January 27, 1944                                                          Co B 6th B.N. BK 19-18

Thursday 8:00 PM                                                        TC-VTC (Port)

                                                                                    Camp Plauche

                                                                                    New Orleans (12), LA.

 

My Darling Wife,

 

            I just came back from mail call and I received my first letter from you dated Jan 25th, on Tuesday 12:15 PM.  Boy was I thrilled and am I happy.

            From what you say I guess this isn’t the first letter you’ve written me.  I guess the ones you’ve sent to Fort Thomas haven’t been forwarded yet.

            Darling you letter was all wonderful but one thing.  Something you said and if it’s the way I take it, I’m broken hearted.  Here’s what you wrote.  Quote- “You’re in there now and you might as well make the best of it.  But as you know there’s a limit to all things and you know where to stop when it’s necessary.”

            You talk as if you expected me to make the best of it by going with other women.  You sound as if you expected me to especially when you said, “you know where to stop when necessary!”  The only time to stop when necessary would be when I was with a woman in the first place.  I was tempted by her.  I just didn’t like the way you put it. 

            Darling I do hope you don’t expect or want me to be with other women even if it’s on the level.  The reason is, I don’t want to and in the second place I wouldn’t want you to be with another man regardless of what you did. 

            If I didn’t know you very well and didn’t trust you so much, I’d say you were hinting for a little freedom yourself.  Of course I expect you to have freedom but not with the opposite sex.  But Pheety I just know you didn’t mean it for yourself and I hope you didn’t mean to expect me to have girl friends or to dance with them when you said I might as well make the best of it. 

            Just for me Darling will you explain exactly what you meant. 

            I know you told me once you couldn’t bear to let another man be around you and that you were married and didn’t believe in such a way of doing.  Darling I hope you feel the same way now and I know you do but my reason for saying this is, to let you know this is how I feel, also just  like you do.  So don’t go giving me freedom so to make it sound as though you didn’t care and was hinting for me  to answer the same to you by “making the best of it.”  I just know you didn’t mean it that way, but do answer this question I’ve talked about and I’ll feel a lot better.

            Thanks a million Darling for the 5 dollar bill, I sure needed it as I smoked my last cigarette just before I got your letter and I only had 8 cents in my pocket.  You’re so thoughtful Darling and I hope it didn’t shock you to spare that time.  My Pheety always thinks of me. 

            I don’t see any use of you going to Missouri with Betty when its going to cost you half as much again to come from Missouri to New Orleans.  Your ticket straight down here will be enough and you will want to hang on to all you can if you want to live with me.  Darling here’s the whole story in brief.  After all I don’t live in Missouri, I live in New Orleans and I’m your husband.  Better spend your time and money where and with whom your heart desires the most. 

            I certainly was glad to hear about Spot having a call and especially so about your little pup.  Why don’t you name it Pheety the II. 

            Since I haven’t received your first letters I don’t know what happened to the horse.  It sounds like she must have died and I hope I don’t find out she has.  But in your letter I got tonite you said Sam bought another team, so I was just wondering about the horse.

            Now please don’t tell me you missed me so much you cried for a week.  Are you stretching it honey.  If you did I just know you love me more than ever.  Since I’ve left you I’ve been in sort of a trance. Darling it just seems like a dream to me away from you.

             Darling I do hope I didn’t offend you in the beginning of this letter but I just want you to know what our married life means to me and that if it weren’t for you I couldn’t ever be happy again.  Maybe I took what you said all wrong but I love you so much and I hope you do care  how I do “make the best of it,” whatever you meant by that.  I do trust you Darling, but everything I’ve said pertains to what you meant by me making the best of it.  I know no better way of enjoying myself in the Army away from you than seeing how true I can be to you.  I love you Darling and if you love me just half as much, that will be an awfully lot.

Everything I’ve said is just answering your letter so tomorrow  I’ll tell you what we’ve done the last two days.

Please Darling answer me  right away and tell me just how you want me to make the best of it.  Boy I bet I got you angry or else you think I am but I’m not. 

I just want you to know I don’t have to chase around like most men to be happy.  You’re the one that counts Pheety.  You can come and see me soon now Darling it won’t be long till I can get passes every nite to look for a room.

 

            Your Faithful Husband,

                                    Vincent

            X XXXX XXX