June 5, 1943
To my darling husband.
As I write this it all feels so unreal.You've been in Georgia, at Fort Benning for the last three months. Only three months and yet, it seems like forever. I guess I should be used to being without you, after all we have only been married for six months and you've been gone for three. I've spent most of my life without you, but it wasn't until we found each other that I ever felt complete. You are my other half and I miss you like crazy!
It is strange to be living with Mom and Dad again now that I'm a married woman. We made the right decision though, keeping an apartment just for me doesn't make a lot of sense. We can save the money for a house once this horrible war is over and you come home for good. God willing it won't be too long.
I cannot wait to see you! It feels like a dream, I am almost afraid to believe that it's real, that I will soon be able to hold you in my arms again, though it's only for a short time. We will make the most of the time we have, and be glad we have any at all. Lots of couples never get to see each other once officer training is over. I love the pictures from the day you left for Georgia. I love the one of us and the one of you. I keep it on the nightstand and kiss it, wishing I was kissing you, every night. You look so handsome in your uniform, better looking than any movie star I've ever seen and, best of all, you're mine!
I've never been to Detroit before. I wonder why they chose Detroit as your stop over point? It seems a strange way to go from Georgia to New York. I was hoping you would have time in New York and I could meet you there for a day or two (you know I've always wanted to visit New York!), but, the Army has their own schedule so Detroit it is. It's much greener and prettier here than I expected. I don't like the
humidity much though, everything always feels damp. They tell me this is nothing, too, I should try it out in July! I'll never complain
about the fog off the bay in the morning again!
Getting here has been pretty exciting. I love traveling by train, I feel like a movie star! It's the longest trip I've ever taken. I rode the Challenger, I caught it in Oakland. Going through the mountains was so beautiful! Even the desert was amazing, it was a full moon and if I hadn't known it was salt and sand all around I would have sworn it was water. I went to sleep watching the desert out the train window. We should make that trip together, once you're home. I kept thinking about how romantic it would have been if you were there.
I was a little disappointed that Salt Lake City just looked like another city, except for their temple building, which was very pretty but I didn't really get a very good look at it. The people looked pretty normal too, at least from what I could see. After going through Nebraska and Iowa though, I think I've seen enough cornfields to last me a lifetime. Chicago looks like a very exciting city, it's another place I would like to visit someday.
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| Detroit, 1942, Google Images |
I've been here in Detroit for three days now, staying with my mother's cousin Eileen. I didn't even know my mom had a cousin Eileen until I told her where the Army had you stopping over on the way to New York. Mom called her cousin right away and they insisted we stay with them. Obviously I've never met her before, but she and her family have been so nice.
They don't have a big house, it's much smaller than Mom & Dad's and your folks house too, but it's nice and very well kept with three bedrooms. Her husband, George, is in Insurance. Their children are all grown up, but their daughter-in-law, Martha, and three grandchildren are living with them right now, so they don't have any extra space.
Martha and the baby, he's nine months and the cutest, chubbiest little guy you ever saw, are in one room. Her two girls, four and seven, in the other. I'm staying in one of the girls' beds and she's sleeping with her sister. I feel badly for putting her out of her bed but Martha said she (the oldest, Mary) thinks it's exciting and both girls are having fun. It's true, they really don't seem to mind. It was very nice of them to put me; us, up out of the blue like that, I guess that's family!
Their son Terry is in the Navy, he's a Seabee. He was one of the first to enlist, right after Pearl Harbor, about the same time you did. He's already been overseas for three months. I guess they ship the Seabees out and train them in the Pacific. Martha doesn't know where, exactly.
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| photo from http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/topics/war/v_mail.shtml |
She's only had a few letters and all the names of places have been blacked out by the censers. She showed me and there's hardly anything left to read that hasn't been blacked out. I hope they don't do that to your letters too. I've been talking to Martha a lot, about what it's like, being left behind while you're husband is away, fighting in the war. How it feels to be so proud and so scared at the same time.
We could have stayed at a hotel, I know it would have been more private, but there wasn't any graceful way to say no after they were so nice to offer to keep us. I'm really thankful they are here though, it's been nice, having family around I'm g.lad I got here early to get acquainted with them. Is it terrible of me to be glad that it will give us more time alone together since I've gotten to know them better?
Cousin Eileen and George are giving us their bedroom tonight, isn't that nice of them? They told me we should go out to dinner too, somewhere nice. Eileen said we shouldn't have to make conversation with strangers when we just want to be with each other. Isn't that sweet?
They gave me the names of some nice restaurants. We can just drop your bags off at the house and spend a few minutes chatting while you meet them.They don't expect us to spend any of your precious leave time with them, they are so understanding. They are very determined to give us privacy for our last night together for God only knows how long; we'll have to leave it in His hands, I know.
I am grateful that we get this final 24 hours together before you ship out. I have the day tomorrow all planned. There's a lovely little park not far from here, I thought maybe we could spend some time there before we leave for the station, which I am trying not to think about. Actually, though, I don't care where we go or what we do, as long as we're together.
You might wonder why I'm writing you this letter, when I'm actually going to be talking to you this afternoon (I can't wait!). I have to write it, to say all the things I know I won't be able to once you are actually here, standing next to me. I'll probably babble, you know how I do that sometimes when I'm feeling emotional or really excited. All I'll be able to do is hold you, kiss you; love you and bask in having you here! Be warned, I plan on lots of kissing!
More seriously (although I am very serious about kissing!), I want you to have something tangible from me that you can hold. I won't give this letter to you until right before you leave. I want you to carry this with you, always, so you'll never forget how much I love you. You are my life, my love.
My emotions are a tangle. I know it's what you want, to be over there, in Europe, actually fighting the Nazis. I'm proud of you, more than you will ever know, really I am. I understand why the Army wants you there, why they need you. They need the best and you are the best. All the people suffering because of that evil need you and I am glad and so proud that you are standing up for what is right. Another part of me though, the selfish part, is terrified. I am so afraid of losing you, forever. I can't help it. I have nightmares. They scare me, because I know my nightmares are now reality for too many women like me.
I shouldn't say it, I know, I need to be brave for you and be supportive. I know you are going to be in places and experiencing horrors that I cannot even imagine, soon enough. I know you need me to be brave, and I will be, I am. I do support you and I am so proud of what you are doing.
They need you, I know. You speak French like a native and you're so smart! I remember how romantic it was on our honeymoon in San Francisco at that fancy french restaurant. I'll never forget the look on the face of that oh, so superior waiter when you ordered in French! He was astounded, and then he fawned over you like a puppy dog for the rest of the night! Remember how we laughed about it later?
Please don't be angry, I have to say it. After this, I won't ever say it again. We promised
we would never lie to each other though, about anything, so I have to
get it out once. It still seems so unfair to me that they've changed
your orders and you're going overseas after all. I was secretly glad when they assigned you to the Fourth Field Army and said you'd be in San Francisco for the duration.
You were disappointed and upset, I know. To me though, it seemed like the best of both worlds; you would be serving your country, not too far from home and, best of all, safe. I would be able to see you when you had leave. It was perfect. I would know you were safe and that you were coming back to me once it was all over. It was selfish of me, I know, but I still felt it and a part of me wishes it hadn't changed.
Now, it's all so uncertain and frightening. It's the same situation thousands of other couples are in, I know. We are not unique. I know what you're doing is important and right. I know that our country needs you, that you are doing your part to protect freedom. I know it's true. Knowing all of that just doesn't help though. The thought that something, the worst thing, could happen is the horrible thought I can't get out of my head, the thing that wakes me up at night and you haven't even left American soil yet. I can't stand it, I couldn't stand it if anything were to happen to you, so please, promise me you'll be careful.
You are always in my thoughts, in my prayers, in my heart. I've enclosed a copy of that photo of me that you like so much, the one you took that same day. I'm in the blue flowered dress that you say is your favorite for me (you'll be seeing me in it for real again, too, soon!). Keep my picture and this letter with you and we'll always be together.
You know how bossy I can get. Well, I plan on living a long, long time with you beside me. I want us to get old, wrinkly and crotchety together. To bounce our grandchildren on our laps, to sit outside on the patio with a glass of wine and watch the fog roll in across the bay when we're old, old, old. So don't you dare to let anything mess up my plans!
I need you to come back to me, my darling. I need you, I love you, you are my heart, you are my breath, you are my life and I love you, always and forever.
Your loving wife.
As you may have noticed, this blog post is a bit different. This is the fist part of a series chronicling the brief reunion of an officer in the US Army and his wife between Officer Training and leaving New York for Europe after the outbreak of WWII.
**This is an entirely fictional account. All characters, names and stories come from my own imagination.
This series of WWII Recreations is dedicated to my Grandparents and the 800,000 other American men and women who gave so much for so many.
This past August I collaborated with Shirley Lessner, photographer extraordinaire; on a 1940's themed photo shoot. We basically did it because we wanted to. The photos are brilliant and as I was going through them, a story line started forming in my head.
My grandfather served in World War II, leaving behind a young wife and a tiny daughter (my mother). The story was repeated hundreds of thousands of times as ordinary Americans gave their all to defeat evil and protect freedom.
This first part has only a few of the photos, and the letter written by the wife to her husband as she is anticipating their brief reunion before he goes off to war. I hope you enjoy it, I will continue the story of their short reunion in my next post.
Photographs: Shirley Lessner; http://www.shilessnerphotography.com/
Styling: Shelley Walker, http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageLifeandDesign
Hair & Make-up: Krystin Walker
Models: Austin & Kathleen
Shot on Location at Palmer Park, Detroit, MI and the Historical Howell Depot; Howell, MI
I set this story in June of 1943 on purpose to fit my storyline. For those wondering, the events in this short snapshot of time are taking place before the Detroit race riots. That is another story entirely.
As always, thanks so much for reading this blog!
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www.VintageLifeandDesign.etsy.com
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www.VLDDecorandHome.etsy.com
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