By February 10, 1943, training on the range was done, which gave Johnnie time to sit down and write Lucile another letter from Camp Howze. He was in a good mood and joked around a lot that Wednesday night. The Arnold he mentions is his paternal cousin, Arnold Pair.
My Dear Darling,
I hope this letter finds you well and also hope the rising is gone off of your neck. I received a letter from Mother the other day and she is getting along pretty well. At least that’s what she said. She is going to a doctor every other day. She didn’t say what was the matter with her. I believe it is pretty serious. What do you think? Say, I got a letter from Arnold the other day. He mentioned something about sending you a picture of him. I believe my cousin is trying to get my wife. Anyhow, he wrote me to see if he could send you any pictures of him. He knows who the boss is, Ha Ha. Say, if I don’t go out on the firing range this weekend I am going to town and have some pictures made and if you don’t mind, I will send you some, Ha Ha. If you will give me some, Ha Ha. O yeah, I received a birthday card from Mother yesterday. I really wasn’t expecting that. Say, what did you buy with the twenty dollars? I hope it helps you. If you need five or ten more, write me. I broke my watch the other day and it is going to cost me five dollars to have it fixed. I was playing around with a fellow in the barracks and I hit my arm against the wall and that was how it got broke. So that is that. Well honey, I guess that is all the news for this time so answer this letter back by air mail and make it a long one too. Don’t write as I write. Write as I tell you to write, Ha Ha Ha.
Well I will be waiting to hear from you. Lots Lots Lots Lots Lots of Love, Johnnie
Buy a dollar’s worth of stamps so you can write me more often. Love, Johnnie
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Last page of February 10, 1943 letter |
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Arnold Pair (years later) |
Lucile was sick and Johnnie was worried about her. In his February 12, 1943 letter from Camp Howze he told her he was sending money for medicine. She must have also wanted to come visit him but they didn’t have enough money to spend on a trip to from Georgia to Texas.
My Dear Darling,
I receive your letter tonight telling me that you receive the money order which I am glad to hear that you did. Honey stay inside all you can and get you some medicine for it. I am sending you three dollars to get the medicine for your cold, and if you need anymore, let me know right away, Darling, you said I have not mentioned about you coming down here in my letters anymore. You know I want you with me more than anything in the world at all times and Darling, you know I want you down here with me but being that we haven’t got the money right now, there isn’t much use wishing it. Honey I am also sending you your applicants copy for your allowances, so keep it, and if you don’t get your money when you’re supposed to, you can give them hell about it by showing them this copy, and I bet they will get it for you then. Honey I really thank you for the nice valentine and I really thought it was cute what was wrote in it. Well honey, I will close for this time because I will have to clean my rifle and get a few other things I have to do done. So be sweet just like you always have been.
Lots and lots of love, Johnnie
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I would have written sooner, but my work in this Army demands a lot of close personal attention – (click to enlarge) |
From the sound of his February 13, 1943 letter from Camp Howze, Texas, Johnnie wanted Lucile to come to Texas as much as she wanted to go.
My Dear Darling,
Well today started another week and I have just five more weeks training to go. Honey, the time I think of you most is at night. Not that I don’t think of you during the day, but at night I just lay in bed and think of the times we used to have together and wish that you were here with me. Gee, I hope you get your money soon. You can come down here then and stay till I get my furlough, then we can go back together, or you can come down here and stay with me. All I want is for you to come as quick as possible. I don’t see how I have stood it this long. Sometime I just think of taking off and coming home to you. But I know that won’t do any good. So, I guess I will just have to wait till you can afford to come. I hope it is soon. Well, it is about time for the light to go out so I will close. Lots Lots Lots Love to my sweet wife.
Johnnie x x x x x
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