Akron, Ohio

February 20, 1945

Dear Evelyn,

I bet you think I’m a dandy for not answering your letter any sooner. I have been quite busy and then I had the blues so bad I just couldn’t write to you. Thanks a lot for the pretty Valentine. I had a letter from one of Jack’s buddies. It was the one that was with Jack all through their training they were at Pearl Harbor together and they were both on the ship when it was sunk and the only time they were separated was the day it happened on Saipan. Evelyn, Pete that was what Jack called him. Well he wrote me a letter it was beautiful. He worshiped Jack. He said that he never could go on liberty unless Jack was with him. He said I couldn’t realize how much Jack was to his Division. He said Jack was buried nice and his grave is very plain but well kept. We had nice weather a few days and today we have a blizzard. I believe we have two inches of snow since early this morning. Your mother is surely getting a lot of eggs. We are paying 60 cents a dozen. I love to see your baby calf. We are not getting much meat. It doesn’t go with Mr. D and I because he can’t eat much meat. Are you going to have new Easter clothes? I am not going to buy anything new. My Sister’s boy came home of furlough and he is coming to see me this afternoon. He is in the Army Medical Unit in the Air Force. He is stationed at Macon, Georgia. That is one of my sisters that is dead. Mr. D. had three boys in the Service. Dick is on Convoy in the Navy and David is in Bataan and Michael is with the Quartermasters Material Squadron. He is in India. I will be so glad when it is all over. My, the Marines are sure fighting on those Islands. Well I am going to stop. I want the mailman to take this letter. Always glad to hear from you.

Love,

Mrs. Derrig