Dearest Darling-

In 15 minutes we are to leave for a formation so maybe I will have to stop in the middle.

This morning they took us out in a field and gave us calisthenics (exercise). All kinds of knee bends, hopping, leg bends and so forth. I could just about walk or stand up when I finished. Boy oh boy am I in condition !!!?

Then after that we started marching and drilling. All morning long we marched forward, reverse, to the right, to the left and so forth over these hard stony roads and heavy mud and water holes and shrubbery and everything else. Then they gave us a heavy rifle and - there’s the bugle I got to stop - hold on honey i still love you.

Hello again - it is now Dec 2 - Time 7:10. I have just come back from breakfast and I am very miserable. Monday when I started this letter I was pulled off at 4:00 and had started guard duty. I worked 24 hours straight - at intervals. I paraded 2 hours and then had 4 off, etc. I marched 6 to 8 PM, 12 to 2 AM, 6 to 8 AM and 12 to 2 PM. In the meantime (4 hours) in between we tried to sleep on hard cots in an adjacent tent with no pillows and with all your clothes on.

So at 4:00 PM yesterday afternoon I was pretty tired. Also yesterday AM I put my name in for a pass to N.Y. (12 hours) SO about 6:)) PM tired as we were - we headed for N.Y. and arrived around 7:15. All nite long we paraded around and made eyes at all the pretty girls - all the ones who didn’t have a soldier, sailor, or marine on their tail (and there were very few left). I called up my old girl Gladys (remeber the letters we threw out) but no one was home. I also called up my Aunt Sylvia and extended best wishes & regards from the family and also yourself. Then I called up Bernie Newman - you remember her. I talked to her for sometime on the phone. She happened to be busy that nite so I couldn’t see her. She was flabbergasted when I told her I was married - she said oh then you don’t love me anymore - or words to that effect. She’s a very chrming person. If I can get another night off I will try and see her again. The three of us also walked through the theatre district and saw all the shows (from the outside). Then we went to the Stage Door Canteen on 224 W. 44th Street. It’s quite a place - full of service men and beautiful girls with cute little aprons who are the hostesses. Just about every one of the girls is really good-looking and swell dancers. I watched them. They give you a ticket good for free food. I had milk, cheese sandwich, and cookies. I just sat there and took it all in but I didn’t really enjoy it - and you know why.

Too bad I missed you again - What about this course you are taking - Let me know all about it.

How do you like my nerve - calling up in the middle of a blackout.

I was calling from Hotel Pennsylvania, the ritziest in town!!!

In the Astor we saw 2 cadets who had their Wings. Boy did they look the berries in their gabardine pants and dark coats, etc. Really swell.

We pulled into bed about 3:30 and got up at 6:00 AM - I am in grand shape - pardon me while I call my undertaker. Must close now for formation - I love you - I love you - I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Teddy

T E A M P.S. N.S.Y.

Dearly beloved,

You really will have to excuse my not writing for several days, but things are happening so darn fast that I really couldn’t find time. Take the last couple of days. Friday night we left Niagara Falls at 9:40 and boarded a train for New York. We rode sitting up, sprawling and trying to sleep all night long until 9:20 the next morning. We boarded another train at Penn Station, N.Y. for Long Island. We finally got to our destination about noon. We immediately went to chow and in the afternoon we were given bedding, quarters, interviews, and other incidentals. We were all very tired out from our long all night train ride. At 5:00 I learned that I was on K.P. for that same night. I went to work at 6:00 PM and worked all night until 4:00 AM (10 hours) and you can bet your last Trojan, and I’m not stretching a point, that it didn’t take much coaxing to put me to sleep. I slept today until about one this afternoon, and I have the rest of the day off. This afternoon I called you up but you had gone to the show with your aunt and uncle. It only costs 70 cents to call after 7:00 PM & Sunday so it’s not too expensive, besides, when I left for the Army I had $8.00. Right now I have 3 times as much. Why do I tell you these things - oh well! Maybe it’s because I love you - yeh. I guess that’s why! So long now I close with all my love.

Your adoring hubby, Teddy

T E A M x x x x x P.S. N.S.Y.

Dear Wife-o-my-heart!

Today has been a very eventful day. Nothing has happened. It was supposed to be a holiday but everyone was wakened at 6 AM and they all rushed to get dressed and out to eat. However my 2 cadet pals and I did not feel like getting up so early and so we slept until 8:00 AM and then got up. Consequently we did not eat any breakfast, but the rest was worth it. We got up and went over to the day room and played pool for a while. I lost 80 cents while playing but a good time was had by all. We then came back and played black jack for the rest of the morning. We then went to our Thanksgiving dinner. Today was one time we did not have to carry our own mess kits as they had platters and a swell table set up for us. We started out with a fruit cup, sliced turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed onions, squash, lettuce & tomato salad, dressing and stuffing, cranberry sauce, radishes, green onions, pickles, bread & butter, mince pie (I had 3 pieces), pumpkin pie, coffee, 1 apple, 1 orange, and ice cream. I had my ice cream in my 2nd fruit cup. How do you like that for a meal!!! When I got through I could hardly get up. It was really terrific.

After we carried ourselves back to the barracks we sat down and started the card game all over again. We played until almost 6:00 PM. When I took stock of my finances I found that I had come out of the battle with a surplus of 8 (eight) dollars for the day’s work. I don’t know why I am telling you this. I know you don’t approve but it’s here - so there! - ha!

I missed mail call this AM and my pal (one of them) tells me I had a letter. I will have to wait till tomorrow to get it.

Last night the 2 other cadets and myself did some washing in the latrine - we washed with ice cold water, hard common soap and a wire brush - so you can imagine what the results were.

I expect to get shipped out of here very soon - it’s just a hunch.

The peanuts are all gone - very good too (so the boys tell me). Closing with 978% of love from a dripping heart to a… (I was going to say drip)

Your loving hubby, Teddy

P.S. N.S.Y.

Dearest wife,

I wrote you yesterday afternoon and soon after I was at mail call and got your special delivery letter and also the package. The nuts were very good and they are practically gone. Thanks a million. I wonder if you could send me a few more items? You’ll try? That’s good!

1 - Money belt
2 - rubber bands, if possible
3 - Military set - the best one with my nailfile
4 - rag for polishing shoes
5 - Portfolio I wrote about previously.
Also any letters from the boys as I would like to get their address. Thanx.

Well honey, it looks like I really am in the Air Corps now. This morning I was interviewed by the Lt. and he asked me several question such as, was I married, did my wife have means of support, were my parents living together, and was I ever arrested and all stuff like that. Then he said I guess your OK and good luck to you. So it looks like I’m in. All I do now is to wait for shipment. There are 2 former Madison schoolmates also cadets with whom I expect to travel and live. These are 2 others than the 2 I mentioned before who failed and have since been shipped out. All in all it looks pretty good.

Passes are just about as popular as Adolph Hitler around this place, so it looks like nothing doing for 30 days. However it still was wonderful to talk to you on the phone.

Just before this I wrote a letter to Eli and yesterday I wrote to your mother.

Tell me about your driving and about Evelyn’s. If Eli needs gas have him use the A-coupons that you have.

Tomorrow we are going to have Turkey and all the trimmings. No fooling - I’ll tell you all about it.

I saw Harold Gup at the movies the other nite when i saw Betty Grable. I shook hands and talked for only a few seconds and that is all. I will look him up again.

I will close with all my love from your devoted life pal and mate. Best reards to everyone.

Your loving hubby, Teddy

My dearest wife-

I have just come back to the barracks after hearing your sweet and wonderful and enlighteneing voice on the telephone. I feel like 3 million dollars right now, boy it’s wonderful. I think I’ll call you up 3 times a day for the duration. How about it?

There are 8 guys and myself with apparently nothing to do but just hang around the barracks and gab. One guy got a box of Fanny Farmer’s candy and we are finishing it for him. You know darling, when I was home I sacrificed and slaved to not eat any candy - do you remember - of course you do - but not in the Army. I have already eaten 2 Milky Ways, 1 chicken dinner, 1 rum frappe bar and assorted peanuts, mints, gum, chocolates. My complexion is - I don’t care - so what.

We had a pretty good meal this noon. We had sliced beef, potatoes & gravy, canned corn, vegetable salad, celery, pickles, green onions, cake and asparagus soup and coffee. Not bad, eh.

I want to inform you about my marks as you asked me in one of today’s letters. I got 88 on my Aviation Test and also 117 on the I.Q. This is not such a hot mark, I suppose. I took my physical exam for the Air Corps this AM and passed very easily. However this was the first time that the eye-test was different. I didn’t get 20/20 this time. I got 20/15. I can’t understand it, can you?

I just stopped for a minute while I wrote a letter to Uncle Jack.

Hello again. Say listen could you send me a little something. I could use a little portfolio (folder) which contains a pad of writing paper and blotter. A lot of the fellows have them and they are very convenient. See if you can get one and send it to me. Thanks a million, honey, baby-doll.

Gee, right now another bunch of fellows are packing, prepatory to shipping off, but here I sit…

I think I’ll take a shave tonite. I am still using shaving cream and my poor face is all cut up. Oh well.

Well honey, I must close now. After I mail this I am going to read your lovely letters over again. I love you, adore you, keep well and happy my darling.

Your loving hubby, Teddy

P.S. N.S.Y. (no smokes yet)

Dearest Wife-

Today all day I was on K.P. duty which means I missed the mail call this AM. However my buddy told me I had a letter and so I went to the Orderly Room and claimed and I was overwhelmingly joyful to get your 2 sweet letters. I am writing fast as lights go out in 10 minutes and I don’t think I’ll be able to write much tonite. They called me and 14 others were picked out of the breakfast line and about 6:15 AM today and were ordered to the mess hall. I worked, and I’m not kidding a bit, until 7:15 PM when we finally got cleaned up . I peeled potatoes all morning long - no kidding. I mopped floors, cut 50 loaves of bread, broke open 45 dozen eggs into a pot, washed dishes, pots and pans, dished out food, filled coffee pots, and everything under the sun. I am really tired tonite. I just shined my shoes and moved my bunk from the first on line on the left to the middle of the room on the right - right next to the stove. It was pretty darn cold up in the front of the room when the stove is in the middle of the room. I must quit now. Please forgive me for not sending a letter today as i really had no time as you can gather from the above scripture.

Hello again it is now 7:10 AM and I just came back from breakfast & waiting for the 7:30 roll call. Yesterday as you might have gathered I did not take my physical for the Air Cadets. However this morning I am really going to take it (I hope). Both or 3 of my Madison buddies have left, the trio going yesterday evening and afternoon. I am alone now with but one Madisonian left. His name is John Galbraith and he is a cadet waiting for shipment. I expect to see quite a lot of him in the future - if I pass the physical today. There are two Jewish boys in my barrack. One is Joe Osbond and the other is Dave Rubenstien - the husband of Thelma Rubenstien. You know her, don’t you?

Sunday nite the boys and I went to the Post Theater and saw Betty Grable, John Payne, Carmen Miranda, Cesar Romero & Harry James in “Springtime in the Rockies.” It was all in Technicolor and beautiful. Harry James played Miss You, Sleepy Lagoon and others. Gorgeous.

Honey I miss you so much i am going nuts. I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t see you again soon. I am quite happy here but you know that one must make the best of it and be happy.

I must go now in a hurry-

Love & kisses, Hubby Teddy

T E A M

My dearest darling-

Boy this army life is funny. First you run your neck off with hardly time to breathe and then again you can sit around for hours in your bunk trying to duck the Sarge.

This morning for example. I got up at 10 min to 5!! We dressed and stood around until 6:10 in the freezing outside air waiting for the mess hall to open. It is pitch dark and very very shivery outdoors and all we wear are thin pants and jacket with a sweat shirt and a “crew” hat. This outfit is called “fatigues.” We do all work in these clothes. We went into the mess hall and they started making breakfast. These duties in the kitchen are called KP, everybody gets a chance at it. Just about this time the mob starts coming in for eats and everyone gets a duty to take care of. The boys walk in with their mess kits and each guy gets a portion of food from an individual KP. This AM everyone got first a slice of bread from one guy, from another you get a spoonful of sauce made up of hamburg and better and water, coffee and orange. I was the guy who handed out the oranges. I handed out 2 crates of oranges. Very elementary, my dear sweetie. After everybody was served they appointed men (me) for various duties. There were dining roomers (mop floor), G-men (garbage), and vegetable men (potato peelers). I was a veg man. Myself and 2 other guys sat down, were given apple corers and started peeling potatoes. It was fun - and listen honey - tell Mother that there is adsolutely nothing for peeling potatoes like an apple corer. No fooling, tell het to throw away all her foolish paring knives and get 1/2 dozen apple corers. No fooling!

We were peeling potatoes until about 8 o’clock & outside it was still pitch dark. Can you imaging working for 3 hours and it’s only 8:00 in the morning?

It’s lots-a-fun peeling potatoes. I’m really very good at it. No kidding when I get back I’ll really show you a thing or two about peeling potatoes and other household duties - hones honey!

Oh yes - it was just about 8 o’clock this AM and I was peeling potatoes when in comes a guy with 3 replacements for us 3 potato peelers. We were ordered out and told to report to the Orderly Room from where we were ordered to the Air Cadet Board where we took the Air Corps Exam again. Boy was it a tough test. It was more difficult than the one I took at the Federal Bldg. in Sept. It took us 3 guys 3 hours until 12:00 to finish. My pal Jack Jones flunked with 58. My pal Johnny Boyles flunked with 72. I also thought it was tough. After the exam we ate beef, potatoes, cherry pie, peaches and coffee. And all afternoon we have been laying around this darn barracks going nuts!

Going to eat now - I am going to take a physical Monday AM.

So long from your loving hubby, Teddy

P.S. I passed the test with 88%

My dearest honey - darling - tootsie

Boy oh boy! Am I dying inside for you. I love you and miss you so much. I can hardly stand it.

Chap. II. I and 2 others have just come fromthe latrine (toilet) where I had a shave, shower 7 tooth brushing. This had been my first shower, shave and brushing. You can imagine how clean I feel now.

Have you rec’d the box of stuff and junk I sent out? Let me know?

We had a fair meal this pm for supper. We had spare ribs, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, lettuce salad, coffee and a pear. Not too bad, I filled up on bread and peanut butter. It’s amamzing how much junk I can eat when I am good and hungry. I would never think of eating grizzly fatty, bony spare ribs, but honey let me tell you it tastes darn good. Yesterday we got a shot in each arm and my right arm still is quite sore but will go away subsequently.

This AM we saw a picture on sex and one on hygeine - very interesting.

Honey - take a chance and mail me a letter at this address. I don’t know how soon I shall leave so maybe it will catch me in time. Let me know what’s going on around home. Any letters from Jerry and what’s new by him.

How is Evelyn & her boyfriends? How are you and the family getting along and what’s new with all our friends.

Tomorrow I am on K.P. - work in the kitchen and mess hall. Will let you know all about it.

What a night! It’s raining cats and lights go out in 10 minutes (9:00).

Best of love to you from all my heart.

Your husband, Teddy

Haven’t smoked yet!!!!

Dear Sweetie-

The time is now 8:50 AM and my hands are so cold I can hardly hold this pen. We are at leisure until 10:45 AM when we go to chow (again). This morning the sargeant woke us up at 5:50 but my 2 buddies and I got up at 5:30 and dressed and washed in the washroom. Boy is it dark out at 5:30 - and I’m not kidding. It is dark and cold!!!!

Soon after we had our breakfast in another mess hall. We had scrambled eggs, toast, red rasberries, and a sugar donut & coffee (?). After that we were sent back to the barracks to thaw out and wait till 10:45 for dinner. We are just sitting around on our beds & gabbing about army life in general & nothing in particular.

This afternoon we are to get the works. We get shots in each arm, uniforms, all sorts of tests and everything else

We are now gabbing about jobs in the air corps.

We are now gabbing about the shots in the arm.

I don’t think that you should write to me at this address I don’t think I will be here long enough to receieve mail. However I will write you as soon as I have a permanent station. OK? OK!

Yesterday we had a fighter plane zooming over the place and shooting off its machine guns. Boy what a noise!!!

As soon as we get uniforms I will send my clothes home in a cardboard box.

Time is now 9:27 AM. I will close with all my love from a saddened heart to you, my darling.

Your loving husband, Teddy

Dear Adele-

Boy oh Boy what a life. Got into Buffalo about 1:10 pm and had a fair meal of beef potatoes, string beans, ice cream, coffee (?) and plenty of bread and butter. After the waitress passed out the meat plates at our table she had one plate left. BY this time I had my first plate eaten and I gave her a slight look and she knew what I meant, and so I had two plates. Also my two Madison buddies had a second dish of ice cream - not bad eh.

From there we took a 22 mile bus ride to Fort Niagara and arrived about 3:15 pm. After a slight physical exam we went to the mess hall and at 4:30 we were eating again. This time we had calves’ liver, potatoes, string beans, coffee (?), apple pie. Peanut butter & apple butter were on the table.

After that we were issued blankets, sheets, raincoats, towels, razor, toothbrush, tin cup, silverware, comb, etc. From 7:30 on we have nothing much to do. Light go out in these here barracks at 9:00 (10 minutes from now) and I am going to sleep. We get up at 5:45 am and tomorrow we are really to get the works. Shots, uniform exams, etc.

Well honey I miss you already. No kidding. Don’t worry about anything. Best of love and kisses. My heart is always with you. Regards to the folks. x x x x x x x x

Teddy