onto the
kids permanent Record Cards. Prof called the Health Dept. to see if there was
anything new on the lifting of the Polio Ban. They told him -- no, as far as
schools were concerned. In tonites paper it said "Polio Ban lifted for adults
over 16" -- but not Schools. Just Theaters and Bars etc. I think. There are
only 20 cases in Cortland Co. to date and that's a good record, compared with
the other counties.
In the news tonight they said Bulgaria had declared war on Germany. That
makes one more country, even if it is small, fighting damned old
Schicklegruber -- Hilter for short and easy pronunciation. Say, hon, GAS is
spelled G A S not gass. 'Member how we laughed about it that time you wrote
gas and spelled it gass? You're also using short-cuts so just short cut gass
and leave off one those s's. Well, honey, here I am on the last half of sheet
no. 2 again. I never can think of anything to write on it.
Say, I haven't told you I love you yet, have I? Well, I do! And How!!!
I love you just twice or maybe 3 times as much as you think I do. Does that
mean enough love to keep you preserved until my next letter reaches you? Huh?
I think you'll like Rifle Practice. You were so crazy about shooting
anything you could find (even the "Bull" he he) and the way you popped
woodchucks between the eyes you ought to be able to hit the Marines Bulls-eye
every other time, at least -- I mean, at first. After a couple weeks I'll
expect to hear that you won a sharpshooters Medal. I hope so, anyhow. Well,
honey, it's now 8:45. I've been chatting with you for 40 minutes now and I'm
getting the urge to scribble, instead of write -- which always happens when my
fingers get tired. Well, Good nite. I love you, I love you, I love you, I
love you.
When can I leave off Recruit Depot on your address? Or does it stay
there? I wrote your address this time without looking, but I checked it
afterwards to make sure it was correct.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
9 Sep 1944
We just put one over on the Sergeant tonight so are very happy over being
able to get away with it. You see, sugar cake, (which is all honey to me) we
were allowed to go to a poor imitation of a home town circus tonight which was
badly fouled up by the constant drizzly, drop, drip, droop of little damp rain
drops which were continuously forming a miniature water falls over my sponge
like helmet which in turn landed on the very rocky points of my protruding
nose, chin and flapping ear whoppers which the Sergeant ties together in the
front and uses them for side blinds so we have to keep our head always to the
front which boils down to three words which read as follows: "It was
raining".
I believe, honey bun, that the wholly and badly battered sentence that
you just read completely, I hope, will go down in history as the longest
compound, compound, compound sentence of little nothings ever written by any
dimwit in the history of the United Whatchamajiggers and Company Incorporated.
But to get down to business, honey, our day of today was a compound
fracture of lectures, drills and three meals, and lots of other whatnots.
First we started out with waking up after dreaming about you all night (and I
am not kidding), rubbing our eyes, making one roll and tumble off our sacks
onto the deck which jolts my mostly closed eyelids a few fractions of an inch
wider open, then I slip into my dungaree trousers and sockless shoes, grab my
toilet kit and make a mad dash for the head.
Let's move on with the day's work a little faster, honey, because I'm
getting tired. Gosh I'm awfully sorry honey but I'm getting so tired that I
think I might better hit the sack and finish your letter in the morning. Any
way I won't be able to send this letter tonight because the mailman has
already left with our homeward bound mail. But I am sending you a Marine
magazine called the Leatherneck which I have subscribed for already. When I
get through reading it I will send it on home to you.
About your questions as to whether I received all of your letters or not.
I received every one of them, honey, and enjoyed them all as I read them
several times. I got your letter today with the needles that I asked for in
it. Thanks, honey, because I'll be using them a lot before I get back home to
the one I love.
10 Sep 1944 Early Sunday morning, in fact too early to get up.
You know, honey, us fellows here are always trying our damnedest to keep
from doing detail work. Well your little husband seemed to have an unexpected
stroke of good luck this morning because here I am sitting on my hind end with
nothing to do the rest of the day but write letters and sleep and wash my
clothes (that is I hope the Sergeant doesn't think of anything to do). Of
course I am not the only lucky one but then there are still only just a few of
us.
Now to get back to last night's brief discussion of the days proceeding.
Since we had morning chow at 0700 instead of 0600, we were not honored with
having a half hour of calisthenics but we did start right out swabbing up the
deck and squaring the ship away. Since every Saturday morning we have
inspection (at the barracks) by the Captain and since we have just got a new
Captain, well, we just had to have everything looking spic-and-span.
While we were waiting for the Captain, the Serg. had us field strip our
rifles, read a couple chapters in our soldiers handbook on Health and
Sanitation and prepare to answer questions on it. Then after the Serg. was
satisfied that we were a bunch of dumb heads by asking us a lot of questions,
the Captain and the Master Gunnery Sergeant Bennett came in to offer a few
suggestions as to the arrangement of our household goods.
Then the Serg. told us to fall out (and I do mean fallout) and he started
making an ass out of us in front of the platoons by shouting orders at us so
fast that we could not finish executing one command before he would give us
another.
Then we had one of those daily duties of feeding our bellies with chow.
After this we had to cart mattresses down and back from the barracks to the
sterilizing plant to be purified of any germs, bugs or the like. After this
was completed we were visited by an old man that had been a kind of fatherly
minister to the Marine Corps for over 25 years. He has talked with every
Marine that went through boot camp for the past 25 years. Now he is old and
feeble, has one arm practically unusable by the result of a sickness that left
his right arm always shaking all the time. He was a very nice fellow and
talked to us man to man about our own desires and thoughts and on the facts of
how a man is measured. I doubt if I will ever forget him, honey, because of
his wonderful ability to talk to hundreds of boys at a time, keep their
attention, crack jokes and still talk seriously and make the boys understand
what he is trying to say to them.
After this is when we really caught hell and right out in front of the
Captains quarters too. The Serg. told us to fall out with rifle, bayonet and
cartridge belt and stand by for plenty of drilling. Well, we got along all
right until a few of the fellows started horsing around and that got us all in
trouble. The Serg. got mad and drilled the hell out of us all the rest of the
afternoon. After that the Master Gunnery Sergeant Bennett gave us a good
talking to and told us we had better get on the ball. So you see, honey, just
a couple of fellows out of 64 can get the whole bunch in lots of trouble.
Well, honey, I'm sick of talking about what I have been doing up here ,
let's talk about you for a while.
Wait a minute, there is just one thing I forgot. You know, at the
beginning of this blasted jumble of nonsense, I told you we put something over
on the Serg.? Well, after the circus was over we were supposed to come right
straight back to the barracks. But we sneaked over to the P.X. and filled up
our buckets with stationary, stamps, shaving cream, tooth paste, cookies, ice
cream and etc.. We expected all along that we would get caught but we didn't.
Also at the circus we had 60 cents worth of tickets to spend on peanuts, pop
corn, candy and hot dogs and lemonade, so I brought back several packages of
peanuts and passed them out to the fellows in the barracks that couldn't go
because they had to go on guard duty.
Gosh, honey, here I have been gabbing away and used up 3 whole sheets of
my new stationery and if I don't quit talking I will use it all up. I hope I
get another letter from you today, honey, because that's about all I look
forward to except to the time when I can see you again.
Don't forget to send me your picture.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
11 Sept 1944
This is going to be short because it's time almost for the mailman to
come. The reason I didn't write last nite is very simple. At about 7 P.M.
last nite we left for Syracuse to meet Dad. He said he'd be in at 12
Midnight. All the 12:00 trains came in and no Dad. Mom said he probably
missed the train. But at 1:10 Dad came. It was a little after 3:00 when we
all got to bed. Wayne [Lear] and Dad went to work and I've got to about 10:
but I just got up. I'm writing to you in my nightie so I can get this
finished for the Postman. I haven't sent that brush yet. I've got to get it
wrapped up and get it on to you.
Gee, Don, I love you. I hope I get one of your swell letters, today,
then I'll know how you're getting along.
Does my mail come every day or does it come in lumps -- 3 or 4 letters
one day -- no more letters for a few days -- then 3 or 4 more?
When we went through LaFayette last night, I thought of all the times we
turned right, there, to go to Jamesville [to pick up truck loads of bagged
agriculture lime]. Then we went through Nedrow and down South Salina St. We
stopped at the Alpha, (remember?), and got sundaes and then went on down
through Syracuse. We found the Station without any trouble. There were more
Sailors, Soldiers and a few Marines in that darn Station than there were
anybody. 2/3 of them were service men, a few Wacs, Nurses. etc, too. The
rest civilian woman and civilian men, only one or 2 men under 30, the rest
have gone, I guess. We saw quite a few couples kissing goodbye and it made me
homesick for you. It made me feel like bawling, to watch them say goodbye,
even if they did hold back and keep their emotions to themselves.
Well, hon, the Postman will soon be here and I've got to dress and go to
work. I love you, I love you, I love you. So long for now, honey, I'll write
tonight.
The Postman just went, so I don't know whether I'll be able to mail this
today or not. Bye, honey, take care of yourself.
11 Sept 1944
I love you. I love you so much I miss you like heck and I hope your
furlough comes sooner than you think it will.
I've been down to our house since about 7:30 this evening. Dick
[Terrell] and your Mother helped me clean the oil stove -- you know, the main
pipe that runs along with the burners on it. It had so much goo in it it's a
wonder it ran at all. I wish we'd done it before you left -- about last June,
in fact, so I could have heated some water and cooked some potatoes. I didn't
know you could clean that pipe -- at least, I thought it never got dirty so
you wouldn't have to, until Aydee [Reynolds] told me one day. Well, now it
works swell and next time an oil stove acts up with me I'll know just how to
fix it. (I ran out of ink at this point and had to get a refill) It's only
the 2nd time since you've gone that I've had to fill it -- and look at all the
letters I've written! Wow!
I just got home, honey, and I a
forgot to write you, but when I
remembered, I thought I'd write tonight -- I took your letter down this
morning -- the letter in which the Postman beat me to the draw -- and mailed
it from Muriel's [Trapp]. I'm sending your brush tomorrow morning, honey. I
hope it gets there all right -- and for goodness sakes don't forget to tell me
when you get it.
Honey, the Pooch laid down over on the rug by my side of the bed, while I
was down there and I had the darnedest time getting him up to come up here.
He just seems to know it's home down there. There's only one thing I don't
like about going down there. It makes me homesick as hell for you. Every
time I get there and start thinking about you being gone, I could bawl for the
next 3 weeks -- and what good would it do?
They were working on the ditch tonight. I guess they're going to finish
things before winter sets in. They put up our chimney last night. Uncle Don
[Riehlman] helped them and they worked 'til one o'clock doing it. Imagine
Uncle Don staying up that late!
My pen just keeps scribbling on, tonight. I guess it's 'cause I feel
lonesome and as long as I'm talking with you, I don't feel so lonesome.
I worked from 10 this A.M. 'til 5:00 tonight and I was a little tired,
even if I just made two or three stencils and ran off 125 copies of each one
of them. My typings improving, honey -- aren't you glad?
Honey, please specify how small a picture you want unless you've done so
in a letter before this reaches you. It's funny the things I ask you are
usually answered by you b
you get my letter. I sent out a letter asking
which kind of brush Saturday and the letter I got today said a paint brush -letter you wrote Thursday. Say, D
honey, have you sent your clothes home
yet? I'll let you know when they come.
I found the insurance book tonite. It was in the little drawer of our
night-stand. Leon [Terrell] said [Roger] Scudamore was making out a new one
though, so it doesn't matter.
Don, I don't know whether I'll be able to stand it down in our house
alone, or not. Everything in it reminds me of you, especially the bed, and it
just seems like I won't be able to sleep in it without you. Maybe I'll have
to hug a pillow like your Mother suggested. Say, what do you hug? A l
Marine? Don't let me bother you, honey. If I thought you were hugging one of
those old bags, I'd get in that damned place even if I had to grow one of
those things all men have. I think I could even sprout hair on my chest.
Speaking of hair, I'm sending you a "little lock" of what I had sheared off
Saturday.
Well, hon, I'm going to crawl in and I wish you were in the other side of
the bed. Maybe you will be soon. The Allies are fighting Jerries on German
soil tonight. More power to them.
Well -- Well -- Every time I start a sentence I say W
-- I've got to
break myself of that habit or I'll be hitting a spring 'cause I've got so many
wells.
I'm enclosing a picture of your old flirt. They'll all be married off in
a while and then I'll have you all to myself. Nite, honey, I love you. Kiss
yourself good night for me.
12 Sept 1944
You've been getting my mail since you wrote about 2 days not hearing from
me. I hope you have anyway. You should have your brush by the time you get
this letter. And you should have got your needles by the time I'm writing
this.
I'm tired as heck tonight, honey. I went to work at 10:30 this A.M. and
worked 'til 5:00 tonight. I cleaned 3 cupboards today. Those two in 217 and
the wooden one in the hall by the Health Room. I lifted books 'til I thought
I'd die. If it hadn't been for Carl Hagadorn helping me, I probably would
have. He carried books to the cellar that were to be stored and cleaned off
the top, where I couldn't reach. We rearranged a
the books. What a job.
And the dÿ
books are heavy, too.
I saw 3 of the new teachers today. Mr. Morrison, the Science and Math,
is quite an old man 50 or 55. He's been teaching 29 years. I told him that
was about 20 years too long and he took it like I meant it, all right -- he
didn't even get mad. I didn't think how it sounded until after I said it.
The first time I saw him he said "ahem --- You're the Seventh Grade
Teacher???". And I laughed and said "no, I'm just Prof's Secretary or runnera-round". He said "Well, we'll know who to call on for errands then, won't
we?" And I r
"That's what I'm here for". He said "Then -- you're Miss
er-er", and I said "M
Terrell". And he said "Oh". So now he knows I'm a
m
Old Lady instead of a 7th Grade Teacher, ain't that something?
I also ran into Mrs. Miller, Commercial Teacher. Her husband is a
Bombadier in Italy, at the moment. Tomorrow he may be in Germany. She's
small and dark and very nice. Then I saw Miss Sharp. She's English, Library
etc. She's awfully small, I think a wee-bit shorter than me and she weighs
less than 100, I think. Old Lady Patrick -- Barnes, you know, is teaching at
Truxton this year -- Art and Music -- combined.
Say, hon, Francis Lynch and Florence (Stevens) had their baby -- J
. Isn't that some name? I'll take Lyn Ellen anytime. Say, Don, I
forgot to enclose Butch's [Eileen Snyder] picture in my letter last night.
You probably know it by now -- that she's engaged to Bob Bays. Leon [Terrell]
said he'd sent you the Cortland Standard for 6 months. The dÿ
fool didn't
send o
Cortland Standard, he bought 6 months more. He said he forgot about
o
. I haven't got my allotment yet, Don. Maybe I won't get one 'til next
month, do you suppose? I think I get paid $25 this Friday but I'm not sure.
Wedding comes off this Saturday. They ought to be happy -Harvey [Caywood] and Betty [Wilkes] -- they've spent more darn money for
furniture etc. Everything they get is "T
" Best. $17.95 for end tables and
so on.
It's been raining here today, off and on, nice and slow and it's been
soaking in, too. The wind has been blowing and tonight it's quite cool out.
Tomorrow school starts. I forgot to ask Prof if he wanted me to work all
day so I called, but he wasn't there. Maybe he only wants me 1/2 day, just
the same but I thought as it was the first day maybe he'd want a
Don, you won't believe it's the Pooch when you see him. He's grown so.
See how much you'd be missing if it was a baby instead of a dog? He's not
going to be a bad-looking dog. Not gangly or stringy but just medium, filled
out nice, too.
The old Sow got out of the pen tonight and went down the road. Wayne
[Lear] had to go get her. She came right up ahead of him not running or
anything. Just walking in the beam of the flashlight. Some Sow!
Say, D
, I've been talking to you 40 minutes, now. It's 9:30 and
I'm getting so hoarse-minded I can hardly talk -- or think either! I can't
think of anything else to talk to you about either. Even as hard as I try to.
Are any of the fellows in your barracks from New York State? And have
you met any from Texas or West? Don't you love to hear them talk? And they
have the darndest expressions and way of saying things. At least the people
in Illinois have.
Well, here I go saying Well, again. I'm going to sign off and listen to
Bob Hope and read a comic or two. Then to bed for me. Nite, honey, sleep
tight and be a go-o-o-o-d boy -- especially to the Sergeant and Captain.
13 Sept 1944
Today was the beginning of 10 months of work in a quite pleasant office -not hard work, but small tasks. Writing letters, filing duplicates of letters
mailed, filing Purchase Order and Purchase Requisition blanks and finding
articles lost by the "Absent-minded Professor". Jees, honey, what a husband
he'd make! He forgets where he puts everything -- from nuts to bolts. He's a
lot worse at remembering where he dropped things than you ever could be -- I
hope!
I received the swellest 3
letter from a Marine Somewhere on Parris
Island today. It's funny 'tho, his last name was the same as mine, and he
wrote me the best loving I've got since August 25th, 1944 at 9:03 A.M. I
think if he was about 800 miles nearer I'd give him the swellest loving he'd
ever got before.
You'll probably have a first-hand Manager on your hands when you come
home. I kind of like running around, telling some people what to do and
having t
tell me what to do.
Your Mother called tonight and wanted to know if I'd like to see "Marine
Raiders" at the State tonight. I said yes so they're coming after me in about
15 minutes -- more or less. The picture will probably give me nightmares if
it's like most War Pictures.
Say, honey, I'm enclosing that hair I was going to send you night before
last. Ain't it cute?
I haven't made an appointment yet for my picture, honey. I called and
asked about the prices but that was all. I'm going to get one for next week
if I can and have my hair set and dress all up and get a super-duper taken.
But don't get your hopes up 'cause the picture probably won't be any good.
Mine never are. Say, hon, if you have a chance to get your "monkey-face" in a
snapshot, please send some to your little hunk of sugar out here in good old
New Yawk State. Which reminds me -- you've never commented on my idea of us
touring Washington (How about New York City, too?) on the way home on your
furlough! Please answer inquiry and state reason why yes or why no. Thinking
of you in advance, I remain
Your loyal little ray of Sunshine
Mrs. Donald L. Terrell (L. is for Leon)
How's that for a snappy ending? I love you, I forgot that -- but that's
the last time. I love you -- See I remembered it this time. I'll love you in
my next letter, too -- and w
are we going to write on if you ever have your
letters censored -- Greek or Pig Latin? Or do you like to see Censor's faces
get red? I think I'd enjoy seeing one looking like a broiled Lobster.
Say, hon, it's 8:30 so I'm going to comb my hair and put on a little war-paint
and then finish your letter. If I don't finish it now, I will when I come
home tonight. Dad's been taking my letters up and sending them off on the
train. They ought to get to you quicker that way.
So long for a while.
Here I am back again. All slicked up fit to kill! Say, honey, did I
tell you I was getting a $10 permanent in one of my letters. I wasn't going
to tell you but I must have slipped -- he he. But it's all right, I guess. I
tell you everything anyhow. I never could keep a secret from you. I hope you
like my new hair do, hon. My hair is about...... here comes a car. I'll
bet it's your folks, if it is -- Goodbye and if it isn't -- 'Bye , honey, for
now .... 1 1/2" long and it's soft not crinkly and it sort of lays in curls
instead of sticking out from my head. In other words it looks almost natural.
It's 1:05 A.M. right now. I went down to your Dad's and Mother's and had
a club sandwich, 3 cups of tea and a piece of apple pie. We sat and talked
about you and Bob [Terrell] so it's kind of late.
Donny!! Write r
back and tell me. Are you in the U.S.M.C or the
U.S.M.C.Reserves (U.S.M.C.R.). Leon [Terrell] said tonight he thought men in
the just plain Marine Corps had to sign up for 4
years. Please, honey, write
back and tell me if that's what you did. Or don't you know? Leon thought the
U.S.M.C.R. -- what Bob is in, are signed up for the duration and 6 months.
And the Marines, 4 years. P
, Don, don't forget to tell me. It makes me
want to bawl like Hÿ
when I think maybe you signed up for 4 years. What in
Hÿ
would I do without you for 4 years. I'd go bug-nuts, completely. And
what about poor Lyn Ellen [our planned for future child]? Just think she
could be a "bouncing beaut" of at least t
in 4 more years.
Don, you know I told you Aunt Hazel [Kerr] had had 2 miscarriages. Well,
she is about to have another, I guess. You know she said she was going to get
pregnant just as soon as Ted [Kerr] came home for good -- so she did. And now
she's in bed, afraid to move, for fear she'll lose this baby, too. She never
keeps them only about 2 months or so, so their not really babies yet. I hope
she has this one O.K. She's 31 though, and that's quite a ripe old age to
start having a family. We're going to better that by about t
years (We've
only got 2 years to go.).
I'm so glad to hear from you every day, dearest. Your letters mean as
much or more to me than mine mean to you. Talk about looking forward to them,
I can't hardly wait for about 11:30 A.M. to come, 'cause then maybe the
Mailman will bring me a nice letter from my one and only. And in your letters
you say just the things I miss the most -- like -- I love you and all my love.
That's what makes me feel 100% better when I get your letters. Then, too, I
like you to tell me about your new life so I can visualize what you're doing.
It makes you seem closer when I can think about you doing some definite thing
like drilling, or swabbing the deck or standing guard duty. Don, I'm glad you
felt like going because now you'll never look back and think that you were a
slacker or a draft dodger. And that's exactly what you were beginning to call
yourself in your own mind, but it doesn't make missing you any simpler or
easier for me. Knowing that you didn't fight against going does help me,
though, 'cause I knew you'd have a better chance of getting used to your new
life, if you accepted it instead of fighting against it. Is James Dopp in
your barracks and if he isn't who is this "buddy" of yours in your barracks?
Don, darling, I'm going to seal this up and mail it, 'cause I have to
catch s
shut-eye too. Remember that I love you more than anything or
anybody, and that I'll always love you just like that.
I wish I could kiss you good nite just once, honey. Gee, it would be
fun. But I can't so I'll just send you a kiss right here
X marks the spot
P.S. I really kissed it twice. Maybe if you kissed it too we'd have a
kiss made for good night before we knew it! Send me one like that, can't you,
when the fellows aren't looking? Give it a good smack just for me.
All my love and hugs and kisses. Good night, Donegie, and sleep tight, -wont you?
(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)
The circles are hugs, the X's are kisses. Nite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
13 Sep 1944
Well, honey, it's been a couple days now since I have had time to write
you so I'll see if I can think of a page or two of whatnots to tell you. To
begin with, I got five letters today but none from my honey, but I know why
not and that is because you couldn't mail on Sunday. I got two from Jean
[Terrell], one from Jerry R. [Riehlman], one from Martha L. [LeRoy], and one
from Bob [Terrell] and I have wrote him a letter which I am sending out
tonight. I wrote him one about a week ago but it was only ordinary mail and
it will probably take about a month to reach him.
Gosh, honey, it seems like two years since I last squeezed you and kissed
you until you would complain of several broken ribs. Well, you had better
have an iron cast on when I get home or you won't have a bone left in your
chest and your lips will be so sore you won't even want to talk. Say, honey,
it's funny as hell how all I used to dream about was farming and fighting
dragons and all that bunk when I did dream. Now every night when I hit the
sack thinking about you, I always end up by dreaming I was with you.
I haven't received your package with my paint brush and other little
housewife gadgets yet. By the way, honey, when you get back down to our
house, after the gas is all hooked up, how about baking your piggish husband
some of those chocolate-chip cookies that you used to bake for me? Gosh,
honey, would I ever be proud to pass out a box of those delicious cookies to
the fellows and say proudly "That's some of my wife's cooking". The only
thing wrong with the idea is that I probably would get only about two of them.
You see, honey, every time a package comes in up here, no matter how big
or small, we all holler "poke bait" and swarm around the unlucky fellow who
got some cookies or some sweets from home. In about two seconds flat they are
devoured as every one admires their deliciousness. One fellow got a big angel
food cake from his mother where upon it was devoured wholly, even the hole in
the middle.
Say, honey, If you read in the papers tomorrow that Parris Island was
blown off the map the night before, don't let it worry you because I'll take
care of myself. You probably heard that there is one hell of a typhoon or
hurricane coming for us that is expected to hit sometime during the night or
early morning. It might not even hit us, but if it does you can be damn sure
that I will find myself safe cover. We have all our buckets and canteens full
of water, and everything that is unstable outdoors inside under cover. All
personnel are confined to their quarters and orders are given for no showers
to be taken tonight or in the morning.
You see, honey, they take plenty of precautions down here even at the
slightest sense of danger. Since these barracks are nothing but wood with no
foundation it would be very easy to blow them flat which did happen three
years ago (1941). But whatever you do, honey, don't worry about me because I
sure as hell will keep out of the way of things if anything happens.
Well, honey, your half ass, country gent of a husband got to march in the
parade this morning and when I got through marching I wished that I wasn't in
it. Boy, it sure was hot out on the parade field, honey. There were
approximately two thousand of us that passed in review in front of all the top
officers. Gosh, honey, I wish you could have seen us and it was only a small
portion of the Marines here. But the Marine Band and Marine Drum and Bugle
Corps was the best, they really could play and I don't mean maybe.
This afternoon I was guard at the recreation hall for a while and then we
had a long lecture from the Serg. on scouting and duties of patrols.
Well, honey, I guess I'd better get ready to hit the sack. It is getting
calm and awfully still out now and the sky looks awfully funny but I guess it
is just because we are all wondering.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
14 Sept 1944
Here I am again -- and before I forget to tell you, my allotment came
today. It said on a slip inside that it was the Initial Allotment. It's for
50 bucks. I'm afraid, hon, I'm going to have to use most of this 50, but I'm
going to plan on putting 50 back in the bank in place of it. I had Leon
[Terrell] have the car fixed. The generator had it's solder thrown again, and
the car door welded straight. I owe him about 8 bucks. I owe Aydee
[Reynolds] 10. 'Member, hon, I had to spend the $30 you left me for coal the
next Sunday after you left. So I charged at Aydee's and I've borrowed some
from Mom quite often. So I'll use the $50 with the idea of paying it back to
the bank. I owe Mom $7.20. So----7.20 Mom
8.00 Leon
10.00 Aydee
------25.20 What I owe. The most in all my 19+ years.
That's a whole half of your allotment to me or a 2 weeks paycheck of
mine. I've spent more though, like for my hair than I'll have to spend for
the rest of the school year. I got that wool, too, but I won't have to buy
many more clothes.
We just heard the 11:00 news and I hope that Hurricane or Tidal Wave
that's pounding the Atlantic Coast will completely miss you. I hope you're
all right tonight. Jees, honey, take care of yourself, please, and don't let
anything happen to you.
I didn't tell you, but I'd rather got just one letter or even a couple of
postcards from you than that $50 allotment from the Navy Department.
Honey, don't forget to tell me whether you're in plain Marines or the
Reserves and how long did you sign up for? Don, as long as three weeks has
been, 4 years would be a lifetime, and I couldn't stand waiting that long.
I'd go nuts -- you know, pecan, walnut and almond.
That old deaf man that fixed the chimney up to East Homer for us, is
laying your Mom's and Dad's fireplace. He's doing a good job, but I guess
he's pretty slow and Clara can't talk to him and have him understand her very
well. You know how that would upset her.
Honey, Howard [Haskins] has bought a new truck. A 'Chevy, they tell me.
Don't you wish you could drive it? Or do you? A new one seems like it would
be fun to drive.
Mom and I are going up town tomorrow. Your Mother said she'd call if she
wanted to go. Mom and I are going to get "decked out" for the Wedding
Saturday. I think I'll get a black hat, bag and gloves to wear with my blue
wool suit. I can wear the black shoes that your folks got me for Christmas.
Or maybe I'll wear that blue hat Mom made me with the feathers around the
edge, if it's the same color as the suit and looks O.K. with my hair short.
Darn, honey, I wish you were here to go with me. We'd have a lot of fun. If
you w
here, though, I'd rather take Saturday off and you and I sleep 'til
around 11:00 and then get up and just "Laz" around, all day and go out in the
evening and stay out, maybe 'til 1: or so and then go home and cuddle up, and
miss a little sleep maybe 40 winks or so and then drop off to sleep with your
arms around me, and my head laying on your old padded shoulder. You could
help get my feet warm, too, except that it's not that cold yet -- and my feet
are moderately warm. Gee, Don, that would be fun. I know just how much fun
it would be, 'cause as I write it, it seems just like you were here, and we
were having fun, instead of your being way down there and me way up here.
Clara (McKinney) Edwards and Leon [Edwards] are planning on coming home
on a furlough next month. It will be the second one Leon's had. On his first
one, he got married. You probably remembered that Clara -- or "Shorty" to
you, isn't teaching school now. She stays down with Leon and works in Florida
near where he's at. Maybe if you get in a camp that's near a town, I could
come and stay with you. I guess it's only commissioned Officers that are
allowed to stay out of Camp all night, but we could have an awful lot of fun
even if we only saw each other an (1) hour a day. That would be better than
not at all, don't you think?
Gee, Donnie, I'm getting sleepy, so I guess I'll send you all my love,
kisses, hugs and e
and HIT THE SACK! Because pretty soon I'll have to be
hitting the Deck. Good night, honey. I'll be talking with you on the same
frequency tomorrow night. I'm hoping I'll get a letter tomorrow and I'd
better not be disappointed. P.S. Wouldn't I make a wonderful Marine? Ha Ha.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Don to Maggie]
14 Sep 1944
I sent this just for something to remind you that I still love you better
than anything else in the world. Since you don't buy these for a quarter,
honey, I don't want to catch you using it for a handkerchief. [per Maggie:
Don sent two large head scarves with the Marine emblem embroidered on them.
This note must have been with them. I wore them for head scarves during the
winters he was away.]
Thanks for the paint brush, honey, but I'm afraid I misdirected you in
dimensions. If you will send me about a half inch brush I think it would work
much better. I'll send this brush home with my civilian cloths in another
week or so. My shoes got moldy so I had to throw them away but my suit is
still good after a good cleaning.
Yes, honey, a picture of you about 5" x 7" framed would be just about the
right size. I hope you didn't cut your hair too short honey, because you know
darn well I always liked to run my fingers through your long hair. I even
combed it for you several times. I'll bet you forgot that didn't you? Well I
remember it, honey, and I always will.
Thanks for the thimble, I really can use it as the darn dungarees sure
are made out of tough material.
Say hello to George, Daisy, Wayne and the kids [Lear] for me too, honey.
I haven't wrote them a letter yet, except the post card, and feel so ashamed
that I'll write one just at my next spare moment.
I'm glad to hear that George [Lear] got back all right. I'll bet he
won't want to ride on a damn train again for a while, the way it is crowded
now days.
Don't forget, honey, the Marine emblem is always worn with proud,
dignified manner and as a constant reminder that I love you with all my heart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
15 Sept 1944
Here I am. I just got back from having my hair set at Aydee's [Reynolds]
so it will be nice for the Wedding tomorrow. I'm tired as heck, too. Mom and
I went to town this morning and I bought a black little dutch hat, black
pocketbook and gloves. I'm going to wear the black shoes I got for Christmas.
They're to wear with my blue suit. I also got 2 pairs of rayon stockings, a
slip, a pair of panties, some envelopes to write to my honey in, and a small
10 cent bottle of Energine Cleaning Fluid. I won't need another pair of
stockings for sometime, unless I have bad luck and get a couple of runs right
away.
Beverly Fisher's really that way, honey. She didn't even come to school
and I think they're expelling Dick Francis. I talked to Alice Bristol today
and she thinks that Mr. and Mrs. Fisher should be made to let Beverly and Dick
get married. She says the way they're doing, not letting them get married,
will leave all the responsibility on Beverly, and not give the baby a name. I
suppose she's right in a way, but they'd probably just wreck their marriage,
so what's the use? I hope it will make some of the other kids start thinking
and stop doing what some of them are doing before it's too late, and they have
the same thing happen to them.
Don, dear, I forgot to tell you how much I liked your stationery. It's
beautiful. The gold insignia at the top is very nice and the seals are
lovely. In other words, I think it beats the Army, Navy, Coast Guard etc. all
hollow.
I felt much better today, my tummys acted pretty decent, f
. You
know how it does sometimes -- at least you ought to know after rubbing it for
me 12 hrs. out of o
night. Remember? I do. You made it feel better,
anyhow.
Did you think of me at least o
today, honey? If you didn't I won't
write and tell you about the Wedding tomorrow. Wouldn't that be mean of me,
keeping important things like that from you? ha ha.
Don, I think Earl and Minnie have moved again. Maybe Earl was drafted,
for all I know, but there was a white haired, older woman out on the porch
this noon hanging up clothes.
That reminds me, how do you like washing out your own filthy pants? Or
do you wash them so often they don't have a chance to get filthy? I'm glad
you've got a Sergeant that makes you toe the mark. It's just what the Dr.
ordered for you. Maybe you'll learn to put things away, etc. which I failed
to get over to you in the past year. Do you realize, Donnie, that it won't be
too long before we'll be married two years? Ten days from today will be 15
months and it only takes 24 to make 2 years. I hope you're back for good by
our Second Anniversary, but I suppose that's just wishful thinking. Well, I
can wish, can't I? Maybe if you wish, too, it will stop being just wishful
thinking and maybe even become a fact.
I've got to go down and get my black shoes tonight sometime. Wayne's
[Lear] starting to go to sleep and I wanted him to go with me, so I'll go and
finish your letter in just a few minutes.
I got back safely and hemmed the slip I'm going to wear tomorrow. So
here I am again, ready to write another page to you.
Gee, Don, I wish you were going with me. Maybe we can go to one some
other time, together.
Darn it, honey, I'm sorry but I don't think I'll finish this page. My
eyes or my head or something is hurting and I can't think of anything more to
tell you. So I guess I'll sign off and get ready to hit the sack. We're to
be at Cortland tomorrow A.M. at 6:45. The Wedding is at 9:00. Then they're
serving a Wedding Breakfast at Betty's Mother's house. Then from 2 - 5 Harvey
[Caywood] and she are having a reception at their own house. I'll write you
all the details tomorrow night if I'm not asleep on my feet. Nite, my honey.
I love you.
X -- marks the spot.
I just kissed it. Hurry up and maybe you'll be able to catch me before I
seal the envelope.
16 Sept 1944
The first thing I did when I got home was call and see if I got a letter and sure enough, I did. I tore right down and got it and ripped it open and
started reading. Gee, Donnie, I miss your letters, like the last two days.
You don't know? Well, maybe you feel that way when you don't get a letter
from me. I'm sorry you didn't get one Wednesday, but it must have been on
account of Sunday. I hope you got one Thursday.
We left for Syracuse at 7:30 this morning. We arrived about 5 minutes
after the Wedding started and heard most of the Ceremony. The Priest told
Harvey and Betty not to kiss (you know, the kiss we almost forgot) after the
Ceremony. I said I'd have said yes, we wouldn't and then done it anyhow. The
hell with the Priest. I don't think that a Wedding is complete, or a couple
Man and Wife before that kiss. That sort of settles the matter. The Wedding,
I mean.
I'm glad you're getting so much mail from everyone. But you'd better be
sure and get one off to me or I'll get jealous -- he he -- and you know what
will happen then. I pity you having to read a letter from Jerry. Or aren't
they as scatter-brained as she is -- you know, what you told me about writing
m
to Bob [Terrell]? Well, it goes double for you as far as she's
concerned. And I m
it!!!! I would think you'd enjoy Martha L's [LeRoy]
and Jean's [Terrell]. If you're going to call Jean and everyone else "honey",
'tho, you can start calling me something else. And don't forget it!!!!!!!! I
don't care what the hell it is, but I'd like a name just for me from you. I
can't call everybody "honey" 'cause that's my name for you. It may be silly,
but you're my honey and no one else can fill the bill. What I mean is, I love
you, and I hope I don't have any ribs, lips or "rock bottom" -- he he he -left when you come home on furlough, and I'm glad you dream about me, 'cause
it shows you think about me -- at least once in a while.
I'll send some of those Chocolate Chip cookies just as soon as I find out
about how that oven bakes -- (after the gas is hooked up). You know, I did
like to bake for you and have you like what I baked. 'Member how we used to
gobble up those Chocolate Chip cookies? Is there any other baked food that
will keep good? You said about that Angel Food Cake. Was it fresh and nice
by the time it got there and how far did that Mother send it? -- From where
she lived, I mean. Would Fanny Farmers keep if I could buy some?
I hope you're all right, Don. I know they take all precautions against
danger, but even so, it doesn't mean that all you fellows will be all right .
I hope that damned Typhoon missed you completely. I couldn't find anything in
the papers, and couldn't hear anything over the radio about Parris Island, so
I think it must have missed you -- unless Military restrictions prevented them
from mentioning it. I won't feel good until I hear from you again, anyway.
It seems funny to get word like that about something that has happened a few
days ago. But that's the way all news comes by mail -- a few days after.
Don, honey, I'd have loved to see 2,000 Marines marching, but it just
doesn't seem possible, not right now, at least. When I say 2,000 -- I mean
one guy in 2,000 -- or one s
guy and 1,999 other ordinary Marines. I
suppose that's what the other wives, etc. think, too. And I'll bet that Drum
and Bugle Corps is really swell. Maybe I'll hear them over the radio someday
when they have authorized permission to broadcast.
Why do they have Guards in a Recreation Hall?
Do you have to stand up and walk back and forth, or do you just sit
around and see that the guys behave?
Do you like Guard Duty?
What do you Marines do in the "Rec" Hall, bowl, shoot pool, swim
etc?
Are there strict rules about the "Rec" Hall as to Conduct etc?
Roger [Lear] says to write a scratch for him. He's gone to bed -- just
where I'm going in a very few minutes. Here's the scratch ÿ
Why didn't they let you take showers when they thought the Typhoon was
coming? And why the pails and canteens of water?
It's been pouring every day this week almost, except today and today it
cleared off. They said it was our part of the hurricane. Well, Goodnite,
honey, sleep tight and dream of me. All my love and kisses -- multiplied by
10,000,000,000,000,000,000 and then add 100,000,000,000,000,000 and you'll
have exactly how many times I'd like to kiss you.
17 Sept 1944
I'll say I love you right now, then I can say it again in a few minutes.
I hope you've had another day of rest and sent me one of those 3-4 page
letters. You did write me, didn't you? If you didn't I'll stop right here.
Oh, you did? Well then I'll write a couple of lines more.
We mailed your letter today in Ithaca, so you hadn't ought to of missed a
day this last week. We went through Ithaca on our way to the Peach Orchard.
Dad and Mom got 3 bushels of peaches, a half bushel of grapes and a headache
from trying to find a tree someone else hadn't stripped clean. The peaches
were small, but they're sweet. They were $2.50 a bushel, pick them your
selves and $3.00 a bushel already picked.
I'm planning on going to "Dragon Seed" tonight with Wayne [Lear] and Ann
Joyce Mespell and Chester Beardsley and Emma Lou Mespell, but they haven't
come back for me yet and it's 8:45 so I don't imagine they will come. The
boys didn't have dates with the girls, anyway. They were just going over to
Dryden and ask them to go. Wayne said if they couldn't or wouldn't go, he'd
call me, but he hasn't called yet, so maybe they're just late.
Ray Dalley worked down to the houses today. I don't know how much he
did, 'though, but I'll find out tomorrow.
So long, honey, I'll finish when I get back.
Hello again, sweetheart. It's 0025 (12:25 A.M.) and we just got back. I
took Emma Lou and Ann Joyce home by the main Dryden-Cortland Road and then
brought the boys up here. Chet's just started his car and he's starting to go
home now. The show was quite good. It showed what the Japs were really made
of. I got so mad my stomach jumped right up and down and growled. If you'd
been there beside me (by the way, I sat in the aisle seat where you always
parked, with Wayne on my left) probably you'd have had mangled fingers, from
me getting excited and squeezing them.
I wish you'd been there. There was a fellow and a girl sat in front of
us, and they missed 3/4's of the picture. The guy would whisper something in
her ear and then he'd kiss her and that's practically all they did.
Don't mind me -- I think I'm a little jealous that my man wasn't there to kiss
me. Of course, you wouldn't kiss me that often -- I hope so. One every
minute, or better, every second, would just suit me fine. Say, honey, did I
ever tell you that I liked the way you kissed me? I think I did, but just to
be sure, I'll tell you again. I love the way you kiss me. There! Now I've
told you. Don, do you ever kind of day dream, and almost feel like I'm
hugging you, or kissing you? Sometimes I get to thinking about you, and I
slip off daydreaming, and I can almost feel you hug me, or put your arm around
me. I know it's just imagination, but I feel good to think you've been gone a
whole 3 weeks and I can still feel you near me. I think if I couldn't
remember that, I'd be lonely as heck.
Honey, do you love me? You did a little while ago, but men change so
fast -- O
never knows. I love you, I love you, I love you and if you were
right here, this minute, I'd make you gasp and sputter -- 'cause I'd hug you
and kiss you till you were all tired out. Every time I write you, I sit here
and the light hits the ring you gave me. It sparkles, honey, just like it
always did, and it's so beautiful. It catches every little light beam and
flashes it back at me, just like it's trying to keep me company, by reminding
me of you. Every time I see it sparkle, I think of the day we got it. And
the night you put my Wedding ring on my finger. I think of the night, too,
that you put y
diamond on my finger and how it sparkled in the moonlight.
We'll have to go down to Hannah's Stump on your furlough, to see if the moon
still will make it sparkle, down there. It sounds silly, but I can touch my
diamond with my lips, and it almost seems like it's you. I suppose it's
because I wish it was you I was touching. Honey, It's 0050 (12:50 A.M.) and
I've got to hit the sack. Please write to me often -- every day if you can.
I miss you so, and your letters are just like those kisses I used to give you,
they give me enough energy to last a day, until another one comes. I love
you. I'll come and talk to you again tomorrow night. All my love and kisses
and hugs and e
. I love you. 'Nite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
17 Sep 1944
Did you get my little present yet or did the post man think it wasn't
worth carrying and throw it in the junk pile? How do you like it, honey,
don't you think that is about the best scarflet or kerchief you ever did see?
They had necklaces, rings, pins and everything else for souvenirs but I
thought that was the best of them all. I'm going to get you another one next
time I go to the P.X. Although they cost $1.60, I think they are worth every
penny of it.
By the time you get to read this bunch of scribbling, you should have got
what's left of my civilian clothes. We had to wear our own shoes for the
first couple of days and since it rained every day, they got all wet. Then I
had to put them in my locker box so they wouldn't get stolen and consequently
they molded and I had to throw them away.
As to what happened to my underwear, other pair of socks and my other
sport shirt, well they just aren't here any more. You see my sport shirt got
so filthy dirty from that long train ride that it was just like a grease rag
so I tore it up for rags to clean my rifle. My underwear and socks were
thrown in a barrel just after we stripped for examination. Now the Marines
are using them all over the island for dust rags. Please send my suit to the
cleaners, honey, and then hang them up in that moth proof container.
By the way, honey, we all had to send our clothes C.O.D. to save time and
confusion here at the freight house. So if Mother or Dad pays for it when it
comes, please pay them what it costs. We weren't allowed to keep our
traveling bags so I'm sending it home for now and when I want it to come home
from New River [N.C.] with, I'll send for it.
No, honey, I'm not enlisted in the Marine Corps for 4 years. You know
darn well that I am not that big of a damn fool, although there are several in
our platoon that are signed up for 4 years. I am in the U.S.M.C. Reserves
which means for the duration and 6 months after. Also I am subject to call
for service any time within a period of 10 years after my release. But it
isn't very many times that they will call us during that period of 10 years
unless another war breaks out or an uprising should occur.
Also, honey, I told you the other day that we were in the danger zone of
a tidal wave or hurricane. Well, after taking every precaution there was and
hitting the sack wondering what would happen to us during the night, we woke
up the next day all in one piece. We were completely missed although I see by
the papers that some parts of the coasts were hit pretty bad, for instance
parts of New York.
Well, honey, today being Sunday, was supposed to be a kind of rest day
for us but it didn't look that way when we started out this morning. After
chow, we had all just got nicely settled on the deck for a short snooze when
the Serg. hollered to fall out. We all went down to the Post Armory and were
assigned the all morning job of handing out all the equipment to two new
platoons (128 men). Several of them were from N.Y. state but I didn't get a
chance to talk to them and ask them from what part they hailed.
I guess I kind of played out on you this afternoon, honey, because here
it is 1700 and I still haven't finished your letter yet. You see, just after
I got on about the second page where I was telling you about sending home my
clothes, the Serg. came in for mail call.
I got a letter from you, you little agitator. After I read the nice
letter you wrote me about being together, I didn't feel so good. So after
reading a letter from Mother and the Cortland Standard (Thurs. edition), I
immediately fell off in a deep slumber and started dreaming about us being
together. I guess I must have slept about two or three hours because I just
woke up a little while ago.
Gosh, honey, you talk about how much my letters mean to you, you don't
realize how glad I am every time we have mail call because I know that just
about every time I will get a letter from my honey. I guess I have good
confidence in you, honey, because I never seem to worry about whether I'll get
a letter or not. I just seem to take it for granted, knowing that you like to
talk to me every night (I hope).
Well, honey, it's just about time for chow and I've wasted the whole
afternoon thinking about you. So I've got to get busy cleaning my rifle. You
know, next Wed. 20th we set out for the rifle range for 24 days.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
18 Sept 1944
It's been quite nice here, today. Not too cold, and not hot. I'm going
to wear my jersey dress tomorrow. We haven't been paid yet, but I expect we
will be, tomorrow. I'll get $25. I'm going to save it as long as I can. I
guess I'll put myself on a budget. I'd sort of like to take music lessons,
again. On the piano, I mean. If you're going to be gone 4 years, I might
just as well find something to preoccupy myself with, hadn't I?
Say, Don, I really dreamed last night. You hugged me all night. Boy,
did we have fun!! We made up for 3 weeks of no loving. And how!
Honey, what would you say if I asked you if I could take lessons on your
cornet? Would you say yes, no or What the hell are you talking about? Well,
Can I? I'd like to learn how and I thought maybe Miss Shaw would teach me.
Don't forget to tell me next time you write.
I'd better get a letter tomorrow or I'm not going to write you until
I get damned good and ready. Bob [Terrell] is sending Jerry [Riehlman], Carol
[Olmstead], Jean [Terrell] and I a grass skirt apiece. Boy, I'll probably run
wild after I get mine. Bob said we'd have to find our own "bra's", he said
maybe we could wear the tops of some of our shorts. Personally, I don't think
I'll wear anything but the grass shirt -- I think it would be more
interesting that way, don't you?
Honey, do they have Marine pins at your PX? How about getting a cute one
for me -- or do they cost a small fortune? I haven't looked for them, except
the Marine Emblem on earrings. All they had was Navy and Air Corps earrings.
I'd like a small pin to pin on my coat or suit. I'd rather have one like that
than one of those damn service star pins -- or did we discuss service stars
and pins before? The Marine pin would mean twice as much to me because you
sent it, -- or wouldn't you want me to wear a Marine Pin? Write and tell me
what you think about it and whether you can get me a pin, or not. I sent your
letter from Cortland this morning. Well, honey, I guess I'm all through
shooting the breeze tonight so I'll sign off. You'd better have sent a letter
for me to get tomorrow, or you're liable to find I skipped a few days, between
now and next Sunday. He He ÿ
. It would serve you right.
All my love and kisses. All my hugs. [Maggie drew a bunch of x's for
kisses and a bunch of outstretched arms for hugs. Don't tell anyone but I
still DO love her very much. Even if I do have to type into the computer all
of our World War ll letters because she says "I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in
my right wrist and can't type anymore". 2 Dec 1992 ]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
18 Sep 1944
I wrote two letters today, honey. One to Uncle Don, Aunt Elsie and the
kids [Riehlman] and one to my honorable brother, Bob.
Say, Honey, we had to fall out to go to the dental dispensary, I had one
more big double cavity filled. So far now, I have been there about a dozen
times honey. I still have one tooth to be pulled and several to be filled.
We have to brush our teeth every morning so I probably won't have any more
trouble with them.
I hope you can read my scribbling darling, because I am writing on my
knee and hurrying before the lights go out.
We just came back from some more kill or be killed movies. They sure
were good and the real thing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Maggie to Don]
19 Sept 1944
Well, here went another day without a letter from you. I don't know why
I bother writing you, after not hearing from you two days, but I want to talk
to you all the worse. When I talk to you, I feel better, and I think if I
didn't write to you for a night or two, my conscience or something would
bother me the rest of my life. I hope I get a letter tomorrow, though.
I guess somebody down to Terrell's got a letter from you today. They
said you said you started rifle range either yesterday or today. You'll still
be going back to Barracks at night, won't you? So you'll get my mail and be
able to answer me? I hope so, anyway.
Tonight there was a Chicken Supper down at Church. I waited on table.
It was fun, in a way. We had all the chicken we wanted to eat, too. Your
folks and my folks both went. The supper was very good. Everybody asks about
you, honey. They want to know where you are, and how you like it. I tell
them you're at Parris Island and that you like it much too much for m
good.
I told Prof [Hagadorn] I thought you liked it too well and that maybe you'd
like it better than you like me and you'd stay in, instead of coming home to
me. I was kidding, of course, but I know you kind of like that kind of life,
just from your letters. That job really keeps me busy, honey, and yet it's
all simple jobs, such as typing letters, taking notices to the teachers,
running off stencils, etc. I like to be around the kids, thou, even if
they're not my own age. They're kind of alive and full of fun a
the devil.
That reminds me, we got paid today. Twenty-five bucks. I haven't cashed the
check yet, but I will, within probably a short time.
It's been quite cool here, honey, but it's easy to get quite warm, funny
weather -- all you have to do is work just a little and it seems hot as hÿ
They didn't get our water and gas hooked up Sunday. Just your Mother's
wash tubs and her stove moved and connected. I hope they do ours next Sunday.
Then all that will have to be done is the Cesspool and the ditch to it. I
hope Harold Vunk brings the rest of the coal after October 1st. I told him to
bring it as soon as possible after Oct. 1st, but I don't know whether he will
or not. It's sort of hard to tell.
Don, you have 24 days on rifle range, then 4 - 12 weeks Combat Training
and then a furlough? Or have they changed your schedule to include a week
Mess Duty? It's been almost a month since you went. In a way it seems like
just yesterday, and again when I think of it, it seems like it happened years
and years ago. I hope the training you get on the rifle range will be
something you like. -- And something that will make you hit Woodchucks (and
Japs) right between the eyes, every time. I've been wondering whether you'd
want to go Woodchuck hunting on your furlough -- but I forgot that it will
probably be late November or maybe December before you get here. Maybe you
would get one February 2 (on Ground Hog Day) when one came out to see its
shadow.
Wayne [Lear] and Chester Beardsley are playing "Blackjack" on the dining
room table. Chet's teaching Wayne how to play it. Mom, Dad and the kids are
in bed, and that's where I'm going pretty damn soon.
I guess you'll have to just pretend the other page is full, 'cause I'm
getting sleepy. Well, honey, write me the day you get this. If I don't get a
letter pretty soon, I'm going to get boiling mad. If I blow off, 'though,
I'll probably get a letter in tomorrow's mail that should have got here
Monday, but didn't. So I'll just Sign Off and wish you many, many Bull's eyes
and sharp shooting medals.
Goodnight, honey, sleep tight. I love you, even if I don't get a letter
from you.
Remember ÿ
1st Battalion
FREE
†††††††††††††††††††剆䕅ऍ
††††††††††††††††††䘠䕒൅ȉ
†††††††††††††††††††䙒䕅ഉȖ
Platoon 504
Parris Island
South Carolina
Mrs. Donald L. Terrell
R. D. #2
Cortland, N.Y.
Just copy this on an envelope, drop a 12 page n
inside and give to
your "buddy" Postman in time for 9:00 mail. Night, honey. me
20 Sept 1944
I suppose this morning you went out on rifle range. I did something much
more exciting! I received a call about 11:00 and your Mother's voice said -"Maggie? Will you feel a little better today?" She knew I was disappointed
'cause I hadn't had a letter from you since last Saturday. And so I said,
"That all depends. Did I get a letter?" And she said "A letter and a
package!" And (Censored), I just about fell over in a faint. Imagine! A
letter and a package! So I said "I'll be right down". But before I could go
-- the phone rang again -- and it was your Mother. She wanted me to eat
dinner with her. So I took about 30 minutes to wash up and get ready so I
could go directly to school from her house, and then I tore down the road. No
need to tell you that I felt like I was floating or else zooming in a rocket
plane. I was so happy, I think it could have been your moldy pair of shoes
and a letter and I'd have been slap-happy. Well, then I opened the package
first -- woman-fashion (curiosity and all that) and there was a little note
from an inflammable Marine on good old "Concentration Camp", P.I. And such
nice things he wrote me -----------------. Whee -------------------. And he
told me in a nice, w
way I'll never forget. Then I saw the most beautiful,
great big scarf I'd ever seen, with the best Service emblem on it. All white
with the emblem in gold and red. It was so pretty and just the right size!
Just right for a kerchief in the winter, and will I be proud to wear it. No
doubt I'll go up and down Main Street hollering "My husband's a Mar -- ine -My husband's a Mar -- ine" to the tune of a little ditty he used to sing to me
-- "I'll bet you don -- 't love me -- I'll bet you don't love me" -- 'Member?
Well, I do. And after gazing at the scarf for a few minutes, I remembered!!!
I still had a nice, fat, letter to read. So I ripped it open - - quick like
a bunny, and read it. Reading the parts that weren't p
to your Mother.
Gee, honey, it was nicer than Christmas having a letter from you -- and a
package too! I'm still a little silly happy from the effects.
Honey, I will get you a 1/2" brush the next time I go up town. Did the
thimble really fit this finger [Maggie drew a picture of my hand showing me
what finger to put the thimble on.] on your right hand? Your finger next to
your index finger (the middle one). I got a thimble that would fit on my
thumb, 'cause I remembered that that was the only place I could keep your
Graduation Ring on. They're the biggest thimbles I ever saw and I looked
quite a while to find one big enough.
Don, before I forget to tell you -- Leon [Terrell] told me to tell you
tonight that Mac's [Evelyn MacGuiness] got a diamond. And guess who from?
Nope -- Nope -- Well, how'd you guess it? -- It's Ned [Hayes]. The
announcement hasn't been in the paper or anything. She just got it last night
(Tuesday nite) aren't you tickled? I am. They'll make a good pair, I think.
Of course they can both still change their minds, but I don't think they will.
We haven't got your Civilian Clothes yet. But I won't worry about them.
They'll be here sooner or later -- and I'd much rather have a letter. Say,
Don, I about died laughing when you told me what happened to the rest of your
clothes. It sounded just like you. Tearing up a good shirt for an oil rag,
for your gun. But, it's O.K. and I really did enjoy the way you told me about
how those incidents and missing clothes came about.
You don't know what a relief it was to know you joined the U.S.M.C.R.
[Reserves instead of Regulars]. I didn't think you'd sign up for 4 years, but
I thought maybe you didn't exactly realize or read what you signed too well,
or something. Thanks for telling me, I'll feel better, now. And about the
storm. I was glad you missed it -- or it missed you. I was sort of worried
'cause I hadn't heard from you since you said the sky looked funny and it was
awfully quiet. I thought maybe they'd censor news about what it did to a
Camp, or like that. But my "m
" is at rest now. So, thank you.
I'm glad you feel as you do about getting mail from me. I feel just
about like that, but then if I don't get a letter I get all uneasy feeling,
and I feel sort of huffy and I think, well, I won't write tonight, just for
that. But night time comes and I can't seem to be able to get in bed without
talking to you first. So I make all kinds of excuses to myself, for you.
Like your Sergeants keeping you busy, etc., and then I sit right down and tell
you all the gossip, and how much I love you and other things too numerous to
mention. In other words, I'm more disappointed than angry when I don't get a
letter from you.
Donnegie, tonight about 8:15 I went down to our house. I was going to
straighten up drawers and my kitchen cupboards and etc. but I got moving
furniture around, instead. They left the stove on a board with casters on it
so it could be rolled any place in the dining room or living room. So I
pushed the buffet over with the back toward the living room, like a wall.
Then I pushed the stove over where the buffet sat. I had already moved the
China Closet over against the kitchen-dining room wall. Then I turned the
table so it went longways a
the dining room and left the sewing machine
as was. Then your Mother came over and said to shove the davenport up against
the buffet (back to back) so as to hide the buffet back. Then I decided I
didn't need the black stand she let us take so we moved it out of the corner,
put the Bridge lamp there and the two chairs on either side of it. Then Leon
came over and hung our three mirrors. You'd be surprised how much prettier
that change in furniture made those two rooms. I'm going to reupholster the
davenport and my little chair and cover what part of the buffet back that
sticks up over the davenport. I'll draw a plan on the other side, so you can
see how it looks.
If there's anything I didn't make clear just come up and see me
sometime and I'll show you. Good nite, honey, all my love. It's one o'clock
now, so I've been talking with you 1 hour and 20 minutes. Honey, see what
happens when I get a letter from you. I have to sit up all night, telling you
everything I can think of 'cause I love you so. Nite.
[Note: We will run a copy of Maggie's drawings and insert them between her
letters at this point.]
[Add Maggie's drawing in place of this blank page.]
21 Sept 1944
Here I am ready to talk to you again, but I'm so sleepy I don't know
whether I'll talk sense, or not. I finished a novel in the Red Book before I
wrote you, 'cause I like to talk to you just before I go to bed.
We had a storm, tonight about 8:00 or so. The sky was awfully black and
it really poured down rain. It lightninged quite a lot too. One of the
flashes of lightning struck Mr. LeFever's barn. You know the man we got our
little sink from. Melvin Trapp was up at Timmy's [Hutchings] getting milk and
he saw the lightning strike the barn and saw it start to burn. The
transformer at the corner was blown out, so they couldn't blow the whistle,
but most everybody saw it and went down. The clouds were so low, that the
whole sky down toward their house was red. You know they live in the house
Norma and Evan Mason used to live in. The last house on the right hand side
before you turn left up Page Green road. Also, it's the last house before
Carson's, you know Lois Trimm's mother's and father's farm. The darn barn and
grain shed burned up, completely. He's sold 15 tons of the hay in the barn,
already, and he was having it baled, tomorrow. He had insurance, but that
doesn't cover things like a complete loss (The money doesn't, I mean). It's
too bad, anyway. He didn't lose any animals. He'd just let out the horses
and finished chores about 20 minutes before the lightning struck.
Gee, Don, you won't believe a dog could grow so much when you see
"Pooch". I've even noticed how much he's grown, lately. He's getting a lot
longer and taller, and getting over being chubby.
I got another letter from you today. The one you wrote Monday Evening.
I'm awfully sorry you didn't get a letter Monday. I mailed that letter you
didn't get, Saturday, in a post box by the Cortland Co. Hospital, on our way
to Syracuse.
I hope you wrote me one Tuesday, too, 'cause your Mom and Dad said I
wouldn't get a letter all the time you were on the rifle range. I hope
they're wrong, but if they're not, please hit about 1000 bull's eyes for me.
If I don't hear from you, I'll know it's not because of a Lady Marine, anyway.
Say, honey, you think you'll fix me good and proper when you get home! Wait
and see if I don't fix you. You really won't be able to look at Comic
Magazines in peace, 'cause I'll be pestering, kissing and loving you every
minute. You know I can do it, too, don't you? S
maybe you'll be the one
that gets fixed. Please think of me a little, even if you won't be able to
write me, 'cause I'll be thinking of you, all the time. Of course a g
Marine is expected to keep his mind on his business, so you just couldn't
think of me, all the time, 'cause your Sergeant wouldn't let you. He He.
Don, I hate to disappoint you, but don't count on brushing your teeth to
stop them from decaying. All brushing does, as far as I can see, is make your
teeth sparkle. You know, all through High School and while I was at Hattie's
[MacGuiness], I brushed my teeth 2 and 3 times a day and they rotted away just
the same. I hope you get yours all fixed up. What will they do about your 2
front teeth that are dead? I've got to have that front cavity of mine fixed
or I'll have to have them pulled.
Don, that red-headed Minister from McLean that I bumped was over to the
chicken Dinner Tuesday night. It made me mad just to look at the bloodless
critter.
This is my next to last sheet of my second tablet since you're gone,
honey. And it hasn't been a month, yet. It seems like years, though. What
month or around when, do you think maybe you'll get a furlough? Like the last
of November or first of December or when?
I love you, honey, and I'd tell you how I'd like to crawl in with you and
feel your warmth against me and your arms around me, but you said it made you
feel bad when I wrote that, so I won't tell you how I'd like to kiss you, or
just hear you sing "I'll bet you don't love me" or just touch you, or have
you touch me. Or how I'd like to rub my hand over your head, too, even with a
GI haircut on it 'cause I don't want to make you feel bad. But I do love you,
Donegie, with all my heart, and I hope you break that guys record and make a
bulls-eye every time. Ego Amo Te. Latin 'member? for I love you. I love you.
I love you. X (2 minutes and 30 seconds long) [kiss to me]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Don to Maggie]
21 Sep 1944
Here we are at the rifle range and since we haven't got settled down
exactly yet, I am not in a very good mood. I hope that in a couple days
things will straighten out and we will have more time to ourselves.
Please don't figure on getting letters from me so often now, honey, until
I find out for sure how we stand out here. Right now I am sitting on my
bucket (which has many uses as I said before) trying to write to the one I
love while the mosquitoes are playing ticktacktoe all over me. We are issued
mosquito nets out here for our bunks but they are more bother than they are
good. Besides, when you get inside in your sack, start to doze off to sleep
and you find that a whole army of them spear armed bastards have hid under
your net ready to charge you.
Our barracks are not as good as back at the main station but the chow is
just about as good. So far we shouldn't have anything to complain about.
Today we got our rifle jackets, saw movies and listened to lectures.
Practiced sighting rifles today. Got to take a shower and hit the sack.
Write you more about rifle range later.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
22 Sept 1944
I got your clothes tonight and I'm taking them to the cleaners tomorrow.
Why didn't you forget and leave about $10 in your pant's pocket? I looked in
all of them but they were all empty. Too bad (He He). I also got your packet
of cards, today. They were really funny and I don't mean maybe. I went down
home tonight and washed mirrors and our glass topped coffee table. The oil
stove heated water to almost boiling in just a little over 10 min. and before
we cleaned it, it didn't get over luke-warm in 5
minutes. I paid your Father
$.52 C.O.D. on your clothes, so that can be forgotten.
Well, honey, I guess I'm in a sentimental mood tonight, or something. I
think it's our bed that makes me feel so slap-happy. I'd give our bankbalance and about $1,000 extra to just hold you tight and have you kiss me
like you used to. Boy, what fun! My stomach does a double flip and 1/2 when
I think of your kisses. But please don't keep in practice, by kissing some of
those little "Chocolate Drops" down there. Don't let me kid you, honey,
somehow I know you wouldn't do anything like that because I think you love me
enough not to (Sure of myself, ain't I?). But if I didn't think that way, I'd
be thinking you would, and then God only knows what I'd do. Probably
something about twice as bad.
Say, honey, have you been smoking, or hasn't the bug, hit you yet? I
sort of hope it doesn't, but if you did smoke I think it would be only
natural, after being so close to guys that smoke a lot. But I hope you don't
get in the habit.
Don, I'm only going to scribble one page tonight, I guess. There really
isn't any news. Ah yes, Nan and Hank Stillman have a new baby girl, born
yesterday. It's their 2nd girl. Too bad it wasn't a boy. Really, though,
it's too bad it was anything at all, 'cause Hanks been running with other
women lately.
Well, I guess I'll kiss you good night and cuddle up and go to sleep.
God, honey, it's going to be hard to go to sleep all alone in our bed. It
just seems like it will be impossible to go to sleep, but maybe I'll be able
to. Good night, Don. Sleep tight and be a g
boy - He He. Love and
kisses and hugs.
Honey, have you heard the new song "I'll walk alone"? If you get a
chance to hear it, listen to the words in the chorus. They're exactly what
I'd like to sing to you.
P.S. No letter today, darn it. Maybe tomorrow. 'Nite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
22 Sep 1944
It really isn't so bad down here, honey, as it seemed at first, although
they do kind of rush you a little. We don't have any locker boxes down here
so we have to keep all of our junk in our sea bag which is a little more
unhandy. They try to teach you to look out for and think for yourself and
kind of "rough it" more.
Today we learned how to snap into four different kinds of positions.
Prone (flat on your belly), sitting, kneeling and standing positions. We also
saw training films on snapping in. We have been seeing a series of pictures
of actual facts on "How and Why the World War II was started and When". Gosh,
honey, some of the scenes that it showed about Hitler occupying the European
countries sure does make my blood boil.
Learning to shoot an M-1 sure is a hell of a lot different from shooting
a shot gun or a .22 rifle. They put you in positions that feel like they are
the most uncomfortable in the world, but later on find out that it is the best
in the world.
Well, honey, I've got to quit writing and get out and snap in on my own
time if I ever want to qualify.
Just a few more lines to tell you I got two letters from you today,
honey. I'm sorry that you haven't heard from me in two days, but am sure that
you will have got a letter or something from me the next day.
As you probably know by now, we do not go back to the main base every
night after rifle practice. We have entirely different housing facilities
down here just about 1 1/2 or 2 miles from our other base.
Yes, I will try to get you a couple Marine pins, honey. I thought of
them at first but then decided that you would probably like a handkerchief or
headpiece better.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
23 Sept 1944
Better late than never. Huh? Jean Trapp and I went up and did the town
tonight. All but for boys and men, which covers a very wide territory. About
6:45 I went up to your Dad's Station, got $1.26 worth of gas. Then we went
over to Harringtons [Music Store] and looked at music. Then we went into
Zaharis' [Chocolate Shop] and had a couple of hot chocolates. By the way,
it's 32 degrees here tonight. Then we went to Homer to a double feature. We
would have gone to the State but the picture was "The Good Old Days" which was
a combination of very old favorite pictures as they appeared about 1909 and
1910 -- S
we went to Homer. The 2 at the Temple were those Cowboy things
that aren't worth seeing. We saw "Address Unknown" and "Louisiana Hayride".
Then we went to the Chocolate Shop and had a Cream Cheese sandwich with olives
and another cup of hot chocolate and a banana split. Then we came home. A
here we are, down at our house. Surprise! Clara and Leon [Terrell] came
over. (I told Jeanie [Terrell] that Jean [Trapp] and I were staying here
tonight.) She [Jeanie] told her folks and they (Clara and Leon) came over and
set up the stovepipe and when Jean and I arrived they had a good coal fire
started. We've got to go to Timer's [Davis' Store] in the morning to get
something to eat for breakfast. It seems so good to be down here, honey. I
think maybe Jean will stay with me all the time, except when you're home.
Then I'd have company, and not someone I didn't like. I think we'd hit it off
swell, and we'd live O.K. I brought Pooch [our dog] down, too. He's glad to
come down. He didn't like it at first, tonight because it was so warm in
here, but now he's lying by the davenport, sleeping. Damn, honey, I forgot
your 1/2" brush tonight. It makes me mad, to forget something for you, but I
won't forget it again. I took my watch up to have the crystal fixed and took
your suit and some of my clothes up to be dry cleaned.
Gee, honey, I missed you tonight. We had fun, but it seemed so funny not
to have you there to flirt with the waitresses and whistle at the dames.
Well, hon, I'm getting sleepy, so I'll hit the sack for tonight.
24 Sept 1944
Wish me luck or bravery or something, honey, 'cause I'm going to stay
alone for the first time, tonight. Just a month today - Monday - since you
left. I feel O.K. right now and I suppose I'll continue feeling O.K., but
women are awfully queer. One thing that made me feel about 100% better was
when I drove in the drive just now. Pooch came running, just as fast as he
could, across from your Dad's house. Not barking even, because he knew it was
our car. I thought probably he'd disappear about the time I had to stay alone
the first night, but I got fooled. I've just come back from a show. Imagine!
One last night and one tonight! There'll be a change of ink now, 'cause I
just filled my pen with Midnite Blue, my new bottle. I took Wayne [Lear] and
Tony Bays and Ann Joyce [Mespell] and Clarice Mespell up tonight. Don't think
they're sponging on me, honey. It's my fault that I take them. I hate so to
go alone and by driving and taking a couple of couples of kids, I can avoid
any slander that might arise if I took just one person. You know the old
saying about safety in numbers. Well, I'll take the numbers and be safe from
all the gossip.(I hope) Of course, I can't stop them from talking, but I can
have proof that I'm behaving myself like a married woman. We saw "The Seventh
Cross" with Spencer Tracy and Signe Hasso.
Gee, honey, just think! In the morning I can run out and see if I've got
a nice "inflammable" letter from my "hubby". I got your cards Friday but
nothing Saturday. So I'm hoping that I'll have a letter tomorrow. I hope, I
hope, I hope, I hope!!!!!
We went up to Aunt Elsie's and Uncle Don's [Riehlman] from about 4:30
until 7:30 tonight. Uncle Don's had arthritis bad since they built the
chimney. There's nothing I can do about it, though, as much as I'd like to.
Don, darling, don't write to Uncle Don or anybody about this [next subject].
J
and I'll keep you posted on it. Today while we
were up there, Aunt Elsie told us that they t
they're going to move.
They've heard that the Western climate will cure Uncle Don's arthritis and
Uncle Don says he thinks he'd better do something about it before it (the
arthritis) gets him all over. This last week, he hasn't been able to use his
fingers or hands to pull the milking machine off the cows, even. They plan
for Uncle Don to go out West and see if the hot, dry atmosphere will relieve
his arthritis, and if it does, they're all going out there and live. Sell the
cows and etc. There is nothing definite about this, honey, so please don't
worry about it. Maybe I shouldn't have told you, but I'd rather tell you what
they plan, than to just write and tell you their gone. Maybe they'd rather
you didn't know, so you wouldn't worry, but maybe they'll write and tell you
the details themselves. I hope to God Uncle Don finds some other way to help
his dÿ
arthritis, but it's the cold, damp climate here that makes it come
on. P
don't say anything to them about it and make them feel bad, but I
know you'd want to know. Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie are taking it right in
their stride, so please don't let it throw you. I know you think as much of
them, almost, as you do your Mother and Father, but they'll be O.K. They have
the new pup - "sired" by Tig [their dog]. He's a little male puppy and they
call him "Tig", too. He's awfully pretty I know you'd like him 'cause he's
very much like Big Tig must have been when he was a "purp".
Tomorrow's Monday, and the "old" grind begins again. Almost all my
posies were frozen stiff last night, honey. Leon told me I'd better cover the
car tonight, and I've got to do that yet.
Well, honey, here goes the first night in our bed, all alone. Sometimes
I start thinking about you being home again, and if I really let my
imagination machine loose, I can build all sorts of best times for you and I.
It will really be a honeymoon, and I'll be happier than if it w
a Honeymoon.
How about you?
Don, if you have a chance just to have a snapshot taken of you in your
"zoot suit", please don't break the camera -- and then send the finished
"snap" -- shot to me. I can almost see how you'd look. -- All e
your
hair, I can't seem to think how you'd look with your hair cropped. Not bad
though! I'd bet my last nickel on that.
Well, Donnie, good night, sleep tight. With all my love, hugs and
kisses. X -- x marks the spot. Smack!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
24 Sep 1944
I'm sending home my life insurance papers. Please put them away for me,
honey, because you might be able to collect on them some day.
I haven't got too much to write about but I am writing because I like to
talk to you although I should be out snapping in. You see, it is early
afternoon now and hotter than hell, so I thought I would wait until the sun
went down a little before I went out and stretched my muscles a little
"snapping in". My clothes are out on the line drying fast and when they get
dry I'm gong to put them on and wash the ones I have on. Since it rained all
day last Sunday, all the clothes that I have were kind of dirty or just plain
filthy. If you think I used to get my overalls dirty, you had ought to see my
dungarees. The sand, dirt, oil and etc. is ground in so bad I have to pound
them with a 16 lb. sledge hammer so as to loosen them up so I can scrub them
with a brick and a bushel of sand soap.ÿÿWell, maybe they aren't quite that
dirty but plenty dirty enough anyhow.
I didn't get a letter from you yesterday, although I got two the day
before and am hoping to get one today. I got a letter from Mother yesterday
and she said you got my package I sent you with a scarf for you. I'm sorry
that it is just like Mother's and Jean's [Terrell], I didn't know they had any
[Bob Terrell had sent them]. I thought I was getting you something that no
one else had around there. Well, I have got my eye on something else that I
bet you will like anyway.
Say, honey, the pins they have out here are just cheap things, that is,
they don't cost very much. One of them is a big Marine emblem pin just like
the one I will have only in a different color that only costs 17 cents and
another smaller one that costs 30 cents. I didn't think they would be very
good material so I didn't get them. Although you can buy stuff up here for
about 1/3 the price that you pay back home. One fellow up here bought a watch
something like mine for only twenty four dollars that is priced at $50 in a
civilian catalog.
This really isn't such a bad life here on the rifle range as I thought at
first. We went to the P.X. last night and I ate a whole quart of ice cream
and a bottle of pop. I could have eaten another quart and a whole case of pop
but we have to keep in good condition while at the range. The mosquitoes
don't bother you only at night when they are attracted by your lights. The
mosquito nets we have for our sacks keep them away from you fairly well while
I am dreaming about you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
25 Sept 1944
I'm sitting here in the corner of the living-dining room (in the dining
room end) under our pin-up light, writing you a letter on our sewing machine.
Gee, Don honey, I hope they didn't wave Maggie's Drawers [white flag used in
the butts when the target is missed completely by the rifleman] at you today.
Maybe that's hoping for too much for a guy that's been on a rifle range only 5
days, but I'm hoping, anyway. Do you have it easy on Sunday, or do you have
to shoot all day? I'll bet you're learning some new tactics to use on
woodchucks, aren't you?
Needless to say, I survived the night last night. And I was glad I did
'cause today I received t
letters from you, one written Thursday nite and
the other Friday nite. It's funny, but tonight I'm writing much nicer
(penmanship) than I've been able to for some time. "Pooch" slept by the bed
on the rug all night last night, and didn't saturate the floor once! (I'm
knocking on wood.) But tonight he ate half a dead, rotten, stinking chicken
and I've got him outdoors, and I don't know but what he's going to stay there,
even if The "Boogie-Man" gets me. Boy does he stink!
Your Mother went to Eastern Stars tonight. She went for supper. I went
up home to get my tooth-brush and some clothes, and I stayed for supper. We
had pike or pickerel fried (I don't know which.). Then just after I got down
here, Jean [Terrell] came over, so I went over and helped her make Club
sandwiches and whip cream for apple-sauce cake for their supper. Then Jean
and Doug [Terrell] came over for a while. Doug went to sleep, so he went home
to bed. Then about 10:30 Jean went, too. So here I am, writing to you.
I just brushed my rings in ammonia and do my diamonds sparkle! So does
the little white roses on my wedding ring. I'm going to fix my fingernails
yet tonight and I thought about crocheting a little and then I'll hit the
sack.
I was in the store tonight, honey, and Timer [Davis] asked me if I was
staying at my own house, now. And I said yes. He asked me if I didn't get
cold and I said no, I had plenty of quilts. Then he laughed and said I ought
to get somebody to say all night with me like Elenor Gridley does. He said
"She even goes after somebody to stay all night with her". I couldn't help
but laugh but I said, no, I thought I'd stay alone. You know, Burton Sherman
and Leslie Wavle, Don Trimm and Newt [Trimm] and just about all the guys in
Cortland County have been staying all night up at Elenors. They play poker,
drink beer etc. and then spend the night -- and they don't sleep alone on the
couch, either! I'd laugh if she had an offspring, 'cause Hank's [Barrows] in
the Navy, and she couldn't say it was his. It would serve her j
right if
the damned thing looked like Newt Trimm. I don't know why she doesn't behave
herself. She's got those 2 little kids, too.
I can look out this little dining room window over my posie-bed, and just
about above Hayden's [Olmstead] barn is the saddest looking moon you ever saw.
It's about a 1/2 one and it's not bright and shiny, but kind of dim, like it
was tarnished.
Honey, I found a piece of red wire in our coal today. It make me feel
kind of scared when I think of it. I guess I'll join the Grange and get
Insurance on our furniture. I guess there's red wires in all coal brought
direct from the mines, but since we found those other ones after the fire
[Mother and Dad's house after a dynamite cap which was left in the bootleg
coal blew up in the coal stove by the kitchen and set the house on fire.],
they mean just one thing to me -- watch the coal for a hunk of something that
ain't coal.
My teeth are beginning to bother me again. Colder weather does it, I
guess. I suppose I'll have to get them fixed, but I dread it so, I don't call
for an appointment.
Honey, I think I've lost a little weight since I've stopped eating so
much ice cream. My skirt and suit fits me just right and when we made them,
the size 12 was just a little too snug.
I just got up and let the dog in. I guess it was him, stinking, all
right. Well, honey, I'm going to sign off. It's funny -- tonight 2 pages
filled up so quick, and other times I have to rack my "brains" to fill one
page. I love you, honey. It's just cool enough to be good cuddling weather
but all I've got is my dog, and he stinks! I love you twice. All my love and
then some.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
25 Sep 1944
Say, young lady, if you don't stop writing letters to me like you wrote
Wed. and Thurs., I will be going "over the hill" and coming back to make a few
of those things come true. I read them about 20 times and still couldn't
believe that I was about 1,200 miles away from you. It seemed just like you
were sitting right here on my sack beside me and I had my arm around you and
we were arguing about what color eyes and hair Lynn Ellen [our future planned
for child] was going to have and whether she was going to have a short chubby
nose or a long pointed one. I guess I always won the argument though, didn't
I, honey? Well - maybe some of the time anyway. Yeah, I know you wear the
pants, too, but your pants don't fit me. Remember?
26 Sep 1944
Last night I got five letters. Two from Bob [Terrell], one from Dad, one
from Mother and one from you.
We went to the .22 range and shot 16 shots today. I got 15 bull's-eyes
out of 16 rapid fire prone position. We also got a lecture on fragmentation
grenades down at the grenade course. Snapped in several hours and dug in a
sand bank for 1/2 hr. and had the coaches fire our M-1's four times to get the
true zero of our rifles. Snapped in after supper tonight for about 1 hr.
Tomorrow we shoot our M-1 for the first time at 200 yards in the prone
position, also the twenty two and plenty of snapping in and also we work in
the butts (on the targets).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
27 Sept 1944 A.M.
You almost didn't get a letter from me today. Last night Jean (Terrell)
came over and we had waffles, sausages, eggs and maple syrup for supper. Then
washed the dishes and went over across and built the first fire in the
fireplace [at Mother's and Dad's remodeled house]. Then Leon went to bowl so
I stayed and crocheted until Leon came home. Then we sat and crocheted and
Leon slept. Then Clara went to sleep, then I went to sleep, all of us sitting
by the fire. It was 2:35 A.M. when Clara woke up. She asked me if I'd like
to stay with Jean all night but I said no, I'd go home. So I came over here
and I got up about 8:45. I just fed the Pooch so he's playing in the middle
of the living room rug. He's growing so, honey. I hope you'll like our d
.
I know you like the "
so I think you'll like the dog. I'm going up town
this A.M. and get my watch and a 1/2" paint brush for my Marine.
Mom and Dad sent you a letter this A.M. Your Mother wrote one yesterday
so you ought to be coming along fine as far as letters are concerned. That's
good.
It's frozen every nite since last Saturday nite. The flowers and corn
are black and "frozed". I haven't got cold feet sleeping alone yet. Timer
[Davis] asked me last night if I'd changed my mind. And I said what about?
And he said "About sleeping alone", and I said "
. How he laughed. He
likes to kid, just about as good as Dad does.
Well, hon, it's 9:40 and the Sel Hepatica I took this morning is going to
start working. I told Mom I'd pick her up at 10:00. I thought she'd like to
go 'cause I'm not going to be long. Your Mother went last night and she was
going to get my watch but didn't have time. She went last nite so she doesn't
want to go this morning. All my love, kisses and hugs. I love you, I love
you, I love you, I love you, I love you!!!!!
27 Sept 1944 P.M.
I'll start out tonight by answering a
the questions you asked me in
your Sunday letter. I love my scarf, honey, -- twice as much, too, because my
own honey thought of getting it for me and sending it with your "inflamable"
letter. Please don't feel bad about it being like Jean's [Terrell] and your
Mother's. It's beautiful and I love it. You couldn't get me a pin exactly
like the one you wear, could you? I'd sort of like one but if they are like
you say they are, never mind, 'cause I know I've got a Marine, and a good one,
too. If you want to, you could send my letters back, when you get too many to
keep well. Just pack them in a box and send them C.O.D. Maybe you'd hate to
burn them, or anything, I know I wouldn't part with one of your letters, for
anything. [And I'm glad that we both saved our letters for the last 48 years
so that we can type them up into the computer and print them out so that our
children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren may
read them, if they choose, and give them a little insight into how some of
their relatives lived, thought and shared their love, many years ago.]
They're just a part of you that you sent to me with a "Free" written on it
[Service men's letters sent back to their loved ones were free postage during
World War II], and I couldn't destroy them. I'm sorry I got your Recreation
Halls all wrong, but I just imagined the best and figured you'd set me right
on the real facts.
Don, my honey, I wasn't going to tell you, but surprise you -- but I had
my picture taken at Paramont Studio in Cortland last Saturday, before Jean
Trapp and I went on that spree. They took 4 different poses and they're
sending me the proofs by mail. I also asked if I could send you the proofs
and let you pick out the one you wanted. The reply was "yes", so as soon as I
get the proofs, I'll mail them to you and you can pick out the one you'd like
to have the most. I'm having one 5 x 7 (I got a sort of folder-frame to put
it in today.) made and one "miniature" that will fit in your billfold. Would
you like this --1 - 5x7 and 1 miniature? Or can you think of a better idea?
Maybe I can find a nice billfold with a place for a picture about 2 x 3 in it.
Or do they have good leather ones there for less money? O
would you just as
soon slip it in your billfold where you always kept my other pictures? P
forget to tell me what to do in your next letter.
Honey, you've probably got the answers to your questions by now in my
other letters. I received your civilian clothes and they will be ready at the
dry cleaner this Saturday, Sept. 30. I got the cards and they're cute as
hell. And I love you just 100 times what you think I do. And I'm staying
down here and have been since last Sunday night. I ate supper at your
Mother's tonight, and dinner with my Mom, and I helped them, too, so don't you
beef. You know how you hated to eat dinner and breakfast alone. I haven't
any slab wood cut up for kindling yet but thanks for reminding me of it 'cause
I'll start chopping next spare minute I have. I haven't made any chocolate -C
(correct spelling, he he) chip cookies yet, but don't think
for a minute that I've forgotten them. And I love you just as sure as hell as
you love me. (If these answers don't make sense, it's 'cause I answered them
in the same order you asked them, as I have your letter right here, reading
questions from.) S
that clears up that much. Now on to a different topic.
Honey, you remember Marian Randall (Knickerbocker, now) that I asked Bob
Bays about and he said she was going to have a baby? The one whose husband, a
flier, was reported killed in Action? She's had a 7 lb 12 ounce baby boy,
Richard Malcolm (named after his Daddy). It was in tonight's Cortland
Standard. It seems like it could nearly kill her, having a baby after she
knew it's Dad was dead, and then again, I suppose she's glad 'cause maybe
he'll turn out to be exactly like his Dad, and be a pleasure to her all her
life.
If I can get some V 127 film about the 15th of next month, I'll take
pictures of the Pooch and our new chimney and our cesspool and your Dad's
fireplace chimney and about 1000 other things. Of course there's only 8
exposures on one film, but I'll get as much on one film for you as I possibly
can.
Jay Dunn has a 15 day furlough. He was in to see Prof. [Hagadorn] today.
All the kids come to see him. (Prof) And Gert [Matson] told me tonight that
Florence Saltsman had a letter from Johnny [Saltsman] and he's in England.
I think I'll sign off, it's 11:00 and I think maybe I'll sweep the living
room floor or else crochet for a while and then hit the sack.
I love you, Don, and sometimes I feel like if I couldn't hug you I'll go
crazy. My arms sort of ache, or something. And then I think what a silly
fool I am and I make me think of something else and get busy doing something.
You wait and see who gets hugged the most when I see you. I love you and if I
didn't think you love me I'd go nuts, completely. I hope you got 2 letters
Sunday from me. I've been writing or sending a letter every day. If I don't
write one at night, like last night, I write before the mailman goes, so I
send one to you every day. I love you, honey. I love you, darling. I love
you, dearest. I love you, "
. I love you, ÿ
(period). M
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
27 Sep 1994
Our D.I. [Drill Instructor], who is a damn nice fellow about 33 yrs. old
and who already had a brother who was killed in action last yr., just came
around asking us all who we were writing to. When he came to me, I told him
my wife. He asked me how long I had been married and then how old I was. I
told him and he said "That's good, keep it up". Now he is surrounded by most
of the fellows in the platoon as he is amusing them by telling them his
experiences when he went through boot camp. Since his brother was only 19
yrs. old when he was killed and since he went through this same boot training
here at Parris Island, the D.I. really is nice to us and tries to make it as
easy for us as possible. Most of the other D.I.'s, as a rule , try to see how
hard they can make it for you. Every evening just before lights out, the D.I.
will come in to see if we are all secure. When he finds we are all beating
our gums and telling all the jokes and experiences we know of, he doesn't say
"Knock it off you knuckleheads and get the hell some sleep". He just walks
back and forth smiling and starts telling a good joke. Right then everyone is
quiet as a mouse as he goes on. After telling several jokes and listening to
some of ours, he will tell one more good one and then snap off the lights.
The room will be filled with a massive roar of laughter for a few minutes and
then all is quiet.
We have got to fall out for chow in a few minutes so I won't have much
time. Bye for now.
I didn't have time to write you again until after chow and after another
hour of snapping in. Then we had mail call, in which I got two letters from
my honey, 24th and 25th [Sept.] and one letter from Jeannie [Terrrell].
Thanks a lot, honey, and I sure am glad to hear that you are going to stay
down to our house from now on. Gosh, honey, it seems good to hear you talk
about when you and I will get together again in a real honeymoon. Boy, will
we have fun. Is the water hooked up yet honey? Have you got a toilet seat or
isn't that hooked up yet either? Gosh, I wish I was back there to help get
things ready for winter.
Don't forget, honey, put the windows in the storm doors and get Dick
[Terrell] or some of them to fix the doors so they will fit tight. Get some
of that door felt if you think it will help. Gosh, honey, it sure seems funny
to hear you talking about winter when it is still hotter than hell down here.
Don't forget to put some Prestone in the radiator of the car right away.
Won't you be able to drive the car up beside the house next to Pond's to
protect it from the wind and snow? If that old fence is in the way, have the
kids take it down because it isn't any good anyway. Please try to get some of
that dry slab wood, that we bought from down East Virgil way, split up a
little and piled in the coal shed.
Gosh, honey, I am just itching to get back there with you. You probably
know by now that every time winter or spring is approaching, I always get the
urge. Well, right now I can think of a hundred things that should be done
that I could have done before I left.
Have you got the gas hooked up yet or haven't they got the oven burners
yet from Hutchings? Don't forget those chocolate chip cookies you promised
me, honey. Please make them small and at least 64 of them, honey, because now
every time packages come from home they are passed out until gone. Well, if
you fix maybe a few chocolate chips for me and some more of a different kind
to pass out, I sure would appreciate it, honey. I know it sounds like a lot
of baking just so I can get a couple cookies, but it sure will be worth it.
Make them very small and put some in a special wrapped package just for me.
Gosh, honey, I can just close my eyes and see you and I sitting by the
fire reading the paper or comic magazines with "Snoopy" [our dog] laying down
by our side on the rug. Or we could be looking over some of the silly letters
a couple used to write to each other back in World War II [these letters]. We
would have a big dish of pop corn with plenty of butter and salt and a big
pitcher of grape juice on a stand beside us. I would have my arm around you,
keeping the side drafts from "cooling" you off too much and at intervals of
every 4 seconds, I would give you a big kiss and crack a rib or two with my
arm around your more softer portions. Gosh, honey, I guess I really am a damn
sissy, because I can't ever forget about coming back to you and here it is
only one month.
Please go over and keep Mother company once in a while or have her over,
honey, because she really does get lonesome during the day.
I haven't wrote Daisy and George [Lear] a letter lately, but since I know
you would tell them all about me, I didn't have much else to tell them. I
hope George [Lear] gets his radiator fixed before winter because if he
doesn't, he is going to have a lot of trouble with it. Are they going to
butcher the pig this winter or wait until next year?
No, honey, I am not smoking and I don't want to hear of you starting
either or I'll tan your bottom end (bare).
I am glad to hear about Mac [Evalyn McGuinness] and Ned [Hayes], I always
thought they would team up after awhile. They sure will make a nice pair and
I think that they will stick together too. As for Bob [Bays] and "Butch"
[Eileen Snyder], I don't know how they will get along. They both always liked
about the same kind of things, and if she likes farming and Bob gets a farm,
maybe they will team up. I hope so, anyway, for Bob's sake.
I agree with you about Hank Stillman, honey, he sure is going out a lot
for a married man. I guess he is just like all the rest of the Stillmans.
Say, did I tell you that Billy S. [Stillman] is getting married too?
Gosh, honey, I always dreaded the day when Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie
[Riehlman] would find their equal and have to give in to regain their health.
God help them, and I hope the hell they both get well in time to enjoy a few
years of life without poor health hanging in hundred pounds [weights] around
their neck. If I was back home, I would go up and do his chores for him but I
guess I can't do anything now. Do they really think that the West will cure
him, honey?
I shot my M-1 for the first time today. Four bull's-eyes and 2 fours out
of 6 shots, not bad huh, honey? Tell Dad, I found Paul Tarply and had a short
talk with him. Will tell him about it in a letter to them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
28 Sept 1944
I've been just waiting to write to you ever since your letter came today.
Oh, honey, I love you so much, and that letter you wrote Monday made me feel
so good. I felt just like I was sitting on your sack talking to you, and it
made my stomach go round and round. I'll always be sure you love me if I get
letters like that 'cause it's just like you were holding me and kissing me
even though you're 1200 miles away, and they also make me realize how much I
really love you and miss you. About the comic magazines -- after me having 3
or 4 months vacation I'm going to take a lot of fixing, so you'll probably be
the one that "reclines" on the davenport while I
read the magazines.(Unless
the Marines are really a t
outfit.) So there!!!
The other day I washed, stained the scratches and polished your chair,
our square stand and the little one we got from Eleanor and Roy Spaulding and
our coffee table. Your chair looks like a million dollars, all shiny, with no
scratches, and so do the others. Today I finished the living room furniture - piano, that music rack stand we got from Hoose's, and the piano chair. The
piano really glistens, and all those ugly scratches are the same color as the
piano. Tonight I think I'll sweep the rug and clean the Living Room and
tomorrow morning I can start in on the Dining Room furniture. Donnie, honey,
could you tell from my sketches where the furniture is now? I hope so, 'cause
I'd like you to know how to get around in it,(even in the dark, e
).
I'm going to crochet a white cover for your chair. I have 5 of the small
round disks crocheted now. It will look like this: [Maggie drew a picture of
my chair showing the way the finished triangle shaped pattern of 6 round disks
will look.] Get the idea? Sit down, honey and make yourself to home while I
find a nice soft place on your lap to park myself on. It would be a chair set
like your Mother used to keep on her davenport back and arms, but your chair
has wooden arms, so I'm just making one for the back. I think I'll make a set
for my chair and the Davenport. I found some beautiful upholstering material
at Wiltsies yesterday. It's 2 bucks a yard and it would take 9 yards for my
chair and davenport = $18. Then I cover your chair something to correspond
with the other material. Probably the 3 would be $20 or a little over. So
I'm going to pinch my pennies and see how I come out.
I just keep thinking about your letter. One yesterday and one today, and
you said you'd write one the next night, so I'm hoping for that one tomorrow.
And I'm hoping that it will be like the one today. I'm going to sign off for
now. Maybe I'll take Dick [Terrell] to C.A.P. [Civil Air Patrol] and take
Jean and Doug [Terrell] to the show. I'm not sure. Doug says I'm making
waffles tonight. He just came over to get me. So, so long until later.
Jean, Dick, Doug [Don's sister and brothers] and I had waffles, sausages,
eggs and maple syrup over here on our dining room table! Gee, I wish you were
here. Anytime you want to "go over the hill" just come right ahead, honey, I
won't stop you, but don't let the M.P.'s see you. I love you.
Some night owl, ain't I, honey? We went to the show -- a double
feature, both fairly good. We got home about 11:45 and then Elsie [Riehlman]
was over to your Mother's so I went over for a minute. It was 12:30 before
Elsie left and I've been home for a few minutes. I adopted a new plan
tonight, honey. From now on, I'm going to get the bed ready to climb into,
wind the clock, and then strip and put on my nightie and housecoat or
bathrobe. Then I'll come in here by the fire and write to my honey. Then
I'll be able to write to you and crawl right in instead of having to undress
etc. after writing you. I think I'll feel better when I get in bed, but maybe
I won't. Aunt Elsie asked me tonight how I liked it with no man and I said it
was O.K. until you started thinking and then I didn't like it. And she said,
"I'll know how you feel in a while, probably", meaning after Uncle Don went
West. I won't believe he's really going, 'tho, 'til he does.
The winds blowing up here tonight, honey. I hope it blows on the damn
hot rifle range and cools it down to 60 degrees tomorrow, or maybe 70 degrees.
Someone asked me if it didn't make me feel thankful that you were going to be
at Parris Island during this winter instead of the summer, when it's so
awfully hot down there. I hadn't thought of that but it made me feel a little
better.
Maybe my proofs will come tomorrow, honey. I hope so, anyway. You can
write on the back of the one you like best. I do hope they come out
especially good, just for you. I sent your 1/2" brush today. It has about a
7" handle on it which I was going to saw off, but your Mother said maybe you'd
rather have the long handle, so cut it off or leave it on, whichever's
handiest.
I'll sign off 'cause I couldn't fill another sheet if I had to. I love
you, darling, more than anything.
29 Sept 1944
I just came over from your Mother's. We played Parchesi and your Father
won all 3 games. "Like Father, like Son" -- you take right after him -- 3
games straight. 'Member?
I couldn't change my clothes first, tonight because my fire has gone out
for the first time since it was lit, last Saturday nite. Then it was because
your little wifey forgot the coal. I'm going to build it in the A.M. though.
Ray [Dalley] is supposed to come either tomorrow P.M. or all day Sunday and
fix my water and gas. Did I tell you that we went up and looked Hutching's
stoves over and we couldn't find the oven burners for this little stove?
Clara's going to call them, I guess.
Donnie, aren't you getting 7 letters a week? If you aren't you aren't
getting all I mail. I have been mailing one every day. I got another from
you today. It's the one you wrote last Tuesday. You said you hadn't had a
letter from me since a week ago tonight (Friday) and then further on you said
you'd got 5 letters the night before you wrote that letter (Monday night). 2
from Bob, one from your Dad and one from your Mother and o
from me. So I
guess you'd got a letter Monday. But you s
have got one Fri, Sat, Sun
a
Monday 'cause I've sent one every day. Maybe the mail got held up
someplace and one letter catches up with the other so you get 2 at once.
Dammit, though, I've been writing every nite so you'd get a letter from me
every day. I guess I'll have to write a letter to the Post-Master General or
else go see him in person and tell him to get the Marines' Mail moving before
I move him -- ass over tin cups!!! Ladylike ain't I??
Honey, I'm awfully glad you got 15 out of 16 shots right on the bullseye. If you ask me that's swell shooting. What did your Instructor say? Is
James Dopp still with you in your Barracks, or did they split you up first
thing? Tic [Kenneth Ticknor] is in Florida -- Camp Blanding -- or did I
tell you?
Monday is Teacher's Conference and I don't have to work. Honey, I'm
going to be in Voice Training Class down to school. They practice every
Tuesday A.M.. So I'm going to sing with them. God! It will be fun, only I'm
so rusty after 2 years, I don't know whether I'll sing good enough to suit
them or not. I cleaned the living Room tonight after 5:00. All I've got to
do in the Dining Room is sweep and dust, I've got it all straightened up. But
I've got to have the Bathroom and Kitchen all cleaned up by tomorrow P.M. so
Ray [Dalley] can move around in there.
Honey, remember what your Mother said about hugging a pillow in bed,
while your Father was at the North Woods? [hunting deer] Well, I've hugged
one for 2 nights now, just as a try out, and I think I did get to sleep
easier. It's silly but it helps put one to sleep, anyhow.
My proofs didn't come again today. Maybe they will tomorrow.
Don, aren't hand grenades fun to throw, sort of? Like seeing if you can
put a baseball over home plate for a strike? I think it would be, of course
I'm just a "dumb woman".
I'm so glad you're writing to me, honey, but please don't forfeit your
showers just for me. I love to have you do it, but you're probably awfully
sweaty and dirty, and you'd feel so much better if you took a shower. Dammit,
what I mean is, I'd rather hear from you than have you take a shower, but I
think you ought to take the shower. Same problem as it used to be, I wanted
you to stay with me 'til 2 or 3 in the morning, but you knew you'd o
to be
home in bed getting some sleep. So do a little of both, if you can. I love
you and I think a shower would make you feel better, but I hate like heck not
to hear from you.
Donnie, I love you -- more than anything, and every time I get a letter
from you, I love you just twice as much. If I didn't get letters from you I'd
go nuts, completely. 'Member what Mom told you about how I acted if you
didn't pay any attention to me in school? Well, I feel the same way I did
then, when I don't get a letter -- and then when I get one!! Oh, Boy! I
feel like a million dollars. I guess I just haven't grown up yet.
Well, Donnie Darling, I guess I'll sign off and hit the sack and hug my
pillow. I hope I'll get a letter and my proofs, tomorrow. Then I'll feel
good a
weekend, (until Monday at least!)
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X -- 20 kisses, rush order.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- 20 hugs, rush order.
And how I wish they were in person. All my love, kisses and hugs.
1 Oct 1944
Here's your little night owl reporting for duty, -- Sir! So! It's got
to be a two page letter? Yes, Sir! No, Sir, no questions, Sir! Just
wondered, Sir! Yes, Sir! Right Away! On the Double, Sir!
Tonight, my sweet, your flighty young wife again partook of some movies.
Tomorrow being Miss Greta Stevens birthday, Mr. Richard L. Terrell desired to
get a present suitable for the occasion. Having 5 gallons of gas and being in
a beneficial mood, Mrs. Donald L. Terrell immediately volunteered for service
-- I mean she volunteered her husband's car (he he) for service, and since
Miss Jeannette Terrell and Mr. Douglas Terrell had already expressed the
desire to see "Henry Aldrich's Little Secret" and Roy Rogers in "Sun Valley
Serenade" we killed 2 birds with one stone. And that a
all! No, Sir! We
also called Mr. Wayne Lear and asked if he, and his honorable brothers Messrs.
Roger and Dale Lear would care to accompany us on our mission. And they
wanted to. So all 7 of your family and mine piled in somebody's Plymouth -year -- 1930 or something and rode to the huge city of Cortland, where
Richard purchased a very neat little compact, done in red plastic for his
honey-bun and a very nice Happy Birthday Card to go with it. A
then all
s
went to see the Double Feature. A
it was really very good. Very
funny, y
have laughed and laughed, just as I did.
Don, Uncle Don [Riehlman] is planning on going South West. Down near New
Mexico and California, someplace. And they're pretty sure that climate will
fix him up O.K. I told your Dad about you finding Paul Tarply and he said
g
. Say, honey, what in heck are they making you practice for when you get
4 bulls-eyes out of 6 shots the first time you shot your M-1. Gee, honey, the
Woodchucks will all hibernate when I tell them how you're shooting dead-center
- - Or else they'll drop over into their holes in a dead faint when they
think of how they used to sit up and wiggle their ears at you. You'll really
be able to pop them off. It won't be as much fun for you, though, 'cause you
won't be able to miss. When you get them all drilled we'll move, so you can
start on new territory.
Don Terrell, I'm mad at you. Where was Lyn Ellen [our planned for future
child] while you and I and Snoopy [our dog Pooch] were eating popcorn and
reading 1, 2 and 4 page letters tied with red, white and blue ribbon?
Probably you sent her to bed at 6:00 you old meanie. You know, she'd have
liked to sit on her Daddy's lap and eat popcorn, too. And she wouldn't eat
enough to make her sick, either 'cause before she did, she'd no doubt close
her b
eyes and lay her little b
head on Daddy's shoulder and go fast
asleep, to dream about little boys (that's the Terrell in her) and candy
(that's the Lear in her). Of course, we'd have to put her in her crib and
kiss her good-night and tuck her in. Wouldn't it be fun? We'll have to try
it, tucking her in, I mean, right after we get a farm. Which won't be very
long after you get back here, just Plain Donald Terrell, no Pvt., or P.F.C. or
Sgt. or Corp. or Capt. or General, just Plain Donald L.
Honey, you should see the moon tonight. It looks like a silver dollar,
round and shiny. It was so light out we drove home part way without lights,
and it was fun. -- It would have been more fun if I'd had my honey hugging
and kissing me all the way home. As it was, there wasn't anybody to make me
even feel "romantic".
Goldie Hutchings called Mom last nite and told them they could rent the
side by Hagadorns in the big green and white house if they wanted to. She's
(Goldie) has just finished redecorating the apartment and it really is pretty,
prettier than when Mac [Evelyn MacGuiness' family] lived there. They went
down tonight and looked it over and they think they're going down. It's $20 a
month where Timmy's [Tim Hutchings] house is $15, but there's running water, a
bathroom, hard wood floors, hard roads and the kids will be able to go home
for a hot dinner. Won't that be swell?
I saw Mac's engagement ring tonite and it's very similar to mine. One
large diamond with one each side. Very pretty -- you'd think so, too.
Ray Dalley is supposed to come this morning so I'll sign off and get some
sleep so I'll be up when he gets here. It's 1:35 now. So, so long, darling,
happy dreams (about me, I hope). I'm glad you didn't miss your shower Tuesday
night. How do you like Maggie's Drawers, or haven't they waved them at you
yet? What is a "f
"? [a circular area on the target outside of the bullseye] What does D.I. stand for? [Drill Instructor] And give that lug a hug
for me. he he He sounds like a really swell fellow [the D.I.] -- ahem - er is he married and how many kids or don't you know?
My proofs didn't come again today, Ain't that hell? I got s
letters
from you this week. Thanks, darling, 'cause I know how hard it is for you to
get time to write. Thanks again, I love you so much. All my love and kisses
and hugs. (all but one hug for the D.I.) Night, honey, I love you.
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X [Boy, that honey of mine sure does send me oodles
of kisses. And 48 years later she still kisses better than any of my many
girl-friends. Well, I had at least one or two other girl-friends before I got
"hitched".]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
1 Oct 1944
I am sorry, honey, that I won't have time to write you a good letter
tonight. I have had no excuse whatsoever for not writing you a 20 page
letter, which I had really meant to do. Gosh, honey, I am so mad I could beat
my brains out against the deck. I thought all day about you, honey, all
during the time I spent sleeping last night -- all during the time I was
making my sack and helping square the barracks away -- all the time I was
eating morning chow -- all the time I was washing my dirty clothes -- all the
time I was taking a couple hours catching up on my sleep -- all the time I ate
noon chow -- all the time I was at the P.X. eating ice cream and trying to get
at the counter so I could get you a couple pins -- all the time I wrote a 2
page letter to Wayne [Lear] -- all the time I wrote a page letter to Roger and
Dale [Lear] and a two page letter to Daisy and George [Lear] -- all the time I
was reading your letters, Bob's [Terrell] letter and the daily newspaper.
Then all of the time honey, I had picked all of my cool evening after chow to
talk to the one and only that I love. Then I had to scrub my cartridge belt.
Then we ate evening chow, then we had mail call -- when I got another
wonderful letter from my honey.
Then, honey, just as I sat down on my sack to write you and tell you of
how much I loved you, the damned D.I. came in and said "Everybody into khaki
and stand by to fall out to go to the show". Honey, darling, I was so mad I
could have busted a gut trying to keep from bursting out with a lot of foul
words. But we all had to go or none of us could go, so I went.
All the time during the show, I thought of you. The show was swell and
now here I am back again with it almost time for the lights to go out and I am
still so mad I can hardly write.
I hope that you will like the few things that I bought you, honey. I am
sending them with all my love and hope that you will think of me every time
you look at them.
I am glad you had your picture taken. Your plan is all right. Will
write you tomorrow night.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
2 Oct 1944 A.M.
Well, I've got to hurry like heck 'cause the mail man usually gets here
about 10:30. Yesterday or last night rather, I didn't write because I was
plumb tuckered out. It was about 2:00 A.M. when I got home and I laid on the
bed with my clothes on, thinking I'd get up and write you and I woke up at
3:00 and decided I'd better write this A.M.
Ray Dalley has the water hooked up over at your Dad's house. The gas is
working and those chocolate chips are going to be in the making soon, now.
The ditch to the cesspool is dug and the soil-pipe is laid to the cesspool.
The water is here but unusable. Ray said I could turn it on if I wanted but
that the bathroom would be full of it if I did. The seat is not installed
yet. They're going to take the one from your Mother's and put it in over
here. The sink and shower haven't got the water in them or the drain fixed
but I guess Ray's going to work here nights 'til he finishes, I hope!
Last night Dick [Terrell], Greta [Stevens and later Terrell], Ann Joyce
[Mespell] and Wayne [Lear] and I went to the show. It was Greta's birthday so
your Mother made one of her big white cakes and I bought ice cream. We came
back to your Mother's house after seeing "Janie" -- and it was very good. We
had hot dogs, hot chocolate, cake and ice cream. They were good, too. We sat
over and looked at the funnies and the fireplace 'til a little after one.
Then we took Ann Joyce home to Dryden. Took Greta home and it was about 1:50
when we got home so then I fell asleep. Well, honey, I'll sign off 'cause
it's 10:30 and the Postman may come any minute.
Can you read this scribbling? I hope to hear from you today and the
proofs [of Maggie's pictures] come. Then I'll be happy. With all my love.
2 Oct 1944 P.M.
I didn't get a letter from you today but I'm expecting one tomorrow -maybe even two.
Tomorrow I have to work in the morning. Did I tell you I'm going to be
in Voice Training Class at the school? They practice Tuesday mornings, last
period before dinner so I'm going to work 'til then and then come home, eat
dinner and do my regular work in the afternoon. We (Alice Bristol and I) are
going to get the school bills fixed to present to the Board of Ed. tomorrow
night.
Don, darling, maybe these pictures aren't so good, but I hope like heck
you'll like o
of them well enough to want to carry it around. Those earrings were too classy-assy for me to wear to have "m
" tooked, I
guess. Clara said they'd pass for a little older than 19. I didn't mean for
them to look like that. I wanted a nice picture though just for you, you lug,
and I guess that's where I made my mistake -- I tried too hard. They've
already been numbered, and for God's sake don't write on the back of them.
I've got to take them back. Just tell me the number of whichever you like
best. We could have one "pose" for the "5 x 7" and another for the miniature
-- but it would be more expensive. The woman up there said 2 of the same size
would cost less than a 5 x 7 and a miniature, I had my mind made up -- so
that was that -- (Unless I get a letter from you tomorrow that says you want
something different.) Don, don't expose these to the strong sunlight any more
than you can help unless you'd rather look at a blank paper than at those
proofs. They will fade right off the paper if they're exposed to light too
much. They're not permanent pictures, just proofs. So don't leave them lying
around in the light. Of course, what you do with them at night you can leave
to your own judgement. he he.
Aunt Elsie [Riehlman] was here (at Clara's) for supper tonight, and a Dr.
in Syracuse said that if Don [Riehlman] went West, he couldn't expect to stay
4 or 5 months and be cured. That he'd have to stay over a period of time -he wouldn't say (because he didn't know) how long it would take for Don to be
cured [of arthritis]. So Aunt Elsie says she's going with him, if that's the
case. Right from the minute he leaves for the West. She said they were
considering going to Phoenix, Arizona now.
Dalley was here and worked tonight. He fixed the sink drain and the
shower drain. He said he was coming tomorrow night and every night 'til he
gets our water in. Thank God!
Frank Byrd [electrician] looked at our big lamp that Bob [Terrell] gave
us, when he was out, yesterday. He took it apart and said the spring was
busted in the switch and a new switch was all that was needed. It cost 75
cents. So he brought one to the station [Dad's Esso gas station] today and
Dick [Terrell] and I put it in tonight. I worked on the 3-way system awhile
and then it did just as the other switch did over at Hoose's. [The dairy farm
that Maggie and I rented for awhile.] It refused to turn on anything but a
200 watt light. I'm going to have Frank [Byrd] look at it again, when he
comes again. It isn't the bulb either 'cause I tried that brand new one and
it didn't go 100 - 200 - 300 either.
I bought 4 nuts for our dining room table today at Tete's [Harendorf].
They fit perfectly on the 3/8" bolts. I put them on and I don't know whether
Dick tightened them or not. The table doesn't wiggle quite so much, anyway.
Sunday, I cut up a wheelbarrow full of those long, thin, strips of wood
for kindling. Like the ones I made the fence around my posie bed out of.
I also bought a white, long-sleeve, all wool, lightweight, button-downthe-front sweater at Penny's. I rode up with Gert [Matson] when she took Jean
and Lee [Matson] for a piano lesson. That's how I got the proofs. They
hadn't been mailed yet.
Pooch is laying here by my chair, snoring! I guess I'll sign off, honey,
it's exactly 24:00 [midnight] and I've got to fix my fingernails before I go
to bed, they're a mess.
Honey, I hope the pictures are O.K. I told you mine never turn out good.
Clara said no. 2 looked sort of daydreamy and she didn't care for it. And I
said it ought to, I was thinking of you. She laughed but she knew I meant it.
I was thinking of you all the time those darn pictures were taken so I could
send all my love with either of them. Whichever one you liked. They'll be
touched up (a lot, I hope) and tinted, honey, bear that "in mind" while you're
choosing. Don, I'm not any fatter than I was, in fact as near as the scales
can say I weigh about 5 or 6 lbs. less than I did when you went. That woman
said we could cut off part of my shoulder (in the pictures) and make my
shoulders not so wide looking. All my love.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
2 Oct 1944
How are you feeling this evening, honey? I'll bet you have got a sore
back from polishing off all the furniture, haven't you? Those five round
disks that you are crocheting for the back of my chair will really set it off
nice. I am sending you something that I hope you can put on some of our
stands or maybe it would fit well on top of the buffet or whatever you call
it. Anyway honey, it is the piece of our dining room set that is on the left
hand side of the dining room with its back against the little davenport. See,
honey, I can just picture in my mind, without referring to your sketches in
one of your letters, where every piece of furniture is placed.
Gosh, honey, I sure was glad all over when you told me you had your
picture taken. Since we don't carry anything around in our pockets except a
pencil and our rifle range record books, I won't be able to carry your small
picture with me until after I get out of boot camp. But I will keep it safe
in the top of my sea bag where I can get it out and look at it every day and
later on I will get myself a good wallet and place the picture of my honey in
it to carry with me wherever I go.
I will pick out which one of the big pictures of you that I like best.
Have I got to sent the proofs back before you can get the originals or can I
keep them, honey? No matter which one I like best, honey, please get
duplicates of all of them because I will love every one of them anyway. If
you have a frame for one of them, please send that too, honey, so I can keep
your picture from getting soiled or bent while carrying it around when I move
from barracks to barracks or camp to camp.
I am waiting impatiently for mail call now, honey, and am hoping to get a
letter from you. It is way past mail call time -- wait, I hear them calling
right now -- bye, honey. I guess your letter must have got held up today,
honey, because I didn't get anything but my Cortland Standard. But don't you
think for one minute that I am going to stop writing you just because I didn't
get a letter from you tonight. Gee, honey, I hope you won't be too
disappointed when you don't get a letter from me for 2 or 3 days. You see,
last week there I didn't get a chance to send a letter off to you for 2 or 3
days. I'm awfully sorry, honey, but it seemed like the Serg. had every minute
of our time occupied all day long there for a while.
Boy, the lightning sure is the worst down here that I have ever seen.
These barracks aren't as well lighted as a brooder house. Don't think I am
griping, honey, it is just that it makes my eyes feel so tired when I want to
write on and on to you.
Say, while I am thinking of it, Maggie, please get an appointment to the
dentist for your teeth. I am now very sorry that I let my teeth go so long
unlooked after. All of the dentists, which there were about 12 different
ones, said that I could have saved my two front teeth and also some of the
others if I had of had them taken care of sooner. I haven't got all of mine
fixed up yet, but will get them finished when I get back to the main base.
Oh, I almost forgot, darling, the D.I. got straight dope that we would
ship out the 25th of Oct. from P.I. and that we would get 4 weeks of training
at New River [N.C.] and then we would get our furlough. So that may mean that
I will get to see you in about two more months. Please don't plan on this,
honey, because anything could happen between now and then. They may put us on
a couple weeks of mess duty on the island if they get the notion in their
heads. But it sure is something to look forward to anyway.
Talking about anything could happen to us. I mean, also, that I could
just sprain my wrist or something to lay me up for just one day and it might
set me back a couple weeks. But don't you worry about that. One fellow that
was in our platoon about 10 days when he was boxing with another one of our
fellows and he was laid up for weeks. You see they were just sparring and
this fellow, Tex, who was a professional boxer, happened to hit Temple, the
other fellow, just right in the shoulder and it threw his shoulder out of
place. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. He was down here to see
us last Sunday. He still had his arm in a sling and still had only 10 days
training to his credit although he has been here as long as we have.
I am getting along fairly good with my rifle practice, honey, although I
still have a lot to learn before we fire for record on record day. So far, I
have been laying the most of them in the bull's-eye but I'm not going to talk
until I get through here on the rifle range. Then, if I get a good score, you
sure as hell will hear me bragging about it. Bob [Terrell] wrote and told me
he shot sharpshooter 303 out of a possible 340. He only lacked 3 points from
shooting expert. I figured that was a damned good record - above the average.
Well, honey, I have got to sign off and take a shower and hit the sack.
The D.I. has been clamping down on us for going out and taking our showers
after lights went out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
4 Oct 1944 A.M.
Well, my fires gone out again. That's 2 times now since the first one
was built.
Don, darling, I renewed the "Better Farms" Magazine for three more
years. I figured you'd want it for information when you come home. Honey,
Doc [Arthur] Hutchings wants to sell his farm. I can't see why he didn't sell
before. -- To you, I mean. Would you like me to find out the price and the
method of payment, or isn't his farm suitable? I suppose we'd better wait.
After you come home you'll maybe find a farm that's in better shape and more
to your liking than his is.
I went to work about 9:15 this morning. I worked 'til 11:10 then I went
to Voice Training Class 'til 12:00. I came home and read the nicest letter
from my honey. The one you wrote Friday, Donnie, about our farm. It made me
want to bawl, but if I start crying after I read one of your letters I can't
stop. 'Cause the more I cry, the more I think, and the more I think the more
I cry. That one you wrote about sitting by the fire and reading old World II
letters made me cry. And then I read it over three or four times and it made
me cry more every time. But I love those kind of letters even if they make me
lonesome for you. 'Cause then I know you're lonesome, too. By now (the time
you get this letter), you've probably seen those proofs and maybe sent them
back. I hope you like one of them.
Don, honey, Snoop's [Pooch] growing so much. His coat is a beautiful
glossy black and on one place on his neck, the hairs are all white, under the
top layer of black. It looks something like salt and pepper.
Ray Dalley didn't come tonight and fix the water. Maybe he'll come
tomorrow night.
Evalyn [McGuiness] called tonight and asked me to go up and watch the men
bowl and meet Ned [Hayes] up there. So I said yes, and we met Ned at the
bowling alleys.
We watched 'til about 10:30, then we went into Weyants and I had a
cheeseburger and a small coke. Then we took Ned home and sat for about an
hour talking. Mac and I got home about 25 minutes of twelve. I came in and
shook down the fire, put on more coal, and went over to see your Mother.(Your
Dad hadn't got home yet.) I stayed until 1:35. We made sandwiches and had
hot tea. Now I'm so full I think I'll bust. I'm getting so tired -- from
being up late last night and getting up early this morning.
They built the first fire in the furnace today [at Mother's and Dad's].
It heats swell. They didn't have all registers fixed but some of them -Living Room, Dining Room and their Bedroom, I guess. Your Mother was
finishing the last coat of paint on the Laundry walls when I walked in
tonight.
Dick Francis quit school, honey. Grandma and Grandpa [LeRoy] are living
at North Church Street. There was a black mother bear and two cubs seen at
Gee Hill. It was in tonight's paper. So was Evalyn's and Ned's engagement.
My turtle died today. I threw him out tonight. The moon was full and
beautiful tonight, too, honey. Boy, wait 'til you get home. The first time I
see a moon like this you'll be smothered with my hugs and kisses for days
afterwards.
'Spose I'll get a letter tomorrow, honey? I hope so. No more working
mornings for me, by gosh. I'm going to be right here when your letters come.
We're going to have (maybe) from Dec. 22 - Jan 1 for our Christmas and New
Year Vacations this year. If you're at a different Camp by then maybe I can
buzz down and see you.
Well, hon, I'm getting dizzy I'm so sleepy, so I guess I'll hit the sack.
I love you, darling. I love you, honey, and I wish I could kiss you right
now. All my love and then some, honey. All my love. All my hugs. All my
kisses. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X [What, only 19 kisses?]
4 Oct 1944 P.M.
I started figuring today, honey, after reading the "Boot Camp Saga" you
sent me. Your furlough will start about Oct 14 if you don't have to do a week
of Mess Duty. I think my furlough figuring is right, if it isn't, straighten
me out in your next letter and please, honey, tell me what you think about me
meeting you in Washington. Prof and I were talking, and I'm going to see if
Alice Bristol will substitute for me. If she won't, I'm going to see if Betty
Bristol will work while you're home on furlough. Honey, I know you'll be glad
to hear that Ray Dalley got our water over, tonight. We now have faucets with
water in them, and he said tomorrow night he'd fix the seat. Isn't that
wonderful? We'll live in luxury when you come home.
Mom called to tell us they got the letters you wrote Sunday, today. She
said you wrote 2 pages, o
and she was so tickled. She said for me
to tell you, you really write swell letters. Your letters are swell, honey, - but then look at the Sweetheart that writes them (you, you dope!). I don't
see how people stand it when their men don't write nice, cozy letters back to
them. I know I'd go nuts, but you've spoiled me, writing such nice letters so
often -- and I was so scared you'd only write once a week and then just the
b
necessities.
It's been beautiful but cold here for about the last three days.
Beautiful clear nights with a harvest moon and brisk, clean air. Just the
sort of nights we used to steam up the car windows. [kissing and hugging]
Of course, last year, we went to bed like good kids, but we still steamed up
the windows.
Honey, if I get to sleep with you ten nights I'll bet I go screwy when
you have to report back to Camp. I can see now why girls follow their men,
even if they only see them once a week. That's better than once every 2 or 3
or 4 or 5 months. You'll probably have to talk like hell to make me stay here
and not go with you. Do you know anything about Camp Lejuene? I mean whether
you could stay nights with me, whether there are any housing facilities etc.
I hope your getting Bull's-eyes by the dozen, in fact 12 out of 12 every
time. -- and no fours!
Here I am on the last page and all wrote out. Say, hon, Charlie Thompson
has quit school and joined the Merchant Marines. Ain't that something? He
told Prof. he was going to let them see if they could make a man out of him.
I'm going to iron my good nightie when you come home and we'll turn the
clock back to June 26, 1943 [when Maggie and I got married] about 11:00 P.M.
on a Saturday nite, and see whose morals have changed in reference to what in
a little over a year. [But I had to get up at 4:30 A.M. to milk the cows!!]
Do you still love me, honey? I'm not going to argue over 100 times while
you're home. In fact, I'm going to try and be very agreeable -- I'll take
Sal Hepatica every morning so my indigestion won't make me cross. But the way
Sel Hepatica works is liable not to make you agreeable -- at least if we
don't get a screen over our bathroom door. [No ventilation in the bathroom.]
Well, darling, sleep very well, indeed, and you'd better dream of me,
'cause I love you better'n anything.
They're [my family] getting potatoes in. About 2 bushels per row. Quite
large -- 1 lb 1 ounce average (about). I love you, you damned old farmer.
All my love. All my hugs. All my kisses. Smack, smack, smack, smack -- um um - m - m - m - m - one of those long ones. Thank you very much.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
5 Oct 1944
I have found a few spare moments while on rest relief on a detail in the
butts. I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to write you for the past couple
days but we just haven't had one minute to spare. I haven't even had time to
read all the letters I got from you. Thanks a lot, honey, for the nice
letters and I take it by your writing that you are having lots of fun. I'm
looking forward to getting your proofs any day now.
Guess what I am writing to you on, darling? Nope, guess again -- nope -nope. Well, I guess I will have to tell you. You have heard of fellows
writing letters home on cardboard and wrapping paper and etc. haven't you?
Well I am doing better than that. I didn't have any paper so I stole a sheet
of target paste paper to write on. After every shot is fired, disked and
registered, then one of these little squares are torn off, glued and pasted
over the bullet hole. They also have these same sheets in black to paste over
bullet holes that are in the bull's-eye. So you must be very careful, honey,
that you don't pull or bend this very much or you will find yourself putting
together a jig-saw puzzle to read my letter.
We just got through firing the Carbine. It is the new rifle that is put
out to replace the revolver or pistol. It weighs about 5 1/2 pounds, has a
magazine of 15 rounds and fires on the same order as the M-1 semi-automatic.
We shot 8 rounds at 50 yards. I got 7 bull's out of 8, although I should
have had 8 bull's. It is a neat little weapon and very effective for close
fighting. Almost like a small caliber machine gun only it is semi-automatic
instead of automatic.
You know how the Terrells are when it comes to sneaking out of shit
details? Well, your hubby dear is doing his best to stay out of them right
now. Smart, aren't I?
Yesterday we shot for record and for the last time with the .22 rifle.
The day before we shot preliminary record day.
Both days we shot 68 rounds in various positions and both rapid fire and
slow fire. On preliminary record day I shot 290 out of 340 which was pretty
punk but I wasn't holding my sights right at 6 o'clock on the bull's-eye. On
record day I did much better -- 317 out of 340. That made me an expert at .22
rifle fire. There were four or five that shot a few points higher but they
are damned good riflemen. This afternoon we fire 12 shots with our M-1 slow
fire at 200 yds., marking and disking each shot. Then we go through the hand
grenade course which is a lot of fun.
I'm glad to hear that you are getting along so good down in our little
house. I was afraid you would get uneasy. Will write a good letter as soon
as possible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
6 Oct 1944
Well, by now you've probably got those chocolate chip cookies devoured
and in the Head. I hope they were as good as you expected , dear, 'cause I'd
hate to have you ashamed of them. I thought they tasted pretty good, but they
wouldn't take a beauty prize for looks. I took your Dad and Mother over some
when I took the box for Leon to take. They thought they were good. I hope
they'll ride all right, and not get all smashed up. I wrote on the back of
Jean's letter, 'cause this one will take a day more to get there, 'cause I'm
going to send it out here.
Leon got your suit, my suit and skirt from the Harris Dry Cleaners today.
They really did a swell job on your suit, honey. I haven't hung it in the
moth-proof bag yet, but I will soon.
I got another beautiful scarf from my honey today. Gee, Don, they're
really pretty and they'll come in darn handy this winter when the snows
blowing Hail Columbia and the thermometers get so cold they freeze up.
Prof was absent today. He's had a cold and he kept right on working etc.
so today he was really sick. I quit at 3:30, 'cause there wasn't anything to
do.
I baked those cookies in our gas stove. Ray [Dalley] came tonight and
fixed the shower. That plastic nozzle is really the nuts, honey. It really
pours on the water. He took your Dad's toilet seat out, but he didn't put it
in here, because he couldn't get the stuff to put it in with. He said it
would probably be a couple days before the stuff came (putty and sponge
rubber). Leon says he think he'll buy a coal jackpot for our kitchen, store
our big stove and have the jackpot, tank and gas stove in the kitchen. Ray
said our tank would freeze up in the attic, just as Curtis Harris told us it
would.
Mom said she dreamed last night that you wrote Dad and asked him to get
you at the Train Station. You had a furlough and you wanted to surprise your
folks and me. Don't you ever try that, honey, 'cause I'd miss maybe 15 or 20
minutes of seeing you. And don't forget it!!
I'll finish about the cookies and then think of something else. I've had
them on my mind all day and I'm still thinking about them. How did you like
the cashews? They had them for sale at Marion Margaret's today when your
Mother and I stopped there after taking Cork [the carpenter] home, so I bought
all there were left to send to you. Your Mother bought 1 package. I mixed
the cookies with your Mother's electric mixer -- 4 batches all at once. It
really saved me a lot of arm work, and they're mixed up better, too. I used 4
packages of chocolate chips and one 8 oz.(I think) package of pecan meats all
chopped up.
Honey, Vernon LeRoy is home on furlough. I don't know how long he's home
for or anything. I t
that they thought maybe it would be his last
furlough.
Gee, honey, I'm getting sleepy, it's 2:00. I guess I'll sign off and hit
the sack. I've got so I hug hell out of your pillow. And it's funny but every
morning I'm over on my own side of the bed. I guess I'm saving your half the
bed. I hope you'll come and fill it soon.
Well, honey, here I am and I forgot to tell you that I love you. Well, I
do love you. I love you twice.
I finished the doily for the back of your chair last night. I made it a
different shape than I'd planned. It's like this:
[Maggie drew a picture of my chair with the new doily on it that she made
for it. She drew 12 doily circles put together into a rectangle for the top
part of my chair back. The other picture she sent me earlier was going to be
a triangle with fewer doily circles in it.]
Isn't that a tipsy chair, though? All my love and kisses and hugs.
6 Oct 1944
I know that you didn't want to get any typewritten letters but I'm going
to try my hand at it today, then I'll write you a pen-written one tonight. I
think I'll go to the dance tonight -- Seniors are sponsoring it and Jean Trapp
is going but can't dance because her appendix has been acting up. So I guess
I'll go and set in on the side lines.
I painted the semi-gloss coat on the kitchen door, window next to the
door and the bathroom window -- I'm going to do the other kitchen window
tonight. They don't look bad at all. Then after they're dry I can alter my
curtains and hang them. I think they will look real nice.
I got the letter you wrote Monday night today. Maybe it's because you're
on the Rifle Range that it takes longer to get them here. I also got the
Buffet Set that you sent. Gee, Honey, they're beautiful. They ought to go
nice with our blue glass set on the Buffet. I thought you'd be getting a
furlough before then, but I'll just have to wait a little longer than I
thought, that's all. Is that Four weeks at Camp Lejuene all the training
you'll get? Is it the course that shows you how to drive one of those Radar
Trucks? Will that be your first and last furlough maybe? Gosh, honey, I hope
not. But such things do happen. You know Bill Cannon that I told you was a
cousin of yours in New Guinea? Well, he never got even one furlough, but he
was in the Infantry.
You'd ought to see our shower squirt. I think I'll try it out about
tonight if Ray [Dalley] doesn't come first. Maybe he won't even come tonight.
It rained all night (sprinkled) and then rained this a.m. But it's cleared off
swell today.
I hope those cookies got there all right. They'll be a mess if they're
all broken up into stinking little pieces. I'm sorry you didn't get a letter
from me Monday night -- I know how you felt when the postman came and you
didn't even get a one page letter. I'm sorry -- but really it wasn't my fault
because I've been sending one a day -- except on some Sunday's.
Well, Don, I'm just about wrote out. You'll have to skip the errors -I'm a no good typist unless I can look at something to copy. Mostly from
habit, I guess. [Maggie's faithful husband, yours truly, corrected her
mistakes for her while I was entering this letter into the computer 48 years
later.] [Maggie, I didn't find that many mistakes -- only about 50 dozen or
so. He He]
Well, it's 2:35 so I'll sign off. Prof is absent again today with that
cold. I think I'll quit at 3:30 if Prof says O.K. when I call him up.
All my love and then some ---Maggie -----..
[Whoa! Don't change anything. That's the way
you typed it! I have the orginal to prove
it.]
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7 Oct 1944 A.M.
I'm going to miss crawling in with you tonight. I went to the dance
about 10:45 and stayed 'til 12:30. Then Miss Sharpe (the teacher that stays
at Grandma's) and I went to Cortland and had a cheese sandwich, toasted, and
Miss Sharpe had a cup of coffee. Then we came home. I'm all ready for bed, I
have my clothes all hung up, etc. and I'm going to "finish you off" and hop
into bed. I danced with Mac [Evalyn McGuiness] a couple of times, Ned [Hayes]
once, Miss Sharpe 3 or 4 times and 1 square dance (the only one they had after
I arrived) and a couple of rounds with Ward Trapp. I missed you so. Nobody
dances like you do. Maybe there'll be a dance while you're home. We can go
and show them m
Marine, h
. They'd be jealous as heck. There was either
a Marine or Army fellow there tonight. I don't know which. The music was
swell. They really "Come in On The Beam".
Tomorrow, rather this morning, Miss Shaw and I are going to Hickey's
Music Store [in Ithaca] to get some Choir music and while we're there I'm
going to get a book with "Six Easy Lessons and play Boogie Woogie". I want to
find out how the Bass goes in B. Woogie. It sounds like heaps of fun.
Well, hon. my eyelids feel like Gremlins were sitting on them so I'll hit
the sack.
Nite Honey. All my hugs, kisses and love and etc.
7 Oct 1944 P.M.
Well, I've been busy as heck. -- I guess. I got up at 8:45 -- cleaned up
the house and was ready to go to Ithaca at 10:00. Miss Shaw didn't come 'til
11:00 and I got the paint scraped (with a razor blade) off one pane of the
back door. We got home about 4:30 and I was so tired I laid down and slept
'til 7:30.
I ate supper with your folks. Then tonight I finished scraping off the
window by the kitchen table and the back door. I ironed the curtains and I
find that I'll have to "reconvert" all my kitchen curtains to get enough for 2
windows and the backdoor. I thought they'd just fit, but they're too short.
So, if nothing happens tomorrow I'll cut them up and fix 'em so they'll be
O.K. It will be my first attempt with mfging. curtains.
Grandpa [LeRoy] had to go back to the hospital today. We think maybe
it's nerves, mostly -- his moving to Cortland and worrying about Uncle Don and
Aunt Elsie [Riehlman]. Doc Kelly told him to go to the hospital last nite,
but Grampa didn't want to go. But Kelly got him to go this morning. He said
he'd (Grampa) never stay home and suffer another night like he did last night.
He said he'd rather go to the hospital. They've cut his cast off and Aunt
Elsie [Riehlman] said it must weigh 15 or 20 pounds and she didn't see how
he'd carried it around all this time. [Grandpa Clayton LeRoy had been crushed
and trapped inside his car when a GLF egg tractor trailer truck tipped over on
him in the summer.] They think maybe it's Grampa's gall bladder that's
bothering him. I hope it's that mild a thing that's wrong.
Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie are planning on an auction. They arranged for it
yesterday (I
). They're having their auction on the 20th of November.
I
nothing happens, you should be home in time to see them before they go. If
you don't, maybe sometime you'll be out toward the West and you can visit
them.
I didn't get a letter or anything today and I know I won't tomorrow -and I haven't been getting mail Mondays so I'll plan on hearing from you
Tuesday. I hope you've made a lot of bulls-eyes and then some, honey. I bet
that you'll make Expert. I know that's expecting a lot, but you can do it.
Of course, if you make j
Sharpshooter, I'll still love you, he he!
It rained like hell, today, honey. Miss Shaw and I were just coming up
out of Ithaca past that corner where that power plant or something is -- where
all that coal is piled all the time,[Cornell Heating Plant] when it started to
sprinkle. There were what looked like 3 sailors standing on the corner,
thumbing. We'd just been talking about not liking to pick up fellows hitchhiking. Well, they were just starting to get sprinkled on, and Miss Shaw said
"Shall we?" and I said, "Sure". There weren't many cars around at the moment,
and it was really going to pour in just a moment. Well -- we stopped and what
looked like 3
sailors turned out to be 5
. I got over in back and then put all
our purchases including 2 new cactus I got up in back of the back seat and
climbed out to let them in. At first only 3 got in back and the other two
said they'd hitch another car, but it had started really raining so four of
them got in back and I got over in the middle of the front seat and let one of
the kids sit there. They were all talking about their girls in Syracuse
(that's where they were heading, they were from Cornell). I don't think any
of them were married. All in all a nice bunch of k
. They got out at
Dryden and hitched on into Cortland. Imagine! 5 sailors all at once. God,
did we feel silly and who did we meet on the Ithaca and Dryden road but M.
[Margaret] Lathrop and her mother. Probably someone will write you and tell
you you'd better keep an eye or s
on your sailor - seeking wife. It
would be just like them.
That guy that put the first coat of paint on Leon's kitchen is going to
paint all the inside and outside of their house, isn't that swell? They're
[Mother and Dad] really tickled about it. They're spending the nite up to
Aunt Elsie's so Jean's here with me. Well, I'll sign off and hit the sack.
Gosh, honey, I love you. I can't hardly wait for your furlough and then when
I think that after that it may not be long 'til you're a long ways away and I
wish that your furlough wasn't 'til next year this time. Having you 1,000
miles away instead of 10 or 12,000 is some consolation.
Well, I'll love you no matter where you or I are. I love you, honey.
Nite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
7 Oct 1944
Haven't had any time to write lately but will try to write you a letter
Sunday. Got your pictures. Like them very much. Haven't decided yet which
one I like best.
Worked in the butts most of yesterday for the guys who were firing for
record. We fire for record next friday.
Think we might fire the Carbine and B.A.R. [Browning Automatic Rifle]
today. Had a short lecture on B.A.R. yesterday.
Have an appointment with the dentist Sunday at 1500. Maybe I will call
you if I get a chance.
It won't be long before I will have more time to write you every day.
7 Oct 1944
This time I played smart and brought some writing paper along with me
when I came out on the line. It just happens that we are waiting here for the
coaches to bring over some more Carbines before we start firing, so I thought
I could scribble off a few lines. They are starting to fire now so I will
sign off for now. I am 5th relay on the 11th target.
We just finished firing the Carbine 8 shots and now are waiting in relays
to fire 10 shots apiece with the B.A.R. We were figuring up how many shots
are being fired this morning with the B.A.R., not counting the carbine. There
are three platoons, about 180 men or more, which means that in a period of
about 1/2 hour there are 1,800 30 cal. shells fired. They figure that there
is more ammunition fired out here on the rifle range than in the entire
Pacific Theater of war.
My front teeth are aching a little right now but I am having them fixed
as fast as possible. I had an appointment Wed. and Thurs. evening and another
one this coming Sunday afternoon.
Here it is nearly the end of another week, honey. I am a little tired
and sweaty but am looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow. After I clean my
rifle, make my bed, do all my washing, fill out a couple examination papers
and go to the dentist. Just a few odds and ends. A spare minute here and
there.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
8 Oct 1944 No, it is 9 Oct 12:47 A.M. Monday morning, darn it!
Well, here I am in just my nightie, to write to my honey, as I do
nightly. I hope he enjoys the letters I send, 'cause I love his, from
beginning to end. -- His l
Don, today I've done a little of everything. Your Mother and Dad stayed
at Aunt Elsie's 'til tonight, so I got dinner (chicken, cole slaw, mashed
potatoes, ice cream) and supper (tomato soup and chicken sandwiches).[For
Maggie, Jean and probably Dick and Doug Terrell.] Ned [Hayes] and Mac
[McGuiness] came to visit tonight and my part of the housecleaning was still
to be done. The bedroom has the piles and the kitchen had dirty dishes and
I'd scraped paint off the windows onto the floor and hadn't cleaned it up.
So, I can imagine what they think. Dammit, if I don't clean, somebody comes
and if I nearly bust a gut getting spick and span, nobody appears. It's hell - that's what it is.
The way I figure you'd ought to have gotten those chocolate chips about
today. I've been eating the ones I had left over and there's just a 1/2 one
left in the kitchen. They weren't bad but I hope they were like you wanted
them to be.
Say, honey, you'll have to send back those proofs. I have to have them
back in 2 weeks and they'll fade out anyway, honey. How do you expect me to
get a picture of each proof??? I'm only earning $50. a month and pictures
cost money. I'll only get those two for you, darling, then on your furlough
we'll have some nice ones taken of both of us together and spend all our money
on something to show our Grandchildren.
You'd better send me home a good conduct ribbon 'cause I banked $50.,
that the Navy Dept. sent me Friday, in Dryden Bank yesterday in a Donald L.
and Margaret E.'s joint Bank Account, which brings the Balance up to $90.55.
Next month it will be $140.55. Dec. will be $190.55 and by the New Year we
should have well over $200. in Dryden. -- $240.55 to be exact. I think I told
you I had to use that first $50. But I'll try to pay it back, if it's at all
possible. The rest of our coal is apt to come this month, so I'll probably be
stripped and maybe have to draw a bit from Dryden in order to pay cash. I get
paid again this Friday, though, so maybe I'll come out O.K.
Honey, I missed you today, so much. It seemed like you should be coming
on the milk truck [I drove a milk truck for Howard Haskins just before going
into the Marines.] and then sitting down reading funnies with us, but you
didn't come. Somehow, I just keep looking and waiting for you to come, all
the time. Once in a while I see one of Howard's trucks and I feel happy just
like I did when you were driving them and then when I come to, I feel like
heck. I have to keep reminding myself that you won't be coming through the
door and grabbing me and giving me one of those rib-crushing hugs and a couple
hundred kisses. My blood pressure goes up just thinking about them.
Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie [Riehlman] bought a $14 hundred and something
dollar trailer today. Electric stoves, closets, sink, tables, 2 studio
couches that unfold into double beds -- all the luxuries of home. A brand new
one with Venetian Blinds and curtains. They're planning now to go to Tucson,
Arizona, instead of Phoenix. Your Mother's going to keep a lot of Aunt E's
quilts and things she might want in a year or so. She's also getting Aunt E's
electric stove. We're going to have the small coal hot water heater that was
in Aunt E's kitchen. They're going to store our stove over in your Mom's and
Dad's basement.
Uncle Bob's dog, Penny, came out first in a Dog Show today. She won
first even over a dog owned by Crocker - McDonald.
Dad and Mom [Lear] are moving next Fri., Sat. and Sunday. Some people
named Moore, that have been working for Wilson and living in the little school
house by Wilson's (you know where I mean) are renting Timmy's [Hutchings]
house [where George and Daisy Lear had been renting since selling their farm].
This Moore [Kenneth] and Wilson [Earl] have broken partnership or whatever it
was.
Well, honey, I'm going to hit the sack and I'll kiss your pillow a good
long kiss for you. Nite, honey. I love you, honey. I love you, sugar-pie.
[I love you too, shrimp!!!!! me. 30 Dec 1992]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
8 Oct 1944
Well, I finally have found time to sit down and write you a letter that
you can read, I hope. But as usual, everything is not going exactly according
to plan, because here I am writing you a letter about 0900 and I still have
got my washing to do yet. In fact I have spent, not really wasted, but spent
all my morning reading over your letters, thinking about you and also trying
in vain to figure out which one of your pictures I want enlarged. I guess the
only way I would be satisfied, honey, would be to have all four of them
enlarged.
I will look at one and say that is the best, then I will lay that one
down and look at another and decide that is the best. I have been going on
like this all day (correction) all morning long and still haven't really
decided yet. I am going to send them back in this letter though because I am
afraid I will keep on looking at them so much they will fade.
Please try to help me, honey, in deciding which one to enlarge. I know
they all can't be enlarged because it would be too expensive so I want you to
help me and make sure I pick out the most suitable one. You know much better
than I do, honey, which picture of you I would like the best. After having a
hell of a debate in my mind all morning, I guess that No. 4-3-2 or 1 would be
the best ones. Oh, hell, there I go again. Well, anyway, I think I like No.
4 the best, but your shoulders make you look rather solid or rather the way
you are sitting and I know that you really aren't that fat. But still I guess
I like that picture the best. Then they go back in reverse order, No. 3 next 2 next and then No. 1 which I will admit looks as though you were maybe
thinking of me and that makes me feel good.
So much for the pictures, darling, because I have got to make this first
letter today rather short if I am going to get my clothes washed in time so
that they will dry. It rained a little last night and looks like it might
rain this afternoon which makes it a rather poor day for drying clothes.
One of the main reasons, outside of that I love you very much, that I
decided to write you before I did my washing, was because then I would be sure
and have written you a letter today in case anything happens that I won't get
anymore time. In other words from now on my honey comes before anything else,
that is every time it is possible.
[Sunday afternoon, just about 1/2 hr. after chow.]
Here I am back again, honey, ready to talk to you a few minutes while
waiting for one of the fellows to get through using the ram rod so I can clean
my rifle. I have finally succeeded in doing the most of my washing, that is
all my clothes but the ones I have on. You see, I am going to wait until I
get through cleaning my rifle before I wash the pants I have on because I
can't help but get oil and grease all over them, although they couldn't be
much dirtier than they already are.
I am slipping a little on my shooting, honey, but hope that by Friday
13th (record day) I will be in shape to send 68 shots toward the target with a
few of them hitting the bull's-eye. Yesterday we shot 8 rounds with the
Carbine, 10 rounds with the B.A.R. and 30 rounds with our M-1 besides going
through the grenade course again. All in all we burned up a lot of Uncle
Sam's money in damned short order. Of course we didn't use real grenades but
we will get a chance at throwing real ones later on. Also rifle grenades shot
from the muzzle of our M-1's.
8 Oct 1944
I am now standing very impatiently in the dental dispensary waiting for
my turn in the chair. I forgot what time it was when I was washing my last
pair of dungarees when along came the bus back to the main station which I was
supposed to ride on. So consequently I had to walk down here which made me a
few minutes late for my appointment. Therefore I am waiting while the Dr.
finishes with a fellow who got in ahead of me.
-----------Now I am out again waiting down here in the lobby of the dispensary. My
mouth was so swollen that all he did was to open it up and let the pus drain
out for a few days. I have another appointment Wed. at 1900 but he is not
going to work on them too much until after I shoot for record on Friday so it
won't bother my sight picture.
Guess what I am waiting here for, honey. Nope, not for the bus, nope,
not for one of the fellows. Well, I guess I'll have to tell you. I thought
that since I was right next to a phone I would see if I could maybe get a call
through to you. But I guess I won't have time, honey, much as I would like to
hear your voice.
You see there are several other fellows who have been waiting here all
afternoon - one since 1100 this morning and they still haven't got their call
through yet. How did I know you would be home? Well, I just thought that I
would take a chance at it, anyway, although I just kind of have a notion you
are maybe baking me some chocolate chip cookies or maybe writing me a letter.
Well, it doesn't look like I'm going to have any luck, honey, so I guess
I had better forget it until later, although I will wait for another half hour
or so. Meanwhile I will occupy myself by talking to you through a scribbly
handwriting on my knee.
I am glad to hear that Ray Dalley has got your water and gas hooked up.
I hope it won't be long before you can sit down on a real flushing toilet
seat. And my honey really split up a whole wheelbarrow full of kindling!
Keep it up, honey, because then you won't have to split it after the snow
comes and it will be all dry if you pile it in the coal shed.
Did our other tire come back from being vulcanized yet? If so, you
should have four good tires now. Dad said he was going to look around and see
if he could find us a 3rd class spare. Have you had any trouble lately with
the car, honey? Any more shorts to run down the battery or etc.? I hope they
straighten the doors so that there won't be so much cold air blowing in. You
want to get the chains out and make sure they are already to put on. If I
remember right, one of the locks was broke last year. And remember to pour
just a little alcohol in the gas tank when it gets awful out.
Well, honey, I finally gave it up because if I didn't get back to the
range in time I would not get any evening chow. But I am going to try again
Thurs. between 18-2100 so if you get this letter before then, please stay home
just in case.
I just got your letter and one from Jean [Terrell] that you, Mother and
Dad wrote on the back of. I also got a letter from Bob [Terrell], my Cortland
Standard and a small religion booklet from a minister in Homer who talked to
us before we left.
No, darling, I haven't got your cookies yet but will probably get them
tomorrow. Thanks a thousand times, dear, and I wish I could give you a kiss
for every cookie. I want to write the folks a line before sack time.
------1900 Still hasn't rained. Been a nice day.
I thought I would scribble down a word or two so that the back of this
sheet wouldn't be exactly blank.
Say, honey, I have got a little financial business to talk over with you.
You willing to listen? Well, whether you want to or not here goes. Do you
remember that you asked me to get you a Marine emblem pin if I could, and I
said that they didn't have any good ones? Well, I went to the P.X. the other
night and while looking over the souvenirs, my eyes stopped on one of the
nicest looking golden colored Marine emblem you ever saw. It was priced at
$4.50. My heart gave a leap and I was all set to buy it to send home to my
one and only, when Bang! I just thought, I had spent all my money for scarves
and linen and comic books to send home to my honey and the rest of it I had
spent on ice cream, candy and toilet articles. So consequently I had to go
away sorrowfully but determined to get the pin. So if my honey would please
send a money order for $5 or more right away, maybe I could get it for her.
Right now I have just 25 cents left to my name. We don't get paid for a
couple weeks, So!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
10 Oct 1944
I just can't seem to get to bed before 1 or 2 A.M. anymore. In a way, I
suppose it's 'cause I hate to go to bed alone. I love you, honey, and even 8
or 10 nights sleeping with you again won't seem bad at all, in fact it will
seem damned good. Only thing I'll hate to see each night go and morning come
'cause you'll have a day less with me. Don, we've got to do all the things we
wanted to and never did. Like going to Syracuse for a show, just us two, and
sleeping all night in the car instead of having to go home to bed. I got 60
lbs. of sugar and we'll make fudge (on gas) to y
tummy's desire. We can
take showers together and I'll take you up on what you said about wiping my
dishes. That would be the 3rd time you'd dried them for me. I'll bet twenty
years from now when Lyn Ellen and Donnie Jr. [our planned for future children]
are 15 and twelve I'll still be able to count the times you wipe dishes for me
on two hands -- and I've got just 10 fingers, too. By then Lyn will be
helping me and Donnie will be doing some of the e
farm chores -- feeding
chickens, haying and bedding down the cows, feeding the cows, horses, pigs,
goats, guinea pigs, turkeys, guinea hens, bantams, by the way, we're going to
have a w
flock of banties when we start to farm again. The kids will love
them. Gee, honey, Pooch is such a swell dog. I think he knows when I want
him to shake hands. Maybe it's because I put my hand out. Or maybe he
realizes "Shake" means "shake". Don and Lyn both will like to go after cows,
so you'll have to keep that damned Bull that knocked those fence posts down up
in the pasture, in the barn, d
! Pooch barks like heck at cows etc.
but if they came after him he'd run like hÿ
. I think you'll love him as
much as I do, Don. He'll be able to help you get the cows out of the barn
after you milk. Come to think of it, you could feed him warm milk in the barn
and I wouldn't have to feed him. ha ha I've got you just where I want you -doing my work. Don won't be able to do t
much farm work 'cause I don't want
him flunking his school subjects and being 20 before he graduates. H
going
to do homework, 'cause he'll have brains and the quicker he graduates, the
quicker it can be T
"Level-Acres Farm" s
, New York
-- or maybe Washington o
even s
. Who could know? I hope Lyn
is a better h
than her Mother is. I'm O.K. as a wife -(I guess) but I've got a few more years experience needed before I hit
"Expert" at cooking and housekeeping. Lyn will probably take after her Dad,
and be smart -- born that way, I mean. Lord help Little Don, though. He'll
probably be all brawn and no brains ["Brute strength and ignorance" my Uncle
Don Riehlman used to call me when I would break all the handles on his pitch
forks when I was 8 to 10 years old until he solved the problem by making me my
own pitch fork with 3/4" galvanized pipe for a handle.] like his horse of a
Mother (M
to be exact). Don and Lyn will never have a "M O T H E R", just a
M O M!!!! I hope she's a good Mom and even tempered and jolly.
I got your letter today written on target paste paper. S
you're not
reading my letters, huh? Well, you'll have a couple nights solid reading, if
you leave over 2 letters unread, when you have a chance to read them. I'm so
glad you get them, 'cause they'll keep for you to read. And I'm also tickled
to hear you got Expert with the .22. That's really swell. I hope you did as
well with your M-1. With an "Expert" in the immediate family, I'd stick my
chest out so I'd need a size 38 brassiere instead of a sixe 32 one. You could
pat yourself on the back for that increased inchage, too.
I expect the proofs back today or tomorrow. I hope you like them.
They're the best I can do, 'cause I haven't much to do it with.
Well, hon, early to bed, early to rise, and I've got to rise early
tomorrow A.M. Cork's going to work 'til about 9 A.M. this morning so I'm
taking him home then.
Don, darling, I love you a lot. In fact I love you more than a lot.
I'll hit the sack now, honey. Sleep tight, S
Dreams. All my love and
then a lot more.
11 Oct 1944
A.M.
I got that letter you wrote in about 1 minute flat Saturday, today.
You'd be surprised how good it is to get one every day even if it's just one
page and not much on the page. I suppose it's the "Love" at the end that
makes me feel so good. Yesterday I was at school and I was feeling extra good
'cause I got a letter. I started humming and doing things "on the Double" and
Prof sort of looked up and grinned and said "Happy today, huh? You must have
got a letter." And boy, was I surprised -- I didn't think I showed it all
over when I heard from my honey. But it must be that I do.
I went up and watched the guys bowl with Mac [McGuiness] and Ned [Hayes]
again tonight. They're swell to me but last Tuesday night I watched them
"mushing" around and there was a moon as big as a full sized pumpkin, and I
came so near bawling, just thinking about how nice it would be for us to be
mushing like that, that I looked awful hard at the moon and concentrated on
it's nose, mouth etc. They made me feel so darned lonesome, I felt like
hugging myself just for company.
Today I bought some yellow material with big flowers of rose, with green
and a sort of gray and two shades of yellow in it to reupholster our davenport
and my chair. I also bought some plain striped material with the same colors
in it for your chair. It come to $18.17 altogether so I paid $5. down and had
it saved for me. I'll pay the 13.17 this Friday, when I get paid. It will
really be quite snazzy, after they're fixed. I saw a 9 x 12 green rug up to
Peck's today that I'd have liked to have bought -- $67.95 I think it was. I
think I'll do a little maneuvering and see if I can't get it, by hook or by
crook. It was really beautiful and would it be the nuts with our green walls.
It would very likely fit in our farm house, too, 'cause usually living rooms
can stand a 9 x 12 rug as well as any other size. What do you think about it?
I think I'll put some money down on it and then pay for it as fast as I can.
Would you a
of this method of action? hm-m-m. Then our living room
would be all fixed up for you when you come home. The pile on that rug wasn't
very deep but if we left the old rug on as a rug filler it might be a softer
and spongier feeling.
Ned and Mac bought a blue chair and davenport and a wine chair in a
living room suite today -- with springs. They bought them in Ticknor's.
They are probably the ones we looked at in the basement that day, that you
liked so well. They also got a coffee table and smoke stand -- mahogany like
our piano. They're going to wait and see if they need a dining room suite
whenever they find a place to live.
I hope I get a nice long letter from you tomorrow. And I hope you tell
me you got the cookies and they were in O.K. [condition] And I hope you say
you've made up your mind which picture you like best so I can take the proofs
back and get the finished product. If you like the proofs, honey, you ought
to be crazy about the tinted pictures. They'll look about 100% better (I
hope!).
Dad and Mom were supposed to start moving tonight. I'm going to help Mom
in the A.M., by gosh, if I have to blow myself out of bed and shoot everybody
that wants me to do something different.
What are B.A.R.'s [Browning Automatic Rifles] and will you be through
Rifle Range the 14th? (That will be 24 days.) Or will you have to stay
longer? I saw a Marine tonight in Dress Blues (or whatever they call that
Red, White and Blue suit). He had the same medal on as Bob [Terrell] won -Sharpshooter, I think -- plus a few -- (3 - I think- Campaign Ribbons). I
don't know what his name was. But maybe I'll see about him in the paper.
What I'm waiting for is the day it says -- "Pvt Donald Terrell is home on a 10
day furlough -- which he is spending a
(I hope) with his f
wife
and d
. All his relatives are on a vacation in the West -- f
West,
visiting their sister, daughter, sister-in-law and aunt -- Mrs. Donald
Riehlman." Selfish, ain't I? [Yes. Don't you think I would also like to
see(just for a few minutes anyway) my Mother(sister), Grandpa and
Grandma(daughter), Dad(sister-in-law) and brothers and sister(aunt)? After
all I just might get shipped overseas(and I did) and not see anyone(except
brother Bob) for about two years(and I didn't). But I still love you anyway,
Shrimp!] But that's an ideal set up for at least 5 days out of 10. I don't
give a damn how selfish I am -- or jealous, either.[Okay, so I s
love
you!] I told Mac and Ned if they'd get married before you came home we'd
spend a night or something in Syracuse -- just for the hÿ
of it. Wouldn't
that be fun?[Boy, I'm glad that didn't happen. I was planning on spending a
my nights with o
and not with some other couple.]
Here I go again, almost ready to hit the sack. Night, honey. I love you
with all my heart and part of my liver. If you want to come home, just hop in
a "flivver". [Not bad poetry, Maggie. I missed that 48 years ago.]
I love you. With all my love + -- in chemistry or something that equals
p
. I love you, honey. [Boy, I sure like this part of your letter, honey.]
P.S. When the stamp on an envelope is up-side down, it means:
With Love
All of mine.
[Note: From this point on Maggie sent all her letters to me with the
stamp placed up-side down on the envelope. That sure must have driven the
Postal service people nuts wondering what kind of a nutty wife I had back home
but I don't care because I l
that nutty wife of m
.]
11 Oct 1944
P.M.
I helped Mom this A.M. but I didn't feel like working this afternoon so I
called Prof and then I took it easy this afternoon. I didn't get a letter
from you today, just when I needed one to bolster my morale.
I'm up to Mom's tonight. I'm going to stay and help in the A.M.
Tomorrow is Columbus Day and we haven't got to go to school tomorrow or Friday
either. If you were a little closer and I could see you I'd come for a visit.
As it is, I'll have to just pretend, I guess and hope I'll get a letter
tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. That would really be nice. I wish you were
here to get me nice and warm after I crawled into bed, and to rub my tummy and
make it feel 100% better. I wouldn't keep you awake all night -- not quite.
Just 'til I stop aching and go to sleep.
This is one of those days that nothing happens, and I feel like heck, so
I'll sign off on the first page, and hit the sack. I'm sorry, honey, but I
think I'll feel better in bed. I love you. And you'd better love me, or I'll
get a Divorce. Night With all my love.
P.S. I'd better get a letter tomorrow. Or Else! I'll come gunning for
you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
11 Oct 1944
Gosh, honey, I haven't got your cookies yet and can't figure out why, but
am expecting them any day now. Have got all your letters, hon, thanks a lot.
I'm glad things are turning out so well. If only Uncle Don [Riehlman] didn't
have to go. I sure am glad they bought a trailer, for that is about the best
way to travel, if he can get the gas.
Just got back from the dentist and it is already about time for lights
out and the mail fellow is cussing my soul for having to wait until I write my
honey.
We shot pre-preliminary today - wind blew like hell - I shot 292
sharpshooter. Tomorrow we shoot preliminary - Friday record day. I'm not
doing too bad, but anything can happen.
We sure have been burning up the ammunition right and left.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
12 Oct 1944
I guess you either couldn't call or else your call didn't go through.
Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm sort of relieved 'cause you
didn't call. I know what would have happened. The minute I heard your voice,
I'd have started crying. Then I'd have felt so silly (because I cried), I
wouldn't have been able to think of what I wanted to say to you. Things like
-- I hope you have swell luck tomorrow -- Friday the thirteenth (Bulls-eyes
by the bushels) and I wish I could see you and keep your mouth warm (you know
how I used to) so your teeth wouldn't ache, and how much I love you and how I
loved your t
letters today with the proofs in. How glad I am that you like
them. I was so afraid you wouldn't. I think you picked the best one. It's
the one all your folks liked -- even Aunt Elsie. I'll take it up tomorrow
morning and have the pictures made -- also I'll send a money order for $10 to
you. I hope that nice Marine pin will still be there, or they'll have one
like it in stock. Don, darling, I think I'll start buying that green rug. I
think I can manage it, little by little. I hate to borrow from our Bank
Acc't, so maybe my pay will see it through. Darn it, honey, I don't know what
I'm going to pay for our other coal with. Maybe I'll have to use p
of the
allotment for that, much as I hate to. It hasn't come (the coal) yet, but I
expect Harold [Vunk] to bring it, any day.
I felt awfully blue after I read your letter today about your mouth being
swollen and pussy. I wish I could be with you. It hurts me almost as much as
it does you when you tell me how you feel. Honey, please write and s
what they're doing to your front teeth (If they're still in your
face.). The way you talked first it sounded like they'd been pulled, then the
next sentence sounded like they were still in and being fixed -- Well, what I
want to know is -- What are they doing to My Honey? And don't just say Ah
Nothing! I want some details, O
Did you ever talk to someone you missed a lot, over the phone? Well,
it's the most awfull feeling, after you hang up. It's hard as hell to hang up
and shut off their voice, in the first place, and in the second -- you have a
very empty feeling after talking. You feel like you do when you want a kiss
and all you get is a smile. I would have felt so dissatisfied after talking
because I'd want more than just words if I heard your voice. I think I'd just
miss you all the more. It'd seem like you were just calling to see if I was
coming and get your supper and I think I'd be waiting for you and expecting
you to be here when I came back over here. You understand what I mean, don't
you, honey? You usually understand me better than I did -- Unlucky you!
Don, darling, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and wishing you luck. I
hope your face feels pretty good so you can shoot O.K. I'm praying you make
Expert. I know you can do it if you feel O.K. Honey, what's the extra time
at the Range for, or rather at P.I. [Parris Island] (Why aren't you leaving
'til the 25th?) and how about that 4 wks. at Camp Lejuene? Please, honey,
write and tell me, even if it isn't what you'd consider "morale-builder-upper
news". I'd rather know than be making wild (you know how wild they can be)
guesses. I can imagine any number of reasons, and they're all g
. I
hung the door curtains in the kitchen, the door curtains in the Living Room,
screwed on the toilet paper holder in the Bathroom and hung the curtains
tonight on that small cupboard Gram and Gramp [LeRoy] gave us. The curtains
in the Bathroom, I'd already fixed.
I felt much better today -- not like jumping around, but better.
Tomorrow I'll probably feel O.K. I usually do by then.
Well, honey, I'll start to sign off so I can read a minute and then hit
the sack. I love you so much, honey, every once in a while I get reminded of
how much I love you -- like today when I felt so damn low after your letter
about your teeth. Then I realize really how much I d
love you and I feel
sort of funny and kick myself for having always had a quick temper. But I
suppose I'd get mad just as often if I had that year to live all over again.
Goodnight, darling -- sleep tight and w
. I hope to get a letter
tomorrow saying you got the chocolate chips. I hope they were good, honey.
13 Oct 1944
Well, how are your s
tonight -- low, high or medium -- In other
words, how did the shooting go? I hope you are O.K. and your teeth aren't
bothering you yet. Honey, it makes me feel terrible to think that you don't
feel good and I can't do anything about it. If you were here, I could at
least cuss for you. I love you and I hate to have you feeling bad.
Don, don't breathe a word, but I sighted (I just sighted, I couldn't
shoot it.) a Carbine today, just like the ones you shoot. Gee, honey, I'd
love to shoot them. They feel so good and they're smaller than any gun I ever
saw, even a .22 is longer and more awkward-feeling. Maybe after Hitler and
Tojo hit the dust we can hunt woodchucks with them. They're really just my
size.
Darling, I'm enclosing a $7.00 Money Order, instead of ten. You see, I
didn't get paid today, and I'm low on funds too. I'm also enclosing the three
proofs that they didn't need. The woman up there is supposed to file all
proofs, but just for you, she let me keep these three. She said just keep
them out of sunlight. Electric, etc. won't hurt them so much, but sunlight
really fades them.
Mom and Dad [Lear} are moving tomorrow. I hope every thing goes all
right. They ought to be fairly settled by Sunday.
Say you, I didn't get a letter from you, today. What's the idea? Maybe
those cookies killed you off. They'll probably put me up for manslaughter.
Maybe mass murder -- if all those guys ate one apiece. Poor me -- and after
I was just trying to keep my honey smiling -- and loving me. You know what
they say -- "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.". I certainly
think they hit the nail right on the button. At least, in reference to you
and about 15 thousand other guys.
My pictures are supposed to be done by Oct. 30th, if nothing happens,
tinted and everything. I hope they get about the right colors. I'll look
funny as heck if they color me wrong. We're going up there on your furlough
and get some beauts taken, of us together and of just you. Say, would you
like a special photo-folder for my small picture, and some of our snapshots?
They're about the size of a billfold, except not so thick. I'll get some at
Paramount for you if you'd like one. And while I'm thinking about it, if
Wayne [Lear] sent you the money, could you get him one of those shock-proof
watches, like yours? It would be nice if you could, but if you had to fib
about it, don't get it. I can't see any sense of Wayne paying so much for one
if you can get him one for less. P
remember to tell me about these two
things in your n
letter.
I got one of those Christmas cards for Bob [Terrell] that unfold and
unfold -- you know those funny ones that are large. I'll have to send it
before next Monday -- That's dead-line for guys over-seas packages and cards.
Don, please write and tell me whether you'd like a wedding ring or not.
Maybe you wouldn't care for one, but lots of times I look at mine and it
reminds me of you because you gave it to me. If you want one, would you like
one exactly like mine or would you rather have a plain wide gold band? I
looked at them in Alpert's today (for men). The girl that showed them to me
said she got her husband one before he went. They'd been married 5 years and
she said he'd thought they were silly before (when they were married), but
that he wanted one before he went. You know, honey, I wanted to get you one
and have a double-ring ceremony, but by that time I was broke buying
furniture. The reason I'm asking now is, I was wondering about Christmas and
I thought maybe that would be nice. And I thought I could get it now and have
it engraved and then I'd be able to put it on your finger, in person, when
you're home on furlough. She said the plain gold bands were more practical
for men, but I'd sort of like you to have one like mine. What are your views
on the subject? And p
, honey, don't forget to tell me. Maybe you think
I'm foolish, but I'd feel good, knowing you had a ring, too, that sort of tied
us together. Please, Don, think it over.
Well, I'll sign off, honey. I hope I get a letter tomorrow. And I hope
you get one today, tomorrow, Sunday, Monday and etc.
Goodnight, darling. Come visit me in my dreams -- Won't you? Nite.
With a
my love + = plus
XXXXXXX
14 Oct 1944
I'm the tiredest tonight I've been since I painted these two rooms that
day. I went up home around 11:00 A.M. and we've moved until about 6:00
tonight. The bedrooms are almost completely fixed -- their beds are fixed so
they can crawl right into them and they really are almost in as good order as
they could be. Their Living Room and Dining Room are really settled good -but the Kitchen we left for tomorrow. They've still got the stove and
refrigerator to move yet, too. But by tomorrow night they ought to be in
pretty good running order. They're going to enjoy a bathroom, hot and cold
water and running water. I guess all but Mom, Wayne and I used the bathroom
tonight just to see how it felt. [George, Daisy and family didn't have an
inside bathroom while on the farm and at Timmy's rented house.] There's also
a front a
back porch light. I'm sure they're going to enjoy it. You really
don't notice that it's a double house on a busy corner. [In the center of
Virgil.]
Donnie, honey, I was so disappointed about the cookies. I hope you get
them -- they'll probably be stale or something, though, they've been in the
mail for so long. I had my return address on them and it seems if they'd
busted or something they'd have let me know. And certainly they shouldn't
have gone to the wrong guy, not with your serial number etc. on them. I hope
you'll get them, honey, and I'm awfully sorry they didn't get there before.
The wind out tonight howls and whistles just like winter. It's rained
almost all day and it's quite chilly. I hope it's cooling off some down there
-- but you'd sweat if it was 32 degrees, wouldn't you, honey?
I think I'll just write one page tonight, honey, I hope you don't mind,
but I've been doing too much with my arms 'cause my arms are awfully tired.
And I can't seem to think of anything else to tell you.
So, I'll just say goodnight, honey, and I hope you're feeling O.K. I
love you, Don, and I'll just bet you love me! Wanna bet? With all my love.
P.S. Say, if you don't get those cookies you can't die of indigestion,
can you?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
14 Oct 1944
I just got your letter you wrote the 11th Wed.. I am awfully sorry,
honey, that you are not feeling so good - didn't you take your pills in time?
I am also very mad at myself when you write and say that you didn't get a
letter but expect one the next day -- when I know damned well that I haven't
been writing any lately. I hope that you felt better the next morning and was
able to help your Mother get ready to move. I'll bet they will like it a lot
better down there on the corner. It is closer to school - no snow filled
roads, running water and etc.. I think it will be worth every cent of the
extra money.
Well, honey, I guess your lousy husband let you down a little out here on
the rifle range. I tried my damndest but everything being against me (Friday
the 13th, hell of a windy day, misty and cloudy, cold as hell, coldest day so
far and every other damn thing you could think of) I missed firing expert by 5
points. Although don't let that disappoint you honey, because my coach told
me that although I won't get an expert's medal, I really shot an expert record
and then some. You see the whole story is this. I had been shooting fairly
good all along, shooting 292 on pre-preliminary day and 291 on preliminary day
with plenty of chance of shooting much higher. Well, we got everything all
ready for record day. Our rifles all clean, the correct windage and elevation
and were all set to do our best. We wake up record morning all feeling good
but soon found out to our dismay that it was the coldest it had been out here
yet. There was a heavy misty fog hanging all over the island and gradually
coming in denser from the bay. It was at the present, rather calm but we knew
that we were in for a hell of a day for shooting record. We all tried not to
let this bother us trying to keep our minds off of it. By the time we got on
the line ready to fire, there was about a 15 to 20 mile/hour wind blowing in
gusts from sometimes 9 o'clock and sometimes 10 or 11 o'clock. In other
words, it was an unsteady wind, very hard to set our windage gauges at a
certain number of clicks. Well, we started out. I was in the 2nd relay so we
had to wait about 3/4 of an hour on the benches and I just about froze.
Then it was my turn, I lined them all up at 6 o'clock on the bull's-eye,
held my breath and squeezed them off. I was doing good, in fact I was doing
better than I had ever done before. Hitting the bull's-eyes and fours left
and right. My score was running up fast when I took my sitting position for
rapid fire 16 rounds. Then I pulled a shot unintentionally before I had it on
the target. Bang, 5 points lost completely. That got me started and I was
uneasy from there on, not getting so many in the bull's-eye.
Well, I still could make expert easy, says my coach when I prepares to
get in prone position for rapid fire 16 rounds at 300 yards. I thought this
would be a cinch because I always was good at prone position, getting about 12
or 13 bull's out of 16. After I had shot about 3 rounds, my rifle jammed on
me. This was my finish. Yes, I could fire the rest of my rounds on a alibi
run, but I was now confused. I wasn't steady, lost my grip and didn't get
them all lined up. So, I got only 7 bull's-eyes instead of 13 and
consequently lost my only chance to write home and tell you proudly that I
fired expert. My coach told me I had ought to be kicked in the ass and I
agreed with him. He said to forget about it and be thankful that I did as
good as I did on such a hell of a day.
So that is the story of what I had hoped to get but so easily lost in
just a very few minutes.
As a whole, our platoon did damned good. The fellows who we expected
wouldn't qualify (168 qualifying) did qualify. There were only 4 out of 64 of
us that didn't qualify. There were 5 that shot expert. The highest being
318, he was a damned good shooter.
Well, honey, here I have wasted all this time telling you about it but I
didn't want you to think that I didn't try. Of course this means that I get
paid 3 dollars a month more.
Did I tell you that I got your cookies okay? They were wonderful
darling, and the fellows all went nuts over them. Some of them wouldn't
believe that I had a wife and that she baked them herself. They all told me
to thank you. Thanks also for the box of nuts and special "Maggie's"
chocolate chip cookies. Will write you tomorrow if nothing happens.
T----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
15 Oct 1944
I'm cold as heck so you probably won't be able to read my writing. I'm
sitting by the fire, trying to get warm. I just got back from "I love a
Soldier" or something. Paulette Goddard and Sonny Tufts were in it. I took
Wayne [Lear] and Ann Joyce [Mespell], Cactus [Carl] Hagadorn and Elizabeth
Muncey and Bob Hagadorn and Rosalind Kimmich.
I just went over to your Mother's and they're all fixed up for Bridge
Club tomorrow night. Their Dining Room and Living Room are settled and they
look very nice. The Kitchen probably will be by tomorrow night.
I wonder where Bob's [Terrell] being moved to? I don't think it's his
kind of luck to be where there's any fighting. But maybe I'm wrong.
Don, honey, I love you. You know every day brings your furlough nearer.
The heck of it is, it brings it nearer the end of the furlough, too. That's
what makes me boil.
You know I told you the wind sounded like winter last night. Well, it
snowed. I found some in a corner of the outside of the Coal Shed this
morning. How does that sound to you -- silly? Well, it's true nevertheless.
And it's cold around here tonight, too. Pooch [our dog] is in here by the bed
snoring his head off. Really, honey, I think I sleep better because he's
there. I don't feel half so lonely or anything. But, honey, there's never a
night I crawl in but I wish you were here, waiting for me to crawl in with
you. It's damned funny feeling, to crawl in bed all alone -- not with 63
other fellows! [me and all the guys in my barracks]
Don, I hope you've got the cookies by now. They used up my last 4
packages of chocolate chips, and the only bag of Pecan meats that I owned.
S
, you'd better get them. If you don't, I'll write the Post Master General
that you're missing some cookies and will I give him heck.
We moved the rest today and settled a bit. Mom and Dad [Lear] have
accumulated so much stuff during 24 years that the small stuff is the most
there is to move. I thought I'd help Mom some more tomorrow. Honey, she
[Daisy Lear] weighs 100 3/4 now and I think she's getting thinner by the day.
She says she just feels all gone. The Dr. says it's her age working on her.
Well, as I said, I thought I'd help her but it seems your Mother h
to go to
Cortland tomorrow A.M. for Bridge Club stuff and nonsense so guess who's
elected but Maggie? So, I'm going up to Mom's early and talk her into going
too, and getting the kids a linoleum rug and some curtain material. She's too
tired to go, but I can't help her so she might just as well ride up, too.
Gee, darling, if you can read my writing you're doing good.
I hope I get a nice letter from you tomorrow. I didn't get any Saturday
so maybe I will tomorrow. You know, hon, I'd feel like I'd lost something if
I didn't write you every night. I suppose it's just a habit, but somehow it
keeps you nearer than you really are. And you can depend on me dreaming about
you for 1/2 or 3/4 of an hour -- anyway!
I love you, honey, or did I say that before? Tonight I feel like bawling
on your shoulder only I'd have to bawl long distance and I don't feel quite up
to it. And I can't figure out why I feel like a water bucket, but I do.
I'll try again tomorrow to get some film for my Brownie [camera], and I
hope I'll have some luck, this time. I've been asking every time for about a
month now so maybe tomorrow I'll be lucky.
I got Mom's piano b
today. I've wanted one but never found one.
They're leaving their piano up on the place for the people that are going to
move in, so I said something about the stool and Dad said "Take it, all we
sold them was the piano". S
, I took it. I'm going to sand it down and
refinish it, so it will be nice. It's nice for duets and besides it holds
music in the bench, itself, so it doesn't have to be strung all over the
piano.
Well, hon, I didn't know quite what I was going to say, but I wanted to
make up for only writing one page last nite and I guess I did O.K.
I'm going to sign off, it's 2:05 and I'm going to hit the sack so I can
get up early tomorrow morning.
I love you, honey, and you'd better love me -- or else I'll get you on
your furlough. Night, sleep tight. Love me all night.
[Maggie drew a picture of our dog, Pooch, for me to see how much he has
grown.]
Darn it!! This is Pooch. But there's no resemblance to any animal,
living or dead. And it's purely coincidental. [I thought it was a good.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
15 Oct 1944
I am always looking forward to Sunday, honey, and a day of rest but then
again I wish that there were no Sundays. Because every Sunday when I have a
few hours to lay around and think about you, I guess I get lonely as hell. I
don't feel too ambitious and just mope around in a daze waiting for mail call
and a letter from you, dear. Weekdays, when we are kept plenty busy, I don't
get to thinking and therefore I get along much better.
I had an appointment for the dentist last night. I got so interested in
your letter and reading the Cortland Standard that I missed the bus again and
had to walk. After walking like hell so I wouldn't be late, I arrived at the
dental dispensary to find to my dismay that it was closed. The office was
still open, so I went in to see what was the idea. When I told the secretary
that I had an appointment at 1930 in room 209 he laughed and asked me who gave
me the appointment. I told him and he told me that the dispensary was always
closed on Sat. night. I was kind of mad but he said that the woman who made
out my appointment slip was new and didn't know about it. He gave me another
appointment for 1900 Monday.
Since I was already down there, I decided I would try to call you again.
There were three other fellows also waiting to call. I waited about a half
hour for them to finish and then I put in my call. She said there would be a
1 or 2 hour delay, so I said I would wait for a while. I sat down and wrote
the letter you will get before this one and waited for a little better than an
hour. It got so late that I decided I had better be going in order to catch
the bus back. I canceled the call but will try again Mon. night if I can.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
16 Oct 1944
I didn't get a letter from you today, but maybe I'll get one tomorrow
with your Record Day score in it. I hope so, anyway.
Honey, I came from Mom's and Dad's about 8:45 tonight and I've been on
the jive ever since. I cleaned off the kitchen stove so I can actually s
the top of it, -- ain't that something? I also hung (screwed, really) the
Medicine Cabinet on the bathroom wall above the toilet seat. You know, by the
light. And I got all our medicine junk in it, too. That doesn't sound like
much work but I guess I was tired to start with 'cause I'm really tuckered
now. My head aches like something or other.
The Bridge Party must be proceeding all right. I haven't heard any shots
or screams over that way -- y
Today pheasant season opened and what do you know? Wayne [Lear] got one
right up here in Abbott's [Vinton] corn [field] back of Doc [Arthur]
Hutching's. I guess it was quite a large bird, too. I hear car doors
shutting, so probably the gossip is almost at an end, at least for tonight.
It's been really cold here and it's quite cool tonite. You'll probably
freeze when you come home. I'm about to freeze, right now and I've got the
fire turned on, too.
Took out a book from school Library, today and the girl's name in it is
Lennie. Almost Lyn, not quite. I'm going to sign off and hit the sack.
All my love and Lyn's too. Nite, honey, be a good boy in your dreams,
now!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
16 Oct 1944
I got your letter tonight and was surprised to hear that you would be so
affected by a phone call. I thought I would call you just for the hell of it,
although there is little chance of getting through to you in what little time
I have to spend here. I will keep trying whenever I have an appointment
because I know you would like it even if it did make you a little lonelier.
I didn't think you would take my complaint about my teeth so seriously,
honey. They haven't bothered me but 2 or 3 times. You see, they had drilled
them out in front and put temporary fillings in until they finished the rest
of my teeth. While I was out on the range, the temporary fillings came out
and exposed the nerves which in turn swelled up, started aching and mattered
before I had a chance to see the dentist again. They are all right now and it
won't be long now before they will all be fixed. Have you made an appointment
yet for your teeth, honey? You had better get them fixed before winter sets
in and they start aching again.
I am not going to be out here on the range any longer than I had planned,
honey. Twenty-four days on the range, which we have completed 22 of, and 7
days on the main base, which means that we ship off for New River [N.C.] the
25th. I thought you had that all straightened out but now you know for sure.
All personnel are just starting to wear their greens and do they look
snazzy. We are issued our greens and more of other clothes in a couple days
now. It has been getting cold as hell up here during the night and most of
the morning. I didn't think it got so cold down here but my coach says it
won't be long before they will be wearing overcoats.
17 Oct 1944
Good morning, honey, how about a big long kiss and a heart warming hug
before I leave for the B.A.R. range to try my luck for record. By the way,
honey, the B.A.R. is the United States .30 caliber, Browning Automatic Rifle,
the most dreaded weapon of the Marines by the Japs in the Pacific Islands. It
will fire, if it could be loaded that fast, 500 to 600 rounds a minute, which
means that the fellow who is behind one sure as hell means sudden death for a
damn good many slant eyed Japs.
The only difference between it and a machine gun, is that this can be
carried and operated by one man , while a machine gun takes two, three or
sometimes more men. Also the machine gun is fed by a belt, while the B.A.R.
is fed by a magazine of 20 rounds at a time.
In about an hour we shove off to try our luck firing for record with it.
This is another cold and windy morning, honey, but it is fairly warm in our
P.B. huts here because we have three stoves going full blast. The only
trouble with the heating out here is that they use soft coal for all their
heating and boy it sure is a dirty, stinking mess outside when all P.B. huts
and tin huts have got their stoves going, and the wind blows it in your eyes
and down your throat.
I guess your folks are probably all moved by now. I hope they like it
down there because it sure as hell will be a lot more convenient for them. Is
there any place to keep the car or do they have to leave it parked in the
driveway? Was there two separate bathrooms in the apartment or not? I
forgot.
I didn't think Ken Moore could keep it up down at Wilson's all alone, it
was too damn much work for one man. Maybe if Wilson had bought a manure
spreader and some modern tractors and tools and sold some of his young stock,
he would have gotten along a little better. I heard that Wilson was a hell of
a hard man to work for anyway. What is Ken going to do for work now? Maybe
he has hired out to Timmy [Hutchings] or Bob Hutchings. If he doesn't get a
job, the Army will have him because I think he is draft age.
Got to fall out now, honey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
18 Oct 1944
I've been crocheting since about 9:30, so I could finish a doily I had
started. I'm getting so tired every little noise scares me like heck, so this
is going to be short.
I got t
letters from you today. The one written just to tell me you
love me, which made me feel darn good. And your letter about Record Day.
Golly, honey, I'm glad you made Sharpshooter. That extra $3 in your pay will
make it nice for you. What damnable luck you have on Friday the 13th's. But
as long as you can shoot good, who cares about just 1 day?
I could have jumped up and down with joy when you said you'd got my -c
cookies. I'm glad they [all 63 of us] liked them. I hope
they and you liked them as well as you said. I'd like to have been there.
Just to see you guys wolfing 'em down.
Well, hon, I'll hit the sack. Nite and sleep tight. All my love. I
love you. I love you. I love y
. [Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love
y
, too.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
19 Oct 1944
By the time you get this letter, you will already know that I am coming
home sometime next week. Dad will have gotten a telegram, telling you I am
coming home and asking him to send some money, about $30. Please pay Dad the
money if you already haven't. You will probably have to take it out of the
bank, but we can put it back later, I hope.
I got your money order for $7, thanks, honey. I also am getting paid $15
sometime next week, my only pay for 2 months.
Please don't send your pictures, honey, because I can get them when I get
home and save postage. I got the other three proofs and I will keep them
until they fade out completely.
We are now back here at the main base. We got here about 1800 last
night. We are standing by now to fall out to draw our green uniforms and
other clothes.
I got my sharpshooter medal and also shot sharpshooter with the B.A.R.
but won't get our medals for that though until we get to New River [N.C.].
Lost expert on B.A.R. by 2 points. Don't I have the darnedest luck though,
honey? I didn't get two shots off because of an illegal jam and lost my two
points as simple as that.
Our platoon was the highest percentage for firing of the meets, 93.5 %
qualifying.
Don't ask me why we are getting a 10 day furlough now, honey,
because I don't know and I guess no one knows. I'm sorry about not being able
to meet you in some city, but I don't think we would have time enough and
besides it would cost too much money. Even at that, I would be afraid we
wouldn't be able to find each other since I am so unfamiliar with the big
cities.
We won't be coming home through New York City anyway, honey. It is much
quicker to come right straight home. We are required to buy a round trip
ticket (railroad) to wherever we are going before leaving the island. We must
sign a paper telling where we will be during our furlough so they can get in
touch with us at all times.
We will probably leave here sometime Wed. or Thurs. of next week, I
haven't got the straight dope for sure yet. All we know is that we were all
marched up in front of the A.A. barracks and an officer came out, and out of
the blue of the sky, told us we were getting a 10 day furlough the 25th of
this month after we had finished training at Parris Island. Before we leave,
we send all our equipment on to New River [N.C.].
When we report back from home, we will report to New River for the rest
of our training. I don't know whether we will get a furlough again before we
ship out for wherever we go or not.
There is no chance of getting traveling time, although if they had waited
until we were at New River, we would probably have gotten traveling time, that
is, the ones living the other side of the Mississippi river, I think.
I will try to get the pin for you, although I don't know whether they
have any here at the main base or not.
I think I can get Wayne [Lear] a watch for about $20 cheaper but have got
to look into it more yet.
The reason I am sending the telegram to Dad at the station, is so that it
will get there faster and safer.
James Dopp and I, I think, will come home together as far as Binghamton
anyway. We should get home sometime Friday or Saturday and have, I hope,
about 7 days to spend with you, honey.
A lot of the fellows are kind of disappointed, because it will take some
of the week or more to go both ways and that will leave only 2 or 3 days to
spend at home -- maybe their last furlough, who knows.
-------------Well, honey, here I am back again with my belly full of chow and with all
my green uniform (except the ones to be altered) stamped and packed away
neatly in my locker box. Boy, do they ever look swell and made of the best
material too.
This afternoon we got our last shot in the arm, which is supposed to be
the worst one. It has been raining like hell all night, but that never stops
the Marines from their daily routine work. Through mud puddles and across wet
pavement we march, rain, shine, snow or blizzard. Sometimes stopping for the
fellows who lost their helmets when a hell of a gust of wind carries it across
the street and lands it in a nice juicy mud puddle.
Think we will get a chance to wire home today. Will try to call you
tonight down at dentist. Will write more later. I'll be seeing you darling,
I hope.
19 Oct 1944
Well, I guess we are really in for it this time, honey, and I don't mean
maybe. There was no word of a storm whatsoever, although it had been raining
and blowing like hell all morning. This afternoon we went out to send our
telegrams home and were blown around so by the wind and rain that we couldn't
even stay organized. We marched around and stood in the pouring rain for
about an hour, and after only about 15 men out of the 35-40 had sent their
telegrams we finally gave it up and came straggling back to the barracks. We
were soaked from head to foot and I mean soaked. I was the wettest I have
ever been before in my life.
While we were changing, the Serg. rushed in and then things began to
happen. Two details of 5 men each were assigned to each of our D.I.'s and 3
men assigned the fire hose, men assigned the sand buckets and we were all
given a talk on what to do in case of a fire alarm or fire drill.
If you remember, honey, last time we took a lot of precautions and
nothing happened. Well, this time they really are ready. They have moved the
personnel out of the small wooden buildings. Just before we left the small
Western Union Station, a small pick up truck that was backing up to the door
to move them out, got stuck right on the lawn. Imagine, honey, a U.S.M.C.
truck stuck on the main street of Parris Island.
I am one of the 10 men assigned for special detail if anything comes up,
of course, we aren't hoping that we will get that work.
All lights are out on the island and will be until the storm is over. It
is quite dark now and in a couple hours we will probably be unable to read or
write and so we will lay around on our sacks telling stories to pass the time
away.
This may sound like a lot of silly talk, honey, but since I have nothing
else to do but sit around, I thought I would tell you a little of what is
going on today. Right now it is raining and blowing cats and dogs. If you
didn't know what it was, you would think it was one of those winter snow
blizzards like we have back home when the old Virgil pot starts boiling.
21 Oct 1944
Well, I guess we survived the storm alright again, although it sure was a
heller. We were lucky though, that no damage, that I know of, of any
importance, happened on the island. The storm kept up most of the night and
the streets and lawns were flooded and slowly rising. They had the wreckage
crews, electric light trucks out all night long with big powerful search
lights to make sure everything was alright.
You had ought to see us all trying to cross the street to get to our mess
hall for evening chow. We left the barracks with dry clothes and within the
couple minutes that it took us to practically swim across the street, we were
soaking wet. Some of the fellows slipped and fell headlong into the middle
and were they a pretty sight.
I just had to stop and get ready with cartridge belts, bayonets,
canteens, ponchos and packs to fall out in a few minutes to go to the boon
docks.
About the storm, everything is all right, although the place looks like a
damn hurricane hit it and we were damned lucky that one didn't hit us.
[Note: Don went home after this on a 10 day furlough (including his travel
time) to see Maggie and relatives before heading back down south again for
more combat training.]
CHAPTER II
Don at U. S. Marine Corps Combat Training
(after 10 day furlough home with Maggie)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
7 Nov 1944
Here I am back again. We arrived in Wilson at 1100 and after fooling
around awhile at Jacksonville, we reported in at headquarters at 1820,
received our orders and took a bus 10 miles down here to tent city. We are
lucky so far, living in small, light huts instead of tents. Haven't any
address as yet. Cold as hell down here at night, but we keep fires roaring.
Everything is all mixed up right now, but will be settled down in a few days,
maybe. Aren't in any Company yet, although most of our fellows are, and have
already started training. Are waiting now to be transferred to a Training
Company. Will be here only a few weeks, then taking off for God only knows
where. Am feeling great and right now am spending a little time thinking
about you.
8 Nov 1944
8th Tr. Bn.; Co. A; Plt. 1
Inf. Tr. Reg. F.M.F.
Tent Camp
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Well, honey, it looks like we are going places and seeing things, but
fast. It seems they are planning a boat ride for us in a couple weeks or so.
The destination being unknown, but the guess is, on some island like Hawaii,
Pearl Harbor and etc. The purpose, my far away love, is to further train us
for actual combat with our friendly neighbors, the slant eyes and commonly
known as rats.
Don't go getting any screwed up ideas in your pretty head that I am going
into combat right away, but if you should happen to get a letter from me in a
couple of weeks, written from some nice fox hole on some nice island,
someplace on the nice Pacific ocean, someplace on this nice world -- well,
just don't be surprised -- See?
9 Nov 1944
You finished your noon chow yet, honey? Well, if you have, how about
sitting down a few minutes and listening to what I have to tell you.
First of all, wrap the raiders knife that I picked out, that Dad got for
me, along with the new pair of sunglasses, that should be in the back seat of
our car, and send them to me at once. By that I mean today, honey, so I will
be sure to have them before I leave.
Got to fall out.
10 Nov 1944
It has been over five days now, since I last held you in my arms and
kissed you. At the time, there was little thought in my mind but what I would
get another chance to kiss you again in a few months. But now it seems,
according to all calculations, that I won't get to see you again for quite a
few months, unless we are awfully lucky and get a 72 hour pass. Even if we
did get that, it wouldn't be time enough for me to meet you although I will
give it a thought.
Don't go asking me to come down and see me, because it won't work. They
used to let the fellow's wives come down and stay in one of the many boarding
rooms around close by to camp. Last time, there were many wives, sweethearts
and parents came down to see the fellows. But they never got to see them,
because the fellows were all on alert, ready to ship out in the next Draft.
They were restricted from writing letters, telephoning, telegraphing or having
liberty to see their friends. So, you see, you shrimp, the U.S.M.C. had to
turn away many wives and relations that had spent a lot of money and time to
get down here.
While I was riding into camp, I talked with a Sergeant that had been in
camp a couple years. He said I could have you down over Christmas vacation
and be able to see you nights and weekends, if I didn't have night problems to
do. I was all hyped up, planning to make reservations for you for Christmas
vacation. But now we have been told that we will be out of here before
Christmas, maybe Thanksgiving, and very likely any day now.
When we go, honey, we go on a train straight to the West Coast, hop on a
troop transport, and head for some island to finish our training. The last
Draft that went out of here last week was at the camp only about two weeks.
They were told, like we were at first, that they would spend several weeks at
Camp Lejeune. All of a sudden, they were told to pack, no letter writing,
etc., and shoved off. The transport was waiting for them when they got there.
By now, they are training in different maneuvers on some island, to get down
pat the exact maneuvering to take another Jap occupied island.
I guess that is enough bullshit about our shipping out for now, honey, so
I will give you a couple lines on what we have been doing so far. As I told
you in my last letter, the first couple days down here we were all mixed up.
You see, they took all of us fellows coming back from furlough, put us in
alphabetic order, and assigned us to different Companies as we came in order.
Naturally, since there were four different Platoons of us, and since our names
placed us all throughout the line, our old Parris Island Platoon 504, the best
Platoon on the island, was broken up so bad that only 5 or 6 fellows, and
mostly less, were placed in the same Company, which is made up of 4 Platoons.
The Platoons are made up of 4 Squads. The Squads are made up into 3 Fire
teams. I am in Company A, Platoon 1, Squad 4, Fire team 2.
Battalions (we are in Bn. 8)
Company (216 men)
4 Platoons (54 men apiece)
Platoon 1
4 Squads (13 men apiece)
Squad 4
3 Fire teams and 1 Squad leader (4 men to a Fire team)
Fire team 1
Fire team leader; B.A.R. man; ass't B.A.R. man; rifle man.
11 Nov 1944
You should see the line of fellows waiting in pay line tonight, waiting
to get paid. To give you an idea of how many there are, and how long we wait
in line around here, I'll tell you about it. At 1750 we fell in company
formation; marched over to the pay office and got into alphabetic order. It
is now 2005, and they have gotten as far down the alphabet as "K". Since I
was way back in the line, I came back to the barracks for awhile to shoot the
shit with some of the other fellows. Probably about 2200 I will get my pay.
You see, honey, there was the whole Battalion over there. Since there are
over 200 men to the Company, and A,B,C,D & E Companies, that totals up to
maybe a thousand men, all in line at one time. Some place, huh, honey?
There are so many things to tell you, that I don't know where to start,
and I don't feel too much like writing anyway, that is, so that you can read
it.
Today we played with dynamite, and I mean played with it. All together,
I'll bet there were tons of dynamite expelled today, and every person in our
battalion handled, prepared for detonation, and exploded some of it,
individually and personally, one at a time. I know, you are wondering how so
many men could handle so much TNT without anyone getting hurt. Well, I guess
it is all because of the good management of the Marine Corps, and then again
it was due partly to the good conduct of the Marines themselves. Of course,
there are times when accidents will occur, but not too many. They are always
prepared, though, by having ambulances made out of Jeeps, ready at all times
and also by taking all precautions known.
We shook the earth until I thought it was going to open up and swallow us
up in its depths. We used nearly every kind of high explosive that the Armed
Forces has.
Each one of us placed a cap on a fuse, crimped it on (which is dangerous
unless done right), reamed out the block of TNT, placed cap in, tapped it on,
lighted fuse and tossed it out a few feet from us and, in a few seconds, felt
the earth shake under us, were covered with dirt, and left the line with our
ears ringing, and our hearts thumping fast. It really is quite a thrill,
honey, and we got a great kick out of it.
Yesterday, we threw real hand grenades (fragmentation M K-3), and fired
some more practice anti-tank grenades.
Monday, we are falling out with full pack, for a week of bivouacking or
staying out in tents and eating "K" and "C" rations for 7 days, and going on
maneuvers and through obstacle courses.
It is now 2105 and I just got back from getting my big pay check, a
whole, brand new, crisp, bright $5 bill. Aren't I rich? This is the damndest
place you ever did see, honey, even if it is the best damned outfit in the
world. Some of the fellows got $50, some $25 and some $5. I don't know how
they figure it, but they do. Don't worry, we aren't getting rooked out of any
of our pay, because we will get it all in turn, eventually.
Right now, I am writing you to the tune of a swaying saxophone, and since
it kind of makes a fellow stop and think, I will slow down a little and see if
I can't write a little better. One of the fellows in our Platoon, or rather
Squad, has a saxophone and is playing a few mellow numbers right now. He is
going to ship it back home in a couple days because he won't be able to take
it overseas with him.
How have you been feeling lately, honey? I hope the cold weather doesn't
bother you too much, honey. Please try to keep the fire going all the time,
so the house will be much more comfortable while you are there. You had
better feed your little pot belly plenty of hot food and vegetables instead of
that damn hot tea and soup, too. Don't forget, you pint sized shrimp, you had
better keep me posted on things back at our house or I'll come back and make
damned sure that things are all right and progressing slowly but surely.
Say, Maggie, if Vunk doesn't come with the coal in a couple days, either
call him up or go down and see him. I see by the papers that the coal problem
is getting worse, and you want to make damned sure you get that other 2 1/2
tons. If Vunk can't get it, have Dad see if he can get some for you. Howard
[Haskins] might be going up and get some. It would be a good idea to ask him.
Has Uncle Don and Aunt Elsie and the kids [Riehlman] left yet? I forgot
when they said they were leaving. I haven't written Bob [Terrell] since I
came back, but will try to write him a letter tomorrow.
How does it seem to get back in bed alone again, honey? I sure as hell
missed you on the way back to camp. But when I got here we were so mixed up I
didn't have time to think of anything but my own conveniences, needs and
duties. I sure as hell would like to fall in bed with you tonight, honey. I
sure would keep warm, Oh Boy! Boy, did we ever freeze the first 3 nights down
here. Since our sea bags weren't here yet, we didn't have any blankets or
anything but what we brought with us from home. We slept in all the clothes
we had on, leaving our overcoats and hats and gloves on. The first night, I
had another mattress over the top of me and was sleeping fairly warm until
about 0100 in the morning. Then I was abruptly awakened by one of my buddies,
who had just signed in late and was cussing me for hooking his mattress off
his sack. From then on until we got our sea bags a couple days later, I just
about froze.
We are now all straightened out and very quickly and thoroughly as
possible, absorbing all the knowledge that 2nd Lieutenants can teach us, in
the short time allotted them to drill us. We fall out every morning with
light field marching pack on, rifle (spotlessly clean), steel helmets (which
consequently weigh about a ton, but sure are good protection from shrapnel and
glancing rifle shots), leggings, cartridge belts, canteens and bayonets.
Instead of calisthenics every morning, we now get our exercises by waving and
throwing our rifles around. It sounds quite easy, but you soon find out that
it sure as hell gives you a good appetite for morning chow.
It is now 2155, and since lights are out at 2200, I will have to kiss you
good-night for now and finish this mixed up letter tomorrow morning. Night,
honey, sleep tight and dream of me all night and I'll dream of you. Maybe we
will meet each other in our dreams and have a hell of a good time.
Please send me Ticknor's [Ken] address. You have it in your pocketbook.
12 Nov 1944
Good morning, honey. Well, I met you in my dreams last night and we had
a swell time together. Did you meet me, too?
Well, honey, I had better make this page the last page in this letter, or
I will have to send it parcel post in order to get it to you. I will try to
write you another letter later in the day. Although I will be fairly busy
washing clothes, making up my field transport pack, rolling my bed roll and
blanket roll and packing the rest of my belongings in my sea bag to be stored
in a warehouse for safety until we get back.
We have to march about 8 miles out there. It doesn't sound very far
compared to how far the Army walks, but there is a lot of difference. Our
packs are lots heavier and bulkier and we really walk and hardly ever stop
along the way. The 2nd Lieutenant told us last night that if any fellow
passed out or fell out on the way out, we would just leave them there. He
said if anyone couldn't walk at quick time 8 miles, then they weren't any
Marine.
We walked 8 miles quick time yesterday, out to the demolition, high
explosives field (4 miles one way) and had a lot of fun and didn't bother us,
so we won't have any trouble. Bye for now.
13 Nov 1944
We are out here in the deep, tall woods, miles from nowhere, waiting for
word as to what we do next. We are sitting on the ground propped up against
small locust trees with our packs for head rests, with our rifles in our laps,
trying to digest our resentfully eaten "C" rations. I have just finished
reading the Nov 8th issue of the Cortland Standard. I see that Lewis Francis
is missing in action. Have they heard anything more about Nelson Warren yet?
Boy, were we ever surprised when the Corporal came tramping through the
underbrush with the mail bag slung over his shoulder. We are going to get
mail once a day, I think, and he will pick up our mail that we want sent out.
We haven't pitched our shelter halves yet but I guess that will be our next
move. You see, two fellows sleep together, one fellow carries one half of the
tent and the other fellow the other half. One fellow carries an entrenching
pick and the other an entrenching shovel. We dig trenches in the ground for
our heads (toilets) and are issued two canteens of water a day for all our
needs (drinking, cooking, washing and etc.).
It really is beautiful out here, honey, with the different color leaves
and the sun rays trying to squeeze their way down through the thickly
entangled mass of trees and tangled undergrowth. It is just right now, not
too cold and not too hot. And the sweet, refreshing smell of green foliage
mingles together with the pure cool afternoon breeze to fill your lungs with
the healthiest, natural mixture man can get. Bye for now, honey.
14 Nov 1944
It is now 1208 and 35 seconds into the middle of a beautiful day as I lay
on my bed roll beside my buddy, underneath our tent, after eating our noon "C"
rations and daydreaming deeply about my loved one back home, until I decided I
would have to disturb my noon nap and write my darling a few more words before
the mail man comes to pass out and collect our mail.
I slept fairly well last night, dear, thank you just the same for your
invitation to sleep on a Beautyrest mattress with you. I am afraid that if I
had accepted your invitation, I would have been so comfortable that I would
not have wanted to get up and you know the Major wouldn't like that.
--------------------------------------------------------As we were majestically camouflaging our modest homesteads, we were
suddenly given the alarm to fall out, head over heels, on the double. When we
fell in, in Platoon formation, we were marched quite hurriedly to the main
road and told to lay down in the gutters along either side of the road. Upon
inquiring what was happening, we were told that we were politely, but firmly,
being attacked by artillery fire from across the bay. After about a half hour
of bombardment we returned to our area.
You see, our Commanding Officers deliberately placed us in direct fire
from artillery, which was practicing across the bay. This gives us a taste of
being under fire. No shells landed upon us, but either went over our heads or
landed in front of us.
Have got to turn in mail. Just got a letter from Bob [Terrell].
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Maggie to Don]
15 Nov 1944
I didn't get a letter today. I know you'll write when you have time.
I'm not "angry". I wish you were here tonight, because I'm lonesomer than
I've felt for a couple of days. It's silly 'cause it certainly won't do me
any good. Honey, my hand is cold that's why the scribbling. I washed a few
dishes this morning. I've got to iron tomorrow morning. I swept the living
room floor tonight, but I've got to mop it and then mop the other three. The
kitchen floor is tan instead of white.
I really worked at school yesterday and today and then tonight Miss
Sharpe asked me if I'd help the Juniors get their parts for their play which
is Nov. 21. They changed Senior Play from Spring to Fall because of the
Spring rush -- Regents, Prom etc. Don't you think it's a good idea? I do.
We had so much to do in the Spring before we graduated -- that it's a wonder
we graduated. We didn't even have time to study.
Right after Play Practice we thought we'd go to Cortland, so we rode up
with Leon [Terrell]. He had a boil on his arm and he wanted to go up to the
North Woods next week, so he called Dr. Carpenter to see if he'd fix it for
him. He thought he'd have it lanced so it would start healing before he left
for the big woods. Leon said if Dr. Carpenter lanced it and it hurt
afterwards he might want to come home, so I told him O.K. to come home early.
Well, it was a carbuncle so Dr. Carpenter froze it and "lanced hell out of it"
(per Leon's quote) so he can go hunting. (Dr. Carpenter said to get home and
put hot pads on it right away.) So when Miss Sharpe and I got out of the show
we didn't see Leon's car so we went in the Bowling Alley and asked Homer Mahan
if he'd seen Leon and he said, "No". So we started down Main St. 'cause I
figured someone might be at the "Vic" and sure enough -- Prof., Mrs.
Hagadorn, Miss Shaw and Carl Hagadorn had just got back from DeRuyter -- So,
we rode home with them. Otherwise we might of walked -- who knows? Other
people were probably there, but I can truthfully say that that's the first
time I was really stranded -- high and dry in Cortland. Always I've had a
way home -- Well there's always a first time isn't there, honey?
Do you love me, honey? You'd better say yes or I'll get a divorce
tomorrow morning and you wouldn't like that. -- Or would you?
Honey, I think I'll draw 5 bucks out of the Bank. After paying for the
upholstery and only getting one weeks pay to last for two weeks -- I'm broke
down to a v
few pennies.
I was broke tonight and Prof said -- "Oh cheer up -- pay day's only a
week from tomorrow". Just for the devil of it he asked me today if I'd care
to go to a Concert some night. Mrs. Hagadorn is the accompanist and Prof
sings with them. And I said I'd really like to as I've never heard the group.
So probably I'll go some night.
The show was quite good tonite. I forgot to tell you that I thought
"When Irish Eyes are Smiling" was on. Did you ever manage to sit through one
of those movie musicals? It really was good though, wasn't it? I enjoyed it
a lot. The colors in it were really beautiful. The plot and music were good,
also.
Gee, honey. I got all those plants potted that I've been worrying about
for about a month. They look real nice in the cute pots I got for them.
Well, honey I'm getting tired and my head's starting to ache again so
I'll sign off.
. I love you a lot. In fact, I
. Nite, honey.
16 Nov 1944
A.M.
You will probably be surprised, 'cause this is the first letter I've
written you in pencil. I left my pen down at school I guess -- anyway I
can't find it -- so a pencil's got to be O.K. Honey, I was so tickled when I
got your letter today. It was so darned good -- and long too! You told me a
lot I've been wondering about. I was sort of let-down and blue when you told
me about Christmas. We could have had such a lot of fun but there's no sense
even thinking about it. -- It's out and that's that!
By the way, Don, I forgot to tell you I found your toothbrush and that
other collar clip that you thought the dog took. It was lying there on the
bed, but it must have been under something 'cause we didn't see it. The
mailman came early today for the first time in 2 weeks so I didn't get to send
this letter so I'll send 2 tomorrow. Honey, I hope you can read this -- I
can't write with a pencil anymore.
I stayed home and behaved good tonight because I'm flat broke and I ain't
kidding. And pay day is not 'til a week from today. I guess I just don't
know how to budget or something.
Will that 5 bucks do you, honey, if not I can send you some, you know.
There is no use in your not having enough when I have plenty here. After all,
honey, you might just as well use it. 22 bucks of it is out of your pay.
Say, honey are you really sure they're not screwing you out of you eye teeth
as far as pay goes? You'd better look into the situation Private Terrell! Or
should I just say "Private"?
Dick Francis was at school today to get a working permit, honey. He's
still going to stay at home, though.
I enjoy working at school. While I'm there I feel just like I'd never
left 'cause everything's fun and lively so I don't get even 1 chance an
afternoon to think about being all alone. -- That's no sign I don't think of
you often. I think of you all the time. You are in the back of my mind every
minute. You wanted to know if I dreamed about you last Sat. nite. I didn't
Sat. night but I did Friday nite. I was just one night sooner than you,
that's all.
Dammit, honey, I don't see why they may pick on you for Overseas
Training. It is nice you'll be more able to defend yourself and attack slanteyes though. At least it's a little consolation. Anything to make more sure
you'll come back to me O.K. That's all I want. And if it means we have to
miss Christmas vacation in order to spend the rest of our lives together, I
think I can stand to miss Christmas, don't you?
Harold Vunk hasn't brought the coal yet and I'm going to jog his memory
if I see him. Your Father's hasn't come that he ordered by Harold, either, so
I guess I'll end up getting my own. I'll probably get it just as quickly.
Well, I'm going to hit the sack. So good nite and I love you, honey.
I'm going to read your letter for the 4th time just to be sure I got with it
and to talk to you before I crawl in. Nite.
16 Oct 1944
P.M.
I love you - or did you guess it? Well, I do and you know how much. In
case you don't, I'll tell you I love you better than anything or anybody. I
love you more than I
Now. don't you believe I really love
you? I know I do, anyhow. I k
I love you! Even with the dirt between
your homely toes! Gee, honey, I guess I'm really lonely tonight, when all I
want is to either be with a certain Marine or next best -- Be a L
Marine.
Don, what should I do when schools out? Join the Marines? I'll be old
enough (hint! hint!) July 22nd. Or should I get work in a war plant to help
that way? If you'll tell me what you'd like to do maybe it would be easier
for me to decide. Or maybe you've got some better idea! Have you? Or should
I loaf this summer and work at school again, if I have the chance.
I'd either like to go completely away from Virgil. -- like joining the
Marines -- or stay here and work at school. I still don't like the back and
forth idea that working in a Defense Plant would mean. It's so damned
inconvenient -- to live one place and work in another. You have to leave
early. You're home extra late, you can't come home to dinner and see about
the fire, -- and you have to freeze half to death and fight snow all winter.
That would be my last choice 'cause I've had enough of driving back and forth
to last me a lifetime! I went to Cortland for music lessons each Saturday for
3 years, then I went to Business School for 5 months -- and while I went
there I worked in the 5 and 10 [Kresge's] on Saturdays. Then the October to
March I worked at good old Cortland Line. Then we rode [with Floyd
McGuinness, Evelyn McGuinness and one or two others in Floyd's car] 50 miles a
day when I worked at Ithaca, so a close job just suits me. I wouldn't want to
stay in Cortland, either. If I stay someplace like that, I'd go to Syracuse
or to a larger city, because the jobs would be better there. I really don't
want to board and room someplace unless it's in a barracks. And I can't
settle whether I would especially like a barracks, either.
Don, I got a card today from the Leatherneck's Magazine. They seem to
think that all Marines want the magazine for Christmas. What I want to know
is -- Do you? Or have you subscribed to it for a year? P
tell me yes
or no. Christmas is puzzling me 'cause I don't know whether to plan on if
you see what I mean. I thought I wouldn't have to send it overseas. I don't
k
what I can send overseas. You said you didn't want a wedding ring. A
lot of things mold. Candy melts. I couldn't send me in a 5 lb. box, even
though I'd like to. I can't very well send you sox and ties and etc. Those
are G
[Government Issue]. By the way, honey, I found your bottle of
Esquire shoe polish on the floor by my vanity bench.
Well, honey, -- Oh I forgot. I went to the show tonight. Rode up with
Miss Shaw, Mrs. Shenfeld, Mrs. Miller, Miss Tarolli, Louise McGuinness. I
went to see the show I saw Tuesday night "Christmas Holiday" -- Deanna Durbin
and Gene Kelly. You know, honey, he looks like he would kiss and love (woo
woo) just about the same as you do and it makes me lonesome for you. Sounds
silly, but you know what I mean.
Well, honey, here I go, really. I love you and I love you and I love you
and I love you. -- Say, did I repeat myself?
We're supposed to have snow tomorrow. It's getting colder than hell out
so maybe we will. Nite, honey. I love you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
16 Nov 1944
This is our fourth day now of roughing it with mother nature, and we are
getting along swell. It really is more fun than when I used to go on camping
trips to Camp Woodland with the Boy Scouts. I wish you could be here at night
with me, honey, and be my bunkmate under our own individual tent and sit
around our own little camp fire with the pooch [our dog] lying down beside us,
lifting up his sensitive ears at every queer noise that echoes from the
quivering, tall timbers.
It must be that the Terrell's were born with bad luck, honey, at least
that's the way I figure it. After getting thrown into F.M.F. [Fleet Marine
Force (Pacific)], then into Casual Company, just because my last name starts
with "T", I end up in no platoon at all, just for the same reason. Don't go
blowing off at the handle like I did, because it may turn out better than I
thought.
You see, yesterday a runner came galloping out to where we were holding
maneuvers and told us to pack up our belongings, that we were pulling out
right away. This was only for the 1st Platoon, and in 10 minutes we were all
packed and ready to shove off, including our Sergeant and Lieutenant. It was
assumed that we were to fill out a Draft and to ship out for the Pacific
immediately. Then another runner came and brought the bad news for me and
good news for the Lieutenant. They only wanted 40 men and the quota for
Lieutenants was full, so they didn't want him. He jumped up and down with
joy, for he was afraid he was going overseas, and apparently he didn't want to
go. Then came my turn. Since we were an extra Squad in Platoon 1, that made
more than 40 men, so they had to leave some behind. They had casualties in
the main 3 Squads, so they filled in with ours, but they took them
alphabetically. This left me and two others behind. I was really mad, and
cussed and swore until the Lieutenant came over and asked me what was the
matter. I told him, and he said there wasn't anything he could do for us
three.
We helped our buddies pack and told them so long, and went back to our
only tents in a place that 10 minutes before had been a hollering, yelling,
singing bunch of happy fellows, to wait for further orders.
I was assigned as Battalion runner, and I don't know what happened to the
other two. I just found out that one of the fellows from another Company (Co.
C), which has a lot of fellows in that I know, broke his leg last night. I
asked the Company Commander if I could get a transfer and he said I would have
to see my 1st Sergeant when I got back to Tent Camp. If everything works out,
I will get transferred into another Company and everything will be all set.
The next day (today), they sent word out that my Platoon was getting a
week of mess hall duty before they leave, so we all got a great laugh out of
all the excitement anyway.
We have been having more fun out here nights, honey, trying to walk
around in the dark without falling into a fox hole. You see, every man out
here has a fox hole of his own and since there are about a thousand men out
here, there are a thousand fox holes to fall into at night. Some fun, and
everyone cutting their fingers on "C" ration cans. The first aid fellow said
that they had ought to issue a first aid bandage with every "C" ration can.
No, I have not cut myself yet, but give me time. Ha Ha.
I got my knife and sunglasses today. Tell Dad thanks, honey, and thank
you for the swell phrase on the sunglasses' cover. It sure made me feel good
to see your handwriting on there saying that you love me and telling me good
luck. I haven't got any of your letters yet but am hoping for one tomorrow.
Has the coal come yet? Has anything come out the end of the sewer pipe
yet? [sewer pipe from our little house to Mother and Dad's cesspool] Have the
kids started picking pop corn yet? Do you still love me? How have you been
feeling, honey? Are you feeding the dog and has he ate any more chickens yet?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
18 Nov 1944
Well, another night -- another letter for you. By the way, I got a
swell letter from m
Marine today. Dammit, honey, they talk about how much
letters mean to men in the Service but they never say how much they mean to us
"Left-behinds". I felt better all day just because I knew you still loved me.
Or at least that's what you hinted in your letter.
way, I love you, too. Even better than Sailors, even better
than that!!! I wish I could say "I love you" and get a good big hug and a lonn-n-g kiss for saying it. Wouldn't that be fun? Say, honey, if the fun we
had after two months of "no love - no nothing" is any indication of how much
fun we'll have after 10 or 12 months, we're sure in for a swell time and a l
of fun and plenty of "Love and everything". [It was actually 20 months before
Maggie and I were together again as husband and wife since my last, and only,
furlough.] It makes me feel happy just to look forward to it. We'll really
paint the town, honey.
Don, they've started the "winter invasion" of Germany. They're fighting
all along the Germany line for their last try at Berlin before the winter
really sets in. A million and a quarter men (French, English, American and
Canadian) the news-caster just said. [On Maggie's radio] I pray to God
they'll make Berlin. Then they could all clean up the Japs. Then you could
come home. Honey, can't you imagine how short that 6 months would be, if the
"duration" had been reached. You'd know that in 6 months we'd be together
again and the time would drag, in a way, but still it would be such a short
time to wait for something so perfect. No more waiting for draft cards, or
hearing about friends being killed or captured. How swell it will be. And
how many millions are praying for that. I hope their prayers are answered
soon.
The car wouldn't start this evening, honey, so I hooked a ride up with
Gert [Matson]. (There was a movie this P.M. at the school and she was going.)
After I got through tonite, I went over home to see if Wayne [Lear] would
bring me home, but they wanted me to eat supper there, so I did. Then Dad,
Mom, Dale and Roger, brought me home and stayed until about 9:30. It's the
first time they've been down in ages. They're so tired and just satisfied to
stay home and go to bed when they get ready. After that I went over to your
Mom's and she was baking things for Elsie and Don [Rielhman] to take with them
tomorrow. Apple and lemon pies, doughnuts etc. so I helped her. Then we
finished about 1:00 A.M. so we ate shrimp and lettuce sandwiches, tea and
acorn squashes and lemon pie. So I'm very full and getting sort of sleepy as
it's a little after two o'clock.
We're going up early this morning to see Don and Elsie off. They plan to
leave about 7:00 A.M. but I doubt if they get started then. Tomorrow nite
Miss Sharpe and I are going up to Cortland High School and see the Music
Festival. You know, like we used to be in, only I think this is only the b
players of each school -- instead of all orchestra members like it used to
be.
Your father left tonight for the North Woods. [To go deer hunting.] He
and Frank Byrd and Manley Stanbrook. Your mother didn't want him to go and I
know I'd feel the same about it 'cause it seems like everything turns out
wrong every time lately. And his arm wasn't feeling completely good yet.
Seems like it's silly when he can hunt deer right here without leaving home.
I told Clara [Terrell] -- you and Bob [Terrell] and all the other fellows
would give anything to be home and guys like Leon that can stay home, leave
and go hunting or some fool thing. It's kind of silly when you stop to think
about it, isn't it?
Well, honey, I think I'm about finished for tonite. Your folks got a
letter from you and Bob yesterday. Hope I get another tomorrow. Just for the
"Morale Builder" for the weekend. But mostly just a letter from the guy I
love a lot. That's the real reason, just to know you haven't completely
forgotten me since last Tuesday.
Here I go. I'm going to strip -- put on my "nightie" and hit the bags -and I do mean bags. ('member what Roger said?)
Goodnight, honey. Don't forget, I love you.
Goodnight again -- this time I'm going to sleep. I love you, X X X X X.
I love you, X X X X X.
19 Nov 1944
12:45 A.M.
0045 to you.
Well, I suppose your week bivouac about over. I hope they gave you the
wrong dope about when you were leaving, but I don't suppose the Marine Corps
makes mistakes like that. I just hope that everything will be O.K. for you.
The trip across country I'd especially like to go on. I don't think I'd care
for the boat ride, 'though. I'll be thinking of you every minute, honey.
Always! Even when you're up in the back lot plowing and I know you're all
right 'cause I can see you.
This morning Doug [Terrell] came over and hollered outside my window so
I'd wake up and take them to see Don and Elsie [Riehlman]. It was 6
and you know what time I went to bed last nite! I don't know how I ever got
up but I did. Doug towed, with the tractor, the dear old Plymouth up to
Arthur (Doc) Hutchings and then we turned around and started down 'cause I
thought maybe I could start it by coasting but it wouldn't start so Doug towed
all the way over to the Feed Mill. We started back and the car started about
at George Pond's. And it's started good all day -- knock on wood.
Don and Elsie left about 8:15 and Uncle Don shook hands with Brayt [Uncle
Brayton LeRoy] or Gramp [Grandpa Clayton LeRoy], I don't know which and his
face just crumpled all up just like a little boy's. I felt so damned bad just
for him. So he turned around and got in the car and got himself under
control. And y
and my big "Lear" trap. Doug and Jean [Terrell] and
the rest were sniffling and not thinking of how Don and Elsie felt -- just
sniffling for themselves and they started to drive out and I felt like hell,
having them remember the whole bunch standing there "dog faced" so I said "If
you need any money just let me know and I'll get it out of my bank account.".
I felt pretty good then, 'cause they were all glad to laugh about just
something so they all were smiling, even Don and Elsie, when they drove out of
Grampa's drive and even if they did feel more like crying. But there's plenty
of time for crying, later. And you don't feel so much like bawling afterwards
if you can smile while someone's leaving -- at least that's the way I am, and
I guess almost everyone else is 'cause they didn't sniffle anymore.
Honey, I've got a hunch you're little wife's going to stop on this side
of the page. I fell asleep here in the chair and when I do that I'm really
tired. Let's see, I've been up 19 hrs. today.
Oh yes, tonite Miss Sharpe and I were going to Music Festival, you know.
Your kid brothers etc. wanted to see the show. So they rode up to the show
and after we heard the festival we went to the Theatre and saw 2 movies -"Atlantic City" and "Sheriff of Sundown". They were really Saturday nite
movies -- good in a way, but not too educational, nor inspiring -- nor for
that matter interesting.
So, honey, I'm turning in. I know you'll forgive me just tonight, honey,
'cause I don't do this often. I didn't get a letter from you today, but I
sent yours from the post box in front of the Post Office.
Honey, Tic's [Kenneth Ticknor] blue as hell and lonesome so please write
him. -- But don't tell him he's blue or lonesome -- you old farmer. Clara
[Terrell] heard Eva Puderbaugh reading part of his letter to someone (on the
string [several party line] line) so we know he's lonesome. So write him,
honey. He's pretty much alone. [Tic was a country child and was bounced from
farm to farm to work for his room and board. He was a very nice fellow and I
always liked him very much. Maggie and Tic went together for a while until I
f
realized that I
loved her v
. So I
married her!!] I'd write
him, but I can't think quite what to tell him or anything. He might think I
was double-crossing you and hate me or else just ignore my letter and I'd hate
to have that happen. So I guess I'd better just forget it. Things sound
different written, too, and he might get the wrong impression of my letters -So you write him. [O.K., my dear wife, so I did write him, just for you -and me.]
Good night, honey -Here I am over on this page again. Even if I think I can't get this
far I always manage to.
Well, really goodnight this time, honey. I just said goodnight the other
times to get one of those D. L. Terrell DeLuxe kisses. So give me just one
more and I'll go to sleep and be a good girl. Nite, honey. I love you,
honey. X X X X X X X X [mmmmmm -- Thank you, Maggie. Your kisses are s
the best in the whole wide world -- errr U
!!!!]
20 Nov 1944
Before I forget, what does Fleet Marine Force mean? I mean, what do they
do? Are they part of the Tank Corps or aren't you going in the Tank Corps?
These questions probably sound silly to you, but I don't understand about the
F.M.F. or the Infantry Training Regiment. Please write particulars (very
business like, ain't I?)
Today, Sunday, I suppose you guys packed up to start back to Main Base,
huh? Your week is up tomorrow morning. I suppose anything can happen and
e
will. I just wish I was with you, honey, that's all. Then I
would'nt care where we were sent 'cause we'd be together. But it's impossible
so I might just as well forget it.
I didn't even wake up (except to let the dog out) 'till 12:30 this
afternoon. Being up 19 hours in one day, like there I yesterday, floors me, I
guess. I'm going to finish writing you and steam right into bed.
I saw a picture of Jean [Terrell, my sister], when she was a baby, today,
honey, and Jean looks just like you do. Dad's sister Lee and his sister Faye,
too, look like Dad, but I look more like them than I do like him. But we all
look alike, Dad, Faye, Lee and I. I look more like a Lear than Wayne, Roger
or Dale. They take after the Ward side more. Wayne looks like Mom's brother
-- Rex [Ward]. So you see, maybe Lyn will take after you -- Brown eyes,
Brown hair and l
. [Thank you, dear. I love you too. Even if
y
do have m
of the b
between the two of us.] And you'll say -"Yes, she does take after her father -- Don't you think?" to everyone that
says -- "My, just a picture of her daddy!" I can hear you doing it now and
smirking at me just like -- I told you so!
Honey, don't forget to write to Tic [Kenneth Ticknor, my friend and
Maggie's o
boyfriend]. And make it one of your nice, newsy letters, not
just --
Sample:
Dear Tic:
How've you been? I'm okay. How about a letter? Well, I've got to fall
out.
So Long
You know, honey, if I'd ever got a letter like that I'd have killed you
when you came [home] on furlough. They're awful, 'cause there's such a lot
you can say if you want to, and to get a letter like that makes the one that
gets it, sure that the person writing it didn't care enough to take 10 minutes
and write a good letter.
5 lines to one sentence --I'm all out of breath!
[And I didn't understand a word that she said. Did you, grandchildren?]
I'm going to sign off, honey, and hit the sack, so I'll be able to hit the
deck a little earlier in the morning.
Good nite, honey, and remember. I love you -- All the time -- even
when I'm asleep.
I love you, you know, Pvt. D. L. Terrell. Ha Ha, honey, you may be a
Private in the Marine Corps but you,re a General in my heart. How do you like
that? Nite. I love you. [No, Grandpa never made General. Only in Grandma's
heart.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
20 Nov 1944
We are all set to shove off again for a week or so at the rifle range.
We got a little streak of luck this time, being assigned the steam-heated,
brick buildings instead of the tents. The rifle range is about 20 miles from
here, but we go there by trucks, so it won't take us long to get there. We
got back here at Tent Camp from our week of bivouacking about 1400 Saturday
and I was one of the unlucky knuckleheads that were assigned mess duty during
the weekend. The rest of the fellows, minus about 30 of us mess men, got a
week end liberty. Even if I had gotten liberty I wouldn't have gone anywhere,
so I didn't lose much.
Boy, we really do shift around here, honey, but fast, and most of the
time we don't know where we're going or who is going until the last minute.
Mess duty out here isn't so bad as at Parris Island, and you have more time
off while on mess. I have gone to several shows so far and they all have been
good, the most of them involving love affairs which really makes a guy kind of
stop and think about home.
You have probably been cussing me for not writing yesterday or the day
before, but I guess I was just too lazy. Anyway, I didn't have much time with
mess duty and getting ready to shove off again. I got your short book the
other day and enjoyed reading it very much. It really is a lot of fun to read
about everything that goes on back home and it took me a hell of a long time
to read it, too. Of course, I was interrupted about a dozen times to run a
message out to Company A Headquarters from Battalion Headquarters.
There is no damn need of you fussing so over my going overseas, honey,
because I may not go over for a couple months yet and then again we could
leave today. You take my mixed up scribbling too seriously, honey, and
besides you can't ever depend on everything that they tell us around here.
Two different times now in the past two weeks, we have been on the shipping
list and came much closer to leaving than we really realized. Now that we
didn't go in the Drafts we were scheduled for, we will probably stay here a
little longer for more training.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
21 Nov 1944
Your father just got home from the woods [North Woods, deer hunting].
I'm over in their living room, writing to you by the firelight [fireplace]. I
didn't get a letter today, either, honey. I haven't heard from you since last
Friday and I'd better get a letter tomorrow or you may not be in condition to
go overseas (after I get through with you.)
I guess I had indigestion tonite. Your mother was sick with it last nite
and tonight it was my turn. I stayed over home until about 8:00 and I vomited
twice and then I was so shaky and dizzy I thought I'd maybe pass out so I came
over here, vomited once more and laid down and went to sleep. When I woke up
it was eleven o'clock so I stayed over to wait for Leon with your mother. I
felt O.K. except for a bloated feeling in my right side, after I woke up.
It's quite chilly over home 'cause I turned the fire off, that's why I'm
writing from here, so I can be warm. When I go home I'll just crawl right in
and get nice and warm and go to sleep so I can dream about you. Your picture
on my night stand seems more real to me now. I don't know why. Each night I
feel funny if I don't pick you up and kiss you goodnight. I didn't feel like
that towards that picture till your furlough. I can't figure out why I feel
differently about the picture.
Miss Tarolli, Miss Miller and I went to "The Very Thought of You" right
after school and then when the show was over we picked up Jean [Terrell] and
Lee [Matson] at Mr. Lewis'.
Tomorrow night (tonite really) is the Senior Play "Everybody's Crazy
Now". It's going to be good.
Honey, it really snowed here today. Tonite there's about 4 or 5 inches
of the kind of snow you used to roll into snow men. Your mother says to tell
you it's good tasting, too.
Well, honey, I love you. But you know that. In fact I love you so much
that I think I'd better go get my forty winks. -- (Doesn't make sense does
it?)
So good nite, honey. I'd better get a letter tomorrow or my morale will
hit a new low. Nite, honey. I love you -- J
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
21 Nov 1944
This is the end of our first day here at the rifle range and it sure is
swell. I wish you could see the wonderful brick barracks we stay in, honey.
They are really the nuts. Steam heat, pillows once more, good lighting, hot
showers and etc., all of which we sure as hell appreciate after living in
tents and eating out of cans for a while.
We will stay out here 6 days counting today. During that time, we will
fire about 1,000 rounds of live ammunition with our M-1's and a couple hundred
rounds with the B.A.R..
Today we shot 58 rounds at 2 - 3 - 4 and 500 yards to "zero" our rifle or
get the "dope" on them. After getting our "battle range" for three hundred
yds., we then use "Kentucky Windage" in shooting at targets at ranges other
than 300 yds. instead of changing our rear sight elevations and windage knobs.
We do this because in actual combat there is no time to change the dope of
rifle when Japs are seen at different distances from you.
We will fire at moving silhouettes and still ones that are shoved up in
front of us in different places and at different distances. These silhouettes
are exposed only a few seconds and are hard to see and hit unless you are on
your toes. We will fire at silhouettes at night and go through several combat
courses where we will undergo, as true to life as possible, the dangers and
exposures and targets that we will encounter in actual combat.
I got three letters from you tonight, honey, since we didn't get any mail
yesterday. I also got a letter from Mother and Dad. I am glad to hear that
Dad is going to the North Woods again. I hope he has a lot of fun. Do you
know whether he is going to take the Carbine or not? I hope he gets a deer
this year, as he never has had very good luck, although he has wounded many of
them. If he ever gets one lined up in the sights of the Carbine, he could
pour 5 shots into it before it got very darn far. I hope his carbuncle
doesn't bother him while he is up there.
Yes, honey, I already have subscribed for the Marine's "Leatherneck". I
really haven't thought too much about Christmas, honey, but please don't worry
about something to get me, honey, because I know that you will love me anyway.
Please send Bob [Terrell] a card and maybe a small package if you can. Try to
get all of the kids a little something like we did last year, honey, and give
them from both of us. If we won't be able to be together on Christmas, please
remember, honey, that whatever happens I will always love you with all my
heart and I will be with you always in heart and soul, if not in body.
I'm afraid I can't help you much about what to do next summer. I don't
want you to join up because I don't think you will like it. And I know how
hard it is to ride back and forth to work [Virgil to Cortland or Virgil to
Ithaca] although I think you would feel better if you had a job doing
something during the summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
22 Nov 1944
I got a swell letter from you today, dear. The one you wrote Thursday,
November 16th. It wasn't mailed (postmarked) until Nov 18, 3:30 P.M. Maybe
your mailman was held up. Your letter made me feel so good, honey. It was
almost like you were right here beside me, telling me all about what was
happening.
While I think of it, we get off at noon tomorrow so I'm going to work in
the morning. If I'd have thought you'd still have been there. I'd have
started to see you tomorrow noon, arrived at destination Thursday noon and had
3 days to see my honey in. (Probably about 5 or 6 hours all together.) I
wouldn't have had to leave till Sunday noon. I really didn't have enough
money though, honey, to start down.
Will your being in a different Company maybe postpone your leaving till
after Christmas? You'll probably be mad at me, honey, but I'm glad as hell
that your name begins with a T. I hate to have you so far away that I
couldn't go to you even if I wanted to. I think I'll be more lonesome than
I've been yet, just knowing that you'll be so far away. So I'm glad you've
got a while longer here in the States.
Honey, I wrote I love you on that sunglasses case, 'cause I figured that
no matter where you were, you'd see it everytime you started to take your
sunglasses out. I wish it was me in that sunglasses case, instead of the
glasses. I meant what I wrote on there too, honey, with all my heart. I
really love you with all my heart. You made me laugh when you said what would
happen to any guy that made love to your wife. I'm afraid , honey, that
you'll never be able to do it to anybody -- 'cause I can get the o
loving
I want from my own husband. In fact, I wouldn't even be interested in anyone
else's loving except yours. You're the only guy I love or want to love, e
,
and you know it or you wouldn't have kidded me about it in that letter.
Honey, I caught 2 mice in a trap your mother loaned me. One this morning
and one before I got home from Senior Play. My car wouldn't start this noon,
so I called Wayne [Lear] and had him come after me. Then, instead of coming
home tonite and having no way to get back to school (I was supposed to be
there at 6:30 to help put on make-up.) I stayed for supper at mom's. The play
was swell. The kids didn't forget only about twice and then it wasn't very
noticeable.
I wrote on typewriter paper tonite, honey, 'cause I've run out of the
other and I guess I can't fill 2 of these 'cause I've written all I can, right
now -- at least just for tonite. I love you, honey. All my love. I love
you.
It's been snowing here h
. There's a real blizzard (really only a baby
blizzard) out tonite, only it's not as cold as it will be next February.
?Ï----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
22 Nov 1944
How would you like to get an invitation like this?
My Dear Mrs. D. L. Terrell:
Pvt. D. L. Terrell wishes to request the presence of Mrs. D. L. Terrell at 1200 noon on Thursday the 23rd at his headquarters at Tent Camp,
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
for the best Turkey dinner and
best time ever had by either of them.
Signed
††††††††††楓湧摥ऍ
Your slaphappy husband.
Sir Terrell
Well, all I can say is that I wish it were true, only that we could meet
in our own home with my honey's own cooking to fill my belly. It's funny,
honey, but sometimes I guess I forget what the days are and get all mixed up.
Sometimes, I guess, I don't give a damn. But then when I go to date your
letters, I am stumped. It really doesn't feel like tomorrow is Thanksgiving
Day, yet it must be. Or is it?
You know, honey, the day I am going to celebrate as Thanksgiving Day is
the day I can come back home with you and live a human's happy life forever
again. Amen.
Are you on your vacation yet, honey? How long do you have? Save a piece
of turkey for me, honey, until I get back because I sure as hell will eat it.
And while you're saving, you can store away a big kiss and a much bigger hug
to go along with that piece of turkey.
I didn't get a letter from you tonight, but I won't say anything, because
I know that you are probably cussing me right now for not getting any from me
or don't you want any? You said in your last letter that you didn't like my
letters, and that you wished I would find something more interesting to talk
about other than that I love you. Oh, well, I guess us men (ahem) just do not
have the gift of gab like those nosey womenfolk. Shall we talk about the
weather for tomorrow or how much your eyes sparkle tonight, dear? They really
do sparkle -- or did I tell you? I always could tell when you really loved
me, because when you looked up at me, your eyes would shine and sparkle like
two - million carat diamonds.
-------------------------------------------------------Guess what just happened to poor me again, "green eyes"? Just as I was
in the middle of telling you how sharp your fangs were, the Sergeant turned
the lights out, and at 30 seconds before 2000, too -- damn him. Now I am
sitting on the floor in the Head beside the steam pipes, continuing my little
talk with Margareeta, while the Serg. is cussing like hell beside me, because
there isn't any more hot water to shave with.
I cussed, too, because I had to take a cold shower. I do not know what
the hell is the matter with those boiler men. They can't be out of fuel with
a pile of coal four stories high and an acre square, piled right at their
furnace door. That is more coal in one pile than I have ever seen in my life,
and I don't mean maybe. They use so damn much water out here, anyway, that it
is a wonder that there is ever any hot water.
We had some night work last night and tonight which was quite a lot of
fun, although it wastes most of our time off. Last night we were taken about
a mile out into the woods, given a compass, the degrees from magnetic North
from which to set our azimuth, and set out in Squads of 13 each to find our
way back to the barracks. Naturally, since the quicker we got back, the more
time we would have to ourselves, we didn't waste any time. It took us about
an hour to get back. But although we were last to start out, we were second
to report in at the water tower.
You are probably wondering why in hell it took us an hour to walk only a
mile. Well, I think, young lady, that if you had tried walking through a maze
of thorned vines that seemed to wrap themselves around you, and still try to
keep your azimuth, you would probably still be wandering around out there, as
some of the others have in the past. We jumped creeks, walked across rivers
on fallen trees (in the pitch dark), and tried our damndest to not walk into a
swamp of quicksand, which a lot of the fellows have been caught in before. It
was a lot of fun, and easier than it sounds, and made good time all the way
around.
Tonight we fired at the "little man in the dark", which wasn't so easy as
we thought. We shot 8 rounds, a full clip, each time, at a silhouette at 200,
100, 500 and 25 yards each. Then we went to another course and shot 8 shells
at silhouettes that popped up in front of us about 50 yds. out.
Since we couldn't use our peep sights, we have to sight over the top of
our rear sights, and the tip of our front sights. Since this throws the
strike of the bullet higher on the target, we have to aim lower on the target,
according to the distance we are away from the target. See? I knew you
wouldn't. Ha Ha.
Most of the hits scored were just luck, because most of the time it is
all you can do to see the outline of the target. It is all a lot of bull,
anyway, because in actual combat we never will fire at the Japs at night. The
minute we fire at night, they can tell our position by the fire from the
explosive, and end our wonderful lives by lobbing a grenade or mortar into our
choicy picked foxholes for the night.
I think we go out again tomorrow night, too, but I don't know what for.
We really are burning up the ammo, though. We have 80 rounds (10 clips) in
our cartridge belts most of the time, and always find some place to fire them
at during the day. Of course, we sometimes fill up twice a day.
Well, honey, I had better say good night and hit the sack to spend
another wonderful evening being with you again in my dreams. We have a lot of
fun and do the damndest things. I love you, honey, and wish the hell this
damned war would end, before I lose my patience and end it by myself.
23 Nov 1944
Thanksgiving Day
Happy holiday, honey! Here's hoping you had a good turkey dinner and
lots of fun, even if we couldn't be together. I thought , day dreamed, and
even dreamed about you all day long. By that, I mean just what I said,
because I guess I just couldn't get you and home out of my mind. Since we
didn't do so much firing today, I had more time to run over the many times we
had together before and after we were married.
I woke up this morning forgetting that today was Thanksgiving, and
started out preparing for just another day. I noticed the fact that we were
moving along faster on the range, but I still didn't come to my senses why.
We got done sooner on every firing point, so I started thinking about you, and
continued throughout the day. When we were assembled and marched back to the
barracks an hour early before noon chow, I knew right then that there was
something wrong.
It wasn't until our Platoon Sergeant told us we were to march over to the
mess hall in formation that I finally woke up to the fact that today was
Thanksgiving. I don't know why, except that I had woke up this morning with
the idea that this was just another day.
When it did come to me I really did start thinking about you then, and I
guess all the other fellows were thinking too, because they acted a little
different than usual. I wished that I was home with you, sitting beside you,
with a big turkey in front of us and everything else to go with it. I wished
that you and I could go in and sit down on the davenport with my arm around
you and read the funny papers like we used to do. And then I remembered that
it wasn't Sunday. I wished many things today, honey, and I'll bet the other
fellows were, too, but I guess it didn't do much good.
Don't think we didn't have a swell dinner, though, because if you did you
are badly mistaken. Do you remember the menu that Bob [Terrell] sent home two
years -- or was it one year -- ago? Well, I am sending you one similar to it,
only it is a much better one than Bob had, I think. It was the first time I
had ever gotten up from a Marine mess hall to see food left on every table,
and there are hundreds of tables (8 to a table).
We started out by marching in formation to the mess hall. When we were
all lined up in Platoon formation at close order dress in front of the mess
hall, the bugler sounded off for our attention. The preacher said a
Thanksgiving prayer, which is on the inside of menu sheet, and we all stood,
heads bowed, thinking and praying. After that, we all sang one verse of the
hymn "Faith of Our Fathers" and one verse of the National Anthem, to the tune
of a trumpet. Then we filed into the mess hall to get the greatest surprise
of our lives.
All the turkey we wanted and everything else that is on the menu, and
nothing is exaggerated either. Tablecloths on every table, individual pies (8
pieces) to the table, individual plates, with fruit cake, celery, butter,
pickles, olives (green and ripe), onions, and a big plate of oranges, apples
and pears. What a meal, honey, and we could go back for all the seconds we
wanted. After that, when we left the hall, we all got a big handful of
assorted nuts.
I will send this much and write some more tonight. Got to fall out now.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
24 Nov 1944
Happy Thanksgiving, honey, and I hope you haven't got a tummy ache from
eating too much of the turkey our servicemen were supposed to get today. I
ate Thanksgiving supper at Aydee's [Reynolds] with my side of the family. I
was planning on going up for today at mom's and then supper at Aydee's for all
the families. So I was baking some pies to take today (They didn't ask me to
bring anything but I thought a couple of extra pies might be good.) when dad
called and said would I like to go to Midnite show last nite and I said yes.
So I hurried and finished the pies and Wayne [Lear] came down for me. I took
our car to the Garage to have it fixed yesterday noon and the radiator was
fixed and the starter worked perfectly by 8:00 last nite and they only charged
me 2 bucks. I took it to Virgil Garage. Alex Milne and that other guy left
the garage and the 2 fellows running it now must know their business. So
Wayne came after me in our car. Then we went to the midnite show. It was
3:00 when Wayne and I got home. (He took Ann Joyce Mespell, and Clarice and
Emma Lou [Mespell] went, too. Then as we had to drive 2 cars anyway, I asked
Ward and Jean Trapp to go, too. So we took the girls home and got home at
3:00 this morning.) It was so late I thought I'd stay up home and sleep then
I wouldn't have to come back down and then go back up for today. And, honey,
I hope you'll forgive me, but I was so tired that I crawled right into bed and
never remembered to write you. When I thought of it this morning I almost
cried, 'cause it seemed almost like I'd hurt you by forgetting. I just hope,
honey, because it's the first and l
time I've slipped that you'll forgive
me. I couldn't have sent a letter today anyway, as the mail didn't go or
come, today being a holiday. I hope tomorrow I'll get a letter that will tell
me you love me as much as I love you, you knucklehead! Honey, I really do
love you -- a lot -- in fact I love you so much that I haven't got any more
love for anybody -- except maybe somebody that is part you (and part me) such
as that little girl in our picture.
Honey, it snowed here today, great big soft flakes that were beautiful to
see floating down all around and covering the ground with a pure white coat.
It's about 5 or 6 inches deep tonite (feathery so that it doesn't pack) and
quite cold. In fact you can imagine how this house feels with the fire turned
off since last nite. My hands feel like slivers of ice and it's a wonder you
can read this (or can you?). Pooch is lying here by the front door curled up
in a little ball. It will get warm enough in here by 2:00 A.M. that I'll be
thawed out and ready for bed. My feet are so cold that I'd be tickled pink if
you could get them warm for me.
Honey, Deer season starts tomorrow. Dad says this light snow is the
answer to a Deer hunters prayer. He asked me if he could take your gun about
a week ago and then I forgot to ask you. So I told him he could. I felt
funny about it, but I knew if I had asked you, you'd have said O.K. The
reason I finally told dad O.K. was he said he asked Leon [Terrell] and Leon
said O.K. that he wasn't going to use it. All dad has is a double and single
barrel and he said (I knew it anyhow) that with 3 more shots he'd be more apt
to get a deer. After you come home, honey, I want you to teach me to hunt.
We could have such a lot of fun hunting together. Maybe even go to the North
Woods together each year. Of course if we had Lyn I wouldn't leave her home
alone with anybody so I couldn't go, but we could hunt around here.
Golly, honey, I'm going to quit a minute and go hug the stove. I'm
getting colder by the minute.
About 1 hr. ago there was a special news bulletin over the radio. Our B
29's (Super Fortresses) raided Tokyo today. A bigger task force than ever
attacked Japan (proper) before. I felt so silly -- afterward, -- but the
minute they said we'd bombed Tokyo I started bawling. Just because it means,
maybe a month sooner that you'll be able to come back. Especially because
it's the Japs they bombed instead of the Germans. The bombers were based in
the Marianas Islands. The announcer said it showed that no part of Japan was
safe from bombing anymore. It really made me feel good. Maybe that bombing
will shorten the war. I didn't feel so good, though, when I thought of the
fellows that were brought down over Japan and will have to endure hell either
till they die as a result of it or else until the war ends. That viewpoint
makes me feel bad and ashamed of myself for being happy about the bombing.
Well, honey, I wrote 2 pages to make up for what I didn't write last
nite. I hope you've forgiven me 'cause I love you, honey. In fact I l
you. Goodnite, honey. Sleep tight. Ego Amo Te - Latin. Yo Te Amo Spanish, I think. I love you -- English.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
24 Nov 1944
What's the idea of getting sick on me, Huh? You had better be feeling
better by now, or I'll come down with my saw and hammer and patch you into
working order. Why, I never was so disgraced in all my life! The very idea,
a Terrell being sick, and my wife at that. Go get me a glass of water quick,
honey. I think I'm going to faint at the shock of it.
Now that I have bawled you out enough, I will tell you a little secret if
you don't tell anyone.
Last night our whole Battalion came down with the dysentery. Wait a
minute, let me finish! At least I have an excuse, and that is more than you
had. The sick-bay men blame it on the soap and grease left on our tin plates
that we eat on. You had ought to see us running for the Head every two
seconds. What a sight. We will soon get over it though, and I guess the mess
boys will get their asses reamed out for not cleaning the trays better.
I can't blame them though, because I know just how hard it is to clean
thousands of trays a meal and get all the grease off them. Sometimes the
steam isn't hot enough, and when they go through the steam racks, it doesn't
rinse them good enough.
Why am I writing you in the middle of the afternoon? Well, the entire
answer bases upon the fact that your husband is a very smart and cunning man.
Ahem. You see, my "sick-bay woman commando", our platoon was assigned the
"Butts" this afternoon, so --- I done stayed in the rear of the line. When
they got to me, they had all the men they needed, so --- here I am writing my
honey, while the rest of my buddies are slaving their heads off running the
butts.
It isn't very comfortable down here though, because I am freezing. It is
colder than hell and getting colder every day. No, -- no snow, but plenty of
frost every morning. Right now, I am shaking like a tuning fork after being
brutally struck by Prof.[Hagadorn] on the Laboratory experiment table.
Here it is 2020, and another day passed by, honey. The days are going by
fairly fast now. Tomorrow night we shove off for Tent Camp again, and from
there, no one knows. Maybe another week of bivouac, maybe a week of ship to
shore landing, maybe a week of jujitsu, and maybe we get in a Draft and ship
out. That's the only trouble, honey, we never know when we'll get the order
to pack up and leave, nor do our Officers, either. They are on the alert just
as much as we are.
I got a letter from you tonight written on typewriter paper. It touches
me very deeply to hear that you enjoyed my mass of scribbled confusion so
immensely. In fact, my chest stuck out so much with pride, that my belly
button popped off and hit the Major in the eye. What did I do about it? Why,
I got a survey and got myself a new belly button, of course.
Even if you had come down to see me during Thanksgiving, honey, it
wouldn't have done any good because I am out to the rifle range. Or don't you
remember? Since the rifle range is 20 miles from Tent Camp, there was no
place that you could stay close by. Anyway, I would have been out on night
tactics most of the time.
I am not in a different Company yet, honey. I tried to get a transfer,
but they wouldn't give it to me, so I'll have to stay in the Company.
I just can't seem to get my brain working to think of anything to write
tonight. I seem to have the darnedest time with the lighting system up here.
First, we don't have enough light and my eyes get tired from straining. Then,
in bivouac, we didn't have any light after dark, so I couldn't write. Now, up
here, the lights are so bright they hurt my eyes. Some excuses, Huh, honey?
I guess I am a hard man to satisfy, or do you already know that too?
We are still burning up ammunition by the cartons, and tomorrow we fire
the B.A.R. all day. Just think, I can squeeze the trigger, count five, and I
have shot 20 rounds of ammunition, just like that. But that isn't the way we
do it. As I told you before, we squeeze the trigger and release it quick,
allowing only 2 or 3 shots to go off. This way keeping our firing more
accurate.
I got the name bracelet that Dad and Mom sent me, and it is very nice. I
haven't wrote them or Bob [Terrell] a letter yet, so I'll see if I can write a
line tonight after I take my evening shower. I got a card from Aunt Elsie and
Uncle Don [Reihlman]. They had lots of motor trouble, but were making fairly
good time. They said they hoped to be in St. Louis, Missouri, by the 12th.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
25 Nov 1944
Say, honey, you should have seen my eyes sparkle today when I got t
letters from a certain knucklehead in a certain Camp, in a certain state, in a
certain Country. They were the ones you wrote Sunday -- the 19th not the
20th as you thought -- and one wrote Monday in the same envelope. Then I got
one written the day before Thanksgiving -- the 22nd. The date on that one
was right. Two letters, honey! After not hearing from you since last
Tuesday. Really, honey, you ought to be ashamed. I worry when I don't hear
from you. I can't help it. It's natural, I guess, when you don't hear from
someone you love so much, to worry. If you didn't hear from me for 3 days and
don't get letters until the fourth day, you'd probably go stir-crazy. Own up,
now, honey, wouldn't it bother you? Just think of it when you're tempted to
let a couple days go by without writing. 'Cause two can play at that game,
but I wouldn't like to -- unless convinced that that was the only way to get
letters coming into this mail-box -- instead of going out.
Honey, you probably have got my letter by now that said I was going to
have vacation from Wednesday noon till Monday noon. A vacation is like a weekend pass -- no fun unless there's someone to spend it with. Honey, do you
think that we may be able to have Christmas together? If we can, please
reserve a room for me and u
the first thing you do, because I'll come if I
have to walk. I suppose I'm just pipe-dreaming but you might get a Christmas
furlough -- but I doubt it (B
Bob [Terrell] sent home his greens [Marine uniform] and a lot of
postcards and pictures about Midway and the Hawaiian Islands. He is on Kauai
in the Hawaiians now. He put a slip of paper in one of the booklets he
shipped home. Before he was on Oahu Island, before that at Pearl Harbor.
Before he was at Pearl Harbor he was at Midway. He is the closest to Japan
now that he has ever been. He said in the letter today that he had been ready
to shove off again for a week now.
Say, honey, if you want me to, I can send you the $22. that they (the
Gov't) sends me out of your pay. That might help you. I don't like your
father getting the idea that he has to send you $10 a
. I have plenty I
can send you without anybody else's help. So tell me how you feel on the
subject, honey, so I'll know what to do.
No, Don, your father didn't take the Carbine up to the North Woods with
him as he has no right to have it and he could have it hot and heavy for
having it in his possession.
Honey, Larry Mahar sent home a helmet today. It had a bullet hole
directly through it (this is the way I understood it) from the front toward
his temple. You know he said he'd send home what saved his life and I guess
that the helmet's "It". The bullet must have just grazed his forehead. The
helmet's set out quite a ways from your head, don't they? [Larry was also in
the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater.] The bullet must have passed through
the space between the helmet and his head.
Your father told me to be sure and tell you that you send your greens
home when you get through needing them, instead of turning them in. [Our
green uniform is for winter use and we wouldn't need them in the Pacific War
Theater.] He says you earned them and I guess he's right. Besides it will be
fun to show your grandchildren your uniforms. Don't you think you'll have fun
doing it? [Yes, except I can't get it on now.]
The kids came over and unthawed my water pipes tonite. I think and hope
that they're planning on building up the foundation tomorrow (at the hole). I
don't think it will be so cold tomorrow. It wasn't so bad today.
Before I forget it, I'd be glad to accept your invitation for Turkey
dinner, Nov 23rd, 1944. [I had sent her an invitation to our Thanksgiving
dinner at the Barracks.] But I'm afraid your invitation came a day or so
late. Maybe we'll be able to fill it next Thanksgiving.
Say, lug, tomorrow's our 17th month Anniversary. One year and 5 months.
By our 2nd Anniversary I hope you'll be home, so we can spend it together.
Well, honey, here I go, signing off again. So goodnight, honey, -- I
love you. -- 2 letters worth! -- Aren't you happy? Goodnite, honey. I love
you!
26 Nov 1944 12:20 A.M. 17th Anniversary
Early in the morning! Boy, I've accomplished a slew today -- as Grampa
LeRoy would say -- "Yep, quite a stroke of business today!" I didn't get up
till about 10:30 or so and I started getting ready to paint the woodwork in
these 2 rooms (Living and Dining Room). Then I ate dinner with your folks and
then started painting. I got the first coat on the front door -- and casing,
and on all four windows. I didn't have time to paint the base-board. I
finished about 7:15 tonite. The turpentine really makes me feel screwy. I
don't know whether I'm tired or what.
You know Thanksgiving nite our family sang for 4 hours straight and we
had such fun that we decided to sing tonite together. So I ate supper with
your dad and mom and then went to Aydee's [Reynolds] to sing. We got through
about 9:15 and then I went down home and ate a dish of peaches and toast.
I came home, changed my clothes, washed and set my hair, washed 2 prs. of
stockings and my good white scarf. So now at 12:30 A.M. I'm writing to the
"Man I love!"
Your father and 2 brothers boxed in the water pipe and filled the big
hole today so I'm hoping the water won't freeze again. They also finished
filling the ditch under the bedroom window so now I can park the car there.
It was beautiful here today and it still is tonite. It's so clear out
you can see out swell. It isn't too cold either. The sky was a pretty blue
today, with just a few fleecy white clouds in it.
I think I'll go to the show either tomorrow or Tuesday nite. Tuesday
nite is a Pancake Supper up at the Church. The men are waiting on the tables.
But I could ride up with Leon [Terrell] after the supper.
I painted that little book case I brought down from mom's today, too.
White -- inside and out.
Well, honey, I'm all written out so there's no use using anymore paper.
Oh, I forgot -- I love you! In fact -- I'll always love you. All my love.
27 Nov 1944
Well you know that saying "Cast your bread upon the water and it shall
return" (or something)? Today I "Cast" 2 letters in the mail-box -- Saturday
nites and last nites and what do you know? I had 2 letters a
when the
mailman came. The one with the Menu in it (boy did that dinner sound good -why didn't you invite me a little sooner?) and the one written the 24th and I
guess the 25th. The one with the "I love you" -- my eyes really sparkled when
I saw, honey.
Honey, the only man that I can imagine could even rival you is -- guess
who -- the postman. Every time I see him I run -- towards him, too and I'll
bet I've got a 500 volt gleam in my eye. But you know, honey, I wouldn't pay
any attention to him if he didn't bring letters from my honey.
Nelson Warren has been reported as a German P. of W. [Prisoner of War],
honey. That's better than having him dead, by far. And Don McCall is h
.
[Don was one of my classmates and my best friend.] The Hagadorn boys saw him
Saturday nite. They asked him how many Japs he'd killed and he just said -"I shot at quite a few bushes that moved". The kids said he didn't want to
talk about his experiences and I can see how he feels.
We had Turkey for Thanksgiving up at Aydee's [Reynolds] or did I tell
you? Mom baked it in her electric oven and it was so tender and done that the
meat fell off the bones.
I painted the second coat on our windows tonight and put the 2nd coat on
our little book-stand and also started taking the paint off of Lynn's rocker.
[Oh, now you finally added a second n
to Lynn's name, heh? You forgot to tell
me about that.] I had to scrape it though and I got awful tired so I quit.
This morning Aydee, Mom and I went uptown and I
got a new winter coat.
It has one of those button-in or out linings with "Chammy" skin lining. It
must weigh 5 or 6 lbs. and it's really warm. It's a blue cast. Not fitted
but straight. It cost 29.95 - (30.00) but it will be worth it and then some!
I know you'd like the coat, honey, and you'll see it next fall -- all the
time, I'm sure of it. They bombed Tokyo again and the guys are slowly getting
through the German lines.
It rained here today, was nasty all day. Your mother rode up with Gert
[Matson] this p.m. and as she has had an ache in her chest ever since she fell
the other day, she went up to see Dr. Carpenter. He says if the ache keeps up
until Wednesday he wants to take an X-ray as he thinks she's strained the
tissues around her lungs. Isn't that hell? She's lucky she didn't break her
neck or something, 'tho.
As it was raining tonite Dick [Terrell] asked if he could drive the car
to Basketball practice and I said yes.
The kids at school wanted your address today so I wrote it and then I
asked them what they wanted it for. he he They said they're going to send you
the "Peaker". I told them I thought that was swell. -- I was going to send
it, then I thought probably you wouldn't be interested in the kids at school
now. But I'm glad they're sending it, anyway.
In the paper tonight it said that Bob Miller (Helen Rounds husband) is in
the South Pacific Theater. He was in the landing at Leyte. He's in the Navy
I guess, cause he said he had a grandstand seat and watched the Landing. He
said some guys at home thought they had it tough, but even he didn't have it
as tough as the guys that established the beachhead.
Honey, I'm beginning to really think that this is going to be over soon
and you'll be back again with me. Then we'll get a farm -- Lynn Ellen and
then a couple boys to help you. Then a herd whatever you like -- What'll it
be, honey -- Holsteins, Guernseys, Jerseys, or what? -- That's right -Holsteins for quantity. Guernsey and Jerseys for quality but not so much milk
-- Well how about Brown Swiss then? Well -- make up your mind, honey,
'cause I'm going to hit the sack. I'm so tired I feel goofy. (I got up e
this morning 8:45) and I'm tired. So goodnight, honey, and don't forget -- I
love you. Say, I bought a rat trap this A.M. and I'll be damned if I can set
it. I'm scared to death of it, and I hear the dÿ
rat moving around in the
kitchen now. Please, honey, come home and set it for me so I can get that
noisy rat. Goodnight, honey -- I love you. Ego Amo Te Yo Te Amo.
28 Nov 1944
Honey, my bed looks so lonesome tonite that when I look at it I could
bawl. I went to Pancake supper tonite at the Church and then afterwards to
"Since you went Away". I bawled all the way through it as someone was always
saying last goodbyes, being reported missing or else killed in action. -Next time I'll go to a nice quiet funeral instead. I'm sure I wouldn't have
any redder eyes or sore nose. -- Of course, I'd go to the funeral of someone
I've never known. I don't like funerals of somebody I've known. They're sad
-- Well, honey, if you get my 3 last letters the same day think nothing of it.
-- But I'm sorry but you'll probably be 2 days without mail. I took Saturday
nites and Sunday nites to mom's mailbox Monday A.M. and this A.M. they were
still there. The flag was out but Clark [the mailman] simply hadn't taken
them. Wayne [Lear] had 2 letters in the mail and I had two and mom had one so
the fool really left something that time.
I bought $1.00 worth of 3 cent stamps today and I pray I'll get to use
them all on letters to you and don't have to get some of those 6 cent things
with an airplane on them.
I didn't get any more painting done tonight, honey. But I'm planning on
doing baseboard tomorrow A.M. or tomorrow nite.
The snow has all been melted by rain, honey, and the mud has melted too into a very messy mess, which fixed clean floors (If you have any) very
nicely.
I'm glad you got a new belly-button after you scored that bull's-eye with
your old one. That tickled me so, honey. When you say those things you don't
realize that every time you say them -- to me you say "I love you and I want
to make you feel O.K." But you do. So I read them and when I laugh and say
"Screwloose" I mean "I love you, too and I feel O.K. all ready." Catch? I
knew you would! I love you, honey, more each hour and each day we're apart.
And I'm saving it for when we'll be here together again. So watch out, honey,
cause I'll be practically dynamite -- I'll be so loaded -- but with love,
not high explosives. Honey, I'm all written out so I'll skip the 2nd page
tonite. I'm sorry, but you understand don't you? All my love and then some.
[Maggie always signs her letters to me -- Maggie--.]
P.S. My eyes are bothering m
tonight. They're almost swelled shut from
bawling and I'm ashamed of myself. Nite, honey. I love you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
28 Nov 1944
How about getting out of that warm bed and making us some hot cocoa and
some hot pancakes and sizzling sausages for breakfast, Huh? Oh, so you don't
want to get out onto the cold floor, Huh? Well, I got you fooled there. I
turned the fires on and it is quite warm already. Besides, I am giving up my
morning chow, just so that I can write you and tell you I still love you.
No, I'm not exactly going without anything to eat this morning, honey,
because I ate two apples and some cookies I had saved up. The main reason I
didn't go to chow, honey, was because there was such a hell of a line waiting
in front of all the mess halls. You had ought to see all the Marines down
here now, honey. Nearly every tent and hut here in Tent City is filled with
fellows just back from their furloughs after finishing their boot training at
Parris Island. They have got so many here that it is a hell of a problem to
feed them all properly.
Boy, I sure am glad to hear that Wayne [Lear] got a deer with my shotgun,
and a seven pointer at that. He sure is a lucky cuss, as I was hoping to get
one, too, this year. But I guess I will have to be satisfied with mowing down
a few dozen filthy, slimy, slant-eyed bastards from the land of the sinking
sun. I hope your Dad gets a chance to shoot one, too, before the season
closes. Is Wayne going to have his deer head mounted, or would it cost too
much money? I had always planned on mounting the first deer head that I
caught to hang in our living room. Has anyone else, that we know, caught any
yet? Here's hoping the best of luck to them all, anyway.
So, it is snowing up there, Huh? Well, it might just as well be snowing
down here, as cold as it is. I know how you feel, but if you knew how hard it
is to train for Jungle fighting in this cold weather, I think that you would
agree with me that it would be better if I was shipped out to warmer training
bases. It gets so cold down here, honey, that we have to take an ax and chop
the frozen blankets off from around us every morning before we can get out of
our sacks. Then we take 20 pounds of T.N.T. and blast the hut doors open
because they are frozen so tight. The minute we step outside we fall down
stiff as a board, and have to roll wherever we have to go. When we grab hold
of our rifle, they freeze to us so bad we have to have them cut off with an
acetylene torch. Of course, once in a while they slip and cut off a finger,
but that is a mere trifle. One of the fellows went over to the drinking
fountain to get a drink, turned on the faucet, and to his surprise found
himself sucking on an icicle. Do you believe me? Well, I didn't expect you
to, anyway.
Well, it is nearly time to fall out again, so I will cut off the chatter
for now. I still love you, honey, and hope that you aren't mad at me for not
writing so often. I think of you anyway, even if I don't get around to write.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Maggie to Don]
29 Nov 1944
I'm writing on top of the Heatrola -- absorbing the heat as it comes out
so I won't have to turn the fire on. The coal bucket's empty and if I turn
the fire on I'll have to get another bucketful -- and that's a very
unpleasant Midnite task -- especially when the coal house hasn't a light
inside it. Remember -- I don't like the dark except when you're with me -preferably hugging me as close as I can get without jumping in your skin -and that's C
in any language!
If you could be here tonite, honey you'd get the loving of your short
life -- I mean in all your 19 l
years. I'm lonesome feeling and it would
be v
nice to have you here with me -- right now and then for
ever and ever.
Honey, I hope you haven't gone. I didn't get a letter yesterday
(Wednesday) or Tuesday. Maybe I'll get 2 this morning. I'm hoping so,
anyway. Maybe it's just that being moved from Rifle Range you haven't had any
time. I know it's silly, honey, but I hope you're still within spitting
distance of me. I'll feel lonely when you go. Lonelier than I feel now. The
Army [Marines] (etc.) has a facility for arranging things as inconveniently as
possible for two people that think everything of each other. But I shouldn't
complain. You've been here longer now than we expected at first.
Don, a month ago tonite we were snuggling just as close as we could get
and kissing each other every 2 minutes. A month ago -- Oct 29 was the Sunday
we picked up potatoes [in Dad's potato field] and then ate Thanksgiving
Dinner. [We had an "early" Thanksgiving because we knew I wasn't going to be
home for Thanksgiving.] And went to bed early and got l
of sleep. "Member
how tired you were after Sunday morning going to bed at 3:00 A.M. Sunday nite
we really hit the sack early. Earlier than the rest of our vacation
[furlough]. But of course we "got up" late Sunday morning, so you shouldn't
have been tired -- but you didn't sleep late come to think of it.
Well, honey, I'm going to give you a big kiss and head for bed, you can
sit up all nite if you want to but I'm getting sleepy. Goodnight, darling -Um-m-m-m-m!!! What I wouldn't give for a kiss like that just 3 times a day. After meals, 'cause if it was before, I'd have indigestion all the time.
Here I go -- Nite. And remember -- I'll be loving you a
!
Remember -- "Always" That's the first line of the best song e
written and
it says what I feel right to a T. Goodnite, honey. I love you.
[I love you, too, Shrimp!]
30 Nov 1944
Well, the snow is about three foot deep and packed -- but hard! I drove
up to school today but I left the car up on the corner and rode back on the
bus, as there isn't any place to leave a car except at Hayden's [Olmstead],
and it would stick out into the road and the plow might hit it. I figured
when this let up I'd be able to get it better than if it was down here, stuck
on the dirt road and in the snowplow's way.
It started snowing about 8:00 p.m. last night and it's just stopped. The
wind's piling the snow into "beautiful" drifts that will no doubt be higher by
tomorrow morning as it's really howling out. [That is what Maggie and I used
to call the "Virgil pot boiling".]
Jean [Terrell] came over to stay all nite with me. We're standing here
by the stove trying to get warm. I put 4 sticks of dry wood in on the coal so
we'd have quick heat and it's starting to burn -- and how! It's warm enough
except about 20 inches from the floor. There it's cold. The winds coming up
worse, honey. I don't think there'll be school by tomorrow. They'd all get
stuck, sure as heck. It's really "rugged". The Greyhound has canceled all
schedules so things are kind of tied up. The teachers are wanting to go home
but I guess maybe there's going to be a nice quiet, snowbound week-end in
Virgil for them and us.
Honey, I didn't hear from you again today. Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday, so I'm kind of thinking maybe you've left Camp Lejeune but I hope
you haven't. Dammit! I don't want you 5,000 miles away. 1,200 are enough.
Oh, say, I haven't told you yet tonite that I
love y
. How do you like
that? I'll bet you like it, don't you? Even if you can't do anything about
it. You c
do something. Just tell me you love me a lot in your next
letter. Then let me tell you how much I love you next letter -- tomorrow
nite to be exact!
Darling, I hope I hear from you tomorrow, saying that you're still down
south -- in the United States -- not the nice Blue Pacific.
That Toad Perkins, Evalyn [McGuiness] went with for a while has been on
short [shore] leave. He just got back from a "cruise" on a Merchant Marine
Ship as an "Armed Guard". He went with Fran Havington while home. She's
broken that engagement she had with that fellow. She'll never make up her
mind. Well, honey, I'm all done so I'll say Goodnite and listen to the radio
and then go hit the sack. I love you, honey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
30 Nov 1944
You don't know how close you came to getting a good spanking tonight,
honey. If I hadn't gotten any mail from you this evening, I sure as hell
would have come up and given you a damn good blistering. The idea, no mail
from my darling for 2 9/10 days, and me walking around in circles worrying for
fear my honey is sick or something.
My mind is so mixed up tonight, I can't even think, honey. I start to
write a sentence and then stop to wonder what I'm going to write, then start
listening to the fellows grabassing in our hut. Tomorrow morning we do ship
to shore landings in the damn cold water. We do one during the daytime, and
then lay on the shore with wet clothes as we defend the shoreline, while
another unit tries making landings. We land in mass formation, in the pitch
dark, about 2000, then get back to the barracks somewhere between 2400 and 03
or 0400 the next day. Since we will have wet clothes on practically all day,
it won't be so comfortable
I went to Haydnot Point today to have my teeth finished. I had one more
front tooth dead. Had the nerve canal cleaned out and filled. Had my upper
gums cut open again, clipped out and sewed up again. That makes three dead
teeth in front, all fixed up just because I didn't watch where I was going
when playing football with Russell Munson. I have to go back again next Wed.
and have the stitches taken out, and have the rest of my teeth fixed. One
pulled and a couple more filled.
Please forgive my scribbling, honey, because I don't feel much like
writing tonight, just all mixed up. I got 3 letters from you tonight. All
three were postmarked the same date, so I kind of wondered if you weren't
getting back at me for you not getting any letter from me for several days.
I'm glad you liked my other letters, honey.
It rained like hell the other day, and we went out just the same to go
through a bayonet obstacle course. It was so rainy, muddy and slippery out
that a couple fellows broke an ankle and slipped and cut a hell of a gash in
them with their fixed bayonets. "Tough Shit!", the Marine Corps calls it.
I hope the hell we get out of here pretty soon, and go where we can train
without freezing. There are several replacement Drafts shipping out for
directly overseas tomorrow morning. One of the fellows is in here talking to
us now. Going to get some shut eye because we have got to get up about an
hour earlier tomorrow, to ride about 38 miles to ocean shore.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
1 Dec 1944 9:45 P.M. S
Friday Nite
Well, we're snowbound and the telephone's dead and so we're really
sitting pretty. The snow just keeps coming down and down a
down. Then it
blows up into beautiful drifts that are the most fun to walk through. Your
dad went to work about 1:00 this afternoon. He followed the snow plow in. He
got back about 8:00 [P.M.]. We figured he wouldn't be back at all but we got
fooled.
You know, Jean [Terrell] stayed with me last nite so she wanted me to
stay over here tonite. So I'm writing you from your mother and father's
living room. I'm writing on a card table and it jiggles every time I write,
so don't blame me if you can't read this.
Syracuse has 30 inches of snow and it is still scheduled to keep coming
down until Sunday. Howard [Haskins] didn't get milk until about 3:00 this
afternoon [from the farmers], and when I saw the truck struggling to get into
Hayden's [Olmstead] barn yard I felt a little relief in knowing that you
wouldn't have to fight the snow this winter and get half frozen.[picking up
milk from farmers with Howard Haskins' truck] And then I thought I'd give
anything if you were here, snow or no snow. We'd have more fun this winter
'cause we'd have more time -- not being on a farm. We had fun last winter
though, in a way. At least we weren't lonely as hell and wishing we were
together. Remember when I used to come home and come down in the barn so I
could be with instead of getting supper as I should have? I must have been
lonesome for you all day, or I would have thought more about my stomach and
less about you. I still wish I could have thrown down hay and swept the barn
and done all those things to help you that I wanted to do. But I guess I'm
not built for them.
I didn't get any mail today, honey, but I'm taking it for granted that I
would have if the mail man had come. I didn't send your letter today but I'm
going to send last nites and tonight by Leon [Terrell] tomorrow (if he goes.)
It's still snowing out -- big soft flakes so by tomorrow morning he's [Don's
father] apt to decide to stay home. Leon said Wayne [Lear] was riding with
George Muncey on the snowplow today, operating the wing. Wouldn't that be
fun? I've always wanted to ride on one of them. I did once in a parade but
the plow wasn't on so it wasn't the same. Maybe someday you can drive one and
I'll be able to ride with you. Wouldn't t
be fun?
I didn't get Pooch [our dog] in tonite and he'll be lost tonite. It's
the first nite he's ever stayed out all nite. He's been sleeping by my bed
every nite since you went except the night I stayed up home Thanksgiving Eve.
I think he'll go to the barn with Tig [Mother's and Dad's dog].
Well, honey, I'm going to sign off and knit awhile. Then hit the sack.
I told you I was knitting a pair of mittens for myself, didn't I?
-Grandma LeRoy is sick in bed and the doctor says she'll never go
downstairs again. That she's just worn out. Too bad she can't wait a while
and get a G
. Lynn Ellen to be exact. She's liable to
fool everyone yet.
Here I go. And I hope I get just one letter tomorrow. I'd feel a l
better. Nite, honey. I love you.
With All My Love
And none for another (man)
For that, just thank
My one and only Mother.
Poet and don't know it, h
.
XXXXXX
3 Dec 1944 11:45 P.M. Still Sunday Nite
Here I am again and I love you just as much as always -- and maybe a
little more.
It stopped snowing yesterday, honey, and it was clear and beautiful
today. But it was cold, just the same. The water had frozen in the toilet
bowl when I came over at noon. Dick [Terrell] fixed the pipe yesterday and
put in the damper today (on Aunt Elsie's [Riehlman] stove) so I now have hot
water -- in a tank! Jean [Terrell] came over tonite. We went to the show
"Mrs. Parkington" this afternoon. So Jean came over tonite and took a shower
and I washed her hair and set it. We made some candy, too. Divinity -- the
white candy that tastes very sweet and fluffy. Was it good! I never made any
of it before and I was surprised at how easy it was to make. I think I'll
take a shower tomorrow morning. I'm going to love having a shower and I wish
you were here to enjoy it after you worked so hard for it. It would be fun to
take showers together, don't you think? The water's good and hot. We'll try
it first time you're home, honey.
I scraped the paint from around the windows tonite. I still haven't
painted the base board. I don't dread doing the painting, but I hate the
turpentine smell.
Honey, we worked the "Ouija" board yesterday -- at least Clara [Terrell]
and Lee Matson worked it. I asked it what you wanted me to get you for
Christmas and it said "All of it" and I said "Of what?" and it said "of
Maggie" and I said "Of Maggie's what?" and it said "Her love". They didn't
know you'd said about not worrying about Christmas because we'd love each
other, anyway. So maybe the "Ouija" has some power -- but I doubt it.
Tonite Clara [Terrell] and I worked it and I asked it what Don had been doing
today. And it said "Moving" and I said to "Where?" and it said "A camp in
California" and I said "Will he call from California?" and it said "Yes" and I
said "When?" and it said "Late today" and I said "When?" and it said "Not in
daytime hours" and I said "What time, Eastern War Time?" and it said "Five
O'clock tomorrow morning". So I'm expecting to talk to you before 6:00
tomorrow morning. I asked it if you were going into combat from California
and it said "No". I asked it if you were going to be stationed at California
and it said "No". I said "What is he going to do?" and it said "Teach
officers to shoot right" and I said "In California?" and it said "No", "Saui"
[I did go to the Island of Maui later on.] and I said "In Hawaiian Islands?"
and it said "No", "Chain of Islands in Pacific". I asked if you would tell us
where you were going and it said "No", "Bob [my brother, already overseas in
the Marines] would write after Don tells him". So I'll be waiting for further
developments and I'm praying that this "Ouija" is wrong and you've been
washing, ironing, mending and writing all day -- anything but moving.
Honey, I wrote a 3 page letter to you last nite but I'm not going to send
it to you. I got one paragraph written and I started thinking about your
saying "Hope you aren't mad because I haven't written oftener" and I got so
mad I gave you hell for not writing for 3 solid pages. You can read it some
day but it would maybe make you feel bad now so I'm just pretending I didn't
write last nite. But p
write oftener, honey, 'cause I
get worried about you when I don't hear from you for f
days! Let's put it
this way -- If you love me, you'll write. Honey, I haven't smoked -- even
took a puff on -- a cigarette since you were home and I've had just oodles of
chances, but when you don't write I feel like going out and smoking and
raising hell, 'cause I think you don't love me or you'd write. So please,
honey, if you want to keep me sane and reasonable p
write more often. I
hope I'll get a letter from you tomorrow, but it's probably impossible!
Probably you haven't written since last Wednesday, and if you haven't there'll
be hell to pay!
If you love me you'll write. Of course, honey, I can understand if
you've been awfully busy or something but in this last letter you don't say
you couldn't write, you just say you hope I'm not mad -- just like you could
have written if you'd wanted to talk to me. Maybe you're tired of hearing me
talk every day. If so, just say so and we'll just skip writing. If that's
what you want O.K. But for God's sake don't keep me dangling way up here in
New York State. Say so and let me feel at least I know what the score is.
Goodnight, honey. Be a good boy now, for my sake, amen!
I love you
But maybe you don't care ----Maggie ----[Boy! You must have been r
mad at me, honey, to write a
w
to me about how mad you were at me. Poor me. I
r
did love you back then and I s
love you 50 years later!!!!!! 26
April 1993]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
3 Dec 1944
It has been a couple days now since I last wrote you, so I have a few
more lines I can scribble down to you. The first thing I want to say is that
"I love you very much", honey, and that is not exaggerated a bit. In fact, I
love you so much, that I tried to write you after taps, in the Head. But it
didn't work. I got kicked out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
4 Dec 1944 12:30 A.M. Tuesday Morning
I got your letter today written Nov 30 -- last Thursday, the day of our
s
Say, honey, if you get worried about me just because you didn't hear from
me in 2 9/10 days, how would you feel if you didn't get a letter for f
days? Yep, that's what I thought. No doubt you'd want a divorce. In case
you don't get a letter for a day or so -- after this, remember -- "No news
is good news" at least as far as us "home-bodies" is concerned. It's you guys
that make u
worry, 'cause no news from men in service is bad news, never
good. So keep the letters coming, honey, so I won't be petered out just
imagining what could be happening to you.
I'm so sorry about your 3rd tooth, honey, but maybe that will teach you
to look where you're going. Who knows? I feel like hell, just imagining how
they (the Dentists) hurt you. But there is nothing I can do about it, as much
as I'd like to. Anyway, your teeth will be in good shape from now on, 'cause
after you come home you're going to see your dentist regularly -- and I ain't
kidding. It would be silly to stand what you have and then let your teeth
decay again. We'll keep them nice, by golly -- wait and see!
When you said ship to shore landings in cold water, I saw what you meant
about training where it was warmer, and I agree with you as much as I hate to
admit it. I wish I could help you do some of the things you have to do but I
have to stay home and live as I always have, only more alone.
Honey, is there the s
chance of you still being at Camp Lejuene
at Christmas time. If there is, please tell me -- n
! And reserve a room
for us. And don't worry about money, 'cause I've got plenty of it, and it's
all no good without you. In fact I'd pay all of it and tire myself out, too,
just to see you 24 hours -- and you k
it would be worth it . So please,
Don, if there is a chance for Christmas together, do something about it now.
Don't wait 'til a week before Christmas 'cause then there'd be no train
tickets or rooms left down there. If you need money let me know. You know, I
can buy a train ticket and if I don't use it I can have the money returned and
the ticket canceled. Of course, honey, whatever you decide will be the
"Verdict" so be plenty sure before you say "no". Don't let it bother you,
just think it over -- o
and decide "Yes" or "no"! I have no doubts but
that it will be "n
" but I'm hoping it will be "Yes". But don't fart around
[why, Maggie, how you do talk] about it, honey, 'cause we haven't the time.
I'll have from either Thursday or Friday noon -- (December 21 or 22) until
noon of January 2nd for Christmas Vacation. That's a l
vacation, honey,
with plenty of days in it for us to see each other, even if for only 3 or 4
hours. Maybe I don't know the Marine Corps but it seems like on Christmas
Holidays they'd be more liberal with week-end passes and over-night passes,
but maybe not. Why don't you inquire into the subject? It certainly wouldn't
do any harm. Honey, you remember how much fun 7 days was? Well, 2 or 3 could
be just as much fun and could last just as long. Your furlough days were long
w
? We did so much in such a little time. To say "7 days" doesn't
sound long, but they were the best days in my life so far. Every minute was
precious and we used every minute. Just sleeping together again was
wonderful. I'd give anything to be able to sleep with you tonite, honey.
I've felt sort of lonesome all day, but I'll get over it, I suppose. Just one
nite to hold you would be worth the trip and all it's inconveniences and I'm
not "bull-shitting" and you know it! [why, Maggie, how you do c
to
talk] Honey, I just counted the days of vacation on your calendar and from
the 22nd at noon 'till January 2nd noon would be 11 days and if I didn't have
to work the morning of the 22nd I'd have 11 1/2 days. It took you about 24
hrs. to get down, so subtract 48 hrs. or two days for traveling time and
there's still n
days left. Please, honey, don't just say "no" and forget
me. Even if trains were late or something we'd have at least a week. If
there's o
teeny chance that we could be together for awhile please say yes
instead of no and we'll gamble on it. We haven't ever gambled much and maybe
we would have good luck this once. Let's try anyway.
Doug [Terrell] helped me put up the glass-window shelves of Aunt Elsie's
[Riehlman] tonite and I have all o
pretty plants sitting on them. He also
emptied my ashes for which I am truly thankful -- A
I love you, honey, and I'd like to be able to say "I love you" and get up
on my tiptoes and give you a big kiss and hug all at once! What Fun!!! Do
you suppose we'll ever get old and dried up and not like to kiss each other?
[As of 27 April 1993 we haven't gotten old and dried up yet and we s
like
to kiss each other.] I can't imagine not liking to kiss you and enjoying it
every time -- except when you forget to shave! [Okay, so I'll go shave
f
Well, goodnight, dear, I'm going to fix the fires and jump into bed. I'd
like to knit on my mittens tonite but I don't think I can stay awake long
enough.
Goodnight -- Sleep Tight -- and 'member
I love you
I love you
I love you
[Please note: I
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
4 Dec 1944
We have completed our training here on the Camp as riflemen, and starting
today we (Company A) are all B.A.R. men (Browning Automatic Rifles). We
turned in our M-1's, and from now on will fire nothing but the B.A.R. We will
get at least 2, or maybe several, weeks more of extensive night and day
training on this weapon before shipping out. We go on bivouac again to rifle
range "C" for firing sometime this week. So I guess we are going to freeze
some more. We have got to fall out in 15 minutes - 1730 -, and go to night
school to learn the parts and nomenclature of the weapon, until about 2300
tonight. We are not in a Draft that I know of yet, but don't worry, we will
be. It freezes down here every night, honey, but there is no sign of snow, as
yet.
I have been getting your letters right along, saying that you don't hear
from me only between long intervals. Please forgive me, honey, as I just
don't get around to write as many letters to you as I did. It seems funny
that you should be all covered with snow down there in such a short time.
Although, when I come to think of it, it has been a month now already. Did
Dad and the kids get the pipes and cesspool covered up yet? I hope they are
prepared for winter, because I doubt if you will get many Indian summers like
we got last winter. Keep a good supply of wood in the coal shed all the time,
so that it will be dry and free from snow when you need a good hot fire.
I hope you can read my scribbling, because I am hurrying to finish this
so that you will get at least one letter from me a week. I wrote Bob
[Terrell] a letter yesterday, and started one to you, but didn't get it
finished.
We're all hoping that they keep us here until Christmas, and maybe we
will get a 5 day furlough to come home. Please hope for us, honey. They have
been telling that if you aren't in the Draft by the 12th, we will get a
furlough. Next letter, I will tell you of a little mistake I made today, but
I just couldn't help it. Got to fall out now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
5 Dec 1944 11:30 P.M. Tuesday Night
I love you or did you guess it? Well, then, how did you guess it?
That's just what I thought! Because I've told you about a million times and
probably I'll tell you on the average of a million times a year forever. And
you'd better tell me on that average, too, or I'll certainly get a divorce!(On
an average of once a year -- a divorce, I mean.) To heck with the divorces,
honey, you know I'll love you always -- and always a
! And I'm
hoping you'll be loving me that long, too.[How about 50 plus years and
holding?] Honey, I didn't get a letter today and I love you yet! But,
please, honey, I'd like one tomorrow, just as a surprise to me.
I got our living room all cleaned today -- everything ship shape except
for the curtains. I'm going to shake the coal dust out of them and put them
up in the morning. T
I'll start on the dining room and from there on to
the kitchen and then finish the bedroom windows.
Tarroli, Shenfeld, Miller, Sharpe and Myrty Ives and I went to the show
tonite. We also had a spaghetti supper up to [a restaurant] and was it good.
I couldn't eat any more of it than I did at Marathon that time Mary Adshade,
Carl Bache and you and I ate those big platefuls. I don't think I could ever
eat a whole plate full. Not piled up they way they dump it on. [Maggie drew
a picture of a small plate of spaghetti, crossed it out and wrote, too small.
Then she drew a large plate of spaghetti and wrote, more like it.]
It's not too cold here tonight, but the house is cooled off 'cause it's
[the stove air intake] been shut off since this noon. I wish you'd hurry up
and get the bed warm, 'cause my feet are damned cold and you're the best hot
water bottle in the whole darned world. In fact, you're the best e
in the world! Husband, kisser, shooter, farmer, superman, bull-shitter and
Marine. I hope though that you'll be just plain M
before long. No Pvt. or
anything -- just M
Marines are all right but husbands 1200 miles away
aren't as nice as husbands in bed! -- especially when wive's feet are Oh! So
Cold!
Don, your dad hollered at me tonite when I parked in the station and said
Ted Harris is reported missing in today's Cortland Standard. I almost cried.
I felt a lot worse than I did about Nelson [Warren] and I've never even seen
Ted. [Ted Harris was a very close friend of my brother Bob when we lived at 51
Clinton Street in Homer, NY.] I feel like I know him though, hearing you
Terrell's talk about him and hearing Curtis [his father] tell about him. I
hope he'll be all right but they wouldn't hear for a while, but maybe he'll be
O.K. It seems like all the boys we know have got to be all right, but they
can get hurt, too. We've had luck so far. Lester McHerron was missing and he
was captured and held in a neutral Country. Nelson [Warren] was reported
missing but he's alive. Larry [Mahar] was wounded by a bullet. Parky [Harold
Parks] was hit with shrapnel and they are still alive. I hope we keep right
on being lucky, but probably we won't be. But maybe Virgil just comes lucky
without trying.
I took my first shower this morning, honey, and it was more fun. The
water was nice and hot and that sprayer really sprays. I felt so good
afterwards, clean and fresh. It will be fun to take them together, honey. Be
a good boy, now and let me get under the spray too. How do you expect me to
get this soap off if I don't get a little water? Well, all right, I'll wipe
it off with a towel then. You're mean and you ought to be ashamed but I can
tell by that grin that you're anything but ashamed! Oh, so you're not
laughing about my soap but my figure, huh? Just wait 'til you want something,
you meany! Making fun of my rear! Your's isn't so small! So there!
Well, honey, I just fell asleep here in your chair so I'm going to call
it a day and go "sleepy-bye".
Goodnite, honey and I love you. I'll kiss you goodnite before I crawl in
so you won't be lonely.
I love you
I LOVE YOU
I love you
I LOVE YOU
I love you
I love you --------[I love you also, Mrs. Terrell, but don't tell our grandchildren because they
might think that we are being too mushy.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
6 Dec 1944
I just got back about a couple hours ago from the dental dispensary down
at Haydnot Point. I had the stitches taken out and another X-ray taken to
make sure that it was done right and all finished. Now, I have three
perfectly good teeth in my front upper jaw that will never pain me again but
are still there to serve they're purpose. The doctor said that they would
decay just the same but not as quick and when they did they would not pain me.
If they hadn't cleaned and filled the nerve canals and cut out the infected
piece of bone they would have had to pull them and replace them either with
plugs or a partial plate. They did a perfect job as they are the best
dentists in the world. They take an X-ray every time they turn around to make
sure that they are doing everything right. I have an appointment for just as
soon as I come back from the rifle range to have my teeth finished up for
good. That means about two more fillings and one tooth to be pulled.
I guess I told you that we are now B.A.R. men, that is, for a couple
weeks now, anyway. We have been having school every day on everything that
there is to know about them. The B.A.R. is our Colonel's pet weapon, so he
comes in every day and gives us very interesting lectures on his experiences
with them. We take them apart and put them back together again so many times
that we do it in our sleep. There are 180 of us and they are taking 160 of us
out to fill a quota of well trained B.A.R. men. The other twenty will also be
B.A.R. men, I think, but they will go with another bunch.
Tomorrow we go to the 1,000 inch range to "sight in" our weapons and get
the feel of them to make sure they are in good working order when we go to the
big range. Next week we go to "A" range where the buildings are -- where we
went last time. I think I told you that we were going bivouacking. Well, we
were, but our schedule is so rushed that they want to give us the best
conditions under which to do it. I guess we are going to stay out there for a
week anyway, maybe more.
Please don't rely on anything that I tell you, honey, because it could be
"straight dope" from the Major and still be changed the very next day. The
only thing I want you to take seriously is when I tell you that I love you
with all my heart. You hear one thing around here and do something else the
next day. Everything is all mixed up so please don't jump to conclusions.
When I first came up here they told us that we were leaving right away. Well,
that was straight dope right from Washington but the plans were changed so
here we are.
They told us we were going to fill out a Draft when we were out on
bivouac and had us pack up immediately to leave. Remember when I wrote you
about that and how, because my last name started with "T", I was left behind.
When our Company got down here they didn't need them so they went on mess
duty. They told us that last Monday we would be in a Draft. That was
straight dope from the Lieutenants and we aren't.
Honey, I guess I had ought to have my ass kicked for being so damned
simple minded and not thinking. I told you in my last letter that I would
tell you of a slight mistake I made last Monday, so here goes. You know, I
told you that I took a typewriting speed test and Radio Intelligence test when
I was back at Parris Island? Well, it seems that they were kind of short of
typists here so they go looking through our records for a guy with a good
record. Since I always was fairly fast on the typewriter I had a good record
so they sent for me.
We had been hurrying around all morning and I was all mixed up to begin
with, so when they called for me to report at Battalion headquarters I wasn't
thinking too damn well. Of course, I had no idea what they wanted me for and
when I walked in and they said "So, you are a good typist, Huh?", I said no
and that I didn't care for it. You see, honey, my first thought was that it
would be an office job and I didn't like that. Then I thought of what the
fellows would think of a fellow in an office. You understand what I mean
don't you, honey? Anyway, I told him without stopping to think about it that
I didn't want it, so he handed my record sheet over to the clerk for filing
and told me okay and to shove off.
When I got back to the hut and told the fellows they just about knocked
me down. They told me I was crazy and nuts and every other thing for turning
down such a good chance for a rating and further schooling.
They told me what I was really turning down and then I started really
thinking. If I had taken the job, even though it was an office job, after I
had gotten some schooling and a rating I could have then asked for a transfer.
I would probably have got a rating in short time and could gradually work my
way higher. It was just about my only chance to get out of the infantry since
they are not taking many guys now for schooling. I would have had a good
chance to get a furlough for Christmas. This thought made me really boil and
I could have kicked myself. The working hours are short and you have leave
every night after about 1600. Even if it was an easy job, the fellows said
someone had to do it so I might of just as well had it.
All of this made me feel quite bad so I went back over to see about it.
They had already gotten their man from other sources, but they said they would
put my name down to call if another case like that came up. But you know as
well as I do that another chance will never come. I saw Jim Dopp working down
there and I talked with him later. He also called me a damned fool and said
that he was expecting to leave in a week or so for schooling. He said he
would keep an eye out for me in case any chance arose that he heard of.
We have got to fall out now and have a genuine G.I. field day on our hut.
The first night we have had off in several days. Please don't feel bad if you
don't get letter from me every day, honey. I still will love you.
7 Dec 1944
Your letter that I received this evening made me feel as if you weren't
quite so upset about not getting as many letters. Don't ever get the silly
idea in your head that I get sick of hearing from you every day, honey. Every
night I look forward to your letters and I read them over several times
enjoying every word of them. They have been rushing us a little more lately,
honey, and we haven't had as much spare time. When we did get an evening off
we were so mixed up that we all would go to the show for a little change.
That is the only amusement that we have here at all except when we get a
weekend liberty. I have only had one liberty and then I went up to Haydnot
Point and saw a football game -- an Army parachute team against our Marine
team. We beat them all to hell and then they [the Marine team] had the second
team playing against them 2/3 of the time.
My pen seems to be bothering a little tonight, honey. I used it tonight
to print my name on the rough canvas cover of my bed roll and I guess that
didn't do it any good. It has been a handy pen, though, and I have got a lot
of use out of it although I have expected to lose it or break it before now.
I like to write with a pen better than a pencil because I can scribble more
and still have a better chance of the reader of my scribbling reading it.
About Christmas vacation, honey, and a chance for us to see each other
for a while. As I said before, there is no way under the sun that I can tell
you for sure what will happen between now and Christmas. We may be held up
here long enough to get a few days furlough and then again we might be gone
before that. We might even leave on the 25th, who knows. We might be held up
here over Christmas but be able to get short liberties so I could see you
nights and weekends. Even if anything like this happened, honey, I doubt if
we will ever know it until the last minute.
Don't you go thinking for one minute that having you come down here would
not be the next to the biggest of my many wishes. The biggest wish is that I
could come home to see you, stay in our own house, take hot showers together,
eat your home cooked meals and sleep in our own warm, soft bed -- and a
thousand other wonderful things that could happen, if I am here when Christmas
rolls around. The first time I get any straight dope that we are going to be
here for sure during Christmas or that we are going to get a short furlough, I
won't hesitate for one second to either telephone or telegraph you so we can
make plans accordingly. Please don't plan on it very much though, because it
sounds now as if we will be leaving in a couple weeks.
I have been reading every Cortland Standard paper that I get (they have
been coming fairly steady, too) with great interest and enjoy reading about
what goes on back home every day. There was one time though, that I read
about the news back home before reading it in the Cortland Standard or your
letters first. That was when you had that hell of a snow blizzard. They had
a big write up about it in the N. Carolina news. That kind sells at the chow
hall every morning.
Honey, Christmas is getting near again and there are a few cards to be
sent and presents to buy. Please send all the cards for us and sign them for
both of us so I won't have to send any. I have looked all around for some of
those nice cards like Bob [Terrell] used to send home but I can't find a one.
I stopped in to the Central P.X. at Haydnot when I was last there for a dental
appointment and they didn't have any cards there fit to send at all.
Please get the presents for all our relatives and send them from both of
us, honey. Don't go spending a lot of money on them because there are too
damn many to begin with. I have got a few extra dollars I can send home if
you need it. I got paid $35 the other day so I am well set financially.
Don't forget, honey, we are really the first from either side of the families
that are married and starting a new generation, so we have a lot to give for
the small family we have. Of course, we are going to fix that too, aren't we,
darling? We will really set a good example for the start of this new
generation, as far as a good family and etc. goes, won't we?
Honey, while I was at the Central P.X., I looked all over for something
that I could send you that I thought you would like. All I saw was a good,
one strand, pearl necklace, which cost $22 and something ($37 civilian) and a
nice bedroom alarm clock for about $32. Although both of them were nice, I
still didn't think that was what I wanted to get you. I never know just what
I want to get you. But, away back in my mind, I picture something small but
precious for you that I can send with all the love from the bottom to the top
of my heart and more besides to the one I love. I didn't find anything and
probably won't get another chance to look around. The P.X. really doesn't
have a very big assortment of presents and even if it did we hardly ever, if
ever, have a chance to go there since it is off the base (Tent Camp base). I
had kind of hoped to find a good pin or something that I could send you safely
without getting broken or ruined.
I did buy some more Marine fancies to send home to you with all my love.
A Marine pillow cover and some fancy pads for you. I thought I was buying my
nice wife a Marine pillow cover but found out it wasn't after I got back. I
did get you a cheap ($1.25) Marine emblem pin just in case I wouldn't get a
chance to buy anything else later on. Please don't worry about a present for
me, honey, because anything that is sent with all your love to me will be
enough. But don't forget to send all your love with it. The best Christmas
present I want is to be able to be with you for a little while during then.
Did you send Bob [Terrell} anything from you and me? If you haven't yet,
please send some small thing that you think he would appreciate. If you
thought they would get there all right, you could bake him a batch of
chocolate-chip cookies. By the way, honey, when you haven't got anything else
to do but think of me (Ha Ha), you can make another batch of cookies to send
to your hungry husband if you want to. There are only 13 of us living
together now, not 64, so just a few would be enough.
I am getting too sleepy to write another page so I will kiss you good
night, put my arm around you and we will fall off to sleep for another restful
night. Every time I start to think about us being together again I think too
much and then find myself daydreaming. I love you, honey, and how!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
8 Dec 1944 Fri. 12:45 A.M.
How's my Little Pigeon tonite? Well, that's what I thought! You're just
fine -- that's why I haven't heard from you in 3 days. I'm ashamed of you,
you lug! You're probably so busy you don't know your head from your tail.
B
- how could y
make a mistake like t
?!!! Say, you moron, do you love
me tonite as much as I love you? I wish you could tell me -- at close range.
If you said "No", I could sock you, B
, If you said "yes" well- l-l-l, you
guess (ha ha)!! That's right! Now for the 64 Dollar question! T
Give the gentleman 64 silver dollars and two passes to "Maggie's Bedroom
Strip" -- that Broadway show that's Sensational, Stupendous and very, very
brief! Especially when the lights are on! Of course if you've seen the
"Strip" you may have your money refunded at the Box Office, where "Maggie"
waits on trade -- P
and at no expense to the Management! Of
course, she doesn't even consider anyone else's refunds, just turns them down
cold. She enjoys the refunds! At least the ones from her pigeon.
There, honey, did I make you giggle, b
? I love you. I've laughed
so at your damn wisecracks that I thought I'd try this long distance - tickler
technique. Did it work, or are you on the sour-puss side tonite? Honey, I
feel so slap-happy tonite that I've just got to get a letter or two tomorrow.
That's all there is to it! And I'd better be right or so help me I'll f
Say, honey, how about a few code messages just between us two? Maybe we
need a little decoding practice. I know I could stand some. I'll start this
next page with some v
simple messages so you can be sure and read them.
I'll also give you a key on that page, so read carefully and figure out the
following words ------- -------X X X = End of sentence, also 3 kisses
0 = Question mark, also hug (a Big one)
* = end of number
-- = space (or end of word)
Key 1 = A
7=G
13 = M
19 = S
25 = Y
2=B
8=H
3=C
9=I
14 = N
20 = T 26 = Z
15 = O
21 = U
4 = D 10 = J
16 = P
22 = V
5 = E 11 = K
17 = Q
23 = W
6 = F 12 = L
18 = R
24 = X
9 -- 12 * 15 * 22 * 5 -- 25 * 15 * 21 X X X
4 * 15 -- 25 * 15 * 21 -- 12 * 15 * 22 * 5 -- 13 * 5 * 0
2 * 5 -- 22 * 5 * 18 * 25 -- 3 * 1 * 12 * 13 -- 23 * 8 * 9 * 12 * 5 --
25 * 15 * 21 -- 1 * 18 * 5 -- 23 * 15 * 18 * 11 * 9 * 14 * 7 --
9 -- 12 * 15 * 22 * 5 -- 25 * 15 * 21 X X X
[I had written over the top of each number the proper letter of the alphabet.
This way I was able to read what Grandma was telling me. No, I'm not going to
tell you Grandchildren what Grandma wrote to me 50 years ago. Each of you
will have to figure this one out on your own. Grandpa]
If the Major thinks you're a spy while decoding this, tell him you are -because you're spying on my heart by reading and decoding my important
message. Of course, you have higher rank than he does (in my heart) so you
won't have to explain to him. Just tell him to go jump in the Ocean and join
the rest of the whales. [Why, Maggie, that is no way to talk about my
Commanding Officer!]
I went to the show again tonite. I saw "Pearl of Death" and "Cheyenne
Wildcat". They were Grade B pictures, but they were interesting just the
same. Sherlock Holmes was in "Pearl of Death". Red Ryder was in "Cheyenne
Wildcat".
Well, my darling, I'm going to sign off for now and get me some shut-eye.
There was a handsome man named Donald,
who was a peculiar fellow,
He married a Lear,
Changed her name to Terrell,
But his is still just Donald.
Isn't that an awful limerick? We made good ones in school(Sophomores)
but I can't think of words that rhyme any more.
There was a girl named Maggie
who was definitely Baggy!
She loved a boy
He's her pride and joy,
and now she's not baggy but saggy.
P.S. The boy is D. L. Terrell 983241 U. S. M. C. R
Goodnite my love ----Dream of me! Not some W. R. [Women Reserves in the Marines]
All my love
Love and kisses
Hugs and busses *
* Busses meant kisses in the early 1800's.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
10 Dec 1944
Honey, I have had a wonderful day and I hope you will forgive me for not
writing you at 1500. I really haven't accomplished much today, honey, but I
have enjoyed every minute of it and after just taking a hot refreshing shower,
I feel fit as a fiddle.
I spent most of the entire day talking with several of our bunk mates
about their homes, life, environment and, all in all, we were just swapping
stories and comparing facts with each other. We got a small map out, of the
U.S., and found where we all lived. Some lived in corn belts, some wheat
belts, some coal, oil, steel and other mines, refineries and factories. We
talked about how they farmed it in Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, etc., etc.,
and what they used, and how. If you know what I mean, honey, we just plain
had a hell of a good time.
Of course, that wasn't all your ambitious husband participated in during
this sunshiny Sabbath day. One of my buddies got to talking about hand to
hand combat and the different tricks and methods used to save your own skin
and make hash out of the other fellow. So, we got out our knives, clubs and
bayonets and started demonstrating a few slight angles. First, he would come
at me with a knife and I would take it away from him, throw him to the ground
and stomp him into the dirt like a cigarette butt. Then, we would swap
around, throwing each other from various positions and offensive charges.
Then, we got to throwing knives, rough housing and finally ended up by
knocking each other down by throwing our bed rolls at each other. They
consisted of a small, light mattress, two heavy mattress cover sheets, a
shelter half and accessories, all rolled up in a heavy canvas mattress cover
and tied with heavy tent pole rope guides. As you can see, honey, there was
enough weight that, when thrown with any force behind it, it would knock us
down with little effort, especially when we didn't know it was coming.
Then after getting all hot and sweaty doing nothing, we washed up, put on
our greens and went to the 1800 movies which were very, very good. The name
of it was "Murder in the Blue Room", which was, as its title shows, a very
good entertainment and would, I believe, take the place in a pinch of a spine
chilling, hair raising, spooky, true but false, bed time story. We also saw
two other small features along with the timely news reel.
Now, after wasting so majestically my entire "day off", which I had
planned to spend peacefully and thoughtfully writing my darling wife and
telling her how much I love her, I am spending the entire rest of the 50 or 60
minutes left in the day to write you what my heart has been pumping out of the
bottom of my heart at every beat. I LOVE YOU, DARLING, AND HOW!
You remember what I told you about not believing everything they tell you
around here? Well, it holds true every damn time, only this time it really
makes me, along with 180 other fellows, very, very, very, very, well --- just
damn mad. The Colonel told us we were going to "A" range and stay in those
wonderful brick, steam-heated barracks they so graciously provide us with out
there. But it seems that the old tub of shit suddenly decided to change his
mind -- if he possesses a mind. He thought that it would be much better if we
lay in a nice, warm, comfortable fox hole, with a strip of canvas and a couple
blankets thrown over us. You know, the "outdoor" feeling and the big, blue,
starfilled, heavenly skies to stare at would naturally give us an ambitious
mood.
So, since it is now 0630 of the morning of the fateful day, we are all
packed and ready to shove off at 0715 to ride 35 miles to the most lovely,
appetizing and encouraging winter ---- no, summer --- no, winter, --- well,
anyway, bivouacking site. We will, of course, have all the heat we want --BODY HEAT! And I am sure be very comfortable throughout the entire wonderful
7 days we will spend there through the brainy suggestion of our Semper Fidelis
"Boss".
Now that I have so smoothly broken the bitter, but quite obvious, news to
you, my dear, I will tell you a few more wonderful, exciting episodes which
are taking place here in the midst of our bright, heartwarming, little
homestead -- Tent City. Outside of getting frozen for a week and carting 21
pounds of B.A.R. rifle around with us, along with about 30 pounds of
ammunition wrapped around our "Bulldog" necks like a bell around a "bossy", -we get very gracefully hooked out of the many chances to apply for sea school,
aerial gunnery school, radio school, field music, etc., etc., etc., etc.,
which the U. S. government is now very generously handing out, to us
"knuckleheads". Since we are very obviously "Married" to the B.A.R.s, we have
no chance of applying for any of the other jobs which are being handed out.
Out of the original 1,000 men that made up the 8th Training Battalion,
there are but 3 or 4 hundred left here now. Where did they go, you say?
Well, that is something that only Uncle Sam can tell you exactly, but I can
tell you where some of them went. Field music took about 20 or 30, maybe
more, -- they go back to Parris Island for further basic training before being
shipped over. Sea school took the most of them, about 60 from each Company.
They go to San Diego for about a month or so of training and then they shove
off on Merchant ships to man the guns and load and unload the ammunition.
Aerial gunnery school took a few more. Combat intelligence took some more.
Some have been taken out and put in mortar, machine-gun, B.A.R. and rifle
Squads in a Draft and have already shipped out for overseas. The rest only
Uncle Sam knows where they went.
I already told you of my only chance for better rating that I so
foolishly passed up and will always regret -- maybe. Nearly time to fall out
now for our truck ride.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
11 Dec 1944 11:00 P.M. Monday Nite
If you were here tonite you'd get the loving of your life from me. Guess
why? I got t
letters from my best boyfriend today, and he says he still
loves me. In fact he says he always loves me, whether he writes or not, and
that makes me feel very good. After I get a letter I think, "I know he means
it when he says he loves me, and I won't worry or get blue if I don't hear
from him for a week.". And then two days pass by and no letter and I start
feeling blue and lonesome -- even though my intentions are good. But I guess
I love you too much to be able to just say "No, and I don't care if I don't
get a letter" because I do care, even if I hear from you 3 days in a row. The
next three are long and lonesome unless I hear from you.
I got our pictures tonite. I ordered so many that either Mrs. Sherwood
or I got confused and they only made 2 large pictures of us and that doesn't
leave a large one for us. We're giving one each to your folks and my folks.
They're really nice pictures, honey. They're tinted and you look swell but
that "wart" you had your picture taken with doesn't look so well.
Honey, I'm sending you a new folder with places in it for 2 pictures.
Our picture will be in one side of it. Please put my picture in the other
side of it and send the first folder we got back here again. I thought we
could send a miniature (tinted) picture of us to Bob [Terrell] for Christmas
in that folder (with one place for a picture in it.) Honey, maybe that sounds
like a heck of a Christmas present to you, but I think he'll enjoy it more
than anything else. Most foods won't keep and what's the use of taking a
chance on something spoiling when we can send him something that w
spoil?
I had an 8 x 10 tinted picture made of you and, honey, it's really Super!
I grin at you and you grin right back at me. I can see your eyes crinkle and
your mouth turns up on the end. So you see I'm not so alone as I might be.
They didn't tint one of the one's your mother wanted though and she'll
probably have kittens. I just hope she doesn't get unreasonable about it,
though, because it was probably my fault. I'd swear I told her (Mrs.
Sherwood) to have one 5 x 7 tinted for your folks. I'll have to straighten it
out, some way. They sent an extra 5 x 7 of you (sent 6 of them -- your
mother wanted 5 for Grandpa and Grandma [LeRoy], Bob [LeRoy], Brayt. [Brayton
LeRoy], Elsie [Riehlman] and herself [Mother and Dad]) and I bought it for
$.50. I've got it on my nightstand tonite. They put the 5 x 7 in a cardboard
frame and they didn't the 8 x 10 so I'll wait till I get a suitable frame for
your handsome (I'm not kidding either!!) face. [Why, thank you, honey. I
think you are handsome, er, that is, b
too!! A
So there!!!!!!] You ought to have heard the
teachers when they saw your 8 x 10. They OH and Ahed - d - d until I said -"He's m
!" Then they just OH - H - H - ed! Now don't get the idea that
you're fatal to women because I love you and I don't want you going around
loving any pretty chicken you find -- "cause if you do I'll fix you when I
find y
I'm glad the Marines beat the Army Paratroopers. Anybody would know they
could. I hope you behaved yourself and didn't whistle at every skirt you saw,
cause you usually picked pretty homely ones to whistle at. You know, that
always hurt my pride 'cause if you always whistled at homely ones because you
liked them, then I must be homely as hell 'cause you liked me enough to marry
me! The least you could do was whistle at good looking girls and then
probably I'd have got really mad! [See, grandchildren. Grandpa couldn't win
for losing. So I just kept on whistling at a
the girls. No, I don't
whistle anymore because, if I did, grandma would come after me with the
rolling pin!] Honey, it's fun to talk like that and still know, deep in your
heart, that you love me and not the o
homely girls.
I saw 2 deer up on the side hill here in the "plain corn" [Grandma means
field corn not pop corn or sweet corn] this morning. One looked very large
and must have been a grandpappy but the other was small and I imagine it was a
doe.
Say, Don Terrell, I could kick your butt for turning away opportunity
when it knocked on your door! [I was offered a job as a typist in the Marine
Corps' office at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I would not get a chance to go
overseas and fight the Japs with my B. A. R. so I had turned it down.] They
say "Opportunity never knocks twice" but I'm going to keep on hoping, hard as
I can, that the Marines need a he-man typist. I know exactly how you feel
about it, honey, and how you've always felt but I hope your buddies made you
see things a little different. They're so right when they say someone has to
do those things. I suppose you realize now how they feel about such things.
I tried to tell you but you didn't want to believe me -- I'm just a sissy!
Please, hon, just don't forget to say "Yes, sir!" if they i
you to
increase your knowledge and ability again! --- And I don't mean in a Sniper
Squad, either! Whether you realize it or not, that $10,000 isn't going to do
me a damn bit of good if I can't have you. [That was the amount of life
insurance that the Marine Corps had on me for my next of kin in case I got
killed in action.] In fact I'd gladly give $10,000 j
for you! To heck
with money and everything if I didn't have my husband they wouldn't mean a
damn thing. So There!!
I love you -- or did you know it!
with all my heart a
Maggie
13 December 1944 1:15 A.M. Wednesday morning
Well, I didn't get a letter today (Tuesday) and I still love you but it
doesn't prove that when the mailman doesn't leave any this morning (Wednesday)
that I'll still be quite so "Jolly". I'll just hope 'till he comes that I get
a letter and if I don't I'll start hoping for one Thursday morning.
It snowed hard here again today and school was dismissed about 10:00 so I
didn't have to work. I have the kitchen curtains ready to press and hang. I
had to cut them in two and sew a different hem on them. I'm planning on
having the house fixed a little more for your Christmas furlough. Look,
honey, don't take me seriously when I say that. I'm hoping and wishing for
you to get one, but I'm saying to myself "We won't get one" so I won't be so
disappointed if you ship out before then. In other words I'm trying to be
sensible about it -- but I bet I won't be very successful as far as the
s
goes. I'm hoping too much, but it's only natural so don't worry
about me. I'll be O.K. if you are -- what I mean is, if you don't get a
Christmas furlough I'll have to take it O.K. 'cause there isn't any use in
taking it any differently.
I wrote Bob [Terrell] 3 (written on one side only) airmail pages tonite.
I got a Christmas card from him today and he said "I'd like to hear from you"
so he's going to. Honey, I told him what Mrs. Shenfeld's husband told her
about French girls riding bikes on breezy days without any panties on -- just
to show him that he was in the wrong theatre of war. Do you think he'll take
it O.K.? I think he will, he always seemed to like to say and hear things
like that. I called them "pantieless" Frenchwomen. I was very dignified and
refined in my wording of my information on Frenchwomen. If he writes back and
tells me about the young freshie he's got for a sister-in-law, I'll be
surprised but thoroughly shamed. I always say things I shouldn't. I wonder
if I'll out grow that habit some day -- I'll bet y
hope so. You always
wanted to slap me down when I said something I shouldn't, but it doesn't do
any good 'cause first thing I know I'm saying something worse than before. In
short -- you have a very, very outspoken (or something) wife. [Well, I don't
know about being outspoken but you sure can talk the tail off a mule!]
I've loved you all day, honey. I hope you realize that -- or isn't
there anything to this telepathy stuff? I'm sure my thought waves carried to
N. C. or maybe they were so hot they melted the telepathy wires. Do you
suppose that could be it? O.K. I'll talk nice from now on.
I love you, I've always loved you (except for about 9 months before I was
born) and sometimes I wonder if I didn't know you then. We must have come in
the same Stork carload. They just dropped me at Cortland and went on 3 miles
and dropped you at Homer. [Actually grandma was mistaken. I was dropped off
one block from the Hospital in Cortland with her, only about 6 weeks earlier.]
I'll b
we had our first fight arguing about who'd get off where! Wanta
bet?? I'll bet you took up most of the room coming to Cortland, too. The
idea, 2
inches long -- I'll bet I
wasn't over 18 inches long. Even then you
had a 6 inch jump on me. No wonder you're a foot taller now. I'd have been
bigger if I'd been a baby elephant at birth -- So there! Poor Lynn [our
planned for future child] -- I hope she takes after her mom as far as length
goes. [You did, didn't you Lynn Ellen?] I've only got about 18 inches to
spare. Maybe then when Donald Jr. comes along [Actually Mark came along
first and we decided to call him Mark instead of Donald Jr.] I'll be able to
have 24 inches (spare room) waiting for him. I still think I'd have a better
figure when I got through if I'd married a midget instead of a strong man.
Honey, I'm kidding. I love you and I'd love you and want to have your babies
even if you were 8' 6" in your stocking feet -- which you aren't! Or have
you grown lately?
Seriously -- do you weigh any more, honey? I don't. I'm sticking right
around 116 lbs. and I'm glad I'm not gaining 'cause me clothes won't stretch
much more.
Well, honey, I'm going to hit the sack and dream about the Marine smiling
at me from my bed stand. Jean's [Terrell] over tonite, so our bed's all nice
and warm. Now if I just had you here I could go to sleep without a minutes
hesitation!
Goodnite, honey. I love you -- And How!
14 Dec 1944 1:05 A.M. Thursday morning
I didn't get a letter from you today but maybe I'll get one tomorrow.
Hope so anyway.
We didn't have school again today and this dirt road still isn't plowed
out. I don't know how I'll get to school if they don't plow it out tomorrow
morning -- walk, I guess. I don't exactly like to walk that far [It was 1
mile from our little house that we rented from Mother and Dad to the school.]
but we've been out 2 days now and there'll be quite a bit to catch up on -mail and so on.
Boy, do I love you. Here's a big kiss for you -- If you've been a good
boy today. S
All for you, honey, and I could write 30
pages full (of smacks) and still have some kisses and love left over -- a lot
left over in fact. 'Cause I love you very much and I'm hoping you love me,
too. You'd better say yes, or I'll mow you down!! O.K. stop beating your
gums, I know you love me. -- Or at least I hope I know. If I could just kiss
you p
just once I could show you how much I love you. I'd probably
cut your lips with my buck teeth, too. [Grandma's own front teeth used to just
slightly stick out and she always was concerned that some one would think she
had buck teeth but she actually did not.] But you wouldn't mind, would you,
honey? Never mind, don't answer. Just tell me one thing. Do you love me as
much as I love you?
, do you know that today I finished my first mitten and started my
second one? I didn't get my kitchen curtains hung, though and that's what I
should have done.
Donnie, down d
in my heart, I
I'm planning on you having a
Christmas furlough and I think I'm going to be more disappointed than I
realize now, if you don't get one. But if I'm disappointed it will be my own
fault, as I realize (fully) that Christmas Furloughs are as scarce as hen's
teeth. [Hen's don't actually have teeth, they have a gizzard to help grind up
their food. Thus the old saying "scarce as hen's teeth".] But I'm hoping,
anyway.
Honey, if you get a Typing job and had short hours, could you sleep
off base so I could stay with you? And are there any jobs for women down
there? What is the nearest town, how large is it, and are there any hotels or
anything there?
Please, Private Terrell, answer these questions in your next letter. I
want to know if it's possible for me to stay down there and if I could make
half a living down there! Not that I'm planning on coming down right away,
but I like to think over possibilities until realities turn up. I could sort
of map out a "strategy" for use maybe a little later. Do you suppose? I know
it wouldn't all be easy and gay, honey, but it would cut down the time we're
not together by a few weeks maybe. You see, if we were together until you go
overseas, we'd only be apart the time you were overseas and not a
the time
you're in the Marines. Do you realize we've almost been apart 4
months now?
That's 1/3 of a year, honey. In no time at all we'll have an Anniversary
rolling around. Probably we won't be able to spend this one together but we
had our first one together and a good many of the kids haven't had 1/2 that
much. I'll feel a lot worse on our Anniversary, I think, than I will any
other day. -- Except your birthday. I wouldn't even mind Christmas as much,
I don't think. 'Cause our day was something even more extra special than
Christmas.
In a letter your folks got from Bob [Terrell] today, he said to "take
care of Maggie for Don". Every time I think of it I giggle. I can a
take care of myself. [Maggie drew a picture of a girl and called it "Little
Snowdrift -- M
Gremlin!] I can carry my own coal, dump my own ashes, fix my
own fires, cook my own meals, dress by myself (he he), and even wash my own
back. But I realize he didn't mean things like that. He meant putting on
chains, starting the car when it's frozen etc.
I'm going to hit the sack now, honey. So Goodnite, you honey, you! I'll
kiss you goodnite next time I see you.
I love you, honey I love you so
I love you more
Than you'll ever know
M. Terrell
You're my honey,
You're my lamb,
But right at present,
You're Uncle Sam's
M
(at least at New River)
But wait 'till I get you alone!
With all my love
I love you
Maggie
[Maggie drew a picture of how I looked in the pictures we took while I
was on furlough. Then she wrote around the picture ---]
Honey, it doesn't look 1/100 as good as your pictures do but I wanted to
see if I c
. I can't get that darn hat to set on your head. This
is a vague idea of how your picture looks.
[Then Maggie drew a picture of her in the photos and wrote around it --]
Your little woman. Ain't she horrible??!!
[Then Maggie drew a picture of the outside of our little house and the
woodpile showing how high the snow drifts had piled up around them.]
VIRGIL CENTRAL SCHOOL
R. D. No. 2
CORTLAND, N. Y.
--------Raymond Hagadorn, Principal
December 14, 1944
Co. A Plt. 1 8th Tr. Bn.
Inf. Tr. Regt.
F. M. F.
Tent Camp
My Darling
This is to inform you that I love you very much, in fact more than you
ever dreamed, or haven't you been dreaming lately?? We want to confirm the
order you put in some time ago for a lot of loving and assure you that you
will receive it as soon as possible.
I am working this afternoon, but have nothing to do; so I am using up my
time and the school's paper to write to my husband--the MOST HONORABLE PRIVATE
DONALD TERRELL. Do you think he'll appreciate it or do you think he will just
take it for granted that I should be writing to him in my spare time? That's
exactly what I thought and you had better stop taking so much for granted!
I've got to go raise a little devil, now, so I'll talk to you some more
tonite and what I say won't be for publication, honey!
With all my love
and all the rest--
Maggie
14 Dec 1944 9:45 P.M. Thursday nite
Hello Honey -
I just got through talking to you on Mr. Bell's invention, the telephone.
I feel sort of funny, honey, 'cause I'd let myself believe we'd have Christmas
together. All I could think of was that you said you'd telephone or telegram
if you could get a furlough. So I thought "F
" and then it was just
the opposite. I've got the screwiest feeling in my stomach -- I feel all
muddled up inside, like I'd turned 3 or 4 dozen cart wheels.
I ate supper at your mother's so I was standing right there, with my coat
on ready to come home, when the phone rang. So I got to talk with you for at
least two minutes and that's a long time when you're talking on a telephone.
I suppose you hopped up and down with joy when you found out you were in
a Draft -- I know you didn't, honey, but you're probably glad the see-sawing
is over with. You probably won't get our pictures or my latest letters for a
couple weeks, so I'm sending your Christmas card tonite with all my love.
The only thing wrong tonite was that talking to you made me want to hug
and kiss you and it's impossible. Maybe that's why I feel empty. I felt just
like you were within arm's distance and I couldn't reach you. And if anyone
asks you, that's a hell of a feeling. And now you'll be farther away than
ever. I feel so restless when I think of it, sort of crazy or something -Jumbled up, I guess. Probably that will wear off. I hope so, 'cause I'll go
nuts if I keep feeling like I do tonite.
Jean [Terrell] would have come over but I feel silly acting like a
married woman in front of a little girl. I mean, I love you and I feel just
about so tonite and I hate to be alone, but I hate to have anybody around -wondering why I do like I do, (or don't).
I hope I get a letter from you tomorrow. I suppose you'll be leaving
either tonite or in the morning. I suppose it's useless to hope your "T" will
leave me a man in the country for awhile. And I suppose you wouldn't want to
stay here in the country again. [I had missed one of the last Drafts because
my last name started with "T". They were filling out the Draft by calling off
our names in alphabetical order. They filled that Draft before they got to my
name so I and others were left behind. I was mad as hell because I wanted to
get into the Pacific War Theater, kill me some Japs, get this war over as soon
as possible and get back Stateside to Maggie.] [There were 4,000 Marines in
the Draft that I finally went overseas with.]
Honey, I have one good piece of news for you. Lester McHerron is home,
here in Virgil. They sent all the fellows with him in that Neutral Country to
England and from there on home. Now he's got to go back and start all over
again. That would be worst of all, knowing that you were going back too,
because you'd been through it once.
Your mother and father just came over with maple syrup fixed for "sugar
on snow". It's about 11:30 now, I guess. We sat and talked for awhile.
Don, just the way you talked to me, I know you love me, even if we
couldn't say much over the phone. I'd have liked to have said "I love you,
honey", but I always feel sort of bashful when I'm talking on a phone. I
think you know, though, that everything I said was "I love you" -- not the
same words but that's what I was thinking all the time. And I'm still
thinking "I love you".
Honey, I don't feel like I could sleep. But when I get in our bed, I'll
wink at you and kiss you good nite and probably go to sleep. I'm a sissy, I
guess, honey. I thought I could take things better than I've taken this.
It's not on the outside so much that I can't take it, as it is on the inside.
Could it be because I love you more than anything else in the world? Maybe
that's it. I know I love you more than anything, so I'll just lay all the
blame on that one fact.
You'd better write me, honey, 'cause I'll worry if I don't hear from you.
You don't have to get kicked out of Heads [toilets and wash rooms] to do it,
either. But, honey, I'll understand you're busy and I'll try to keep my small
brain from working overtime with my imagination.
I'm going to knit awhile on my mitten -- I'd been trying to get them
done so you could see them. Like a fool I've been hinging everything on a
Christmas furlough. Maybe it will teach me. I know you didn't tell me
definitely -- you even said you'd probably be gone, but when it comes it
makes me feel funny.
Goodnite, my honey, and just remember wherever you are, that I love you
more than anything else and I'll never love anyone else, (not even the
Postman), even one half as much as I love you. And I'll keep the letters
coming until you're back here with me again. [Maggie liked the Postman as long
as he kept bringing her letters from me.]
I love you ---- With All My Love M
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
14 Dec 1944 (1320)
42nd Replacement Draft
Co. C; Plt. 3
Tent Camp
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
We really have been batting our little rears around for the past several
days, honey. And now, where do you suppose we ended up? That's right, honey,
right plumb in the middle of an outgoing Draft. So far as I know, we can
still write home, so I am writing this letter whether they let me send it or
not. Where or when we are going no one knows and if I did know I couldn't
tell you anyway. I do know that we are leaving very soon and most likely to
the West Coast. We are all through with our training here, have been
transferred to tents, and are now just "standing by" with nothing to do but a
little police detail and etc.
As I said before, we have really been covering ground in the past several
days, and I don't mean maybe. The last letter I wrote you was just a few
minutes before we pulled out for a week of bivouacking at "C" range to
practice with our B.A.R.'s. Well, we no longer have those B.A.R.'s but now
have our old M-1's. But that is no sign that we still aren't B.A.R. men.
I'll bet, honey, that when I get back home, I will be able to pack up all
our belongings, move out, then turn around, unpack, repack, move back, unpack,
settle down, and be peacefully reading a comic book before you can say,
"Jackrabbit". In fact, we are getting so used to packing up all our
belongings, shoving off, unpacking, setting up our "home" in a mud hole in
pouring down rain, that every time the whistle blows, we all unconsciously
start packing up to move some place -- but fast. In other words, honey, we
can move anyplace, anytime and under any conditions that the Marine Corps
suddenly decides they want us.
I got your box of fancy nuts and candy that you sent me, honey. Thanks a
lot they really were good even though I didn't get but a handful of them. We
all were really hungry last night and were very delighted to eat something
before hitting the sack. I am still getting all your letters, the Cortland
Standard, and I got a letter from Mother and Dad, several from Jean [Terrell],
and a V-mail Christmas card from Bob [Terrell], Christmas cards from Mother
and Dad and kids, and one from the Saltsman family. (Really popular, aren't
I, honey?)
I suppose you still want to know what we have been doing down here the
past several days, so I will give you a very brief outline to try to answer
all the questions you would ask. We spent all last week on careful and
thorough study of the B.A.R. -- taking it apart, learning its parts,
functions, advantages, disadvantages, caring of, cleaning of, ability and then
putting it back together again. The last day, we tore it all apart and then
put it back together again blindfolded. So, you see, honey, we really know a
little about the B.A.R.
Monday morning at 0700 we were all packed and ready to pull out, but that
day was when we ran into plenty of work and hard luck. Don't get the idea
that I am disgusted with the Marine Corps, honey, because, although they
really work us, I am enjoying it a lot. Every morning but Monday it has
frozen and been colder than Hell, but for some damned reason, all day Monday
and half that night it rained constantly -- a cold, soaking and disagreeable
rain.
It was raining when we fell out this morning and after a cold, wet ride
(which I had the misfortune of having to stand up throughout the entire 30
some miles), we unloaded on a very muddy road to walk up to our rears in mud
about a mile before coming smack into our new home -- which we didn't even
see. The Captain pointed at a lightly wooded area that was covered with mud
holes and told us to ground our equipment, pitch our tents, take off our hats
and make ourselves to home.
We did his bidding quite willingly as we had decided long ago that a fox
hole full of water covered with a pup tent was much more comfortable than
nothing in the rain. We finally got our tents up and equipment inside when we
had noon chow call. We ate a hastily cooked hot meal out of our mess gear in
the rain -- but it tasted damned good. After chow, after we had our homes
(for a week) all erected and drain ditches to keep the water from flowing in
on us dug, we were all set for a nice peaceful week of firing our B.A.R.'s.
THEN! The Captain said, very gracefully and innocently like, "Pull tents,
pack up your equipment and move to yonder site and pitch tents, by Platoons,
by Squads, in a tactical formation, immediately".
We did this also, all the while mumbling "sweet nothings" about what we
would like to do to the Captain, if we could. Then in another hour we had
everything squared away and ready to go to work. We fired our B.A.R.'s at
different ranged targets for a beginner and to get the feel of our new bed
mates (the B.A.R.'s). That evening by the time we had finished chow and
cleaned our small arsenal, it was dark and time to hit the sack (0700).
Everything we had was soaking wet and some of it is still wet.
We all slept fairly warm but the next morning woke up with a much
different picture. Everything was frozen solid, our shoes and helmets were
frozen to the ground and, all in all, it was rather cold. Since it was only
about 0500 when we arose, we had yet a couple hours before daylight. We
dressed the best we could in the dark, stumbled down to chow, ate chow in the
dark and came back to square the area away. The mud was frozen stiff and in
the darkness it looked like ruts of ice and snow since the mud was sand in
some parts. At a few minutes before dawn we fell out with our weapons and
went to the firing line. We fired, froze, waited, fired, froze and waited all
day and that was the end of that day.
It really wasn't so bad, honey, and I had a lot of fun firing at the
different targets at different obstacle courses. My B.A.R. worked good
despite the freezing atmosphere and I had damned good scores throughout. In
fact (not bragging, of course, Ha Ha), in one course I had the highest record
of them all. Just luck, of course, honey, and the assistance of my little pet
the B.A.R..
Anyway, Wed. about 1500 we got the word to pack up immediately, we were
in a Draft and shoving off. So, by 2100 that night we were all packed and
ready to be transferred (that means we were back at Tent City), so, -- here we
are. I will write more later if I can. Don't plan on hearing from me too
much for awhile, honey.
14 Dec 1944 (2230)
42 Replacement Draft
Co. B; Plt. 15
Tent Camp
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
(Just been transferred. Had to move again, -- not unusual. New address
on envelope. I love you, darling. Don)
I just got through talking with you, honey, and you will never know how
good it was to hear your voice. I am sorry that I couldn't talk to you longer
but the damned operator cut us off before I could tell you half the things
that were beating their way up from the bottom of my heart. I wanted to tell
you that I love you more than anything in the world and that I only wish that
I could hold you in my arms for a few minutes and give you a long kiss and
tell you that I love you with all my heart.
Before I talked with you, darling, I had kind of let everything that was
going on kind of slip through my mind, as something that had to be done so
what the hell. Now, after talking with you, even during the short time we
heard each other's voices, I have suddenly realized the whole truth of what it
will mean to be away from the one I love for a few months or more. I guess
that during those few minutes I felt a little worse than you did, honey, for
some damned reason or other. The trouble is I felt perfectly well just before
I called. I can't figure it out unless it could be love. Anyway, I do love
you, honey, and no matter where I go or where I am, I will always love you and
be waiting for the time when I can hold you in my arms again and say, "I bet
you don't love me!", to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
16 Dec 1944 2:15 A.M. Saturday Morning
I got the letter you wrote Dec. 10th - 11th (Sunday and Monday Morning)
before leaving for the Rifle Range. Did they drag you in from rifle Range and
say -- "We're Shoving Off"? Your letter told me so many things, honey, that
somehow you would never say over a 'phone. This may sound funny to you, but
reading a letter from you like today's means more to me than a 'phone call.
Somehow it doesn't seem like you're talking to a person, when they're so far
away and yet you can hear their voice. It was wonderful to hear you, honey,
but I was so excited I didn't tell you any of the things I wanted to. I've
kicked myself all day for not telling you how much I loved you, but I feel
silly saying those kind of things where everyone can hear them. You know, we
never said the things over the phone that some kids do and when I'm excited I
don't think to do anything different than I've always done.
Don, honey, didn't you say "I love you, honey", while the operator was
saying "I'm sorry, times up"? All I heard distinctly was the "honey" 'cause I
was trying to hear what the operator said so we'd know whether we could talk
longer or not. I got all choked up, being excited from talking to you and I
didn't even sound like myself to me. And say, did you have a cold, honey, or
were you sort of excited, too? You sounded like you had a cold and all I
could think of was that you'd caught cold while freezing. It seems to me as
if I can remember that you were "all there" during your furlough, I don't
know about mentally, but I've wondered about that since June 26, 1943. Say,
honey, we'll be an old married couple first thing you know. I can beat anyone
my own age now, how about you? These teachers down here haven't been married
half as long as we have and they're all 2 - 6 years older than us. We'll show
them, by gee. Do you realize that in 1993 we'll celebrate our fiftieth (50th)
Wedding Anniversary?
Let's see 5 years - 1948
10 years - 1953
15
20
25
30
35
"
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"
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1958
1963
1968
1973
1978
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40 " 1983
45 "
1988
50 " 1
Ans. A fifty year period.
We'll have 5 years to our credit in just a few months now -- Let's see 42 months to be exact. You'll only be 68 and I'll be 67 on our 50th Wedding
Anniversary. Who knows, they may have youth prescriptions by then so we can
observe our 75th Anniversary together. We'd only be 92 and 93 and lots of
people live that long if they've lived right.
[Guess what, grandchildren? Grandpa has just got around to sort out
Grandma's and my old World War II letters to each other, after nearly 50 years
have gone by. I put the first 10 months of my letters to Maggie in the
computer in 1992. Then I switched to Maggie's letters to me for awhile late
in 1992. However, this year, 1993, we h
been enjoying our 5
. Now this is August 10 1993 and I had started again entering
Maggie's letters to me into the computer about a week ago. So you see,
Grandchildren, Grandma was writing to me about 50 years ago and telling me
that we might reach our 50th Wedding Anniversary Year. A
I went to a Basketball game tonite. Homer vs. Virgil at Virgil. We took
them both games. We won the games they played at Homer this winter, too.
There was a mixer [dance] afterwards and I danced with your old flame Saltsman
[Mary]. Her man wasn't there and neither was mine and we were the 2 oldest
young people there. I square danced twice with Wayne [Lear]. Round danced
with him too -- and is he smooth -- I taught him to dance!!
Well, I'm writing in bed. The Living Room fire was out when I got home
and I wasn't going to set up and build it. It didn't burn out (coals on top
are black) just petered out beneath good coal. I got home about 11:35 or
11:40 but I ate a shrimp sandwich and drank a cup of tea with your folks.
Goodnite, dear.
Oh, Lester McHerron was there tonite and he doesn't look bad at all -older, that's all, but he's been away quite awhile so he should look older.
Don McCall and Mary Armison were married last Saturday nite. Isn't that
swell?
I love you, honey -- You know how much -17 Dec 1944 2:00 A.M.
Sunday Morning
Today your honey really finished off Christmas shopping in a big way.
We're giving 8 x 10 pictures of u
to your mother and father and my folks for
Christmas. Honey, how about me just listing the people and presents? That
will save room and be clearer, I think. Start with your family -Clara and Leon [Terrell] -- 8 x 10 picture (framed) of me and you
Jeanette [Terrell] - Powder mitt (mitt filled with dusting powder)
Dick [Terrell] - White Rayon scarf about 2 feet long & 12" wide
Doug [Terrell] - "
"
"
"
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"
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Bob [Terrell] - Miniature of us in folder you have now.
Martha [LeRoy] - I forgot her, but I'll get her a present
I forgot Martha [LeRoy] and Paul Caywood but I had an extra hanky for Paul.
So I'll get Martha's later.
Carol [LeRoy] - Wall Plaque of Walt Disney's Flower (baby skunk)
Charles [LeRoy] - " "
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Pluto
---------Aunt Elsie's kids [Riehlman] are being sent something (I think)
later. More details in a few days.
Now for my family - Whew!!! ---Mom and Dad [Lear] - Pictures 8 x 10 framed of us
Wayne [Lear] - Ear muffs and handkerchief
Roger [Lear] - Walt Disney's "Flower" (from Santa). Set of Cardboard
Naval Patrol Boats. Set of 8 puzzles of destroyers etc.
Dale [Lear] - Walt Disney's Bambi (from Santa). Set of paper glider
planes. Set of 8 puzzles of destroyers etc.
Ward Trapp - Handkerchief
Jean Trapp - Bubble Bath Salts (Bubble in Water)
Richard Ward - Handkerchief
Raymond Ward -
"
Howard Ward - "
Susan Emma Ward - pair of baby mittens (She's Emma's and Rex's
[Ward] only girl (about 4 mo. old)
Paul Caywood - Handkerchief
David Reynolds - Gold fish in bowl
Bonnie Reynolds - Play Broom (small size broom)
I drew Rex's [Ward] name and I got him a pipe holder. Holds 4 pipes -cute as heck.
I sent Bob Terrell a cute Christmas card too, but I forgot to sign our
names. I just put Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Terrell etc. on the back for Return
Address.
Honey, I got our Christmas present to ourselves today. An E
Alarm
Clock at Alperts [store] $5.45. It's Ivory, honey, with a second hand and an
automatic red signal when the electricity goes off. I wish you could see it,
honey. It's about 6 or 7 inches tall and about 5 inches wide and I think it's
beautiful. Instead of a bell (for alarm) ringing it buzzes and keeps on
buzzing not until it runs down but until it is turned off!!!!
We went uptown [Cortland] about 6 o'clock tonite and started back about 8
or 8:15. We had just come past the store and were about opposite Stella's
[Baker] Mail Box when I saw something laying in the road. I thought it was a
hunk of snow and was going to straddle it when I realized it was Toby, our old
dog, lying in the middle of the road. I said, "It's Toby" and turned to the
left and slammed on the brake. I was blubbering like a fool and I jumped out
and started to get him out of the road, but Clara [Terrell] said "Don't touch
him" -- I knew she meant he might bite me if he was just hurt, but I knew he
was dead so while Clara went to see if Mom and Dad [Lear] were home I dragged
Toby over behind our car so nobody would run over him. She came back and said
nobody was home so she went to Timer's [Davis] to see if they knew where Dad
and Mom were or if someone would come over and get Toby out of the road.
While she was at Timer's I went over home. The back door was unlocked so I
walked in and I got as far as the dining room when I saw a pair of legs
hanging out of a chair and I thought it was Wayne [Lear], asleep. So I said
"Wayne, Wayne" but he didn't stir and by then I was close enough to realize it
was dad asleep. So I woke him up and scared him, I guess, 'cause I couldn't
stop crying (and I mean the noisy kind, not the sniffles I usually have) and I
said "Toby's dead" and he wasn't very much awake so he said "What?" and I told
him what had happened. Just then Wayne [Lear] walked in from upstairs and I
told him and he shot out the front door. I talked a little to dad and then
went back out and Wayne had Toby in his arms and was carrying him over toward
the house. Then we came home and I was O.K. after we started getting supper
and got busy. Someone hit him, honey, and didn't even tell anyone. He was
bleeding from his mouth like he was hurt inside. His back hips felt broken
and sharp to me when I dragged him out of the road, but he was so thin it
could have just been skinny bones. I feel like it was a nightmare, honey.
You know, dad got him when he was a baby pup when Wayne [Lear] was a baby. He
(Toby) was 16 years old. He (dad) brought him (Toby) home in his (dad's)
lunch pail for us kids. They hated to have him have to suffer this winter but
they didn't want to have him killed so I guess it's all for the best but it
makes me feel so awful. Well, honey, it's almost quarter of 3 and I'm awfully
tired so I'll sign off and hit the sack. Jean's [Terrell] staying with me
tonite. I love you, honey. With all my love --Goodnite
CHAPTER III
Don aboard ship and at U. S. Marine Corps
Transient Center, Pearl Harbor, Oahu
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
17 Dec 1944 10:40 P.M.
Sunday Nite
Here I am again -- Are you happy? We thought maybe you'd call from the
West Coast tonite so I'm staying with Jean [Terrell] tonite. I hope you're
still in North Carolina, but I know you're not or you wouldn't have called.
[I had not gone to the West Coast even though most of the Marines that
had been trained on the East Coast were sent to the West Coast by train and
then by ship to the Pacific War Theater. My brother, Bob, had done this.
That is why Mother, Dad and Maggie thought I had been sent to the West Coast.
Actually our Draft of 4,000 Marines shipped out of Norfolk, Virginia aboard
the recently broken in half and repaired troop and cargo ship, the Florence
Nightengale. We left a few days after I phoned Maggie, had Christmas on board
ship, went through the Panama Canal and then to a Tent City Transient Center
in Pearl Harbor where we would then be sent into the Pacific War Theater. We
were 21 days aboard ship from Norfolk, Virginia to Pearl Harbor.]
Honey, I've got over that mixed-up feeling and the lost feeling I had
last Thursday nite and Friday. That doesn't mean that I've stopped loving you
or stopped worrying about how you're coming along. It just means that I've
got used to the idea of you being further away from me. That's no sign I like
it. In fact, it makes me mad as hell, but what can I do about it? Except
hope that the war will take a jump in the lake before long -- then it
probably wouldn't drown.
I went to Practice for Church Christmas Services. Then I went up home
[George and Daisy Lear's]. Uncle Frank and Aunt Helen Ward were at Grandma's
[Ward] so mom and I went up to see them.
Honey, this is one night when I'm really not in a writing mood. Of
course, I could cover a pad full of paper with I love you and adjectives and
adverbs of how much I love you. But I'm just itching to start knitting on my
last mitten. It's coming along much faster than my first one did -- just
like babies.
It hasn't snowed any more today, dear. Myself -- I'm hoping it doesn't
snow any more for two or three weeks at l
!! There's more than enough snow
to make a white Christmas and the drifts aren't q
deep enough to get
buried in.
Well, honey, I'm going to knit a while and then go to bed.
I love you, honey, a lot and then some.
Goodnite, Honey
With All my love Maggie 18 Dec 1944 9:50 P.M. Monday Evening
It's almost time for our 18th Anniversary, honey. Think of that! Did
you think you could stand married life this long? Do you realize that we've
been apart 4 months the 25th of this month? You weren't here in the States
only a little over 3 months! They're really shoving them through.
Honey, Bob Lockey is missing in Action. He's been missing since November
20. He's in Germany, and they've really been catching hell for the last 3
weeks -- you've probably seen all about it in the Cortland Standard.
There was also a write up in tonite's paper about Don McCall. His
wedding announcement was in the paper, too. Just look up Dec. 18, 1944 issue
of the Cortland Standard and you'll see it. If you can't find that issue let
me know and I'll get it and send it. I'm going to send Don and Mary [McCall]
a Congratulation Card.
We got a Christmas card from Muriel and Melvin [Trapp], Jean Trapp, and
Carl, Rita a
Barbara Oaks. Aren't we classy? I didn't send them any and I
don't think I will. I don't care for Christmas cards -- I guess I'm a freak.
But you always knew that, didn't you, honey? At least I don't care for
Christmas Cards from just friends. I don't mind from family (relatives).
It's been very cold here today, honey, about 12 degrees all day and that
a
warm. I suppose you get in a warmer climate every day. I wish I was
with you, darling, and we'd really make a honeymoon of it! We'd see places we
could tell our grandchildren about. Of course, honey, you can tell me and
them, too, 'cause I won't be able to see them myself. Unless I join the Red
Cross or something. Bob [Terrell] said they had set up a new Red Cross Unit
where he is and they had women running it! Ain't that something? I wonder if
the women are good-looking? If you go there, write and tell me how the women
rate on looks.
You know what I'd like tomorrow? A letter from my roving Marine. That
would be a good Christmas present, in my estimation! Darling, your letters
are the best things that I can have happen now. They're really what I live
for, 'cause if I didn't hear from you, I'd want to die. I'd be blue all the
time and worried about you. I guess you feel about the same from your letters
and I'm glad. I'll keep writing, honey, no fooling and I know you'll write
when you can.
I haven't told you yet that I love you. Boy, do I! I love you more than
Fanny Farmer Candy and I really like it! If you knew how much I love you,
you'd probably pop a belly button right into MacArthur's eye. Wouldn't you?
Say, you, do you love me? Well, you'd better! Do you know that we're almost
up to our r
2nd Anniversary? And I thought two years was a long time but
I'm wrong -- I can see now. Two years have passed so quickly. Even 3
years
have flew by since we really started going together. We're really getting
old, honey. We were 18 last year and next year we'll be 20. Some jump, huh?
Well, honey, I'm stuck again. I don't know why, except there isn't any
news, so I'm going to sign off and knit on me mitten awhile and then hit the
sack.
The filling has come out from between my front teeth, I found out tonite,
so I'm going to call a dentist tomorrow and get an appointment and I'm not
going to back out on myself, either!
Goodnite, dear. Sleep tight and dream of me!
I love you with a
, honey! With all my love -- Maggie ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
18 Dec 1944
It is nearly time for taps but I will write a few lines before turning
in. (I tore the bottom of this page off because I wrote something on it that
I now know I can't tell you.)
I want to tell you I love you very much, honey, and I don't mean maybe.
I got two letters from you tonight and enjoyed them very much. I guess you
now know the answers to the questions you asked me in those letters, honey.
You are a pretty good artist, honey, but I don't think that you did that
sketch of you very much justice. You know darn well, honey, that you are
better looking than you credit yourself with. Anyway, honey, I want to say
once more, "I love you" and "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year", darling.
P.S.
Sent a package of souvenirs home to you. Please give the gloves to
Mother to give to the kids (Dick and Doug) [Terrell] for Christmas. Bought
them cheap at clothing sale. Write you as soon as possible. Loving you
always, darling.
19 Dec 1944
Co. B; Plt. 14
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Guess who I saw yesterday, honey? Nope -- nope -- I know you can't guess
so I will tell you. Yesterday afternoon the 42nd Draft had the honor of being
inspected by Pres. Roosevelt, in person. Although we were quite thrilled to
have him inspect us, we were also quite disgusted for having to stand under
full pack all afternoon just so he could see us 10 or 15 minutes. You may see
a write-up about it in the paper, I don't know. I could only see the top of
his head since I was way back in the rear part of the ranks. He told our
Major Taylor to tell us for each one of us to get a Jap for him.
I am enclosing the $5 money order that Uncle Bob and Aunt Pauline [LeRoy]
sent me for Christmas. I can't cash it here now so I have endorsed it to you.
You can cash it and use it for anything you wish.
I got your letters along with a Christmas card from Grandpa and Grandma
[LeRoy] and one from Uncle Bob and Aunt Pauline [LeRoy]. They said that this
was Jack's last day home before he leaves for duty again. Grandpa said he and
Grandma are driving out west to see Grandpa's brother for awhile. Keep
writing every day to me, honey, because I love to hear from you always.
It has warmed up the past few days although the wind is still rather
cold. I hope that we will have warmer days for a while as I just about froze
off on bivouac area last week.
I am running out of anything to say, honey, so will close for now. One
of the fellows in the next tent is playing a guitar and singing. He is damned
good. We have heard him over the radio before on the morning roundup program
about 6 or 7 in the morning. He can sing or play just about every cowboy song
written.
So long for now, honey, and remember I will always be thinking of you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
20 Dec 1944 9:10 P. M. Wednesday Evening
Hello, Darling -And I do mean d
!! Today I got your package a
a letter written
Dec. 15. Honey, that Marine pin is beautiful! I already have it pinned on my
new blue coat. It certainly isn't cheap looking, dear, and I can't imagine
how a $5.00 one could look any nicer or mean any more to me. Honey, I really
love it and I'll be proud as anything to wear it on my lapel. It sort of
shows I belong to a Marine, I think. I can't think of anything I can give you
for Christmas that's even half as nice as that. Honey, if you can think of
anything I can give you (besides a
my love) for Christmas, please tell me.
I can't think of a thing except something to eat, and I don't dare send any
food until I find out where you are. The food might spoil if it had to follow
you overseas. You're issued all your clothing and what else is there? I got
the folder for our pictures and the frame for mine (of yours) so, honey, I
can't seem to get any brilliant ideas. I'll send you things to eat after I
get your other address. Honey, I hope they changed their mind about shipping
you guys out, but that "Replacement Draft" sounds pretty final.
Say, I'm way off the track! I wanted to tell you how sweet that little
pink pillow is. Say, honey, it couldn't be for Lynne, Could it??? [our
planned for future child] And I love the big blue pillow cover. I'm going to
make a pillow to put in it. You'll be able to lay your head on it in a while,
honey. In fact, we'll both lay our heads on it -- together! Fun, huh!? And
that light pink pajama pillow is really the ticket! I've been wearing pajamas
lately, honey. Some that Jerry [Riehlman] gave me. They're winter ones, warm
and etc.
The gloves you sent Dick and Doug [Terrell] are a
all right. The
large ones fit Dick but Doug can't wear the smaller ones. I think I'll hook
them on him. They just fit me.
It was so good to hear from you, dear. I thought I wouldn't get any mail
for 3 or 4 weeks. I hope I hear from you every so often, but I don't expect
to. This is the first letter I've got since last Friday. 5 days is a long
time -- Waiting.
It's been warmer here today, honey. The darn fire went out today in the
kitchen. I built it tonite and it's out again. I'd like to take a shower but
there isn't any hot water. I'd also like to wash my hair -- but there isn't
any hot water -- I like to wash my hair in the shower at the same time I
wash.
Honey, I thought there were 2 letters for me today. One was addressed to
Mrs. Donald L. Terrell and I read it first. The other on said Mr. & Mrs.
D
Terrell. So I opened it next and it said "Dear Dad, Mom and kids".
I was disappointed. I handed it to Clara [Terrell] and said "It's for you".
I enjoyed your letter a lot, honey. Clara read me theirs, too. I'm always
reading parts of my letters to them. They always know what you're doing and
everything.
Say, honey, Mrs. Miller (Commercial Teacher) got 19 letters in the last 3
days. Her husband's in Italy and he just flies once a day or so and I guess
all the rest of the time he spends writing -- about 3 letters a day.
Probably he can only send 2 pages of airmail paper written on one side, in one
envelope.
Well, honey, I'm going to build the kitchen fire again and knit a while.
Last nite I didn't knit as I planned to. I read "Tarawa, The Story of a
Battle" By Robert Sherrod that Bob [Terrell] sent home. It's really rugged.
It makes me feel like protecting every man I see in Uniform from Japs and
Germans -- Sounds silly but that's what I mean.
Honey, I got Martha's [LeRoy] Christmas Present last nite. A yard each
of blue, red and green velvet ribbon and a yard of plain yellow ribbon -- all
for her hair.
I'm listening with my other brain to Ray Kiper on the radio. He's at a
Marine Air Base in the desert here in the states (I don't know which base or
state.) He's really playing up those b
Marines.
With All My Love, Darling -21 Dec 1944 11:00 P.M. Thursday Nite
Jean [Terrell] and I just got through taking a shower apiece and there's
not a drop of hot water left in the tank. I washed my hair and put it up,
too.
Honey, tomorrow afternoon is the beginning of the Christmas Holiday I've
planned to spend with you for the last couple months. It's going to be the
dreariest Holiday I ever spent. During vacations these last few years I've
looked forward to seeing you evenings and before that I still liked to slide
down hills, skate and etc. But now you're God knows how many miles away and I
feel too lazy or something to waste a lot of energy skiing and skating. I'll
probably go to a show once or twice with the kids 'cause the teachers will be
gone for the Holiday. I know I'll enjoy my presents and I'll enjoy giving o
presents to all the kids etc. But I'll miss you, dear. I wish you could be
here just for the 24 hours of Christmas. Of course that wouldn't be long
enough, but a day, at least that special day, would help a lot.
I love you, Donegie, and I'd like to be able to kiss you right now. I
don't know, though! You're kisses were always packed with Dynamite! a
Squeezey! How many ribs I have broken I can only imagine. I can say
without hesitation that I only have about 3 left intact and that's because
they're too high to be crushed. Don't let my scribbling fool you, honey. I
a
liked to have you hug, kiss and squeeze. In fact, I like you the best
of any husband I've got. ha ha ha ha he he ha he ha ha HA HA -- [Enough
already!]
I wonder if you've thought of me in the past 5 days. If you're moving
you're probably so busy you're dizzy and have no time to think of anything so
unimportant as a wife. Definition: A wife is something that has nothing to
do with Marines except on furloughs and leaves! Darling, I love you. I love
you so much that when I wrote, I love you, I got goose pimples all over and I
d
mean a
The fuzz on my arms is standing right straight up.
Say, honey, if you hear any good stories, tell 'em to me will you?
I haven't got your first Bond [War Savings] yet, honey. Are they just
screwing you out of $6.25 per month? I'm going to take my (and your) $50
allotment and buy a $50 Bond [War Savings] each month -- $50 Bond cost (I
think) $37.50. [Then Maggie subtracted 37.50 from 50.00 and got 12.50.] The
other $12.50 I'm gong to use to buy something every week and send to you -candy, nuts, magazines or something. O.K.? (I may snitch a buck or two if I
run low before payday.) If you know special things that will go O.K. to where
you are, tell me and I'll get them for you. D
to tell me what you
want o
!!! No matter how much it costs. Please, honey, D
!!!!!!!
Well, dear, I'm going to hit the sack. Do you love me? You'd better or
I'll make hash out of you!
Honey, I'm going to spray a little "stinkum" on this paper. I smell just
like it does, right now. The teachers gave it to me "for being a good girl".
They gave it to me that nite we were all in Syracuse. It's called "Blue Grass
Flower Mist". If it still smells when it gets to you w
and tell me if you
like it and if you want me to sprinkle some more mail with it. [Golly,
Maggie, I t
I can s
smell it on your letter after 5
Goodnite Dearest -I dreamed about you last nite -Boy, what a dream!
With All My Love
Maggie --
We got Christmas cards yesterday from "The Matsons" and Ned Hayes. None
today -- I don't think.
23 Dec 1944 12:15 A.M. Saturday Morning
Tonite your dear wifey, I mean "Wifey dear", participated in Church
Christmas Exercises! I played the pe - an - o for the little children to
warble by. Eva Puderbaugh sang a solo. (So it wasn't all for little children.)
They had the church lit by candlelight the same (a
) (not as pretty) as we
had for our Wedding. We got thru at 10:00 and since then I've been over to
your folks house eating shrimp sandwiches and drinking tea and knitting the
finishing touches on my mittens. As they are now, I have one thumb to knit
yet, and a small hole where I made a s
mistake to darn closed.
: What the pianist wore -- whee!
I wore my n
and my little Dutch Bonnet that I showed you when
you were home. I also had my black pocketbook, gloves and shoes on so I had a
pretty good ensemble (Outfit). Thanks to my husband's last allotment. I'd
have worn the coat without the allotment, but I would have still owed about
2/3rds of the price of the coat to Montgomery Ward Co. Thank you, honey. [You
are very welcome, dear] If you were within 50 miles I'd give you a great big
hug, kiss etc. and pay back the interest on the allotment. Whoo! Whoo! --It has been a beautiful day here as far as the sun and sky were
concerned. B
the air has been colder than hell! If it hadn't been for my
"chammy skin" lined coat I no doubt would have frozen.
Say, honey, while I'm thinking of it, I will make an attempt to show you
how our new electric Alarm Clock looks. The following is a 65% (passing)
display of my rare moments of artistic i
-ability! [Maggie then drew a
picture of our new e
clock.]
It is ivory -- The rim around the face which I have scribbled in is
light brown. [arrow] Alarm dial. Small hand pointing to 8:15 is the alarm
hand. [arrow] The second hand -- Isn't that swell on an alarm clock?
[arrow] This little hole remains plain white when the electricity remains on
all the time. B
if it's off and the clock self starts itself it shows
striped red so you know the clock has to be reset. Catch? [Yes, dear. Nice
drawing, dear.]
Well, my darling, I'm getting very sleepy and as Jean's [Terrell] feet
are very cold, my inspirations are all drizzling away. I am writing in bed as
it is quite chilly in this house tonite as I have had the fires checked since
about 2 o'clock this P.M.
By the way, dear, I almost skipped telling you what I write to tell you
every nite. --- I love you -- With all my heart and then some. Don't you
wish you were here? I do! I'd squeeze you until you'd gasp! Even if you do
weigh about 78 pounds more than I do. -- At least you weigh 78 pounds more
than I do if you really weigh 194 lbs. Let me see, now. If you weigh 194
lbs. and you're 6 ft. tall that would average 32 1/3 lbs. to the foot. I'm 5
ft. tall and weigh 116 lbs. so I'd weigh 13 1/5 lbs. to the foot. As I have
very skinny legs though, you can guess where the rest of my pounds are placed.
That's right, In my mid-sections. My rump and my tummy. You ought to be
here to slim me down with stretching exercises. Remember -- I have to stand
on my tip-toes to kiss you on the "kisser" and if I
remember correctly, I have
had a sore back and a pair of stiff arms from stretching too much. I have
also had a very squashed kisser myself. Those attacks from above of yours
always left the 32 1/3 lbs. from your neck up hanging on my buck teeth.
If this sounds funny, this letter I mean, it's because I've been reading
it to Jean [Terrell] as I wrote it. She has been able to stay awake until
12:55 just because my letter has been so interesting! She says "Very!". She
laid here watching me read up-side-down (my face looked up-side-down because
she had her head flat on the pillow and was looking in the general direction
of Lynne [our planned for future child's picture from a farm magazine] -- but
watching my mouth go, up side down.) She has decided that I look funny, upside-down and she's never said I looked any other way right-side-up so I guess
that I'm a pretty screwy looking critter any way or direction anyone looks at
me from. [My only sister, Jeannie, was only about 10 years old when her
brothers, Bob and I, were gone to fight the Japs. Also later her brothers
Dick and Doug and Maggie's brother, Wayne Lear, were gone in the services.
Jeannie never had a sister and Maggie never had a sister, so they both were
good company for each other while we were gone. About all I remember of my
sister Jean back then was a cute little girl, with long curls, all dressed up
to get on the school bus for school.]
Well, honey, I'm sleepy, and as I need beauty sleep worse than anyone in
the world, including Olive Oil (Oyl) [Popeye's girl friend], I will say -- I
love you, dearest, (I didn't read this part to Jean) and I'll always love you.
I love you, D
'Member? [No I don't. I always thought
my name was Donald L. Terrell. I love you, Margaret "Maggie" Ellen Lear
Terrell!!!!!!!] [Maggie was a
called M
of her family,
relatives and friends until I came along and stuck her with "Maggie".
Maggie's Mother and Dad continued to call her Margaret until they passed away.
I hope they were not too upset with their "favorite son-in-law" for changing
their only daughter's name.]
24 Dec 1944 2:30 A.M. Sunday Morning
This is going to be brief, honey, 'cause I'm just awful sleepy. I'm
writing to you in bed so I've got to keep going and hurry or I'll fall asleep
and leave the light on.
Tonite your mother told the kids they could each invite in one kid -boy or girl friend and have a small party. She told me that too. So -- I
invited Wayne [Lear], Doug [Terrell] invited Mary Mahar, Dick [Terrell]
invited Greta [Stevens], Jean [Terrell] invited Dick Matson, and Clara
[Terrell] told Ann and Lee Matson to come and bring their boy friends so Ann
asked Gerald Matson (a boy that lives in Jerry Johnson's place next to
Mahar's) and Lee asked Dickie Haskins. We pulled taffy and had Jello, hot
chocolate and crackers. The o
kids played "Spin the Bottle" (I didn't
want to), we sang Christmas songs after eating and then the kids played
"Monopoly" and "Pick up Sticks" except for Greta [Stevens] and Dick [Terrell]
-- They sat in a chair and looked at magazines. [When Dick got home from the
service and was living with Mother and Dad in Tucson, Arizona, he had brother
Bob pick up Greta from Virgil, New York and take her out to Arizona. Dick and
Greta were married out there, raised a fine family, and lived happily ever
after.]
Emma and Rex, Richard, Howard, Raymond and Susan Emma Ward got in from
Olean last nite. Susan Emma (that's our new cousin) is beautiful, honey. Her
face is round and fat and I only saw her asleep but her face is happy -- not
like she cries much and Emma says she's good-natured as can be. I'm going to
just play with her all Christmas day. It's been a long time since I handled a
baby and I'm going to have fun with her. I love to play with them and make
them laugh. I hope someday we'll have Lynn Ellen [our planned for future
child] and you and I can play with her and almost but not quite spoil her. I
love you, honey, and I miss you every day. I try to keep from thinking of you
as far away 'cause it makes me ache way down deep inside. Honey, I got your
letter about Jack today. It didn't upset me very much because I've been
getting ready for it everyday. I felt so awful when you phoned that I guess I
couldn't feel that bad again. I made myself get used to the idea so I really
had thought you'd left before, so your letter of last Tuesday didn't hit me as
hard as if I'd been unprepared. I hope "Grandpa" gets to see his brother. In
fact I hope he's with him for Christmas. That would make them both happier.
I hope and pray that Grandpa and his brother are home for Christmas next year
and not far away from us. [In my letter of 19 Dec 1944 to Maggie I had said
that I got letters from Maggie along with Christmas cards from Grandpa and
Grandma LeRoy and Uncle Bob and Aunt Pauline LeRoy. Then I added this:
"They said that this was Jack's last day home before he leaves for duty again.
Grandpa said he and Grandma are driving out west to see Grandpa's brother for
awhile. Keep writing every day to me, honey, because I love to hear from you
always." Then at the end of the letter I said: "So long for now, honey, and
remember I will always be thinking of you." Of course, Maggie knew that there
was no Jack and that Grandpa and Grandma weren't going out west to see his
brother. Therefore she knew that I was headed to the Pacific War Theater to
fight the Japs and I hoped that I might meet my brother Bob while I was over
there. As it turned out, I did meet my brother Bob in Pearl Harbor for a few
days.]
Honey, I'm going to miss you Christmas day. You'll be in my heart all
day. The heck of it is I can't t
about you too much or I'll cry and I
wouldn't want to make all the folks feel bad on Christmas day. But you'll be
in my heart and if I think, I'll cry in some place where no one will see me.
O.K.?
I got 2, 8 x 10 frames for the 2 pictures of you and I for our parents.
I have them in the frames and sitting on your dresser looking at me. I also
framed the large picture of you. They all 3 are beautiful, honey, and our
grandchildren will love to look at the pictures of Grandpa when he was a
Marine in World War II.
They've slowed down the German Offensive on the Western front, honey, and
when the news of it came yesterday, I cried. I'd been worrying about it
underneath, I guess. They had said the Germans were really beating our boys
up -- bad, and we've got a lot of friends with the 1st Army. Not close
friends, but boys we know quite well. I was scared the Germans would push our
boys back through France and right into the English Channel.
Well, honey, here I go -I love you, darling
With all my heart.
With A
My Love
Maggie -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
25 Dec 1944
Co. B; Plt. 14
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, CA
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, honey! I know that by the time you
get this letter Christmas and New Year's will have come and gone but I am
telling you today, not when you get this letter. Here is hoping you had lots
of fun and welcomed the new year in and helped the old year out even if we
couldn't be together this year.
Since I don't know exactly yet what the censors will pass and what they
won't, don't be too surprised if you find part of this letter cut out. As you
had probably guessed, we are now sailing the deep blue seas and if I do say so
myself, I am enjoying every minute of it. In fact, this is the most fun that
I or any of the rest of us have had since we joined the Marine Corps. Of
course, that doesn't include the seven wonderful days I spent with you,
darling, on furlough.
The short train ride was hot and uncomfortable as the car we were in was
an old one and had no ventilation in it at all. So far, during the past three
days I haven't been sea sick -- that is, sick to my stomach. I was dizzy as
hell, though, at first and my head throbbed and twisted like I was in a
hurricane. I still get dizzy as hell every once in a while and have to go up
on deck in the cool breeze to get over it.
I wish you could be with me, honey, you know, just like a pleasure trip
until we got to where we are going. It would be nice for our neglected
honeymoon but I'm afraid it would be fairly well crowded right now on board.
The vast "ink blue" ocean, with it's many mammoth waves splashing up against
the sides of the ships is a sight which I stand and watch for hours with
interest. The last couple nights I slept up on deck underneath the protecting
cover of the big "Higgen's boats" that they use to take us ashore during beach
landings. The first night up on deck I was drenched by big waves that were
carried on deck by the strong, cool winds. I soon got wise and moved to the
other side of the ship last night where wind, waves or rain couldn't get me.
Since they have only 2 meals a day on board ship, we won't have our
Christmas dinner until about 1700. I spied turkey in the galley so am
expecting a very good meal. Have been entertained by a "pick-up" orchestra
which is damned good. Will write later many miles farther away.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
26 Dec 1944 12:15 A.M. Tuesday Morning
Happy 18th Anniversary, honey. Today's the day, you know. [Maggie and I
had been married for 1 1/2 years or 18 months as of 26 Dec 1944. Guess what,
Grandchildren? Grandpa and Grandma have now been married for 5
!!! And hopefully we will still have a few more years together.]
Honey, I'm back down here [at our little house by Mother's and Dad's]. I
forgot and left Pooch [our dog] up to mom's and I feel so funny. This is the
first nite he hasn't been in the house with me. And it's so cold in here my
fingers are about freezing off. Some of your smart relatives shook hell out
of my fire and then left it. I could kill somebody and if I have to sit
around till 3:00 getting it going I will bump off somebody tomorrow. I asked
them just to put coal on it, today. It would only need it 2 times at the
most. I'm mad, or did you know it? [Now, now, honey. Don't go getting your
dander up. I am sorry that I wasn't there to keep the fires going for you,
honey. I love you Margaret Ellen Lear Terrell!!!]
Well, honey, today we got -A Back Brush (for the shower)
A Soap Mitt (for the shower)
Bath Salts (for the shower) [Say, honey, how do you use bath
salts in a s
? Do you sprinkle it on your hair or between your toes?]
Set of wastebaskets
Fingernail polish [We got? Does that mean for me too?]
Cologne
Perfume [Where do I put it? Behind my ears? You use it, honey.]
Is that enough, sweetheart, or would you like more? [No, honey. That
made a very nice Christmas for us. I love you.] Especially the things for
our shower will come in handy. That back brush isn't for you because I always
intend to wash your back when you're with me. -- So the back brush is for me
while you're gone.
Honey, I love you and I missed you so today. It didn't even seem like
Christmas. It still doesn't seem like it was. Probably about next July I'll
begin to wonder if Christmas isn't coming soon.
Honey, I'm going to pull one of your tricks and finish this in the A.M.
My fingers are so cold I feel like a refrigeration unit.
Goodnite, Sweetheart
Sleep Tight
I'll always love you
Maggie
----------11:20 A.M. Tuesday Morning [26 Dec 1944]
Here I am again, honey, but the stove is hot and the rooms are getting
warmer. It was so cold this morning that I kept waking up 'cause my feet were
so cold so I started the fire going and t
got up. I think the water pipe
is frozen in the kitchen. Not solid but enough so the pressure isn't very
good. It's not as cold out as it was in here, I think. I've got wood, dumped
ashes and got coal -- which I had to do before writing you because I was all
out and the ash pan was f
My feet are still cold, honey. I wish you were here, then they wouldn't
have got cold in the first place.
I don't believe the postman has come yet. Say, honey, the short letter I
wrote you Christmas Eve is still up home. I'm going over to your mother's and
see if Leon [Terrell] got through all right. [Maggie means: Did my Dad get
through the snow drifts to Cortland so that he could open up the gas station
for his customers?] My pocketbook is over there, too and it has my stamps in
it.
Mr. Abbott [a dairy and chicken farmer just 2 farms above us] just went
up by so I guess the road is O.K. If I can get the car started, I think I'll
take the car up town [Cortland] about 5:30 tonite, leave it to be fixed and
come home with Leon [Terrell].
I forgot to tell you, honey. On the tag on the outside of our pictures
for your dad and mom, I put -Dad and Mother
from
Don and Maggie
O.K.? I thought if you were here that would be the way you'd write it.
Both your folks and my folks were tickled pink with our pictures, honey.
They're really nice -- I told you I framed them before giving them, didn't I?
All the rest of the kids were satisfied with their gifts -- Wayne [Lear] and
Doug [Terrell] and Dick [Terrell] , Jean [Terrell], Rog [Roger Lear] and Dale
[Lear] and all our cousins. I don't think I spent very much, either, honey.
I'm broke but it's because I bought our 1945 License plates [for our car]. We
are going to have our old CT 1482 again, honey. Isn't that swell?
Well, I'm gong to run out and mail this, honey.
[Maggie then wrote: "I love you" in shorthand, then in English, then in
Latin: "Ego Amo Te". No, Grandpa can't read shorthand or Latin, so Grandma
always wrote below or above the words, in English, what she had told me in
shorthand or Latin.]
27 Dec 1944 12:45 A.M. Wednesday Morning
I'll tell you the bad news first, sweetheart, and then I'll proceed on to
happier and more intimate conversation -- Bob Lockey [close friend of Bob
Terrell] is reported killed in action. They got word today. Honey, I've felt
all along that he would be dead. The way I figure it -- guys in airplanes
can be missing and turn up later -- safe and sound -- B
guys on the ground
that are missing haven't got much chance. Almost all the fliers from around
here that have been missing have turned up Prisoner of War someplace.
Well, honey, -- now let's -"Talk of Me and Thee" -You know, o
, Pvt. Terrell - 983241, that I love you more than
it's possible for me to love anyone else -- And I always will.
Honey, it's funny, but I was thinking today (after I saw a piece on wives
stepping out on their Service Men) that we're a funny pair of goofs. I didn't
even think of stepping out the minute you were gone and I never will think of
it! "I'll Walk A
!" Except for you -- . And I didn't consider,
seriously, at least, the possibility of your stepping out the minute you got
rid of me. Most people do just the opposite -- They both step out and then
they worry and wonder if their partner's doing the same thing back home or at
Camp.
Honey, I don't know about you, but when we got married I felt the same
way. Way down, deep inside I knew I'd never love anyone but you and I felt
that you'd never love anyone but me. Maybe you'll say -- "Conceited Woman"
like you always did but wasn't that the way you felt?[Yes] I'd found the one
I was looking for and I didn't have to look any further -- And Didn't! (look
any further) and I never will. Maybe we have faith in each other because each
of us knows we'll be true to each other, no matter what happens, because I'm
sure if I cheated, I'd be watching out for you to cheat, too. So, Darling,
you can just be sure, A
, that I'll love you and no one else, and I'll be
remembering the same thing about you. Maybe that's another reason we feel s
sure of each other -- As long as I know I have your love, I'll give you all
of mine and it's probably pretty much the same with you. So we'll just keep
on giving each other all our love for the next Billion years or so, [How about
50 years and counting, honey?] -- even after we're dust in the family lot and
have great-great-grandchildren. [Hey, wait just o
! I want to
see some of those grandchildren (10 to be exact) and possibly some of our
great-grandchildren before we're just "dust in the wind", so to speak.]
Well, honey, I imagine you've boiled all my thinking down to one big,
unshakable fact -Building up to
the
I love you
I've always loved you
Big -A
††††††††††††††††䄠渝搝ഝ
††††††††††††††††䄝渝搝ഉ
Unshakable -I'll a
††††††††††❉汬愠氝
love you
--
Forever and Ever -- Amen --
Sweetheart, Darling, honey and all the rest just helps me say "I love
you", honey, and they always will. When you say "honey" in your letters, I
know you mean "I love you" and "I wish I were with you right now -- I'd show
you!!" because that's what I mean when I say them. -- The Terrell Method of
Shorthand, I guess -- Instead of [Maggie wrote shorthand for I love you here],
it's -- h
. Both are I love you --
Jean [Terrell] and I rode up when Leon [Terrell] went bowling and went to
the show. We saw "Heavenly Days" (Fibber McGee and Molly) and something like
"The Return of Arsene Lujun". It was darned good -- Arsene was a Frenchman
who was a sort of Robin Hood -- Stealing so as to give where things were
needed. [That sounds just like President Bill "let the rich pay for it"
Clinton]
They flashed a news Bulletin at 1:00, honey. Our Super-Forts have just
bombed Tokyo a
! Isn't that great? They'll really have to pound them in
order to soften them up for the Invasion that will come sometime.
Well, Sweetheart, this is ?old? M.E.L.T. signing off for tonite. You
will now read her National Anthem -[Maggie sang to me with written notes all over the page: --]
I love you
I'll be loving you -- Always
Goodnite, My honey -Here's a great big kiss from me to you! 'Nite -- [Maggie drew her lips]
27 Dec 1944 8:00 P.M. Wednesday Nite
Well, I don't feel too great tonite and I'm just taking it easy, so I
thought I'd write you now and then read till I got ready to go to bed.
It's been pretty cold here today and it snowed and "blowed" this
afternoon and it's still doing it. They say it will be warmer by morning, and
let's hope they're right.
Your folks and the kids have gone up to a Home Bureau supper tonite.
They asked me to go, but they were going to square dance and etc. and I knew
that I wouldn't feel like it so I said no.
Honey, I moved all the Dining Room furniture into the Living Room and all
the Living Room furniture into the Dining Room. I've been cold and had to sit
by the stove to get warm every time, and in one of our less comfortable
chairs. So -- I moved the more comfortable chairs in by the stove. I've
still got to settle it, but it's much warmer all ready.
It's funny, honey, when I don't feel good I can't write good and I'm
really scribbling tonite. I don't feel so bad, though, just uncomfortable.
I feel awful mushy tonite, honey. I love you so that it gives me goose
pimples and cold shivers when I think about you. (I'm not scared of you, I
just love you, as usual.) My other honey, Pooch, [our dog] is laying here on
the floor. I measured him last nite, darling, and he's 22" tall. Grampa Ward
said if he's 6 months old he has just 1/2 his growth, but I don't think it's
possible that he'll be 44 inches tall -- that's from the floor to his
backbone. 44 inches is almost 4 ft. tall. If he gets that big he'll take 2
quarts of milk a day, not one. I've got to buy his license right along, now,
he's 6 months old I think. Didn't they say he was born June 22? I've also
got to find him a collar so he'll look snazzy. Maybe he won't want to wear
one, 'cause we didn't have one on while he was a puppy. Honey, he's really
getting so he looks exactly like a real German Shepherd. He doesn't look like
a mongrel at all! If I can get some film, I'll take some pictures of him and
my new coat -- and a few snow drifts, just to make you realize what you're
missing.
Leon [Terrell] had Dick [Terrell] drive our car up town this A.M. I'm
getting it fixed over Vacation, 'cause I need it so when I'm working that I
hate to have it fixed then. I suppose I'll be bankrupt plus when it's all
fixed. Leon said about 8 bucks for a new water pump, and the starter has got
to be fixed. Maybe it will work, after it's fixed -- anyway! What I mean is
-- It better work or I'll go up and tell a couple of garage men exactly what I
think of them. They're not too good anymore. If a woman wants a car fixed
they just fool around with it and then charge a damned good price for doing
nothing. That's why I let Leon talk to them -- they don't try to fool the
men so much, 'cause they know the men know about cars. I think by the time I
get thru messing with this jalopy I'll know quite a bit about cars -- At
least, I'll know all the things that can break and get out of whack on them.
The wind's really howling, honey. It sounds pretty cold out.
Do you realize that it's almost 1945, honey? That's the year all of the
fortune-tellers said Hitler would die and the peace would come. [Well, fortune
tellers or not, Hitler did die and peace did come to the European War Theater
in 1945.] I pray that they're right, 'cause I'd like to not be away from you
any longer than n
! In fact I wouldn't even like to be apart as long
as we have been, but I guess we can't do much about it, except hope it isn't
too much longer. [Hang in there, honey. I'll be back in a couple years.]
Today is the end of the 2nd month since your furlough started -(October 27th) and the 2nd day of the 5th month we've been apart. That's
almost 1/2 year, honey, and it hasn't gone too slow, has it? I hope the time
all goes quickly until you're back with me, 'cause it will seem long enough
without the time going slowly.
Well, honey, while I've been talking to you, my tummy's stopped aching.
You're just the medicine I needed. I love you, honey, -- So Much! I wish I
could write poetry or something to tell you how much, but I guess I'm just not
made that way. Goodnite, Dear. Sleep Tight. I love you -- Maggie -28 Dec 1944 10:20 P.M. Thursday Nite
I understand exactly what you meant, honey, when you said Sundays were
hell because they gave you time to think. It's a damned good thing this @#*
vacation is about over 'cause I'm about ready for the nut house. All I've
done all day is think and I guess I can't take it, 'cause I feel like going to
sleep and sleeping 'til you're home again. The radio's got a click on it that
sounds like somebody's electric fence running wild and I can't stand it, so
all I hear is silence and the stove popping and the b
wind howling
it's head off. -- And I'm not sleepy but I think I'll go to bed just the
same. I don't even feel like crocheting or knitting. I got my mittens
finished so I haven't anything to knit. Anyway, I read today and my eyes feel
like they're hanging out on my cheeks.
Well, enough bitching. -- I'm not writing to tell you my troubles.
I've been wondering where you're at and where you're going -- Maybe
you've been wondering the same thing -- have you? [Maggie meant what Island
was I going to in the Pacific War Theater and where am I now in relation to
our final destination?] [I missed the Iwo Jima Landings probably because my
last name started with "T" when they were filling the previous Drafts. We
lost 4,000 Marines taking Iwo Jima from the Japs. I probably would have been
killed because I was a B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) man. The Japs
concentrated on the Marine with the most fire power and I had it.] [As to
where I was and where was I going, I only knew this much on 28 Dec 1944 when
Maggie was writing me: I boarded ship around the 19th or 20th of Dec 1944
with 4,000 other Marines in the 42nd Replacement Draft. We shipped out of
Norfolk, Virginia with a large Naval escort all the way to the Panama Canal.
The German submarines had torpedoed some of our transport ships in the
Atlantic Ocean that were heading for the European War Theater. In fact the
ship that we were on, The Florence Nightengale, had been previously badly
damaged, broken in two, floated somehow to a dry dock, repaired and put back
into service for us. I may have been going through the Panama Canal when
Maggie was writing this letter to me, I don't know exactly. As to where we
were going, we did not know. We knew that some Marines had gone directly into
combat from our training camps. But, because they had taken my B.A.R. away
from me before boarding ship and given me back an M-1 rifle, I wasn't sure.
We had all the capabilities of making ship to shore landings and they could
always give me back my B.A.R. before going into combat. After going through
the Panama Canal we were unescorted by any visible Naval ships as far as I
could tell, all the way to Pearl Harbor. We were probably escorted, sight
unseen, by some of our submarines, I don't know. The Jap's submarines had
torpedoed some of our transport ships in the Pacific Ocean going over from the
West Coast. Most of the Marines did go over from the West Coast. That is
probably why we were going into the Pacific War Theater from a different
angle, unescorted, we could sneak in undetected by the Jap submarines.
Anyway, I never saw even a sign of another ship all the way to Pearl Harbor.
Of course I didn't know we were actually going to a Tent City, Transient
Center at Pearl Harbor, but that is where we ended up around 10 Jan 1945.
That was where my brother, Bob, who was also a Marine, picked me out of 4,000
other Marines and walked into my tent just as I was sitting down on my helmet.]
Boy, I'm going out and get stewed the day the Japs and Germans call it
quits. If I don't I'll blow my top because I'll be so happy. Of course, I
don't think anyone else will be happy -- Oh No!
We were snowed in again this morning and so I didn't mail your letter and
I haven't got ambition enough (not tonite) to walk over to your folks and ask
Leon to mail it. Just plain lazy! You'll probably get all these letters in a
bunch anyway. Gee, what a mess! You'll have to sort them over by dates [I
did], or you'll be so mixed up you won't know which letter to start on. If
you didn't get mail for 3 weeks, you'd get 21 of them, all at once. You'd
really have to read some to be able to read them all. [I read them all, honey,
over and over again.]
Honey, I haven't heard anything from you since last Saturday, but I
haven't expected to and I don't expect to for the next 2 weeks or so. I know
you'll write as soon as you can, 'cause you know I'll be waiting to hear from
you.
I feel like I ought to write to Bob [Terrell] tonite. I haven't any 6
cent Air Mail stamps but I guess 2 - 3 cent stamps would do. I haven't got a
letter from him yet in answer to my other one, but I thought I'd keep writing
just the same. There isn't much he could write about, anyway. I hope you'll
still be able to write a little about what you're doing etc. Of course, if
you can't, you can just fill you're letters full of love and sweet nothings
just for me and the Censor. I hope the Censor isn't a W.R. [Woman Reservist]
'cause if it is, no doubt she'll look you up. I k
if I was on the same
island as you and I got one of your letters, I'd find you if I had to walk a
couple hundred miles (or aren't islands that big?).
Honey, I've been wondering again about what to do next June. I know I
can't stay home all the time. I wish the W.A.C.'s [Women's Army Corps I
think] didn't have such an awful reputation, I'd join them. They seem to get
around more than the other services. The Marines [Women] aren't even sent
overseas and I think it's mean! If I do go into something like that, I'll
sign up for overseas service 'cause I'd want to get the hell over where
something was doing. [Now you know how I felt, Maggie, about passing up the
typist job Stateside and getting overseas to help get the damn war over with!]
I'd like to take my chances right along with you. One thing I don't like now
is sitting here so safe and knowing other guys are out someplace facing hell.
I guess I should have been a boy, because I feel like knocking hell out of all
of those slant-eyes myself. I get so damned mad, because I can't do anything
but live as I have all my life -- Almost 100% safe from danger ("Almost"
takes care of slipping on the soap in the shower and breaking my neck.)
I hate to think of leaving here and living someplace else, but I'll be
darned if I'll drive back and forth. If I do go work someplace else, I'm
going to go farther than Cortland. I don't know why, but I will. The best
thing I can even imagine is for the war to be over by June, but I'm positive
it's going to take longer than that.
Say, honey, I love you and tonight I'm lonesome as hell, why don't you
drop in after I'm asleep.
Goodnite, honey
I love you
30 Dec 1944 12:35 A.M. Saturday A.M.
Well, I missed the 29th by 35 minutes, so I didn't write you yesterday -But! I'll be writing 2 letters today. Unless I'm up late tonite, too.
Anyway, you'll get a letter for every day, even if they are written early in
the morning. [Thank you, dear, and I appreciated every one of them.]
This evening (Friday) I went to the show with your family (except Jean
[Terrell], she's staying at Mildred's [LeRoy] tonite). The two features were
"Our Hearts were Young and Gay" and "The National Barn Dance". They were
both very good pictures and funny! Wow! I laughed till my cheeks ached. Not
a word about a war or anything pertaining to it, I really enjoyed them.
It didn't snow here any more today, dear, but they still haven't plowed
us out. They're getting slower and slower as the snow gets deeper. I can't
imagine how it will be by March or April. It will probably be terrible.
It cost $13.20 to have the car fixed this time and the mechanic said the
starter still didn't satisfy him, that it should be taken all apart. I'm
afraid he'll have to wait a while to do it. Out of the next $25 I've got to
pay -Car --
13.20
Rent --
15.00
Dog License -30.45
and maybe Howard Vunk
will bring the coal 3
60.45
And you have to have money for between pays, too!
If I could only be a magician. I'd get $60.45 out of $25.00 but I ain't. I'm
going to get mad as hell if I have to use that fifty a month that we wanted to
save. I was thinking the other day -- I've had $200.00 from the Gov't and
you so far, and there isn't a penny of it in the bank. The $40. that's in the
bank is left over from our deposits last summer.
Sometimes I wonder what in hell I do with all the money and then I start
figuring and I find out.
Say, honey, you know that new brown belt you got last summer? Well, I
needed a belt -- Don't just say "uh -uh" and nod your head! And so -- I got
it out. I didn't hurt it -- bad, honey. I left it just as long as it was
and just drilled one small hole in it with the paring knife so it would hold
my overalls up. Am I smart or j
a woman? [Some of both, honey.]
Hurry up and come home, honey, or I'll wear it all out before you get another
chance at it.
Don't take that "hurry up" serious, honey. I know you're in just as much
of a hurry to come home as I am to have you. If they'd only let women have a
hand in those Battles, you'd really see Victory accomplished! Yes, sir -Victory for the Japs and Germans. Really though, honey, if you'd just show me
how to work a B.A.R. I'm sure I could manage just fine -- as long as I didn't
have to fire it and yet I'd enjoy killing Japs. I know I would. I'd shoot
until they looked like my tea strainer -- a little holy. I mean holey or
something -- like this:
[Maggie drew me a picture of a Jap full of holes.]
Jap cheese [like Swiss cheese all full of holes]
One right in the middle of the damned slant-eye's forehead! Just like a
husband of mine shot woodchucks.
There goes the 1:00 news. They say that Tokyo says there's a convoy
headed for the Philippines (a U.S. Convoy). They're speculating on whether
it's going to attack Luzon. That's the Island that Chuck Heffron is on [as a
Prisoner of War]. I think he's in Camp No. I in Manila. I'm probably as far
wrong as ever, but it's just about the right period of days for you to be on
it. I hope not. Not for a while (A g.d. long while if I had my way, but I
realize you're more apt to go right into Combat, as they call it, than not.)
I'm hoping to hear from you about the end of next week. You've been gone
9 days now and after 14 days I can start hoping for a little enlightenment, I
think.
Well, honey, here I go. Signing off for another nite. You know I always
feel just like I'm talking to you and when I see that I've been writing and
not talking it makes me feel funny. You're close to me all the time I write
and when I read your letters I always hate to say -Goodnite -But I like to say
I love you, honey --
Maggie -31 Dec 1944 12:20 A.M. Sunday Morning
This is the l
letter you'll get from me this year, honey. Positively!
U
I write early tonite (Sunday nite) which I probably won't do. Your
mother and father, Mildred [LeRoy] & Brayt [Brayton LeRoy] are going to Uncle
Bob's [LeRoy] to watch the new year in and unless something different comes up
tomorrow Dick, Doug, Jean [all Terrells] and I
[also a Terrell, after first a
Lear] are going up and stay with Charles, Carol and Martha [LeRoy].
Honey, it was two years ago tomorrow night that you came up home to see
me and I told mom and dad you were going to stay 'til 6:00 [A.M.] and they
thought I was kidding. But, do you remember what time you got home? [No, I
don't] 6:10, I think it was. Remember I got a pillow for you and you laid
on the couch and I s
on the edge because I wouldn't t
of laying on the
davenport! and we listened to the radio. It seems like that was the nite dad
paraded out through in his shorts because he thought s
you'd gone home. We
were snowbound so we sort of used it for an excuse -- staying home, I mean.
I remember you'd drop off to sleep and then you'd wake up and we'd talk and
kiss just a f
ha ha times and then you'd drop off again. Remember, we'd
always wanted to stay up together all nite and it w
fun. I hated to have
you go even after you'd stayed all nite and we always talked about how nice it
would be if we wouldn't have to say "goodnite" or "Goodbye" -- We never said
"Get Married", did we? We just sort of talked all the way around it, 'til
that nite down at the Look Out Post [Volunteer Spotters for any "enemy" planes
that might fly over the United States of America.] when we went out to get the
car warm and you had your arm around me and squeezed me and just said "You
know I want to marry you, don't you?" and me, instead of being shy or cute -I just said "Yes" and for that I got one of those kisses that I still go for
when I can get them. I'd even g
for them when I can't get them. -- I'd go
wayout - - about 4,000 miles just for one -- Even just "Hi, Honey" would be
worth quite a trip to me. So if you feel in the mood, just let me know and
I'll call Superman and have him do another deed for a "Service Man" -- M
this time!
[Grandchildren: The Look Out Post in Virgil, New York was just one of
thousands of spotting stations all over the United States during World War II
that were manned by volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until the
Duration. Every airplane that went over or near the area was reported by
telephone to a centrally located headquarters. Many charts showing silhouette
outlines of German, Japanese and American planes were used to try to identify
these airplanes in case any might be enemy airplanes. Although no enemy
airplanes were ever spotted, these type of spotting stations helped save
thousands of civilian lives during the Blitz bombings of England and other
countries by Germany.]
Don't you ever tell me that you're not mine, honey, 'cause I know I
couldn't take it. That's all that's keeping me going now, is knowing that you
still love me. I know I'll just go on loving you forever, 'cause I can't
stop! A
I don't want to stop. So you'd better keep sending all your love
home, by the reliable mails. I just can't seem to write what I'm thinking
tonite -- My co-ordination has gone flooey, I guess. Everything has too many
letters or else they're spelled (wront) -> wrong -- see what I mean?
I went sliding with Martha, Carol, Charles [LeRoy] and Jean [Terrell]
today, honey. I think my back's going to be a little stiff -- I pushed and
pulled too much on the toboggan and sled. I shouldn't have gone, but I feel
100% O.K. so I went anyway.
Honey, I haven't got my Christmas Eve letter from mom's yet, but I'll get
it tomorrow and mail it with this one Monday -- or Sunday nite.
Honey, I love you and I'm going to miss you tomorrow and tomorrow nite
and New Year's Day. Last year you drank 2 jiggers of Port Wine with Dwayne
[Mespell. He and Doris Mespell are still our friends 50 years later.] at the
Victory Restaurant. You didn't like it though, did you? [No] I ought to go
out and get pickled to the gills tomorrow nite, but I don't like any of the
damned stuff enough to be able to drink enough of it to get "dilly" on. If I
could get drunk on Milk Shakes I might manage to get slightly tipsy, but Milk
Shakes don't affect me that way.
I had to refill my pen just so I could write "Maggie" for my honey.
Maggie -I love you, honey, more than anybody. [Ditto, dear!]
1 Jan 1945 3:55 A.M. Monday Morning
Happy New Year!!! [Maggie wrote short hand for Happy New Year just above
this.]
Hello, Honey ->[Maggie wrote short hand for Hello, Honey at end of this.]
Happy New Year and all of my best wishes, this year and all of the rest,
forever.
We just got home. Us kids really had fun at Aunt Mildred's [LeRoy]. We
played Parchesi and ate a slew of stuff and then Greta [Stevens], Dick
[Terrell], Doug [Terrell] and I tried dancing. We had fun. I knitted on my
new mitten and read a couple stories. It's raining out and if it freezes it
will be hell tomorrow morning.
My eyes are getting droopy, but I'm going to write you before I go to bed
so help me! I wore my green slacks, and we did exercises and everything on
the kitchen floor. Carol [LeRoy] came downstairs about 1:00 A. M. and sat and
watched us dance and monkey around till about 2:00 A. M., then she went back
to bed. She's so cute, honey. -- A real little pill -- just like I expect
Lynne [our planned for future child] to be. -- Always smiling and finding
something good in everything. She giggles cute, too. When we were doing
exercises and seeing how high we could kick, she giggled till I got so tickled
I thought I'd split.
Honey, I love you and I missed you tonite. I thought about all the fun
we'd had the past year. -- I didn't think about the moving and fire and stuff
like that. [When Mother's and Dad's house burned in Virgil, they moved in
with us at the Hoose dairy farm that Maggie and I were renting at the time.
Then later on we all, including Maggie and me, moved back into Mother's and
Dad's burned out house.] -- Just the fun.
Everyone's saying -- May this year see Victory [in the war with Germany
and the war with Japan] and that's what we all hope in our hearts. May our
hopes be fulfilled.
I'm sitting here in my coat and kerchief just as I came in. It's not
cold in here, but it's plenty chilly. My hands aren't cold so it's not as
cold as it usually is.
Honey, I'm going to sign off for now and hit the sack. I'm so sleepy my
eyes just won't stay open.
Goodnite, darling
Don't forget I love you
[Maggie wrote all over the rest of the page in short hand and then in
English:]
Happy New Year, honey [also in short hand]
I love you [also in short hand]
Maggie [also in short hand]
Don, I love you v
. [also in short hand]
I love you [also in Latin and Spanish]
Maggie Terrell and D
[also in short hand]
P.S. Honey, Howard [Haskins] has pneumonia and he was awfully sick
Christmas day, but I think he's better now. I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you.
He and Bob Bays are awfully mad at each other.
2 Jan 1945 12:30 A.M. Tuesday Morning
And what a Tuesday Morning! The wind's howling and piling up the snow
like mad. We were going to the show tonite (Monday) and then Leon [Terrell]
went up to do inventory work [at the gas station in Cortland] and he just got
home at 5:00 so we didn't go to the show -- "Winged Victory". The visibility
on the roads are zero and it's supposed to get colder later on this morning.
Freezing ruts and snow into one icy mess. We're all wondering whether or not
there will be school. They announced 6 schools that were closed for tomorrow
at 11:00 tonite -- Scott, Manlius, and 4 others. But Virgil wasn't one of
them.
Well, honey, here I've been talking about the weather -- But I'm not
cold 'cause when I write you I get warm from the inside-out.
Jean's [Terrell] staying with me tonite. I'm getting spoiled again,
honey, 'cause when she isn't here I feel lonely as heck, and I'd just got so I
t
I was living alone and having to like it.
Say, Don Darling, I love you. I'm getting so I say "I love you" in my
sleep, but I always say it to you -- E
in my sleep! I do love you, honey,
so much that you probably never will realize how much, even after we're 100
and 101 years old and are celebrating our 83rd A
. [We are getting
there, Maggie.] I love you and every time I even hear Marine, Pacific,
MacArthur, Japan or Convoy -- my ears flag out just like Walter Bache's. I
feel sort of hungry for a little news from you but you probably aren't getting
any of your mail, either. It's a hell of a mess when I'm waiting and you're
waiting, too. It seems like they could get you guy's mail t
you, at least,
even if they didn't get yours to us. The worst part of this war, for
everybody in general, I guess, is the waiting. We wait for letters, news,
furloughs, and all the rest.
Honey, if you haven't before and you're able to write when you get this,
write and tell me about whether you got our miniature picture or not. If you
don't get it, I'll get another folder and picture and send it after I hear
from you.
As I said before -- I love you. I could write that a thousand-million
times and mean it twice as much every time. Those 3 words are the only ones
that express what I feel for you, dear. Not the only one, but the ones that
have the most meaning. Just -- I love you -- but when a person means it as
I do, it has more significance than a 1,000 word essay on the topic. It
probably sounds silly, but that's what I say, either out loud or mentally,
when I look at your picture. Sometimes I just say "Hello, Honey" but I mean -
- (just like I did on the phone) "I love you, always and a
the most."
And you sit there and sort of grin at me and I can remember exactly how you
looked and sat and felt that day we had the pictures taken.
Honey, could you squeeze my 5 x 7 picture in your sea-bag [I s
,
honey.] or did you have to "can" it in favor of an extra pair of shoes or etc.?
[I a
carried an extra pair of shoes and extra socks in my backpack or my
sea-bag. That was a m
for us Marines.] That's why I got the small one, so
you could always have me with you and so I could always be with you as much as
possible. [Y
, Maggie.]
Every day I hope you'll be able to see Bob [Terrell] and maybe have some
pictures taken (snapshots, I mean). I'd love to have something like that
'cause it makes you closer, somehow. If hoping has anything at all to do with
actual events, you and Bob will get to see each other. We've all been hoping
and hoping. Bob's going to be as disappointed as you if he doesn't see you.
He's been out there [in the Pacific War Theater] almost a year now, honey, and
that's quite a while. I hope he -- or most especially y
, won't be out
there another year. I hope all the boys will be home to celebrate next New
Years. That will really be a celebration! The whole United States will act
drunk, they'll be so happy.
Well, honey, I'm going to sign off and hit the S-A-C-K -- Sack!
My eyes are tired -- I've been knitting too much and too late.
Happy New Year, darling --- To Both of Us.
I love you -- Maggie
3 Jan 1945 2:17 A.M. Wednesday Morning
Here I am again, writing to you early in the morning. Tonite (Tuesday
nite) we were planning on going to a show -- "Winged Victory". Aydee and
Whit [Reynolds] called and wanted me to take them up -- somebody had given
them tickets so they rode up with us. -- Aydee, Whit [Reynolds], Jean
[Terrell], me, Clara, Leon, Dick, and Doug [Terrell] took Mary Mahar. -- 9 in
all. They really sat double in the back seat. It was one of those pictures
you always enjoyed, honey, only it wasn't so awful that I hated it. It was
the more gentle side of war. Only one guy got killed and one got hit but was
O.K., and 2 girls had babies (wives of 2 of the leading men). Ver-r-r-y
Interesting!
Honey, your little wife just about threw up her heels again this morning.
I ate lobster sandwiches and potato salad last nite and about 5 o'clock
Tuesday morning I got up and all of it went down the sewer pipe. I drank some
water and it came up, then I drank warm soda water so I could either settle it
or get the rest up, and the soda water came up all by itself but didn't bring
anything else with it. I took my time about getting up 'cause I felt weak
after wretching so much. I'm A-1 though now, honey, I guess I recover quick.
They [Mother and Dad] got 2 letters from Bob [Terrell] today and he said
he'd got an 8 page letter from you mostly about your furlough. He said he
lived through all of it e
the nites you spent with "Maggie". He said he
thought he ought to let you have them to yourself.
Say, honey, just how much detailed description did you go into about
those nites? You'll have Bob in the marrying mood if you do too much
describing -- at least if you had as much fun as I did those short 8 nites!
I wonder if everyone has as much fun on furlough as we did? Bob also said
take care of Maggie for Don and he'll take care of himself! W
does he
think I am, a helpless scatterbrain??? He may as well get over that idea
'cause I can take just as good care of myself as any woman in the U.S. So
there! [Yes, dear. You still can, dear.] Maybe he just means for them
[Mother and Dad] to keep the "wolves" away -- but I'm capable of doing that,
too, although I haven't met any wolves as yet, and don't expect to. -- And
even if I do meet any, they won't be able to interest me, 'cause I've got the
only "wolf" I ever wanted, or will want! -- Y
It's clear and cold out tonite, honey. The half moon is shining bright
and the snow is beautiful on the hills and slopes. It's piled up about 10 or
12 foot high on the road side up on the top of the big hill. It's not so bad
here, but it's quite solid and packed.
I just got through washing out -3 blouses
3 slips
2 panties
7 pr. stockings
Some wash, eh? Are you still washing clothes, honey? Maybe you guys
will appreciate the washings women do after you've done your own for a while.
I'll certainly appreciate having a
kept warm again, even if you don't
like my cold feet. Honey, last winter was the first year I've ever been
comfortable all night -- every nite!! I've always woke up every winter with
my feet hurting 'cause they were cold and I've woke up this winter from my
feet hurting, but last year you always kept me warm and comfy. [You're
welcome, dear.]
Well, honey, I'm going to B-e-d - bed and see if I can dream about you
and I so I'll maybe get a little loving, even if it's only in a dream.
Goodnite, honey, sleep tight and dream of us, too.
All my love and I d
mean a
I love you, you old farmer, you! [I love you too, dear!]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
3 Jan 1945 Somewhere? Somehow?
How is the world treating my honey bun today? If you feel as good as I
do you probably feel fine although I don't cherish the idea of being away from
you for any length of time. Instead of getting closer to you as I would like
very much, it seems that the distance expands hundreds of miles a day.
It is a bit harder to write letters now, honey, since there isn't
anything going on and if there were I couldn't tell you. I guess I won't be
able to do what Jean [Terrell] asked me to do over the telephone. It was
impossible to call you again from elsewhere so I guess I will have to be
content with your picture and your letters for -- God only knows how long.
As I said before, honey, I am having a wonderful time and getting fat as
a pig and will soon have a good tan again. Just think, honey, while you are
sitting around the stove to keep warm, I am laying out under the nice warm
sun, filling my lungs with cool, fresh air and reading a "Wild West" book.
Every so often we have seats to a fourth of July show at the expense of Uncle
Sam.
They have organized a small orchestra consisting of 1 small portable
piano; 1 cornet; 1 piano accordion; 1 trombone; 1 clarinet; 2 saxophones; 2-3
bongos, guitars, etc. and a ukulele. Every evening they organize aft and, led
by the Chaplain, play and sing favorite tunes requested by us. They help to
pass the time away although sometimes it makes us rather homesick.
We also read the daily news hot off the press. It is called the "Boom
News" and it even had the football scores yesterday. Even, like back home,
the scores were announced over the public address system before published.
Cups of ice cream are distributed 2-3 times a week, also 5 bars of candy. So
you can see, honey, your hubby is pretty well taken care of by Uncle Sam.
Every once in a while I get out your old letters and read them over again
which for some unknown reason sends me into long spells of daydreaming. I am
looking forward to getting your letters when I get someplace, somehow,
sometime. Please don't worry about me, honey, because as long as I can keep
my "bread belly" full I get along all right.
I don't know when you will get this letter but I will send it by air mail
so it hadn't ought to take too long after it is mailed. Keep writing, honey,
they will catch up to me sometime.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
4 Jan 1945 1:20 A.M. Thursday Morning
I just took a shower, washed my hair and set it, filed and "lacquered" my
fingernails and read a story while the polish was drying. I didn't mean to
stay up this late tonite 'cause tomorrow morning I'm going to take Clara
[Terrell], Gert [Matson], Grandma Matson and Mom [Lear] up to Lillian
Hutchings' for Home Bureau. I'm going to get the kids (Lear kids) dinner -at least mom's going to leave stuff and I'm going to put it on the table and
see that they get to school O.K. The Home Bureau is an all day meeting 10:30
to about 5:00.
Isabel [Hoose] came out this afternoon. She had a 3 weeks vacation from
Syracuse U. [University]. She came over here at noon and ate dinner
(unexpectedly) with Clara [Terrell] and I. She really came out to visit
school and stay at Dickinson's [Charles, wife and family on their old
"underground railroad" farm.] tonite, so she rode up to school with me and
popped into the office every so often, between visiting teachers.
It's funny how all the kids like to go back to their old school. I
certainly never hankered to go back, and here I am, spending half my time
there. [working as a secretary for the Principal]
Say, honey, "Parky" [Harold Parks] is being sent home. Medical
Discharge. He has Sugar Diabetes. He said they've done all they can for him
over there and he's got to get further treatment here in the States. Isn't
that heck? Poor Parky always had the bum breaks as far as I could see. He
always lost his girl and everything else. Just behind the 8-Ball, maybe.
Eloise [Hoose] hadn't heard from Bob Hoose [her husband] since Dec. 3rd
but your mother says Mrs. Hoose [Bob's mother] got a letter from him today -It's funny though, Isabel [Hoose, Bob's sister] didn't know it. She was
worried and I guess Eloise is too. Or was. I'm still not convinced that they
heard from him. Your mother gets the wrong dope, sometimes. Sometimes she
[Mother] puts 4 + 4 together and gets 8, I mean 1
. (I just can't get over
what they taught me in 2nd Grade!)
Do you remember all the good times we had on the Hoose farm? [We were at
Alvie Hoose's dairy farm that we had rented from him for a few months just a
few months after we were married.] I guess we got along O.K., honey, 'cause
all I ever remember are the good times we had. Riding in the trucks [Howard
Haskins' trucks that I drove], taking in oats that December day, Eating
pancakes and sausage when I should have been at Cortland Line [Company] (and
wasn't), Getting the bed all nice and warm and then dropping off to sleep and
waking up and being (not 10,000 miles), not even 1
of an inch apart,
and being able to kiss each other and start the day out right. Maybe that's
why we were never grouchy in the morning, honey, we always kissed each other
and g
or two before we got up and that put us in a
good humor. Even if the Milk man had to wait! And the cows, too.
Whenever other women are crabbing about their husbands being grouchy
mornings I can always say -- "My husband I
He's always sweet
and hugable in the morning -- Even if it's 3:30 in the morning! [No more
3:00 A.M. rises for us, honey.] I'll bet there aren't many women that can say
that, hon. Talking about mornings, reminds me of how soft and smooth your unhairy chest was, and brings a question to my mind ---Have you got any hair on your chest yet -- !!???? E
If you have, you'd better start shaving it off because I don't hanker for
a hairy-chested man!!!!
(Of course, honey, if you've got hair on your chest, even just "fuzzywuzzy", ha, ha, you can't help it and I'll still love you. I wonder if it
would tickle my nose, 'cause that's about where my nose comes.)
Goodnite, sweetheart. Sleep tite -- (Tight)
All these kisses are just for 9
U.S.M.C.R. [my serial number]
I love you. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X [That is a lot of kisses, honey.]
Did you get our pictures and my Christmas Card?
R.S.V.P This means in short "Please Reply".
4 Jan 1945
Dearest Pvt. Terrell--983241
Here it is, Thursday again! And as my employer is temporarily in Homer
to help Uncle Sam out in the way of fresh recruits, I have practically nothing
to do. So I thought that I would rattle off a little something to the husband
I like the best (out of the 500 that I have in my harem). Don't you wish you
had that many wives? I don't think you better wish that or I'll have Superman
just give me a ride out to your place of business and I'll really talk turkey
to you!!!!! Just the thought of having a bunch of women around makes me mad - SAY -- Who started this conversation, you or me? That's Right! I did, so
why should I be getting mad about something that I've concocted in my mind?
Well, honey, Dale [Lear] just came up and so I'm going to quit at 3:30
instead of 5:00 and go over home until time to go after mom and Clara
[Terrell] at the Home Bureau.
I'll write more tonite.
5 Jan 1945 12:55 A.M. Friday Morning
I wrote to Bob [Terrell] tonite before midnite. I wrote him 4 pages of
Air Mail Paper. I enjoy writing to him because I realize how much he likes to
get mail. And, of course, I like to get a letter from him, too, and he writes
back pretty prompt.
It's snowing lightly here tonite, dear. In the "porch" light the flakes
are all silvery and they just sort of float down. They're beautiful, but if
enough of them fall we'll soon be snowed in again. The snow is piled high
along all the roads, honey, and they (the County men) spend most of their time
pushing it back -- getting ready for another snowfall. LaFayette hasn't
opened their school, yet and I don't think they're having school tomorrow, so
you can imagine how it is between here and Syracuse. We have more snow now
than we usually have at the end of the whole winter and we have the worst 3
months (usually worst) to be snowed on yet. I don't know where they'll put
all the snow. There just isn't any place to put it in the city [Cortland],
and they will really be tied up if much more "frozen humidity" falls from out
the Blue -- I mean gray. It isn't too awfully cold out though, and that
helps a lot. The snow kind of banks the house, and windows and really sort of
insulates a house against the cold.
Say, Don, I thought about you brushing your teeth with shaving cream
yesterday and off and on I've thought of it and giggled about it for two days.
It wasn't so funny for you,. but I remember you sort of chuckled about it. It
was that "short" (damned short) Sunday morning before Train time, wasn't it?
It's funny, honey, but I know that even when I'm 80 years old, I'll be able to
remember every part of your furlough, maybe not in order, but every part just
the same. Remember how you got in a hurry when you heard the train whistle,
scrammed out and knocked your dress hat into the mud? You hated to get on it,
[the train] but you were scared to death you'd miss it. It will hit me funny
every time I see that hat fall into the slush, not because it was your dress
hat, I guess, but because I had to find something to laugh about. Didn't we
have fun, honey? Seven and 1/2 days and 8 nites of heaven. I never thought I
could be that happy, really, way down deep inside of me, as I was all during
that time. For that matter -- I didn't think I could ever feel so awful as I
did the Monday morning after you left Sunday. I can see now how people can
feel so bad that they commit suicide. I could have jumped in a d
river
that morning. It just seemed like I ached all over for you. It sounds silly,
but my arms ached every time I thought of holding you close. They actually
hurt, just wanting you so bad in them, and I felt sick and hopeless down
inside. As soon as I started getting your letters though, I felt better.
I'll be O.K., honey, though. -- Those feelings go if I get busy and rustle my
bustle like you do every day but Sundays. I don't feel like that now. I
guess everyone's common sense finally conquers their emotions, at least the
depressing ones. We just sort of talk ourselves out of feeling blue and it's
a good thing we can. All I do, though, is talk myself into loving you more
each day and nite and I'll never be able to talk myself out of it (as if I'd
try). I'll always love you more and more, and I hope you'll be feeling the
same, 'cause it's a heck of a feeling when the one you love doesn't love you,
as I found out about 6 years ago. (I was a Freshman a
so was good old Doris.)
[I was going with Doris Wavle then and even though I liked Maggie very much,
I did not love her as yet like Maggie already loved me.]
I'm enclosing a piece your dad had put in the paper. They got some of
the information he gave them all screwed up, but the picture's the real McCoy.
If you'll send it back, I'll save it for your scrapbook. O.K.? If you want
to keep it, don't send it and I'll see if I can't find another.
I'm going to sign off and read a wee bit, 'cause I'm not sleepy at all.
Here I go. -Goodnite, honey. I love you, [Maggie wrote short hand for Darling]
Darling-- X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
[Maggie then wrote short hand and then English for: Marines, Donald
Terrell a
, Maggie Terrell, Lynne Ellen Terrell]
Quite a nice family, don't you think? I know we'll enjoy them.
Honey, I got your allotment today and when I paid you're dad what I owed
him, I had exactly $8.00 left out of $50.00.
13.20 garage bill
15.00 January Rent
8.31 Insurance (Car)
Gas, alcohol [for car radiator]
41.51 Some Total, eh what?
I've got to find out about your insurance that you paid up until December.
[life insurance]
6 Jan 1945 12:10 A.M. Saturday Morning
I've got a surprise for you tonite. I'm writing to you in a house a
across the road from Uncle Bob's [LeRoy] house. Whose house?? No --- No --No!!!! [I give up, honey. Whose house is it?] It's just Hoose's house, you!
[Mr. and Mrs. Alvie Hoose] They moved from Summit Ave. and now they live on
R.D.#3 Cortland. Isabel [Hoose] called today and asked if I'd like to spend
the night with her and I said sure, so here I am. Eloise [Hoose] is staying
here tonite and she's writing to Bob [Hoose] over across the room. Eloise,
Isabel, Miss Sharpe, Myrtie Ives and I just got back from a show. Your dad
and mom and all the kids [Terrells] were there, too. Then we went to the
Chocolate Shop and I had one of those Banana splits we love, and now I'm
writing to my best boy friend. [Who is he, honey?]
Honey, tomorrow I'm going to the Hospital and see where I have to go and
what I have to do to get the free training so I can be a nurse, and be a
little help in this mix-up. I don't even like to think of Defense Plants, and
if I learn to be a good nurse I'll be a better mother for Lynn and Donnie.
[our planned for future children] I promise I w
go into it if there are
compulsory nursing periods like 3 years or something like that. I won't get
tangled up in something that I can't get out of the minute I hear you're
heading for home. I'm going t
every angle of it, honey, and then make
up my mind. If I can be of some help to all the boys that need nurses so
badly, I'll figure it's the best thing I can do. I think Nurses are far more
necessary than Marines [women], WACS or WAVES [women service people]. They
have broadcast over the Radio that they've sent 11 Divisions over-seas w
any Nurses and that's bad. Nurses are more apt to be in the thick of things,
too, and I guess I'm as bad as you are when it comes to wanting to be really
in things. You want to consider this proposition, honey, before you turn
thumbs down on it. Promise? O.K. Now, don't forget.
I left orders, he he, with Doug [Terrell] to put Pooch [our dog] in the
cellar [at their house] so he wouldn't freeze and to look at the fires [in our
house] in the morning. I got a big bucket of coal so he'd be sure and put
some on the fires. It was starting to blow out home when I left.
Isabel says "Hello" to you. She's writing a letter, too [probably to her
brother Bob in the European War Theater who later was killed just as the war
was ending].
This house is the second one from Groton Ave. on the left hand side of
the road as you go toward South Cortland. It's the big white house with the
sun porch on the side and barns out in back. Uncle Bob's [LeRoy] house is
kitty corner across the road. -- Here's what I mean -[Maggie drew a map of the streets, the airport, Uncle Bob's house and
Hoose's house and then wrote: "This is where I am." Then Isabel wrote: "I'm
here, too."]
[Note to our children and grandchildren a
great-grandchildren a
greatg
-grandchildren: Uncle Bob's and Aunt Pauline's house and garage are no
longer kitty corner across from the former Hoose house now. Uncle Bob's house
and garage were moved over to Groton Ave. by the Airport.]
Well, Izzy's [Isabel Hoose] ready for bed and I just can't seem to think
of any more to write so I'm going to bed too.
Bob [Hoose] has sent home a lot of souvenirs. A German Flag, bayonet,
knives and other German personal equipment -- a helmet and goggles that they
presume belonged to a Motorcycle guy, a pack of German cigarettes and a small
magazine just packed full of pictures of the "Paper Hanger -- Schickelgruber"
Adolph [Hitler] to you.
Goodnite, Honey. Sleep Tight. I love you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
6 Jan 1945 South Pacific
I just got through with another rough and tumble free-for-all with a
couple of my bunkmates which leaves me rather tired out and sore. After
fooling around for quite a spell the two of them got me pinned down and tied
both feet and hands spread way apart to the bunks. Then they proceeded to do
whatever they wished to me without me being able to stop them. We had a lot
of fun, got a good sweat up, a good appetite for supper and all of us were
left laying around quiet on our sacks, daydreaming about home.
After reading your letters over again for about the fiftieth time I
grabbed my pen and writing paper and, lo and behold, here I am writing to my
honey. I have already sent one letter to you and one to Dad, Mother and the
kids into the censoring room both of which have probably been censored and are
ready to mail by now. When I finish this letter to you, honey, I guess I will
write a few lines to your folks. There isn't much to write them but maybe
they would like to hear from me anyway.
I have devoured more books on this trip across than all I have ever read
or ever will read. Just before we left, the Red Cross sent cases and cases of
donated books to us and they have been constantly changing hands ever since.
Every place you go you see fellows with their faces stuck in a good novel or a
group of fellows deeply involved in a fast card game. Everyday, while waiting
in the long, slow line for chow, I take a good murder mystery along and waste
no time in solving the problem of "Who killed Jack Robin?".
There are several men who fortunately are gifted with the craft of hair
cutting. I don't mind telling you, honey, that they are making a good sum of
money at it, too. I will confess that I had my "crop" of hair cut "to the
bone" again. I think that you will agree with me that it is the best way to
have it in this hot climate. Of course, I intend to let it grow out again
before returning to the States.
Did you get my last letter to you from Tent Camp? I mean the one with
the $5 money order in it from Uncle Bob and Aunt Pauline [LeRoy]? I nearly
didn't get to send that letter but I gave it to a "jeep" driver just before
shoving off to mail for me. I got a good leather pocket book from F & AM
[Mason's] Cortland Lodge with a "Christmas greetings" card. I didn't get a
chance to write them a thank you card but will sometime. Say, honey, please
write or telephone the Cortland Standard office and give them my latest
overseas address. They never did get it while I was in Tent Camp and all the
papers were going to Parris Island before getting to me.
Gosh, honey, I guess it will be four weeks or more from the time you get
my last letters until you get these. That is a long time, honey, but I know
you won't be too anxious because you know why. Boy, I can't wait until your
letters catch up with me later on for I am going to have a swell time reading
them all.
How is Pooch [our dog] coming? I'll bet he is practically a full grown
dog by now. Has he killed any more chickens? Well, anyway, it shows that he
is a smart dog when he fills his belly with fresh chicken instead of dog food.
Has Vunk brought the rest of the coal yet? Don't forget what I told you about
always keeping a small supply of wood and kindling in the coal shed so it will
be dry when you need it.
Your picture keeps telling me that you love me so all I can say is I love
you, too!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
7 Jan 1945 12:15 A.M. Sunday Morning
Yes, I'm staying all nite at Izzy's [Isabel Hoose] and I borrowed her
paper so I could write you a little.
Maybe you'd like to hear what we've been doing all day. Last nite we
came to bed about 1:30. We turned off the light and started talking and we
heard Alvie's [Hoose] alarm go off at 5:00 [A.M.] and we were still talking.
We talked about the war (just to be different) and the Bible and different
Countries. I don't think we talked about people only once or twice -- as
gossip, I mean. We dropped off while we were talking, I guess and we got up
about 12 or 12:30. We ate dinner and tried to start Eloise's and our car, as
they wouldn't start earlier in the morning for Eloise and Alvie. It was so
cold they wouldn't start, so we went up the road and across the road to that
new "West End Garage" and got them to tow us. Our car started so Isabel and I
went downtown to shop. We went up and saw about Cadet Nursing [at the
Cortland Hospital] -- and I don't imagine I'll ever get in. You have to have
Chemistry, 2 years of Foreign Language (the only requirement I meet) and
Algebra, so I'll never join. About 5:30 we went to the "Vic" [restaurant] and
had toasted cheese sandwich and a chocolate milk float (Milk Shake with Ice
Cream floating on top). [Now called a "Boston Milk Shake".] Then we went to
the Temple [theater] and saw "Hi, Beautiful" and "The Leather Burners" which
starred Hopalong Cassidy and Gabby Hayes. T
we went to Marion- Margarets
[ice cream store] and had a beautiful Banana Split, and started home. We
arrived safely and now I'm in bed writing. We're going to Church in the
morning. And we t
to the show "Frenchmen's Creek" (a v
good picture)
tomorrow afternoon. And by tomorrow nite I'll be home in our bed writing you.
I think I'll have got my blood rid of all riotous notions by tomorrow nite,
and I'll be able to settle into the old routine without a squawk.
Well, hon, I'm going to sign off. -By the way, Izzy and I are going to write Lawrence Lash a letter tonite.
We saw his mother downtown and she said he wasn't getting much mail so we're
going to cheer him up a bit -- I think! If I don't go to sleep first.
Goodnite -- I love you -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
7 Jan 1945 South Pacific
Well, here I am writing another letter but I have no idea what to say.
How about talking about the weather, Huh? It is a warm day with the sun
shining brightly through a clear sky. A light cool breeze goes by every so
often, just enough to keep the sun's rays from getting too hot. Back home it
is snowing lightly and the sun is fighting desperately to pierce it's way
through a few low hanging clouds. There isn't any wind but the air is brisk
and cuts into your lungs like ginger ale.
Now that you have heard the latest weather broadcast let's talk about you
for awhile. Have you gotten stuck in the snow yet? How is the old car
running, has it frozen up any yet? Oh yes, I forgot, honey, we were going to
talk about you weren't we? Well, how are you? Yes, I know you are feeling
fine but how are you getting along with your secretarial work? I always
thought I was a better typist than you but I didn't want to hurt my little
lamb's feelings by telling you so.
Say, young lady, you had better have those curtains hung by now instead
of fooling around knitting mittens. What do you think I am paying you for
anyway? Have you finished the mittens?
When the gong rings it will be exactly 1330 -- Gong! Turn on the radio
so we can hear the latest news, honey. Did you say you bought a new radio or
had the old one fixed? How about driving down to Timer's [Davis] and getting
a couple quarts of ice cream and a couple bottles of ginger ale and we'll make
some sodas? What do you mean, you aren't hungry? We haven't eaten for 30
whole minutes -- I'm starved! You know, honey, I never did tell you that I
took out a life insurance policy secretly just before I married you, did I?
Why? Gosh, gal, do you expect me to put my life in your hands by eating your
cooking without life insurance?
If I write much more of this chatterbox talk I'm afraid the censors will
be on my neck for inhuman cruelty to dumb animals. Just yesterday they hung a
poor fellow at sunset just because he wrote his girl that he loved her and
told her a few more things. So you see that I am taking my own life into my
hands just to tell you I love you and that you are the best doggone wife this
side of Mars.
Don't forget to bank the fire before hitting the sack.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
How's my little lamb pie tonite? I'm going to stay over here with Jean
[Terrell], tonite.
I went to Church this morning with Isabel and Mrs. Hoose and then this
afternoon we saw "Frenchman's Creek". It was good, honey. In fact, it was so
good I almost died because you weren't there. -- Especially to give me a
little loving after the show. Boy! What a picture it was.
I'm sending 3 pieces of Dentyne [gum] in this envelope. I hope you get
them O.K. They're good 'cause I've had one of them.
It was nice and clear out this afternoon but quite cold. I hope it warms
up some tomorrow.
Hayden [Olmstead] fell about 10' out of the silo the other day and hurt
his back. He's in bed and his back is swelled up. He can't urinate very much
and his bowels don't move at all. Dr. Munson had Dr. Ryan called in because
he thought X-Rays should be taken. Ryan says no broken ribs but he's not sure
whether his back is movable to the Hospital or not with the road as bumpy and
slippery as it is. They're going to leave him where he's at for about 3 days
and see what happens. [Before Maggie and I were married, Hayden fell out of
the silo and broke his wrist and couldn't milk his cows so I went over and
helped him with his chores until he was better. That made two times that I
know of that Hayden fell out of his silo. Grandchildren, Grandpa climbed m
silos, m
times when I worked on farms while I was growing up and luckily
didn't fall once. But I was younger then and Hayden was o
then. No,
Grandchildren, Grandpa is not going to climb any silos now at 68 years old.]
Vernon Bell, I guess you know him (I don't) is Missing in Action over
Germany and Carol [Olmstead} had a letter written in pencil from Warren
[Nelson Warren who she later married] and he's O.K. She called Wilna
[Olmstead, her mother] and told her about it this morning -- She got the
letter last nite.
Honey, I love you. I hope I get a letter from you tomorrow, but I'm not
c
on it. Probably you'd like to send a letter tomorrow, too and maybe
you can't yet. [I was still aboard ship heading overseas.]
That Tarpley [Maggie and I do not remember who he was.] fellow is
expecting to go. He's all packed etc. His wife is with him or else just come
back from being with him.
I'm going to sign off, honey and go to bed. I'm awfully sleepy, and my
head aches something wicked.
Goodnite, Dear Sleep Tite and dream of me -- I love you with all of me 8 Jan 1945 11:15 P.M. Monday Evening
I still haven't heard from you, dear, but for once in my life, I can
really say I'm being patient (there isn't any use being otherwise.) I'm just
waiting and hoping, every day, that I'll hear from you. I feel that you're
O.K. and not especially in great danger -- But often feelings are far from
right. Darling, I'm praying that you're not going right into the thick of it,
but I realize you're more apt to, than not to.
I hope you're getting my letters, even though I'm not getting yours. I'm
wondering if you got our pictures and my Christmas card -- I hope so, honey,
'cause our pictures are good. I tried to get film for my small camera the
other day and the fellow said they hadn't had film for 2 months and they
didn't expect a
more. I suppose it will not be here, -- but in the War
fronts, taking reconnaissance pictures to save our men's lives, and win the
War quicker.
The Creek by the Town Garage (by Orrin Pond's) has overflowed and frozen,
and Doug and Dick [Terrell] went skating tonite. I wanted to go but I didn't
have the ambition. I may go tomorrow sometime, though, if it doesn't thaw and
spoil it.
They [Mother and Dad] got 2 letters from Bob [my brother] today, and Dick
got one for himself -- so altogether they got 3 from him today.
I haven't told you how much I love you.
"Cause I really do love you,
honey, and I miss you all the time. I'll feel much better when I get a letter
from you and you tell me you love me. It's just like kissing you -- I can
feel that you really love me.
Robert Hoose sent home a little magazine titled "London Humor". It had a
cartoon in it -- a woman in a Maternity Ward was holding a v
black baby.
It shows the Nurse turning and saying to the Dr. -- "She blames it on the
Blackout". Of course, anyway you take it, it's good for a little laugh, but
taking it at it's worst is funniest. After all, How could she know what color
it's pappy was, if it was very, very black in the black-out?
I'm going to knit a little I guess, dear, and then climb into bed and
catch myself a snooze. So Goodnite, dear, and don't worry about me not
getting any mail, as long as you're getting yours. I'll be O.K. as long as I
realize why I'm not getting letters. It's O.K., honey, we'll make up for all
this with a little tacked on for a special celebration the minute that 6
months is up. [Maggie means "Duration of War plus 6 months". Actually I was
in longer than that.]
Goodnite, Honey --- I love you!
10 Jan 1945 12:05 A.M. Wednesday Morning
It's getting colder and colder here tonite, and it's supposed to be
colder yet tomorrow.
I stayed at mom's after school and went over to school to a movie "Gunga
Din". Then I heard that Evalyn [McGuiness] and Ned [Hayes] were looking for
me, so I tore right out to see what they wanted. They wanted to go up town
and watch them bowl so I went. We came home early and as Wayne [Lear] had to
take Chub Dalley home, I stopped at mom's and rode home with Wayne. The house
was quite chilly but I'm warm. I'm sitting here in your chair by the fire,
with my feet up on the coal scuttle because it's quite cold on the floor.
Tonite is one of my bad nights -- I can't think of anything to tell you.
-- I didn't get a letter, and they [Mother and Dad] didn't hear from Bob
today. And o
I love you. You're still my one and only, and always
will be. But that's about all I can think of right now. I'm hoping to get
maybe a card tomorrow. I'm going to knit on my mitten just a minute and then
hit the sack. I'm quite tired, I've only had about 6 hrs. sleep (apiece) the
last 2 nites.
Honey, just keep on loving me, won't you? I'm loving you -- A
We'll really have fun -- us and our off-spring, after this blasted
thing's over. We'll all be together and happy!! Yeah man!
Goodnite, dearest -- Sleep tight and Hug me tight in O
Dreams!
All my Love -10 Jan 1945 11:55 P.M. Wednesday Nite
It's been very cold here today, but it hasn't blown or snowed, Thank God!
If it had we'd have frozen for sure. The lowest temperature was supposed to
have been in Canton, N.Y. (lowest of New York State) 16 degrees below zero. -But -- Howard [Haskins] claims it was 20 degrees below here when he started
out on his milk route, and I believe him 'cause it certainly was cold!
Don, Reports have been on the radio about the American Landing on Luzon.
I heard one reporter say there were 3 Marine Detachments aboard his ship.
Were you one of the Marines that participated in that landing? Honey, I just
think that you're there because just about enough time has passed for you to
be there. You'll probably think I'm silly, telling you this, but Charles
(Chuck) Heffron is at Manila in Camp No. 1 -- or at least, he has been. I
don't think they'll let those Prisoners of War be freed. I think they'll kill
them rather than have them freed. If you're there, and have a chance, see if
you can find him. If you're on Luzon, honey, please just write and say "I'm
looking for Chuck Heffron". If you don't want me to tell even o
(including your folks and mine) add "alone". If you want me to tell your
folks say "with another bunch". O.K.?
I haven't heard from you yet, but maybe I will within a week, I hope so,
anyway. It will seem good to talk to you again, honey. It's been 3 weeks
next Saturday since I heard from you. We got letters the other day from Bob
[Terrell] dated Dec. 28 and 30 and he hadn't seen you yet, so I know you spent
Christmas without him. I was sorry that you couldn't be together on Christmas
Day. Maybe, though, you got tight together on New Years! [Why, honey, you
know Bob and I don't drink.] Who knows? I hope you get to see Bob, anyway,
honey. [Grandchildren. By coincidence, while Grandma was writing this letter
to me, my brother Bob had spotted me out of 4,000 other Marines coming into
Tent City, a Transient Center next to Pearl Harbor on the Island of Oahu. So
Bob and I d
get to see each other for a few days before Bob was sent out
again heading towards other Pacific War Theater islands and finally Japan.] I
just hope he doesn't try to give you all the advice he's been saving up for a
year!! I'll bet you still don't hanker to have someone tell you what to do
and how to do it! [Bob was my o
brother.] I'm afraid that before this
damned war is over, you'll be able to give Bob more advice about taking care
of himself than he'd be able to find out for himself -- ever! These guys
that think they know all about the war burn me up! Always shooting off about
taking care of somebody, or something. Someday after the war I'll tell them
what I think of their "fatherly" advice. I can still take care of myself and
I don't like Bob thinking that I can't. You'd think I was only about 10 and
didn't know nuts from bolts and I'll bet I could tell him a thing or two! He
must think I just couldn't get along without your father and mother and he's
crazy! [Now, now, honey, don't go getting your dander up. My brother, Bob,
loved you very much and only wanted Mother and Dad to look after you while I
was gone.] I've been scorching inside for a while because everyone thinks I'm
a poor little helpless thing. I'm afraid I'll show them yet! If things don't
change as far as the war goes by next June and July, I'm going to change a few
things for myself.
Enough of that bitching! I shouldn't say those things anyway, and I
haven't to anyone before and I won't again. [It is too late, honey, you
already did. And I just put it into the computer and on paper for a
to see
50 years after you wrote it to me. Now, aren't you ashamed of yourself,
honey? However, you d
prove to a
of us that you c
take care of
yourself and I love you all the more for that!!!]
Say, Donald Terrell, do you love me? [Yes, dear.] You'd better and you'd
better tell your darned old C.O. [Commanding Officer] to let you write just a
line or two to me just so I'll know you love me. [Yes, dear.] I'll still be
loving you, honey, even if I don't hear from you in two months! Don, have you
heard the song "Make-Believe"? It's quite popular and I learned the words
because they say just the things I'd like to, to you. I'm going to write them
-- below! -- you don't have to read them, but see if they aren't pretty
accurate.
I'm making-believe that you're in my arms,
Though I know you're so far away -Making Believe I'm talking to you -Wish you could hear what I say!
And here in the gloom,
lonely room,
We're dancing like we used to do,
Making-Believe is just another way of dreaming,
So till my dreams come true,
I'll whisper "Goodnite", turn out the light,
And kiss my Pillow -Making-Believe it's y
Don't those words hit the right idea, honey? At least, they do
c
for me!
Be Good!! [I did. I was. A
I still will!]
I love you [I love you too, Margaret Ellen Lear Terrell!!!!!!!!!]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
10 Jan 1945
Have met Bob [Terrell, my older brother, who was also in the Marines] and
am having a wonderful time. I was very happy to meet him and he was the same.
Am feeling good and am looking out for good old Alma Mater. Hope you are
getting along okay, honey.
Have got to hurry now as the lights are going out in a few minutes. Bob
and I are going to celebrate and have some pictures taken of us. Hope to stay
here a while with him. Address is on envelope. Will write a good letter
tomorrow. Bob wants to write a few lines to you.
Hi Maggie -- Don is here with me and we are both pretty happy kids.
We'll have some good pictures taken for all of you. Don't worry -- he is
safe, feeling fine, and I'll look out for him while we are together. Be good,
honey!
[Note: Bob was temporarily stationed at Transient Center, next to Pearl
Harbor, on the island of Oahu, when he heard that we were coming over. Bob
was able to pick me out of 4,000 other Marines as we came into Transient
Center from a 21 day boat trip over from the east coast.]
11 Jan 1945
Didn't have much time to write you last night. Went to the show and
going again tonight. Sure was glad to be able to meet Bob [Terrell] and we
are going to make the best of our time together.
It is warm as heck here during the day and really cold at night. Have a
slight cold but getting over it. Am sorry I could not phone you from farther
on but you understand.
Bob and I wrote a letter together to Mother and Dad but they will get
theirs before you get this. Aren't arranged enough yet to take my mail. Am
looking forward to getting your letters soon. Will write more later, honey.
I love you!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
My appointment with your Dr. Howard [my dentist] is for 10:00 this
morning and I can't seem to get scared. Maybe I'm growing up or else it's
been so long since I've been to the Dentist's that I've forgotten how it
hurts. Another thing, Honey! Guess What? On the 'way back end of the right
hand side of my lower jaw. -- A Wisdom tooth is just breaking surface. Boy,
do I feel aged and Wise!! Imagine -- A W
Tooth! After all these years!
I didn't hear from you today, honey and I've began to worry a little, but
I'll be O.K. -- I mean I won't worry myself sick! Not for a day or two
anyway.
Tonite Dick [Terrell] went to C.A.P. [The Civil Air Patrol was
established in 1941 in the office of Civilian Defense. It organized and
directed the activities of volunteer civilian cadets from 13 to 21 years old
through workshops and training sessions some of which were held at high
schools. It also organized and directed the activities of adult volunteer
civilian airmen using their own aircraft and equipment for wartime tasks. The
C.A.P. was transferred to the War Department in 1943 as an auxiliary of the
Army Air Forces. In 1946, Congress chartered it as a nonprofit private
corporation. The C.A.P. became a civilian auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force in
1948.] Clara and Leon [Terrell] took him. Jean [Terrell] went to Choir
practice so Doug [Terrell] and I went skating and am I going to be stiff
tomorrow! I didn't fall down once, but my legs are pretty tired . I feel so
old, honey, that I'm ashamed of myself. I'm going to go skating etc. more
often. I'll be damned if I'm going to be a softie just because I'm over
sixteen. [Yes, dear. You were all of 19 1/2 years old w
back then. How
come you and I are s
riding bikes 4 miles nearly every day at 68 years?]
I have one of my mittens done except for the thumb. Ain't that
something? It won't take me long to get the other one finished you can bet!
If you were in Germany where it's cold I'd send you some mittens so you
wouldn't freeze.
It's warmed up a little here. It's only about 12 degrees above tonite
but that's warm compared with what it has been. It was pretty here today. If
the snow hadn't been on the ground it would have been exactly like summer -Blue Skies and a bright sun and white fleecy clouds.
Darling, do you still love me tonite? If you were here I'd really cuddle
tonite. Honey, when I think of all the years we have yet to be able to be
together -- eat and have fun and sleep together I feel good all over! [How
about 50 years and holding?] I know we can stand depressions, Doctor bills
for kids and everything if we're just with each other. It's this being apart
that makes everything seem so difficult. People like your Mother and Father - and mine have had tough going at times but they've always had each other -Never been apart for more than 3 weeks at a time. They realize (almost) what
it means to both of us to be so far apart. Do you know that it's been 5
months the 25th of this month since you went? It would have seemed a long
time if we'd been together and it has been apart, but some how it hasn't had
any meaning. I look back on it and it's just a blank space (except for your
furlough) with me just existing, not really living. I pray it won't be very
much longer but no one knows, for sure. Things look good today, but tomorrow
we're apt to get slapped back again. [on the war fronts] It seems like I just
hold my breath in between "News-casts" because I'm afraid the tide will shift
again and keep hoping that things will keep going our way.
Harold Vunk said he'd bring the coal either this Friday or Saturday for
sure. If he doesn't, I'm going to get very, very mad because I'm down to the
floor boards in the coal-shed. This cold weather has played hell with
everyone's coal supply.
Bobby Snyder was in school today. He's a Sailor now and he's a cute
looking Sailor, too. He just finished 10 weeks training at Sampson Naval
Base. Kenneth Ticknor [Maggie's old boy friend] is at Camp Meade, waiting for
orders to ship out. He fires Mortars and he's going over after about 4 months
training, too. (Aug. - Dec.) It just goes to show that with good material
the head gazinks can really produce good soldiers and Marines in j
4
months! Look at Tic and you for excellent examples of this statement.!
Well, honey, I've got to get up early so I'm going in our bed and hit the
sack. It's now 0012 C.W.T [12:12 A.M. Central War Time] and 0112 E.W.T. [1:12
A.M. Eastern War Time Maggie's time] 2312 Mountain W.T. [11:12 P.M. Mountain
War Time] and 2212 [10:12 P.M.] Pacific War Time. [Hey! How about what time
it is where your husband is? That is if you knew where he was.] S
, I'm
going to "turn in" and see if the sandman will serve me up a few dreams about
my honey and me. Goodnite, dear -- I love you --- With all My Love
12 Jan 1945 11:40 P.M. Friday Night
This is just a letter from a Brave Marine's B
wife. At least, Dr.
Howard seems to think she's brave. Two fillings and never a squawk!! They
didn't hurt much at all, though, honey, or he'd have known what I meant when I
told him I was a sissy. I had the big cavity between my front tooth and the
side one filled and the one b
my front teeth where a filling just came
out. It cost $6 for 2 fillings, because they're front ones, I guess. He said
if he were me, he'd let that bad back tooth go, as long as it didn't pain me,
and fill the cavities in teeth that were better. So I made an appointment for
February 2, at 10 A.M. He's a good dentist, honey. I think he's more gentle
than others I've gone to. I was thinking today how many Dentists I've gone
to. Dr. Ensign at Dryden, Dr. McKean, Dr. Gilfoyle and Dr. Howard. Some
bunch, huh?!! I feel brave and fine tonite! I didn't get scared as much as I
usually do, this morning, either. I don't even feel afraid about February 2.
Maybe I've got more guts than I give myself credit for. I hope so, anyway.
I went up with Leon [Terrell] this morning and we got stuck over here on
the flat and Leon and John Matson put the chains on in the snow. It was so
bad that I called Prof. [Hagadorn] about 11:00 A.M. and they were just closing
school. So I went to the show and tried to help Leon a little by pumping gas.
Your mother has a very peculiar idea about my pumping gas. She said to Leon
"You won't have any customers left, letting a woman pump gas." Wasn't that
encouraging? It makes me feel like wearing my slacks and going up and help
a
day tomorrow!! Ain't I a stinker?
I wish I could hear from you, dear. Probably by the time you read this
I'll be getting mail all right, so don't worry.
I'm going to clean tomorrow. Thoroughly! And Good -Wayne [Lear] just stopped and we've been talking. He just took Emma Lou
[Mespell] home from a Game [basketball] and a Mixer [dancing].
Honey, when you come home let's go to Games and Mixers and keep having
fun with the kids. We didn't go to them at all last year. What do you say?
Mary Leah Saltsman is engaged to a Tully [New York] Farmer, Robert Haynes
-- the same guy she's been going with all the time [and later married].
It's not too much colder out, dear. It isn't blowing or snowing and
that's something! I hope it's nice for a while. We have just one Snow Day
left [at school] -- Then we start losing days on Easter Vacation. Ain't that
hell?
I got an American Magazine today with a story of some of the screwy
things the Japs do right in shooting distance of our Marines. Dancing,
parading and everything until they're shot down.
They're really raising hell in the South Pacific now, honey. Maybe you
know more about it than I do, but I'll tell you just in case you don't.
Mrs. Shenfeld got a letter from her husband in France today. About 8
pages long. -- He only writes once a week. I think I'd rather get a page or
two every couple days instead. Remember that if you're in doubt.
Honey, I'm going to look at the American for a few minutes and then hit
the sack. O.K.?
So Goodnite, Honey. [Maggie wrote: "I" in shorthand. "love" in
shorthand. "you" in short hand. Then shorthand for "I love you" and then said
"in other words":] I love you! With All My Love And then some ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
12 Jan 1945
Bob and I went to the show again last night. It was a fairly good
technicolor Arabian drama called "Kismet". I had him going for an hour or so
before that by showing him a few of the card tricks I picked up. He showed me
a lot of souvenirs and pictures he has collected. We are going to gather all
we can and make a scrapbook after the war.
Some of our mail came in last night and we went down and got it. I had
14 letters so far, the latest letter from you was dated Dec 30. Thanks a lot,
honey, for writing me every day and also for the nice Christmas card. The
pictures haven't come yet but I expect them in a few days. Don't forget to
send your letters airmail, honey. It will cost a little more but it will be
worth it for you and me both. (6 cents overseas)
They are filling out pay forms now so we are expecting to get paid
tomorrow or the next day. Don't worry about my war bonds because it is apt to
be a couple months yet before they come. You see they didn't start taking out
until Oct. and it takes 3 months for a bond.
Just as soon as we are out of quarantine and I get liberty, Bob and I are
going out and get pictures taken and see the sights. We will order seven
pictures, one for each one of the family and Bob and us. I can't tell you how
happy and lucky we are to be able to meet and see each other for a while.
I was sorry to hear about Toby [George and Daisy Lear's dog] getting run
over. The guy that did it without stopping ought to get a good going over.
He [Toby] was getting old though so maybe it was better for him. Glad to hear
about Lester M. [McHerron] and Ted H. [Harris]. We, Cortland County, have
been fairly lucky so far but Bob Lockey was quite a blow to both Bob T.
[Terrell] and me. Keep the home fires burning, darling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
Well, how are you this fine Sunday Morning? I wish you were here and we
could sleep late this morning -- eat waffles, sausages, maple syrup, coffee,
tea for me and just read funnies 'till about 3 or 4 P.M. Then get in the car
and visit someplace for awhile, or maybe go walking, swimming or skating.
Come home and eat and then go to the show tonite about 8:00. Could we afford
to get a couple banana splits at Marion-Margarets? Gee, that's good. I'd
like one -- maybe two. I'll bet you could eat 4 of them, couldn't you?
Honey, today your wife rode Joe (the big pony) to the store and back. I
only galloped him twice. The stirrups were too low and I didn't feel
comfortable at all. I can see why cowboys would be bowlegged. My knees feel
like they both point out, not straight ahead.
I got out my Marine application blanks etc. tonite and I think that's
what I want to do. I can't till next July and if something different happens
before then, I won't enlist. If you're still away and things are much the
same as now, I'll be able to enlist without many hold-backs. What fun we'll
have, honey, as soon as you come home! It will be like getting married a
3
time!
Until then, honey, here's all my love for you to keep. In fact you can
keep it a
! Not just for the Duration plus 6 months.
Goodnite, honey
I love you
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
14 Jan 1945
Another day and the world's still going around. One more day and I still
love you. The end of another day and the beginning of another letter. Here's
hoping these days go by with great speed until we can be together again.
I finally got my other decayed tooth out, honey, but I had to spill a big
yarn to do it. Bob and I gave them a big story -- that it was nearly killing
me with pain, bothered my training and that I was shoving off any day. Of
course, none of this was true but it served the purpose and I got an emergency
operation which left me minus one tooth.
Bob and I attended church this morning which was very good. Services
were held in the outdoor theater accompanied by a Marine orchestra and choir.
We are planning on seeing the picture "Dragon Seed" this evening and going on
liberty tomorrow from 0900 to 1800. We are supposed to get liberty every
fourth day -- 25% getting liberty every day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
I just got back from the show "Hollywood Canteen". I went with Wayne
[Lear] (1), Emma Lou [Mespell] (2), Chubby [Rolland] Dalley (3), Tyke
[Raymond] Dalley (4) , Dorothy Spaulding (5), Dale Lear (6), Roger Lear (7),
Mom [Daisy Lear] (8) and I'm number 9. All in Dad's [George Lear's] Chevy.
We really made a car full. It was a darn good picture -- maybe you've seen
it already.
Well, honey, I've done as you said to in that letter you wrote 4 weeks
ago tomorrow. I've kept writing to you, even though I haven't heard from you,
and I'll keep right on writing -- just hoping that you'll get them so you
won't be quite so lonesome. But I keep hoping, every time I see the mailman,
that he will bring me a letter from you. Not necessarily with your new
address, but just a letter; something from you to me, bringing me your love,
as my letters take you all of my love. It will be 4 weeks tomorrow since you
wrote and four weeks Wednesday since you left New River [Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina], so it's been time enough so I should hear from you, if they let you
write. Maybe tomorrow will bring me a letter or a postcard. I hope so
anyway. To get a letter after this long will be better than Christmas. I'll
probably be so excited that I'll go around in a screw-loose daze for about a
week. Your letters always have made me happier than anything else. It's just
like talking to you, to read your swell letters and I always feel just like
I'd touched you, or kissed you. Of course, it isn't q
as good as the real
McCoy, but since kisses can't be sent Air Mail, a letter's really the nicest
thing that can happen.
Honey, Pooch [our dog] has grown so. His teeth are beautiful! Long,
pointed and pearl-white. I wish I had them. I'd bite you, sure as heck! He
doesn't bark much but has a good loud, ferocious-sounding bark when he thinks
it's necessary. He loves to run with the ponies when the boy's [Dick and Doug
Terrell] are riding them. He [Pooch], Tig and Gyp [Terrell's dogs] really
follow them. Up to Virgil [village about 1 mile away], mostly. That's about
the only time Pooch is gone is when he follows them. The rest of the time he
just runs and plays right around here. He'll love you when you come home, and
you'll enjoy him. He minds better than most dogs, and he can tell whether you
like what he's doing or not by the way your voice sounds when you speak to
him. Just to show you how smart he is -- when he was small I never let him
jump up on me when he was glad to see me and if he did, I slapped his nose
until he got down and acted like a nice doggie. Dick and Doug [Terrell],
though, slapped their chests when they wanted him to jump up. Well -- now he
jumps on them if they just look at him, but he won't jump on me at all. He
just shows he's happy by wagging his tail and wiggling. He'll jump on you,
too, because he'll know you won't care. If you cuff him a few times (if you
don't want him to), though, he'll stay down. He really has an appetite. He
eats everything in sight and then some.
It isn't very cold here tonite, honey, about 15 degrees, I guess. It's
not blowing or snowing so it seems really warm.
Honey, I'm sleepy. I guess I'll hit the sack. So Goodnite.
Say, Donegie, I love you. In fact -- I love you a lot!! A lot more
than I do anyone else. A lot more than I could ever love anyone else. Of
course, I'll love Lynne and Donald Jr. [our planned for future children]
because they'll be part of you, but I'll love them different. I'll love them
as a mother should, not as a wife.
Goodnite, dear. Dream of us ---All my Love
15 Jan 1945 11:00 P.M. Monday Nite
Maggie ---
I'm up home and I'm going to stay tonite. I'm going down in the morning
and fix my fires.
I went up to Aydee's [Reynolds] tonite and traded skates with her. My
skates are white and hers are black but I figure if I get a pair that fit me I
don't care what color they are. You see, her feet are wider than they were
when she bought her skates and my skates are so much bigger than hers that
they fit her perfectly. Hers are small enough so they really fit me. I think
I'll skate much better now. I'm going to try them first chance I get. I'll
probably fall on my behind about the first thing.
This cartoon is just a prophecy for what's in store for us in the future.
And don't ask me to open the door!!
It's snowing quite hard tonite, but it isn't too cold out. Mom and I
washed and finished just before noon. Then I went to work and I do mean work!
Prof. [Hagadorn] tells everyone but me that I'm v
Efficient. Isn't that
swell? Maybe I'll be a much better secretary when you come back than when you
left. Won't that be nice?
Say, honey, if I don't hear from you tomorrow I'm gong to call in the
F.B.I. on the case of "The Missing Husband", and as an added attraction also
"The Case of the Stray Letter". Maybe then I'd get a couple of nice, loving
letters. 'Spose so?
Well, I'm going to sign off and go up and sleep for a while.
'Nite, honey -- Pleasant Dreams -- All my love
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Don to Maggie]
16 Jan 1945
Well, honey, I let a day and a half slip by without finishing this letter
but I know that you won't care as long as I can make the best of my time with
Bob. Yesterday we had 3 poses taken and the proofs won't be ready until
Thursday. After we pick out the best proof and order about 20 of them, we
won't get them until another week after that. We did have 3 pictures taken
together that were finished while you wait. They only cost $2.75 for 3 which
we had taken just for the heck of it. Bob is sending them right home. One
for Mother and Dad, one for you and me and one for whoever wants it.
I got your six or seven letters last night and night before. Last one
dated Jan 8 with Dentyne gum in it. Thanks a lot, honey, I haven't had any
gum for over a month and still can't get any. You only need 6 cent airmail
stamps, honey, not 15 cents. Ha Ha.
16 Jan 1945
Replacement Battalion USMCR
Transient Center F.M.F. Pacific
c/o F.P.O., San Francisco, CA
I don't think you married such a bad looking egg after all, honey,
according to the picture I got of you and me together yesterday. Of course, I
can't compete with that beautiful wife of mine but even then I would have
three strikes on me before I started. It really turned out good, honey, not a
bad looking couple after all, if I do say so myself.
Say, honey, how about putting some of the natural skills of yours to work
and baking me a big batch of your delicious chocolate-chip cookies? Mix in a
few kisses, plenty of love, a couple hugs and I'm sure your honorable husband
would appreciate your efforts greatly.
If the censor disapproves of our mushing, honey, I am sure that he will
have a hard time making me change my tactics.
There isn't much to say except that I love you, so don't get your dander
up if my little woman doesn't get a letter every day. I think of you every
day anyway.
We saw the picture "Frenchman's Creek" last night. I agree with you, it
was a very sexy picture. Makes a fellow kind of day dream about his little
gal back home.
My address has changed slightly, honey. It is on the envelope. I have
not moved but just a few tents up further. I still see Bob every evening and
we go to the show or play games down at the Red Cross Club.
Yes, honey, there are 4 women who are at the Red Cross but they are not
nearly as good looking or impressive as my dear wife. Please, honey, don't
get any ideas about joining any service organization. You know their
reputation and I don't want my wife exposed to the poisonous bites of mankind.
Ha Ha
You can find a job of reasonably good pay close by to last during summer
vacation. Don't go staying in a big city, honey, because it isn't worth it
and I know you will have more fun right at home at a small job.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
17 Jan 1945 12:15 A.M. Wednesday morning
Here I am back down home again. It's a hell of a night out. 6" of snow
has fallen since Monday night about 8:00 P.M. and it's starting to blow -But hard! We won't have any school tomorrow, I know. I got stuck here in
Thiesen Hollow road tonite. I tried to turn in but the Plymouth kept right on
going towards your dad's house so I got off the road a wee bit and did I get
stuck! So -- I took my little coal shovel and dug a little 'fore and 'aft
and rocked the car a little 'fore and 'aft and then gunned it -- forward, and
now the car is in our front yard where I've kept it. I'll bet I don't get
back out, though. Your dad just got back from bowling, but he didn't get
stuck.
Prof. [Hagadorn] was laying even bets today (Tuesday) that the wind would
start blowing about 1:30 P.M. Wednesday afternoon and we'd let school out
early! I said there'd be no school at all Wednesday. That the wind would
start blowing by Midnite and we'd be snowed in by 8 this morning and boy, I've
hit the nail right on the head, so far. Prof. was just a little too late in
the day, that's all.
Honey, WAGE [radio station] announcer tonite said 9
inches of snow had
fallen in Syracuse so far this winter, and the worst months are yet to come!
It was 20 more inches than they usually have the entire winter. Ain't that
sumpin'?
If we don't have any school tomorrow, I'm really going to town here. I'm
going to really give things a physic -- A fast one! [cleaning the house].
Darling, I didn't hear from you again today and I just keep hoping that
the next-time I'll get some word from you. It's been a month today since you
wrote from New River [North Carolina]. I pray I don't have to wait another
month 'till I hear from you. That would be about 2 months too long to wait.
I'm also hoping that you're getting my letters O.K. 'cause that's why I'm
writing -- so you'll get mail and a lot of love every day! Are you getting
it? Well, all RIGHT!!!!
If you get all these letters at the same time you're going to have
reading enough to last you 2 months! 30 letters all at once! Imagine! Maybe
I'll get that many one of these fine, beautiful, snowy, windy, cold days. I
hope you've had a chance to write a lot of nice, "love-pitching-woo" letters!!!
About 60 of them would just fix what ails me just fine! 'Cause I'm plenty
lonesome -- that is -- me and my dog are. And we're only lonesome for one
thing -- Our M
! Or, at least, Pooch is lonesome for My M
! I'll bet he'd
jump all over you if you walked in that door right now. Of course, I'd sit
here, calmly, and say, "Well! Where have you been all this time???" -- Like
Hell! I'd probably get to you even before Pooch could -- He's fast but this
is one time when I'd be faster! Boy, I'd hug you, till you'd think I was a
small edition of Super-Woman! (and so would your ribs).
I've got to go get a pail full of coal and then I'll be about ready for
bed. Say, honey, I dreamed about you and Lynne and me last nite. We really
had fun! Wow! I'm going to see if we can get a return engagement for tonite
-- a double feature with us showing all nite long.
Goodnite Darling
Sleep tight
18 Jan 1945 10:05 A.M. Thursday Morning
I'm stealing a piece of Roger's [Lear] paper 'cause I got caught short.
I came up to skate [ice skate on the creek in the village of Virgil] last nite
and the car didn't work so I'm still here. Probably the g.d. fires will go
out but I'm quickly getting to the point where I don't give a damn.
I wish you were around so I could write and hear right away from you, but
since you aren't, I'll tell you what I think I'm going to do and you'll just
have to write back as soon as possible and tell me what you think. I won't be
able to wait that long, though, honey, to do what I plan so here goes.--I haven't told you before but the water has been frozen since I spent the
week-end at Isabel's [Hoose] -- 1 1/2 weeks [ago]. Leon [Terrell] had a man
thaw out the pipes (it's frozen under the ground between houses, so it's not
my fault it froze. It was below zero almost all the time I was at Isabel's)
last Saturday and they were alright from 12:00 noon until 8:00 P.M. that nite
and then they froze again. The way I figure it doesn't matter how many times
we have it thawed, it will freeze again as long as it's this awful cold. And
that ain't all, I have about 3 buckets of coal left, altogether, and Harold
[Vunk] says I'll just have to wait till they bring some up from Scranton [PA],
and he doesn't know when that will be. We've had so much snow that I'm snowed
in down there more time than not, and I have to get out some way to school [to
work as a secretary for Prof. Hagadorn, the principal]. The car has been in
the garage 4 times since Christmas and last night it still wouldn't work.
Here's the situation in a nutshell:
No coal, no water, no car, and
All snow!!
Darling, I hope you can understand what I'm up against. The coal yards
in Cortland won't sell coal to anyone. All they'll sell is "Coke" [soft coal]
so I'll just have to wait for Harold [Vunk] whether I want to or not.
I'm going to move our bed and one dresser (just the dresser) up here to
mom's [Lear's rented apartment in the center of the village of Virgil]. I'll
pay rent down there to your folks [Terrell] just the same, and I'll move back
the minute it gets warmer out. You see, honey, we've still got the worst 2
months of winter -- coming!! February and March. And I'm damned sick of
having no water, a car that won't work, and a cold house even when the fires
have been banked. [Banking a coal fire, grandchildren, means to shovel a ring
of new coal around the center of the burning, hot coals. Then, as the fire
"burns down" and the burned out coal turns to ashes, the "stock pile" of new
coal around the outside edges slowly falls into the center and automatically
"feeds" the fire for several more hours before it "burns out". Leaving a
small "hot spot" of "hot coals" in the center is very important. If you
completely "smother" the hot coals with new coal, then the very volatile "coal
gases" will not properly "burn off" and go "up the chimney". If these very
deadly coal gases cannot properly burn off, then they are apt to "build up"
under the pile of new coal and possibly cause an explosion. This could blow
the furnace (usually made out of cast iron) apart, spewing "hot coals" all
over the room and possibly setting the house on fire. That it also why it is
very important, when "banking a coal fire", to not make the ring of new coal
too high or it could "fall in" too soon or too fast and "smoother" the fire.
This could also cause the fire to "cool down" so far that the natural upward
"chimney draft" would "slow down" and not carry the gases up the chimney.
This was known as the "silent killer" in some homes where the "odorless",
deadly, unburned "coal gases" have been known to kill sleeping occupants.
That is also why more modern "natural gas" has a "man made odor" mixed in so
that we can detect any possible natural gas "leak".] The house gets awfully
cold while I'm at school and I about freeze until about 1/2 - 1 hour after I
get home.
So please don't have kittens about me moving for a while, honey. [I
won't, honey. I'll leave that to mother cats.] I'm not doing it because I
don't like living in our house but just so I won't have to spend a fortune on
the car and so your folks won't have so much trouble. When I get stuck
usually, I have to let Leon [Terrell] or someone pull me out. When the car
doesn't work Leon tows it uptown and has it fixed. When my water's frozen
[water pipes between the two houses] they [Terrell's] pay about $10 to have a
man come thaw it out. I haven't told them what I'm going to do yet, but I'm
going to tonite if I can get home.
Honey, just remember that as soon as some of this snow goes and the
thermometer goes up a ways, I'll be right back in our house. It's only 8
degrees [F] above and it's 10:20 in the morning. Darling, If I'd known this
winter was going to be the worst in years I wouldn't have wasted our coal or
been so uncomfortable as long as I have. I've just decided that it will be
this bad the rest of the winter and why should I walk to school, build fires,
waste coal for just me, and spend 50 or 60 dollars getting the car to go when
I can be here [with George and Daisy Lear] -- Walk to school, be near the
store, not worry all the time about fires and water pipes, and be able to
hitch a ride into Cortland anytime.
You've just got to understand, honey. [I do, Maggie, and I am very sorry
that I asked you to wait for me at our little house until I came back from the
service. I love you.] I've argued by myself for 2 pages trying to explain
and I think I've covered the subject thoroughly. [You did, honey, thank you.]
Just write back and give me one big O.K. and say that you understand [I do,
honey.] or else write and give me hell. I've just got to move for a while, I
can't help it.
So long, honey. I'll write tonite. I'm going to have Mr. Clarke [the
mailman] leave my mail here [at Lear's mail box] when I come up.
Say, honey, I love you.
Hello Darling - Honey - Darling - Sweetheart a
honey!!!
I received f
letters from you today and just a few words can't
describe how glad I was to get them! I was relieved, to hear from you. -- I
was glad to hear from you, and I was sad because your letters confirmed what I
knew, that you were going farther away every minute. I wish that I could be
with you and experience the things you are -- the sea, ships with waves
slapping at them in vain, sunsets and beautiful tropical days and especially
nights under one of those Higgins Landing Boats!!! Or were you with about
sixty other fellows, breathing down each other's necks?? That kind of a night
would be a disappointment to me. Of course, some girls would be happy. -Woo! Woo! Oh, darling, I love you so much. Just reading your letters over
and over made me realize how much. If they only keep coming through now, I'll
be a happy married old maid! Just write when you have a chance, honey, and
I'll keep the letters coming regularly to you. You won't have as much you
will be able to tell me, but not one piece was cut out [by the censors] of the
4 letters I got today. I think there's a little more than some fellows think
there is that you can write about. Besides if you want to make me happy, just
write a 4 or 5 page letter telling me how much you love me. That will satisfy
me -- and how!!
The 4 letters I got today were the ones dated Dec. 25, Jan 3,6 and 7th.
I'm betting 10 - 1 that you participated in the landing on Luzon January 9th.
Will you bet with me or have I won before we start?? [You lost, honey.]
I called the Cortland Standard [newspaper distribution office] and
changed your address. Ain't that being a prompt Secretary? Speaking of
secretaries, I still don't think you can type better than I can!! Want to
fight about it? [No way, honey. You win. Weeeellll, maybeeee just as good.]
I went down and talked to your folks tonite. Your father said I was doing
the best thing I possibly could until the weather breaks down and thaws. Your
mother didn't react too well -- not like your dad -- but she didn't say it
wasn't a good idea. B
she didn't say it was! I expected it to be like that
and so I wasn't surprised. Your father is a v
reasonable man and I can
safely state, here and now, that I love him and I couldn't have got a better
father-in-law had I chosen father-in-laws instead of a husband. (Just married
a fellow so I could have had a nice father-in-law.) As it was I married the
guy I love and always will love most and took my chances on a father-in-law.
Tic [Kenneth Ticknor, Maggie's old boyfriend, who went into the service
the same time I did, only into the Army instead of the Marines.] has gone
overseas, too, darling, but in the other direction -- towards England. [Tic
was wounded in action a few weeks later and shipped back Stateside before I
ever had a chance to see action.]
Honey, I'm going to bring up enough so I can have a one-room home, radio,
pin-up lamp, electric clock and like that. Darling, please don't let it
bother you. [I won't, honey. I understand.] I've just got to do this for a
while. I've stuck it out longer now than most people would and I'll really
enjoy it so, living down there [back to our little house] this spring and
summer and fall. Maybe you'll be here to keep my feet warm by next winter.
I'm hoping so, anyway! [Sorry, not for another 17 long months, honey.]
They're [Terrells] going to thaw the water and drain it all Saturday and it
won't hurt anything for it to wait for me 'till spring. Maybe being where
it's hot, you can't see how it could be very cold here, but your memory will
help you and you'll remember last winter and, honey, it was mild compared to
this one. [I believe you, honey.]
I gathered from your letters that you left the Tuesday you mailed my last
letter, took a short train ride and shoved off for the South Pacific Dec. 22.
[More like Dec. 20th, because we were 21 days on board ship and didn't pull
into Pearl Harbor until around Jan 10, 1945.]
Mrs. Abbott, in Cortland, told Leon [Terrell] that her son said your
Replacement Draft [42nd Draft] left for overseas at Norfolk, Virginia and you
left New River [Camp Lejeune, NC] that Tuesday nite. He [Mrs. Abbott's son]
was in the 45th Replacement Draft and he's still in California. [While I was
at Tent City, Transient Center in Pearl Harbor waiting to be shipped down
under, we heard that the transport ship carrying the 45th Replacement Draft
was torpedoed and sunk on the way over to us. We were glad that our ship had
taken the long way over and sneaked in without a hitch. We never did hear
whether that story was confirmed or not. We all just wished that it wasn't
true.]
Goodnite, darling. Sleep tight -- and don't let those mosquitoes bite.
All My Love
And Then some more
Maggie -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
19 Jan 1945
How is the mean old world treating my little woman today? Yes, I know
you think it's too cold out and the snow is too deep but you ought to be glad
you are not caught in the middle of a blizzard somewhere. How am I? Oh, I'm
just so-so, that is except for that peculiar pounding in my chest right about
where my heart is supposed to be working, every time I take a peek at the
beautiful portrait of my darling wife.
Oh, so you don't believe I'm married either, huh? It seems that every
time I speak of my wife someone questions me as to the truth of my marriage.
I guess I will have to send home for my marriage license if they keep doubting
my word. It's not that they are curious but just plain jealous and envious,
that's what I call it. Huh, honey?
I'm afraid, honey, that your champion bread eater worst half is slowly
but quite definitely getting what some people would call fat. I don't know
whether you can blame it on my hoggish habits due to the quality and quantity
of the food or the unquestionable fact that we just aren't doing much by which
to work this inescapable fat or excess weight off my very masculine and
muscular (of course) body or figure.
Say, young lady, it has been two days now since I got any loving from you
by mail and I'm fighting mad. Yes, I know it is all the fault of the mailman
but since I can't tell them I am taking it out on you. See? Of course I am
looking forward to a triple treatment for my lovesick heart this evening at
mail call.
You know, honey, something very drastic, terrible and very painful has
just happened to me. Wait, don't ask questions until I finish. Well, it's
this way. I am writing to you and all of a sudden I can't think of anything
else to tell you or the censor except that I love you, my darling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
20 Jan 1945 12:15 A.M. Saturday morning
I didn't get a letter today but 4 yesterday will hold me for a little
while.
They had a basketball game tonite. We won the J.V. game and Cincinnatus
won the Varsity game 40 - 30. I don't think they've won over 1 game this
winter. Don Graham is home on furlough. His ship is standing by for repairs
in Seattle, Washington. He's still on the U.S.S. Alabama, so if you see that
ship, keep an eye peeled for Don. He'd sure be glad to see you.
I sent Bob [Terrell] a valentine tonite from u
, Pvt. and Mrs. Donald
Terrell! And I also sent one to you. It will probably reach you too early,
honey, but you'll just have to pretend. I also sent 2 lbs. of Fanny Farmer to
you today. Be sure and tell me how they arrive so I'll know whether to send
more or not. I'd like to send 2 lbs. a week to you. If you think that's a
good idea, let me know!
I think I'll bring our stuff up tomorrow, then Sunday I can go down and
really clean so it will be nice and clean this spring when I go back down. It
seems so nice not to have to worry about fires and a car starting or snow
drifts or anything. I guess I've worried more than I realized.
Mr. Stevenson (Ag. Teacher) couldn't find anyone to stay with his baby
tonite so he brought him over (I wasn't going to the game -- mom wasn't
either and w
took care of him).
Roger [Lear] wrote you a letter and put it in the envelope I fixed
tonite. Dad said to tell you he'd write later -- it will probably be much
later. Mom does most of the letter writing around here, even to dad's mother,
brother, sisters and nephews. I'll get Rog to write every once in a while so
you'll have a little more mail coming in. He enjoys writing to you, but he
didn't think he knew anything to write about. So I did like I always had to
do y
-- I gave him some subjects to write about and let him enlarge on
them. I guess men are all the same when it comes to writing letters. No
imagination. But, honey, you certainly have undergone a change -- the change
took place between August 20, 1944, when you didn't know what to write, and
about Sept 2, 1944, when you started writing such wonderful letters. Even the
post-cards written the 26 of August were interesting so really only 2 or 3
days changed your writing ability 100%. [Thank you, dear. I try.]
Wayne [Lear] went uptown tonite with some of the kids. He hasn't got
back yet, but he'll get in before too late.
Pooch is asleep down cellar. Boy, does he like it here with the kids and
Wayne. When I put him out doors they wave goodbye at him, even. They want
him in all the time because they think it's too cold out for a poor little
doggie. He goes with them every time they even go to the store. He walked to
school with me this afternoon . He would have liked to go right into school,
but I didn't dare let him, so I sent him home.
Honey, I'm just about empty as far as thoughts go so I've got to sign off
and hit the sack.
Goodnite, dear
I love you --21 Jan 1945 11:55 P.M. Sunday nite
This is a delayed communique, which should have been broadcast, l
nite
but wasn't, due to the laziness of this commentator. So -- don't look for a
letter dated Jan. 20 'cause there just ain't none.
They [Mother and Dad Terrell] got the letter yesterday that said you
goon-children had met up [in Tent City, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii] and I got mine
yesterday too. I just hope that Bob [Terrell] didn't let you in on too many
scoops!!! If he did, and you accepted, I'll target practice on both of you
the minute you land in Virgil! And where did you learn those card tricks you
showed Bob? No wonder you're broke all the time! [My, My, are you mad, dear?]
Are you having more B.A.R. [Browning Automatic Rifle] training, honey, or
is it something different? You'd better send me a g
picture of you or I'll
scream so you'll hear me way out in that "green isle in the midst of the Blue
Pacific". If they don't keep you busy from 5 A.M. - 11 P.M., I'll expect some
letters -- f
letters from you, you hear? I'm tired of this month going
by and no letters. [Ah, you're just mad because I landed safely in Hawaii and
met up with my brother, Bob, instead of landing on a beach with Japs shooting
at me.]
I'm sitting in bed, up at mom's, in my new room. I'm on the day-bed of
your folks, the one that used to be in the little living room. I borrowed it - at your mother's suggestion. I wanted the brown dresser we always had in
our spare rooms, and your mother had given it to Gert [Matson], so she told me
to take the little chest of drawers she had in the old kitchen for washcloths,
towels and things, under the shelves in the corner. It's the white dresser.
I'm using our electric clock, our radio and our blankets and pillows and my
clothes, plants and jewelry and cosmetics up here. I even brought up my
tadpoles. So I'm very comfortable and I will be more so as I get settled.
I should have washed my hair and took a bath, but I didn't. I guess I'll
have to tomorrow morning.
I've almost got my navy blue pair of mittens finished. They're my second
pair, and I'm going to make more before the winter's over. I'd like to make a
pair apiece for Rog, Dale, Wayne and dad and mom. It's fun to make things and
more fun to be able to say "I made these, myself"! It surprises quite a few
people I know for m
to say that. You'd even faint, probably. I'll even be
able to knit dresses, mittens and caps for Lynne Ellen [our planned for future
child] and I'll make pants, mittens and caps for Donnie, Jr. [our planned for
second child]. Boy will they look cute!!!!!! They'd better have nice reddishdark brown hair or I'll sue you o
the ice-man.
I hope you and Bob have a good time, honey, but you b
yourself -- be
g
!!! or I'll fix you plenty.
Harold Park is back here in the States. He sent a telegraph home and
said he hoped to see his folks soon. It's good and it ain't good, 'cause he
wouldn't be back if he didn't have diabetes. I guess he's in a hospital now,
receiving further treatment.
They're just playing "Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart", on the air and that's
what I say, honey, ---Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart!!!
Goodnite
I love you
22 Jan 1945 11:03 P.M. Monday night
I'm here in bed again, writing to you. I got a swell letter from you
today. One written January 12. You've got my letters by now -- I hope.
You'll sure have to read for a darn long time! I hope you have our picture,
too. The enlarged version is really nice, honey. Everytime I look at it, I
think of that Friday. We sure had fun. We'll have fun again after the rising
sun [Japan] sinks. Boy, what a day that will be -- when Japan hollers
"Uncle". Another good day will be when Germany gives up. Tonight the
Russians are just 165 miles from Berlin, we're about 275 from Berlin. And
the Army's about 65 miles from Manila. Maybe you guys and your four years of
war left are all wet. Let's hope so anyway!
Today was the first day of Regents (Mid-Year). The kids were all worried
and excited. I hope they all pass O.K. I took a bath tonite and washed my
hair and set it. I also washed 7 pr. of stockings, 3 blouses, 1 slip and 6
pr. of panties and my Marine Scarf. Also my lambskin powder puff. I hope my
hair looks O.K. tomorrow after I comb it out.
Honey, Friday I'll send a $5 money order to take the place of the one
Uncle Bob [LeRoy] sent you. Did I tell you that I sent 2 lbs. of Fanny
Farmers to you last Friday? I hope it's good. I'm going to send some every
little while, honey, so you'll have something to wait for and look forward to.
I'll send some new nuts, too. Plain, (a
) cashews this time if I can get
them. Don, do you get any coconut (shredded, like you like), pineapple,
Dentyne gum, olives, pickles and anything else that I could send you? Honey,
if you really sort of hanker for something like the above, please don't
hesitate to tell me. I'd love to send things like that to you. And as baked
stuff doesn't keep too good out there, that sort of thing is about all I can
send, except all my love.
It's snowing like heck here and has been all day. I hope none of the
kids have to miss Regents by being snowed in.
My pen doesn't like this rough air-mail paper. It writes in spasms and
then I have to squirt ink into the point so I can write some more.
I'm going to sleep by Midnite so I can get up at 8:00 tomorrow morning
and still have 8 hours sleep.
A week from this Friday I have another appointment with Dr. Howard. I
hope it doesn't hurt anymore than it did last time.
Say, Don, give Bob your single picture holder so he can put us in it, and
I'll send him "us" in a package. I hope he likes "us". -- I do.
Honey, I've run out of words, again. So I'll just say -Goodnite -- Honey
I love you
23 Jan 1945 10:55 P.M. Tuesday Nite
I tried to get larger paper but they didn't have any this smooth. This
paper is really much nicer to write on and my pen doesn't protest every few
lines.
I got another letter from you today, honey. You said not to join any
woman's organizations. Say, listen, I want to join the Marines, and it was
you, sonny boy, that told me you couldn't even whistle at W.R.'s. If you
couldn't do any more than that, why can't I join the Marines?? And how do you
know they're reputation if you didn't do anymore than whistle? If the W.R.'s
are like the WACS then I don't want to join them, but from the things you said
I thought they were O.K. If they aren't, you'd better tell me before it's too
late, and don't beat around the bush! You'd also better tell me how you're
sure what you know is true before I hop off to Reno and get a divorce!! Next
time don't say such things unless they're true -- about whistling, I mean!
What do they do, save them just for officers to whistle????? at?
This morning the roads were almost impassable and some kids didn't get to
school. It snowed last night and then blew like Hÿ
the rest of the night so
it was bad this morning. There's more snow scheduled for tonite and it will
drift. I don't know why it's picking Regents week to show off.
Don, Dick [Terrell] and Greta [Stevens] passed their 8th Grade Social
Studies Regents!!!
Well, honey, I'm going to knit for a while and then sign off for this
evening. I finished my other blue mitten tonite except for the thumb.
They'll be the nuts when I get them finished. Say, honey, I love you.
Goodnite
With all my love
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
23 Jan 1945
I haven't received any letters from you for six days now, honey, but I am
not blaming you because I know that you are writing me every day. None of the
fellows are getting mail so I guess it's gotten held up somewhere. Since
there hasn't been anything much to write about I haven't been writing as often
as I would like to.
Bob and I wrote a letter to Mother and Dad and one to A. Elsie and U. Don
[Reihlman] together the other night. I am hoping to get a letter from you
soon saying that you have got my first letters to you. We played a few games
of Monopoly last night since the show that was playing wasn't to our liking.
Yesterday was my liberty and since it is now up to me to take care of the
pictures, I went down, got the proofs, brought them back and Bob and I decided
on the best one of the three and then took them back down and ordered them. I
ordered eleven 5" x 7" and one 8" x 10". I am going to pick them up next
Tuesday and send them home. Maybe Bob will be able to help me wrap them up.
Your sourpuss husband rather messed up the pictures, honey, all three of
them. The first, which was the best, I had my front shirt pocket open but
since it doesn't show much we let it go. The second I looked like I was
crosseyed. The third took me as if I was about to expel my breath after
holding it for about five minutes. Bob took good in all three. I think you
will like the cheap pictures of Bob and I standing together much better. The
studio wasn't as good as we had hoped.
I lost my good pen that Dad and Mother gave me for Christmas with my name
on it and had to buy another. It cost $1.00 but doesn't write nearly as good
as the other one. Bob bought me a good two bladed pocket knife which seems to
be made of fairly good material, also a small address book and small
carborundum stone [for sharpening the knife].
Here is hoping I get about seven letters from my honey tonight although
just one would make me feel damn good. If I get time today I'm going to wash
my clothes. Bob knows a fellow I can borrow an iron from so I will starch and
iron my khaki for more liberties.
Keep the fires going, honey, because I want to take a good hot shower
tonight.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
25 Jan 1945 1:24 A.M. Thursday A.M.
Well, today is the end of the fifth month of your being a Marine instead
of a farmer and a truck driver. Today has been a very bad day!!! They quit
school at noon and started home. Teet's bus got back O.K.; Mr. Moore's bus
got home O.K.; Jerry Johnson's bus got back O.K. -- but -- Bob Wilson got his
load home O.K. but the bus, Mr. Wilson, Bob and Carl Hagadorn (they went along
to get Wilson out if he got stuck) are still in Cortland -- stranded. Timer
Davis went up as far as Page Green Hill and brought 17 kids back to the
village to be fed and kept until the storm subsides and the roads are cleared.
We've got 3 of them here, and they're lying in their beds, beating their gums.
We played pitch until about midnite or after. Mom, I and Jimmy LeFever beat
Wayne [Lear], Carl Johnson and Charlie Thompson almost every game. Boy, did
we have fun!!! Charlie, Jimmy and Carl Johnson are the kids staying here all
nite. The others are at various places in the village. All of them are
having quite a vacation. We aren't having school tomorrow as it's impassible.
Dad didn't even get home tonite and it's really bad out when he doesn't
attempt it. I don't imagine Leon [Terrell] got home. Not over two cars came
in to the village tonite and they were people near-by.
I felt O.K. today, honey, for a wonder! I didn't get a letter from you,
but then -- I can't expect one e
day, can I?
I wish you were here tonite, to sleep with me. The wind wouldn't sound
half so bad out, and it wouldn't seem so cold, if you were just here. Honey,
I'm planning on you being with me next winter. It's far from i
possible,
honey, and we're all praying that it will be possible. So I'll be seeing you
then, darling, and no fooling!!
The wind's howling around the building, honey, like a hound on the loose
and my eyes are getting heavier and heavier.
So I'll sign off for tonite, honey. Goodnite -- I love you I love you
I love you
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
25 Jan 1945
Today I received the letters I have been waiting for a week for from you.
Three of them were written Jan 1, 2 and 4, the other one was written the 19th.
I also got a Christmas card from A. Elsie and U. Don and the Cortland news for
men overseas from Connie Standbrook.
I'm glad to hear that my 4 letters got to you without any operations on
them [from the censors]. It seems that you are right about everything except
the bet you wished to make with me. As you know by now, you would have lost
that bet if I had taken you up on it. Of course, honey, you were not in the
wrong as this may be, at times, a fast moving world.
Tonight your husband went to the show alone. You must know how I feel
for I had hoped that I would play the more treacherous games first, not him
[my brother, Bob]. He is in the best of health and asked me to send his love
to my darling wife. I hope that someday we can meet again as science has made
this world many times smaller than God proclaimed it.
I haven't got your letter as yet telling me where you have moved to. My
guess is that you have gone to your folks to spend the rest of the winter. In
a way, I think you are right as it will help you in many ways. I hope that
when the spring thaws come again you will move back to our little house to
wait for me.
Please, darling, don't get any crazy ideas about joining any women's
service organizations. From what I have seen of them, they are nothing that I
wish my wife to be a part of. Please try to find a smaller job near home,
even if you must drive or ride a few miles to do so. I know that you will do
everything to keep a home and a beautiful, loving wife waiting for me when I
return.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
26 Jan 1945 12:15 A.M. Friday Morn.
This is our 19th Anniversary day, dear. I hope you remembered it. It's
been a w
and seven months since we jumped into the Matrimonial pool,
off the springboard of love (Isn't that descriptive??). It seems funny yet to
be talking about anniversaries by mail, instead of directly to you. I'll be
glad when we can be together. We'll thumb our noses at stamps, envelopes,
ink, pens, pencils, paper a
Mailmen, won't we? We'll probably never write
any letters again.
I had to give a m
a kiss to get your letter today, honey. I also had
to give him a kiss for Bob's letter, which also came today. O.K., honey,
don't get any gray hairs worrying about who I kissed -- it was just my dad,
and I must say it wasn't the first time I kissed my dad in my life!
Your letter was swell, honey. Something about the way you wrote it made
me feel just like you'd kissed me and hugged me and loved me. It's funny how
different letters can make you feel. I guess it's the person's mood that
writes it. Anyway, I was really satisfied when I read it.
Say, you lunkhead, you wouldn't have to convince everyone you meet that
you're married if you'd have let me get that nice wedding ring I wanted to get
you!!
I went in and left my sweaters to be dry cleaned a couple weeks ago. I
had on my mittens so the girl that waited on me didn't see my rings. After
she took the sweaters she asked my name and I said "Margaret Terrell" and she
said "Would you like to get them about Thursday, M
?" and I felt quite
flattered that she didn't think I was an old married woman! So you see,
honey, I guess we could both have our public guessing I
we wanted to. We
were talking about how old we were last nite, and Jimmy LeFever said "Jees,
Wayne, she's just about 2 years older than I am and Married!!" If I wasn't
married, honey, I could really be cutting a smooth rug around these parts, but
I like it just like it is. I guess it must be 'cause I love you and not one
other guy can even compare with you!!! And I just don't want anything to do
with anyone but y
. I do love you, honey, and if this darn war doesn't end
for four years, I'll still be waiting for you and wanting you back! And don't
you ever forget it!! Not for one instant. Always, honey, come back to me
just as quickly as you can.
If you just forgot me and didn't care to come back to me, I'd die and I'm
not kidding. So don't forget! Make your number 1 post-war plan -- to come
back to me just as fast as you can. Promise? I'll be waiting for you, honey.
Say, you, I suppose you think this snow and cold stuff are funny! Way
out there in the tropical breezes with coconuts bouncing off your head you're
laughing at us because all that bounces off our heads are l
!!! It's been below zero here most of today and it's down again
tonite. The roads are just one-track affairs with 12-14 foot banks on both
sides of the track. A
it's still 2 months till it even lets up a little!
And April is usually a pretty cold month, even if it's supposed to be in
S
. Even the cities are hard hit, honey. Buses and taxis etc. didn't run
until 9:30 this morning, and when they stop running it's really tough going.
Visibility was zero yesterday even in Syracuse. We're really getting a
hum-dinger winter this year, honey. If I was down home now with only wood for
fires and water that froze and a car that was snowed in wouldn't I be in a
nice mess? I'd be freezing and isolated and thirsty all at once. Golly,
honey, last winter was a summer picnic compared to this one. You better be
thankful you're not driving milk truck this winter. They're having an awful
time getting through, and they're freezing to death besides.
Honey, you think you get a thrill from looking at my picture!! I sit
here and smile at you over on the dresser every few minutes and you smile
back. Sometimes, when I especially love you I even wink at you. I'll bet if
it was really you in the flesh over there, you wouldn't stay on the dresser
long after I winked at you, cause it's a sort of a naughty wink, revealing
some of my innermost thoughts, and feelings! I'll bet you'd be over here
getting my feet warm in just no time at all!
Well, honey, come on and get them warm, 'cause they're chilly and I'm
lonesome. All right, some other time, but please, honey, don't make it too
long before that other time, 'cause I miss you.
Goodnite, Darling
I love you
27 Jan 1945 12:10 A.M. Saturday Morn.
I'm here again and you'd better be glad or I'll say goodnite right now!
I just finished a letter to Bob [Terrell]. I like to write to him but I
do good getting one letter written before sleepy time and I really have to
stick to writing two or I end up by writing only to you. Just another sample
of my lazy nature that you never did like.
Honey, I love you. I love you just ten times as much as you think I do,
and it's not just for the duration or the duration and 6 months -- It's
forever -- Amen! Just wait, I'll hug you and kiss you and probably bawl on
your manly chest (I can't reach your shoulder). Women are silly! I never was
as happy as the day I heard you had a furlough and what did I do? Why,
naturally, I cried for about 4 hours without anything but 5 minute pauses for
breath and just enough thoughts to make me cry again. I thought I'd never
been so silly, but I just couldn't stop. Everytime I thought of you being
near and close to me again I just started bawling again. And then when I saw
you standing in Weyant's [restaurant by the train station] I just about
started in again. I felt like I was dreaming and it was too good to be true.
But it was true, honey, and when we were in bed that night I really cried,
'cause it was so damn good to have you there, close and warm, and I guess I
cried partly because I knew it couldn't last. You thought I was plenty silly
and you told me to "Stop It". Remember? I was just "over-happy" I guess.
And if I was happy then, just wait till next time! As far as I'm
concerned we'll really have a high old time -- and we'll keep right on having
one swell time until we get old, and withered, and dry up and blow away.
[Well, let's see, Maggie, this is 17 Jan 1994, 49 years later, we a
older,
and s
withered, b
dried up and blown away y
and, even
though we continue to argue and holler at each other, we s
stop fighting
long enough to have some swell times together. I
and I will
a
love you until I dry up and blow away!]
We'll show Lynne and Donnie [our planned for future children] that they
have darn good parents, 'cause we'll be happy and good farmers and good
parents all at the same time and we can do it, t
, honey, and don't you ever
think we can't!!!! From now on in you're married to a woman, at least I'm
going to try to be one, and not a harem-scarem, undecided stubborn female. I
can't say I'll be prim and like an old maid, but I'll try to be more settled
and I'll need your help 'cause it won't be easy for me to change. I think
we'll find, too, that a few years added onto my 19 will calm me down
considerable. I'm hoping so, anyway. [Well, let's see, again, Maggie. This
is 17 Jan 1994, 49 years and a few more minutes later, you d
with p
of feisty w
thrown in. I love you, Margaret Ellen
Lear Terrell!!!!!!!]
The main building of Homer Academy burned down tonite. [Grandchildren,
this is where grandpa went to school between about 1930 to 1938. I used to
walk a mile to school and a mile back to 51 Clinton Street two or three times
each school day. Most of the time I walked with my best friend, Billy Evans,
who lived about another quarter mile further beyond our house.] There was a
game being played in the gym but the fire didn't get in there because of a
fire wall between the main building and the gym. The kids were told about the
fire and they filed out in order so no one was hurt or burned, which is good.
It could have been serious, with the kids in the building.
Honey, I'm going to read for a minute and then sleep and see if I can get
rid of those bags under my green,-blue,-gray,-hazel eyes. [Grandchildren,
grandma wrote that to me because I used to call her "green-eyes", but her eyes
are actually more blue.] Goodnite, Honey, I love you an awful lot.
We just got back from the show. The first one I've seen since two weeks
ago tomorrow!! Somehow being up here with the folks keeps me from wanting to
go so much. It's 'cause I'm not lonesome evenings, I guess. We sit around
and talk, read or play cards and I just don't feel the urge to go clear to
Cortland just for a show. I really do want to see the one that's on Sunday,
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. It's "30 seconds over Tokyo".
Robert Walker, Van Johnson and Spencer Tracy are in it. It's a story of
Doolittle's first raid on Tokyo. You've probably seen it all ready. I think
it's going to be really good. The kind you always liked, honey, full of
action and a l
romance.
Honey, I can vouch for all the stories I've told you about the roads.
They're terrible, at least when quite a few cars are traveling at the same
time, it is. Up by Gunns, almost at the top of the big hill, the drifts by
the road are so high you can't even see the top of their house over them. It
looks like it used to when I was small. I wish we could ride and see them
(the drifts) together over all the roads.
I didn't get a letter today, you lug, but I'll forgive you until Monday.
And Monday I better get a letter from you, by gee, or I'll pin your ears back.
Already, honey, I've forgotten the month that I didn't get any mail and
while I was waiting it seemed like years and something I'd never get over but
now it's more like a dream. A bad one!
Well, honey, I'm going to sign off and read a minute and then sleep for a
while.
Honey, as soon as I can get down home [our little house by Mother and
Dad's] I'm going to get the chocolate chips and some nuts I bought specially
to put in some cookies for you and I'll bake up a batch of your special
Chocolate Chips! I am going to send more things, too, as soon as I can.
Goodnite, dearest. Sleep Tite and remember -- I love you!
P.S. What's the idea of leaving the R from U.S.M.C.R. again? You haven't
changed your mind about staying in, have you? [No, honey, I am still in the
United States Marine Corps R
. Grandchildren, grandma was afraid that I
had enlisted in the U.S.M.C. for f
years instead of the U.S.M.C.R
. for the
Duration (of World War ll) plus six months.]
28 Jan 1945 1:05 Monday Morning
It's warmer around here but it's really snowing out! Not blowing, just
snowing.. Nice big juicy, flakes that don't take many to make a drift. I
don't see why the weather man couldn't at least make them a little smaller so
it would take more snow to make a drift.
Say, honey, do you love me tonite? I hope so, 'cause I love you like
everything and then a lot more besides. Honey, this is going to be short.
Just about 1 page as a matter of fact. I just haven't anything to chew the
fat about tonite. I guess I'm slipping. Well, anyway, I do love you, honey,
whether I write 1 - 2 or 3 pages to you and you know it.
Here I go -- Signing off and going to dreamland to see if I can see my
man. How about meeting me there, honey. It isn't a very long trip and I'd
sure enjoy seeing you. By the way, I saw you last nite in Dreamland, but I
can't remember what we were doing or anything.
Goodnite, my darling
Sleep tite and love me
lÎ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don and Carl (Red) W. Sword to Maggie]
28 Jan 1945
[NOTE: This letter is written by Don Terrell to his wife Margaret Ellen Lear
Terrell -- HOWEVER -- the entire contents of the letter was dictated to Don by
his buddie Carl (Red) W. Sword and are Red's own thoughts and words.]
Dear Mrs. Terrell,
Maggie -- Either you will get a good laugh out of this letter or you will
get very mad. Don keeps telling me that you will answer us. I have kidded Don
about you for a long time now. So he told me that he would write anything to
you that I told him to. This is all in fun so here goes. At least you will
know that he is all right.
How come that you do all your letter writing in the wee hours just before
dawn? I hope that you are getting all the sleep that you need. Looks to me
like you are doing too much worrying about Don. We are doing all right where
we are now.
I have seen the picture that you had taken with Don [while Don was on
furlough]. I wonder, was there a man shortage when you and he were married?
You may have seen something in him that I failed to find. But then I have
only known him a few months. I am most sure that you could have done better
if you had came to West Virginia.
Down in W. V. we really do grow men! But we now and then find a woman
whose beauty is as rare as yours. But when we do find a woman as beautiful as
you are, they seldom have the intelligence that you apparently have. I have
heard that you are one of the most amazing persons this side of heaven. I am
just a little bit in doubt because, as you know when a fellow is away from one
who is so dear to him, he may now and then drift back to his boyhood days -those days when a fellow is most capable of daydreaming. But then I have seen
your picture so I am just a little bit inclined to agree with him.
Someday I may have the opportunity of meeting you. If this pleasure is
ever allowed me, I am sure that you would be able to clear up all doubt. But
for now, a letter written to Don and me would help an awful lot to prove his
point.
I am a very lonely person who has been here for a month now without mail.
I would most surely appreciate your writing this letter to us. But if you
should get mad at us don't include Don. I just won a bet from him. He has
been beating his chops about you ever since I have known him. So please grant
us this one wish by answering at your first opportunity. After seven and one
half years of married life, I doubt if there is a woman such as you have been
described to me.
Pvt. Carl W. Sword (976982)
A Doubting Friend of Don's
Hi Honey,
There is a little room left so I will say a few words to you. First of
all I want you to understand, honey, that we are looking forward to a very
good, satisfactory and prompt reply. I went through training at Tent Camp
[Camp Lejeune] with "Red" and have been his bunkmate off and on ever since.
I hope you will like this letter, honey, because I couldn't really think
of much to write, myself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
29 Jan 1945 11:20 P.M. Still Monday Nite
I feel silly tonite, honey, and if you were here I'll bet you'd get mad
at me, 'cause I'd tease you like everything. I'd love you up, too, good and
proper! And you'd be glad you weren't in Hawaii on an island. I'd make it
worth your while to be here, honey, honest. Of course, I'm not saying how but
I'd do it.
It's snowing out a
, honey. Nice, big, fluffy flakes. It's snowed at
least 3 inches today, on the level. They started to have school, but the wind
came up and it really started in to snow so about 10:00 A.M. they took the
kids back home. They aren't going to have school tomorrow, either. I worked
this afternoon, but tomorrow I'm not going to. Prof. [Hagadorn] and I cleaned
up all the business that needed attention this afternoon. I'm a regular
whirlwind and can I work fast -- if I want to!
Honey, I wish you were home. Of course, I know you just adore the
Marines, and you'd like to stay in the rest of your life, but who's going to
do the farming, if you don't? I'm kidding, honey, teasing just to get a raise
out of you!
Honey, in the paper the other night under births was
De Graw -- To Reverand and Mrs. Bernard Degraw - A son.
Rev. Degraw formerly lived in Virgil!
Talk about hiding your light under a bushel! That dame really gets
pregnant on the Q.T.! She stays that way, too. I don't think anyone around
here even guessed she was that way before they moved. Boy, I'll never have
one that way. Every one else will know it before I do -- Or you either! So
there!
I got a letter from you today. Written Jan 14 & 16 and not postmarked
till the 23
. Did you forget to mail it? I just came to, honey, that the
letter I got last Friday was written later than the one I got today. The one
Friday was written Jan. 19.
Here's hoping I get one written Jan. 24 tomorrow! It seems so funny to
write a letter and not get an answer to that special letter for about 12 days
--- If you're prompt! Honey, I'm going to sign off.
I love you -With A
My Love
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
29 Jan 1945
I found two letters, a couple newspapers and the Jan. edition of the
Leatherneck waiting for me at the post office tonight. Both letters from you,
also one last night. Your regular channel mail from the 8th to the 19th has
not come to me yet. There seems to be several questions in my mind which I am
hoping this delayed mail will clear up.
The first part of your letter of the 21st left me rather disappointed in
you, honey. In fact, I was not in a very good humor for the rest of the day.
Please remember, honey, if you cannot trust me, you cannot love me! You are
greatly wrong about the sights we [my brother Bob and me] took in during our
very few days together here and also about my increasing interest in card
tricks. I know that you did not mean what you said, honey, but please
remember that sometimes things like that strike me the wrong way.
Since there isn't much to write about, I will answer a few of your
questions and statements of the 22nd. First, since he [my brother Bob] is
gone, it is too late to give him the other single picture folder to put our
picture [of Don and Maggie on furlough] in. I had hoped that you would get a
new folder to send him. He had not received the picture yet so he probably
won't get it for another month or so. He liked the one I had very much and
was anxious to get his.
As to your big washings that you tell me about -- well, you just make me
laugh! Maybe I should tell you that I have washed three days straight now and
there is a full pail soaking under my sack now. There also is about three
pair of khaki in my sea bag yet to be washed -- by hand! Oh, I can't wait
until the time comes when I can sit back in an easy chair and have my clothes
washed, sack made for me and have home cooked meals served on glass plates.
Thanks for sending the money order, I haven't got it yet but I can use
it. I can't wait until the candy gets here and the nuts. Say, honey, your
chocolate-chip cookies will keep all right if you wrap them up good -- and I
sure would like some! The other things you mentioned would break and spoil
except for that shredded stuff I like. Gum is something I lack and can't get
so use your own judgement. Of course, all your love is the best package.
Here I am starting a third page and can't think of anything to write on
it. I read over some of your old letters and found out to my amazement that
it is snowing quite hard back home. It also is holding up school as well as
some workers. Well, honey, I don't see how there could be so much snow when
just yesterday the sun was shining so hard that I fried an egg on the Major's
best lawn chair.
Oh, I forgot to explain the reason for the pencil. Lack of ink, of
course, or had you guessed? I am completely disgusted with my new pen. It
doesn't write worth a darn. I didn't say it was the writer -- the pen!
Thanks for the clipping of Bob [Terrell] and Sergeant Smith. I am
sending it back so you can keep it for me. I doubt if I can collect as much
for a scrap book as Bob has but I will try. My eyes are getting rather
droopy, honey, and I want to hit the sack and dream about you, so good night.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
30 Jan 1945 12:00 Midnite Still Tuesday
I got a letter from you today. Written the 23
of January. You said
you hadn't heard from me in 6 days -- which, if I may say so, serves you
right! I don't think it was my fault, honey, and I'm sorry, but as I said
before -- it serves you right. But really, honey, I'm sorry. Probably by
now you've got mail -- plus! I hope so anyway, dear. It's heck not to get
mail. I know!
Clara [Terrell] said tonite that your "taken while you wait" pictures
were at her house. That's fine, but I'd like to see them. And who was the
8 x 10 good picture made for? You said you had one made, and I just wondered
who would have the honor to call it "ours".
Honey, I washed my hair, set it, took a bath, cut my toenails, and filed
and polished my fingernails tonite. I think that I'll go home with Mrs.
Miller tomorrow, and stay till they have school which ought to be Thursday or
by the latest Friday. I'm coming home by Friday morning, anyway, 'cause I
have an appointment with Dr. Howard February 2 (Friday) at 10 A.M. and I don't
want to wait till 3 weeks more just for one more day in Syracuse (Mrs. Miller
lives in Syracuse). I know I'll have fun. They have quite a layout. Big,
white house and nice furniture. I haven't met her folks, they're Jews, but I
like her and her sister and I know her folks will be nice.
We (the teachers and I) walked up as far as Timy's [Ray Hutchings] house
today. The drifts are level, from bank to bank, in the road, and the banks
must be at least 15 feet high. They didn't even try to open it since last
week Wednesday, it's so bad. They are hooking a Rotary plow on one of the
Walters so they can plow the worst roads out. It will throw the snow into the
fields instead of piling it at the sides of the roads. We took some pictures
to see if we could get a good picture to show how high the drifts are. If
they turn out good, we're going to have enough developed so we each have one
and I'll send mine to you so you can see how snowy it is "around these parts".
I got a letter from Isabel [Hoose] today and I'm going to answer her
letter some other time. All the paper I have now is air-mail paper.
I got the chocolate chips and nuts tonite from down home, honey, so as
soon as I get back from Syracuse I'll make my honey a good big batch and ship
them to you, honey. I hope they turn out good.
A box came over to school with Review books in it and it's just the right
size for a package to you. I'm going to chuck it full of things I know you
like and get it out there as soon as I can.
Honey, I'll sign off now and say -Goodnite
I love you, honey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
30 Jan 1945
(This letter got mixed up in the censoring room and was sent back to me. Don)
How is my loving wife this fine, warm, sunshiny day? Oh, so you don't
think it is so warm and sunshiny, huh? Well, honey, that is just a matter of
opinion. Just because we don't agree on the weather, there should be no cause
for argument should there? Especially on such a fine summer's day -- Oh, I
forgot, honey! How are you taking those Virgil blizzards?
Anyway, I got a letter from you today, along with a very nice Valentine
card. I am sure that if the meaning of those words are from the bottom of
your heart, I will be satisfied -- in fact deeply moved, although I don't know
where to. Wrapped in the foldings of love you sent so patiently to me, was a
nice letter and picture from Roger and Dale [Lear]. Tell them thanks for me
and I will write them a letter later. Hasn't Daisy and George [Lear] got the
letter I sent them about [the censor cut this part out]?
Say, what's the matter with that old spirit of Virgil High? They aren't
going to let us old timers down are they? Ha Ha. Please tell Wayne [Lear] to
write and tell me all about those blood curdling battles between rival
schools, will you, honey? Of course, I realize they are at a handicap since
all of their best players are gone now -- especially that flaming athlete who
always jumped center! Yeah, I know he was so clumsy he was always turning
over his ankles. But could I help it if a certain very beautiful young lady
in the audience kept attracting my attention from the ball game? Of course,
those kisses I would get afterwards helped immensely to cover the trouble you
had given me! Say, did I ever ask you if you would marry me or did I just
drag you along like a cowpuncher who drags a doomed calf to the branding iron?
Oh well, you don't know how lucky you are to rope such an amazing husband.
Really? Yes, really!
I guess I had better knock off this mushy talk or the censor is apt to
get disgusted and cut this whole letter out. How do you like the job of
censoring newlywed's mail, Huh, Mac? [The censor wrote "It's O.K. --Censor"]
Of course, we are not exactly newlyweds but then new enough so that the gleam
of love and romance still shines mischievously in our wandering, young eyes!
I think that if you could see my wife, Mac, you would realize why I love her
so much. I wouldn't call you Mac if I knew whether you were a Lieutenant or
not but then I despise calling anyone but a Lieutenant" Sir"! [The censor
wrote "That's fine -- Censor"]
I am sorry, darling, that I took up so much room talking to the censor
but then you know how lonely he gets -- not getting any mail to read all day.
Have I told you yet that I love you, honey? Well, I do -- very much so!
About the Fanny Farmer candy, honey, I think that is a jolly good idea
and I don't think they will spoil either, I hope. So you are turning baby
tender already, huh? Well, just so long as it is someone else's baby -- at
least until I get home -- then we'll both play with Lynn Ellen [our planned
for future child]! Of course, the plans have yet to be drawn but that will be
easy, huh, honey? Did you take our baby's picture up to your folks with you?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
1 Feb 1945 10:45 P.M. Thursday Nite
I'm sitting waiting for this train to pull out for Cortland. It's over
an hour late now and maybe it will be more by the time we pull into Cortland.
I met Mrs. Shenfeld & Miss Tarolli getting off the train and they said the
roads are terrible to Cortland. Here's hoping they were exaggerating. Wayne
[Lear] is going to meet me but maybe he won't get there. It will fill the
roads up tight if it just blows an hour. All the trains are late, not just
1/2 hr., either.
We had swell fun up here today just monkeying around, though we did do a
little cleaning this afternoon. Mrs. Miller's folks are swell and they
treated me swell. Very nice, even if they are Jews. They're the wealthy type
Jew, all conveniences and their home is in the upper class Residential
Section. They have slightly different ways of fixing food, but it's good,
some even better than our kind. Her mother bakes good bread, and her sister
made us some really swell spaghetti.
Honey, I hope I have at least 2 letters from you waiting for me at home,
and I hope my mail got "thru" to you especially the 2 lb. box of Fanny Farmer
that I wanted Bob [Terrell] to help you eat -- as if you needed help on j
2 lbs. of candy. I thought maybe he'd enjoy it, though.
I'll make some chocolate chips as soon as I get home and have a minute,
honey. Great big ones, with lots of nut meats and some other things in the
package.
We're still sitting here in Syracuse Station. Maybe we'll be here all
nite, who knows? I'll write on the end and tell you what time we arrive in
Cortland. Then you won't worry (as if you would anyhow). Here we go, honey,
at least we think so. The old engine is letting off a little steam like it
was getting ready to "take off".
Well, I'll sign off and just say "I love you" and "Goodnite" and "Be
Good" and then I'll finish with a period.[Maggie put a b
period here.]
Goodnite, Honey -I love you
I got in (Cortland) at 1:45 A.M. and stayed at Flossie Austin's all nite.
Went to dentist this morning and stayed for dinner & most of afternoon at
Grandma LeRoy's.
Don Sandman came in from camp this afternoon. The one from Illinois.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Don to Maggie]
1 Feb 1945
So, another month has splashed its way noisily between us and yet my
heart still beats out all my love for that little green-eyed gal back home.
Say, we never did decide what color eyes had been issued you, did we? Let's
just call you my great big green-eyed beautiful gal, huh? What do I get for
that very truthful compliment, honey? Thanks, that was luscious, how about
another? Mmmmmmÿ
Knock off the mush and let's get down to business. What kind of
business? Well, that's a military secret! February? That reminds me of snowfilled roads, stuck cars, and snowbound lovebirds. Oh well, darling, those
were the days when we were young and brave -- or should we say crazy?
No letter today, dear, the postman went by, no letter today. What do you
think I am, a machine of imagination? How can I feel your warm, soft lips on
mine, see your sparkling green eyes in the moonlight, if I can't read your
letters? Ah, honey, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. Come on, sugar,
straighten up and act like a good married woman. Here, maybe this will make
you feel better. No? What do you mean, young lady? Don't you know those
things are rationed nowadays?
Darling, I really do love you, even if the censor doesn't believe me. He
probably doesn't even know what it means to be in love, or does he! If this
part is cut out, it will be because he doesn't like my strategy of approach.
There goes taps. What do you know, time to hit the hay.
I just told the Serg. that I was in an important love conference with my
beloved so he quit beating his chops. How about another letter tomorrow and
some more loving, huh?
I'm sending the pictures [of Bob and me] home by airmail tomorrow, honey.
Don't forget to meet us [our pictures] at the station. Before you look at us,
give me a kiss and then maybe you won't be so disappointed with my profile.
This letter is based on the entire fact that I love you, darling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
3 Feb 1945 12:30 A.M. Saturday A.M.
As I wrote on the end of last nite's letter our cousin, Don Sandman (the
one in the picture on mom's radio, in Army Uniform) had came in for a short
leave. His whole bunch have been transferred from Tennessee to Plattsburg,
N.Y. so he's only 10 hours travel each way from here. His pass started this
morning at 6: A.M. and ends Monday at 6: A.M. (a three day pass). We hadn't
seen him since October, 1941 -- the last time all of us went to Illinois.
He's in the Air Corps Medical Division. He's been in for two years but he's
still here in the states. We're almost as happy to see him as you were to see
Bob [Terrell].
My train got in last nite about 12:45 and mom had said dad would meet me.
When I got in the Depot, though, there was a note that said "Go to Florence
Austins on Greenbush Street to stay all nite". They said Mrs. Geo. Lear had
called and gave them that message. So I started up to Flossies. I got there
and the house was dark and I didn't know whether mom had called Flossie or not
and I hated to wake them up and ask them if I could stay all nite. Then I
realized if mom had called them (Flossie) that she'd worry about me if I
didn't come. So I got my courage up and walked up and rung the door-bell. I
heard someone hit the floor on the way out of bed and heard Flossie's dog
bark. I thought if Mr. or Mrs. Austin came to the door and I was standing
there they'd think for sure that I was drunk as a lord. But it was Flossie
who came to the door. Mom had called her and told her how bad the roads were
and that I was late and could I stay and Flossie said "Sure". She was glad to
see me, I think, and I sure was glad to see her. She's engaged to a guy named
Freddie Foote -- a 4 F'er [a person who cannot meet the physical requirements
to enter the service.], but that's O.K. She says she really loves him.
I had about 5 hours sleep 'cause we talked about an hour after I went to
bed which would make it 1:45 when I went to sleep. I got up at 7:15 and d
almost a whole cup of c
[Maggie doesn't usually like coffee] and ate a
piece of toast and headed for the Freight House. I puttered around there
[George Lear works at the Freight House] until 9:45 and left for the 10:00
appointment with Dr. Howard. He filled 2 more teeth with porcelain filling -cost -- $
That's 12 bucks for 4 fillings but these are all the ones that
will have to be porcelain, I think, so the rest hadn't ought to cost so much.
I have another appointment for March 2
-- on a Friday morning at 10:00.
After the Dentist I went over to see Grandma LeRoy. They were still
happy because you'd written them, honey, so you're a good boy. I stayed there
for dinner and helped Grandma with dinner and the dishes. Then we visited and
knitted until 4:00. Then I went uptown to see if I could find some wool yarn
and some red wool cloth. I didn't find any yarn but I bought enough red wool
cloth to make me a nice winter & spring dress. I also -- had 2
more pounds
of Fanny Farmer Candy shipped out to you. I hope you've got the other box by
now and I really hope you like them. I hope I get a letter from you tomorrow
that you got the first box of candy O.K. Then I'll know whether or not to
send more.
I knew by your expressions and words that Bob [Terrell] has left the
Island [Oahu]. You sounded as though he had gone into A
Service but
Grandma [Leroy} told me today that as near as Leon [Terrell] could figure out
that Bob [Terrell] was headed North [I think my brother, Bob, went down under
to Midway island and finally ended up in Japan before he was discharged.].
Maybe Grandma was wrong, so don't be worried if this is wrong. Bob will let
Leon know as soon as he is able to, if he hasn't already [Bob and I were
sending back "coded messages" to help our loved ones know at what "dot on the
map" in the South Pacific we were.]. It's too bad he had to leave the Island
just after you got there after so long a period of being stationed there. I
hope you meet again, but not too soon, if you're right about the Active
Service part.
Harold Park is in the hospital with Malaria, honey, and Eddie Park just
received some shrapnel wounds in Europe. I heard today that Chuck Heffron has
been taken to Tokyo, so he isn't on Luzon where they liberated those
Prisoners.
Well, I'm going to sign off. It's 1:45 and I'm so tired I can hardly
write. Not tired, just sleepy.
I love you, honey -Goodnite
4 Feb 1945 2:10 A.M. Sunday Morning
It's quite late and this is going to be short. We baked today and then
went to the show tonite. Then we came home and played pitch. We just came to
bed.
It's stopped, almost, snowing. Just sort of sprinkling out tonite, not
really snowing. It's quite cold and the stars are all out.
Honey, I just haven't got much to write about tonite. I didn't get a
letter from you today but I hope Monday I will. Even if the censor does
listen in I still enjoy your letters just as much as before. I guess I'd love
to hear from you if you just said "I love you" for a couple pages.
I love you, honey. A lot and then even more, so keep "scribbling"
little missiles at me and I'll do the same.
I'll sign off now
With all my love, honey
4 Feb 1945 10:40 P.M. Sunday Nite
How's my little honey tonite? O.K., I'll bet. Probably sore from a
slight sunburn and slightly tired from loafing around all day.
Prof. informed me tonite that there will be n
school for this n
It started snowing again tonite and it plugged our roads again. Don Sandman
left this afternoon about 3:00 and he got out just before it started snowing
and blowing.
I probably haven't told you but Bob Hagadorn took all his Regents this
January. He passed them all and he's starting in at Cortland State Teacher's
College tomorrow -- if he can get there. He wants to get in a year of
College before he's drafted, and if he starts this January he can get a year
before he's 18. They tried to get him up to Cortland tonite so he wouldn't be
snowed in tonite but they couldn't get any further than VanGorders. It's (the
road) only as wide as the car there, anyway, and it's filled in so it's deep
enough to come up to the headlights all ready. God only knows what it will be
by morning, but I've got a good idea. They (the snow plow drivers) said that
if we were snowed in just once more they'd be unable to open a
roads. Even
the one from here to Cortland! And this is the one more time. I hope they
were wrong. It will really be bad if we're all stranded out here.
Today our troops entered Manila. They're supposed to have the Northern
part of the city under their control. But the Commercial part of this city is
still in Japanese hands. They also freed about 3,000 prisoners from a
concentration camp in Manila.
Dick [Terrell] came up this noon and brought 2 of the 3 pictures you sent
home first. I took the one of you two just standing by each other. I didn't
like the one where you had your hands together -- Shaking hands, I guess. I
liked this one best, with you both standing on your own feet. Say, honey, I
pulled out the picture and your shoes really look nice. Bob's [Terrell] look
like those you fellows had on in your Platoon picture at Parris Island.
Well, honey, I'll sign off now and come again tomorrow nite. Maybe I'll
get a letter from you tomorrow so I'll have something to answer in my next
letter.
All my love
P.S. Dick [Terrell] said Leon [Terrell] thought Bob [Terrell] went to China,
or else was heading for it, in case you don't know. If I hear anything later
on it, I'll let you know.
5 Feb 1945 11:40 P.M.
Marine Communique: -To be read by: -Pvt. Donald Terrell
a
Pvt. Carl Sword
at the earliest possible time.
Dear Doubting Friend -- [my buddy, Carl "Red" Sword]
I got the missile you dictated to your "he-man Marine Secretary" [me, Don
Terrell] today, and instead of getting mad at both of you, I couldn't help but
laugh. -- Not at you two goons, but at the way you maneuvered me over behind
the 8 - ball. My position is difficult, to say the least. Either I have to
stand behind my man's description, and become a "Wonder-Woman" or I have to
deflate my ego -- and Don's, and say he's really been daydreaming and that
the photographer always takes a flattering picture [Maggie's picture], even of
unflattering subjects. Of course, you ought to realize by now, after seven
and 1/2 years of married life [Carl Sword with his wife], that no woman in her
right mind would contradict a man (or anyone else) that said she was even
attractive, and she'd be even more reluctant if they said beautiful!
So -- I'm not going to contradict you guys, but I'm not exactly listening
to your "blarney" without a grain of salt. -- I'm just going to let the
"doubting" go on and if we ever do meet, you can make up your own mind.
You may have noticed that I started this letter twenty minutes before
twelve, which is quite a bit b
the wee hours before dawn! [Carl was
kidding her (in the letter that we wrote together) about a
writing to me
in the wee hours of the night.] This is strictly so you won't worry about me
getting enough sleep tonite. Don may not have told you, but one of my worst
faults is enjoying staying up late nites and sleeping late mornings. I don't
go to work till 1:00 in the afternoon [as a secretary for Prof. Hagadorn, the
principal at Virgil Central School], so you see I have plenty of sleep even if
I don't hit the sack 'til the wee hours. I read, knit, listen to the radio,
take in a movie with my family or my brother's girl friends and my brother, so
you see it's a sort of harmless form of staying up late.
Maybe if you're able to be Don's bunk-mate for about a year and a half,
you'll see why I would have married him, man shortage or not. [Carl was
kidding her about being stuck with a man like me.] And I'm sure you haven't
got his equal, even in West Virginia. [Carl was from West Virginia] They just
don't grow men like him that far south. It takes the North to turn out a guy
like him.[Why, thank you, honey. I love you, too.]
I don't doubt for a minute that you fellows are doing all right where you
are, Marines usually do all right wherever they are -- especially home on
furlough. You see, Don knows me pretty well. He said I'd answer your letter,
and he was right. What really got these swift results was the realization on
my part, that a whole month without mail really is a long time. [Carl Sword
hadn't received a single letter from home or his wife for over a month.] I
waited almost that long while you boys took your little "Cruise-on-the Blues",
and every day was 48 hours long, instead of the usual 24. I hope this letter,
even if it's just from a bunk-mates wife, sort of relieves the monotony.
Maybe I expect too much of my own letter, but a letter is a letter, no matter
who it's written by.
Thanks for the time and thought spent on the letter I got today.
Sincerely, Maggie
[Note: Carl Sword was kidding me about a picture I had of Maggie and that he
doubted if she was really as beautiful, in person, as her picture. One thing
led to another and I think I said something like "Why don't you ask her
yourself?" and Carl said that she probably wouldn't even write back. I told
him that she would but he didn't want to write the letter. So I told him that
I would write anything that he dictated to me in a letter to my wife, Maggie.
He still wouldn't believe that she would write him back but he agreed to
dictate the letter to me anyway. Thank you, Maggie, for being a good sport.
Shortly after that Carl was shipped down under into combat. I think I had
lent him $20 before he left. Carl later wrote a letter to Maggie asking for
my new address and told her how much he appreciated the letter that she had
sent to him and me. Carl never did get back in touch with me nor me with him.
I don't know even if he made it back home to his wife safely or not.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
5 Feb 1945
Hear me, hear me, my darling! Bend your sweet little head closer, my
love, because this day, as all days, I have something very radiant and very
personal to whisper in your ear. But since the censor insists upon listening
also in on our private meetings, I shall shout it out so that the whole world
may hear what keeps pounding it's inexplicable way up, up, up from the very
bottom of my heart. I LOVE YOU, DARLING! Gosh, honey, I'm blushing all over,
aren't you? Just think, now the whole world knows that I love you. This
program is sponsored by Love and Etc.
Today is the same as any other day, except that it is raining instead of
sun shining. You know, honey, it grieves me very touchingly every time I
think of my better half back home freezing her "censored" off while I am out
here greedily absorbing the warm, health giving rays of sunlight. Many times
have I wished that I could be back there to keep those, this little piggy went
to the market, toes of yours warm. Many times have I awakened to miss the one
I love beside me. This is fact, not fiction! This is true love, not puppy
love! Curtain!
Second page, Second Edition of Love and Etc.
Written by yours truly.
This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes.
See, honey, like this, not like this! Savvy? Yes, my lovely little but oh so
mighty wifey dear, I bravely face again two full pails of dirty, sudsy clothes
which it is my dutiful privilege to rid of that terrible tattle-tale gray.
My, my, but you have grown. This I say every time I look at my steadily
increasing pile of stubborn, old, dirty fabrics. I say, why should I wash
these clothes? They belong to Uncle Sam, not me! Wanted: One slightly used,
heavy duty, electric washing machine. I beg of you on bended knee and back.
Someday, and may this day come soon, all the King's horses and all the
King's men will come rushing back dragging their tails behind them. Back to
where? Why back to their homes and the ones they love! Amen.
May this letter bring happiness and contentment to you, my darling, as
your letters have brought to me. May these letters soon cease to be written
because of the fact that we can speak our thoughts and feelings to each other
at close range.
From your daydreaming husband.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Maggie to Don]
6 Feb 1945 1:00 A.M. Tuesday Morning
I wrote a letter tonite & put it in an envelope addressed to you and Carl
["Red"] Sword. Please tell me if I wrote O.K. Honey, I wrote it more toward
him then I did you, 'cause I couldn't write the same to him as I love to, to
you. And I knew I'd be writing this personal letter to you tonite. -- just
for you!
Hello My Darling --
Darling, I enjoyed your letters so much today, and I got a kick out of
the one you and Carl Sword composed. If I didn't handle the situation Marine
style, please let me know, because I don't want to cause you any
embarrassment, as I love you much too much. I feel sort of sorry for him,
honey, -- Not getting any mail for a month. How comes his wife isn't keeping
his mail-calls happy after 7 1/2 years of being married to him? How about
writing me about it, if you know, I'd like to know -- It's not curiosity,
just a friendly interest because I'm sure you like him or you wouldn't have
written one for him. ["Red" Sword told me that he was a bus driver in
civilian life and he used to talk to other women on the bus routes. He told
me about dating some of them. He never talked that much about his wife or
family, so I just assumed he and his wife didn't have a very good marriage.
This is probably why he didn't receive any mail for so long. "Red" was a good
Marine and never got into any trouble that I know of. He and I were bunk
mates back in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina when we were undergoing more
intensive combat training and B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) training. I
didn't see Red again until about a month later when I ran into him at Tent
City, Transient Center, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. Red and I both
volunteered for "truck driving duty", which no smart Marine in their right
mind would do, because it usually meant pushing a wheel barrow. Anyway,
because I had driven a milk truck and Red a bus, we both got separate jobs
doing nothing but driving 10-wheel dump trucks around the camp a couple hours
each day while other Marines emptied trash cans into them and then we took it
to the dump. While the other Marines were kept busy all day with one gruesome
duty after another, Red and I were allowed to lay around in our tents most of
the day and "goof off". This is how Red and I got back together again for a
few days before going our separate ways again during the war.]
While we're on the subject, who is Ricky? I thought it was just a joke
on me at first and then I decided that you really got your envelopes mixed.
Honey, that's a bad thing to do, and please try to see that it doesn't happen
again. I was embarrassed as the dickens and sort of disappointed as I
expected to have a letter from you inside the envelope addressed by you. In
fact, I got three envelopes addressed by you today but one was written by
Ricky, one dictated by Carl [Sword], and one from my own honey. So please,
honey, be careful about getting the right letters and envelopes. [As I
remember it, this is what I think happened. The Censors have to take each and
every letter out of their envelopes, read them, censor them if needed and then
put them back into the same envelopes and send them on their way back
Stateside to our loved ones. We had standing orders that no letter would pass
the censor unless we had our name and serial number entered at the bottom of
each letter that we sent out. I had my name and serial number (983241) on the
bottom of my letter but Ricky didn't. This must have thrown the Censors, who
are handling hundreds of thousands of letters for thousands of us each day,
temporarily out of step and they must have put my letter in Ricky's envelope
and Ricky's letter in my envelope. Anyway, when Ricky's wife, or loved one,
received my letter in Ricky's envelope she mailed it back to Ricky, he must
have in turn given it back to the postal personnel at our camp, and they were
able to get it back to me because I had my name and serial number on the
bottom of the letter. I then put it in another envelope and sent it on to
Maggie even though quite a few days after I had originally written it.
However, when Maggie sent Ricky's letter back to me, the postal personnel
probably weren't able to get it back to Ricky because Ricky hadn't put his
name and serial number at the bottom of his letter. I never knew a Ricky.]
Darling, I trust you or I'd have gray hair by now, which I most certainly
haven't. And since I trust you, I love you, even more than you think, and it
becomes more and more every minute we're apart. Forgive me for saying the
things I did. I was in a mood for a while that night and accidentally it
showed in my letter. [Maggie is talking about her letter to me of 21 Jan 1945
11:P.M. Sunday nite. Maggie was given me a tongue lashing (with her pen)
because, even though she was happy that I met up with my brother, Bob was my
older brother and not yet married. She was concerned that Bob would get me
into trouble with the girls that we might run into in downtown Honolulu,
Hawaii.] It won't happen again, even if I'm bluer than purple. I'm glad you
and Bob [Terrell] met and very glad that you really enjoyed your time
together. My only regret about it is that I couldn't be there to share your
fun and maybe add to it. -- At least to yours!
Honey, I'll get a new folder for Bob's miniature [picture] of us. I
haven't sent it, 'cause I've been kind of waiting for word from you about it.
I've got to confess another slip-up I've made, too. I haven't sent your
money order yet [to take the place of a $5 money order that my Uncle Bob LeRoy
had sent me just before I left the States and I had sent back to Maggie for
her to cash and use as she pleased.] I wanted to send it from the Post Office
but I haven't had the chance so I've waited, hoping I'd get the chance.
Darling, I'm sorry. I'll send it as soon as possible. I've also been afraid
I'd get a batch of chocolate chips baked up and use all my chips and nuts and
then have us get snow-bound and the cookies get stale before I could even get
them started toward you, so I haven't made them yet. This snow has raised
hell with all my plans, honey, but I don't love you any less. It's just been
making me put off things longer than I want to. If I even go to Cortland
[Virgil is about 7 miles up in the hills from Cortland] I may get snow-bound
in Cortland 'till the first good thaw this spring, and I don't want that to
happen.
Honey, you'd be surprised at the amount of things you have waiting for
you to put in the scrapbook I got you. We've done pretty well just for 5
months, darling, so don't be impatient -- we'll fill up the scrap book with
pictures of Lynne [our planned for future child] if we don't fill it with y
Honey, I've got a feeling that you will appreciate clean clothes to a
greater degree when you come home. Maybe they'll stay cleaner longer, huh?
Or should I say "They'd b
stay clean longer!" Maybe that would carry
more weight. Maybe you'll learn that you shouldn't get behind on your
washings. Tch! Tch! Imagine, washing 3
days and still having a pail full to
wash! How many weeks washing are you doing, honey -- 4 or 5? I have no pity
for a procrastinator, even if he's the guy I love with all my heart. So you'd
better keep your washing up to date. And don't bring home six months dirty
clothes after the d
! [Yes, dear. I won't, dear. I won't d
, dear!]
Honey, I'm just kidding. [Whew!! You really had me worried there for a
minute!!!] I'll be so glad to have you home I'd probably do a whole year's
back washing for you with only an occasional gripe. [Thank you, dear.]
Well, goodnite, darling. I love you and I love you and, oh yes, did I
remember to tell you -- I love y
! [I love you too, Maggie!]
All My Love -And I do mean
7 Feb 1945 12:15 A.M. Wednesday Morn.
Today I was very ambitious! I got up around 10 because Prof [Hagadorn]
said we'd work this morning. About 10:30 he came in and said Alice [Bloomer
MacGuinness Bristol] wanted him to help her and he said "Can you work this
afternoon?" And I said "N
. I have an appointment at Aydee's [Reynolds] this
afternoon." Well, after he said we wouldn't work this morning, I got thinking
about how much I love you and what do you know? I'd got busy and baked -Guess what? That's right! Chocolate Chips! And some Fudge Nut Squares
(cookies). Then this afternoon I went up to Aydee's and had a permanent. I
didn't have my hair cut at all, honey. Just a permanent on it as is. I'm
going to try to have it nice and long for you when you come home. Or have you
changed your mind and like it short best? It isn't very long now, but it
grows fast. I stayed at Aydee's for supper and then I stayed with David and
Bonnie [Reynolds] while Aydee and Whit [Reynolds] went to the show. Isn't
that a busy day for an old maid?
Say, honey, Ruth [McKinney] Wilson -- (and Jimmy, too) are having a baby
in May. Dorothy [Dalley] Dutcher is having a baby, too, although I don't know
when.
We'll fool them all the first chance we get, darling. I still think
Lynne will look like you and be cute as the dickens. Here's hoping she
doesn't inherit your new ability to poke out eyes and throw people around at
the "flick of the wrist" [combat training for hand-to-hand combat with Japs].
She might try them out on me! Poor Me!!!!
Darling, I love you tonite. I'm in a more (m
) or less mushy
mood, especially with you sitting over there on the dresser and winking at me
all the time. [picture of me]
Honey, I love you and I love you and I r
do love you!
Goodnite, Darling
P.S. I L
YOU. period!
7 Feb 1945 11:40 P.M. Wednesday Nite
Today I got a package ready for you. Honey, please think of it as your
Christmas. It contains what I was going to send you for Christmas and then
you took a powder [shipped overseas] on me just at the wrong time. I'm
sending all my love with it, and I mean a
Wayne [Lear] is going to take it to the Post Office tomorrow and if it
passes all their regulations and rules, you should get it by February 25, at
the latest. I'm also having Wayne send a $5. money order to you. And he's
going to get me a $25. bond [U.S. War Savings Bond] and $15. worth of war
stamps.
Honey, I went over to Myrtle Timmerman's tonite and got one of those
little tropical fish called "Guppies". The little Guppy she gave me is
pregnant, honey, and Myrtle says they have anywhere from 6 - 200 babies at one
time. They don't hatch them by the way of eggs, but they have them just the
same as humans have babies.
The babies just float out of the mother and start swimming around. Her
little tummy is so full of guppies she looks like she might split. She looks
like this [Maggie drew me a picture of her pregnant guppy.] Actual size.
She'll look like this after she has her babies. [Maggie drew me a picture of
how her guppy would look after having her babies.] You can see the babies in
her tummy now, as guppies are transparent. Even their backbones show and
their lips and faces are transparent. You can even see between her eyes.
Myrtle's going to give me a male guppy after mine has her babies so she
will have some more. Now, honey, don't ask me "W
"? -- ha ha
You'd better write a request for a
on the bottom of your next
letter, then I'll be able to send you anything I want to. You don't have to
have a request for Marines packages now, but then I'd be prepared if they do
ask for one. So send one like this: Sample:
I request anything that my wife wishes to send me.
Signed
Pvt. D. L. Terrell USMCR
Thanks for doing it, honey.
Goodnite -My Love
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Don to Maggie]
7 Feb 1945
Time to allow my daily thoughts about you to flow on paper, darling, for
that's about all there is to write about. Not that it isn't the most
interesting thing to write about but just for the fun of agonizing the
censors. I hope that you have already received the Valentine card I sent you
with the pictures. Its words are as spoken from me personally and every
sentence is backed by all the love for you which my swelling heart possesses.
Tonight, the end of another blank day, I received another couple letters
from you. You seem to keep stressing the fact of the snow back home. Will
you make me a snow man if I send you a snow shovel? Or would you rather I
sent you a bulldozer? Well, honey, since I can't send either one, I will just
send all my love which will have to keep you warm during those long, cold,
winter months. No substitutes remember!
I got three of your old letters last night dated Jan. 10,11, and 12 which
was sent regular mail. Also a letter from Bob [Terrell] dated Jan. 30. He
said he was getting along fine although he still had a long way to go yet
[toward Japan]. I am glad that you like to write to him, honey, because he
enjoys hearing from you. Remember, he hasn't got any wonderful wife that
writes to him every day like I have. It seems that about all we wait for
lately is mail call.
My brave little darling! How did you ever do it? Just think, my honey
had the nerve to go to the dentist and have her teeth fixed all by herself.
When I get home, honey, I will pin the Congressional Medal of Honor on you
personally along with a kiss, a hug and then some. What do you mean, all
those dentists? Why I'll bet I have been to at least thirty different
dentists since I've been in the Marines.
You had better hurry and bake those cookies, honey, I'm starved for some
of your super deluxe specials. The words to the song "Make Believe" that you
sent me were very nice, honey. I am sure that the feeling is mutual between
us. I can think of nothing else to say for this day except that I love you.
9 Feb 1945
To the most wonderful girl in the world!
My darling wife, Maggie,
I'll bet you don't love me, I'll bet you do love me! Deep in your heart
in Virgil. You can bet I do love you! Deep in my heart in censored. The
musical melody just sang by your lovesick and homesick husband is just a
preview of what I would really like to tell you if we were in kissing
distance. This is, I am very much afraid, a very poor way of an introduction
to a letter, especially to the one I love. But since there is nothing else to
be quoted, I am sure that you, my darling, will forgive my humble and most
frantic attempts at telling you how much I really miss you. All joking aside
please! This is a serious business. One which involves a very aching heart
and soul for that little green-eyed gal back home. I'm not kidding, honey,
today I have missed you as I never have missed you before. This is fact not
fiction! This is true love, not puppy love! Stale? I hope not.
No letter today, the postman went by, no letter today. Although there
was no letter by which to bring your love to me, honey, your love came to me
in a manner which even I don't understand. Call it telepathy! Call it my
imagination! Call it what you want, darling, but anyway today I had your love
wherever I was. Deep in my heart in censored!
If I was allowed to swear in this letter, honey, you can be sure you
would hear a few familiar phrases that I used to throw at certain things at
certain times. What am I mad about? Why, darn it, honey, at this whole mixed
up mess! Now, if I had my way ------ ------! Beat'um, Joe, beat'um. I guess
a fellow isn't a Marine unless he squawks about something.
Well, honey, this is the end of another very unperfect day. Don't get me
wrong, honey. It was a perfect day as far as the Marine Corps goes but very
faulty as far as being able to have you with me goes. Maybe in our dreams,
huh?
My brave little darling! How did you ever do it? Just think, my honey
had the nerve to go to the dentist and have her teeth fixed all by herself.
When I get home, honey, I will pin the Congressional Medal of Honor on you
personally along with a kiss, a hug and then some. What do you mean, all
those dentists? Why I'll bet I have been to at least thirty different
dentists since I've been in the Marines.
You had better hurry and bake those cookies, honey, I'm starved for some
of your super deluxe specials. The words to the song "Make Believe" that you
sent me were very nice, honey. I am sure that the feeling is mutual between
us. I can think of nothing else to say for this day except that I love you.
9 Feb 1945
To the most wonderful girl in the world!
My darling wife, Maggie,
I'll bet you don't love me, I'll bet you do love me! Deep in your heart
in Virgil. You can bet I do love you! Deep in my heart in censored. The
musical melody just sang by your lovesick and homesick husband is just a
preview of what I would really like to tell you if we were in kissing
distance. This is, I am very much afraid, a very poor way of an introduction
to a letter, especially to the one I love. But since there is nothing else to
be quoted, I am sure that you, my darling, will forgive my humble and most
frantic attempts at telling you how much I really miss you. All joking aside
please! This is a serious business. One which involves a very aching heart
and soul for that little green-eyed gal back home. I'm not kidding, honey,
today I have missed you as I never have missed you before. This is fact not
fiction! This is true love, not puppy love! Stale? I hope not.
No letter today, the postman went by, no letter today. Although there
was no letter by which to bring your love to me, honey, your love came to me
in a manner which even I don't understand. Call it telepathy! Call it my
imagination! Call it what you want, darling, but anyway today I had your love
wherever I was. Deep in my heart in censored!
If I was allowed to swear in this letter, honey, you can be sure you
would hear a few familiar phrases that I used to throw at certain things at
certain times. What am I mad about? Why, darn it, honey, at this whole mixed
up mess! Now, if I had my way ------ ------! Beat'um, Joe, beat'um. I guess
a fellow isn't a Marine unless he squawks about something.
Well, honey, this is the end of another very unperfect day. Don't get me
wrong, honey. It was a perfect day as far as the Marine Corps goes but very
faulty as far as being able to have you with me goes. Maybe in our dreams,
huh?

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