January 1945 South Pacific

Letter to sister Jewell


Dear Sis,

Don't have much to write about but thought I'd answer your letter received today. I haven't had a chance to write to anyone for the past 4-5 days, not even Mom, so I wrote her tonight.

We're still having that hot weather. It is about 110 degrees here every day.

There's nothing that I want for my birthday because there is nothing that I need. There's not much a fellow can use over here, anyway. Hard to believe I will be 19. I'm getting to be an old man. haha


I got some awful good pictures from Mom of her, Ruth and Betty. The boys said I sure had a good-looking family and couldn't understand why I was so ugly. They said they are going to go home with me after the war to meet my sisters. So, send me one of you to show them.

No, we can't have pictures taken over here. We aren't like those doggies over in Europe. They get anything they want; it's just like being home. I wish I could spend a vacation in Europe like they are doing.

It would be nice to get that "Sport Page of the Air", or anything, to read over here. It gets pretty lonesome sometimes.

Your brother,

Pedue


Dear Mom,

While sitting here with the sweat pouring off of me, thought I'd answer your letters received the day before yesterday.

Drank a good bit of beer last evening for New Year's, and laid down down and some boys woke me up fighting around midnight. I think every gun we have here cut loose to welcome in the new year.

Christmas and New Years was a whole lot better than I ever imagined it would be, even though I am so far from home.


I wrote you a letter last night and sent you a $50 money order. After I sent it, I got in a little poker game and won $50 more, so I'm sending it now. I know you won't want to spend it, but I want you to, so you and Dad can get out of debt. Besides, I got a good bit of money from you when I was in Washington. So, I want you to use this money however you want to. And don't cry about it, like you did the other time. I don't need it because I have no use for money over here.

Received an awful nice letter from June R. I think that she would be a nice girl for me, don't you. I was out with her twice, and she was too nice for me.

I think they will stop taking money out of my paycheck in February. When I get out of the marine corps, I get all that back, plus 4% interest. If something happens to me, which it won't, you will get the money.

Well Mom, I've got a hard day and night in front of me tomorrow, so I'm going to hit the sack and try to get some rest. I won't get to write tomorrow night, but will write day after tomorrow. You know, Mom,I got to stay in the states a long time compared to some of the boys. Some of them just got out of bootcamp and had to come over here.

Yes, I know I've got a good home to come back to, and I'm going to stay there for a long time. I'm never going to get married because I've got a sweet mother and dad to take care of after you get old.

You could Ruth a little something with the money and tell her it is from me since I didn't get her anything for Christmas. And of course, get Dad something, too. I want you and him both to use it.


.....Roosevelt is going to make a speech the 15th of the month, isn't he? Hope I get to hear it. They claim he's got some good news for the Marines.

Well, here I am back after 2 days and one night out. We had it pretty tough. Got back here about 3 hours ago and had three letters -- two from you and one from June. Makes a guy feel pretty good to be out a couple of days and then come in and have a couple of letters from home.

You all sure are having a rough winter this year, aren't you.

That Ray B. sure must like Betty, but I guess she doesn't care anything about him, does she?

I started this letter about 4 hours ago, but some boys came in and wanted me to go down and drink some beer with them, so I couldn't refuse. We also had some doughnuts from the Red Cross.

Mom, I'm sorry you haven't gotten a letter from me for a while but I write every chance I get. I'm sending you a piece of Jap money. Hope the censor will let it through.

Yes, I know that bunch over at Toots are pretty bad people. I know that because I hung around with them a little, but of course you didn't know about it.
.


Dear Mom,

Thanks for the pretty birthday card and the pictures. The boys said you look young and pretty enough to be my girlfriend instead of my mother, and I told them you'd be the sweetest girlfriend I ever had!

I swear, I've never seen such hot weather as what we have here. It gets 110 degrees during the day, and we have to go back out again starting day after tomorrow, for four days. So, don't worry if you don't hear from me during that time. I think we come back on Sunday, so I'll probably get to write Sunday night.

Well, I wrote to Louise and don't even remember what all I said, but then she wrote me back and said she wasn't going to get married now since I wrote that sweet letter. So, I wrote her back, but haven't heard anything from her.

There is a boy here in the Army who is making moonshine. I had a shot of it the other night, and it was pretty powerful.

Well, it has started raining, so I think I will close and hit the sack since I can sleep pretty good when it is raining. I will try to write again tomorrow night, but if I don't, I won't be able to write again until Sunday night.

January 21, 1945

Got back this evening and went to mail call and had four letters from you and a birthday card from Betty and Jewell.

Pretty tired tonight after those three hard days. Had one awful bad night. It rained all night, and I was sleeping in a fox hole, and there was about 1-1/2 inches of water in it when I woke up, so I got out and slept on the muddy ground. When daylight finally came, I looked, and there was about 8-10 inches of water in it. I believe that was the worst night I ever spent here. Well, anyway, I feel pretty good now.

Got a letter from Louise the other day, and she was telling me that she is going to wait for me to get married. Well, I'm going to fix that right now and just quit writing to her.

You could send that ID bracelet if you want. It would be nice to have. No, my number will never change. I will have it as long as I'm in the Marine Corp.

That was awful about Frank Bass getting killed by the train. I know that will hurt Ruby an awful lot.



January 27, 1945

Dear Mom,

Received 3 letters today; one from you and one from June R., and one from a guy that I did duty with in Washington. Oh yes, also got a birthday card from Roy. I've been getting quite a bit of mail here lately, and that always makes me feel good.

Was glad to hear that it had turned warmer back home. It has rained all day today here. I sure love to see it rain and wouldn't mind it raining every day. I'd rather be out in the rain than out under that broiling sun.

I sure thought Ken would get more than 5 months in the pen for stealing that gas. Boy, I know that will hurt his wife and daughter.