Saturday, October 13, 2012

I think of you and long for you every moment

Oct. 3, 1945

My Darling Gene,

Seems like it's either too hot or too cold. The transition from such hot weather to such cold in the last two days has almost been too much for me to adjust to. Today it got quite rough again accompanied by a cold wind and dense fog. We couldn't even see any of the ships with us. Guess we'll come out all right though and some day I'll be able to enjoy some decent weather again.

Gene, I saw an officer, a former lawyer, who takes care of all the legal matters aboard ship, about giving you power of attorney. He said we don't have any of the necessary forms on board and some banks are quite strict on that. If you would go to your bank and request a form or blank for power of attorney which that bank uses and send it to me, I could fill it out and have it notarized and return it to you.

However, I believe that it would be just as easy to send me the check in a registered letter and I could sign it myself and return it. That would probably be the better unless you expect to have to sign my name again in the near future because I expect to be coming back fairly soon. Then if I had to leave again, I could give you power of attorney before I left.

Another alternative, if you don't need the money and if the check will still be good for a few months yet, would be to merely keep the check until I come back. I'll leave it up to you to decide which of those three alternatives would be the best under the conditions. I'll be able to let you know later how the possibilities for a sooner return to the States are shaping up. Nobody knows yet but our communications officer told us he thought (only his personal opinion) there was a pretty good chance of us returning to the States possibly by the last of November. That seems to be about the general opinion so I'll pass it on to you so you know as much as I do and can plan accordingly.

Gee whiz, it's so cold. All I want to do is go to bed and wrap up in my blankets. (Surely wish I had someone to cozy up with!!) Surely does seem strange to see everyone getting out their blankets and fur-lined coats again. I feel much better in this cold weather than the heat though. It seemed like last night was the first really good sleep I've had since Frisco. I really feel refreshed and rested when I sleep where it's cool.

Perry & Gene with youngest daughters, Renee & Harriet
Darling, I'm sending you a little package, airmail. I was hoping it would arrive for our anniversary, but now they tell us they doubt if there will be any mail service up there for several days because we are going to be the first ships there. So it may be late in arriving. Anyway, I hope you will know I have been thinking of you and will be especially so on that day. I was also going to try and do something else special for you but if there's no mail service I won't be able to. I'm sorry I didn't do it before.

Sweetheart, I hope so much that you will have a pleasant anniversary day and that you will at least get a letter from me or something. We are surely going to have to make up for some of the things we have missed during our first year. I love you so very much my darling wife that about all I want is to have you by my side forever.

Must close for now my love. I'll be thinking of you always--every moment. Yours, Perry

Oct. 4, 1945

Hello My Darling,

This morning we passed through the strait between Honshu and Hokkaido. You could see both islands on either side. It was and is yet very cold and windy. Guess we'll arrive at Oturo (our destination) early in the morning.

I got paid this afternoon so I immediately made out a money order to you for $50 which I am enclosing in this letter. I too hope we are able to make that one thousand dollars. Have you been putting all of your allotment checks in the bank? Or do you make enough from your work to pay your living expenses? Also Gene, you haven't mentioned receiving any more war bonds. I think you should have received three or four in all by now. How many do you have? Mother and Dad have two also which were sent to them before I was married.

Also I'll receive $300 mustering out pay ($100 for first 3 months after I am discharged) so we should be able to save our thousand by that time, don't you think? Surely do wish we had a little home we could put it all into. Of course I'm determined we are gong to have a good honeymoon after I get out and that will take some of it. Well, so much for financial matters.

I'm surely hoping something will happen so we'll get some mail while we are up here. Or else I hope we get unloaded and get out of here in a hurry. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll be sorta' low in spirits by the time we get back to where we can receive mail again.

I often wonder what I would have done all this time out here if I hadn't had the memory of you and your letters to keep my soul alive. Honestly my darling, you are so dear to me in so many ways. How could I keep from loving you.

Will close for now my sweetheart. I think of you and long for you every moment. God grant that we might be together again and forever soon. Your loving husband, Perry

Oct. 5, 1945 (Friday)

Dear Sweet Husband Perry,

I received two very wonderful letters from you this evening--the 16th and 24th of Sept. Your letter of the 16th was the best. And darling, the little picture is so precious to me. You are the only one I see in it. Oh, I love you Perry, I love you so much.

(Sunday) Darling, I started this to you Friday night but it was rather late and I was so tired. I'll tell you what I did. Thursday evening after work I went over to the Biltmore Theater and bought two tickets to the play "The Red Mill" with victor Herbert's music. I had heard that it was good so wanted to take mother. I luckily got two pretty good seats for Friday night, 1st row in the balcony. It played for two weeks and Saturday night was the last performance. Oh, Perry, it was so good. The costumes and the music were so pretty. We really enjoyed it very much.

Perry, I wish you and I could learn a few of those songs and sing them together sometimes. They are so pretty in duets. It would be such fun don't you think? I read about the operas coming next month. I think there will be about 10 or 12 in all. I asked mother and dad if they wanted to see a good one. So they picked out "Carmen" and I bought the tickets. Rise Stevens is the star. It's played on the night of November 10th, Saturday. Lily Pons is in several this season too, "Rigoletto" and "Lucia Di Lammermoor." Wish I could see her too, but I think one opera a year will be enough for me. Wish you could be here to see it with me Perry.

Last evening I went with mother to the patriarch's. She received her blessing. Oh, Perry, it was such a wonderful blessing! He let me sit in the room with them. His wife took it all down in shorthand. We sat and talked with them awhile afterwards. They are such lovely people. They have two little girls and a baby boy. I got home rather late so went right to bed.

I did a little shopping yesterday afternoon after work and then went home. It was cloudy all morning and rained some, but when I got in the car to go home, it just poured down. It seemed so good to see rain again. Today was a beautiful day. After Sunday school, the superintendent came up to me and asked if I would take the job of writing an article each month for the Adams Ward news on some subject pertaining to the Sunday School. He said he would give me more detail next week. I was quite surprised, but of course I said yes. It almost frightens me and I feel I shall need some help. He said he was sure I could do it and picked me cause I know everyone there and am familiar with the activities of the classes. (Oh, my!) I hope I can.

Perry, I bought some vitamin capsules last week to help build me up and give me more strength and energy. I'll take them for 90 days. They should help me. Oh darling, how sweet of you to remember me with such sweet gifts. The mother-of-pearl sounds lovely and, darling, the perfume is a very expensive kind. I shall love it. Yes, I have several bottles of perfume, but I like perfume so much that I think I shall like having a little collection.

Yes, Perry, I remember Keith Case. That surely is too bad. I hope you are able to see your other cousin too. You must have a lot of cousins, Perry, and quite a few in the service. I'm glad there are so many Mormon fellows aboard and a Mormon chaplain. It must be wonderful to be able to hold meetings on the ship. The patriarch was the speaker at Adams Ward tonight. He talked on the coming of the millennium and the gathering of the saints in Missouri and the building of the temple and the coming of Christ. It really makes one think that all of this is surely not far away but may happen very soon.

Oh, my husband, how I long to know when you are coming back to me. I need you so. I love you dearest Perry. I must go to bed now. Sweet dreams sweetheart. Your loving wife, Gene


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