December 25, 1943

1943-12-25_Page_1 I Love You Honey!
Merry Xmas Darling!
Friday Eve.

My Dearest Darling

Honey I don’t know how to start this – as
I know I should get on my knees and Beg forgiveness
for the letters I have been writing – but your not
around for me to put on that type of demonstration – so
I’ll have to just ask Honey – I am really sorry – I
know I’ve did wrong – but for some reason couldn’t
control myself – Honey will you ever forgive me?
Something in me took a turn – guess I gave myself a
good talking to – and decided it was time I quit feeling sorry for myself and get on the proverbial
“ball” – It was really funny if you stop & really
think of it – my mind was on the loose – and I’m
not alone – as almost everyone here is the same -
It gets so one loses control of himself – we’ve done
things that we’d ever though of doing before. I
realize Darling that this explanation or apology may
not mean, or rather, bear out to you what I’ve really
got to say – It’s difficult – but I know the next
time I get feeling like I have I’ll take myself out next to the mountains and butt my head a few times
1943-12-25_Page_2 against one of the rocks & let it go at that.. Honey
will you forgive me?  Please write and say you
can understand what I’m trying to put across!  I Love
You My Darling Peggy and that is one thing I realize
more & more as each day goes by!!  To me you are
life – and life itself!!

Santa Claus really came to me today! Four
Boxes – and two of them from the Sweetest & most
wonderful girl in the world – gee Thanks a Million
Honey – everything you sent comes in mighty handy.
I do like the pen. It’s running pretty smoothly!
I can’t hardly use it – as you can plainly see
because I’m so accustomed to the heavy point!
But I know I’ll do better in my handwriting with it!  I Love You Honey! Received a box
from Home. It had a fruit cake – candy – hankies -
stockings – gum – and lo and behold cough drops!
Guess Mom knows me better than anyone!! Also
received a gift box from Kraft’s candy –
handkerchief & a money belt-I now have three Money belts – wish I could fill them up! So Darling My Xmas is Complete right now – can’t say as how I want anything else! Oh yes – one



1943-12-25_Page_3 thing – byt you won’t have to bring it – I want a
Wedding Ring – size 7 1/2 – I’d like to get one
so much so Honey will you search your area
& see if you can find similar to yours
& we’ll get it!  I Love You Darling!!

The $10 enclosed is a little Xmas gift – had
hoped to buy you something and send it – but it was
no soap – everything they had around here was
cheap junk and there wasn’t any sense in wasting
money on something you wouldn’t use! So Darling a
Merry Xmas – I wish to quote something from the
Reader’s Digest ---- guess I can’t – cause I’ve lost the
Copy – but it was something like this “ Peg Darling
the Army may have thousands of miles apart during
Xmas, but our spirits will be together in Prayer
during this great feast day.”  Prayer & Prayer alone
is the only consolation one has in an isolated
spot as this..  Pray Honey that soon we may leave
here.  I Love You My Darling Wife!

A Merry Xmas to everyone at your house.
I imagine there’ll be quite a few of you at home
to celebrate – won’t be long they’ll have to set

1943-12-25_Page_4


that extra place—that is when the war is over! We’ll
really enjoy ourselves after all this is over – and
Honey I don’t believe I’ll ever have to worry about
a job.  Kraft’s sounds good to me.  In his letter he
stated that we were all included in his post war
plans & that he hoped this would be our last Xmas
in the service! Everything looks really clear &
happy to me tonight! Merry Xmas Darling!! I
Love You!!

Honey I was frankly very glad to hear you’re
red headed cousin visited you – we definitely
are in no position to give you the necessary
care nor are we in position to Love a kid & give
it the proper start!  No Honey as yet I’m not that
ignorant to hope for something I know shouldn’t
be!  I Love You Darling – and I want to be with
you to share the bitterness & rejoicing there is to
bringing our 1st child into the world.  It’ll someday
happen – I Pray!  No kidding Honey that is one thing
I look forward to – I believe we’ll make the 1st a boy!
I Love you Darling. I really do!
Well darling a very Merry Xmas & Happy New Year – I Love you Darling!

God Bless You
Love & Kisses Johnnie

December 20, 1943

1943-12-20_Page_1

I Love You Honey!

Thursday 9AM

15 miles S.E. of CoNanb

My Darling Wife:

Enclosed you will find a letter

from Ma - for some reason it made me

very happy and I want you to read it-

after you're finished please destroy it!

  

Was very surprised to hear you

went home -- or at least that you planned

on leaving for home - as yet I never heard

from you from Kingsford.  Monday was

the last letter I received - have been patiently

& anxiously waiting for word from you but

I suppose there was a bit to be done & a lot

to talk about.  I Love You Honey!

  

Honey you no what? I got very

much lonesome for you & Home -- gee

all the kids are growing up -- Tom and Billy

will never know me when I come around -

and Janet will be a fair sized little girl.

1943-12-20_Page_2

It was Pa's Birthday yesterday - guess

he must be 51 or 52 - getting pretty old.

And Grandma is getting pretty well up

in years to.  Gosh I missed them all

so much-- Joe over there taking a crack at

the Heimies.  Everything seems ???????

last night I was thinking of the 1st time

you came Home with me - I'm sure that

they now realize just how much you mean

to me and things will be different! At

least it is one of the few times they have

sent a letter to me as the one enclosed! I

can remember years back just now we

would be planning for Xmas now.  I'd be up

to Church putting up the Crib & Trees.  I never

did think of a good way to get the needles

off the floor.  We'd be practicing for an

alter Boy singing from the alter - and gosh

everything was so real!  And now -

well -- It's a lot grimmer -- there isn't

a tree in miles let alone a xmas tree!

1943-12-20_Page_3

I had written about 12 pages to you

but they are outdated so I won't send them-

meant to write each day as our Company

is in reserve-but they shoved the (Marlins?)

guns up in front - so I was busy day &

night - right now the enemy is hitting us -

but they're blanks so I figured I may as well

write - I can mail it when we get in

tonight--  I Love You Honey! I sure do!

  

Thanks for the X-mas cards Honey.  They

were realy nice!  I Love You So darn much.

I also received a x-max card from Home

& from some neighbors.  I gather now

that they must be having a xmax

somewhere.  Around now is almost the

time a guy would like to blow his stack -

It's so darn miserable in a place like this

around a Holiday! I Love You!

1943-12-20_Page_4

So you plan on going to Milwaukee

Hay? Well ….    silence

is golden--

  

I'm so darn dirty it will take two

weeks to get clean -- haven't showered for

5 days - nor have I washed my face for

like period -- Oh yes - sanitation nuts.

  

If you're wondering why I'm scribbling

like I am - I may tell you I have my

gloves on - It's colder the heck out - still

pretty early - soon the Sun will be at

work an we'll strip everything we have

on off -- this country has the most

annoying temperatures -- we'll freeze

to death yet in Sunny California -- I

have my Long John P Sullivans (winter

underwear) out here - but every time I want

them on it's to cold to put them on - so the

result is I've never warn them -- I Love

You Honey!

1943-12-20_Page_5

Honey I haven't any idea as to what's

going to happen to this outfit - Boy they

- or I should say - we are lonely.  It would

be suicide to fight with this outfit.  And one

of the leading factors - moral - is very low.

Why heck Honey there are brawls within the

Companies now -- I've really got a low

opinion of the army - and Ill curse the day

I enlisted till I get bumped off unless things

change -- I Love You Honey!

  

The desert fly was really at

work last night - I have knots all over

my head (maybe they're natural) -- there

are also quite a few Tarantula spiders

out there - their bodies are almost the size

of a silver dollar--

  

We are going to withdraw from here

tonight - another 4 days have been

1943-12-20_Page_6

wasted -- we'll get a tremendous break

until next Monday when we come out

again till Xmas Eve - then I don't know

or do I care what they do -- more than

likely we'll get Division Maneuvers & move

out of here - and how I wish the move is

East!!  I Love You Darling!

  

Give my regards to all - And Peggy

Honey take care of yourself & have a good

time -- I Love You Darling!

God Bless You!

Love & Kisses

Johnnie

  

Honey please be sure & destroy Mom's letter !

I Love You!

      1943-12-20_Page_7

[Editors note - Here is Mon's letter, not destroyed.]

Dear Johnnie -

We received your letter.

Where glad to hear from you.

But felt bad to hear you are

not well. Johnnie we sent

off a little Christmas box no

matter what I send for I

could not get no candy no nuts

So am sending just a little

to show you we think of you

& that we all love you.

I have a sick call crucifix

home for you and Peggy.

I am going to try and have a

few things for you kids when

you go housekeeping.

Johnnie you would laugh

[continues on back, but not scanned.]

   

November 14, 1943

1943-11-14_Page_1 I Love You!!!
Your Ole Man
Sunday

My Darling Wife:
Well the surprise is broken – I finally
got a letter from you – and just what’s bothering
me is what happened Wed-Thurs-Fri+Sat??
Did you forget about writing? Of Course I can
still realize how difficult it is to write everyday
when there are so many other things to do!

Today I realized how you must have felt whenever I’d write & say furloughs were
cancels etc…  because I received your answer
to coming here the 17th or so—just very unfortunately
I’m getting that pass this week & now & don’t
know what to do with it – I just know I’ll take
it because shortly I’ll be insane staying in here
all the while--  I had planned very strong on
you coming – but if you feel
you can’t make it – all there is to
say is to bad!!! So far as finances go – it’s bad – I’ve got more money than my wallet
can hold –But there is one thing that

 1943-11-14_Page_2

bothers me most of all – and that is the great
possibility of over seas shipment before long.
and as I wrote before – next Friday may be
the last 3 day pass any one would get – Now we
have one Prayer and that is that I get a furlough.
the way I feel tonight I could take one right
now without the leave & not five a damn – well
Darling as I said it’s your choice – and I’ll naturally
abide by it – And perhaps it maybe for the
better – but I know to me it has been heartbreaking-

There have been a lot of accidents around
here lately – the guys are hard to get along
with.. about 5 {???} would sum it up – and
I imagine there’ll be a lot more before the month is over.

Honey I feel so darn ugly (resulting
from a detail today) that I’d better not write
today – tomorrow we’ll have a 24 hour Endurance
test so you’ll be minus a letter.. Keep your chin up Honey -

God Bless You
Love &Kisses
Johnnie.
   
   

November 13, 1943

1943-11-13_Page_1 I Love You!!
Your Ole Man
Saturday Eve.

My Dearest Darling Peggy!

Had expected a lot of time to write
this tonight – but I was just informed I’ll have
to arise at 4:45 AM to go on pit detail in the
morning – Yes Honey – after all these months
of work on Sunday – I’m so damn
mad I could go up to the orderly tent & turn
around about twice & I’d be the only one left!
This Armey as me disgusted!

Honey today makes 5 letterless days
for me – and am I ever lonesome! Can’t
understand it – unless you just forgot my
address – but I’m sure something has happened -
 
It can’t be bad however as I would have had word!. Honey I love you with all
My heart!

Gee My Darling – I’m now wondering
if you’ll be able to be down here next
week – gosh I sure do hope so as I’m
really counting on it!  I Love You!

1943-11-13_Page_2 We’ve really been working hard – today
we ran two combat problems – and Honey
the Ammo used weren’t blanks – they’d fire at us & some were to close for Comfort!

Well My Darling Wifey your Ole
Man must close as It’s pretty early at
4:45 AM – and sleep is essential--

Darling I Love You with all my Heart!!

Love Me??
Love & Kisses
Your Hubby Johnnie.

  1943-11-13_Page_3

 
   

January 22, 1943

1943-01-22_Page_1

Saturday January 22nd, 1943
Peg, Darling:
Will attempt to write – altho I feel more in the mood to play cards or something – it gets hard to find something to write about here because it’s the same things day after day – and you’ll get tired if I just keep writing & telling you how much I love you – even though I never tire telling you! I do love you!
Hon I made a semi-futile attempt to write to Louise last night – it really presented a problem to me – guess I’m not much at writing – but I did try – so I should get E for effort – I love you!
Played Poker for a few hours today – made all of 5 cents – right now there’s a tremendous crap-game going on with some 2000 bucks in the game – a lot of money changing hands – I think I’ll be satisfied with what Uncle pays me & keep out – Italian guys are great for gambling – Gee Honey but I Love You!
How we are definitely moving out of the desert soon – no one has the slightest idea where – but I do know they are disgusted with the division & there’ll either be more training or guard – whatever it is doesn’t make

 1943-01-22_Page_2

a hell of a lot of difference – I Love You!
Just noticed I forgot to enclose Mom’s letter last night – will try better today Honey!
Saturday – I wonder what you’re doing – if you’re gonna write to me – being since you’ve been there I haven’t received a letter wrote on Saturday! At first I thought you worked Saturday’s & charged it up to that – but since finding out You don’t – well – well – well – I Love You! Guess You must have changed a little cause I know from 18 months of experience that if you had time to write you most assuredly did --- such is life – I Love You!
Another problem will start at 7 bells tomorrow morning -- they naturally couldn’t leave us have a Sunday off --- don’t know if I’ll be able to write as this is an attack problem & that means a lot of walking – will try though! I Love You Hon!
Was studying the intricacies of Logarithm for awhile today – I have one almost done – it’ll take at least a week to finish it as I find I’m pretty rusty with my trig. – will give you the problem & you try it & when I finish I’ll send my answer & work for a comparison –
Find the value of [cubed root ((3678^4 x 3.257^2)/(1679^(2/3) x 1.345^1.5))] Isn’t it a lulu?
I Love You!