Although signed “Your Mother,” this letter appears to have been written to Lucile by Johnnie’s mother at noon on February 26, 1943.
Dear Lucille,
I guess you thought I was not going to write you anymore but I have bin going to the Doctor ever other day and I have had such a bad cold till I have not felt much like writing but I feel some better today and I will try and do better next time. Say have you got you a job yet since Johnnie left or are you staying with your Mother and Father? I sent Johnnie a card for his birthday. He sure was proud to get it he said. He says he likes it out there fine but would like it better if you was with him, but that is not what Uncle Sam says when he gets you. Well dear, write soon and a long letter.
Your Mother.
Johnnie described a big achievement by his regiment in the February 27, 1943 letter he wrote at noon from Camp Howze.
My Dear Darling,
Well here it is Sunday and I thought I would drop you a few lines. I hope you are feeling well. I am about the same as can be expected being away from you as long as I have. Honey, if the boys across keep doing like they are, I hope to be with you again soon. They are sure getting at them Japs. German, now. Honey, the commanding officer of the whole camp spoke to us yesterday and gave us all something to be proud of. He said after checking the scores of the rifle sheet while we were on the range and checking other scores on the rifle in the history of the army since Washington, he found out that our regiment has the highest score in the history of the army and that is something, don’t you think? Well tomorrow starts another week of my basic training and I just got three more weeks to go. Well I was kindly late getting up this morning being that it was Sunday and I missed out on breakfast. I am kind of hungry now. I’ll be glad when dinner is ready. I bet you were kind of late getting up this morning too. Were you? Don’t lie about it, Ha Ha. What have you been doing this week? I hope you had a good weekend. All I am doing is laying on my bunk thinking of you. That is all I ever do anyhow. Say, have you called Kate or has she called you yet? I wrote her and told her to get in touch with you. Let me know, will you. Well I guess that is all the news for this time. So answer this and let me know how things are with you.
So, lots lots love and kisses, Johnnie
P.S. What about not going out on that date tonight and writing me? You remember me? I’m your husband.
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Brigadier General John H. Hilldring, Commanding General of the 84th Infantry Division at Camp Howze in February 1943 (U.S. Army, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons) |
Johnnie kept up regular correspondence with Lucile’s mother. He wrote his next letter to her on February 27, 1943.
Dear Mother,
I received your letter last night but didn’t have time to answer it till tonight. I hope this letter finds you feeling much better and I do wish you would take about a week’s rest, because you are just running yourself down. I know that is saying a little too much because of the kids, but at least you could take two or three days off and kindly get rested up. Tell Lucile to take over for a couple of days and you get right in bed and catch up on your sleep and rest. Thanks a lot for the package. I haven’t received it yet but I am expecting to tomorrow. Say, tell Mickey to write me. I haven’t heard from him in a long time and also Geral. Say, in my letter to you last time I wrote, did I say anything about receiving a letter from Marie and also from Aunt Agnes? Well, I did, and I have written both of them back and I am expecting a letter from them both tomorrow. How is Doc coming along? Fine, I hope. Tell him hello for me. Well, I guess that is all the news for this time so I will close. Tell everybody hello for me. Lots of love to all.
Johnnie
Johnnie couldn’t sleep so about midnight on February 27, 1943, he wrote Lucile a second letter from Camp Howze. He was happy after getting his watch back from the repair shop.
My Dear Darling,
Well here it is about midnight, and I thought I would drop you a few lines, being I am not sleepy. I hope this letter finds you well and in good health, and that your ear is not sore any more. I am OK, as far as health is concerned. I am still trying to get you on the phone. I won’t be able to call no more tonight because all the places are closed, but I will try to get you on the phone in the morning. I got my watch back today and boy am I glad. I sent one of the boys that was going to town to pick it up. I had an unbreakable crystal put on it and also had it cleaned, and the winding spring fixed. It is keeping pretty good time so far. It ought to, it cost me five dollars to have it fixed. Well Monday is payday again and I do hope you get yours, remember to let me know about it. Well I guess that is all the news for this time, except that my love for you is so amzine [sic - amazing]. It divides my heart, my soul, my life and all, so Darling bear that in mind.
Lots lots love and kisses, Johnnie
Johnnie not only wrote Lucile’s mother, he also wrote her father an occasional letter. On February 27, 1943, he figured he would surprise him with one.
Hello Doc,
I hope this letter finds you well. It leaves me OK as far as health is concerned. How is the sawmill coming along? Fine, I hope. Is the old guy still with you? If so, tell him hello for me, will you? And also tell him to write me. Is Bob Stacks still working or have they got him in the Army yet? Let me know. How is old Joe coming along? I know he’s still with you, isn’t he? Tell him I asked about him. Are you still selling much lumber to the government? I guess you are. How is the Buick coming along? I guess it is just getting broken in good now. Are you still going to the wrestling matches or are they still having them? I guess you are surprised to get this letter from me, aren’t you? Well, I thought I would drop you a few lines anyway. I know you don’t have time to write much because you are always pretty busy but you can get Lucile or some of them to answer it for you. I would like to know whether you have the same men you had when I left. Say, I guess Lucile told you I made sharpshooter on the range with the Army rifle, didn’t she? The Army rifle isn’t anything like any other rifle. Boy, I sure would like to bring one home to go hunting with because whatever you aim at with this rifle, you are sure of one thing, you hit it. Well I guess that is all the news for this time. So, let me know whether you get this or not. O yeah, can you still play horseshoes, Ha Ha. Your son-in-law, the champion horseshoe thrower of Stacksville, Ha Ha Ha.
Johnnie
P.S. give my love to all.
It’s been three days since someone tried to call Johnnie at Camp Howze and he still hasn’t figured out who it was. In his February 28, 1943 letter to Lucile, he expressed concern in not knowing who had called.
My Dear Darling Wife,
Well here it is Sunday nite and being as I have written you three or four letters since yesterday, I thought one more wouldn’t hurt you. I hope this one finds you well, it leaves me OK. I am still worried about that phone call. I have tried twice today to get the call through, but I guess I am going to have to give up. It really has had me worried. Say, tell your Mother I received the candy today and thanks alots. I wrote your Daddy today. Also, being as he is so busy all the time, I am not expecting him to answer it back. Tell him that for me, will you? Well honey, tomorrow is pay day. I am not expecting much money either because you know they are taking yours out of my pay this time. Well let me know how things come out.
Lots lots love, Johnnie
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