How Often I Dream of Your Return

Gene with parents and her brother,
Pierce, Lake Arrowhead, Aug. 8, 1943

January 15, 1945

My dearest Perry,

No letter today from my dear one. Oh Perry, you don't know how I live for your letters. They mean so much to me. It's been 7 or 8 days since I've heard from you but seems much longer. But I know soon I'll have a pile of letters to read--oh where are they now. I have written several thank you letters. Must write Dick and Pierce too. But you are first every night about this time.

I asked the boss (Mrs. Whiting) today if I could have Friday off cause that's the day I have to have my wisdom tooth pulled. I made that appointment in November, Perry, when you were still here. It seems such a long time ago. I'll sure be glad when the tooth is out. It's been bothering me so lately.

I'm going over to Verna's at 8:00 o'clock. Virginia will walk over with me. She and Dick have broken up. He wanted to marry her and they would have gone through with it. But today while she was with him  making plans, she kept asking him questions. Well you would never guess what happened. She finally found out that he has been married. He told her he has a little girl. When he was in the Army and stationed in North Dakota, he met a girl and married her, but they didn't get along even from the start. So they separated and his divorce will be final in September of this year.

He is very lonesome like my cousin so thought they ought to be able to hit it off together. But Virginia would have none of him when she found this out. I feel so sorry for her now though cause it has all upset her quite a bit and made her cry tonight. She is still so unsettled--no job yet and no place to live. She has been looking for an apartment. Of course mother will keep her here as long as she wants to. Guess she will go back east with her mother in the spring. Dad and mother have gone ward teaching this evening. Daddy is getting so he can eat better now too. You know how bad his stomach is at times. He fasted yesterday and felt wonderful.

(Later) I took my first voice lesson tonight, Perry. I liked it. Verna says that if I will stick at it for a year, she promises I will have a very beautiful voice and will be singing solos in church. It sounds pretty wonderful doesn't it. She likes my voice and says I would be a lyric soprano. My voice is quite high. What do you think, Perry, shall I take a years training?

Well, darling, I must go to bed now. Oh dear heart, where are you tonight? God be with you and give you his protection I pray in Jesus' name, amen. I love you my husband. Your own wife, Gene

January 17, 1945

Oh my love, my sweetheart, how I miss you. How often I dream of your return. I love you so much, Perry. I want you.

January 18 - at office

I wasn't able to finish this last night. I was so tired and so blue. But I always want to write you every night. Perry (now don't you laugh) I want to tell you something. Well, I guess I must be filling out and changing in appearance. I am being teased. Dad says I'm getting more beautiful every day--thinks my face is fuller. Mother thinks I'm gaining weight and becoming more mature cause I'm married and in love. (Guess who I love.) Evelyn says I'm changing too. Every time I wear a sweater she says, "You look good in sweaters, Gene. Say, you're getting bigger, aren't you?" which makes me blush. I think you have a lot to do with this, Perry. Now what do you have to say for yourself?

Virginia went to San Diego again to see her mother. I do believe she will marry that Dick Tucker after all. I really don't think he is good enough for her, but he has talked her into it. He is with her. She wanted her folks to meet him.

Perry, the ladies here in the office said to say "hello" for them. They ask me about you nearly every day. Perry, you know I like California. The weather here is just perfect. It hasn't rained here since December and it seems like spring now. I'm sending you that little package I told you about. Please let me know when you get it, honey. I love you, my sweetheart husband. Please take good care of yourself for me. I hope I have some mail from you tonight. Always your loving wife, Gene

August 22, 1944, Gene's brothers,
Richard home on leave and Pierce recently enlisted

January 18, 1945 (Thursday evening)

Dearest husband Perry,

Today I received your letter of the 13th. It was postmarked the 15th. Darling, day by day I have looked for a letter or letters from you. I guess you must have been busy or you would have written sooner. Oh Perry, sweetheart, I try to write you a letter everyday as I promised. I did so think that you would too. Was I expecting too much? Should I not be this disappointed? Darling, you know your letters are like having you here. Won't you come to me oftener in this medium? Perry, it's not that I think you would slight me or forget me. I just see my girlfriends getting letters so often from there boyfriends and husbands and missing you so, I forget that your letters can't reach me everyday cause you are in the Navy. I love you so much, sweetheart. Please write me often too. If we can't be together again for a long time, let's make it easier for each other this way. Oh, I am so blue tonight, Perry, but I mustn't cry. I must be brave. God help me.

I went to chorus practice tonight. I didn't feel much like singing though. Oh Perry, I know I mustn't write such depressing letters to you. I have a feeling that you too must have been feeling blue. Were you crying too, my lover, when you wrote this letter? I feel so close to you that whatever you feel I know I must too. I pray each night that soon you might return that we could be together forever. I pray that the war might end soon. The dear Lord will guide you back to me, Perry, I know He will. He answers prayers. Our hearts will be comforted. He will give us strength to endure.

We had quite an earthquake tonight, Perry. It left us quite shaken up. It was about like the last one we had. Mother and I have told you about that one. It happened when we were in church. This one happened right after I started writing you this letter. They sure do scare me.

We received a letter from Emily today, also one from Richard. He is still in Egypt. Said he'd received a letter from you. How sweet of you, darling, to write him. He will be writing you too he said. Emily [Richard's wife, Gene's sister-in-law] says Ricky has just gotten over the chickenpox. He had it pretty bad. What a wonderful blessing that child is to her. He really keeps her busy, but she seems so happy. I wish more than ever now that I were going to have a child. But that must wait now too. It must have been the Lord's will that we not have a child till after your return.

I am having my tooth pulled early in the morning so had better go to bed now and get some sleep. My prayers and thoughts are ever with you dear heart. I love you so. Your loving wife always, Gene.

I thought at this point it might be helpful to occasionally post what is happening on the Pacific front during the war. It could explain why Perry is not always able to write as often as Gene would like. Remember, Perry is on a navel carrier assigned to transport planes and troops, but for security purposes, he is not allowed to write about where he is or what he is doing. 


"January 3, 1945 - Gen. MacArthur is placed in command of all U.S. ground forces and Adm. Nimitz in command of all naval forces in preparation for planned assaults against Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan itself. January 11, 1945 - Air raid against Japanese bases in Indochina by U.S. Carrier-based planes." (www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/pacificwar/timeline.htm)


My Darling Sweetheart,


It seems like quite a while since I wrote you and yet I know it has only been a few days. I hope you have been getting my mail often enough to keep you from getting the blues. I can't write you very much right now, but I do want to get this off and tell you again how much I love you and that everything is ok with me. I hope you are doing as well.


I surely do hope I get some of that mail soon that surely must be stacking up for me some place. That will be more fun that opening Christmas packages. Darling, I love you so much. I think of you all the time. Please when you write, tell me all that you are doing and don't hold back anything. Tell me everything that is in your heart. Devotedly yours forever, Perry