28 June, 1944 (2nd letter)

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 403 % Postmaster, N.Y.

France

28 June, 1944       2200

My dearest fiancée –

As I promised – I’m writing again tonight – having written you a hurried V-mail earlier today. However – it’s late and I’ll probably have to finish up tomorrow. Again – excuse the stationery, darling, but wrinkled and dirty as it is – it’s all I could get hold of. For some reason or other the word ‘stationery’ reminds me of the silly joke: Customer to clerk – “Do you keep stationery?”, Clerk – “I do – until the very end – and then I go all to pieces.” Excuse it dear. The fact is I feel very happy tonite because I just got a couple of letters from you – 12th and 13th of June and the latter contained your pictures. And where do you get that photogenic stuff? The pictures are swell! I love them – but they made me feel like wanting to kiss and hug and love you. I got a kick out of the ring and am tickled that you still “love it”. It seemed so strange to see you with a ring on your 4th left finger – and then realize that is was my fiancée. I suppose you think that’s queer, darling, but so many times in the past I’ve longed for a fiancée – all my own – and then I had to go and acquire one by mail and not enjoy the pleasure – the possessive pleasure of seeing her. Anyway, dearest, seeing you standing there – with the ring and realizing that you were actually mine – well, darling – it made me happy and I’m so glad to realize that you enjoy being my fiancée. I won’t let you down, I hope.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Incidentally, I liked the standing one better and the boys – the whole medical detachment had to look you (and the ring) over – liked the sitting one. I have a little wallet-like affair which fits over the one you sent me and I now have those 2 photos in it – the three in my left breast pocket – where I’ve kept your photograph ever since we left England. I somehow felt better when it was right close to me. The other photos which you sent before – are in my billfold.

I do hope sweetheart that you’re hearing from me more often now. I’ve been lucky this week in getting one from you almost every day – and how that makes the day a successful one – you’ll never really know, dear.

Meanwhile – things are moving along. I managed to get a hold of a Yank out here and sent it on – chiefly because the pictures it portrays are from towns I’ve been through, in, by – all of which were just as shown. The sketches of the beach are very real and just as we saw them. If you save the copies at all – save that one, darling. Other than that, darling – you’re up to date. I do hope you’re not getting bored, and that you continue to find your work interesting. Thanks again for being so wonderful to my folks – who continue to love you more and more – I know. My love to all your family too, darling and my special brand of love to you, dear – for being the grandest fiancée a guy could ever wish for. Good nite for now – darling – and my sincerest love

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Yank Magazine

Below are the front cover, inside front cover and back cover of the 11 June 1944 Yank Magazine, labeled the "Liberation Edition". This may not have been the one that Greg mailed to Wilma, but it shows some of the sketches to which he referred. No more of this edition seems to be available, and it was noted that this edition contained no further information on the Normandy landings. Since this edition came out only five days after the invasion, any detailed information might have been useful to the enemy.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE



Back Cover Pinup Girl Anne Gwynne

10 February, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 527 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

10 February, 1944      1400

Dearest darling Wilma –

It’s a dark, gray day today and I’ve seen snow falling for the first time in a long, long while. Remember, dear, I was South on maneuvers last year and saw no snow then. Actually here – the snow is melting as it falls and so there’s no accumulation. I am now in my quarters, it’s windy and cold outside, but really quite comfortable here, darling.

This morning it was quite clear out and instead of riding around to the various sections in a jeep, I thought I’d use the bicycle. As I once told you, dear, everyone uses the bike in England and the American soldiers have taken it up too. The reason for this is that bicycles are made available for almost anyone who wants to use it. So I have one for my own use. Naturally, they’re all of English make and darned good. The brakes are applied by hand levers and the bikes are very speedy. I covered several miles this morning with very little effort. I thought my legs would tire, darling, but they didn’t. I must be in pretty good shape. No wonder though, – plenty of sleep, good food, plenty of fresh air, plus exercise. Sweetheart – if I should embrace you now, there’s no telling what would happen (you can interpret that in any way you like, dear).

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE THE HAND BRAKES

8th Bomber Command, B-17 Flying Fortress
ground crew on English bicycles.

Well last night – as the night before – I received a letter from you. This one was dated January 28th and although you said you felt blue – your letter was swell, darling, and made me feel very good – so you really weren’t too blue for me.

I’m glad you finally got the little book I sent you. It wasn’t so much the story – which incidentally was light and amusing – as the title that attracted my attention. I try, darling, in as many ways as I can to tell you how much I love you and miss you. When I can get the aid of a book which blazens forth I Love You, I Love You, I Love You – I couldn’t help but use that too.

I’m glad, too, that you’re receiving Yank now. I wondered if it would get to you. As you see, we get it weekly, and some of the items are interesting. I thought it would help you project yourself a little bit more easily into our environment. You’ll get to know and like “Sad Sack” who exemplifies the Army “Ne’er-do-well”; I find “Mail Call” particularly interesting. It concerns the enlisted men mostly and they discuss, or try to – any and all subjects – not always in the choicest language either. When I get back, darling, I’ll expect you to understand my G-I talk completely. Incidentally the newest in the Snafu, Sasfu series is Fubar which stands for ‘fouled up beyond all recognition’.

Cover of Yank - The Army Weekly
9 January, 1944

Anyway – having received the book etc. – I feel that anything else I might want to send you ought to get to you. And by the way darling – you remember I promised you a Zippo lighter. Do you still want one – or does anyone in the family want one? If so – I can get one. They’re different over here – in that they’re black – for camouflage purposes – but it’s the same good lighter. If you don’t want it, I might send it to my brother. Let me know, dear. They’re just as difficult to get here – as in the States.

In a letter of a couple of days ago, dear, you mention the possibility of being at my house for Passover. Gee – I hope you can make it. I know though how you must feel about Grandma B. – and I can’t blame you. Maybe you could get over on one of the nights; it seems to me they celebrate on two nights. Your presence at my house for one of the Sedars would be very symbolic to me – as I always pictured no one but my wife or wife-to-be at one of those Jewish Holiday things. I’m glad anyway, darling, that my folks want you to come because it shows me how much they think of you, dear – that they want you to be present at anything resembling an intimate family gathering.

Sweetheart I know my folks love you – and since I do too, everything will work out fine. I love you, dear, – I can’t tell you often enough – because I want you to know how much. Do you?

I’ll stop for now, darling, and I’ll write again tomorrow. Until then, so long and be well. Keep your spirits up, dear – we’ll be so happy when we’re together again that this sacrifice now will not seem too hard.

All my love, dearest –

Greg.

* TIDBIT *

about "Sad Sack"

"Sad Sack" was the creation of Sergeant George Baker, a cartoonist who had worked for four years at Disney Studios contributing to Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. After being inducted into the Army in June of 1941, he spent his evenings drawing cartoons of Army life using the "Sad Sack" as the bewildered civilian trying to be a soldier. Yank magazine, which was then forming as a magazine written entirely by enlisted men, invited him to join their staff. In his three and a half years with Yank, he was sent at various times to five overseas bureaus, in Panama, Italy, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Japan. A humorous, interesting and brief autobiography of George Baker can be read at: Sad Sack - George Bakers's Autobiography.

Many examples of "Sad Sack" as it appeared in Yank can be seen on the official Sad Sack web site. Here is an example from there:

CLICK ON COMIC TO ENLARGE