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
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Earl and Gearl Stacks |
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
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