July 29, 1945

1945-07-29_Page_1 [Editors Note:  Although this letter is labeled 1948, it was written in 1945.  John was frustrated about the slow pace of events, and wrote 1948 as a joke.]

Sunday
July 29th

My Darling:

Have finally got started
processing and will be out
sometime Thursday morning.  Have
a pretty busy schedule until that
time, so this well be my last letter
from the army.  We have had a
darn good letter writing record for
the past three years, but I’ll be only
happy to be able to convey
my messages for Love personally!
Tomorrow morning I sign my
discharge and put in my application
for pension & there are a few
other things.  Tuesday we get
lectured on Insurance & the G-I
bill of rights - Wednesday
1945-07-29_Page_2 we have the final check on
everything- & then Thursday
morning we get our final pay,
discharge, etc.- They’ll load us in
a bus & when we pass the gate
we’re civilians free to do anything
we want!  Yesterday we listened
to a 2 hour lecture on Veterans
Benefits & Rights, checked all my
clothing in & cleared all other
organizations for indebtedness.  I
mailed a box of my clothes to you
yesterday- I won’t have a pile
of stuff to carry around this
way! There’s only one thing that
can hold us up Thursday – that’s
the Payroll. It has to check out.

   1945-07-29 Page_3



Wrote to Ma but didn’t say
anything about coming home, I
only gave the usual line and then
said they shouldn’t write to this
address anymore cause I was going
to move.  I’ll bet Ma reads between
the lines and will be expecting
us! I Love You!
Well Honeybunch guess I’ll
close & go have a malted milk--
God Bless You!

I Love You Loads!
Love & Kisses
Johnnie
   

Transcribed by Ken Brey

June 11, 1945

1944-06-11_Page_1

I Love You Honey!
Monday
June 11 
2:30 P.M.

My Darling Peg:
Received the enclosed letter yesterday and feel pretty bad today. He was one of my squad leaders & although I was told he was killed it was the first I had heard officially. He was missing the same day he was killed – and more than likely died the same day. The last the fellows saw of him was his body hurtling threw the air & they couldn’t find him after the fighting died down. I wrote a letter to his folks – only hope I didn’t say to much. I explained that the day before I was wounded & that what I knew was just second-handed information. It was really a hard letter to write! It makes me feel so lucky to be still around to be able to write! I love you loads Honey!
That short letter I wrote you yesterday

1944-06-11_Page_2

took just enough time that we missed the bus, so we hitch-hiked back & beat the bus in. It was a lot of fun hiking. I’m fact the best part of the whole trip. I really didn’t enjoy it anyhow – I didn’t have the money that it takes - and was really glad that I didn’t as it’s time to save our money & not be spending it foolishly like that. All three days just cost me 10 dollars – which was fare, room and meals – and a few bottles of beer. I went to church & the Priest went walking threw with a cigarette in his had. I was waiting for him to take a drag but he didn’t – that was the first time I ever saw that! I Love You!
Hope the cigarettes got home safely. I didn’t insure them as you’re not supposed to send that stuff out of here. They’ll get there somehow. I Love You!

1944-06-11_Page_3

Haven’t so much as ever seen a Doctor here today. My x-rays still haven’t come back so there isn’t much there. You asked about the weight exercise – well all it is, is hanging a five pound bag on my foot & working the knee. I’m suppose to do it 10 minutes every two hours. And then a half hour every day I go to a class that has more exercise. It’s the nuts – my knee feel worst now than it did three months ago! I Love You Honey!
Honey please send me a suit of Kaiki-Sun Tans – I only have one suit – all the rest are too small. (The doctor just came in, goodness maybe this is a hospital!)
Am really happy that our Jackey Boy is doing so good. But then why shouldn’t he? Look at his Mother! I Love You!

1944-06-11_Page_4

It really seems good to get letters only a few days old – it’s so much nicer than having to wait two or three weeks! I Love You Peg Darling!
Am going to church in a short while- I’m trying to make it everyday. So far I haven’t done so well – but will keep trying!
So much for today Honey - will write tomorrow. God Bless You!
I Love You Honey!
Love & Kisses
Johnnie
For You & Jack & Mom
XXX