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  • Writer's pictureFlea Market Love Letters

March 30, 1942.




2100

Still at Quantico

Hello “Bouncy”,

See you can’t get rid of me. Aren’t you glad?

We waited and waited at the station but about 0010 orders came through changing our trip until tomorrow morning.

I’m sitting on my bunk again, which I thought I had seen for the last time this morning.

Hey “sugar puss”, enclosed you will find the picture that I was telling you about. Remember the letter you wrote my describing how you wore the emblem on everything, even your pajamas? Well can you think of a more appropriate drawing to picture your very words. Pardon me if I say that I bet you look still even more lovely wearing it. How do you like the saying also?

You will also find enclosed a picture of my exact barracks. If you look real hard you can see me leaning out the second deck window straining my eyes looking to see if I can see a certain darling Betty up in N.G., CT.

The barracks is a real “mad house” again just like the last night we shoved off from P.I. I was pressing my uniform when we started horse playing and in the midst of it I tripped and kicked a tin pail I had full of water to spray my clothes with all over the deck.

Also just like last time I received a package from the church and had to get rid of everything chop chop so I wouldn’t have excess baggage.

Say hon, will you copy off the little enclosed poem as I would like to have a copy too. I picked it up out of some stuff one of my buddies didn’t want. All I did was read it over before I am sending it to you. (I also read it to see if it was free from improper language!) No rush as long as I get it sometime before 1950. Ha!

I suppose you will get tired of seeing this sentence so often within two letters but dearest, I miss you something awful. Nothing seems to be able to make me snap out of my lonesomeness. Betty I really am a very lonesome marine tonight. After seeing you I just want you with me always. Darling I can’t wait until we get married and have everything that all happy married couples have yes just You + I. (Son - ‘Darling You and I’ know the reason why… We do to, don’t we hon?)

You know cute, I liked the ride back from Quanitco to Wash best because we were side by side more and kind of snuggled up more than the rest of the time. Gosh I don’t why I should say things like this but we go well together. Gosh your beautiful with a capital B.

I decided to write out the poem that I found typewritten so hon disregard that last part about returning me a copy. I have more time than I thought so here it goes. – Quote:

“The U.S. Marine Corps”

“You can have your Army khaki

You can have your Navy blue

There’s still another fighter

I’ll introduce to you.

This uniform is different

The best you’ve ever seen

The heins call him a ‘devil dog’

But his real name is Marine.

He is trained on Parris Island

The land that God forgot

Where the sand is 14 inches deep

And the sun is scorching hot

He has set many a table

And many a dish he has dried

He can also make a bed

And a broom he sure can guide

He has peeled a million onions And twice as many spuds

He spends his leisure time

In washing up his duds.

Now girls take a tip

I’m giving it to you

Just grab yourself a good Marine – (Hello Betty!)

For there’s nothing he can’t do.

And when he goes to Heaven

To st. Peter he will tell

Another Marine reporting sir,

I have served my time in Hell.”

Unquote.

Every bit of that is true. You can vouch for it after seeing Shores of Tripoli, huh? I hope the postman can carry this letter. It weighs a ton.

Well my “one and only” beautiful darling your leatherneck is tired and very, very lonesome so he’s going to shove off to bed and dream of his sweetheart Betty way up in North Guilford. I love you hon, always and forever.

Just your,

Jack (who is “Semper Fideles” to you)

XXXXX

Love + Kisses

I Love you very much

Si, Si, Si

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