438th AAA AW BN
Camp Edwards, Mass
Oct. 12, 1943 0720
Dearest Wilma -
You made me laugh last night when I spoke with you, dear, but you won – showing you how strong I am in reference to you. To take some of the glory from your ‘victory’, I’ll confess to a strong desire to calling you, anyway, so don’t feel darling – that you changed my mind very much.
I was interested, dear, in your father’s calling you and what he had to say. What his reaction to your statement actually was causes me wonder. I’ll have to just wait and see. Obviously I’ve got your parents a little concerned, or you have. I do realize this however – that whenever the time came or comes for you to decide yourself – war or no war, they would probably go thru the same emotions, regardless who the fellow might be. And that’s understandable, dear, in view of your being an only child and still a youngster – in their eyes.
My own reactions, darling, are somewhat mixed. Were there no war, I know what I’d do. Having met your folks often enough to be able to speak with them freely, I believe I would tell them how much I love you, that I intend to court you until such a time as all factors would agree that we probably knew what we were doing, and then marry you. I think that would be the way to do it, don’t you, dear? The war is an awful barrier to straightforwardness, however. If I speak my mind now, I may be being very unfair to you and your future reactions. I wouldn’t want to hold you down or embarrass you in any way whatsoever after I leave. I’m gambling, in other words, that you will be around, that you will want to marry me.
So how about now then, darling? Well – your folks, despite your mother’s (I believe feigned) failure to understand me, I shall continue to love you more and more, see you until the last possible moment, keep in contact with you always. I think your folks will get the general idea. Now, don’t get me wrong, dear. I like and admire your folks very very much, and I’m not critical at all of their reactions. I understand fully, I think, how they must feel when their daughter tells them she loves a man, – any man. All parents must feel the same when a daughter speaks that way. All I will try to do in the future is to try to make them love me as they do you; for my part, I know I’m very fond of them now and I know I could easily get to love them as I do my own parents.
Well, well, well – what a dissertation! Excuse me, dear, if I stepped on touchy ground, but I feel I know you well enough to speak that way.
Last night’s Officers’ class was very interesting and informative – all about getting on and off a ship, under conditions of stress; clinging to the sides, going down nets etc. Today we go down to the Demolition area to witness the workings of Booby traps, land mines, anti-personnel mines etc. Nothing new has come in as yet – and if nothing does – I’ll be able to get off this week-end; if so – I’m a lucky guy!
Darling, I’ve got some work to do now – so I better stop. I hope to hear from you today (I didn’t yesterday). Also – I’ll look for the bars today – and if I can’t find them – don’t worry, dear, I’ll get more.
So long for now Sweetheart – and all my love
You made me laugh last night when I spoke with you, dear, but you won – showing you how strong I am in reference to you. To take some of the glory from your ‘victory’, I’ll confess to a strong desire to calling you, anyway, so don’t feel darling – that you changed my mind very much.
I was interested, dear, in your father’s calling you and what he had to say. What his reaction to your statement actually was causes me wonder. I’ll have to just wait and see. Obviously I’ve got your parents a little concerned, or you have. I do realize this however – that whenever the time came or comes for you to decide yourself – war or no war, they would probably go thru the same emotions, regardless who the fellow might be. And that’s understandable, dear, in view of your being an only child and still a youngster – in their eyes.
My own reactions, darling, are somewhat mixed. Were there no war, I know what I’d do. Having met your folks often enough to be able to speak with them freely, I believe I would tell them how much I love you, that I intend to court you until such a time as all factors would agree that we probably knew what we were doing, and then marry you. I think that would be the way to do it, don’t you, dear? The war is an awful barrier to straightforwardness, however. If I speak my mind now, I may be being very unfair to you and your future reactions. I wouldn’t want to hold you down or embarrass you in any way whatsoever after I leave. I’m gambling, in other words, that you will be around, that you will want to marry me.
So how about now then, darling? Well – your folks, despite your mother’s (I believe feigned) failure to understand me, I shall continue to love you more and more, see you until the last possible moment, keep in contact with you always. I think your folks will get the general idea. Now, don’t get me wrong, dear. I like and admire your folks very very much, and I’m not critical at all of their reactions. I understand fully, I think, how they must feel when their daughter tells them she loves a man, – any man. All parents must feel the same when a daughter speaks that way. All I will try to do in the future is to try to make them love me as they do you; for my part, I know I’m very fond of them now and I know I could easily get to love them as I do my own parents.
Well, well, well – what a dissertation! Excuse me, dear, if I stepped on touchy ground, but I feel I know you well enough to speak that way.
Last night’s Officers’ class was very interesting and informative – all about getting on and off a ship, under conditions of stress; clinging to the sides, going down nets etc. Today we go down to the Demolition area to witness the workings of Booby traps, land mines, anti-personnel mines etc. Nothing new has come in as yet – and if nothing does – I’ll be able to get off this week-end; if so – I’m a lucky guy!
Darling, I’ve got some work to do now – so I better stop. I hope to hear from you today (I didn’t yesterday). Also – I’ll look for the bars today – and if I can’t find them – don’t worry, dear, I’ll get more.
So long for now Sweetheart – and all my love
Greg.
No comments:
Post a Comment