July 25, 1943: Speak to Madge

Darling Madge:

Honey I'm sure sorry I haven't been able to write the last two days.  Yesterday on my day off, we had to go out to the firing range, then come in and do detail.  We went to school last night, it is sure nice in school at night, but it's sure hot as hell trying to sleep in the daytime.

I guess I won't be able to write very much from now on unless I do it at night in school.  we only have 7 more days of school before we go out to the field test.  and boy are they trying to break us, and make it tough for us.  They told us we didn't no what the army was like, but we would find out the next two weeks.

Honey, I believe we will be able to write, while we are out there, so I'll try to let you know what it's like.  I do know that we go on maneuvers and a 20 mile hike on our day off.  And that we work on planes, under actual battle conditions.

Princess, I tried to call you the last two days but I couldn't get a line thru, I'll try again when I get thru this letter.  I'm sure glad you are nearly as well as ever, but don't try to do too much for a long long time yet.

Gee darling, I'd give anything to be able to see Joyce Ann.  She sure must be an angel and I know I'll hate to leave you both, when I come home on furlough.  She must be the most perfect baby in the world, I'll sure be glad to get that snapshot of you two angels.

Honey, I fixed up that papers for the exta allotment but I gotta get a copy of Joyce Ann's birth certificate. so as soon as you can, why send it to me, will ya?

They sent the papers in, so you shoudl get it in your next check, but if you don't they will probably make it up in the next one.  I sure hope youare able to get along alright on it.  Gee toots, I'll work all the time when I get out of theis army, and try to make a lot of dough, so you can make up for the fun you've missed.

I got that card Mom sent, it was sure swell, tell her thanks a lot.  I guess I won't be able to write them, cause it's all I can do to find time to write to you.

I'm sure glad we got such a lovely daughter, she must be just like you.  It's sure good news to hear she is growing, and that you are able to feed her, I think that's a lot better than on a bottle.  You will soon be able to take her down town and show her off won't you?  That is sure swell of Murray and Bernice to let us use all their stuff.  I would have cost us a fortune to have  bought it.

So Geo Bills didn't know we had our family, I guess I'll write him if I ever get time.

Hey I'm glad Uncle Lee was able to get home, I'll bet they really had a swell time.  It's swell that Jessie is able to go back with him, although I don't think they are doing the smart thing.  She would get lots better care at home.

I'll bet the folks are really thrilled to get started on their home, I know we will when we build our dream home, won't we?  Honey I know you hate to leave our place, but it will be better for you and the baby, and also for Mom.  and Murray and Bernice will take good care of our place.  Princess this war can't last forever, I'll soon be home again, then we will have more happiness than ever before.  So keep your chin up, and try to always think of the bright side.  You have sure been swell thru this, you are a better soldier than any in this army.  I'll never forget it either.

See I love you so darn much, that if I soon don't get to see you I'll bust.  Just think toots, it will be nearly a year since I left (well it seems like it).  I guess I better sign off for now, and go see if I can get a call thru.

Remember darling how much I love you both, and how much I miss you.

Good night my angels, God Bless you both.

All my love,

Your devoted husband and Dad.

Pfc. Speak

Janurary 26, 1943: Madge to Speak

Oh, My Darling:

At last I recieved the very first letter from my man in the service.  What a thrill.  Honey, do you know what you are to be. Ground crew, pilot, gunner, or what?  I do hope it's the ground crew, leaving all personal feelings aside.  do you think you'll like it?  I hope so.  It seems to be a good branch to be in.  Write and tell me.

I paid the hospital plan today up and including July.  So that's that.

I'm sending George's field glasses back to him tomorrow.  I'll insure them for a $50.00 to make sure. 

Today, Mother went downtown and brought the cloth for 4 small receiving blankets isn't she sweet?  And then we'll crochet around them with blue and pink.

Ella came in tonight to see if I knew where you were yet.  The mailman doesn't come until almost 7:00.  so Daddy brought it (letter) down to me - and she said she didn't think I was going to have a baby cause I should show it a little - it almost hurt my feelings - Because I know we are.

Last night I dreamed I had it.  It was a boy and it was cute.

I made $2.40 cents tonight.  It all goes in our bank, it's going up and up.

As usual, I slept till noon today, got up and had breakfast and went down to the bank.  Mom won't wake me up.  She says when I've had enough sleep I'll wake up.

It is now 12:00 PM - Murray just came up to the door to see if I had a ride hom - It was awfully nice of him.  But Eilien had her car and I don't get off until 12:30.  so I am now writing this so I can mail it right off.

Hey Sweet, please excuse all my samples of stationary, I've just been picking up a piece here and there.

Darling, I'm kinda glad you kinda feel bad at night. 'Cause so do I.  Did you like what I wrote on the back of my picture?  Now Speak, if you run out of money you be sure and write won't you?  Wouldn't you like a nice money belt?  I saw a honey of a one today.  I'd sure like to buy it for you.  Instead of a flap, it has a zipper.

I'll send you ring, day after tomorrow.  and do you want your cigatette case?

And now my love, I guess I'd better sign off and go home and dream of you.

I do hope 15 cents will take this first letter to you.

Until tomorrow - 
With all my love
-Bye for now

Madge  

June 24, 1943: Speak to Madge

Dear Madge:

     That's to bad about Mrs. Ross, I hope she gets well real soon.  Honey, don't worry about them coming to see you, they never did come to see us very much, and we don't give a damn.  So don't you put yourself out to go see them, remember that.  We'll always get along ok, without them.  And honey you better not be going anywhere now, stay close to home, and the phone, so you can get right out to the hospital, when the time comes.  I'm not trying to stop you from having fun, but I just want you to be awful careful.

     Cause Princess if anything should happen to you, I'd just die.  I'm sure glad you Mother and all the folks pamper you, I wish I could.  Honey, anything I have at home, you can give or lend to Murray or whoever else wants it.  I'm glad they used my fishing outfit.  They are more than welcome to any of my stuff.

     Madge, I like your new pen, and also the new way you address you letters, but then I'd love them anyway, just so they were from you.

     Gosh toots I'm the one who should be proud of you, gee you've been the best soldier in the whole world, I'll always be thankful for having such a wonderful wife and sweetheart.  I love you more each second.

     HOney well have a lot more of those trips up the canyon, just us three, we should enjoy them even more, after going thru this.  Well honey bye for now, there goes the whistle again.  Remember I'll always love you, and the baby.

     Yours forever,

     Speak

January 17, 1943: Madge to Speak

My Dearest:

     We (Jessie and I) went up to see you Saturday, but you had been shipped for parts unknown, anyway that's what everyone told us.  We left here about 3:30.  so if by some chance you were still ther we wouldn't miss a minute with you.  I thought maybe you couldn't phone until after 5.  So we just decided to take off. I was awful disappointed, altho, I tried not to plan on seeing you for sure.  But I guess you were too, weren't you?

     I had already told the folks that I was going to stay with Jessie, So we stayed all night at Alf & Helens.  Alf worked until 1:30, so Jess, Helen and Leah B sat around and talked all night - Helen went to the liqour store.  She had to stand in line for a half hour.  Boy if I had to do that there'd be no whiskey drank.  I only had one short one.  So you see, I'm being a good gal.

     Honey, Do you remember putting some wood in the oven to dry the morning you left?  Well, Tues night when I got home and got my tears shut off a minute Mom asked me if I could smell wood burning, she had looked all over for it.  I started to giggle and told her to look in the oven.  Oh lordy, talk about smoke whew.  Daddy grabbed it and threw it out in the yard, did it blaze - if I hadn't of felt so bad it would have been funny.

     Murray quit his job out there Monday.  They came up home Tues night to tell us he was going to Tooelea to work.  He was up there one day and came home.  I don't think he has taken another job yet.

     When I got home thurs nite, someone turned on the light and said booh.  It was Bessie, Dick and Gary.  She brought down 6 of Gary's baby dresses.  They are just like new so that solves that.

     Honey, How is your cold?  Better I hope.  If not be sure and take good care of it and of you.  Cause you're all the papa us two has got or will have.

     Gosh Hone, I'd sure like to see you in your uniform.  I'll bet you really make a good looking soldier.  As long as you're there, I hope you'll like it a little bit and I do hope you are in some thing you like.  By the time I mail this I'll probably know.

     I am going to stay with Aunt Jessie tonight.  Eleanor has gone to the city again.  I am going to work at 8:30 and nothing to do.

     I is sure swell with the folks there.  The other night Jessie and Grace came up when I went to go Dad said, "Now hurry home" and Mom said, "You don't have to stay as long as you want."  There's only one thing wrong.  She won't wake me up in the mornings. (am I kicking, no) - Daddy has a 'hellava' cold, he has been off work for 2 days.  Mother and I went to the show today, it was "the Black Swan" it was a pirate picture you'd sure like it.

     Gosh sweetheart, you'll never know how thrilled I was when you called that morning, I shook for an hour. - Honey, I miss you so dam much and I'll probably miss you more - but all in all we'll make out, won't we?

     I have an appointment with the Dr. on the 20th.  I suppose I still feel well and still can hardly believe it's true.

     Loris says that she is going to marry that guy we met down there that night.  Of all the changable people, she's the worst.

     Bessie brought that picture down so as soon as I find out where "parts unknown" is I'll sent the ring and this to you.  Do you still want your lighter?  How is your underwear and things holding out?  And Honey, if you need any money, please write and tell me.

     Alf got his deferrement, it is only good until June 28th, this morning his sister, Leah said, "Everyone is in the Army, but Alf."  Gosh, he went red, I almost felt sorry for him.

     Honey, did you say a prayer for me that night?  I'm sure you must have, nothing could have made me stop crying and feel so at peace as I did.  After working and having to keep a straight face all day, I got practically histerical and all of a sudden between 9:30 or 10 o'clock, I just stopped and didn't cry anymore.  Went right to sleep and I told Mom that you had prayed for me.  Hope you did.

     Well Honey, I'll sign off for today, I'll probably have to ship this first letter express if I don't stop and go to bed.

     Goodnight Sweet and dream of me - Toots.  

January 23, 1943: Madge to Speak

Sat. Night, Jan 23/43

Dearest:

     When will I hear from you?  Soon I hope.  Maybe Monday.

     Did I tell you the Dr. gave me a cold shot to help throw off my cold and if anything it's worse.  How is your cold, is it worse or better?  Better I hope, 'cause after going as long as you did with no cold it would be a shame to have a bad one now.

     Mother is listening to "Thanks to the Yanks" and Dads in bed and it's 9:15 - and Madge is missing her yank like hell.

     It snowed a little bit the other day but the wind has blown ever since.  Boy was it cold for a few days.  I guess we just don't have any snow this winter.

     the wind blew so hard is Salt Lake yesterday it blew "Sunset beach" right down level and took a couple of roofs of off the Smelter at Garfield.

     Well Honey, I am going to stay with Jessie tomorrow night (sun) again.  So I'll finish that then.  Or I'll sure have to box this bunch of letter up to send them.

                                                 Good night Sweet.

Sun. Night
Jessies Place

     Hello Dear, here I am again as full as a tick.  Jessie and I just went to the A and W (it's open finally) and had a cheeseburger and a milk shake, I have to have my milk.  Then down to Dalebouts Bakery and bought a half dozen do-nuts, then had coffee and donuts.

     I slept until noon today again.  About 12:15 Murray and Brenda came up.  She is so cute.  She kept pointing at your picture and saying Spee - Spee.  Unitl I gave it to her and boy did she ever give you a nice sticky love and would I like it to.  The little cuss is 20 month's old and doesn't say a word.  Hope our baby is brighter than that.  Letsee - next month I'll be able to feel him, don't you wish you could?

     Ed and Lela were in the store again yesterday to see if I had heard from you.  Gosh, she really looks pregnant, she wouldn't look quite so bad if she'd wear a little powder and lipstick, I thought she had been sick but she said she felt swell - Heck Honey, I wore my black dress to the Drs. the other day and now no one believes I am pregnant.  They think it's a little rumor. - I guess I'll have to start looking haggy so I'll feel that way.  As I've said before I feel so darn good it's hard to believe.  Are you getting tired hearing about us two?  Hope not 'cause you'll be hearing more.

     I practically made myself out a liar in the Sat. edition of the letter - it snowed this morning, gosh it was swell to sit and watch the snow fall, maybe my cold will go now if not now maybe by the time you come home on your furlough it'll be gone.

     Mom informed me today that she intended to buy more of our babys things as their part in the local war effort.  I told her she didn't need to but she says - She'll take no sass from either of us 'cause it'll be her best grand child and they can if they want and you to keep that suit case as long as you need it because it will just kick around home and she wants you to have it and she hopes you don't remember her as she was that last nite we went over there with her hair up in curlers.  Honey, they are really swell.  I guess I just never realized it before.

     I worked the fountain with Lovinia to other night.  They started to paint the kitchen so I told Von I was going home, but as it was I didn't get within 20 ft of it all night.

     Sweetheart, it's awful not to know ever where you are or how you are.  I just have to shut my mind of when I start to think about it, but maybe I'll know soon. 'cause I miss you so.  It's not so bad during the day, but at night its awfull.  I'm kinda getting over waiting for you to come home at least I've quit watching for you.  I'm sending you the words to a song.  I have Butch play it over and over every morning, it's kind of a bright spot in the dark days.

     Hon. Be sure and tell me everything you do what army life is like and anything as long as it's about you.

     Well, I guess I'll close now for tonight and hope and pray I get that letter tomorrow.  As I said before don't worry about me.  I'm getting along wonderfully well and I promise as soon as I hear from you all my letters won't read Ill.

     So Good Night Lover for now.

     Madge