If my letters make you happy, then I am happy

Feb. 14, 1945

My Darling Wife,

Hello Sweetheart. What are you doing now? You would laugh, or at best be surprised, if you could see me now. I am now in the Sick Bay writing this letter. I mentioned before about my wisdom tooth. Well, my jaw started swelling and became infected. Guess the tooth will have to come out as soon as the swelling goes down. I feel sorta silly being in here because I surely don't feel very sick, but the orders are orders. Guess I'll at least get plenty of rest and sleep for the next few days. Also plenty of time to write letters. I hope that pleases you as much as it will me.

This afternoon I already got all the sleep I wanted and did some reading. The rest of the time I was just lying down and thinking of you. Today is Valentines day. Were you lonesome for me sweetheart. I don't want you to be lonesome, but then I do like to be missed. Guess it's just my pride. And did you miss me yesterday, which was our 4th month anniversary. It surely doesn't seem that long does it? If I had been there I would have taken you someplace and we would have done something extraordinary or unusual like the time we went down to Chinatown. Do you remember?

When I get back, we are really going to make up for lost time. Are you game? The war news sounds a little bit better again, so I hope it won't be too long. It seems that everything about war is so unpredictable though. Anyway, all we can do is hope and pray for the best and let God take care of the rest.

It has been four days now since we received any mail aboard at all. The mail service doesn't seem to be so good coming this direction. It makes me mad especially when I know you are writing me nearly every day. I suppose I will be getting it one of these bright sunny days. And that day will really be sunny.

Well darling, I'll write you again tomorrow and if I don't hear from you, I will still keep on writing because there is no need of both of us being deprived. And then it makes me happier to write you anyway because if my letters make you happy, then I am happy. I love you, sweetheart, because of what you are and because you love me. Your affectionate husband, Perry

Feb. 15, 1945

Dearest husband Perry,

I've just gotten back from chorus practice. Mother went over too. Darling, I received three wonderful letters from you today. They were your letters of the 5th, 6th, and 7th. They thrilled me so, Perry, cause you expressed your love for me so sweetly. I loved the way you said you were madly and head-over-heels in love with your wife. I said to myself, "And you're his wife, you lucky woman."

Perry, Daddy took these pictures on my birthday. It was such a warm day that I put on some summer clothes. Does my hair look shorter? I think it looks a little better. I think I've lost a little weight too since I had my tooth pulled, but I shall try to gain it back. Where I am sitting on the wall is where you proposed to me--remember? I was thinking very strongly of you when Daddy took these pictures. I pretended I was looking at you. Now tell me if you get these ok.

I'm sending your cookies this week too--hope you get them. I received a sweet Valentine today from Hazel, Hope and June. Must write them now too. Viola and I are painting little dancers this week, also some horses. We will finish up tomorrow and start a new "batch" of work for next week. Today we worked till about 4:00 pm. Most often we work till 5:00 or 5:30 though depending on what we are painting for the day.

Darling, I surely do wish my letters would reach you in the right order, but I hope you get all of them anyway. Mother had two good letters from Pierce yesterday. It seems to take him ages to receive our mail. We write v-mail and airmail to him.

Guess I should go to bed now. It's getting kind of late. Last night I went to bed real early cause I didn't feel very good. (It's that time of the month, you now.) Yes, sweetheart, I'm still taking my voice lessons (every Monday night.) I haven't started learning any songs yet though. Mother bought me a little book called "Resonance in Singing and Speaking." She's going to get another on "Sight Reading." Hope I can learn something. I want to learn so I can sing with you and maybe join in with your sisters too. Golly, won't that be wonderful to be able to all sing together.

Oh Perry, my dearest, I love you so much. I too pray that the day will come soon and quickly when you will return to me. With all my love dearest husband, Gene

Feb. 16, 1945

My Darling Gene,

Guess I shouldn't say it but I am sorta blue tonight. We got just a little mail aboard yesterday, but I wasn't among the fortunate. Today nobody was lucky and I have been lying here in bed all day thinking of you and hoping I would have a letter from you tonight. So you see, my low spirits aren't entirely without reason. I know that my darling is writing me all the time though and one of these days I will get all of those sweet words you are writing.

I'll surely be glad when I get out of here. I am much happier when I am busy. This gives me too much time to think and my thoughts only make me lonely because I am so far from you. I have read quite a lot since I have been in here but I tire of that too. Eventually I always find my book by my side and I am thinking of you and of such times as the night of last Oct. 13th and 14th and 15th. Then I think of our Christmas before Christmas at your place and then our Christmas in San Diego. Then I think of when we go back to Utah.

I've thought of that so much that I go into every little detail and then wonder if it will all be exactly that way. I suppose psychologists would tell me I don't have very good control of my thinking and I had better control it or it will lead me to a bad case of "dimentia prosecox" or something like that--whatever that means.

One thing this separation should do for us is make us realize how precious our moments are together. It should make us resolve (it has me already) to never let any unkindness or harsh words mar our happiness when we can be together again--together always.

I am almost beginning to believe that unless one has loved and then had to be separated for a while from that love, they have never really loved at all, or else they don't realize how much they do love and how dear someone can be. Darling, I have always loved you and loved every minute we were together, but this separation seems to have magnified it all.

Goodnight for now, sweetheart, and to the one I think of most of all I say, all my love, Perry