Spitball Army

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 25 Feb 1946 at 1 P.M.]

Feb. 25, 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     I’m afraid this is will be just a note to tell you that I love you.  There isn’t any news to tell you.  I haven’t received any mail since I wrote yesterday morning and all that I have done since then is eat, sleep, play cards, go to the show, and wash clothes.  It was some show.  I know that you have heard or seen it advertised quite a bit.  It’s Clark Gable’s first picture since he got out of the Army.  The name is “Adventure” with Greer Garson.  It has everything – comedy, disgustfulness, sadness, and happiness.

     Now I’ve run out of something to say.  Should I ask “How’s Richard?  How’s his arm? – -etc.”?  Somehow I don’t think that would do so I guess I’d just better quit and try to call you to-morrow night.  O.K.?  I love you Sweetheart and I miss you very much.

     Good-Night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant dreams
                    Goodnight Sweetheart
                         x x
                              ‘Nite

Clark Gable hams it up drunk in a scene from Adventure (1945):

I. First, life is like a Wiggles dance. Then, life is like a Beatles tune. Next, life is like a Cure dirge battling a Talking Heads seizure.

II. And, after the Johnny Cash murder ballad, life is like a wheezy Randy Newman screed. Finally, life ends with a Chopin Nocturne.

I have a non-working status; I feel terminated; as an employee, I can’t be found; they tell me that I’m invalid; for some reason, no polygon exists.

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 23 Feb 1946 at 2:30 P.M.]

Feb. 23, 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     I didn’t write yesterday Sweetheart.  It wouldn’t have done much good anyway.  Yesterday was a holiday and the Post Office was closed.  Liberty started yesterday morning at 10 o’clock and ends at 8 o’clock Monday morning.  Somebody is really getting easy.  I can’t figure it out.

     I wrote the 3 Post Cards your mother sent me this morning.  I sent one to her, one to Uncle Art, and one to Bolks.  I carefully explained to each one though that you were my secretary and took care of all my corresondence.  You have been writing them haven’t you?

     This is the craziest thing this morning.  Every body (almost) that was able went on liberty yesterday and now they are going to have regular Saturday inspection.  I may have to stop any time but I’ll continue writing as long as I can.

     Jeri just got good news this morning.  His transfer finally came through.  Unless something happens, he’ll be leaving for San Diego Wednesday.  Malcom will be a full fledged civilian Monday and I may be operated on next week.  Things are moving right along aren’t they?  Did I ever tell you that Turner is back on the ward?  I can’t remember.

     Everybody is on liberty and the place is pretty empty.  Jeri is about the only one here.  Right now he is trying to rush me so we won’t have to stand inspection.  I guess we had better be going.  I’ll call you tomorrow.  Will that make up for my rushing off?  I love you.

     Good-Night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant Dreams
                    Goodnight Sweetheart
                         x x
                              ‘Nite

I’m not sure why it happens, but every morning when I come to work, the computer has changed my password. I think it’s broken.

Card is titled: “Victorian Room, Palmer House, Chicago.”

Printed on the back of postcard:

The Palmer House
Chicago
The beautiful crimson and gold Victorian Room of the Palmer House is famed for quiet charm and the dinner music of the Palmer House Ensemble.

No publication information printed.

[This post is “borrowed” from Laser’s Edge Leftovers, where I am documenting – much too strong a word for it, actually – the history of my former business from the items I find around the house.]

Store date: 27 July 2006

This handbill/bag stuffer advertised the second Laser’s Edge in-store performance by songwriter extraordinaire Josh Ritter. Josh is one of a handful of artists who, during the lifetime of the store, became a musical guidepost for both the customers and the staff. It will not surprise anyone that there is a wealth of items left in the wake of that mutually beneficial relationship. In fact, the bulk and memorial heft of it is slightly overwhelming.

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 21 Feb 1946 at 1:30 P.M.]

Feb. 21, 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     I’m afraid I missed writing yesterday but I have a long sad story to tell about it.  It all started Tuesday afternoon.  There was a presentation ceremony in the auditorium.  They gave out various medals including the Purple Heart.  An order was published that 10 men from each ward would attend as spectators.  Turner and I were playing a game of anagrams when O.B. [Old Battle-Axe] came around.  She stopped at the bed and asked “How about you, Turner and [Richard]?”  We both said no so she went on and asked Jeri and a few other guys.  Everybody said no.  The next thing I know, a group of guys leave the ward and she is standing by the bed again.  She told me that if I didn’t go, she would restrict me.  It wouldn’t be just for the week-end but for 2 weeks.  So – I told her that was all right with me, I would rather be restricted for 2 weeks that [sic] go down.  I wasn’t going out anyway.  About a half hour latter she tells me I am to report to Executive’s Mast at 10:15 yesterday morning.  What for – because I REFUSED to go to the presentation ceremony.  A little before 9 yesterday they called me down to the legal office to write me up.  They had me charged with “Direct Disobedience to Orders.”  I told them that there wasn’t any order as far as I knew for me to disobey.  Well, they called O.B. up on the phone and she said there was an order.  So she prepared a written statement.  I tried to talk to her before she handed it in but she said I was disrespectful to her and she was going to teach me a lesson.  Well, I went before the Executive officer at 10:30.  I got to say a few words then he said it was too big for him to handle.  I would have to go before the Captain.  They made the notation on my slip and laid it aside and he talked some more.  (Here’s where O.B. made her big mistake.)  He reached over to get my slip but by mistake he picked up another one.  He looked it over and saw is [sic] was the same but he couldn’t find O.B.’s signed statement.  You see, O.B. had reported 2 of us on the ward for the same thing and the Exec. had picked up Steele’s slip.  He heard Steele’s story and found that is was the same as mine.  Then he decided that there must have been a mistake someplace since there were 2 of us with the same story.  So he gave each of us 3 hours extra police duty and we were restricted until we worked it off.  If I had been the only one, it might have been pretty bad; but O.B. made the mistake of reporting 2 of us.  So, yesterday afternoon I worked it off.  I had to deliver a memo to every ward in the hospital.  It took me an hour and a half and I got credit for the full 3 hours.  So it is all over and it has done O.B. more harm then it did me.  She lost quite a few friends in the deal.  She isn’t very popular in the ward this morning.  Isn’t that strange?

     I’ll write to-morrow but this is enough for now.  I love you Sweetheart.  I’m ready to be a civilian any minute now.

     Good-night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant dreams
                    Goodnight Sweetheart
                         x x
                              ‘Nite

Card is titled: “Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Old Mail Post.  6-A.  U.S. Post Office, Hyde Park, N.Y.  7B-H934.”

Publication information:  The Ruben Publishing Co., Newburgh, N.Y.  C.T. Art-Colortone.  Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.

More information on the Hyde Park post office on Wikipedia.

The pomegranate ones are the first to go, followed by cherry, raspberry, grape and orange. You can keep the chocolate and banana ones, says Ed.