March 7, 1945 Wednesday

[V-Mail]

Hello my wonderful Marjorie,

I’m afraid that big letter won’t be tonight or tomorrow. Had to work until 10:30 tonite and have a big day scheduled for tomorrow, too. I have looked ruefully at the pile of souvenirs I have and wondered how I could send them.

However, that is not what I really want to talk about. I always fritter away my time writing trivial things, when actually I am trying to find a way to say how awfully much I miss you and want you without hurting both of our “morales.” But I do miss you, Honey – it’s like a knife in your chest and thinking about it is like turning the blade around a little. Not all the time, because you can “think” in some hope and that helps. But when the thought of being apart first creeps into your mind unrationalized and naturally, it is pretty “rough.” Well, that’s the truth of the matter, anyway, and even loving ‘til it hurts is a thing I’m very thankful for. 

Yours,

Wallace

March 6, 1945 Tuesday

[V-Mail] 

Hello again, my Honey,

Getting the platoon in shape is the best way for me to “be careful” and we know it more forcibly than ever now – but the new men still think it’s all a picnic and that training is a thing to avoid! If we could only impress them with the necessity and seriousness of it. Got to find some way to make them learn the easy way – the hard way is too expensive. 

But that is just my daily worry – the thing I want to tell you most is that you are still my very wonderful and lovely wife. I love you every second and am always your loving and faithful husband. Captain Fairbairn and I flatter ourselves because we are the only two men in the army guaranteed to be forever faithful to our wives – we have seen Paris in the spring, and are therefore, natcherly, proof against any future temptations after passing this test! Seriously, Honey, “you and I” saw Paris, just as we saw London. It is a beautiful city with all the unique “spirit” you have read about. We must see it together in reality someday – I am sure it would be the best city in the world for us to visit, even over New York and New Orleans. Until I can write more, let me send all the love I can squeeze into a V-mail to you, and be sure I love you a thousand times more than that. 

All my sincerest love,

Wallace

March 6, 1945 Tuesday

[V-Mail]

My dearest Marjorie,

Beaucoups of things have happened since I last wrote! What do you think, Hon? I went to Paris! I am just bubbling over with things to tell you about it. It took 5 days with travel, and I saw just about all the things we have read about in Paris. It was one of those passes like the one I got to London, only this one was longer. Just as soon as I can I am going to write you a big old letter all about it, and send you a pile of pictures and souvenirs. Re-modelling the 2nd platoon takes almost all my time now, including evenings, and I know you realize the importance of that work. It’s a case of not daring to neglect training the new men. The “old men” help a lot but the new ones are so desperately green. The work is extremely urgent and real and difficult to put across. Even so, I think of you and love you always and always.

Wallace

February 25, 1945 Sunday

[V-Mail]

France

Dearest Marjorie,

In this village things are very much like they were in Mulcey—I have an extremely nice couple to live with. In an ultra-modern home done in the best French taste. No kidding! They are fine people, educated, and interesting. My actions are routine platoon duties.

How are you tonite? Still happy, I hope and thinking of me as much as I think of you. These clear moonlit spring nights make me think of our junior prom days. Weren’t they the balmy, romantic days? I used to forget to take the tickets to the prom and such, but even so they were exciting.

I hope we can have a home as nice as the one I am in now. It isn’t overdone a bit, but the effect is wonderful. They have a nice radio, but no record-player. We’ll have them beat there! Gee, I love you, Hon, all to pieces.

Yours always,

Wallace.

February 23, 1945 Friday

France

Dearest Marjorie,

Back to the company today, after a full day of vacation in Nancy. I left the shower bath outfit and got a ride into Nancy. There I got a promise of a ride to division late that night. So I spent the day doing Nancy alone but in our usual method. I visited the University of Nancy with its excellent modern library, the various historic “gates” to the city and Stanislas Place. The last is a square of unusual architectural unity. I’ll try to send you some pictures soon.

Everybody welcomed me back to the company. I have the 2nd platoon again, tho it is very changed. Good set-up here in this town. 

I am thinking of you all the time, Hon, and loving you just as much as always. Even a bit more.

Yours always,

Wallace.

February 21, 1945 Wednesday

France

‘Evening, Hon,

Tonite I feel a little like the Wandering Minstrel. I left the hospital this noon and went to the replacement depot – a trip of about 25 miles. There I found that red tape was extremely minimized. I walked in, presented my orders. They said, O.K., I could return to my unit. I asked about transportation and they just shrugged their shoulders. I could either take off or wait an undetermined length of time for official transportation. I took off after getting one disagreeable look at the depot.

So here I am, wandering thru France looking for my outfit. I have only a general idea where they are, but plenty of faith and pioneer spirit. 

Sounds like a comic opera, but I am spending the night with a portable shower bath company! A friendly captain picked me up and gave me a ride thru Nancy to Toul. He is giving me a lodging for the night. Tomorrow I’ll be on my way again. This is a QM outfit that goes around to give showers to resting troops. My kind of outfit, I can see. Good food, quarters, and amusements. No enemy to worry about. They are the ones that collect the souvenirs of the war. They can carry them with their transportation. 

Toul is an old, romantic town with a real moat around it. Cobbled streets, very, very narrow. Big cathedral. Wonderful. Here are some pictures I bought – actually it is not badly ruined. 

Also here is a Valentine! Little late but still valid. The sentiment is there, but you are much prettier than the girl in the picture! I love you all the time, my Bunny – every little minute. 

All my love, 

Wallace

February 21, 1945 Wednesday

[V-Mail]

France

Dearest,

I am free as a bird – flying across France looking for my nest. Less poetically, I’m trying to hitchhike to my outfit. Am spending the night with a QM shower bath company, no less. It all seems poetic because I have seen the old, moated, cobblestoned town of Toul. Fascinating.

Thought how fine it would be for us to travel in this sector. We could learn and see a lot of things. We must do it sometime. Meantime, I’ll see what I can of it and make believe you are here, too. You seem so close when I go around looking, alone.

All my love,

Wallace

February 20, 1945 Tuesday

[V-Mail]

21st General 

France

Dearest Bunny,

I am writing this just before bedtime in order to satisfy an impulse to speak to my wife before I go to sleep. Always do have a few words with you, but tonite I want to be sure you hear me. Maybe you are in New York tonite. Having a good time? Please do, and feel me right near you. Because I am always close to you somehow. That is why I never get lonely as I used to do when I was right at home, but didn’t have you. 

We were right, Hon, about getting married during the war. Glad we made our own decision. Now even the single men look with serious envy at those who are married, and admit they were wrong! I feel very content and sure that I have the very best wife of all. ‘Nite, Hon, I love you very warmly and deerly [sic] – 

W. 

February 20, 1945 Tuesday

21st General

France

Dear folks,

La belle France at least has shorter winters than the U.S.A., and milder ones. Every day is a little warmer now. The snow is all gone and even the worst of the spring freshets. My mail has been coming thru very well the past few days. Your Xmas cards at last came thru. The letters are mixes up as to dates, it’s like filling in a jig-saw puzzle to get your doings. The final picture is complete, tho, and I am up with you to the last of January now.

A few days ago I took a trip to division to be a witness and in so doing made one trip I can tell you about, since it didn’t involve a unit. We covered most of the ground I have been on since we came from St. Mards, near Dieppe, in Normandy. Luneville, Averycourt [Arracourt?], Chateau-Salins, and we covered much of the area between Nancy and Metz. Saw many of the men at the company. Of course, this was all well behind the lines, for we are resting now. Just barely within earshot of the artillery.

Dear mother, I did not come very close to Luzon!

Marjorie tells me you follow the map pretty closely. Our 7th Army front isn’t changing greatly right now, as you can see by the papers.

Oh, I made 1^st Lt. the 1st of February. In the absence of silver bars I have had to make use of white tape! Means a little more money, and probably I’ll go to the first platoon when I go back. I’ll leave the hospital tomorrow, go to a replacement depot for a time and be re-assigned to the same outfit.

Yes, my arm is all better now, with just a little red line for a souvenir. Believe me, the medics in this war have a lot of know-how. They have licked infection completely with penicillin and sulfa-drugs. That makes it possible for them to heal wounds by leaving them open and starting the healing from the inside out. Then when they sew them up they know they have done a complete job. Also they use anesthetics liberally. I have never felt any real pain with this thing. Had morphine when I first got in, and when they worked on it they used a drug injected onto the right arm to put me completely out. 

Marjorie sent me some pictures taken at Christmas time. Bet you had a good time with all those little ones around. Carlie looks as bright as ever, Merellyn as prim, and Greggie as lovable. Laura sent me a couple of her super pictures of Greggie. How in the world does she take such good pictures all the time? Develops them herself, too. She has talent.

Ma, I have practically reached the phenix of laundry facilities. In the company we have a rotation system on sox that enables me very simply to toss dirty sox into the supply room and pick up a new pair each day. As for other clothes, and even sleeping equipment, they are as a rule communal property. We just draw what we need and my friend Sgt. Fee always remembers me. So tho I have lost practically everything I came over with, I have found a new system that fits my temperament very well. No work, no worry. 

The whole question of equipment at the front is beyond the imagination of capitalist Americans. Property has value only for what [if?] you can use it in the next few minutes. It’s not waste, it’s just a fact. An objective is so important that individual equipment is too small an item to consider, even, while taking it. When you are thru using a weapon or a blanket or what have you, you put it down and go ahead. Some guy behind you is probably looking for a blanket, so there it is when he comes along. We even use German equipment the same way. Actually thousands of dollars worth of stuff just lays around for whoever wants it to pick up. Curios, souvenirs, anything. But nobody touches most of it unless they can use it. What could they do with it? If it was a mile or two in the rear it would be worth a fortune, but there, nothing.

I’ll write when I can,

Love to all,

Wallace

February 20, 1945 Tuesday

21st General

France

Dearest Honey,

Ha, I did manage to get a pen. It’s not writing very well, tho. May have to switch to pencil again. Let’s see know, yes. This is better. 

Since I wrote yesterday the main things I have done are to write to Laura, and the folks. Went domestic just now and washed some socks and two handkerchiefs for myself. Not a bad job either, you know.

Tomorrow I definitely do leave the hospital. They didn’t get my reports in in time to leave today. That’s the leisurely way of the hospital. It struck me how slow everything goes here when I came back from division. No doubt they plan it that way.

I received the pictures to replace the ones in my wallet. Yes, that was a loss, Hon, particularly the glossy print of you. Lost, too, the set of foreign bills I was making to send you. The English money may be hard to replace here. 

Oh, while I remember, Honey, let me put in some requests, to wit: Please send me a wallet, a pair of little scizzors [sic] to keep my moustache under control, and some fudge. 

There, now please don’t interpret those as anything urgent, because they’re not. I may enclose requests when I think of them just so you will have the credentials when you run across any of the items and have nothing else to do. Okay? Roger. Men who are always sending home for stuff make me impatient. We aren’t bad off here, and it seems they are just indulging themselves and making it harder for people back home. I don’t want to be like that. 

Say, you really are keeping busy these days. It all looks swell to me. The music should be fun for you and your KTC schedule appears O.K. I am writing very anxiously to hear how your N.O. and Texas talk came out. By summer I shall have a very famous lady for a wife. I can see that, and it makes me glow proudly. Keep up the good work, Bunny. Are you in New York City this week? Hope you made it and have a wonderful time. Pick some nice places for us to go when I come back. New York is still pretty green country for us together. We’ll explore it our way someday. Huh?

You must have had a good evening with Barb Wiggin and Bev Huey. Seemed good to hear about the Alpha Gamma Rho men. Guess we won’t have much of a chance to reunite in France, but when we get back we certainly will.

I was quite sad to hear about Ev. Mason. He was the one we met at that dance in Abilene. Tho he was never a bosom pal of mine, I knew him well over a period of years. From our freshman year when he marched in the front row of the band and couldn’t keep in step, to Abilene. He was in my platoon at Wheeler, too. He was a bit slow, but not dumb, and always exasperated me a little because he was so good. A modern puritan, completely moral, loyal, and dutiful. He will fit perfectly into memorial day tributes and ceremonies somehow. He always went to church and was good to his mother and never dreamed of not accepting the pilgrim duties he inherited. A product of his heritage, he died for it. And altho he never had a thought of his own, he probably was more right than he knew. 

I don’t know what unit he was with but around Nov. 27, I was just going into the lines around Bitche – between Bitche and Saarbrucken. We were right on the German border after our break-thru of the Maginot line. It was an easy mission for us, because most of the Maginot line was not occupied by the Germans in our sector. 

As for the other men you know – I haven’t seen Sayers, Beatty, or Harris over here. You know about Forchielli. Buck picked up a little shrapnel way last December and isn’t back with us yet. Young is with the Company. I have seen Patterson occasionally and he was O.K. up to last I heard. Olewine is still in England. Writes occasionally, expects to rejoin us. Fairbairn is O.K. once more and back with the Company.

Margaret and Harold Lewis. Well, well. I think they will make a good [story! -crossed out-] couple. Harold is tops with me and Margo is very nice – if only she was not so gushy. In spite of that, she is a swell kid, and I hope we know them well in years to come. When she gets gossiping Harold and I can withdraw and have a drink or something. Give them my best wishes.

You have mentioned that you are still interested in Mexico. I had a fascinating talk with a man here who spent a summer in Mexico City – living with people and studying the communist movement there. He is enthusiastic over the prospects of the Indian people there. They are conscious of their heritage as Indians, and progressive at the same time, he says. He is critical of the pseudo-Spanish group – bent on preserving the old aristocratic, Europe-copying set.

Your listing of the hit parade is revealing – I don’t know any of them! Must be out of touch with things. Heard “Accentuate the Positive” for the first time last night, after reading about it in your letter.

It is inevitable that Grammie will get more feeble as time goes by, and will need more care. I am glad that you are in a position to do as much as you can for her. She certainly deserves all we can give her, and we’ll see that she gets it. We’ll just include her in our plans. She’s such a grand person. I do hope her sight doesn’t go out completely, but if it should I know she is big enough to take it. And, of course, we’ll do what is necessary to see that she is as comfortable and as happy as we can make her. You know what is needed more than I right now, so do what you think is best. If caring for her interferes with other things you want to do, is there any way you can get anyone to stay with her?

That was a cute picture of the Russell pets you sent. Keep your eye out for a good Boston Terrier, so we can have one as soon as there is a place to keep one. Ever thought of a canary? One that could sing well might please Grammie, too, and make a good apartment pet. 

Laura writes me that I have an extremely clever and pretty wife. That was not news to me by any means. She stressed the idea that you were becoming cleverer and prettier all the time, tho. Told me about the dress with “Wallace” in the trimming and how nice it looked. I puffed all up and felt very flattered. The best way to make a man feel good is to say something nice about his wife, I guess. Worked very well on me. I was just thinking along the same lines. 

I bet you would like me to hug you tonite, Hon. I’ve just taken a bath and sprinkled powder all over me. I’m “Cashmere Bouquet” tonight! Anyway, I would like more than anything to hug you tonite and tell you I love you very tenderly and sincerely. I do so awfully, Hon. I know that, and our faith and understanding will see us thru anything. You’ll always be my wonderful, trim little wife, and I’ll always love you very, very much. I won’t change, Hon, not inside and that is where our relationship is most real. So sleep well and have all the faith and trust in the world. I’ll always be there.

Every bit of my love,

Wallace

February 19, 1945 Monday

France

21st General

Hello again, Bunny,

Just want to thank you once more for some of your last November’s letters. I read all the clippings with real interest and the jokes are good – I like the ones about the psychiatrists – like this “I hear things” one, or the one I saw where a lady with deep blue skin was diagnosed as “extreme melancholia.” The “Bits of Wisdom” bits, too – “Ours is a world where people don’t know what they want and are willing to go thru hell to get it.” Maybe after going thru it, you have a better idea on the subject. You and I haven’t had exactly smooth waters, but we know what we want pretty clearly, don’t you think? And we even appreciate very well what we do have, which I think is an awful lot. Our dreams alone are more than most people ever have. And our store of memories is already rich. I’m glad you keep them fresh for me in your letters, Hon. They do not generally make me nostalgic, but very satisfied; for I remember the events and say “she’s still there, and waiting – our future will be even better than these.” Together or not, we still have the most wonderful thing any people could have, that basic, remarkable little miracle that you call our “togetherness.” We have that; anything else we have isn’t really miraculous, but grows out of that miracle very naturally. That’s what makes us different and very lucky, whatever happens. 

I believe I’ll send you the Xmas Greetings I received from the Church. It has some good local pictures, particularly the inside of the church. Can you see the two people being married up there? Wonder who they are?

Just received and studied the careful and complete copy of my U.N.H. record you sent. Very interesting. Considering the circumstances under which I received it, and that it is not the last step in “our” education, I am satisfied with it. It is spread out in a lot of different fields, but shows at least a trend toward specialization that we must build on – history, psych, education, and music are the main things and all fields I am interested in. The languages fit into a broad base, too. History and music will become general, avocational interests and psych and education will take specialization. Feel sure that if I had actually had a senior year, my last grades would have really been in there; because at the end of my junior year I knew exactly what I was doing. I had you to keep me on the beam and a certainty about the courses I wanted to work hard at. Never had a combination like that before!

The Boston Globe needs a proof reader, I guess. I either one of the people in the picture you sent is Ernie Pyle, he certainly has changed! I can only deduce that Pyle was in the original picture but left without notice, as reporters will, to cover an important new assignment. 

I told you, diddle I, that I went to see the Doc about getting out of here. I thought I would get out tomorrow but it looks like it will be the next day now. That’s the latest, tho. You see, I’m using the time I have to write all I can to you, Hon. When I leave here I will go to a replacement depot – called the repo-depot – that will take a few days, and I believe I’ll be able to write you from there. Then I will go back to the Company.

I am sending you a hammer in order to accomplish something that my letters may not be able to do. That is to pound home the idea that you have a faithful and devoted husband who loves you more than anything in the whole world, who thinks of you all the time and who wants above all to come home to you just as soon as possible. I’m always yours, whatever happens.

Every bit of my love,

Wallace

P.S. ‘Tis said that 3 taps of this hammer on the tip of the nose will convince you that I love you very, very much always, and will raise your spirits to the smiling point. Just see__