Dearest Gee.
Well, honey, I got two nice long letters from you yesterday dated Aug 9 + 10th. Sure got a kick out of your birthday number. You sure sounded worried because you hit thirty. Honey, I’ve been thirty for the last two years. Don’t worry about it because in the pictures enclosed you looked as sweet as ever. Only you’re thinner. I didn’t like the hat but maybe it was in the fault of the camera. I hope so. The other one taken up at Lorean’s was swell and I have it in with my other two pictures of you pinned up by my bunk.
It sounds like Erv is going to beat Chick home and I can’t figure that one out. Yes, I supposed the folks are all excited. I hope they weren’t too disappointed when T/5 Frank Barber turned out not to be me. Guess maybe Erv’s telegram saved the day. Rumors are starting to fly around here now and I think something is brewing. I think we will be on our way home too before very long now. Nothing definite to go on yet and I guess it’s all a matter of transportation and the needs of the Norwegians. This king must be scared to have us leave for some reason or other.
Anna Mae’s baby is cute, isn’t it. Sure is a fat little thing. They must be real proud of it, huh.
To pass the time away around here I’ve been reading books. That sailor guy gave me two doosys for adults only. One is a book of short stories by Guy de Maupassant and the other is a n— story called “Strange Fruit”. It sure is raw in places. I finished them both finally so now I’ve dropped down to the Reader’s Digest.
You sure got some nice birthday gifts honey. From everyone but me. It sure hurts too kid, but I’ll make it up to you. In place of spending fifty cents on your next birthday, I’ll spend a dollar.
Guess you read about the explosion in Oslo of the German ammunition. One of the guys in my room has been doing that type work. He went with the Jerry crew while they loaded it and took it out to sea and dumped it. But he finished some time ago. They just got too reckless. It only takes once. I never went up to see it yet but probably will.
Today sure is gloomy. Looks like it wants to rain any minute but can’t. It’s rather chilly too. I wore my jacket this morning.
Did I tell you I finally got my blouse back from the tailor? He cut too much off the bottom and now it looks like a waiter’s jacket. Oh well, I hope I won’t have to wear it much longer. Getting discharged in the late fall or winter is going to be kinda rough on the work end of the deal tho. Haven’t figured that one out yet. Maybe I should wait till I’m discharged.
Damn funny you can’t get soap anyplace. I got all kinds. One of the guys took my ration card to Oslo last night and got me two more weeks rations. In it were two bars of Palmolive soap. We have to take it and it just lays around. We trade it off to have our clothes washed. In place of using our soap they use their old fish soap and the clothes stink to high heaven.
I’ll send the baby picture back so you can save it. Reckon we’ll ever have one of those jobs? Sure love you, honey, and miss you like everything. If I don’t see you pretty soon I’ll go nerts,
So long now.
Snook
Letters From Snook 