After my dad was sent off to the South Pacific, my mom began her correspondence with him as part of a way to ensure sailors knew they were being thought of. And thus, their 'romance' began.
Dad did not keep the letters from my mom, though his buddies on board enjoyed hearing them. When you see the ones he sent my mom, you can only imagine what she must have written.
It is told that my mom's family couldn't wait to hear what dad wrote to her!
Here are the first ten letters that we found from mom's collection. (Note: they are typed just as they were written - in silly cryptic words at times.
The
letters of Vernon H. Russell – to Sylvia Pierpont
From
July 1944 – May 1946
This
collection symbolizes their entire courtship while Vernon was in the Navy
July 23, 1944 Sampson NY
Hi Syl
**We’re in *the Navy now * !!
Whew - What a day yesterday, had to sleep
on the train Friday nite and consequently only got about 3 or 4 hours sleep -
When we got here we had to take our physical, “shots” included and get our
clothes and stencil same. All in all a
pretty full day. Finally hit the sack about
21:30 and did it feel good, yes, yes.
Haven’t had much happen yet. Just finished chow ‘breakfast’. Going to church at 8:45. After that who knows? Not me anyhow.
Say I enjoyed that party Thur. nite. I didn’t expect it for one thing. And then when the gifts were given -
well. You know - going away hadn’t
affected me till then - and then something twisted around inside, - a funny
feeling. Thank your Ma and Pa again for
everything, will you - Thanks.
Will write more later.
Vern
P.S.
Don’t forget to write yourself.
S.P.S.
If you go dancing Sat. nite - please do a couple of sets for me, - and
some polkas.
**************
Postcard - October 29, 1944
Hi Syl - Well - here I am! Way down south in de lan of cotton! Will be here 8 weeks. Nice down here, weather included. Classes start tomorrow. I don’t know in what, tho. What’s this I hear about you and the baby
shop? Have you been holding out on
me?! My My! and to think you wouldn’t
tell me - one of your best friends! Tch
Tch!! Don’t forget to write - Yours – Vern
**************
November 9,1944 From Div. 31 Sect. F, B.E. School, N.T.C.
Gulfport Miss.
Dear Mom,
Well I’m just about the happiest man in 3
states! And why shouldn’t I be! I just
finished handing out cigars to all the fellows, - now I only hope it’s a
boy! Just when is this blessed event
going to take place, Mom, - golly - I’m all a-twitter. Golly - maybe it will be twins! What all shall we call it, Mom? If it’s a boy - I like Wilmer as a name - yes
- Wilmer Fauntleroy sounds swell. But if
it’s a girl - gee - I don’t know – how’s about Sarah Margaret - that’s just
about the prettiest name I know of - or maybe Isabella Barbara? Golly
- maybe you’d better pick the names out - I’m so nervous I can’t
even think anymore! Just think, me, a
poppa! - and you a momma!! Maybe you’d
better begin to take it easy, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to “our” child
- or maybe children. Just do what
the nice doctor says, dearie, - and don’t do too much strenuous exercising.
GOLLY - I just remembered! Say - if we don’t want a scandal we had
better hurry up and get hitched or else people will talk!! And we wouldn’t want
people to do that - would we? You just
set the date and I’ll get an emergency leave and we’ll get hitched up together
proper. Perhaps you’d better ‘wire’ me,
it’s a little quicker that way. Till I
see you - don’t tell a soul - or go hunting for receipts from baby shops -
people might get suspicious!
Please
answer soon,
Your
loving,
-
tho anxious - hubby
P.S.
I showed your picture to all the fellows and they think I’m a very lucky
guy to have such a pretty wife
S.P.S
I’d rather give these in person but I just can’t right now - X X Xs
**************
Nov. 19, 1944 on United
States Navy embossed letterhead
Dearest Wife,
Thanks so much for the birthday card, the
sentiment was - was – was, - well it just overcome me. I didn’t think you cared so much! Now I know I have one of the nicest wifes
this side of the Mississipp. (Boy - you
should see ‘em on the other side - Woo Woo!!)
As I were walking thru the ‘big’ town of
Biloxi yesterday, on liberty, I thought I’d get a present for my dearest wife -
so I did. I reckoned it might be getting
cold ‘up north’ and thought maybe you’d care for something to pertect ya. I hope you like it. It’s only a little package but it’s got a lot
of sumthin wrapped up in it, - which you can’t see! - but it’s there!
I had a good time in Biloxi -
bowling. I went with a friend of mine -
he’s from Waterbury to - from Scovill in fact.
I think Zeke knows him - Francis Urniezus is his name.
Well anyhow - we bowled, large pins, and I
got an average of 143 for four games.
Right in the groove eh! Have you
been bowling lately, yet almost hardly maybe?
It rained cats and dogs here this morning
- so hard in fact, - I didn’t even go to chow - I didn’t think it was worth
it. (About 11:00 chewing my fingers off
to my elbow, in hunger!)
Am going to sleep this afternoon, I
hope. I’ve had guard duty (fence patrol)
4 nites this week. All of it was either
2400 - 0002 or 0200 - 0400. I missed
quite a bit of sleep - and can’t afford it.
I have to maintain my good marks to get a good final average and I can’t
get them while half asleep.
Last weeks marks were only 100 - 95 and
92. I must be slipping.
I had a wonderful time in New Orleans last
week end. Moonlight boat ride on the
Miss. River. A tour of Consolidated
Aircraft Corp where the PBY Catalina’s are made - and a tour of the historic
‘Old French Quarters’. There’s lots to
see down there if one has the time and the money.
Some day I’m going out to Keesler Field
and look around - Maybe I can hitch a ride on a B-24 or something. That would be fun.
I received the letter from Vi O.K. Was much relieved to know what happened, I
guess I must’ve been a little alcohol zed when it all happened -- but wouldn’t
change what has happened for the world.
I couldn’t have a finer wife - and mother. Sweet, thoughtful, generous, kind, a
wonderful companion - be it grand opera or ½ mile hike you’re still the one and
only one who can take them in stride.
What more could a guy want - or ask for.
I’m getting sentimental, I guess - but then I always do - when I think
of you. I have your picture in my wallet
- and your image in my heart.
As
always,
Your
loving husband,
Vern
P.S.
Give my regards to the family - Tell Zeke I think he’s going to make a
swell brother-in-law.
***************
November 24, 1944 NTC Gulfport Miss
Dear Mom,
Dearie me - I’m getting rather confused -
first your sister says we are married and the you say we aren’t! Now is we is or is we ain’t? I think you have to brave the world alone in
such a position - but also mebbe a little proud - especially when I do
love you - and wouldn’t make a too awful papa!
Wouldn’t you consider the situation a wee more carefull - perhaps sleep
on it a couple of nights! (makes the
bed as hard as hell - doesn’t it!) You
seem to have the wrong attitude about saylors, I think. A saylor makes a verry good husband because
he is sort of a handy man (He’ll hand anybody a line) wich makes him alll the
more dezirabble. Niver underrestimate a
saylor. He is a man to be reckonned
with.
I am esspecchally sorre that you won’t let
me see the quadruplets (darn near broke the record didn’t you - only needed two
more!) They are mi pride and joye. Have you named them almost yet? I have been and still am sitting on edge (right
now it’s the edge of the bunk) wayting for your tellagrame - butt I gess bye
now evrething is all over and evrething
is O.K. Am I write in this consumption?
I hope bye now you havve gotten mine udder
letter wich I cent erlier in the weak.
Did you?
I see you are still staing att the Loving
Arms Hotel. Itt must bee a swell place
to stay att almost. I like - or I think
I wood like the ‘uninhibited chambermaids’.
Don’t you too also mebbee?!
We had our tests today att wich I did not
doo soo hott. Math 94, Naval Discipline
50, Shop Theory 90. How doo you like
that nix 50. I think he gavve mee too
muche don’t you perhaps. One more like
that and I wood have a hundred. 50 +
50=100 Yup - one hundred.
I saw ‘None but the Lonlee Hart’ with Gary
Cooper and ‘The Songge of Boinadette’, both uf wich was very swell don’t you!
This Sunday I is going to Biloxi to church
and then cum bak latter to Gulfport in the aftertwelveoclocktime.
I am sending the ‘pictures almost’ back. It’s too badd they did not cum out - like I
hoped they wood. How about sending mee a
picture of you anyhow - for a Xmas present maybe, almost, perhaps - huh?! Gif min love to da kids - all 4 of them and
Mom and Poppa Pierpont - also sayye hiho! To bruther Zeke - forre me - will you
huh? As ever - yore loving husbande –
Vernon
*************
Desembrrrr 11, 1944
Derist Sill,
I wil b fyne yestrda end hopeng u whis the
ssaim 2moraoh. Don’t u?
It cems u have A imppedalmetcha inn yure
ryting. i knotissed itt inn yure leturs
2 Me! [xkuze - pleese] Mae B i kan hellp u 2 ohvir cum itt. i Shal tri 2 xplane sumtimes Abowt the
simmpulscitty uf the Ingulish Langwhich.
Itt iz verre simmpul wunce u lern how
iff u waache kloslee how i ryte u kan kahpe me end lern dat wey. K.O.?
i wiish I cood here the don Kasack
corus. i herd itt wunce end njoid itt
imenslee. Don’t u?
thangs four the “wite Rubbin Banter”. i c that the Why Tee Cee iz styl goen! Ain’t dat nyce - i shure mis itt. speshully u!
Yore ma showre had the rite idee aBout the
skarf! Onle i wood ruther bee the skarf,
wear itt iz then wear i iz now!! imajin
beein deraped erond yore nek. Itt
thrrils mee awl ohver jus two thinnk abowt itt.
izint itt 2 baad thet u r sew fare away?!!
i went inntew towne last weak luking four
sumthin four the for kidds - onle i haad truble fynding watt i wanted - sew i ddid
nott gett itt. Nex weak I wil gett itt
four shure! Tell Abigail, Buster, Carmen
end Dudley I hav nott fourget themm.
(Four yure innfourmayshun - i amm nott yett enyways inn the brigg - nott
yett enyways.)
Skule iz fyne she iz - tho sumtymes she
end i does nott ageree az 2 watt i think i shood have four Marks! Soon i wil fynd owt iff i have gott Fyremen
1/c. Mae be thiss weak, - all most!!
The wether hear iz 2 kolld four mee. Wee r whering our koats end sweters all sew
galoves. Tew kolld four me! Have yew gotten eny sno yett?
Sonday when i was tew town i stopted intew
A methudistt Church beecuz i saw a sine wich sed sumthin abowt gaims end refereshmints
- sew naturle i stopted inn - naturle. i
spented A most innjoyebel 2 ours singingg hims end favoritt peeces. Itt was A pyle uf fun. Don’t yew??
Thair whirr sum nyce gurls thair tew. Thay reremyneded yew uf me only xceppt four
thair kewt suthernn akcentt. Itt iz funy
how everre peritty gurl reremyndes mee uf yew, mi own peritty weyeff. i neverr wil fourgett yew inndeed. inndeed.
indeed i wil. Don’t yew tew all
sew leyekwize??
Puleese giv tew yore ma, meye Bestt
wisshez four A hape Nu Yere end A Mary Krismus - allsew tew yore paw.
Whut iz going onn inn Why Tee See Ennythink uf imporetentce? Wil yew give tew awl mi ferends thair mi
reeguards?! i wil be much ablijed. Thenk yew 2 muche. Ore az itt was sed in Frenche “Mare si bow
koo”. Hoeping yew have a Mary krismus
yoreseluf, mom.
i miss u mom - dew u miss mee? Have yew bin barn dancing uf lately? How i wood luv tew dew our fayvoritt pollka,
don’t yew? i will gett russty iff I
don’t dew sum dancing soones. i will
klose now, all most,
Yore
luving spouse end hubbe “POP”
P.S. indlosed fynd A pikchur uf our
chaple. Nott baad four a chaple, don’t
yew! i live akross the road frum itt all most.
*************
January 6, 1945 – (from
F.S.S. Class (A) Diesel Class 1945, U.S.N. Repair Base, San Diego, 36, Calif)
[first paragraph written
backwards)
Tch Tch – how you spell – I didn’t know
you were so ignorant. But it’s O.K. I love you just the same. It must be kinda
tough to feed so many young’uns but then that will give you something to do!
Whew – that takes too much energy to write
like that – and too much time besides & you know how valuable my
time is! Yeah – I know, just about 7 ½
cents per hour!! Slave labor pay – that’s what it is – I oughta hit ‘em for a
raise!!! That’s one thing you can’t do – one of the many “ones” one
can’t do -----.
Gee – I’d like to see you in your ‘page
boy’ hair do-, - why don’t you have some one take a snap of you – while you
still have it – so you can show me what you look like in it?! You know how I like long hair. I sure would like to get my hands in it right
now – (yes, you’re right) – just to muss it up for you. Say – Wwho do you get to muss up your hair
do’s now – or do they stay in place now-a-days?!!! I am proud of you growing such nice
long hair – darn proud – I’m glad there’s someone in my ‘family’ that can grow
it ---!!! I just got mine cut tonite –
it was getting so long, - no cracks -, it does get long ----- in places
(not the right places!)
What happened to my sister-in-law Alice as
a nursemaid? Did she up and leave?! I thought she would make a swell nurse-maid.
School is progressing rapidly – one week
all gone already. Darned interesting
classes and getting better all the time.
if I don’t get anything else out of the Navy I’m getting educated
anyhow. They tell us this course would
cost us around 4 or 5 thousand bucks elsewhere if we were to pay for it!!! The equipment they have here is first class
and mostly all new too. I’m glad things
are going as they are – and I know that God is guiding, guarding, and loving me
now as always. All I have to do is
follow along lifes true path and I shall progress. Progress is a law of God – there is no
retrogression in God’s kingdom – all is progress forward. It’s rather hard to see sometimes but
nevertheless it is there. Navy life has,
even now, made me a little more humble and grateful for those little things in
life we overlook sometimes. A clearer
sense of ‘home’, brotherly love, forbearance and patience are mine too. So you see, I have progressed spiritually
even if not materially.
Say – didn’t I send you a picture of
me?! I thought I did – so you could add
it to your album of guys which think you are pretty swell – but maybe I
didn’t. You know – I had to practically steal
the pictures I have of you – you didn’t give me any – but cheer up honey
– we’ll see what we can do about it (we – meaning me and some kind of camera!)
The radio was playing some swell square
dance music, with the prompts, too, just a little while ago, - made me a little
homesick, almost. ‘Tis Saturday nite too
– sigh – I can remember other Saturdays when;
--- well, you get the idea I guess.
Am going to church tomorrow and going on a
hike with some young people (C. Scientists) in the afternoon. They (the young people) held a dance just
before New Years to which I went, and had a wonderful time. It’s hard to get acquainted with young people
sometimes and get the right kind – and what could be a better way than thru a
group of this sort?!! I’m not much on
playing around with pickups and such trash like some guys do – but I’d rather
be a little choosy of my company anyhow.
Am glad Sandy Claus was so good to you –
but he’s a pretty good egg -- !!!
School hours are rather long, 8 hours a
day 6 days a week, and I don’t find time for writing like I used to – but 9/10
of my thoughts are in Waterbury – so you see I think of you anyhow – even if I
don’t pen a line too often. Wait till I
get to sea – then you’ll get letters in a bunch!!! Heaven forbid! (the ‘sea’ I mean!)
Tell Zeke I didn’t see his picture
in the Bulletin for buying a $1000 bond for the 6th war loan –
whazzamatter – I thought he was makin lots of jake what with woodcuttin and
all!!
Give the kids a hug and a kiss from
‘Daddy” – and you can have one too --!!
‘Pop’
***************
Feb. 6, 1945
Hi ya yankee!
It may be a long time since you’ve written
but it’s longer since I’ve written (you figure it out).
I looked up Eddie Lovett but with no
results. They didn’t have any info on or
about him in the office. Maybe I went to
the wrong place to ask – or maybe he just isn’t here! Could be!!
So Frankie has met at last his “young
lady”. Seems to me I’ve heard that one
before! Or do you suppose he means it
this time?! Give me the dirt. “Shoot the dirt to me Gert” – or sumpin -.
We ‘graduated’ Saturday and tomorrow we
head for Shoemaker, California – that is, we have 7 days to get there. After that we hit the – hmmm mmm
I was only 12 from the top of class so I
consider myself a natural genius. (o’course) (naturally) Our class was pretty darn good – or else I
would have been even higher. Comparative
estimates, my dear, prove that. We did
have a good class tho – we all agreed on that (all – meaning the class itself!)
Yes – I do miss
missing – I mean miss mussing your mangy locks, -I mean, hair. Am getting confused myself, here. But I guess Zeke will have to carry on my arm
isn’t 3 or 4 thousand miles long – or else I would oblige by doing the
same.
Glad to hear Les got home – he’s been away
quite awhile hasn’t he?
Well I have to dash over the the Post
office and see if I got any mail. It
will be a long time afore I get mail again.
Will try and drop you a line while in L.A.
as I intend to go there on my leave.
Maybe I’ll even visit Hollywood – hmm-m – could be.
Keep yore fingers out of your mouth, Mom
it aint good for growed up pipples.
Will write more later.
Gif mine luf to da kids.
Luf, Pop
***************
February 21, 1945 from F 2/c 8992861, Barracks 0533, Naval
Receiving Brks, Shoemaker, Calif.
Dear Syl;
Long time no see!
At the present moment I am sitting comfortably
in the “legal office” of the main administration bldg. Would you like some legal advice? Advice of food and gas rationing? Well, well, I’ve guess you’ve come to the
right office. Yup, the right office, -
but the wrong guy! I’m ostensibly
serving in the unlimited capable capacity as a messenger. Would you like a message delivered? I don’t peek – and I don’t charge much
either! What! – no sale?! Awh – gee –
T’other day I had messenger duty in the
“Public Works” office and how I did work there. – Nix!
I wrote letters and twiddled my thumbs – (all ten of them!) – all the
time I was there. What a racket eh! They’ll kill me with overwork yet!
Just came in from liberty this noon. We get every 3rd day off from 1330
to 1200 the next day. Some fun. I went to Oakland with my pal Howie. Went bowling and went to a show and then to
bed. Some excitement eh what! Up just in time to eat and catch a bus back
to the camp. Next time I think I’ll go
to Berkeley – that’s where the Univ. of
Calif. is. A co-ed college
too! (Long **++****whistle!) Wantta come along. Gee – tanks!
Naw, I wouldn’t appreciate it I’m afraid. I’m a changed man since you saw me last. Would you believe it. I’ve got ‘someone’ on my mind and I can’t get
her off! I don’t want to either. Gals don’t mean much when a guys’ got what I
got. I don’t know why I should be
telling “my wife” this. Goodness me,
what a dope, - first thing you know you’ll divorce me and then what would I do
– with 4 kids – Wow – what a purdickament!
They tell us that we’ll be here about
a week or 10 days. ‘Twill be a week
tomorrow nite – and no word yet. Oh
well, - I’m beginning to like it here and not anxious to go to sea anyhow. I’m a landlubber at heart.
Thanks for the valentine – I just got it
today. Such centiment – ah me – what a
wife I have. I sortta slipped up this
year dearie, or you’d a got one too.
I hear tell ya was working on my sister’s
hair. Ya musta done a good job ‘cuz she
thought it was swell. I hear tell too,
that you’re a gonna go up and visit her. Are you going to take my heartthrob
along? I hear tell that something was
cooking along them lines. Whatsa latest
dope on this? Anyhow?
My sis tells me that my heartthrob wasn’t
eggsackly the one you had picked to be me heartthrob. Just who was the one you had picked
out – Hmm? I’m downright curious. Not that I’d change my mind but I was just
wondering who the gal was. Enlighten me
will yuh?!
Golly I’ve rambled on for 2 pages and
haven’t said a thing. Guess I’d better
shuddup.
How’s Y.T.C. coming along? Tell them I am deeply honored and humbly
grateful for continuing my membership for me.
I make you my mouthpiece for the occasion. Thank you!
So long for now
Vern
**************
Mar 3, 1945
Hi Syl,
You know – if you wrote me sooner after
events have happened I wouldn’t hear about them from other sources and you
wouldn’t have such complaints!
Hint?!!
So Frankie done brang his gal home with
him eh – hm-m, sounds pretty serious I’d say, - coming all the way from New
Orleans. Say – she and I would have
things in common wouldn’t we – me visiting New Orleans when I was in Miss. And
stuff – hm-m.! Carol Street and me were
just like X
that
. Guess I’ll have to talk with her
someday. Do you think that might be
possible?!
Natcherlee I heard about you and Alice
visiting Dot – natcherlee. It’s a good
thing I don’t depend on you tho to hear about such things! Whatsamatter wouldn’t anyone give you my new
address? Sending it to Diego – tsk tsk
sich sich – oh me. Pick yore chin up
offen the floor – I didn’t mean it – honest.
So ya wanta bowl – huh? OK.
I’ll take you on. I haven’t
bowled duck pins since since – well since I was home last. But I have bolwed infrequently with the big
balls, - mans game (that lets you out).
I managed to get 170 t’other day! My average is about 140 to 150 with
the big balls. If I ever got ahold of
one of them pee-wee marbles I’d probably put it right thru the back of the
alley! I will gladly bowl you a nickel a
string as I am short of funds most always and this will be a convenient way to
earn some money and have some fun at the same time!
Rain rain go away – etc. It’s raining today, darn it – my liberty day
too. I’m not anxious to get wet so I’m
staying in. Dope? I was planning on taking a hike up in the
hills around here – mebbe next time.
Lots of flowers are out here – roses and hyacinths I can call by name
but beyond that they’re just pretty flowers.
I can’t name ‘em, not these anyhow.
Trees are in blossom – white, red, pink and yeller ones. Purty, so it is. Nature lover that’s me – waal I gotta love
something don’t I?!
After yore comment about Orie Holihan I
felt gespired and writ him a letter last nite – just to keep up the home front
morale you know.
Today is our (wait’ll I take my shoes off)
17th day here and no sign of shipping out yet. Oh well, - I’d rather be here than out at sea
any day. I have decided I am not meant
to be a sailor – but no one pays any attention to me!
Am glad a good time wuz had by all at the
Y.T.C. party – you make me feet jump when you talk about the heel and toe
polka. Am glad somebody can still do it
– somebody will have to show me all over again by the time I get outta dis here
outfit – pooey.
Went to a show here last nite and saw a
cowboy picture and a detective one too.
All fer a 5c (nickel). I think I
would almost be tempted to splurge and ask you some day – o’course it would be
a strain on me finances, o’course, nacherly.
Don go away yet – I got another sheet of
this paper I want to throw away – or stick around a bit. O’course I haven’t got anything to say but
mebbe if I were to write
a little bigger it would take up more space and I wouldn’t have to say so much
to write something. I mean I wouldn’t
have to write so much to say nothin’. Do
you think it would cover more space if I wrote bigger? It looks as tho it might doesn’t it!
A friend of mine says that this is not the
proper way to cover a sheet of paper. He
says that the proper procedure for filling up a page is to drop a line to the
bottom of it like this….
$
$
$
$
$
$
Goombye,
Pop
P.S. – S.P. Have you been barn dancing
lately out to Wolcott.
S.P.S. – wantta hear a good joke? Do you know why the Waves wear a tie? You know those blue things they wear? Well there is a Navy regulation that says all
“sea bags” must be tied at the top – that’s why! Get it?
Ha ha ha - I’ll laugh anyhow.
S.S.P.S.
You shoulda been here yesterday.
All the fellers stripped (calm yoreself!) to the waist and stretched out
on the lawn and took sunbaths. Don’t you
wish you were here? No! Well – no need to get huffy.
******************
Mar. 18, 1945
Dear Mom,
Youse coitanly reeleeved me A lott whin i
gott yure letter. i was wundering how yu
wood take itt, mi luving sum udder wuman, i mean – itt shure iz A lode offen mi
mine. Youse ken have da kids, i diddent
want dem anywaze az fore iz two meny i tink fore wun man. Da pore kids, - i feel soree fore dem tho,
cuz dey wil no dout hef two suport there lasee ole mudder az soon az dey ar
abel. Pore little kidds – itt mite bee
wize mebbe ifen yu didd maree sum ole galoot wid lotts uf munnee, - den dey
woodent hef two suport you, like dey wood almost iffen yu diddent
purrhaps. i don tink yu like mee veree
much enyhow orr yu wood uf att leest gifff me da congratulusions on piking on
sum veree nice beutifull girrl like I didd.
i tink mebbe yu ar jellus dats wat i tink. Zhame fore yu. i amm gladd yu diddent get two much outta mee
– butt i new dat iz wat yu we affter enyhow.
i wood veree much appreciate hering about
da kidds tho – dat iz ifen youse aint two lasee two rite noww and den. i laff everee tyme i here about dem – mebbe
itt iz becuz youse use such tearible langwich dat iz wy i laff, i dunno. enyhow i wood injoy hering about da kidds
progrest. dey shood bee going two skul
soon – butt iffen dey take affter there mudder dey woodent lern much enyhow soo
dere iz no neede uf sending dem i gess az itt wood bee a waste uf tyme, end it
wood bee veree embareassing two youse two hef itt nown data dose kidds were
yures.
iff Carmen looks lik yu itt iz onlee becuz
shee iz a woman – dat iz all. Dere
coodent bee anudder face az badd az yures.
Dat i no.
itt looks az tho da milkman end da iceman
shure had a whale uf a tyme att da house wile i waz att work. How dey stood itt i don no. mebbe dey iz crasier den i thot dey wer.
Youse shok mee wen youse say yu saw wun
uff mi kidds inn town. i never had no
udder kidds inn town. i never had no
udder kidds inn town, so dere.
Whew, - can I write straight and good
English now?! O.K. Well, Syl, it looks as tho they have finally
caught up with me at last. I’m shipping
out on the 20th – to where I don’t know, - rumors says “New
Hebrides’ – but it’s only rumor so far, no facts as yet. We won’t know, I don’t think, till we get
there. That’s usually the way the Navy
works it. There’s 344 on our draft, part
Gunners mates strikers, part Torpedomensmates strikers and part motor
machinists mates strikers (dat’s me!).
It looks like we’ll probably be sent to an advanced base somewhere and
be sent out or split up from there. At
least that’s the way I have it figured out.
I could be wrong! Shut up!!
My new address will be ‘Me’ F 2/c 8992861, Draft #3551 from Shoemaker,
c/o Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, Calif.
that is if you care to write! I
get a kick out of your letters – especially about the ‘kids’ – it sorta keeps
my morale up, which does need a boost now and then.
I hear tell you had a Y.T.C. bowling
party! I knew I couldn’t depend
on you to tell me about it! I didn’t
hear what your scores were tho. Were
they that bad? I used to know a Syl
Pierpont that could bowl a darn good game.
I wonder what happened to her!!!
I’ve been bowling nearly every day for over a week now – it sorta helps
pass time and breaks up the monotony too.
I can’t get back up to the 220 I hit a while back but I have hit
up in the 180’s a few times since. Yuh
think I’m kidding you about the scores?!
O.K. I’ll prove it to yuh ----
some day!
I’m going to church this morning, yes sir,
I’m a gonna get to hevvin sum day --!
Church is over in Camp Parks, the Seebee Base next door. Know anyone over there? I’ll drop in on ‘em and
tell ‘em how awful you are-----n’t! I’ve
run into a few Waterbury fellows out here.
Johnny Francis, ‘Red’ Tammany, Roy Johnson, Spencer Shean and Harvey
Hendrickson. Know any of them? Ask Zeke if he knows any of them – I bet he
does – or he should, - they all worked in Scovills.
Afore I forget it – let me wish you a
belated ‘Happy St. Patrick day’ – and a “Joyous easter”. I haven’t any cards so this will have to
do. What has the bunny left for you? Tsk tsk!
You shoulda put him out doors a little quicker! Ha hah!
That one smelled -!! P.U.!!
Say ‘hello’ to the family for me – that
includes Zeke too!
With love,
Pop
P.S.
Say – what is Art’s address?
Isn’t he out in the southwest Pacific?
I might hunt him up if I get in that area. Let me know – huh? Wouldn’t we have a swell time talking about
you – ha hah! Wouldn’t you like
that! Ha hah!
S.P.S
Can you find out and tell me where art Peterson is now? I lost track of him back in Sampson. How’s about it? Can do?
Swell!
S.S.P.S.
Don’t forget to write, - - - often!!
April 14, 1945 From F 2/c 8992861, R/S Nave #150, c/o F.P.O.
San Francisco, CA
***************
April 14, 1945
Dear Syl,
Yesterday being Friday the 13th,
and thinking of all the unlucky things that has happened to me, I naturally
started thinking of you. So today, being
tomorrow from yesterday, which was really today then, I thought I’d drop a few
words your way and thank you for all the grief you’ve been to me. So, here I is am, was or sumpin to that
effect - .
Am sorry to hear that Buster’s so slow at
every thing. I think it must be the
influence of those around him. But why should he learn to walk when he can get
carried around! Mebbe he’s smarter than
you think!!
Thanks for Art’s address – now all I have
to do is find him. How about Art Peterson’s
address yuh big dope! That’s the one I
asked yuh for didn’t I?! Do yuh think I
wanta get me haid busted in by lookin up the other ‘Art’?! Are yuh crazee! Just what would he think and do if I
told him you and me was already married and had had 4 kids while he was out
here in the Pacific??? No, I think it
would be safer not to see him at-all-at-all.
Now how about Art Petersons address – do I have to come home and get it
myself? Thanks – (Ha, ha)
It’s pretty nice here. Nice sleeping quarters – army tents and only
6 or 8 to a tent, so we have oodles of room.
Our camp is nestled right in a coconut grove so its pretty picturesque
(notice that long word there!) Coconut
milk and meat aren’t bad either – tho I’d rather have my coconut on top of a
cream pie. Yum-m.
Chow here is swell. I’ll list a few of the good things we have –
pancakes, iced tea, cocoa and lemonade, pie a-la-mode, chocolate pudding. Is that enough? And we can get all sorts of candy and ice
cream and cake at ships service so we don’t do half bad. I’ve got a whole box of ‘butterfingers’
up on the shelf here. Have one? Don’t grab – hah … ha ha.
I don’t think I’ll let you have any candy,
on 2nd thought – you might get fat again. And you know what happened the last time you
got ‘fat’ – Quads!!! No candy for
you – and that’s that –
There’s a chapel just up the road from
here and we have our C.S. services there so it’s pretty convenient. The chapel is quaint – made of strips of
bamboo, thatched. Quite novel.
One of the best things here is the nice
cold showers one can get in the shower house.
Boy, do they go good on a hot day – you betcha. it’s so hot here you sweat doing nothing at
all. When it rains it really rains – as
much as 15 or 20 times a day. Some fun,
especiallly when you’re standing in chow line.
I saw coral the other day, down at the
beach. Exquisite shape – sum-m not bad.
I hear tell she’s as hard as rock tho – tsk tsk - too bad! Ha ha – Some pun eh kid –
We had a nice trip across ‘cept some of
the fellers got sea sick the first couple of days. They recovered pretty fast tho. We didn’t see
much of anything ‘cept flying fish which kept us amused for hours. We saw no land till the day we anchored here
and terra ferma sure looked and felt good believe you me. We got our membership cards into the ‘Ancient
Order of the Deep’ for crossing the equator and the “Domain of the Golden
Dragon’ for crossing the international date line. Some honor bestowed on us, eh! We missed being initiated becuz there were
too many of us – but I don’t mind – as the initiation is gruesome. I must tell you about it sometime.
By the way I haven’t told you where I am,
have I. I’m in the New Hebrides. We’re here only temporarily and awaiting further
transfer to somewhere - where, no one
knows. I’d just as soon stay here. Blame me?
No one to shoot at me from down here.
I got me a close crew haircut (no comments)
– and it is really very cool, aside from the fact that I don’t have to comb it
at all at all (no comments). Remember you told me I’d grow hair down
here! Well I’ve started in already. Be prepared to give me a permanent when I get
hom, ‘cuz I’mm gonna let it grow and grow and grow- !
Who was the best man at the bowling
party? And no fibbing! You tell your brother Zeke that if he thinks
he’s so good at bowling I can take him anytime anywhere. So there too -..
I can just imagine what a good influence
you will be at that youth canteen.
Nix. Sech pore judgment some pipples
has. I’m sure you will contribute much
to the degeneracy of the younger generation.
My honey tells me spring is springing ‘up
thar’. Ah me – “spring, when a young
mans fancy lightly turns to thoughts of … “
Tell me, what does a young lady’s fancy turn to? I guess I should ask a young lady tho and not
you shouldn’t I?
Have just finished reading ‘The Robe’ A swell book.
Was it you that said you read it?
Gloria had I know, but I’m skeptical about you. Very much so in fact !! (Snicker snicker)
Edie Hosking tells me she met you on the
street one day. Tsk tsk – out wolfing
again were you?
Must close now as I can’t use up my whole
pad of paper on one letter on someone that doesn’t love me. Guess I’ll write to my honey – she loves me
(I hope)
Give Zeke a kick in the pants from
‘respeckfully yores’.
Keep writing – I love your unintelligible,
unintellectual, uninspiring, uninteresting, unreadable letters. Ha Ha!
Luf
– Vern
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