December 28, 1942

Johnnie didn’t have time to write Lucile on the 27th but he received a letter from her. He found time to write Lucile on December 28, 1942, trying to keep her from worrying about him being sent overseas.

Dear Darling,

Received your letter yesterday but didn’t have time to answer it until today. How is my baby tonight? Fine, I hope. I am the same. Honey you said you been getting two letters a day, you should get more than that, because I have been writing to you every chance I get. You said you miss me a lot. Gal you don’t really know just how I miss you. It’s getting where I can’t do nothing, because I have you on my mind all the time, wonder what you are doing and other things. I sure would like to see the sawmill and the mules your daddy got now. Tell him I said hello, and don’t work so hard. Don’t worry about me having to go across right away because this camp just started and it will be a good while before they fill it up. And when I do go, I will be well trained. And don’t worry, I will take care of myself. I do hope you get a job for a little while any way because you will have something on your mind, and you won’t be worrying about me so much. I wish I could have got you and all the rest something for Christmas, but you know why I can’t. I will send you a carton of cigarettes for Drexel, as soon as I get paid. Thanks for Grandma’s address. I will drop her a line tomorrow sometime. I will send you and all the rest a picture of me as soon as I get some made. I have written Dot and Drex a couple of cards and letters and have not received any answer from them yet. Tell them if they can’t write, get Carol to write for them, Ha Ha. Well sugar I got Earl and Geral’s letters with your mail so I better write them. So am right back. 

Lots of love, Johnnie

He also took the time that day to write two other letters on December 28, 1942—one to Lucile’s brother, Geral Stacks, who lived in College Park, Georgia. 

Hello Pal,

I am glad to hear you are getting along OK. I am the same. Keep the rifle shining and clean and it will shoot a lot better. I am glad to hear you caught a rabbit. I guess you will get another by the time this letter reaches you. I hope so. I am sorry I wasn’t there for Christmas but that is something I can’t help, as you know. I hope you shoot something when you go hunting. You better quit shooting them ducks, Ha Ha, and start shooting rabbits, Ha Ha. I am doing a little shooting myself now and I sure have been hitting the mark too—200 yards from it. Well answer right back. 

Your ole pal always, Johnnie

 

Johnnie wrote a third letter on December 28, 1942—this one to his mother-in-law.

My Dear Mother-in-Law,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am doing as well as can be expected so far. I have been here in camp one week and four days and have not received any mail from Lucile or any one and I can’t understand what is the matter. Have you received that card I wrote you? I have written at least ten or eleven letters since I been here and have not got an answer back yet from any of them. How are all the kids? Fine, I hope. How is little Melvin? Is he still dancing? I guess he is if there is music playing. Tell him I said hello. Betty and Mary the same. Send me a picture of all of them the next time you get some. I guess you all won’t see me till at least two months because I have to get that much training before I get a pass to come home. I don’t want Lucile to know it is that long because she will worry that much more. So please don’t say anything about it to her. How is Doc getting along? Fine, I hope. Tell him I said hello and to take care of my car, Ha Ha. This weather is very funny here. It is cold in the morning and hot in the evening. What is Robert and Nell’s address? Tell them I said hello and to write me. I guess Lucile received my clothes alright. Write and let me know. Well, I guess that is all the news for right now so please answer right back. Loves of love to you and the rest.

Johnnie

P.S. All I can say for this Christmas is Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year.

Leola (Lemons) Stacks, Johnnie's mother-in-law

December 26, 1942

Johnnie made it through Christmas, but their wedding anniversary still weighed heavy on his mind. He made sure Lucile knew he missed her and wanted her near him in his December 26, 1942 letter from Camp Howze.

My Dear Beloved Darling, 

How is my baby tonight? Fine, I hope. This letter finds me the same as ever, except I wish to be with you, holding you so tight that you can’t breathe. I would give all the money to get in this army just to be back with you again, which I will be back soon just as soon as I get my training. Darling I am going to try to save some money so you can come out here and stay for a while, anyway. I want you to save some to. Try to anyway. A lot of the boys here sent for their wives to come live here, the rent is only five or six dollars a week and Gainesville, Texas is only five miles from where I am stationed at. So, you see I would be able to come there and stay with you every night and on weekends I wouldn’t have to come back to camp till Monday. I can get another boy to go in with me and it wouldn’t cost anything at all. You see his wife and you could split on eats and rent too and it would be easy on all four of us, don’t you think? Let me know what you think on this idea. Well honey, I guess that is all the news right now, except for the 27th day of this month is the day we got married two years ago, and to think I have to be on K.P. that day. You know what K.P. is don’t you. It is washing dishes and mopping floors and they would get me on that certain day, Ha Ha. Well honey, ans. right back. 

Lots of Love and Kiss x x x x x x x x x x x x x, Johnnie

Partial view of December 26, 1942 letter (click to enlarge)

It was the day before his wedding anniversary and Johnnie couldn’t get Lucile off his mind. In addition to the letter he’d already written to her earlier that night, he also sent a postcard on December 26, 1942.

Dear Beloved Darling, 

Just a card to let you know that I may be in Texas but my heart still belongs to you or you will always know no matter where I am. I have wrote a letter at least for every day I been here. So, you see I do write you many times. 

Love, Johnnie

   

Postcard Johnnie sent to Lucile from Camp Howze on December 26, 1942—front and back

December 22 and 24, 1942

Cigarettes, shoe polish, and coat hangers—items that were becoming important to Johnnie—was what he wrote about to Lucile in a letter from Camp Howze dated December 22, 1942.

Dear Darling, 

I have been here a week and two days and have not received a letter from you or anybody else. I can’t understand what the matter is. It seems like nobody is writing. I am out of cigarettes and tobacco and I believe I have bummed everybody in camp for a cigarette. I guess they are getting tired of it to. I have to ask you to send me some money but if you can get me some to last to the time I get some I will send you some of mine to pay it back with. I wish you could get me a shoe polish set and send it to me. I have tried to get some here, but they sell out as fast as they get it. I have written you at least six or seven letters since I have been here, not counting the ones I sent to your Mother and Dot and Drextel at the saw mill. See if you can get me some coat hangers, because I cannot buy any here. And I have to have them, send me all you can, because I can get ten and fifteen cents for just one and that will be some extra money for me and you. If you can, send some of my mail by air, but if you can’t it is all right, just so you write me every day. Darling I really have missed you; I just didn’t know I could be so bad off for you. In other words, I didn’t realize what you meant to me while I was with you. Tell Earl and Geral hello for me and all the rest the same. And tell Earl and Geral they should see the new rifle I have now. They could really kill some rabbits with it. Ha Ha. Well honey I guess that is all the news so please write me right back, because I will be waiting for it. So, lots of Love and I will always be the same to you. 

Kiss x x x x x x x, Johnnie

Earl and Gearl Stacks

Johnnie wrote two letters on December 24, 1942 from Camp Howze. The first one was to his mother-in-law, whom he clearly loved.

My Dear Beloved Mother-in-Law,

I received your letter and was glad to hear from you. I have not been in the hospital but I have been taking at least six or seven shots in my arm since I have been here. My arm looks like as if you could pour water through it. It has had so many needles in it, Ha Ha. I have not received the package yet, but it might be in the evening mail. I can’t show you how much I appreciate it but you know I do and thanks a lot. You are talking my kind of way when you said you baked a chocolate cake and I can’t hardly wait till it gets here because you know that is my favorite kind. Tell Earl and Geral hello for me and to write. Tell Betty and Mary hello and also tell Melvin to keep dancing and keep in practice where I can see him dance when I come home. Tell Doc I said hello for me and to keep his ten-cent self out of that fifty-dollar chair, Ha Ha Ha. Well write me right back and let me know you got this letter.

Lots of love, Johnnie

P.S. Please write me in this manner

Pvt. John H. Marston Jr.
Co “L” 334th Inf.
A.P.O. #84
Camp Howze, Texas

Christmas Eve 1942, probably the first Christmas Johnnie had spent away from home. That alone would make a soldier lonely, but Johnnie also knew his wedding anniversary was just three days away and he missed his darling Lucile. After dinner, the soldiers at Camp Howze gathered for mail call. Johnnie was probably anxious, wondering if he would have a letter from Lucile and she didn’t let him down! His name was called, he most likely walked away from mail call one happy soldier. Johnnie wrote Lucile a long letter that evening.

Dear Darling,

Received your letter right after dinner and was so glad to hear from you that I just hollered out loud and boy did everybody laught at me, and I didn’t give a darn either. You said something about we have to get a copy of our marriage license before you get any money. My company officer said he would let me know sometime this month what to do about that, so don’t worry, I will see that you get every penny that is supposed to come to you and also some for me. I will let you know if we do have to get a marriage license copy and the right place to get it. Because I know you will have to go to Jonesboro at the city hall. I have had but one bottle of beer since I been here and that is all I want, because the beer is fixed where it hasn’t got any affect at all and you know if I drink, I want to feel it. Ha, Ha. Darling, I know the 27th of this month is our anniversary and I hate to be apart from you. But that is something we cannot do anything about, as you know. Being as I haven’t got any money, I cannot get you anything to show I really care for what time we have spent so many happy days together. But you know there is no one else that will take your place with me, you know I would give anything in this world to be with you at that certain date, and as soon as I get my basic training which won’t be long, I will be home for a while. I am sure I will. I am sorry to hear about the dog running away, because he was so cute. Maybe you will find him, I hope so. I was glad to get the dollar, but I had to give it to one of the boys because I borrowed it to get some cigarettes with two days ago. Darling I guess that is all the news right now, beside I just got time to write your mother a line or two before evening drill.

So, lots of love, Johnnie 

December 19 and 20, 1942

In a letter written from Camp Howze on December 19, 1942, Johnnie asked about family members and requested that they write him. When Johnnie refers to Doc, he’s talking about his father-in-law, Sam Stacks.

My Dear Darling, 

Just a line to let you know everything is going all right and that I am well. I hope you are the same. How is everything back home? Fine, I hope. Say, give my horseshoes to your Dad and tell him I said to keep in practice, because I will be back one day soon and he will need it, Ha Ha. I haven’t received any mail from you yet. I hope to get some today. We are having inspection this morning. That is why I can’t write you a long letter, but I will write you again tonight. How is Earl and Geral getting along? Fine, I hope. Are they still going hunting? Have they killed anything yet? How is Grandma? I hope she is well. Tell her hello for me and get her address so I can write her. How is Nell and Robert doing? OK? Tell them I said hello and for them to write me. Tell all that live in the Pines hello. Tell Doc I hope he has got the farm and that it is a good one. Well, that’s all I can write right now because I have to get dressed for dinner. But I will write more tonight.

Love, Johnnie

Johnnie's brother-in-law, Earl Stacks

Photos were an important part of a soldier’s life when they were away from home. Johnnie often wrote to Lucile, sending photos of himself or asking for photos of her and other family members as he did in a second letter from Camp Howze dated December 19, 1942. He was beginning to understand why America was at war.

Hello Darling, 

Just a few more lines from where I left off this morning to let you know I haven’t forgot you and I couldn’t forget if I wanted to. I have just been gone a week, and to me it seems like a month. As soon as I can I am going to have some pictures made and send them to you. Have some pictures made of all the crowd and send them to me if you can. If not, send them as you get them. Have some pictures made of you and send them to me. I have two pictures of you, but I want some late pictures of you. So, have them made right away. I have been pretty busy here learning to be a soldier and I haven’t been doing so bad at all. But there is a lot of work to be done to be a good one yet. Since I have been in, I have been learning a lot why we are fighting, and I really don’t mind fighting at all. The main thing is that our country is about to lose its freedom, and they need men to defend it. That is one reason I am here. The other is I want to talk when I want, live like I want, and to do other things like I want to. So Darling, that’s one thing we all want to do. Please answer this letter right back. Lots of love and I keep thinking of you + + + + + + + + + + + 

Johnnie

Merry Christmas x Happy New Year

Snippet from the December 19, 1942 letter

Pictures, weather, addresses, old friends, his dog, and insurance—Johnnie’s letter dated December 20, 1942 from Camp Howze was all over the place. His mind must have been racing that night.

Dear Darling, 

Just a line to let you know that another letter is being written to you. How is my baby today? Fine, I hope. I am the same. I guess you have already gotten that letter asking you to have some pictures made. Have you started working yet? If so, let me know. What have you been doing since I been gone? Are you having any “dates.” If so, who is the luckie fellow? Ha Ha Ha. How is my dog? Is he still lazy as hell? Ha Ha. Are you going to send me those addresses or not? Or have you received the letter asking to get them for me yet? It is kind of chilly here today. I believe it is going to rain or snow. I have wrote you telling you that I have met some boys here I used to know when I was a kid and it sure does feel good to have somebody here you know. One thing if you are lonesome like me. I am sending you my insurance papers, but I have put in for $5,000 more after this month, so if I need it back, send it when I write you for it, just in case they need it. Be sure to put this insurance papers in a safe place. Well, I guess that’s all the news for today so please answer right back. So, lots of love. Kisses x x x x x x x x x 

Yours, Johnnie

That number I put by my name every time is my serial number. You know, the one I have around my neck.

Snippet from the December 20, 1942 letter