April 13, 1943

Fort Riley, Kansas

April 13, 1943

My Darling Mark,

I just received your letter about 15 min. ago. Talk about a morale booster – WOW!  I was feeling kinda blue ever since Sun. nite. I’ve already read your letter 4 times, & I’m just beginning.

Honey, I’m thinking about you so much right now I can hardly write. Besides that I’m writing by the light of a fire, & half the time I can’t see.  It’s too hot to get close & if I move away, there’s no light.  So bear with me, if you have to (have) this writing translated into readable words.

Mark – sweetheart, last nite I wrote & told you to come up this week-end. – well honey, I’m afraid, as much as I regret it, that you’ll have to postpone it, if you were coming up. We’re out in the field & I don’t know for how long. There’s a chance that I might be able to meet you in Junction City next Sat. but I don’t want to take the chance of you coming up & then me not getting to see you. I’d be awfully tempted to go A.W.O.L. for a couple of days. In this Army honey, you never know from one min. till the next what’s up. They keep us going around in a vicious whirl here. Boy is that fire getting hot. The flames throw so many shadows, I don’t know whether I’m writing on the paper or what.

INTERRUPTION

They just blew assembly call & I was informed that I’m on guard tonight. I go on from 10-12 & then from 4-6. I’m glad I got you to think of tonight.

Well – sweetheart it’s about 9:45 now so I’d better be closing, as much as I hate to. I can hardly see to write anyhow.

Sweetheart I guess I’ll just have to wait & pray it isn’t too long till I see you again.

Will let you know when I can see you next. And tell Lu. I’d like to have her come too, besides I wouldn’t want you to make the trip alone.

Honey I’ll have to finish this in the morning, I don’t think I’d better try to address an envelope.  Good-nite honey xxxoxxox.

April 14, 1:00 P.M.

Just finished chow & am now going out on the firing range to fire 50 cal. machine gun. Mercy it was cold on ground last nite. Write soon Sweetheart –

All my Love

Johnny