June 27, 1944. From Bill to his wife. Letter 1 of 6.
In June of 1944, as the world stood in the shadow of global conflict, a young Navy man named Bill put pen to paper. Writing from a training camp far from home, he describes the rhythms of military life that include boat drills, cold 5am showers, immunizations and woven through it all, a tender devotion to his wife. In this letter, we can hear the quiet resilience of a generation, and the enduring power of love in uncertain times. Letter 1 of 6 from Bill to his wife.
Tuesday noon
Dear Honey —
Went boat riding this morning. Boy! Is the water nice in this lake. Just like Silver Lake. This lake is forty miles long. There must have been seventy five boats out all at once with thirteen men to a boat. So you see there was quite a gang. Am going for my third typhus injection this afternoon. It seems just when we get feeling good they give us another needle. I guess it won’t be too bad.
We have to learn the semaphore, that is signaling by hand flags. Had to learn the eleven general orders last week.
We’re beginning our service week Thursday and I think I’m going to be in the kitchen. Well that’s better than being in the grease pit washing dishes. At least I can eat all I want in the kitchen.
I’m beginning to feel wide awake up here because I don’t get those sleepy spells like I did every afternoon when I got out of the shop. Course I have hit the hay at nine thirty but I get up every morning, quarter after five and take a cold shower and wash up in good shape. We don’t have to get up until five thirty tho, but the early bird gets the worm. You ought to see those school kids at five thirty, it’s all you can do to get them up. They’re used to sleeping late and it affects them bad. Some look as if they’re going to cry when we shake them to get up. Have some with the wise guys especially.
How does my mail come thru? I write every day and sometimes twice. Your mail comes thru every day. Up here they handle about four times as much mail as Fitchburg or about 275,000 pieces of mail so don’t be surprised if my mail don’t come thru. That’s 275,000 per day.
Well got to close now and will write tomorrow and remember I love you very much.
Love, Bill