Dickie was Dad and Eddie’s older brother Jesse’s little boy, who idolized his Uncle Elwood and would save his letters. Dad was proud of his nephew too and of how well he was doing in school. All those little pieces of family news gave soldier’s a sense of connection, stability, and hope for the reunions they dreamed of on a daily basis. Dad downplayed in his letters home everything from the Blitz to any personal pessimism he felt about the war. Our soldiers now in Iraq and Afghanistan feel the same need to be connected by phone calls, e-mails, letters, home videos, that all keep them in touch with the loved ones they have left behind and hope to see again soon. Dad always said for years after the war that nothing lifted his spirits more than letters from home. It didn’t matter how trivial the news, Dad would hold the letters in his hands and read them over and over again, sometimes even putting them under his pillow, especially the letters from Bonnie. JB
Dear Mom & Dad,
I received two letters from you yesterday and I was really happy. We didn’t get any mail for a long time this month. We were about ready to tear the post office down and use it for fire wood to make coffee.
How is everyone there at home? I sure hope they are all right. Mom, I received that poem you wrote about Eddie, and it was wonderful. I am going to send it to the STARS AND STRIPES and see if they will put it in the paper, and maybe the ones over here we know would see it. I can’t get over how nice that poem is. You keep mentioning the pictures you sent me, but as yet I haven’t go them. I was hoping they would come today, but the mail man forgot me again. I’m going to shoot that guy sometime, just wait and see. I told him the other day that if he didn’t soon start getting some mail for me, he had better start writing to me himself, or else. The only trouble was he didn’t take me serious.
You said Dickie would be very proud if I would write to him so I wrote him a letter tonight. I addressed it to Mr. Richard Bolinger. Maybe he’ll grow out of his pants. If he does, Jess and Bee will shoot me when I get home. Man, what a wonderful word that is, “HOME.” I was looking at some American money the other day and believe it or not, it made me homesick. Egad, how I would like to spend some good old Yankie money again.
Gee, wasn’t it swell that Eddie made school? I was sweating him out, and that was some relief. I hope he is in school when this darn war ends. Don’t tell my honey, but that is one time I am going to get grand and gloriously blind. When the armistice is signed and I get a pass, I’m going to head straight for a soda fountain and popcorn joint. How is the weather back there? Is it still as hot as it was when you wrote the last time? I guess it won’t be by the time you get this letter, huh? Blast these Germans. I wish they would all die of a heart attack or something, so all the bloodshed in the world would stop. I believe if they ever quit, the Japs will understand the situation, and fold up too. Only the Japs should be made to take it until they can’t fight anymore, the Germans too for that matter.
Gee, there was about ten days that I couldn’t write to Bonnie and I was really worried. I still am in fact. I guess when I get home and tell her about what we were doing, she will understand. I sure hope so anyway. She’ll probably want to know why I didn’t write her at least a short note, but sometimes even they are hard to get at. Bonnie has understood why I can’t write sometimes for quite a while though, so maybe she won’t be angry with me. I’ve only written to you once in over a week. Boy, this ETO is going to get me down one of these days.
Well, I guess I’ll close for now. I sure hope everyone is alright back there. Please don’t worry about me. I’m just fine and dandy, but homesick as all heck. Be careful and take care of yourselves. Tell everyone I aid” hello” and tell them to write. I wrote Bonnie a five page letter just before I wrote to Dickie tonight, so maybe she won’t be too angry.
Bye for now. I’ll write again soon.
