November 1942–February 1943

Chapter 3 November 1942–February 1943 November 1, 1942 Dear Ray, I received your letter and also the check. I sure do appreciate the money and I will pay you every cent when I come back from the furlough. I am trying to get it at the end of this month but they haven’t told me if it was ok yet. They are letting twenty-five at a time go. The first bunch came back today and the second twenty- five leave tomorrow. I will probably be one of the third twenty-five, I hope. I told Mom I was coming, Ray, so she ought to be glad. She was always asking when they were going to give me a furlough and now they are going to. The way I have it figured out, it will take me about four days to get home, stay about seven and four days back. That will be my full fifteen days. I received the magazine you sent and I must say you look pretty good alongside the bishop and with that trophy, too. Boy, you must be doing an awful lot for those kids in your parish. I hope they appreciate all that you are doing for them. Eddie training in the desert–October 1942. 1 Well, Ray, we are getting ready to leave the desert. They tell us we will be sent out of here by the fifteenth of this month and then back to Camp Cooke. It sure will be great to get back to camp. I am having some pictures developed and I will bring them home or mail them to either you or home. They were all taken out here on the desert and they are pretty good ones. Well, I will close now, because I have a few more letters to answer, so take care of yourself and thanks again for the money. May God bless you. Eddie PS: We had a big religious day out here last Sunday and I received Holy Communion. The service lasted about two hours and we had a fine sermon by a young priest. It was swell. November 3, 1942—London Hello sweetheart, The cable I sent yesterday must have been as much of a surprise to you as my sudden move here was to me. To sum everything up in a short space of time, I’m with t h e S t a r s a n d S t r i p e s headquarters now and enjoying my work immensely. Whereas the paper was published as a weekly since April it became a daily today. You can realize how Charles’ cable to Billee about his transfer–November 1942. much work it will mean for the staff. Still, there is a very capable group of men to do the work and I’m sure it will be a great success. Bob Moora and Bud Hutton, two members of the editorial board, were former N.Y. Herald- Trib[une] and World-Telegram men. One of the first assignments I had was an interview with Col. (Mrs.) Oveta Culp Hobby, director of the WAAC. I’m sending today’s paper to you so you can read the results for yourself. Wish me luck. I have your letter of Oct. 12... have had it for almost two weeks now and this is the first chance I have had to write since then. Even now, I’m squeezing in a few minutes with you. When everything gets down on an even keel again I’ll be able to devote all my spare time to you. Before I go any further, I’ll have to tell you this, too. My plans for Christmas shopping may “go with the wind.” Living expenses here are a bit higher than they were in N.I. However, I’ll still endeavor to do my best to send the money I mentioned. If it doesn’t come in time you will know why. I’ll keep you posted from time to time on my progress in that department. 2 Now, another thing about the bonds. I haven’t had a moment to spare and see the proper people about the change in address but I’ve had some information on it. If you didn’t get the Sept. bond, I’ve been told not to worry about it since the Treasury Dept. may be a bit slow in getting around to the deliveries. I’ll keep you informed about that, too. I have my fingers crossed regarding my Christmas package. No doubt you have seen the news report that quite a few of our packages are in possession of Davy Jones at present [an allusion to “Davy Jones’ locker,” i.e., at the bottom of the sea]. In our paper today, one of our officers made the appropriate remark that he hopes Davy has a lousy Christmas. Now that I’ve had a bit of good fortune in getting back in the “game,” as it were, I miss you more than ever because I want to share my good fortune with you. All I can say, though, is that you are ever uppermost in my thoughts, and that I love you, so much. We were together for a while at church yesterday. I’ll be back, saying “hello,” soon. ‘Bye. All my love and kisses, forever and always, C. PS: Love to Mother and the Gilberts. November 4, 1942—Massillon My darling, How do I rate a cable and two letters since Monday? The only think I can make out of the cable is that you have been made one of the staff members of the Stars and Stripes, but where? Ireland or London? I’m so thrilled and proud. Now you can go on with your writing. I can’t wait to get the letter telling me all about it. We had fun in London. That’s the way I feel after reading your letter... bless you. How I envy you... it sounded like a Cook’s tour, but you probably saw more on your own. To think I missed the broadcast. Were you excited? I wouldn’t have been able to say anything. I’m glad your side won. If I repeat in my letters it’s because I don’t hear from you as often as you do from me. I did get all the letters that you mentioned in this last one. I’m tired, but I want to stay with you as long as I can because I won’t have a chance to write in the morning. Yes, I started to work yesterday on that 3:30 to 12:00 shift. I don’t mind it so much. It definitely takes up your evenings. I only work five days. The job is simple and when I think of the responsibility I had at Ivey’s and the little bit I’ve got there, I have to laugh. I think they figure on working us in on the jobs that quite a few young fellows have, since they will be called for service before long. The job is in the order department where all the orders from the different companies are typed, filed and figured, etc. I’m not sure yet just what goes on. I just do what they tell me. There are a nice bunch of girls working there. Most of them I know either directly or indirectly. A lot of the fellows I went to school with or swimming so I felt right at home. The office is right in with the 3 steel mill. They are to take new ones through the mill on special days so we can appreciate what we are doing. It is definitely different than what my former job was, but I think I’ll like it. It’s almost like an army or something around here. You know they work three shifts and there is always someone either going from or coming to work. You see everyone with a lunch basket. This is the production army I’ve heard and read about. Since it is only five days, I was called to the Mercy hospital where Mom works... they wanted me for full time, but I had already accepted the job at Republic Steel, so I am going to work over there on Saturdays. It will mean about $15 extra a month and that isn’t to be sneezed at, eh? So far, I haven’t received the bond, but I guess it will come in good time. Your letter of the 27th came yesterday but since the letter of the third had come before I didn’t pay any attention to the fact that your furlough might be postponed. I can just see you pecking away at the typewriter trying to see by candlelight. I read parts of your letter to the family about the trip. They enjoyed it so much. Talking about “solitude,” my dear, you’re always with me... when I walk along the streets by myself, going to church, taking the day for a run, even dancing with someone else... you’re there. In other words, I love you. Amazing after all this time, it still gives me a new thrill to even think about it, to see that familiar scrawl on the envelopes. We want so little and have to fight so hard to get it, but I know it’s worth every minute of our separation. I love football games. I hope to be able to go to our Canton-Massillon game.

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