Too darn tired, Feb 26 & 28, 1945

15 Sep Too darn tired, Feb 26 & 28, 1945

Sounds like they’re working him pretty hard from these two letters. Not sure exactly what he’s doing, but it sounds like he’s probably still helping get all the papers organized as he mentioned in his last few letters. I was amazed by his comment in the first letter that his mom (my grandma Zoe) was given a rating of “A” as a welder – then he mentions that she’s close to 60!! My memories of my grandma were certainly of a feisty little old lady who loved to bowl, but hard to imagine her as a welder! This conjures up those images I remember of the women working in the factories during the war!

26 FEB 1945 V-MAIL
HOLLAND

GOOD EVENING, MY DARLING, I HAVE A LETTER OF YOURS OF FEB 8TH KICKING AROUND SOMEWHERE, BUT I’M TOO DARN TIRED TO GET IT OUT TO ANSWER. WILL DO IT THE NEXT TIME. IT IS NOW 10:30 PM AND I’VE JUST FINISHED CLEANING STUFF UP SO THAT THE MESSENGERS WILL HAVE IT ALL READY TO TAKE OUT THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, AND I’M MORE THAN READY TO HIT THAT OL’ SACK, BUT I FIGURE FIRST, I MUST WRITE MY HONEY…RECEIVED MOM’S BOX OF FUDGE YESTERDAY WITH THE BLACK WALNUT FILLING, AND MY GOSH IT’S GOOD!! SHE GOT YOUR LETTER ABOUT SENDING THE BRACELET AND AWAITS IT ANXIOUSLY. SHE’S BEEN GIVEN AN “A” RATING AS A WELDER, BUT THINKS THAT SHE IS GOING TO QUIT WORK IN MARCH ANYWAY. AFTER ALL, SHE IS GETTING ON AROUND SIXTY.

DIDN’T GET OUT TO GET MY BEER LAST NIGHT AFTER ALL. AS USUAL, A DOZEN LITTLE THINGS CAME UP THAT NEEDED TENDING (AS DON’T THEY ALWAYS). THE FIREMAN’S (OF THE BLDG HERE) WIFE IS DOING OUR LAUNDRY (FOR CANDY, CIGARETTES, GUM, SOAP, ETC) AND IT IS A GREAT TREAT TO GET STUFF BACK REALLY CLEAN AND PRESSED FOR A CHANGE. THE QM LAUNDRY WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING (OR DOING IT YOURSELF) BUT OUR STUFF HAD TAKEN ON A DECIDED TATTLE TALE GREY, OR WORSE.
DOGGONE IT, SWEETHEART, THIS IS A DULL LETTER, BUT I’M A PRETTY DULL CHARACTER MYSELF ABOUT NOW. AND YOU SHOULD SEE ME WHEN I GET UP COME 6:15 AM!! OH, ME, WHAT A THOUGHT. SO, I GO. BUT NOT BEFORE I ATTEMPT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I MISS, AND LOVE YOU AND KAREN,
YOUR POOPED PAPPY

28 FEB 1945 V-MAIL

HOLLAND

GOOD EVENING, MY DARLING, GOT FIVE SWELL LETTERS TODAY, INCLUDING THE ONE FROM YOUR MOTHER IN BASTON, AND YOUR V-MAIL OF FEB 10TH AND AIR MAIL OF FEB 13TH. WHICH WOULD MAKE IT SEEM THAT AIRMAIL IS NOW COMING THRU FASTER. BUT I LOVE ‘EM NO MATTR HOW THEY COME. PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY’RE LIKE THE ONE TELLING ABOUT KAREN’S SENSE OF HUMOR. I WAS PRACTICALLY ROLLING ON THE FLOOR ABOUT HER “MISS MARY” EPISODE, AND GOLLY HOW I’D LOVE TO HEAR HER SAY HER PRAYERS. SHE SOUNDS AS THOUGH SHE’LL NEED A BIT OF WATCHING OR SHE’LL TURN INTO ONE OF THESE PRECOCIOUS PRODIGIES, BUT, GOSH, WHAT A GAL!!
HAD A LETTER FROM FREDDIE AND HE WAS ONE WEEK INTO DIRECTING (FULL TIME) HIS FIRST PICTURE. SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM MAKE A BIG SUCCESS OUT OF THE DEAL, FOR BOTH OUR SAKES. YOUR MOTHER INFORMS ME (AND ON YOU) THAT YOU GUYS AIN’T AS FAT AS YOU MIGHT BE. NOW, LIKE I TOL’ YA’ – – – –

WENT TO SEE A GI SHOW (THAT WAS QUITE GOOD) WITH “MANHATTAN MELODY” (A PICTURE) THROWN IN. VERY GOOD EVENINGS ENTERTAINMENT, EXCEPT THAT WE DIDN’T GET BACK UNTIL TEN, AND THEN HAD A STACK OF PAPERS TO SHUFFLE AROUND, SO IT IS NOW 11:30 AND, OH, ME 6:15 AM COMES AWFULLY EARLY!!!

I’M MOST ANXIOUS TO GET THE NEW PICTURES OF YOU GUYS. I JUST SIT AND GAZE AT THE ONES I HAVE ON MY DESK A HUNDRED TIMES A DAY AND WISH THAT I COULD PICK YOU BOTH UP AND CARRY YOU AROUND WITH ME. WEATHER HAS BEEN FINE. WAR NEWS IS FINE. JOB IS FINE. I’M FINE. BUT, SOMEHOW, I JUST KEEP WISHING I WAS HOME **** WITH YOU AND LITTLE CUTIE PANTS, ALL MY LOVE, “IN THE ARMY”
ROLLIE