Letter Home 06-27-1944

Thursday 1900

06-27-1944

Hello Darling:

It seems like everyone was pretty busy while Dottie was home. I bet everyone had a good time though. Too bad she could not stay longer.

I got three letters from you today. The mail situation is a lot better here. I also got the Vmail you sent by the way.

What is this you tell me about these 4F wolves keeping an eye on you in some bar? I can understand it though in a way, because you are a very lovely gal. So any man might be intrigued! However don’t pay any attention to them will you?

I can imagine Betty getting a big kick out of it. I’ll bet she teased you unmercifully. She is a pretty good sport I think.

I just got Dottie’s address, so now perhaps I can write her a little note some evening. In fact tonight is as good as any I guess.

You asked me to elaborate on going to town business I spoke of back where we were. Well there used to be people live in these towns in New Guinea. From what a few Aussies have said it was pretty much a summer vacation spot. They had a few hotels and a few houses there. There aren’t any civilians around now though. It is all Army, Navy and Aussies now. The only thing of any interest there was the Allied Officer’s Club. They did not have anything much to sell. In fact nothing in the line of drinking material. All they had was some cold drinks. Not much taste to them. Just circus water. During the day we could get tea and cakes. I think I told you about doing that one time. They also served dinners there, but I don’t know how they were. I was never in for one.

There aren’t really any towns as you know them at home. Every place is simply an Army or Navy base, or an air strip. There probably wont be any civilians around till long after the war is over. Any time the boys get leave here they fly down to Austrailia in transport planes. On the Army naturally.

Most of the boys are a bit disgusted about the leave situation. Usually, the leaves are given to the boys every three or four months. On a rotation system, so there is always someone on leave.

However in our case we have not been assigned to any outfit yet, and all this time we spend does not count on any leaves. That doesn’t bother me so much. I’d just as soon keep right on the job here till it was over. What I hope is that this time does count on how soon we get home.

One of the boys in the tent is from Detroit, and he just got a copy of the Detroit News today. It is the April 29th issue. We found a poem in it and a cartoon we got a kick out of. He kept the poem, but I copied it for you.

Only a Woman

If you might rest a moment in my arms

Only a moment fee from fact and fear

All of my soul would crumble at your wish

All of my heart open, to find you near.

If you could pause, even a second’s breath,

Forgetting time and reason and our duty

What might we learn of wonder and of depth

What cadence full of vast, eternal beauty.

But we must stand, separate and long apart,

Hallowed for things larger than self and time

Only a woman turns her eyes away,

And longs to set a holocaust to rhyme.

The poem I am serious about sweetheart, but I am only kidding about the cartoon. You will look good to me no matter what.

I will be running out of things to say soon, and won’t be able to write much to Dottie. Maybe I better sign off for now.

I love you darling very much. Every day is possible I love you more. I love you

Love,

George

Letter Home 06-17-1944

Saturday 1600

06-17-1944

Hello Honey:

I may not get this finished before chow, but if not I will do it later this evening. I did not write yesterday, because I had everything packed up to move. Then I did not go. Some of the boys left yesterday morning, and more today.

As I understand it when we do leave here we will not go directly to the Squadrons that we eventually will be assigned to. They say we are going to get some more gunnery first. Of course we never believe anything till we see it, so we are not making any bets till we get there and find out.

They boys are keeping a cat they picked up running in circles here. They have a long piece of cord, and the cat is having a fit trying to catch it. Everyone, including the cat seems to be enjoying it though, so I guess it is OK.

I got 5 more letters from you yesterday. Which reminds me that we should be getting our mail quicker when we get over to our new spot. That is where the boys have had to fly every time we got any. It comes in there. That should make life a lot rosier.

Your letters still come mixed up, and I can’t figure out for sure if you have been sick two or three times, or whether the letters were written during the three or four days you were sick. I finally straightened them up as best I could, considering the ones that are missing, and came to the conclusion that it was just one illness. At least I hope so.

One thing that bothers me occasionally is wondering if you ever got the clothes and money I sent home. I suppose you told me about it in one of the letters I haven’t got yet, and eventually I will know. How about mentioning it again just in case that one got lost, and put my musings at rest?

You mentioned getting a package ready to send me, and asked me to let you know in what condition I receive it. I will of course, and I hope it does not take as long as your letters have. Maybe the post office boys can keep track of something a little bigger than just a little letter.

I don’t think I could use our little radio here. Gould in our hut here has one, but it is a bigger job than ours. It is a portable one equipped for both regular current, and battery. It also has short wave reception. It does a pretty good job.

We can only get one Australian station ordinarily, but occasionally the short wave is working exceptionally well, and we get the U.S. We have even heard a couple of ball games. I remember one was with the Washington Senators and someone else.

The main trouble is the difference in time. The night programs at home come over here at goofy hours during the day, and at night here it is the wee hours of the morning at home, so there is nothing on at all.

However a lot of the big star programs like Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Kay Kyser, Bob Hope, ect. are relayed through this Aussie station. I guess they record it, and then put it on in the evening here. Once in a while we notice during different programs that there is a break and then it picks right up with nothing lost. That is when they change the record. It still is the same program you hear though, and is usually pretty good.

I got you letter saying Art was home. I hope he got to see Dottie. By now Dottie must have been home too. Or was it the 17th she was coming. I forget at the moment, but I bet everyone has or had a good time while she was or is home! Confusing aren’t I? That’s New Guinea for you. (or me!)

One thing we hear a lot of is old songs. Right now they are playing “Deep in the Heart of Texas” I’ve heard many a song that I though I’d forgotten. A lot of them take me back to different occasions that I was with you. Such as sitting at home listening to “Elmers Tune”. All pleasant memories too I might add.

Here comes a re-broadcast program now. It is Freddie Martin’s orchestra on the Bandstand program. At least I think that is what he called it. Nope it is “One Night Stand” They just mentioned the name while informing us they were interrupting the program to give a description of another horse race in Australia. Every race is broadcast all afternoon. They must go in for it big around here, because they have enough of them. One good thing about it is that they usually have music in between races.

The race is over now, and here comes “One Night Stand” again. They interrupted it just as a song was being finished, and it cam back right in the same place. Evidently they just lifted the needle off the record while the race was on. They are now playing “You Gotta Talk Me Into It Baby”

Well rather than bore you any longer with a running description of a radio program I think I better knock off for now.

Before I go may I announce that I love you? Honest I do. Very much indeed. I love you

Love George?

P.S. I guess I must love you. Here I’ve practically written a book without noticing it. I get talking to you, and enjoy myself so much I just ramble on and on. Hope you don’t mind. I love you

G.

I do!