438th AAA AW BN
APO 527 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
6 February, 1944 0835
Dearest sweetheart -
This is pretty early for a Sunday morning, dear, but if I don’t write now I probably won’t be able to get a chance to write you later in the day. As I wrote you yesterday, darling, I’m off for London – but I have to take off this p.m. – because the Conference starts early in the a.m. tomorrow. In order not to cancel my review of first-aid – etc. which I have been doing in the afternoon, I moved it up to the morning and we’re going to start at 0930 and go to 1130.
Again – last night darling – I got another letter from you – and if there’s a better tonic than getting a letter from you every day or so – I’d fail to know what it is, dear. And your letter was written on the 21st of January – which is the very latest from you to date.
The sweater you describe sounds peachy, dear, and I’d love to be wearing it now. Now darling, don’t wear it out showing it to everybody! After all I want to be able to surprise a few people with it. Did your Mother ever get through that other sweater she was purling on for what seemed so long a time? I certainly thought it would be a duration’s project, but here she is starting another one.
Little by little I’m getting to know more and more about your job, sweetheart. The one letter which must have told me just what it is – has not come yet. In yesterday’s letter I first hear the name Filene’s, street-floor, and upstairs and I’m beginning to get an idea of what’s what. So Filene’s would know me if I walked in? The other girls, I assume, have boy friends, of course – only between sales! I’m glad, dear, that the neighbors are getting to know me – so when I drive up they’ll all be able to say, ‘Here comes Greg for Wilma,’ and a little later, ‘Here comes Wilma with Greg’. I’m also glad about your relatives, darling, because I want to know them well and have them like me. I’m certain that I’ll like them all – because that’s the way I felt when I met them. So Grandma B. got my letter? If you’ll jot me her address from time to time, dear, I’ll keep in touch with her. She always seemed very friendly to me – and that’s more than you can say for a lot of Grandmothers.
You asked me in a letter of a couple of days ago whether or not I was keeping in contact with various people in Salem. I guess you know by now that I am – I certainly don’t want to get out of contact. In that connection – I’m enclosing a clipping which a former patient of mine sent me – with the statement – “this appeared on the front page of the Salem Evening News”. That paper, by the way – is the bible and paper of Salem, conservative etc. etc. The underline with pencil was put down by the patient, by the way, dear and not me. So you see I’m still considered an integral part of the Salem Hospital – which I knew anyway. By the way, dear, I hope you don’t mind the H. Gregory part – but that’s the way they carry me on their records at the hospital.
Darling, I’ll have to stop now and get going – or my boys will think I’ve overslept (I’m writing this in my quarters and not from the dispensary!) I don’t know whether or not I’ll have a chance to write you tomorrow, dear; it depends on what time in the evening I get back from London. At any rate – you’ll be with me in spirit, Sweetheart, as you always are wherever I am.
You sounded a bit tired in your last letter, dear, and I hope you are not over-working. Until tomorrow, then, darling – I’ll say so long and I sure would love to carry out the words of “Embrace Me” which you mentioned. Do you get black and blue easily, dear? Seems to me you once mentioned that. Oh well – I’ll be able to treat you, anyway. Solong for now – Sweetheart and
This is pretty early for a Sunday morning, dear, but if I don’t write now I probably won’t be able to get a chance to write you later in the day. As I wrote you yesterday, darling, I’m off for London – but I have to take off this p.m. – because the Conference starts early in the a.m. tomorrow. In order not to cancel my review of first-aid – etc. which I have been doing in the afternoon, I moved it up to the morning and we’re going to start at 0930 and go to 1130.
Again – last night darling – I got another letter from you – and if there’s a better tonic than getting a letter from you every day or so – I’d fail to know what it is, dear. And your letter was written on the 21st of January – which is the very latest from you to date.
The sweater you describe sounds peachy, dear, and I’d love to be wearing it now. Now darling, don’t wear it out showing it to everybody! After all I want to be able to surprise a few people with it. Did your Mother ever get through that other sweater she was purling on for what seemed so long a time? I certainly thought it would be a duration’s project, but here she is starting another one.
Little by little I’m getting to know more and more about your job, sweetheart. The one letter which must have told me just what it is – has not come yet. In yesterday’s letter I first hear the name Filene’s, street-floor, and upstairs and I’m beginning to get an idea of what’s what. So Filene’s would know me if I walked in? The other girls, I assume, have boy friends, of course – only between sales! I’m glad, dear, that the neighbors are getting to know me – so when I drive up they’ll all be able to say, ‘Here comes Greg for Wilma,’ and a little later, ‘Here comes Wilma with Greg’. I’m also glad about your relatives, darling, because I want to know them well and have them like me. I’m certain that I’ll like them all – because that’s the way I felt when I met them. So Grandma B. got my letter? If you’ll jot me her address from time to time, dear, I’ll keep in touch with her. She always seemed very friendly to me – and that’s more than you can say for a lot of Grandmothers.
You asked me in a letter of a couple of days ago whether or not I was keeping in contact with various people in Salem. I guess you know by now that I am – I certainly don’t want to get out of contact. In that connection – I’m enclosing a clipping which a former patient of mine sent me – with the statement – “this appeared on the front page of the Salem Evening News”. That paper, by the way – is the bible and paper of Salem, conservative etc. etc. The underline with pencil was put down by the patient, by the way, dear and not me. So you see I’m still considered an integral part of the Salem Hospital – which I knew anyway. By the way, dear, I hope you don’t mind the H. Gregory part – but that’s the way they carry me on their records at the hospital.
Darling, I’ll have to stop now and get going – or my boys will think I’ve overslept (I’m writing this in my quarters and not from the dispensary!) I don’t know whether or not I’ll have a chance to write you tomorrow, dear; it depends on what time in the evening I get back from London. At any rate – you’ll be with me in spirit, Sweetheart, as you always are wherever I am.
You sounded a bit tired in your last letter, dear, and I hope you are not over-working. Until tomorrow, then, darling – I’ll say so long and I sure would love to carry out the words of “Embrace Me” which you mentioned. Do you get black and blue easily, dear? Seems to me you once mentioned that. Oh well – I’ll be able to treat you, anyway. Solong for now – Sweetheart and
All my love
Greg
Regards!
Love, G.
* TIDBIT *
about Embraceable You
about Embraceable You
This song was originally written in 1928 for an unpublished operetta named East is West. It was eventually published in 1930 and included in the Broadway musical Girl Crazy, where it was performed by Ginger Rogers in a song and dance routine choreographed by Fred Astaire. The orchestra for the performance was the Red Nichols Band which included Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Jack Teagarden, Jimmy Dorsey, and Gene Krupa. George Gershwin conducted the music at the premier before handing the baton over to Earl Busby. Girl Crazy would run for 272 performances.
The Broadway show was adapted for film versions by RKO in 1932, by MGM in 1943, and again by MGM in 1966, with the title When the Boys Meet the Girls. The 1943 MGM version of Girl Crazy was the eighth Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland film and was generally well reviewed. Over sixty years after making its debut, Girl Crazy was once again on Broadway, this time as the basis for the 1992 hit Crazy For You which ran for 1622 performances. Seven of the songs from Girl Crazy were included in the score along with 13 other Gershwin songs. Here is Judy Garland singing Embraceable You as Wilma most likely heard it around this time. The lyrics follow the clip.
Embraceable You
Music by George Gershwin, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, 1928
The Broadway show was adapted for film versions by RKO in 1932, by MGM in 1943, and again by MGM in 1966, with the title When the Boys Meet the Girls. The 1943 MGM version of Girl Crazy was the eighth Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland film and was generally well reviewed. Over sixty years after making its debut, Girl Crazy was once again on Broadway, this time as the basis for the 1992 hit Crazy For You which ran for 1622 performances. Seven of the songs from Girl Crazy were included in the score along with 13 other Gershwin songs. Here is Judy Garland singing Embraceable You as Wilma most likely heard it around this time. The lyrics follow the clip.
Embraceable You
Music by George Gershwin, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, 1928
Dozens of boys would storm up.
I had to lock my door.
Somehow I wouldn't warm up
to one before.
What was it that controlled me?
What kept my love life lean?
My intuition told me you'd come on the scene.
If you listen to the rhythm of my heartbeat
You will get just what I mean.
Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you
Embrace me, you irreplaceable you.
Just one look at you my heart grew tipsy in me.
You and you alone bring out the Gypsy in me.
I love all the many charms about you.
Above all, I want my arms about you.
Don't be a naughty papa.
Come to baby, come to baby do
My sweet embraceable you
Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you.
Embrace me, you irreplaceable you.
In my arms I find you so delectable, dear.
I'm afraid it isn't quite respectable, dear.
But hang it! Come on let's glorify love!
Ding Dang it! You'll shout "Encore!" if I love
Oh, don't be a naughty baby.
Come to papa, come to papa do
My sweet embraceable you
I had to lock my door.
Somehow I wouldn't warm up
to one before.
What was it that controlled me?
What kept my love life lean?
My intuition told me you'd come on the scene.
If you listen to the rhythm of my heartbeat
You will get just what I mean.
Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you
Embrace me, you irreplaceable you.
Just one look at you my heart grew tipsy in me.
You and you alone bring out the Gypsy in me.
I love all the many charms about you.
Above all, I want my arms about you.
Don't be a naughty papa.
Come to baby, come to baby do
My sweet embraceable you
Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you.
Embrace me, you irreplaceable you.
In my arms I find you so delectable, dear.
I'm afraid it isn't quite respectable, dear.
But hang it! Come on let's glorify love!
Ding Dang it! You'll shout "Encore!" if I love
Oh, don't be a naughty baby.
Come to papa, come to papa do
My sweet embraceable you
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