Aug
10-43
Hello Sweetheart,
Well Honey
I’ll try and scribble a few lines. I’m
here waiting for chow and haven’t anything to do. Someone has some music on the radio and I’m
listening to that to. I got a big letter
today and I am goin to write one big letter for a
change.
Honey you
asked me what I did to put in my time when I’m out sending in reports. Mostly we sleep. There is always 5 or
7 of us and we work two hour shifts. We
are on 24 hour duty and at the end of 24 hours you get pretty tired. We are on the lookout from the time the
problem starts till it’s over. Mostly
there is only two operators and you might not think it
but it can keep a guy busy. When there is only two of us you don’t get a lot of rest at any one time. Two hours on and two hours
off. That’s 12 hours a day and
with a guys rest all messed up like that you can get pretty mean. I know.
Marge I can’t
figure out why you worry so much about me.
I’m getting along O.K. or as good as can be expected under the
circumstances. I know you get lonesome
to hear from me and I do you too. Here
everything is uncertain. When we were at
camp we had a special routine and out here we never know what’s gonna happen next. I
know how lonesome you are. Maybe someday
I can make up for being away this long.
Don’t worry because it won’t help any, it will just make you feel worse
and then you will get nervous all over again.
Just be good and think about all the good times we will have later on
after this is all over. I used to get
lonesome like that but it didn’t do any good and I wasn’t any better off
afterwards. Whenever I get to feeling
that way I try to do or think of something else. Sometimes it helps too.
Marge I’m
not changing any. If I do it won’t hurt
me any. I think I talk a lot more than I
used too. Here in the army nobody is
going to look after you. It’s every man
for himself.
Maybe it’s cause I’m and old man now I don’t
know. Here I am 22 and what can I show
for it. Not very much can I?
I’m sitting
here without any shoes on. My feet get kinda sore sometimes.
I think I’ve a touch of Athletic foot.
Also the poison ivy is on my ankles and my socks irritate it. T.S.
Marge you
asked to tell you what to do. I can’t
tell you what because I don’t know. You
will just have to figure that out for yourself.
If you aren’t satisfied at your job maybe you can get another. I don’t like mine but I can’t quit for a
while yet. How much longer I’ll have
this job is pretty indefinite. The news
sounds good but for me and a lot more it isn’t what we are waiting to hear.
I’m about
out of B.S. now but
Lots
of Love,
Ralph
Hello Marge,
This got kinda damp today. We
had a rain and I never got all my stuff in the dry. It won’t hurt it to get wet. The other sheet is worse than this one. Well honey I started to write
a big letter but I’m no further along than before. Maybe tonight I’ll get one wrote. I didn’t go out on the radio today. I traded with another guy for a change. I’m on the telephone switchboard only 6 hours
a day and that’s easier than 16. Maybe
tomorrow I’ll go out. I don’t know for
sure yet. I pull the 12 to 3 shift. It will be pretty lonesome but what’s the
difference. I got a couple letters today
from you. I was sorry to hear about the
tire trouble. Well tires won’t last
forever. Maybe your dad can get some
from the ration board too.
So Kate has
a job. Well tell her not to make the
_____ cross eyed. That would be a good
job for me.
Honey I’ve
some work to do so I’ll close this letter before long. One of these days I’ll surprise you and write
you a great big letter. Marge even if I
don’t get much written I still think about you and would like to see you. Chet got word his wife was sick or
something. They tried to him a furlough
but the Red Cross said she was working every day and there couldn’t be too much
wrong.
Well Marge
don’t worry about me cause
P.S. I got the pictures of you and Kate a couple days
ago.
All
the love in the world,
Ralph
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