Cherbourg, France

July 5, 1945

My Darling and only one:

I missed writing for the past two days. I really don’t have too much of an excuse but I’ll tell you just what I did. I am really sorry for not writing and I want you to forgive me once again. On Tuesday night we had another keg of beer and it was rather late and I was pretty tired by that time. This beer business only comes once in a while, so most of us try to enjoy it the best we can. On Wednesday, July [Fourth] I was on a trip to “Mont Saint Michel”, one of the seven or is it eight wonders of the world so they say. I bought you a book written in English and a package of photos. (20 of them) Maybe when you get them you can send Mother one or two. It is really a beautiful place, just like the pictures. I enjoyed the trip very much. I was wishing so hard you could be there with me. I just know you would have enjoyed yourself. I have one more reason I am glad I made the trip, and I guess you will be too. Maggie my dear, you now have a bottle of Chanel No. 5 which will be on the way tomorrow. I also have another bottle of perfume for your Mother which is good too. I put in a few foreign coins and some shells from Omaha beach. I wish you would send Mother and Sis each one. I put four of them in. Now will you tell me love me? I love you my darling more. I am always thinking about you and like to give you things to make you happy, and love me more and make you know that I haven’t forgotten you. Well we came back from the trip pretty late but I was going to write anyways, but then the darn lights went out, so that is why I didn’t write. I’ll tell you how I came to get your perfume. They have a lot of café’s and [souvenir] shops on their main street and only street which you will read about, well on the way up to the abbey we didn’t bother because we wanted to loaf around. We had a French guide and the woman red cross told us what he was talking about. It was really interesting so after it was over we went down the same street so the first [souvenir] shop we came to we stopped in to get some cards and that book and then the woman asked us if we wanted perfume so we looked in the case and I was thinking of Mother Glich at the time, so I picked one I liked out, then I asked her if she had any Chanel, not thinking they did, so she brought out three different kinds. No.22 and two others well I didn’t know what to do. I asked about No. 5 and she said it was all gone. I kept thinking and then decided I better not because you wanted No. 5. Even while walking down the street I was going to turn back then there was another place down further and their woman ask[ed] if we wanted any perfume. Then I ask[ed] her if she had Chanel she said “Wee[oui], No. 5 wee[oui]” then she motioned for me to come in and believe it or not, there it was. It was all sealed with [an] [cellophane] wrapper but I broke it open to see if there was something in it, so everything was O.K. She also had another perfume, but it was more expensive called “Christmas [N]ight”. Have you ever heard of it? I think I will get that for you next time. You must be under the impression I think you stink but that isn’t true. I just like to smell good perfume. I think that first bottle I sent you is better but women know perfume best. Will you consider that as your anniversary present? I never told you but there is another one on the way which you will get from New York like the ring. Tell me if you like it. [It’s] a surprise for you. It’s only because I love you my darling. No other reason. There is one, you are my darling with. I never did what I am doing for you to my other wives, so you know you are the tops with me and besides that, I love you with all my heart.

Believe it or not honey, but I received seven letters today. Five from you, one from mother, and one from that guy in New York City that was discharged. Your father’s day card was one of them. All three of them were lovely. Those three pictures darling are simply swell. I was so proud with them I showed them to everyone I saw. Maggie, believe me, you are looking gorgeous, beautiful, and what’s more I fell in lobe all over again. You are looking lovely Maggie. I can’t ever complain if you look that good when I come home. To date I received 15 pictures from you, that is from the latest batch. Your picture is here before me and I look up at you all the time. I like your shoes too. I also have seven letters of yours to answer. Your letters are stacking to….