Cherbourg, France

July 10, 1945

My darling wife,

Well honey tomorrow I am going to Le Havre so you won’t hear from me for a couple of days and I won’t hear from you either. It is going to be a lonesome trip, but I will be thinking about you. I’ll hurry back as quick as I can. I love you so much again today my darling. Never before has my love been so great for you as it has grown in the last few months. I’ll love you forever. Do you know how long forever is?

Remember that dream you had the other week about me driving you and the kids home and finding your new house? What ever made you think of a girl by the name of Underwood? There was a girl by the name of Underwood in my life. I was going with her for a few months, and I saw her almost every night. I thought I loved her, but one day she left me flat and I thought my heart would break. She met some other guy she liked better than me. Maybe we would have married if she hadn’t found someone else. Thank God she did. I didn’t want anything to do with women for a long time after that. I don’t know why I got that way, you can’t judge all women by one. After her I met Nelle- Etta who lives down the street from us. She is a very nice girl but I didn’t love her. So after I came in the army I dropped her, soon after she found herself another boyfriend and then married. Ruthie I can’t figure out, for she was never in my life and I have thought for a minute that she was in love with me until I received a special delivery letter telling me she had to see me and then ask me if she should wait for me for another boy wanted her too. I told her not to wait. Then I can to Toledo and found what I was looking for, for five or six years or more. I fell in love with you from the first sight of you and every day since then has grown into something bigger than almost life itself. I really never knew love or what it felt like until you my darling. I have your picture before me as usual, and you are still smiling at me. I’ll say it once again, you sure are looking swell to me, or else I need glasses.

It has been awfully cool and rainy today. I had to wear my jacket when I went out today. I didn’t do very much except to make out some requisition to take along with me. I am driving the truck so you know everything will be alright. (I hope) The guy that I have driving for me has big thick glasses and every time he passes someone he cuts them off short and scares the sh- out of me. You were probably out on the road sometime and had someone cut you off in the car you were in. it really isn’t good. Well I will be able to tell you more about the trip when I come back.

Gee honey, I hope you are right, saying I’ll be home for Christmas. But then you didn’t say what Christmas.

I too am glad when weekends are over. I don’t like them very well, they are so darn lonesome. I hope you and I can make up for all the lonely ones we have had apart. I was just thinking today it would be swell if I could just lay around in bed, get up whenever I wanted to for about a week or so, that is with you, have breakfast in bed if I want any breakfast. I sure like my Sunday morning. There is nothing better than sleeping until 10 or 11 A.M. It isn’t very much fun when you have to get up early every morning, especially when I am home and really work hard. You probably don’t like my ideas about Sunday mornings.

I really don’t think it is so hard to resist. I think of you and how much better you look and of our two lovely children and then it isn’t so bad. I think too much of you and the children. , I just can’t go fooling around like some other guys do, and you know as well as I do that plenty do run around. I don’t care what stories you hear, I am truthful and faithful to you and that’s how I will always be unless you do me wrong. I always kiss you too before I go to sleep. The evenings are the best time for me too. I can hardly wait until I can sit down and write to you. I’ll miss writing to you the next few days. Remember how I used to hate writing? I love it now, but just writing to you. It’s the thing that brings me close to you.

You still weighing 128? You have been holding that now for awhile. Looks kinda like you are stuck there.

Many times I can feel your heart pound, way over here, especially when I am holding you close to me.

I see you still know your French. Did someone help you out?

Yes my darling I still want to sleep with you.

Goodnight sweetie.

All my love and kisses,

Pres.

P.S. I also love you