July 15, 18, 21, 27, and August 1, 1945

The only thing on Johnnie’s mind when he wrote to Lucile on July 15, 1945 was getting home to her.

My Dear Darling,

Just a few lines to let you know I am well and thinking of you. And I hope this finds you in the best of health. The latest letter I have received from you was mailed the twenty-fifth of June. But the reason I guess is I have a change of address. In this last letter, you were telling me about letting Kate have twenty dollars. Say, are you hard up for money? Let me know and I will see if I can’t send you some money, OK? Did Kate say anything to you about moving out to College Park? What kind of work is she doing now? Well, that’s enough on that. All I am doing now is training about the engineers. If luck is with me, I shall be seeing you in about two months. That’s all I have had my mind on, is being back with you once more. I would really blow my top if they weren’t to change the address on this outfit not coming home. They have already told us after six weeks of training we would be heading home. Well, I guess that’s enough on that. Have you ever received anything I have sent home? Gosh, I hope those guns get there. How is Mom Stacks? Tell her to keep her fingers crossed and that I am planning on seeing her soon. Well honey, I guess this is all the news for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie’s sister, Kate

Training and waiting—that is how Johnnie described his days when he wrote to Lucile on July 18, 1945.

My Dear Darling Wife,

Received two letters from you yesterday. Glad to hear that you are on vacation and well. As for myself, I am OK, just sweating and waiting. And doing every day training. Glad to hear that Mickey is OK. Did he say where he was at? I guess he couldn’t tell you. Well at the present, I am in a town called Montecatini. This is the place where you come and wait for a boat and if there isn’t a boat handy you just wait and train till there are. You get what I mean? Well, that’s enough on that. So, Mom Stacks finally is driving up to College Park. I am glad to hear she is doing so well at least that she is getting over her nervousness. Right! So, Robert is home. Boy I hope I make it. How many days did he get? O’yeah, in one of the letters I received I got the picture. Boy, I always said I had the most beautiful baby in the world! You really look swell. I am going to have a picture of me made with this mustache I got and permanent wave. I guess that’s the way you spell that. Anyway, what I am talking about is my wavy hair, Ha Ha. Well honey, I guess that’s all the news for now. And I pray to see you soon. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

Lucile

Johnnie would soon be facing the General, but for all the right reasons. He shared the good news with Lucile in his letter dated July 21, 1945.

My Dear Darling,

I received four letters from you today. Boy, was I glad to get them. I haven’t heard from you in quite sometime till today. Glad to hear that everybody is well and OK. So, you finally got those guns I sent. Well, it’s about time, don’t you think? So, Kate did move out to College Park. Glad to hear she and the kids are OK. If you call or go see her tell her I said hello. Well, I was told today that the General was going to pin the Bronze Star on me. I got the paper already saying I was awarded the medal. I will send you the paper. It tells all the guys names and why they are getting the medal. Even me, Ha Ha. I doubt if I send you the medal. The reason is I am planning on wearing it to the States, OK? We are supposed to land in the States sometime in October. But don’t get your hopes up too much about it. Because anything can happen. Get what I mean? Well honey, I will close for now. Tell all hello for me. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

My address is changed again. P.F.C. John H. Marston Jr., Co C 404th Engr Bn., A.P.O. 464, P.M. New York, NY

Johnnie’s Bronze Star medal

Johnnie received a typhoid vaccine on July 25, 1945. He was eager to go home but struggled with the wait. In his letter to Lucile dated July 27, 1945, he shared other feelings he grappled with during the war.

My Dear Darling,

I received one letter from you and one from Dot today. It was mailed the nineteenth of this month. I am glad to hear that you are well and alright. As for myself, I am still waiting for the boat and training. Why waiting and boy it’s really getting me sweating it out too. You talk about getting the blues, you should know how I feel. Robert and Cecil home and me thinking what a time they are having. Get what I mean? It hasn’t been long since they were home before they come home this time. But me, it has been twenty months or more, going on two years and I have been lucky to come through what I have. Sometime, or rather a lot of times, while the war was going on over here, I just give up all hope and would get to thinking that I didn’t care what happened to me. But I would get to thinking about you and knowing that you were waiting for my return. I would do my darn’est to get through whatever mess I was in. It was tough Lou. But you can say and be telling the truth that it was you who pulled me through this war with Germany. What ever I did, it was for you. Well that’s that and honey, war is no glory either. You say Mickey might get to come home soon, that’s good. I hope he don’t have to ever see any action. Honey, about Doc I am sure he would have wanted it that way. I think about Doc a lot and how swell of a guy he was. He sure helped us and a lot of other people. Right? So, read in the paper where the eighty fifth was coming home. Yes, they are on their way. They took guys out of the outfit with eighty five or more points and put in it and took all the guys with under eighty five and put them in other outfits. Get what I mean. In other words, the whole outfit is made up with high points men to get discharged. I have just seventy-two points. What I should had given you for us was twins, that’s twenty-four points, Ha Ha. Right? Well honey, I guess this is all the news for now. So, keep your fingers crossed and I hope to see you soon. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie’s late father-in-law, Sam “Dock” Stacks

During the month of July, 1 Silver Star Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster to Silver Star Medal, 5 Oak Leaf Clusters to Bronze Star Medals, 25 Purple Hearts, 3 2nd Oak Leaf Clusters to Bronze Star Medals, 7 Combat Infantryman Badges, and 2 Medical Badges were awarded. At the beginning of the month, the regiment consisted of 125 assigned officers, 5 warrant officers, and 2260 assigned enlisted men. By the end of the month, the Regiment consisted of 145 assigned officers, 5 warrant officers, and 809 assigned enlisted men. 

A minor injury had kept Johnnie from writing to Lucile for several days, but he was back at it. In his letter dated August 1, 1945, he continued to warn Lucile that he did not know when he would be able to come home. 

My Dear Darling Wife,

Received three letters from you yesterday. The first I have received in almost two weeks. Boy, was I glad to get them and to know you are well and alright. This is the first time I could write you since the twenty-fifth of July. The reason is I hurt my right arm and hand in training. But they are coming along pretty good now. Most of the swelling has gone out of my hand. My arm is still skinned up a little bit but a few more days and I will be OK. Honey, in one of the letters you wanted to know how many more weeks before I will be coming home. Well, we are supposed to leave about the middle of September. That’s what they’re telling us. But honey, don’t plan too much on me coming home. Because anything can happen in this Army as you know. And my luck has never been good on any breaks in this Army as you know. So, you will just have to keep your fingers crossed, get what I mean? Honey, about that pen and pencil set, just wait and let’s see what happens OK. Glad to hear that the family is all well. Tell them hello for me and I hope to see them soon. Well, I have to see the Doc about my arm so keep writing. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.

Always, Johnnie