438th AAA AW BN
APO 527 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
26 February, 1944 0945
Good morning, sweetheart –
It’s kind of damp and raw here today – but maybe it’s nice in Newton now. Anyway it’s another Saturday morning and they sure are rolling by.
Yesterday, darling, I wrote you about inspecting officers, etc. There’s only one thing more irritating than getting ready for inspections – and that is getting ready and not having the inspectors show up. That’s what happened yesterday and my boys were pretty angry about it because they really work hard getting ready for one. Yesterday, too, I didn’t get any mail from you dear, but that was the first day in some while that I’ve missed.
I’ve just re-read a letter of yours from early February in which you mention some dizzy song about horses eating oats – or something. No dear – we haven’t heard it here at all. As a matter of fact the current rage, for some reason or other, is still “If I Had my Way etc.”. Some orchestras have started playing “They’re Either Too Young etc.” recently but no one here has even heard of “People Will Say We’re in Love” which I imagine must be well on its way out at home. They really don’t have a decent band here at all – from those I hear on the radio, anyway. They never seem to loosen up at all. It was a pleasure the other morning to hear a re-broadcast half-hour program with T. Dorsey and company. He really gave out with “The One O’Clock etc.” and an oldie “And the Angels Sing”. It was in the morning and during sick call at the Dispensary where we have a radio. I had to stop what I was doing just long enough to prance about a little.
Oh incidentally – I don’t think you’ll have trouble with my women patients. They were nice to me, Sweetheart, but don’t forget, I was single and some of them must have had their motherly instinct aroused in them. (heh! heh!) When I’m married, dear, I think it will make a great deal of difference – and besides, you summed it up when you said you could trust me. I love you, darling, and how could I be interested in other women, let alone my patients?
Darling I found amusing your statement that you played cribbage with yourself. That must have been something to watch. Did you cheat very much? I accept any challenge regardless of how many tricks you have learned, dear.
I’m picking up some of the loose threads from a few of your letters of the past 10 days or so. You mention having seen “Berkeley Square.” I can’t really remember whether I read it or saw it – or what. I can say this though, darling – I’ve been to Berkeley Square and can’t see why they’ve written plays about it or written songs, either. That one about the ‘Nightingale Sings in Berkeley Sq’ is really silly – after you’ve seen the place. I suppose though that in each case there’s some hidden significance.
I’m glad, sweetheart, that you’re doing a little reading. It’s awfully easy to get out of the habit and also very easy to start reading worthless books. I know that in past years I was guilty of the former. I’ve caught up a little since I’ve been in the Army – whenever I can get a hold of a book. The last one – I mentioned – “Oliver Wiswell’ – by Kenneth Roberts. Darling I wish you’d get hold of that book and read it. It was wonderfully done, it’s about New England, mentions Milton, Boston, Dorchester, Salem often, has a lovely love theme running throughout it – and scattered discussions about war and what it does to people – that is really excellent. Read it – because it involves a fellow away at war – from the girl he loves. She lives in Milton, by the way – and that isn’t too far from Newton Every time the author mentioned her – I could think only of you. I’m certain you’ll enjoy the book.
Well – today’s letter, sweetheart, brought in a lot of disconnected thoughts – but no matter how you look at it, darling, they all add up to the fact that I love you very much and miss you more than I can possibly let you know. We’re going to have so many things to discuss when I get back and marry you – that I’m positive we can never have a dull moment. So long for now – dearest. I’ll write again tomorrow. Until then – you have
It’s kind of damp and raw here today – but maybe it’s nice in Newton now. Anyway it’s another Saturday morning and they sure are rolling by.
Yesterday, darling, I wrote you about inspecting officers, etc. There’s only one thing more irritating than getting ready for inspections – and that is getting ready and not having the inspectors show up. That’s what happened yesterday and my boys were pretty angry about it because they really work hard getting ready for one. Yesterday, too, I didn’t get any mail from you dear, but that was the first day in some while that I’ve missed.
I’ve just re-read a letter of yours from early February in which you mention some dizzy song about horses eating oats – or something. No dear – we haven’t heard it here at all. As a matter of fact the current rage, for some reason or other, is still “If I Had my Way etc.”. Some orchestras have started playing “They’re Either Too Young etc.” recently but no one here has even heard of “People Will Say We’re in Love” which I imagine must be well on its way out at home. They really don’t have a decent band here at all – from those I hear on the radio, anyway. They never seem to loosen up at all. It was a pleasure the other morning to hear a re-broadcast half-hour program with T. Dorsey and company. He really gave out with “The One O’Clock etc.” and an oldie “And the Angels Sing”. It was in the morning and during sick call at the Dispensary where we have a radio. I had to stop what I was doing just long enough to prance about a little.
Oh incidentally – I don’t think you’ll have trouble with my women patients. They were nice to me, Sweetheart, but don’t forget, I was single and some of them must have had their motherly instinct aroused in them. (heh! heh!) When I’m married, dear, I think it will make a great deal of difference – and besides, you summed it up when you said you could trust me. I love you, darling, and how could I be interested in other women, let alone my patients?
Darling I found amusing your statement that you played cribbage with yourself. That must have been something to watch. Did you cheat very much? I accept any challenge regardless of how many tricks you have learned, dear.
I’m picking up some of the loose threads from a few of your letters of the past 10 days or so. You mention having seen “Berkeley Square.” I can’t really remember whether I read it or saw it – or what. I can say this though, darling – I’ve been to Berkeley Square and can’t see why they’ve written plays about it or written songs, either. That one about the ‘Nightingale Sings in Berkeley Sq’ is really silly – after you’ve seen the place. I suppose though that in each case there’s some hidden significance.
I’m glad, sweetheart, that you’re doing a little reading. It’s awfully easy to get out of the habit and also very easy to start reading worthless books. I know that in past years I was guilty of the former. I’ve caught up a little since I’ve been in the Army – whenever I can get a hold of a book. The last one – I mentioned – “Oliver Wiswell’ – by Kenneth Roberts. Darling I wish you’d get hold of that book and read it. It was wonderfully done, it’s about New England, mentions Milton, Boston, Dorchester, Salem often, has a lovely love theme running throughout it – and scattered discussions about war and what it does to people – that is really excellent. Read it – because it involves a fellow away at war – from the girl he loves. She lives in Milton, by the way – and that isn’t too far from Newton Every time the author mentioned her – I could think only of you. I’m certain you’ll enjoy the book.
Well – today’s letter, sweetheart, brought in a lot of disconnected thoughts – but no matter how you look at it, darling, they all add up to the fact that I love you very much and miss you more than I can possibly let you know. We’re going to have so many things to discuss when I get back and marry you – that I’m positive we can never have a dull moment. So long for now – dearest. I’ll write again tomorrow. Until then – you have
All my love
Greg.
Regards to the folks
Love
G.
* TIDBIT *
about Some Songs Mentioned in this Letter
"Dizzy song about horses eating oats - or something"
Mares eat Oats (1944)
By Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston in 1943
Performed by Pied Pipers
"No one has ever heard of..."
People Will Say We're in Love(1944)
By Rodgers and Hammerstein for the musical "Oklahoma!" in 1943
Performed by: Frank Sinatra
"Had to stop what I was doing... to prance around a little bit"
One O'Clock Jump (1942)
By Count Basie 1937
Performed by: Count Basie and His Orchestra
about Some Songs Mentioned in this Letter
"Dizzy song about horses eating oats - or something"
Mares eat Oats (1944)
By Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston in 1943
Performed by Pied Pipers
"No one has ever heard of..."
People Will Say We're in Love(1944)
By Rodgers and Hammerstein for the musical "Oklahoma!" in 1943
Performed by: Frank Sinatra
"Had to stop what I was doing... to prance around a little bit"
One O'Clock Jump (1942)
By Count Basie 1937
Performed by: Count Basie and His Orchestra
