24 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

24 May, 1944       0900

My dearest sweetheart –

Another month that I know you, dear, and time seems to have lost its significance for me. To have already been away from you for a longer time that I knew you when I left – doesn’t seem as strange to me now as it did just a couple of months ago. I think becoming engaged to you had as much to do with it as anything else – and I can hardly believe that we’ve been engaged for almost two months, dear. I still startle myself at times when I realize it and get the same kick out of realizing that I in fact do have a fiancée, who is waiting for me and who wants me as much as I want her. It’s a swell feeling, sweetheart, and it will always make me feel right on top of the world.

Again yesterday, as I wrote you already, there was no mail from you or home. I got one from Irv Fine – congratulating me and complimenting me upon my choice – all of which I love to hear, darling. He mentioned Stan’s going in Washington and running around with some Wave or other named Lt. Wilcoff. He assumed I knew her – but I don’t remember the name at all. Do you know who she is? Anyway – he’s probably having a grand time and impressing his companion with his usual charm. It’s too bad he hasn’t developed more substance to his personality, more depth. Irv mentioned that Verna was running around arranging for post-war jobs – so I assume she’s doing rehabilitation work of some sort – a lot of hooey, as far as I’m concerned. As you wrote, I agree – she ought to be at home raising a family and learning how to cook – but that’s their business after all.

We finally got our Medical detachment pictures back, dear, and I’ve already had 2 of them packed and sent out. Will you give one to my folks? After I had them mailed – I wondered whether I should have sent 3 of them – but your folks probably don’t want one of their own. It’s just a group picture of our men and not as if it were a photograph of me alone. Only 15 of our 17 men were present, but we did get the 3 officers in it – so it will serve as a remembrance. I wonder if you’ve received the box of junk I sent and also the prints. I’m particularly interested in the latter and hope they arrive safely.

CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE

438th AAA AW BN Medical Detachment - May, 1944
In front of Sherborne Castle, England
Greg is seated in the center

Last night we saw “Reunion in France” which was fair – or a little better than fair – at best. We actually had 2 showings of it if you can imagine it – for so small an audience. If nothing more – we’re learning to be exclusive. Some of us wanted to play ball after supper – so they ran the thing off at 1900 and 2100. At the 2100 showing – there was an audience of 8 officers and 2 enlisted men.

Well, darling, that’s all again for this morning. It’s time to go over to teach the men something about bandaging – or rather to watch them while they do it. Everything is still just about the same here – and it’s O.K. with me – on that score. I miss you sweetheart and love you and think of you constantly no matter where I go or what I do. Always remember that!

Best love to the folks and

All my love to you, dearest

Greg

Route of the Question Mark

A continuation of Page 20-21 from The Route of the Question Mark is transcribed below, telling a little more about life in Sherborne.

page 20

The problem on Salisbury Plain, when all the crows made life miserable for us... The early morning drilling on Dancing Hill... The day we had our picture taken... Bill Smith's wedding in the Abbey, and we all marched down to attend it... The classes in map-reading and air-craft identification... The girl that Capt Peterson used to bring to the dances... The two mangy sheep-dogs at the castle...

23 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

23 May, 1944      1305

Dearest darling –

I just got up from my bed with a start – to answer the phone. I lay down on it after dinner about 1230 presumably for a couple of minutes and fell sound asleep. It’s a good thing the phone rang. I was going to write you dear – before I went down to the Dispensary but I guess I was too drowsy. Anyway – I’ll get off a few lines.

Last night we had a very long Officers’ Class which didn’t break up until about 2130 (started 1830). A movie had been scheduled and we all decided to see it. Well – after getting set and comfortable – it was discovered that something was wrong with the projector – and that took about an hour to get straightened out. The pay-off darling was that when we finally got going – we saw a sterling production – “Tarzan and the Desert Mystery”. By this time everyone was in a rare mood and it wouldn’t have made any difference what was being shown. In this particular picture there was ample room for dialogue for the audience – and as a result we had the horses, elephants and everything else talking. We didn’t get upstairs to bed until after midnight – but it was a lot of fun. We needed something like that, sweetheart, to cheer us up, because for some reason or other, it was a sort of Blue Monday, myself included.

Today is cloudy and moist – but I feel O.K. I lectured to my boys all morning on physiology and pathology and this p.m. we’re doing splinting – for fractured arms and legs. The boys are pretty good at it but you can’t do too much of it.

Darling – I didn’t hear from you or anyone yesterday. There’s several letters due me now. I do miss you more, dear, when I don’t hear from you – but that’s natural, I guess. Well – maybe tonight – for now, though, I better run along – because my class is waiting. So long for awhile, dear, I’ll finish this later.

1700

Hello Sweetheart –

Just got back and finished another full day’s work. I looked for mail – but dammit there was none from you. I got one letter and it’s apparently from the Fines because it has a Cambridge post-mark. I haven’t read it yet. Gee I’d like to get one of your letters, darling; it would give me a big lift.

Right now – while I’m writing you – I’m waiting for a call I’ve put in to Frank Morse. I haven’t written him for some time and decided it was better to call him. I know just where he is and should be able to contact him without too much difficulty.

Tonite, dear, we have another movie, I was told a little while ago – an old picture, I believe – “Reunion in France” – with J. Crawford and J. Wayne. Good or bad, we go to them all – it’s so convenient to just go downstairs.

Well, sweetheart, that’s about all for tonite, except to remind you that I love you dearly and miss you more than I can describe. Be well, darling, and send my love to the folks.

All my love for always,

Greg

22 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

22 May, 1944       0915

Dearest darling Wilma –

Well I’m going to start this letter now – but I don’t know whether I’ll be able to finish it. It seems, dear, as if I’ve been rushing about – the past 2-3 days – and the rush is still on. In particular, for this week, I’m giving my men a comprehensive review of everything they’ve had in their line. I plan to spend a week or 10 days doing it and when I’m through I think each and every one of them will be aid men worthy of the name. In addition – there’s the damned old report on this and on that, a trip here or there on business – and all in all, I’ve been earning my pay of late.

Saturday night, sweetheart, the party did not materialize for the reason I’ve already implied – namely that there was no liquor. The beer was dissipated long before evening came and that was that.

Gee, dear, it certainly made me envious to read that Les was home for 8 days. Of course if I were in Pennsylvania it would practically be like home – that’s how comparative distances affect you, because I know the fellow I write to in Hawaii feels that I am practically home – compared to him. Anyway – I’m glad for their sake – Betty’s and Les’s that they are able to see each other. He got a sort of raw deal when his Specialized training was cut short; on the other hand, though, they are doing the same with officers and complete outfits. A good deal of AA in the States – I read in the papers recently – is being converted en bloc to the infantry and that’s no fun – after having been trained in anti-aircraft tactics.

Well, darling, I didn’t get too far this sitting, but I have to stop now and go down to the mens' barracks and start lecturing. I’ll pick up later on – so for now – darling – so long.

1330

Hello again, dear –

Just arrived at the Dispensary from the Castle and after cleaning up a few details, I’ll start teaching again for the rest of the p.m. We had a class in anatomy this morning and I think the boys got something out of it.

Say I never did answer your question or Mary’s about Pete’s name. His full name is Henry George Peterson and I must remember to tell him his name will be used for a good cause. He ought to get a kick out of that. And incidentally don’t forget to thank Mary on my behalf, because I consider that a signal honor – or so tell her,

Tonight there’s an officers’ meeting and then supposedly a movie – but the latter already has an advance booking as being rank – something about being in ‘Old Cheyenne’ – or some such place. I really should write some letters. I have quite a few to answer that are getting old – Lil Z, Barbara T, Pereira etc. etc. But what usually happens is that as long as I’ve written you and my folks, I don’t have very much ambition these days. I like to lie down on my bed, close my eyes and just dream about you and home, sweetheart. Won’t it be wonderful when I don’t have to dream and actually can live it!

Darling, I’ve got to go along now. I hope I hear from you today, dear. My best love to the folks and my deepest love to you sweetheart.

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Pre-Invasion Bombing of German Airfields
in Occupied Countries

Meanwhile, the bombing of airfields and trains continues in Belgium and France. Here is a video clip dated 22 May, 1944 showing aerial footage showing an air assault over German-occupied Liege, Belgium, including planes at an airfield shot and blown up on the ground. Apologies for the quality of the clip.

21 May, 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

21 May, 1944      2230

Hello Darling –

Well I almost skipped today altogether – but I thought I’d at least jot down a few lines before going to bed. Today was a long, long day for various reasons, dear, and I’m quite tired now. I’m going to climb into bed as soon as I’m through writing you sweetheart.

Had no mail today or yesterday – but the mail has been running light recently. Got a V-mail from Lawrence telling me about living in town. Seems like a good idea from here.

Will write more tomorrow, darling, and will stop for now. Love to the folks – and for now –

All my love

Greg

20 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

20 May, 1944       1030

Dearest sweetheart –

I’m back at the Castle waiting for another in the long series of B.C.’s meetings. I got an early start this morning, saw a few sick soldiers, checked the kitchens, inspected my own men – and barring emergencies – I should be able to take it easy for the rest of the day. We’re supposed to have a binge tonight – but there’s a very important draw-back: up to and including this moment, our expected supply of liquor has not arrived! We have six dozen quart bottles of some tolerable ale, and one six-gallon keg of some intolerable beer – and how far that will go towards making us noisy etc. I don’t know, darling. The past few nights, after the movies – last night we had “Thank Your Lucky Stars” which I had seen in the States – one of the Officers and I have had some jam sessions, if you can call it that. He’s pretty good at the piano, having played in an orchestra some years back and he plays loud enough to drown out my mistakes. But the boys gather around, sing, prance, tap dance etc. – and we have had some fun.

Late yesterday p.m. I received one letter from you, postmarked the 12th. There were only about 4 letters for all the officers – and I was one of the lucky ones, dear. Thanks!

You know, darling, a strange thing occurred in your letter written the tenth; for no apparent reason you mention the subject of psycho-neurosis, mental breakdowns and associated diseases. It was just at that time that we were taking up the matter of Charlie. Although his case was somewhat different – it did come under the heading of mental rather than physical factors and this makes several times now that some sort of telepathic connection has occurred between us. It’s two weeks now that he’s gone.

By the way – you mention reading in a bath. I can’t say, sweetheart, that I’ve ever done that – maybe because I haven’t had time in the past. As a matter of fact – up to recently – I’ve never liked taking baths, always preferring a shower, but since hitting here – I’ve been having baths more frequently and they truly are relaxing. Hell, dear, if you want to read in a bath – it’s all right with me; I’ll wait!

As for my “pep” – sweetheart, I do seem to have more than most of the other fellows – and I see no reason now – why I shouldn’t continue to have. I just don’t want to get logey merely because I’m in the Army, and believe it or not – an officer in the AA outfit – can get just that.

I can just picture Shirley as you write about her. She really must love that sort of life, but like you – that’s not for me. I like the fundamental, the plain, the honest-to-goodness things in life, sweetheart, and I think the both of us can find that and enjoy it. I think that you feel the same way.

Darling I’ll stop now. How I wish I were home to start life with you as we both want it. But it will surely come one day and we’ll enjoy it then. As long as we love each other – the rest will be all right. Love to the folks, dearest – and

All my love for now –

Greg

P.S. Pete sent his special regards last nite
         and asked me to include two extra xx’s.

Love

G.

* TIDBIT *

about Thank Your Lucky Stars

From Wikipedia comes this description of Thank Your Lucky Stars:

Thank Your Lucky Stars is a 1943 film made by Warner Brothers as a World War II fundraiser. The film was a musical with a slim plot, involving theater producers (Horton and Sakall) staging a wartime charity program, only to have the production taken over by their egotistical star (Eddie Cantor, playing himself). Meanwhile, an aspiring singer (Morgan) and his songwriter girlfriend (Leslie) conspire to get into the charity program by replacing Cantor with their look-alike friend, tour bus driver Joe Simpson (also played by Cantor, in a dual role).

Many of Warner Brothers stars performed in musical numbers, including several who were not known as singers. The film features the only screen musical numbers ever done by Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Ida Lupino. Each of the cast members was paid a $50,000 fee for their appearance which was then donated to the Hollywood Canteen.

The film was popular with audiences, and the critic James Agee called it "the loudest and most vulgar of the current musicals. It is also the most fun." Ticket sales combined with the donated salaries of the performers raised more than two million dollars for the Hollywood Canteen.

Here is the movie finale:

19 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

19 May, 1944        0900

Dearest darling –

It’s early in the morning but I thought I’d start writing now, because something always seems to turn up later in the day. Yesterday I finally got some mail, dear, three nice letters from you postmarked May 9, 10, 11 – and I felt better again.

In your first letter, sweetheart, you were very apologetic about not working, staying around the house – and half a dozen other things. When I wrote about finances, darling, I had no secondary implications at all. The idea never entered my head, and the thought of you working and saving money is the bunk, dear, as far as I’m concerned. The fact is that we won’t live long on the money you might have saved or the money I’ve saved. Saved money is good while it stays saved. We’re going to live on what money I make, darling.

About my salary: a single captain draws $200 per month, plus 10% for overseas. The 10% is absorbed by insurance fees which is a little higher for me because I changed my insurance from the “term” type which the Army encourages – to 20 year endowment. In other words – term insurance ends when the war is over and you have nothing to show for your premium. The plan I have enables me to continue my insurance. Anyway I get about $200. I had arranged to send $100 to my bank and $100 to myself. Due to faulty or rather delayed book-keeping on the part of the Army, they send the bank $100 and me – $50. So for seven months – the Army now owes me a back-log of $350.00 Were I married to you, darling, I would be drawing $340.00 per month – so we’re really missing out, darling – in more ways than one – but I don’t care – as long as you’ll marry me after the war.

As for doing something to keep you busy, that’s another story altogether. I really think it’s a good idea doing some type of part-time work. There’s more fun in getting paid – but that shouldn’t be essential, as I see it.

I laughed about your account of the smelly fish. I don’t see how you can tell whether fresh fish is rotten or not – because it seems to me – they all smell rotten before being cooked or fried. And you tell Mary to save her sympathy, darling, because I’m not the least bit worried about your ability to prepare meals. I seem to have a great deal of confidence in you on that.

I was sorry to read about the “run-in” between you and your mother but I’m glad you managed to get over it before too long. I told you what I thought in a previous letter, dear, so I won’t go into it again. However – it is not unusual and I wouldn’t worry about it.

I don’t know why you shouldn’t have received the ‘Yank’ regularly – because I’ve sent it out every week. They’ll probably all catch up with you one of these days, dear. I get real satisfaction, sweetheart, out of your reaction to my mother’s concern over you. You reacted correctly when you say you really felt like one of her children. When my mother starts worrying about you, darling, then you are a part of the family; and when she says she worries, believe me, she does so sincerely – as you probably know by now.

Darling – it’s time to stop now. I’m amazed in that I’ve been able to write this far without any major interruption. It irritates me so to start writing you and being interrupted, putting the letter down and having to start up again. It occurs more often then I tell you about. Sweetheart – I love you and miss you and when I start writing you and thinking concentratedly about you and us, I don’t like to be stopped in the middle of it. That’s all for now, dear, except love to the folks and from me,

All my deepest love to you

Greg

18 May, 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 654 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

18 May, 1944

Dear Sweetheart –

Here goes another V-mail which I know you don’t like, darling, but this is another busy day and if I don’t get this off I might not have time to write later.

Right now I’m working on a lecture which I’m to give to the Battalion this p.m. – pep talk, safety talk and general blarney. Do I hear you say there’s no need for me to have to prepare a talk on the subject?

Yesterday, dear, was quiet. We had a movie for the officers – an oldie – “Somewhere I’ll Find You” with Clark Gable and L. Turner. I had seen it before. Tonight we’re having “Flesh and Fantasy” which I also saw – but it does help pass the time.

No mail again yesterday, darling, but we’re really overdue now and I should be hearing from you soon. Anyway – I know you’re writing and that’s a solace. Hope my mail is still coming through in decent time. Will have to close now, dear, but I do miss you like all get-out! Love to the folks. So long for now, dear.

All my love

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Somewhere I'll Find You

This plot summary of Somewhere I'll Find You, released in September of 1942, was taken from a movie review by The New York Times and Turner Classic Movies:

War correspondents and brothers Jonny and Kirk Davis (Clark Gable and Robert Sterling) return to New York in early October 1941 after being thrown out of Germany. Their New York Chronicle editor, George L. Stafford (Charles Dingle), is angry with them for writing anti-Nazi stories and refuses to print their latest about a Japanese-German alliance. By using a ruse with a dictating machine and enlisting the aid of Stafford's masseur, Charlie, Jonny tricks Stafford into relating the story to the composition room, and when it winds up on the front page, he and Kirk are fired. Back in the USA, Johnny inaugurates a rogue-ish flirtation with Paula Lane (Lana Turner), an aspiring reporter who has harbored a long-standing crush on Johnny. Even so, Paula enters into a romantic relationship with Kirk, prompting Johnny to break up the affair - for Kirk's own good, of course.

Paula's hopes for a lasting romance with Johnny are crushed when he refuses to discourage her from accepting an assignment in Indochina. Later on, both Johnny and Kirk are sent off to cover the war in the Far East, where they are reunited with Paula, now busily shepherding Chinese war orphans to safety. The action moves to Bataan, where Kirk is killed in service of his country, leaving Johnny to write a passionate tribute to his brother-and, by extension, everyone else who has lain down his or her life for the cause of Democracy. When Paula hears that Kirk is dead, she runs to Jonny, and, despite her grief, sits down and types what Jonny dictates about the fall of Bataan, a story that he says is not finished yet--"there is more to come."

During production of Somewhere I'll Find You, Clark Gable's actress-wife Carole Lombard was killed in a plane crash while participating in a war-loan drive; the impact of the tragedy is painfully obvious in Gable's performance, which becomes abruptly less playful and more somber in the final reels. New MGM recruits Van Johnson and Keenan Wynn make impressive appearances in uncredited roles. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Here is the trailer: