07 December, 1943

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 515 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Dec. 7, 1943     1645

England

My dearest Sweetheart -

I used to think about overseas in a rather abstract way, I think. I would wonder how it would feel to actually be away. Now I know. Yet despite the awfulness of distance and the impossibility of being in close contact with beloved ones, I think it must be tougher on those at home.

I just received two more letters from you, darling – the most recent being the letter written on the 21st, after your long week-end at home. They were very sweet letters and told me very very much. But you were a very lonesome girl that week-end, dear, – very lonesome. We must have been thinking along the same lines, about the same time – as I think back.

First about my getting to meet an English girl, dear. Before I get to know one, I’ve got to meet one, don’t I? Darling, I haven’t got the slightest desire to meet an English, American, French, Russian, Italian, Burmese – or any other kind of girl. How could I want to, when I know you and love you so much? I know that you can’t help thinking things – to wit, I do the same. But you must have implicit confidence in my steadiness and my mind. I have one obsession, darling, and that is you – no matter where I go. Always, always remember that fact. I found you and knew immediately what I had been looking for. I loved you and tried to make you do the same; I’m not going to let anything destroy that!

Before you wrote what you did – or at least before I received this last letter, darling, I touched on a subject which you ask me to discuss. You remember before I left I kept saying I wished you and I had been engaged. I still wish it, dear – but remember, many an engaged person is so by virtue of a ring only, and not by much more. I feel I’m engaged, attached or any other word to you. You know my folks as no other girls I knew knows them; I know your folks rather well too. As far as I’m concerned, darling, I want to come home to marry you and that’s all I’m interested in.

I told you the other day, darling, how I felt about your going out. That’s going to be entirely up to you, dear. It’s probably easier for me not to go out than for you. After all – not many people in England are interested in me – For you it’s different, and I know that it must be difficult after sitting around night after night – not to accept what seems like a harmless invitation. Furthermore – it will be worse once school is over. All I can say, dear, is that I hope you don’t tell me about it. That’s fair enough, isn’t it?

Now I hope I’ve make myself clear on that subject. I was pleased to hear that my father had written you. He’s really out to hook you for me, I guess – and I’ll have to thank him.

You must be plugging away at the books these days and nights. I hope you’re concentrating and I want you to hit those exams hard.

I think your relatives are swell for remembering me so. I’m glad they do, dear, and don’t forget to send them all my best regards.

And out here in England, darling, there’s nothing at all in the line of news. My sight-seeing has consisted mostly of seeing the countryside on my visits to the hospital. The infernal fog and mist are a nuisance and are just what A. Conan Doyle said they were. It is actually difficult to walk even in the daytime. And it does get depressing not to see the sun day after day – just a moist grayishness that soaks everything. The ground and sidewalks never get dry – or at least never since we’ve been here. And because of our latitude and longitude (whatever they are), the sun never gets up very high in the sky. It reaches a point about as high as the sun would go in our country at about 1000 – and then starts sinking. Consequently, darling, it doesn’t start to get light these days until about 0845 and it’s dark right after 1700.

But it doesn’t really worry me very much dear. The fact is that this is all temporary and I’ll be coming back to you one of these days and we’ll stay in New England. Salem has some nice weather – and when it gets bad – we’ll stay in.

Now Sweetheart I hope you’re feeling well and taking care of yourself. I’m interested in how you’re making out in your quest for something to do after school is over – and I’m very much interested in whether or not you’re finding time very heavy, and whether the desire for diversion is very great in you. Write me, darling, and tell me – will you?

That’s all for now, dear – I hope I’ve answered your questions – You’ve got me, darling, and you’ll have me always – if you want me; no matter where I go, I’m coming back to you.

All my love, darling

Greg