January 31, 1944 *Partial*

Page 3 of this letter seems to be missing.  I’ll post it when I find it.  -Ken

January 19, 1944

	Wed 7:30 AM Jan. 19, 1944 Darling, Better I write this now because the blues are some 400 yds from us – were putting up a hell of a big fight but I think they’ll [punch threw ?] us sometime this morning. Honey I made a sketch of this defense setup – am sending it to you to save for me. I’d get murdered if I was captured with it. You probably don’t realize the information the enemy could gather from it – but they could wipe us out! As I figured this turned into a practice yesterday – we threw a counter attack in & was it corny – for about 9 hours we were just milling around with the blues – I Love You! Received a letter today – hooray. I’m glad you told me what you’d done New Years Eve – cause I was wondering. Also glad you received the cash. I’d like to have sent more but figured on a furlough I wanted to keep a little back! Honey I had a funny feeling when I read what you did New Years Eve – now I don’t blame you for getting out – but it’s just natural I guess. It was just a feeling that I had whished
	I were with you – and then to me not being able to dance. I just feel a little awkward. I suppose you’ll get to do a lot of dancing there – well I sort of with you could hold off until I can get with you. See Honey, I’m talking in circles aren’t I? You understand what I mean though don’t you? I love you Honey! And you know when there’s a deep love there’s bound to be a hope that your Lover would wait till it is possible for them both to share enjoyment etc. Peg Darling there are bound to be furloughs the 1st part of February. So you can plan on it - but not to hard – as we’ve learned before anything can happen! I love you My Darling! Peggy Hon I hope that what I’ve stated above doesn’t sound to bad – as I don’t mean it that way. I’m just a guy who’s in Love with his Wife so much that it hurts! Peg Honey I Love You! Well Darling this is tremendously short – will do better tomorrow. This is the 10th day of this problem – a miniature hell! God Bless You! I Love You! Love + Kisses Johnnie

January 17, 1944

January 15, 1944

January 12, 1944

January 10, 1944

January 9, 1944

January 7, 1944

January 6, 1944

	I Love You! Love Me? Thursday Jan 6 [1944] 11:30 My Darling Peggy: Just received two letters from you Honey and I’m so spirited that I’m shaking like a leaf. Honey why didn’t you tell me you needed some money? Enclosed is $15 to help keep along – for now consider it a Birthday present – because we’ll be out on maneuvers when your Birthday rolls around & I may not be able to get around to even sending a letter - - If you need more money let me know I still have some 60 to draw on – damn it – but I am stuck with 23 bucks loaned out that right now looks as though it’s gone with the wind – I Love You My Daring! Honey I can’t understand why you haven’t heard from me – because every possible chance I’m getting I’ve been writing - - My day is really dead if I don’t get a letter or write one – I Love You So Much Darling! Honey bunch what did you do New Year’s Eve?? All you said was you missed me at Midnight. Honey I like to know everything you do – I Love You!! guess by now you know what
	I was doing – Honey it’s so discouraging to be shuffled & kicked around as we are being – there was no reason in the world why we couldn’t have at least had a fire or even given the guy next to you a greeting – but no – we were [tactied?] and when you were ringing in the New Year I was marching & cursing every one down from the President on down – Honest Honey if a guy would have said Happy New Year Jon he would have got a rifle over the head – never in all my life did I see morale as low as that night - - It was something that would have been much more pleasant reading about & not experiencing - - there’s something Honey that’s impossible to put in words and can only be expressed by expressions on the faces of the men – I know myself I was sick at heart – but still wouldn’t give away a damn inch to give anyone some satisfaction - - - this was the only consolations - - someday I’m going to ring in New Year’s, celebrate Xmas with happiness – we’ll be together – this can’t g on forever – then we’ll both enjoy these Holidays not only for what they are – but because
	were together – because we have both learned by experience what it is to be apart – what it is to sit & wait for one thing and another - - Yes Darling at times things seem futile – but there are going to be gains made in every respect – we’ll be wiser - - we are learning the hard way - - but I believe it’s going to all prove worth waiting for & fighting for! I Love You So Much My Darling! My Honey I disagree with you on an issue – but please don’t fear of an argument as it’s something worth talking about – that was where you said you were sorry you didn’t go to [Maim?] instead of Green Bay long ago - - well it’s like this – even though your living your life & feel now that your out to take care of yourself despite hell & hot water – You’ve got to think of it this way – Honey we were Married - - and now matter how much you or I say we’ll live & take care of ourselfs until after this war were wrong – at least I know I am - - I try to live our lives as much as possible – I know that if it wasn’t for you & home I’d be a [Put?] - - but as it is I’m trying to climb – trying to attain as high a goal possible not for me – but for you – and Honey I’m not kidding or Just blowing – I mean it – For myself the Army
	has withered all of my self respect - - but I have an Idol – It’s you – and now matter what they Army does it increases my respect toward you – It increases my Love - - I just live for you - - and I sometimes like to think of it the other way around – that you feel the same way toward me – and that brings me back to the beginning of this subject – but Just a little differently then my point is expressed – there was a time (and could be is) that I would have rather had you in Green Bay or Home – there is a reason!! But the reason would have to be put on paper by a better writer than I am! So You see Honey I don’t feel with you in saying You wasted time in Green Bay! Money is something in life I [gorant?] – but it isn’t that important – In fact that 5 letter word almost spoiled my family ties – I hate it – but realize the value of it! There is 75000000 different interpretations on the subject – I have mine You have yours – I’d like to get together but it’s to late in the sense of seeing it my way - - It could be part this way - - about two weeks or so ago I gave up – made up my mind that your decision would be the one we’d go by no matter what I thought because what I thought wouldn’t make much difference – then

	after setting my mind on just doing that I received the boomerang that it was my distrust in you & so on that prompted me to asked you to remain in G.B or H - it for sure doesn’t even enter into the case. It’s my least worry – because I do trust you implicitly! But as I say keep Loving Me & keep writing & do what you wish - - because this is the last of the subject that will ever come from me - - I’ve spoke my piece to many times before – and I’ve always been wrong – or at least been taken wrong I love You Darling and Pray each night that your new adventure will be successful! Honey You asked if I ever thought of getting a E.D.D. - - No Darling it never did enter my mind – Honey a discharge now would be grand I admit – but after the war it’ll make a hard row to hoe because there’ll be jobs for only those boys given a discharge for ending the war - - the man with the E.D.D will be kicked around – and when a guy gets a E.D.D.he absolves the government of all blame – so the gov’t won’t have anything to do with him - - the only Discharge I want is (hmmmm) wonder what I’m thinking of??? the one that the wars over or a complete medical where
	[Uncle?] will pay off! Hone do you love me even if I wouldn’t take an E.D.D?? Honey the tent’s in an uproar here. they threw “e” Rations at us for dinner – and the groups have two No. #10 cans & are cooking up a [Mulligin?] stew with the following ingredients – 1 can Hash – 2 cans of beans – 2 cans of Stew – 2 packages of Boullion – 2 cans tomatoes – 12 onions – enough pepper to last a Human 70 years – Nutmeg – Carrots – the water that’s being used is out of a bag which had beer in last night - & boiled in a tin can - - Want to come to chow – yum yum It really smells good – I Love You! Guess I’ll better tell you that all my records – tag-days etc. have been changed so that you are to notified in case of anything happening to me – your Home address is sued – I thought I’d better tell you before eating! I Love You! Well bye for now Darling, Be good & take good care of yourself! I Love You!

 

Transcribed by Cindy Koszarek

January 1, 1944

	I Love You! Sunday [Jan 1, 1944?] Your Hubby My Dearest Darling: Just a line to let you know I’m still kicking – am in Los Angeles – got the chance to come in and took it up quick! [Ciesleveny?] is in to – we got so darn disgusted New Years Even that we planned on getting out of there and we did! Honey never in all my life did I see a group of men get treated like a bunch of dogs as we were New Years Even – Instead of getting a chance to celebrate – we were made to withdraw 8 miles – this when the rest of the US were ringing in 1944 – we were marching – that’s the 95th for You! Honey I was thinking of you all night – and I wish you were thinking of me! I Love You! We were really getting along fine here – didn’t have a hotel last night – so we spent the night in an all-night show! There were only 5 pictures – I saw part of one – and the
	rest were very hazy – They had an awful concoction of pictures – Cowboy – Murder & even “Jail Bait”. tsk tsk! This morning we went to Mass at 7 – then after Church showered for two-bits – then we wondered the streets till we found this – I Love You!! Honey I’m so darn glad that you had a fine time at home – I like it when you go. because that’s when I really found out what’s going on there – Honey bun I won’t bawl you out for not writing every day – as I’m absolutely unable to – but I’ll try & write as often as possible!   Darling I’ll close, I Wish Darling that you have a Happy New Year – Mine will be happy if you keep on Loving Me!! So far as prosperity goes – I believe we’ll have a raise soon – gee I’m letting out some information – I Love You Darling Love & Kisses Johnnie P.S. I may add I’m sober as a Judge & intend to stay this way – I Love You

Transcribed by Cindy Koszarek