438th AAA AW BN
APO 515 % Postmaster, N.Y.
Thursday, Dec 9, 1943 1630
England
Dearest Wilma -
The mailman has not returned as yet so I don’t know whether I’ll hear from you or not today. We get mail once a day here, incidentally, if at all.
Well today is 10 days from Graduation and I can well imagine how excited you are as you knock off day by day. It must be a little tougher on you than it was for us, because our Divisional Exams came at least a month before Commencement and we knew just where we stood. But I’m not very much worried as to how you’ll make out, dear, because I have a great deal of confidence in your ability. Good Lord, though, how I’d like to be there with you! I missed so much with you, leaving the States when I did. First your Birthday, then your Graduation, then Christmas and New Year’s. I get very lonesome when I think of the coming Holidays. I wonder what you’ll do on Christmas, and particularly New Year’s Eve. We could have had so much fun, darling. Here in England, by the way, New Year’s Eve is just another night. They don’t celebrate it at all, although the Scotch do make quite a time of it we’re told. I’ll probably stay up and write you a letter at midnight, say. And I’ll be thinking oh so hard about you and wondering what you decided to do. I know how much you enjoy life and I guess I don’t blame you, but it’s so difficult to think of those at home and not get blue when we think of days of celebration.
Excuse me, darling, for getting off on such a tangent. Well last night I went to my first English movie house. I’ve already written you that they show most of our pictures – a few months late. They also have their own. I saw one of theirs last nite – called “The Flemish Farm” – and among some of the players was Clive Brook – remember him? It was another one of those pictures about Germans and occupied Belgium, but there were several good scenes and suspense was created with as equal imagination as Hollywood has. The best seats are in the first balcony, the worst are in the orchestra, just the reverse of ours. But all over England you are permitted to smoke anywhere in the theater and there are ash-trays behind each seat. That reminds me, darling, that Salem’s own Paramount theater (for which I once had an all year round courtesy pass for 2 because one of the owners was a patient of mine) allows smoking upstairs.
I’m going to leave now for a short while, dear, chow’s on!
1930
Hello Darling!
Chow wasn’t that long. We had a Battery Commander’s meeting at 1830 and we just got thru. Coming over to the dispensary from headquarters I looked up to see the moon. Full moon is the 11th and you know how I feel about full moons, dear. As a matter of fact the moon here isn’t very pretty; you can hardly see it thru the mist. I don’t need a moon to feel the way I do, anyway.
I just got some word on the mail situation for tonight. The mail truck broke down on its way back. They’ve called for someone to tow it back and since it’s quite a distance from here – I can forget about mail for tonight. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to become stoic about disappointments and waiting. I know that I’m not used to it yet. I hope I won’t get used to it, Sweetheart, even though that sounds paradoxical. What I mean is that I want to miss you and want you and feel disappointment at not hearing from you right up to the day I hold you in my arms again for always – and I know that’s the way it will be.
I often wondered about love and being affected by it. I even voiced my opinion (to your Mother). I know I made it sound very abstract and matter of fact. I wasn’t entirely wrong – but I was never aware of a certain something that can’t be put into words, that I never experienced, darling, until I met you. The combination of what you want in a woman, plus this certain something, doesn’t come often or ever, I suppose, to some people. I have it, darling, in my knowledge and love for you and it makes me happier than I’ve ever been before – despite the agony of being separated. I keep telling you I’m happy – and you must wonder how I can be. That’s why I’ve tried to explain how and why I feel that way. Do you understand, dear?
I seem to be particularly wordy tonight, dear – but it’s easy, especially when you can keep writing and no one interrupts your conversation – not that you ever did.
Wilma, darling, I wonder if you gather from my letters how much I love you and want you to be waiting for me when I return. I want it like I’ve never wanted anything before. Also I might warn you, dear, that anything I’ve ever really wanted, I’ve got – so you might as well resign yourself to me dear, because I want you very very much.
I’d better stop now, dearest, until tomorrow. I hope you’re hearing from me reasonably regularly now. I hope to hear from you tomorrow, but if not – you’ll be just as near to me as you always are in my mind and heart. Goodnight, dear and you have
Hello Darling!
Chow wasn’t that long. We had a Battery Commander’s meeting at 1830 and we just got thru. Coming over to the dispensary from headquarters I looked up to see the moon. Full moon is the 11th and you know how I feel about full moons, dear. As a matter of fact the moon here isn’t very pretty; you can hardly see it thru the mist. I don’t need a moon to feel the way I do, anyway.
I just got some word on the mail situation for tonight. The mail truck broke down on its way back. They’ve called for someone to tow it back and since it’s quite a distance from here – I can forget about mail for tonight. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to become stoic about disappointments and waiting. I know that I’m not used to it yet. I hope I won’t get used to it, Sweetheart, even though that sounds paradoxical. What I mean is that I want to miss you and want you and feel disappointment at not hearing from you right up to the day I hold you in my arms again for always – and I know that’s the way it will be.
I often wondered about love and being affected by it. I even voiced my opinion (to your Mother). I know I made it sound very abstract and matter of fact. I wasn’t entirely wrong – but I was never aware of a certain something that can’t be put into words, that I never experienced, darling, until I met you. The combination of what you want in a woman, plus this certain something, doesn’t come often or ever, I suppose, to some people. I have it, darling, in my knowledge and love for you and it makes me happier than I’ve ever been before – despite the agony of being separated. I keep telling you I’m happy – and you must wonder how I can be. That’s why I’ve tried to explain how and why I feel that way. Do you understand, dear?
I seem to be particularly wordy tonight, dear – but it’s easy, especially when you can keep writing and no one interrupts your conversation – not that you ever did.
Wilma, darling, I wonder if you gather from my letters how much I love you and want you to be waiting for me when I return. I want it like I’ve never wanted anything before. Also I might warn you, dear, that anything I’ve ever really wanted, I’ve got – so you might as well resign yourself to me dear, because I want you very very much.
I’d better stop now, dearest, until tomorrow. I hope you’re hearing from me reasonably regularly now. I hope to hear from you tomorrow, but if not – you’ll be just as near to me as you always are in my mind and heart. Goodnight, dear and you have
All my love
Greg
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