Transcript Nov 1, 1954Dear Ila, Recived your lettler tonight about 2 hour ago and it was good to hear from you too. How is everything with my best girl anyway. I well send you something as soon as I can make it too town too look around. Well it won’t be long before this year will be done for. This time next year I don’t know what I well be doing or were I going to be. I know for sure I won’t be in the army. What do you think you well be doing? I was a little...

Transcript Nov 17, 1954Dear Ila, I wasn’t doing anything tonight so I though I would drop you a few lines. How are you doing in school these day’s? Are you giveing the teacher a hard time? Well last night and this morning we had about 3 inch of snow. I forgot to answer one of your question in the last lettler. You ask if I’m democrat or republican. Well I’m republican. Has your girl friend herd from that boy yet? If she had, how does she like him. ...

Transcript Nov 24, 1954Dear Ila, I recived your lettler tonight as always it good to here from you. Well what have you been doing with yourself working hard? As for my-self I never work hard if I can get out of it. Chicago, a nice place to see I was there for about 48 hours I didn’t see to much but what I did see was nice. I well be glad when spring get here too. I well be close to get out of the army I well be one happy boy. Then I well haft to go to work...

Transcript Nov. 23, 1954Dear Ila, How everything with you in school these day’s, still giveing them a hard time in school. I bet you are. You were lucky not putting a big dent in your dad car. That one reason I don’t like to drive anyone car but my own. That boy that I gave Edna addrest to, said he was writen to her. So you can see I don’t know what to tell you about it. I don’t know what to tell you about Jim, why don’t you give him a hint? As for myself I’m...

Transcript Ila,Well here it is time to leave, so I thought I would write while I had the chance. I’m not leaving with Duane. I’m going two days later. What rotten luck. Here I thought we would be together. What I really want to tell you, is that Duane had some clothes to send home so we sent ours together to my house. They wouldn’t let us send them home in our traveling bags. The reason for that, I would like to know myself. This Army does some of the strangest things. I sent a letter to my...

Transcript Hi Ila, Now are you and the rest of your family feeling these fine spring days? I don’t feel to bad but I sure wish I was at home, and I think Bud feels the same. All we have been doing is work and more work. Boy I’ve just about had my fill of the Army too. I don’t know how any man can stay in the Army for twenty years. I think I would go crazy if I had to stay in over two years. The only thing that is messing up our getting out of the Army sooner is the Korean war. If that was...

Transcript Monday 9th, July 1951 U.S.N.S. General R.E. CallanHi Ila, How is my best girlfriend feeling today? I hope you feel alright. We are having a pretty rough time. For the last two days now, we’ve been in the center of one heck of a storm. The ship is shaking just like a leaf that lands on a puddle of water. A lot of guys strap themselves in at night so they won’t fall out of their bunks. We ran out of straps down where we are, so I got a piece of chain holding me in. I’ll...

Transcript

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

[Transcribed by Damien Short]

Transcript 22nd August, 1951 Mannhiem , GermanyHi Ila, Well I thought it was about time I sent you all a letter. Well it’s finally happened Duane and I are going to be split up after being together so long. Duane is going to stay here with A company and we are going to move out, I will be anywhere from 65 to 100 miles from him for the rest of my stay in the Army. But if I never do get the chance I’ll see him when I get out. That is if you don’t care if I come out to your place....

Transcript Sunday September 2nd, 1951 Bad Krueznack, GermanyPersonal LetterHi Ila Baby How do you feel today? Okay I hope. Well Dwayne and I are split up again, for how long I don’t know. He is down in Mannhiem yet while I’m up here at Bad Krueznach . Maybe we’ll get together when we get a three day pass. We are living in Barracks now, they are really beautiful, the rooms are painted two tone light green half way up the wall, the ceilings are white and so are halfs...

Transcript Friday October 26th, 1951 Bad Krueznach, GermanyHi Honey, How are you today? As good as usual I bet. The rumors are really flying around here today. About what I can’t say, but I hope they aren’t true. How are things, Sweetheart? also how are you coming along with your cooking lessons? I’ll have to sample your cooking in order to make comment on how good a cook you are. But I know that if you make anything, it is bound to be good. The only thing I would like to make...

Transcript Sunday 11th November, 1951Dear Ila, Just got back from my three day pass. Had a lot of fun, but would much rather have been home. There where three of us that went. Your brother Duane, a kid named Pfeffer and myself. We met some people over here, I don’t remember if they were related to Pfeffer or not, but he got the address from home. So after a lot of running around we found were one man lived, but it seemed that he left for work. So we looked up the other people,...

Transcript Monday November 12th, 1951 Hi Sweetheart,Just got your letter today dated the 5th of November. | guess | told you in my letter that | wrote Sunday that we didn't go to Paris, we didn't have enough time. Just a little old three day pass. We will put in for a furlough in January or February. Say Sweetheart don't be afraid to write anything in your letters, no one else will read them, if they are just for me. | really want to know how you feel about me, because | tell you how much |...

Transcript Friday September 21, 1951 Bad Krueznach, GermanyHi Honey, Just recieved your letter the other day and I was really glad to hear from you. My mail has really fallen off lately. No kidding I didn’t recieve any mail for 14 days straight. Then all of a sudden I got two letters one from my Dad and one from You. Please Honey keep on writting, it really makes me feel good to get a letter from you. Duane always told me he had a sister when we were in Basic Training but I...

Transcript Tuesday 9th October, 1951 Bad Krueznach, GermanyDearest Ila, How are you today? Alright I hope. I would have wrote sooner, but I was pretty busy. Tonight is the first night, I’ve had off for five days. It seems nice just to be able to lay around, doing nothing. I suppose it is pretty cold down there now, huh honey? It won’t be too long before it snows, then the long dreary winter begins. I hate to see it come over here, because it’s always way below zero around here,...

Transcript Saturday 13th October, 1951 Bad Krueznach, GermanyDear Ila, Guess what happened? Duane and I are together again. All the guys that were out of the company were called back. Gee it seems swell to have him back again. Crowell came back too, even though he doesn’t hang around with us too much. Gee whiz but it is getting cold out. Frost every night. I probably told you about the weather. So I’ll not talk about it again. Those pictures didn’t turn out that I had taken. So...

Transcript Monday Dec. 24th, 1951 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyDearest Love, By the time you get this letter Christmas will probably be forgotten already. Gee whiz how the time really flies by. Just think January and I’ll be starting on my last year in the Army. Getting all that much closer to getting home to my family and to the one person I love the most. Oh how I would love to be holding you in my arms right now. To feel your soft lips under mine. Just to hold your hand would make...

Transcript Tuesday October 14th, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Sweetheart, How is everything going for you today? Fine I hope? I’m beginning to feel better every darn day, because I’m getting closer and closer to the day that we start for home. It shouldn’t be too darn far away now, just a matter of 15 or 20 more days. That is according to the latest rumor anyway. A guy just can’t believe anyone, some of the guys told me that I was scheduled to sail November 5th, but when I...

Transcript Sunday October 5th, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Sweetheart, Gee I’m awfully sorry I haven’t wrote any sooner, but I’ll try to do better, no kidding Sweetheart, I mean it. There just isn’t to much to write about anymore. The only thing that worries me the most, right now, is the fact that they won’t tell me when we are to go home. It’s just like the Army though, they let a person know a heck of a lot sooner when he is to be inducted, but then when your time is up...

Transcript Monday Sep. 15, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Sweetheart, How are you today Honey? Feeling fine I hope. I feel pretty good, but I have another heck of a job today. It is Battalion duty driver, I have to drive the big wheels around to where ever they want to go. What a life. Well how do you like the thought of going back to school? You’ll probably meet some nice guy, so if you do, and he wants to take you out, please go with him, that is if you like him. I don’t want...

Transcript Saturday Aug.30, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Honey, Recieved your most welcome letter today, so I thought I had better answer it right away. Boy that lipstick imprint really looks good. The letter smells real nice too. It won’t be long now Sweetheart, till I’ll be able to hold you in my arms. Boy that lipstick really looks good, (MMM) Honey I just can’t wait till I can get you alone someplace. It just seems so doggone long the days are really starting to drag along....

Transcript Thursday August 21st, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Sweetheart, How are you today? I feel fine and hope you are the same. I have a heck of a job tonight, they call it Charge of Quarters. It’s a really miserable job I have to stay up till twelve o’clock and then start to take bed check, that’s to make sure everyone is in bed and not A.W.O.L.. Anyone not in bed after midnight is turned in. Then at 430 in the morning I have to get up wash and shave by the time I get...

Transcript Sunday August 17th 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Honey, I’m sorry I haven’t wrote sooner, will you forgive me Sweetheart? I hope you will because I don’t want you to get mad at me now, because it is nearly time for me to come home. I want to try my baby out at necking (Ahem) Gee Honey, in another 85 or ninety days we should really be able to pitch the woo. That is if you still want me honey? That is the most important question. I’ll even do anything you want me to....

Transcript Wednesday Aug. 6th, 1952 Bad Kreuznach, GermanyHi Honey, How are you today? Fine I hope? I feel pretty good, and know you must be the same. I have your picture right beside me while I’m writing this letter, so it’s nearly the same as having you here. Boy aren’t I the liar though. If I had you here I wouldn’t be writing. (Ahem) I’m not kidding either. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have you in my arms right now, but I guess our day is coming though, and it isn’t too far...

Transcript Sunday July 13th, 1952 Boblingen, GermanyHi Darling, How are you today? I hope you feel as good as I do. I had better than nine hours sleep last night, woke up at 715 this morning and went over and had breakfast. So now I had better write to you, before you get mad. Don’t worry about me not knowing of any Lovers Lanes, we’ll probably make some of our own. As far as necking goes, I’ll keep you busy most of the first night that I’m at home. We have a lot to catch up on...