Spitball Army

[Letter postmarked on 22 October 1942 at Hartford, Illinois. Addressed to Miss Crystal K., Berwyn, Illinois. Return addressed to Richard N., Portage Des Sioux, Mo.]

Oct 21, 42
Wood River 11:30 am
CGR 2331

Hello Darling,

I just wrote you yesterday not even 24 hours ago, but when I returned from St. Louis there were two letters waiting for me. Such attention demands retaliation if it is at all possible. I’m on watch now, so here goes.

Honey, when you write to me please tell me what letters you received from me by the date I put on them and when you receive them. I don’t know if you are getting all of them. I may be writing my head off and you may not be getting them and you might feel neglected and getting mad and yet I am still writing. Our mailing facilities on patrol are not the best – we have to give our letters to who ever happens by and hope that they reach their destination. Do that, will you, Honey? (Tell me if I talk about any you didn’t get.)

I just sat down to start this letter and before I put my pen to the paper, I took a last look around to see if the coast was clear. Up stream there were 4 great big yachts that were taken over by the CG. Gee, they were beautiful things. They were painted the CG color & numbers already and boy were they going. They were from 60-80 feet long. They were coming down from Chicago and they were really going, so I had to get up and log them. They were not Reserve boats either, they were regular CG boats going out on the big drink for Coastal duty.

Darling, you would really be surprised at the part the small boats like ours is playing in this war. The English are also using them. I never heard or saw anything about it before until I saw “Mrs. Miniver.” In the picture, there were some very interesting scenes. In the evacuation of Dunkirk, the English yachtsmen took smaller boats than this and crossed the channel and picked up the men that were stranded there. The husband of “Mrs. Miniver” had a 25-foot Cris-Craft Sport Cruiser with a flying bridge, like the one we were looking at in slip 64 at Belmount harbor that night. It was the one with the canvas and the open aft cockpit and the helm was out side in the aft cockpit – remember? See the picture if you can, honey, it’s very good.

Well, enough of that, honey, now for your letter of the 18th October, which has a post mark “Old P.O. Annex, Chicago, Ill., Oct. 19, 9:30 A.M.” Both letters got here at the same time, honey. You know I have been behaving myself, darling. I knew you would be expecting me Sunday, honey, that’s why I called you at the end of the day – only to no avail. I thought I might comfort you in that manner.

You will have to excuse my writing in yesterday’s letter. After I started, I found out I didn’t have as much time as I thought I did and besides that I didn’t have a fountain pen.

Darling, you missed an excellent opportunity to practice some good housewife preoccuptations. You know, hon, you won’t be able to just jump into that thing. The more practice you get now, the better off you will be. Besides that, it would have passed the time away. Well, you made one step forward, now you know you can buy a dress by yourself – don’t you, honey. You surprise me, honey. I’ll bet it’s a beautiful thing, honey – I would depend on your taste any day. I think that’s one of the reasons I love you so much, because you have such fine taste. I have been told many a time I have good taste too, hon, especially when it comes to a woman. That’s probably another reason we match so well, darling – what do you think?

At least I know you can press your own dresses, hon. How did you answer Wanda’s question? Tell them I remember both of them very well, hon.

I knew H.A. Maurer very well, honey. That is an awful shame, honey, his wife just had a baby boy about 3 months ago. He was an excellent flyer. Honey, I never know when I am coming in until I am on the train. A Change in Commanding Officers screwed me up this time.

Now for your letter of the 19th October. Darling, I really appreciate your writing me before work, but hon, please don’t get caught – it may get you in trouble. I guess Cassy has a lot of trouble, hon. Darling, where did you pick up that last line of yours, “I lovum muchum heap big Coast Guardum.” I laughed so much I thought I would burst a panty button.

Honey, I thought that Mac Pheat special was about the cleverest thing I have ever seen. Between your last line and that special, my sides were sore. Well, honey, this is about all I have to say except good-by and I love you honey – very much.

Love,
Dick xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx