Nancy Moss Archives - Page 2 of 2

7 July 1944

Dear Folks:

Before I walk over to the jeep and hear the world news over it’s radio, better write you a brief epistle. Everyone is anxious to hear the news in fact, any kind of program is welcome, and in the meantime quite a crowd gathers to listen in. Well [illegible] with has passed by. I don’t know how [illegible] it but mine consisted of a first class meal from the kitchen. More of a treat than you think. I’m still very much okeh, perhaps and gaining a pound or two. My bed isn’t on a Simmons mattress but I manage to get enough of it – sleep I mean. Wish I could describe to you what I did today. I know it would make good reading for you. I hope I can write you all about it soon. And thank you for the letter Nancy and Phil – I sure [am] anxious to see you both. You must both have grown so much, I won’t know you. Well so long for this time.

Love,

6 July 1944

Dear Folks:

A few minutes before dark and time to answer several of your recent letters. Received one from Nancy and yesterday one from you about the watch. This letter is little more than to tell you I am alright – quite safe and things are getting better all the time. Since my first visit with Dick haven’t seen him since but am expecting to have my visit with him soon. He’s quite a guy – I think more of him every day. Wish I could tell you about his experiences as he told them to me. Our mail is arriving in good order, better than back on the islands, and is the most sought after commodity. It means a great deal.

Follow the news closely and I’ll write as often as possible and hope I’ll soon tell you all that is going on.

Love,

29 June 1944

Dear Folks:

The sun is casting long shadows and I will have to work fast to get this completed but a little communiqué each day may make you feel better. I’m writing for Dick and myself in a way because I don’t imagine he finds much time to write. Received Dad’s and Nancy’s letters today—the most recent one to date. You are correct Dad—about Phil [illegible].

I haven’t seen Dick for a couple of days and look forward so much to seeing him. I’m sure he is okeh. This is about the end of my text tonight. Will write as often as possible although what I can write about is quite limited.

Love,

2 April 1944

Dearest Folks:

Well, there has been another lapse in my writing but there hasn’t been a change in my habits but a change in the training schedule. Interruptions are becoming more frequent and sometimes it isn’t always easy to find time to write. Also haven’t seen Dick for a week but am expecting to get a phone call tonight. Hope we can get together in a few days. I know you have had a birthday and Dad one soon, and Dick and I plan to fix up a box with a little of everything in it. Today was Palm Sunday but I couldn’t do anything about it—the circumstances precluded it.

Tonight I received a batch of Star-Heralds from Dan Gettman so had to glance thru them. Most of the fellows are from New York and California and when another fellow from Coldwater, Kansas and I discuss our small town life, they think it’s quite a joke. When I came across an item about an overseas soldier getting a furlough I mentioned it and that always draws a laugh or a divisive sneer.

I thought you might be a little interested in the clipping I cut from the Honolulu Adventurer of this Sunday. At one time or another I have been to most of them (attractions). These Hawaiian names might look difficult but they are very simple to pronounce.

There’s a lively, silly, conversation going on around me about the Army and us dogfaces that make it up. One GI sitting on the other end of my bunk is re-reading his wife’s letters and making some witty amusing remarks. He’s been here for over two years. This business of troop rotation gets quite a bit of discussion but few favorable comments are expressed.

Received two letters from you last week and also one from Nancy. I certainly look forward to them. There are so many things I would like to tell you about and experiences I have had but I can’t do that. Many of my letters must sound dry and newsless but actually I’m not spending the vacation the letters may suggest. About the AAL taking my job – no, I don’t think that is possible. Gee, you must think I’m not a fighting man—ha-ha. The WAC’s sure get cussed and discussed in this group. Sure we’d like to have a dozen or so. You know that recently a detachment arrived in the islands and they immediately caused a big flurry. Dick was telling me about a tough buxom sergeant he saw. Most of them go to the Air Force who usually have everything.

As I was writing Dick phoned and I was glad to talk to him for a few minutes. It certainly is a lucky coincidence that we can be so near each other and just by picking up the phone get in touch with him. He is expecting to go on pass Tuesday and we want to make that day a big one.

Well, I haven’t said a lot in this mess but it’s some sort of a communiqué, so until the next time I miss all of you so much and am busting to see home again.

Love,

10 August 1943

Dear Folks:

Two of your letters came today so I better show my appreciation and get together a little letter. Dad’s letter with the pictures came, and the ones of the girls didn’t ring familiar until I looked close for a few seconds to really recognize any of them but Nancy. They all look so grown up and like ladies that the pictures were hard to associate with the girls as I saw them last. When I had the visit with Dick he said there was a rumor that Kathryn Aulick was about to marry, and I thought he was kidding for awhile. I guess they do it though.

Last night I saw a good show with Fred Astaire, the first I had seen for a couple of weeks. Most of the movies are relatively recent but many of them are old-timers—for instance last week ‘King Kong’ was showing. There is a different show every night, and they offer something to look forward to. Once a week a USO troupes of some kind, from the island, puts on a show, and between long stretches perhaps one from the mainland. More mainland shows have been promised, and I hope so for they never fail to produce a real treat for the fellows. It’s something of a novelty to see a white chorus girl as they usually dress. The ones from the states are pretty breezy and rare but in no sense, in my opinion, could they be called ribald or dirty, just enough on the rare side to make all the ‘dogfaces’ happy.

I read the clippings over carefully regarding the ‘Eagle Café’ incident, and I find it hard to get on either side of the fence when it comes to justifying the action. Of course in times like this about everyone looses his rationality to some extent. But it seems that even as much as you try to believe that there (are) some loyal ones, a suspicion always hangs around the back of your mind. Probably the guy was so drunk he lost his balance and wouldn’t have done it if he was sober.

Sometime ago we had a newcomer to our billet, a young fellow about like Dick, from New Jersey who hadn’t been in the army very long. For the last few days he has been feeling pretty homesick, and for two days wouldn’t say or do anything, just keep to himself and looked at some pictures he had. Most of us adopted a motherly attitude and tried to get him back in spirits again. And it looks like we succeeded, for awhile anyway. But I couldn’t help feel sorry for him and know how he must have felt. But in contrast with the youthful ones, there are also the older ones, many married and some (with) two or three children, and I don’t see how they take it, at least I don’t think I could. I don’t know whether you’re interested in this stuff but you might just be curious sometimes.

My correspondent in Washington is very faithful and for over a year now she has been writing regularly regardless of how long it takes me to reply. She always has nothing but compliments for me, and her letters offer much encouragement.

As to the item of Christmas (in August) I haven’t very much to request although there are a few small things that I could use. One of them is a cheap pocket watch, if such things are still available in the states. They are impossible to buy here although the expensive ones are plentiful. And while I was nosing around the library last week I ran across a book that interested me, but I’ll reserve that until later. I’m still hanging on until the law books get here. I wish more than anything, that I was out of the army so that I could devote a lot of time to it. Although there is plenty of bitching among the fellows, which is common I guess with every doughboy, I find this a good opportunity to study and also to store away a few shekels, which I didn’t do at home. I should have well over a thousand dollars in another year if I don’t get busted, but the chances of promotion are better than going down. My job now is Personnel Sergeant with seven clerks under me, all good guys who make the office a good one. I guess I started this paragraph with reference to Christmas but I seem to have sidetracked myself. With the exception of the book and the watch there isn’t much else I need. Perhaps I’ll think of something in the meantime.

Back to the pictures I couldn’t help but notice how Nancy is shaping out and looking like a young lady. The change in Nancy and Phil is very noticeable, and I even feel that I’m getting old. I can imagine the experience you had in Dan’s automobile and more so what you looked like breezing along with no top.

Well this is pretty long and not much in it and then I must have something to put on the next one, so I’ll call this ‘pau’ as everyone here says for ‘finished’.

Love,

3 August 1943

Dearest Folks:

I’m slipping on my writing again so better make this typewriter burn for a while. Just received Nancy’s letter a few moments ago and I especially noted that Glen and Bill E are home on furlough. What we wouldn’t do during a reunion leaves little to the imagination. A fellow in our billet just returned from furlough to the states and during the fiesta we had last night, asked him a bushel of questions about everything. He also brought back with him some spirits by smuggling them in a barracks bag and so that added a touch to the party. We must have acted like a bunch of kids the way we wanted to know a little about everything he saw and did while he was away. He is from a small town in Oklahoma. Of course I can’t describe just how I would act if I ever walked down the main street again, but I, like everyone else I suppose, try to imagine what it would be like before I go to sleep.

I just received the pictures from Dick and I suppose that probably you have yours by now. I think they are pretty good although I don’t think we took enough. I was a little surprised that some of them were passed, but I’m glad they didn’t object because you can get a good idea of the place where we spent most of our time.

I had intended to go to the show tonight and all in all take it easy, but I ran into a volleyball game and finally ended up doing exactly the opposite. My nights are all free and duty hours reasonable and with my type of work I escape some of the rigors of the outdoors, although we take part in some lengthy hikes occasionally. I haven’t lost any of my love for the island, and continue to hope that I will (be) lucky enough to remain here until I step on the boat for ‘Frisco.

I continually mention this subject but I hope you won’t object and that is the books. I hope that nothing arose that prevented your sending the volumes although it might have been necessary to send them in two separate packages depending on the weight.

Katie writes occasionally and everything sounds well with her, and I’m beginning to adopt a parental complex from my coming title of uncle.

I wish I was free to tell you how fast your mail arrives, for I know you would (be) surprised. But it does make good time in some cases although a few occasionally are delayed. I have no less than six letters to write tonight, but I’ve lost the initiative to write except to those that are close. I think I’ll throw in the towel on this issue and hope I can muster a few more words for the next one. I was amused at Phil’s newly acquired car and I can easily imagine how he must be beaming and grinning over his new treasure. And I suppose Nancy has her share of the fun from it. Well this is la finis, but before I go just keep the home and town like it was when I left.

Love,

23 March 1943

Dearest Folks:

I have settled my conscience by writing my overdue letters so now I can turn to you and give you a resume. I had a long letter from a gal in Washington, one of these prefabricated jobs that was pretty amusing. She is a faithful correspondent. Night before last I saw the show “In This Our Life’ which I thought was for duper and teaching than the story itself. I suppose you are beginning to plan the garden already and to undertake spring cleaning. I believe Dad’s next best pursuit is gardening. Although the first day comes in without much adieu here, I did remember the day. It was a very hot one. Next month I hope to have my pictures taken before I get out of camera range. You probably have the things by now. I wish I could be there to see Phil in his trunks. I hope they fit.

I’ve come to the end of the rope tonight which is little more than a note. Nancy’s lesson on the off-tune, yellow stained piano keys would be like a symphony from Raikmaninoff. You’ll never know how much I miss home.

Love,

21 January 1942

Dearest Folks:

I suppose that before you even opened this letter you guessed the good news. Yep, I’m using my new pencil and stationary from it. The box came only 15 minutes before my guard duty so I had to laboriously and impatiently bide my time for four hours until I could get back to open it. I took a hurried peek just before and managed to pull out the picture of Nancy. The box was in good shape and surely there could be nothing missing for all there was in it. Well after guard tour I came back, lit a couple of candles and began to explore it’s depths. I walk guard again tonite from 4 am to 8 am and in the morning will make sure my eyes aren’t fooling me. I don’t know how to start to tell you how I feel about it. I opened it by myself in the tent and as I hurriedly opened package after package I really felt like crying a little. You went out of your way and spent a lot of time and money getting it together and such devotion and love I feel I hardly deserve. The army is a place where you stop and think a lot and I’ve done plenty. I feel so physically far away from you tonite and with no furloughs in sight, don’t help the situation much. I could get very sentimental but I know that would make you feel low. I wonder how you tolerated for a long, long time my disrespectful and unkindly acts and words and I just hope that I make the same kind of father to my children as my dad and as my wife will to my children.

I have the watch in my pocket, the pencil in my hand and the stationary in my lap and I’m going to wear the sweatshirt when I get up at three in the morning. It’ll be plenty chilly. Everything is so very practical and I’ll use them all the time.

Of course the cake was a little hard but ‘happy birthday’ stood out plainly. I think those two words touched me the most. The candy is still good.

Well mom and dad, my candle is about a half inch long and I’ve got to get up at three so I better stop soon. Thanks to every one of you a million times over for everything. I’m positive the box was untouched.

Goodnite and I’ve got to say it again, thank you all.

Love,

I’ll send you some pictures tomorrow.