438th AAA AW BN
Camp Edwards, Mass
July 26, 1943 7:55pm
Dear Chloe –
It’s getting dark quite rapidly and I don’t know how far I’ll get with this. Saturday night I told you I’d write Wednesday. Sunday I said Tuesday, and here it is Monday and I’ve already started. Significance? Well – primarily because I feel like writing to you, and secondly because of the very poor mail service from this point. As you know, this is not far from the tip of the Cape and mail goes out but once a day now. If I waited until Tuesday, my letter probably wouldn’t go out until Wednesday, etc. Incidentally, it is very pretty out here. At present I’m seated on a sand dune looking out to England (I guess). The weather was cool today and the guns did some firing at rockets (speed 400 m.p.h. – allegedly)
I was genuinely sorry I had to leave you as early as I did, Wilma. A few more hours would have been enjoyable. By the way – the Esplanade Concerts start at 7:30 pm and get through at 9, so we could have made it easily, although I must admit I enjoyed what we did very much.
The stationery I’m using is strictly official but was not obtained by subterfuge. It was the handiest, and if you hear from me again – and I’m sure you will – I think you’ll be struck with the frequency with which I find it handy.
It is really getting dark now and I’d better start the dénouement. As things look now, I see no reason why we won’t get back to camp later in the week, allowing me to get to Boston for the week-end – and you. At the expense of being repetitious I must tell you again that I had a very pleasant week-end in your company, and I hope I have some more.
I’ll try to contact you by phone on Thursday or Friday, middle of the evening probably – and I do look forward to seeing you Saturday.
So long for now,
Greg
It’s getting dark quite rapidly and I don’t know how far I’ll get with this. Saturday night I told you I’d write Wednesday. Sunday I said Tuesday, and here it is Monday and I’ve already started. Significance? Well – primarily because I feel like writing to you, and secondly because of the very poor mail service from this point. As you know, this is not far from the tip of the Cape and mail goes out but once a day now. If I waited until Tuesday, my letter probably wouldn’t go out until Wednesday, etc. Incidentally, it is very pretty out here. At present I’m seated on a sand dune looking out to England (I guess). The weather was cool today and the guns did some firing at rockets (speed 400 m.p.h. – allegedly)
I was genuinely sorry I had to leave you as early as I did, Wilma. A few more hours would have been enjoyable. By the way – the Esplanade Concerts start at 7:30 pm and get through at 9, so we could have made it easily, although I must admit I enjoyed what we did very much.
The stationery I’m using is strictly official but was not obtained by subterfuge. It was the handiest, and if you hear from me again – and I’m sure you will – I think you’ll be struck with the frequency with which I find it handy.
It is really getting dark now and I’d better start the dénouement. As things look now, I see no reason why we won’t get back to camp later in the week, allowing me to get to Boston for the week-end – and you. At the expense of being repetitious I must tell you again that I had a very pleasant week-end in your company, and I hope I have some more.
I’ll try to contact you by phone on Thursday or Friday, middle of the evening probably – and I do look forward to seeing you Saturday.
So long for now,
Greg
FourthChild - thank you for providing these letters, they are very insightful and touching. I am a retired AF officer and very interested in WWII history so these letters really provide insight as to what life was like during that time. Thanks again for opening your parents correspondence to us all...I plan to read every single one and am glad I stumbled across them - thank you Google! :-)
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