Lt. Col. Carlton J. Cook

Ord. Sec., Hq. M.B.S.

A.P.O. 600 N.Y.C.

Sept. 8, 1943. Letter #4

My darling Jeanette,

As well as ever again now except for a little cough left over from my cold. And I hope that you are also, dearest, and all our families. Well tonight one cannot help but feel elated if the news that we hear over the radio of Italy’s unconditional surrender is correct. It surely is wonderful. That should help the war along by many months. Let us hope and pray that the rest of the war goes as well and as quickly for us.

Yesterday I received another letter from you dear, #15 of Aug. 24^th. Now I have all of your letters through #16. Mrs. Kilmer is surely some different than her husband was in taking part in the civic affairs. It was very nice of her to invite the Monarch Club to her home for their annual picnic again this year. I am glad to hear that you all had a good time there. Yes, I know Brees but I never thought much of him. Perhaps he has turned out to be a better assemblyman than I had expected.

Did you ever get my July letter with the money orders? If not, let me know, as I want to start a tracer on it. It is possible it got on a boat that went the wrong way, as that was just at the time of the invasion of Sicily. It may have been held up on that account. The censors don’t hold up letters. They can only keep them for 24 hours and then must send them on if they don’t have a chance to censor them at all. That is a very strict rule, I’m told.

What are the rumors that you say are around about Mr. Jacoby? Is he chasing out with other women or what? You say that he is not a good rector and all this and that but don’t tell me what is wrong. I don’t think I would ever take a job on the vestry again unless they would make some radical changes in the church, including getting a better minister with more experience and a little older. I will be expecting the pictures of me for Brunet’s.

By the way did I tell you that the bathing trunks came all right last week? I can’t recall whether or not I wrote you before or not. The package arrived safely with the trunks and starch. We get a small issue of starch each week now at the PI. It is enough to starch my things so you won’t have out send anymore. Our soap ration of laundry soap has been cut in half but it is still sufficient to do the laundry all right. I have done it at the hotel here. The prices are a little high but it is very convenient and they do a good job. Then too, there is nothing much else to spend one’s money for over here.

Our candy ration stays about the same—a bar, a package of nicco wafers or tootsie rolls or caramels, some small packages (penny) of mints. We get one bar of face soap also, but I am still using the Castolay entirely. I still have four or five bars left of that and they last about a month each. Then I use the regular face soap for my bath. Our cigar ration is the same as before too. There are several other small things to buy, which I do not need, such as toothpaste or powder and shaving things. I’m still using the first box of Tooth powder I brought with me from home and have the second box in reserve that you sent last year. I have four cans of tobacco left from last Christmas so don’t need any of that for a long time. In fact I am well fixed on everything, except a box of chocolates once in a while.

Last night I went to see “The Corsican Brothers” with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Tonight I am going with some other officers to see “Virginia City.” Sunday night I was over at Brunet’s for dinner. Their family is all back now. They had a guest also—another French Army Chaplain. The French Chaplains are only captains as that is the highest rank they can hold.

There isn’t much to write about tonight so please excuse this prattle to fill up space. I still miss you very much, darling, and look forward only to the day that we shall be together once again. With all my love to my sweetheart.

Carlton