CHAPTER 2. 7/21/43 TO 9/19/43 ARRIVAL & ORIENTATION
21 July ‘43 Wednesday Dearest Betty;
The first day here (NY port of embarkation) is over, or it will be when I write this letter. I sure am tired; it has been 19 hours since I awoke this morning. I arrived here OK with all my baggage; I checked my foot locker and bed roll on the train and the foot locker was waiting for me at the station. The bed roll was nowhere to be found, so I came out without it; a truck brought it this evening. I got to the Fort about 10 AM and spent the rest of the day being processed, but am not finished yet. I drew the equipment I hadn’t drawn before and got a shot in the arm of typhus. It sure stung for a half hour or so.
I hope that you were able to get your reservations (home) and not have to wait too long for them. I know you are going to have a swell time visiting with your folks and mine. Be sure and plan for a good long stay with my family.
This is a nice place. The post is one of the permanent ones and has a lot of trees, paved roads, etc. The food has been quite good so far. We had some kind of lamb chop for lunch and steak for dinner. The steak was too well done to be much good, bur I enjoyed it just the same. Only $0.35 per meal too.
Honey, I’d best close this & get some rest. I miss you a lot, in spite of being so busy. Be sure and let me know when you’re leaving for home. Be good. I love you! All my love, Glenn
(I was “alerted” the next day & couldn’t send more letters. I drew a pistol and steel helmet and practiced shooting the pistol. Saturday we marched to a pier, took a ferry to another pier where we boarded the Queen Mary, which had been converted to a troop transport. It sailed the next day, we were unescorted, traveling at full speed and zig zagging all the way to Scotland.)
2 August ‘43 Dearest Betty;
I suppose you are safely home by now and enjoying a nice visit with your folks. I wish I could have been there to see that you got off OK, but that’s the way it goes.
The trip across was a lot nicer than I expected it to be. I didn’t get seasick at all, which helped a lot. I got a pretty large boat and a stateroom on the main deck. Of course there were eleven other officers in the same stateroom, but it wasn’t too crowded. We had a private bath with bath tub, two wash basins, & toilet. I actually took a bath on the boat! It was a lot of trouble because we had to fill the tub with small buckets of fresh water from a tap across the hall, and then we had to conserve on fresh water too. After a while, tho, I couldn’t stand to be near myself, so I summoned up some energy and went to work.
We ate well, although we only had two meals a day. I bought a carton of chocolate bars and some crackers to tide me over between meals. We ate at small tables and had waiters to serve us. We even had a menu, although it apparently was more for information than anything else because we had no choice. We had some kind of cooked fruit, biscuits, hot or dry cereal, eggs and bacon, and coffee for breakfast. They served the coffee diluted about half with milk; after a while the waiter caught on and brought me black coffee without me having to ask for it. We had a good supper too, usually topped off with a fresh orange or apple which I always saved to eat with my “lunch”.
Most of the time I spent doing “bunk fatigue”, or sitting at a porthole watching the water go by. They had a very nice officers’ lounge with easy chairs, games, reading material, etc, but that soon turned into a gambling den. There was either a poker game or crap game going on at most of the tables. The stakes were too high for me, so I stayed out of the games. I’m too lucky at love to have much luck at cards. The lounge had a piano and there were some real good players at it most of the time. Some of the troops aboard had musical instruments with them and got together and formed a band. They played for us almost every night. After a little practice playing they were very good. I caught a couple of details on the way; just in charge of some men on fatigue duty, so I can’t say that I actually worked hard on the way over.
I was alerted so soon after reaching the P.O.E. that I didn’t have a chance to write you more than one letter, and I’m not sure that one wasn’t held up for a while before it was sent out. I wrote several letters on the boat, but upon becoming more familiar with censoring regulations, I tore them up. I made too many references to weather, etc.
Well, I guess I’d better quit soon and get some sleep. I miss you a lot. Write soon. All my love, Glenn
6 August ‘43 My dearest Betty;
I mailed a V-mail letter to you earlier today to let you know my new address. I certainly hope your letters start reaching me soon. It is bad enough to be away from you without not getting any mail either.
It took long enough getting here; after reaching England I was sent to two different places before reaching my final destination. They were only short stops however. It looks to be a pretty good job. I’m doubtful about my capabilities, but I think I can handle it. My fame seems to have preceded me, and I find I’m supposed to be an expert on a great many things. A great many more things than I do have knowledge of, I’m afraid. Well all I can do is do my best.
We had to find our own billets; however the billeting office gives us help. Another Lt. (Bill Lake, who I met on the Queen Mary) & I found an apartment (flat over here) (at 65 George Street, near Baker Street) within walking distance of the office. We rented it today and are going to move in tonight. The flat is quite roomy and nicely furnished. It has two bedrooms, a sitting room, bath, and toilet. It has hot water and gas heaters. The price is pretty stiff, but I think it is worth it. We pay 9 pounds (about $36) a week between the two of us. However, we are are on per diem basis here at the rate of $5 per day which will take care of rent and food. As long as we are getting the per diem I figure it is alright to pay the price. In order to get anything cheaper, I’d have to live too far away from the office.
Well, dear, I’ll close for this time. I miss you an awful lot. I hope you are having a nice time, and I’d like to hear how your trip home was. Write soon. All my love, Glenn
(It took me so long to reach London that I began to wonder if I had been sent over on a definite job, but finally was released to travel with orders assigning me to Col. Reed’s office on Grosvenor Square, London. I remember standing on the train to London and talking to an OSS officer who told me he was just back from a trip where he parachuted into occupied France and made contact with the underground there.
We were impressed with the “loose lips sink ships” motto, so no mention is made of where we were other than in England. Later we could say we were in London, and name individual places we saw, but never military bases, etc. We wrote nothing of our work, and my letters didn’t mention air raids, buzz bombs, etc.
My “boss”, Col. Reed, was an Embassy Assistant Military Attaché, and also Theater Technical Officer for Ordnance. Our job was to maintain communications with British Armament Research & Development in our fields. We attended meetings, visited manufacturing and research facilities, and witnessed tests before writing reports to be sent to similar US R & D organizations. We also escorted visiting VIPs and officers from the States. My field was Fire Control instruments, light artillery, and anything electrical.)
7 August ‘43 Saturday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . My job promises to be very good. I’m working with a swell bunch of fellows, and the work should be very interesting. Remember the night we first met Gordie French in the Officers Club in Aberdeen? Well, the fellow who was with him is at the same place I am now. I didn’t recognize him when we met, but we got to talking and discovered that we both know Gordie, and then remembered that we had met before. It is a small world!
Don’t worry too much about any “shortages” over here, we are taken care of very well. We eat at an officer’s mess, where the food is plentiful and good; very reasonable too. There is a PX where we can get cigarettes, candy, gum, soap, uniforms, and so on. The amount you can buy is rationed, but the rations are adequate, for instance we are allowed one pack of cigarettes a day. The price of a pack is only about a nickel.
I’m getting so I can tell if I’m receiving correct change now. Getting on to the currency isn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and the values of the coins are quite similar to ours. There is the penny, which is worth about 2 cents, the three pence (5 cents), the sixpence (10 cents), the shilling (20 cents), the two shilling, and the half crown (50 cents). There is a ten shilling note ($2.00) and the pound note ($4.00) which are the common paper currency. They have higher value paper money, such as the five pound note, but you don’t see too many of them. (The exchange rate was held at $4.00 to the pound throughout the war years)
There are a few differences in speech (besides the accents) which are a little confusing at first. An elevator is a lift, an apartment is a flat, an apartment building is a block of flats, and so on.
The countryside is very pretty and green this time of year. The weather is quite cool and rainy. We have to wear blouses (tunics here) at all times, so it is a good thing I bought that extra one before I left (although I could buy one here). I had sort of expected that things would be a little more informal here, but if anything it is the other way; everybody salutes all the time.
I have a very nice room in the flat. It has a wardrobe type closet and a large chest of drawers in one corner; in the opposite corner is a full length mirror. In between is a fireplace, with a gas stove installed in it. I have a chair and desk, and a comfortable bed makes up the rest of it. The room is about eighteen feet square.
Well, dear, that bed looks very inviting, and I’m sort of tired, so I’d better close for this time. I worked (studied) hard today and then went for a long walk this evening. Be good, and write soon and often. Say hello to your folks for me, and remember - I love you. Glenn
(We had to wear “Class A” uniform all the time; coats, called blouses, & tie. The light colored pants were “pinks”, darker ones were “greens”)
11 August ‘43 Wednesday My dearest Betty;
. .. . . I overslept this morning so I didn’t have time to go to breakfast. That alarm clock is another item in my footlocker that I need; I wish it would get here soon. There was no good reason for me to oversleep because I got to sleep about nine last night. I came home right after supper, took a bath, and then went to bed and read for a while. We have some books that came with the apartment, but none of them are very good. A typical title is “Forty-one Years in India”. Doesn’t that sound interesting? Maybe reading a little of that was what put me to sleep so early. . .
The English tea drinking custom is carried on here just like we’ve heard. Twice a day everything stands still while everybody has their tea. A lot of the secretaries are English, and they prepare tea for everybody. The tea is stronger than I like, but it is good to have something hot to drink between meals.
Later - I went for a walk through the (Hyde) park after supper. There was a small lake (the Serpentine) where people were rowing. I didn’t see any sailors. I think I’ll go down there and rent a rowboat one of these nights. There were bridle paths, only I didn’t see any stables where a horse could be rented. There were several baseball games going on between American service teams; some of them were very good. They attracted large crowds of spectators who didn’t seem to know what was going on. There was a RAF officer standing near me who kept asking me questions about the game. He seemed to enjoy it and was interested to learn how it was played.
There are several parks near where I live. In these long evenings it is nice to have them to walk in. Lots of people are out in the evenings, walking around and watching the various games, concerts, and the soapbox orators. . .
14 August ‘43, Saturday My dearest Betty;
I had a rather pleasant day today, everything went right for me. I sat in on a conference, at which the lowest rank besides me was Lt. Colonel, and didn’t pull any major blunders, so I was satisfied. The Colonel (Reed) I work for seems to be very nice, and strictly “regular army”. He is quite an athlete too; he is one of the best squash players in England, and in spite of his gray hair is very active and seems to have unlimited energy.
So much for the brass. After my long walk last night I don’t feel too energetic tonight, so I think I’ll go to bed early and catch up with my rest. I don’t seem to do much in the evenings, but it is usually eleven-thirty or twelve before I get to sleep, and it is always a struggle to wake up in the morning.
I wish I could find some scales to weigh myself. I bet that I’ve gained weight recently. I should, the way I’ve been eating. We usually have cooked fruit, cereal, and eggs and bacon for breakfast; meat, vegetables, potatoes, salad, and dessert for lunch and dinner. I generally go away from the table feeling stuffed. How about you, are you putting on some weight; you should.
Bill just came in and we opened a bottle of wine and had a glassful. It sure was good. We had gotten the bottle several days ago, but didn’t have a corkscrew. I wish you could be here with me, honey. I miss you an awful lot. Still no letters. Guess I’ll close now and climb into my lonely bed. Goodnight dear. All my love, Glenn
18 August ‘43 Wednesday My dearest Betty;
I got very cultural (or something) this evening and went to the symphony. I had supper with one of the fellows in the office, and he suggested going; so we hopped in a cab and went. The fellow’s name is Steve (Rousch) . At least that is what he is called; I saw his first name and it is about a block long. He is about my age, a little taller, blond, and comes from Minnesota. A very nice guy, he was married just before he came overseas.
The program was all Bach and Elgar. I had never heard of Elgar, but his music was good. He is/was a recent English composer. Anyway, the program said his Symphony No. 2 was first played in 1911. That was the main offering of the evening and I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t care too much for the rest of the program. It was very interesting to see the concert hall. It (Albert Hall) was shaped much like an oval cup, with seats in the bottom and part way up the sides, three tiers of boxes on the sides, and a gallery above the boxes. We arrived a half hour after the concert started, so we were standing just above the gallery. It was a lot like the concert halls in Europe I’ve seen in moving pictures. We walked home afterwards in the blackout. It was mostly across the park so it was a very nice walk. The weather has been nice lately so it was very pleasant out. . . All my love, Glenn
20 August ‘43, Friday My dearest;
I heard the Mikado tonight; just on records tho. George (Drury) (Gordie French’s friend) and I went up to his place after supper and listened to it and also to the New World Symphony. He has rented a combination radio-phonograph and bought the records over here. I don’t know how he plans to get the records home, but I guess he’ll stick them in his footlocker. We had some drinks of rum and coke which weren’t too good because they were lukewarm. George is tall, thin, and blond, nice looking, and hails from Oregon. He went to Oregon State, is very nice and a lot of fun to be around.
It was very dark when I came home. It was almost a necessity to smoke a cigarette to use as a sort of headlight so people wouldn’t bump into me. I found my way home OK tho, it was only a couple of blocks.
I overslept again this morning; didn’t wake up until about ten minutes to eight. I had sort of planned for it and had shaved the night before, so it didn’t take me very long to get ready to go. I had planned to eat breakfast and show up late, but just as I came to the corner where it was one way to the office and the other to the mess I met my Colonel! About that time I decided to skip breakfast. . .
Our laundry came back today, and they did a pretty good job. There was no starch in my shirts, but I’m used to that (my last laundress didn’t like to starch shirts either). The laundry was quite reasonable; only 10 cents each for shirts and pants. Of course it wasn’t quoted as 10 cents, but as 6 pence.
I’m looking for a letter from you any day now, one should arrive soon. I’ve just about given up hope of getting any of your letters that were sent to APO 4200H.
I miss you a lot dear. Goodnight, I love you. All my love & kisses, Glenn
22 August ‘43 Sunday Dearest;
Happy day! Your first letters arrived today, and was I glad to get them (I was)! They were postmarked July 23 and 27 from Philadelphia. No kidding, they really made me feel swell. It’s too bad you had to wait around Philly so long; I was hoping that you’d be able to get a train right away. I suppose that you got my letter in Philly alright.
I went out walking this afternoon after lunch and about wore my legs down to the knees. I saw a lot of interesting places, too. I thought maybe I’d go see a movie this afternoon, but all of them had lines about a block long (a half hour before the show started) so I gave up the idea. I came back by the office, and that was when I got your letters. One of the boys, Saint (St. Lawrence), was duty officer of the day, so I’m now holding down his post while he goes out to buy his weekly rations at the PX. I got mine earlier this afternoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I miss you more than I can say. All my love, Glenn
24 August ‘43 Tuesday My dearest Betty;
My footlocker and bedroll were here when I got home this evening so I’ve spent the time unpacking and putting stuff away. The alarm clock will come in handy too; maybe I’ll get to breakfast once in a while now. It still will run only when it is laying on its face, but as long as the alarm works I’ll be satisfied. Everything came through in pretty good shape except for the little tray in the footlocker. I must have had too much weight on it or something because it all busted up. The clothes were pretty well wrinkled but otherwise alright.
(My roommate) Bill, bless his soul, got my footlocker for me. He went down to inquire about his, and when he found it had arrived, he asked if mine had come in. They didn’t have any record of it, but when he went back to pick his up, mine was sitting right by his.
We had lunch at a Red Cross club this noon. I had chicken, but it wasn’t anywhere near as good as you can cook. We had about an hour to kill after lunch so we found a ping pong table and played at that. We had some good games and it was a lot of fun.
I didn’t get any letters from you today, so I read again the ones I got yesterday and the day before. After supper I went for a short walk in the park and then came home and have spent the rest of the evening unpacking. It’s kind of late, so I’d better close, or even the alarm won’t awaken me in the morning. I miss you a lot, honey. I love you. Goodnight dear.
All my love and kisses, Glenn
25 August ‘43 Wednesday My Dearest Betty;
I was very happy to find letters from both you and Mother in the office when I got in this evening. Mom had just gotten a letter from (my youngest brother) Ray, as I suppose you know long before now. I had been away for most of the day, and came down here to make notes on what I had seen while it was fresh in my mind. I might as well work a few evenings a week, since there isn’t a lot else to do.
The day’s activity took me for a long drive over the English countryside, and I did a lot of looking on the way. It was all very pretty; it reminded me of what I have seen of New England, especially up around Connecticut. That resemblance stopped as soon as we went through the towns; the streets were narrow and winding, and the buildings were right up to the edge of the road. The buildings are quite foreign to anything I’ve ever seen. They all seem to be so old, and have all these little gadgets stuck all over them. They are really ugly. I’m getting used to them a little now, so I don’t notice them so much.
That cable that you got was meant to tell you of my safe arrival; I don’t know why it took so long getting there. I sent one to Mom at the same time and hers was delivered about the same time that yours was. Did you get the safe arrival card that was supposed to have been mailed from the Port of Embarkation?
I hope that you have a good time at my folks. You and Mom ought to get on together alright, I know that you will because you both are so swell, and Mom likes you a lot too (so do I). It should still be pretty nice beach weather there, and you ought to be able to add to your tan. Are you going to get in touch with Freer and Norene while you are down there? I have been meaning to write them a letter, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. . .
Later. I just got home. A couple of the boys were at the office too, and when they left I went along. We pushed the button for the elevator and both of them came, so I got in one and they got in the other, and we raced down. It’s a good thing nobody was at the bottom when we burst out trying to be the first ones there. I guess we are all slap happy, but at least we have a lot of fun. Everyone is almost continually in a good mood, and it makes the work that much easier.
I miss you more every day, if that is possible. It is sure swell to be getting your letters, so keep them coming. I love you. Goodnight dear. All my love, Glenn
(In the above letter, Ray is my youngest brother who enlisted in the Navy. He served as a radio man on armed merchant ships in the Pacific and got home occasionally when his ship was in port. Freer and Norene were friends I met at UCLA before I went to Cal; they introduced me to Betty. The ride I take in the above letter was with a General, probably General Saylor, Theater Ordnance Officer. Only a 1st Lt, I traveled with some heavy brass at times!
Before D Day the U S European Theater Ordnance offices were combined with the Military Attaché offices. My good friend Tom Daly was in the Theater office. I was always in the Military Attaché group, tho never actually assigned to the Embassy - most of the time I was assigned to the Theater Headquarters, even when it moved to Paris, but was on detached service at the Embassy. There was also a group that were trained to recover and analyze enemy ordnance and report on them. This group included “Saint” St. Lawrence, George Drury, Steve Rousch, and Major Keck; I saw a lot of them before they moved to join the First Army headquarters close to D Day.)
31 August ‘43 Tuesday My dearest Betty;.
. . . . . I’m all alone at the office tonight; usually there are quite a few around, but the joint is really deserted now. Steve is over at the other office, but is the only one that is working (?) except me. I just finished writing one report this evening, and feel pretty proud of myself. That feeling will probably change when I hand it in for approval, but at the present time I think it is a good report.
This is a good typewriter that I’ve been using, and the chair that I’m sitting on feels good too; it has a sponge pad about a half inch thick. George says we don’t have to worry about anybody running into us from the rear in the blackout, because the seats of our pants shine so brightly. I hear tell that one member of the “Chairborne division” got a medal for sitting so long without a chair pad. As I started to say, this typewriter is very nice; it is a noiseless model, and apparently very new. It is an American make because it has the $ instead of the pound sign, which I can’t illustrate because there isn’t one on this machine. (Don’t you think I’d make a good detective?)
I had dinner at a British army officers mess this noon. I didn’t think that their food was as good as that we get. They really treat us nice when we go to see them. Usually the officers we deal with outrank us by a good margin, but they aren’t formal at all, and as a general rule are very nice.
The work is really beginning to pile up for me. I’ll have to work nights for a while to catch up. When I work nights I don’t exert myself too much; it helps to get things done, tho.
I’d like to get your letters telling of your trip to the sunny southland (Hermosa Beach), it wasn’t too foggy, was it? The mail service between us doesn’t seem to be consistent at all; at least it isn’t on this side. I hope that mine are coming through to you in somewhat consecutive order. . .
With a typewritten letter, and especially with this small type, I seem to run out of things to say before the first page is finished, so I guess I’ll close for this time. I just looked up at a map on the wall, and you are eight hours away, or ahead, no, behind us as the sun flies. Since I usually go to sleep about 10:30 or 11 each night, you should begin your mental telepathy about 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon in order to contact me for your “goodnight”. Wonder if kisses can be sent by mental telepathy? We can try it anyway. I miss you. All my love and kisses, Glenn
4 September ‘43 Saturday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . One of the Colonel’s secretaries is giving a party for her birthday tonight, and we are all going. It ought to be a lot of fun.
I’m afraid that I’m getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side of the road. That’s bad because I’ll have to get used to them on the other side when I get back home. Now I usually look the right way when I’m going to cross the street, but I also look the other way to be sure.
. .
. . . . . Later - much later: I just got home from the party and want to finish this letter before I go to sleep. It was a swell party and we all had a lot of fun. It was in quite a small apartment, not so small at that, but with the number of people that were there, the place was dwarfed. The whole gang of us from the office were there and various other people, including one Major General, two Colonels, and about a half dozen Lt Cols. Lucile (the secretary) is a lot of fun and we spent most of the evening taking turns dancing with her and singing and drinking and eating. The gang in the office got her a cigarette case, it was silver and had copies of all our signatures engraved on one side of it. It was very nice and seems to me to be a good present. . . . I only needed you there with me for a perfect evening.
George got a letter today from Gordie. He is in N. Africa and had met John Locke there. (Gordon French and John Locke were friends from UCLA and Cal. Gordon had trained with George in the enemy ordnance field. John was a very close friend who talked Gordie and me into taking the Ordnance ROTC class that led to our commissions. After the war John complained bitterly that he slogged through the mud of Africa and Italy with the troops while I lived comfortably in London and Gordon was his own boss , attached himself to the best mess in the area, and went where he wanted.)
I haven’t gotten a radio as yet, lately I haven’t been home enough to use it much. I’ve either worked, or walked, or something every night this week except one, and don’t spend any time here except when I’m sleeping. . . All my love and kisses, Glenn
5 Sept. ‘43, Sunday night Dearest;
I got two letters from you today, yours of July 31 and August 7. Doesn’t sound like your trip west was much fun with such bad service in the diner and all. It’s too bad you had to make that long trip all by yourself, but I guess it couldn’t be helped. It is swell you met someone nice on the train.
I was super lazy again this morning and didn’t get up until twelve o’clock. I woke up earlier, but was right in the middle of a dream about you, so I went back to sleep again; I didn’t dream any more tho, darn it. The next thing I knew there was a drum and bugle corp blasting me awake. I went to the front room window and watched as it paraded by. It was Royal Air Force; they looked very snappy and certainly made a lot of noise. After that I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up and went to lunch. I wasn’t used to those late hours like I kept last night.
I met Steve Rousch at the mess at noon and we decided to go see a concert. We got down there, tho, and all the seats were sold out. So we decided to see a show; same story as before when I tried to see a movie on Sunday, long lines an hour before it opened, so we decided not to see one. We came up to the apt. and had a glass of wine and talked for a while. He had gotten married only a short while before he came over, so we frequently cry on each other’s shoulder. He is from Minnesota and is one of 13 children. (Think we should have that many, dear?)
About four we went to the office where I got my letters. We then went to a tea dance given by Lady something or other at a local hotel. The dance was very nice. It was a swell large floor, there were tables around the edge and a balcony all around the room. They had all the allied flags hanging from the balcony and I think there were officers from most of the allies present. I saw some uniforms I’ve never seen before, and you really see a lot of different kinds around here. A drum and bugle corps gave a show; that was the second time today I’ve had my ears blasted out. I danced with several good dancers, but not one was as good a dancer as you. It was a lot of fun, tho, and I understand they are held every Sunday afternoon.
It is funny about the music over here; if you think the east coast is slow in taking up the new songs, you should see this place. The latest songs are those that were popular in the States six months or a year ago. I don’t think that any songs are composed here.
After the dance Steve and I went to the mess & had supper. It wasn’t too good this evening - sauerkraut & wieners, and the wieners were cold, at least mine were. After supper I came home and here I am in bed. That just about completes “my day”. Now if you were here it would really be complete. I sure miss you, honey. It seems like ages since I’ve seen you and held you close and kissed you. I guess about the best thing is to remember the swell times we’ve had together and look forward to when we’ll be together again, and hope that time won’t be far off.
Well, darling, I’ve rambled on here for almost three pages, so maybe I’d better stop and get some sleep. Goodnight dear. Keep writing every day; your letters cheer me up no end and make me feel a lot closer to you. All my love and kisses, Glenn
P.S. Maybe thirteen would be too many!
6 September ‘43 Monday My dearest Betty;
I just got back from lunch a few minutes ago; it was pretty good today, we had hamburger steak. This morning with tea I had cup cakes that were left over from the birthday party Saturday, so my appetite wasn’t all it should have been. I managed to eat most everything on my plate tho. At the moment I’m feeling a little uncomfortably full.
I haven’t received any mail yet today, but I feel sure that there will be a letter from you in this afternoon’s mail. It is about one PM here, so It should be about five in the morning there. I suppose that you are very comfortably asleep. Maybe if our mental telepathy is working you are dreaming of me. I’m concentrating very hard, am I coming through?
I haven’t really got anything to talk about now, I just felt like having a chat with you. Are you awake yet? Move over and I’ll crawl in with you for a while. That’s better; now give me a kiss. What are you planning to do today? Going shopping, or to visit someone, or what? Don’t go back to sleep now, here I’ve been up for six hours already and I’m not sleepy, much. Guess I’d better get back to work now, be good and think of me. I’ll be thinking of you, and will come back to talk with you some more later today.
Later -- 4:30. I got a letter from your mother this afternoon, but none from you as yet. Maybe some more mail will come in before I go home. Hope so anyway.
Much later -- 11 PM. This letter seems to be coming in bits and pieces today. Just as I was getting started the second time the Colonel walked in and stated that I was to have dinner with him tonight to meet a British officer who does corresponding work to mine, except he is a Colonel and has charge of the whole works. So, not having any previous engagement, I accepted his kind invitation. He also had some stuff for me to look over, so I couldn’t get back to the letter. I came home about six and took a bath and shaved so I would look my handsome best; donned my pinks and a clean shirt and arrived at Col. Reed’s apartment at 7:30 on the dot.
He lives in a very swanky apartment house, or rather (the Dorchester) hotel. The doorman and the elevator man and so on wore very swanky and colorful uniforms. His place was very nice, but he didn’t have nearly as large a place as we have, and tho the furnishings were newer, they weren’t any nicer. The British Colonel came presently, and we sat around and talked and drank until almost 8:30, when we went out to eat.
We ate at the Senior Officers’ mess, which is just for colonels and above and not for us lowly lieutenants (although the “high moguls” can eat at our mess, and most of them do). The mess closes at 8:30 so you can guess how happy our waitress was to see us walk in at the last minute, she slammed the silverware around and muttered under her breath, but audibly, about people who come in to eat at that time. Anyway we had something to eat, I’m glad to say; I was getting pretty hungry by that time. Col. Reed saw another colonel he knew there, and he joined us. Nothing but brass! (And a little silver). After supper we went back to Col. Reed’s room and talked some more and drank some more. Finally people went home and I staggered out too. ( I didn’t really stagger out, but it was an effort to walk straight).
It was black as pitch out but I found my way home alright. I’m practically getting to be an owl, or something, and can find my way around in the dark quite well. I’m very careful when I’m out in the blackout tho, there are too many tales of accidents and walking into posts and so on. I walk slowly and hesitate at each street crossing and make sure the way is clear before I start across. . .
11 September ‘43 Saturday night My dearest Betty;
. . . . . I ought to get all caught up with my letters tomorrow seeing that I’m Sunday duty officer and have to be there from 8:30 to 5:30. . .
. . . . . The nurses have new khaki uniforms now that look a lot like the WAC officer uniforms; they look a lot nicer than the old blue ones. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen them. . .
19 September ‘43 Sunday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . I met George and Bill (Capt. Durrenberger) at the mess at noon, and after lunch we went to Kew Gardens. They are a huge place around the Kew Palace where King George lll lived. There were a lot of very pretty and colorful flowers in bloom and also a lot of hothouses. It was all very pretty and we spent most of the afternoon walking around. . .
After supper we went to the Nurses Club where there was a dance, but it was so crowded that we didn’t stay long, and headed for home. I got two letters today, from (my brother) Dick and Mom. . .
Have you gotten any snapshots developed yet? I took some today with George’s camera and when I finish the roll I’ll send them to you. It’ll probably take a long time, tho, so don’t expect them too soon. I love you and miss you an awful lot. Be good, dear, and write me all the news. Goodnight darling. All my love and kisses, Glenn
(My younger brother, Dick, enlisted in the Coast Guard. He was a cook on a Coast Guard ship, and didn’t get too far from Southern California during the war, I got word of his marriage and the birth of his first child while I was in London)
(“Swell” was an “ultimate adjective” much used in movies and by young people of the 1930’s and 1940’s, and I was no exception)
The first day here (NY port of embarkation) is over, or it will be when I write this letter. I sure am tired; it has been 19 hours since I awoke this morning. I arrived here OK with all my baggage; I checked my foot locker and bed roll on the train and the foot locker was waiting for me at the station. The bed roll was nowhere to be found, so I came out without it; a truck brought it this evening. I got to the Fort about 10 AM and spent the rest of the day being processed, but am not finished yet. I drew the equipment I hadn’t drawn before and got a shot in the arm of typhus. It sure stung for a half hour or so.
I hope that you were able to get your reservations (home) and not have to wait too long for them. I know you are going to have a swell time visiting with your folks and mine. Be sure and plan for a good long stay with my family.
This is a nice place. The post is one of the permanent ones and has a lot of trees, paved roads, etc. The food has been quite good so far. We had some kind of lamb chop for lunch and steak for dinner. The steak was too well done to be much good, bur I enjoyed it just the same. Only $0.35 per meal too.
Honey, I’d best close this & get some rest. I miss you a lot, in spite of being so busy. Be sure and let me know when you’re leaving for home. Be good. I love you! All my love, Glenn
(I was “alerted” the next day & couldn’t send more letters. I drew a pistol and steel helmet and practiced shooting the pistol. Saturday we marched to a pier, took a ferry to another pier where we boarded the Queen Mary, which had been converted to a troop transport. It sailed the next day, we were unescorted, traveling at full speed and zig zagging all the way to Scotland.)
2 August ‘43 Dearest Betty;
I suppose you are safely home by now and enjoying a nice visit with your folks. I wish I could have been there to see that you got off OK, but that’s the way it goes.
The trip across was a lot nicer than I expected it to be. I didn’t get seasick at all, which helped a lot. I got a pretty large boat and a stateroom on the main deck. Of course there were eleven other officers in the same stateroom, but it wasn’t too crowded. We had a private bath with bath tub, two wash basins, & toilet. I actually took a bath on the boat! It was a lot of trouble because we had to fill the tub with small buckets of fresh water from a tap across the hall, and then we had to conserve on fresh water too. After a while, tho, I couldn’t stand to be near myself, so I summoned up some energy and went to work.
We ate well, although we only had two meals a day. I bought a carton of chocolate bars and some crackers to tide me over between meals. We ate at small tables and had waiters to serve us. We even had a menu, although it apparently was more for information than anything else because we had no choice. We had some kind of cooked fruit, biscuits, hot or dry cereal, eggs and bacon, and coffee for breakfast. They served the coffee diluted about half with milk; after a while the waiter caught on and brought me black coffee without me having to ask for it. We had a good supper too, usually topped off with a fresh orange or apple which I always saved to eat with my “lunch”.
Most of the time I spent doing “bunk fatigue”, or sitting at a porthole watching the water go by. They had a very nice officers’ lounge with easy chairs, games, reading material, etc, but that soon turned into a gambling den. There was either a poker game or crap game going on at most of the tables. The stakes were too high for me, so I stayed out of the games. I’m too lucky at love to have much luck at cards. The lounge had a piano and there were some real good players at it most of the time. Some of the troops aboard had musical instruments with them and got together and formed a band. They played for us almost every night. After a little practice playing they were very good. I caught a couple of details on the way; just in charge of some men on fatigue duty, so I can’t say that I actually worked hard on the way over.
I was alerted so soon after reaching the P.O.E. that I didn’t have a chance to write you more than one letter, and I’m not sure that one wasn’t held up for a while before it was sent out. I wrote several letters on the boat, but upon becoming more familiar with censoring regulations, I tore them up. I made too many references to weather, etc.
Well, I guess I’d better quit soon and get some sleep. I miss you a lot. Write soon. All my love, Glenn
6 August ‘43 My dearest Betty;
I mailed a V-mail letter to you earlier today to let you know my new address. I certainly hope your letters start reaching me soon. It is bad enough to be away from you without not getting any mail either.
It took long enough getting here; after reaching England I was sent to two different places before reaching my final destination. They were only short stops however. It looks to be a pretty good job. I’m doubtful about my capabilities, but I think I can handle it. My fame seems to have preceded me, and I find I’m supposed to be an expert on a great many things. A great many more things than I do have knowledge of, I’m afraid. Well all I can do is do my best.
We had to find our own billets; however the billeting office gives us help. Another Lt. (Bill Lake, who I met on the Queen Mary) & I found an apartment (flat over here) (at 65 George Street, near Baker Street) within walking distance of the office. We rented it today and are going to move in tonight. The flat is quite roomy and nicely furnished. It has two bedrooms, a sitting room, bath, and toilet. It has hot water and gas heaters. The price is pretty stiff, but I think it is worth it. We pay 9 pounds (about $36) a week between the two of us. However, we are are on per diem basis here at the rate of $5 per day which will take care of rent and food. As long as we are getting the per diem I figure it is alright to pay the price. In order to get anything cheaper, I’d have to live too far away from the office.
Well, dear, I’ll close for this time. I miss you an awful lot. I hope you are having a nice time, and I’d like to hear how your trip home was. Write soon. All my love, Glenn
(It took me so long to reach London that I began to wonder if I had been sent over on a definite job, but finally was released to travel with orders assigning me to Col. Reed’s office on Grosvenor Square, London. I remember standing on the train to London and talking to an OSS officer who told me he was just back from a trip where he parachuted into occupied France and made contact with the underground there.
We were impressed with the “loose lips sink ships” motto, so no mention is made of where we were other than in England. Later we could say we were in London, and name individual places we saw, but never military bases, etc. We wrote nothing of our work, and my letters didn’t mention air raids, buzz bombs, etc.
My “boss”, Col. Reed, was an Embassy Assistant Military Attaché, and also Theater Technical Officer for Ordnance. Our job was to maintain communications with British Armament Research & Development in our fields. We attended meetings, visited manufacturing and research facilities, and witnessed tests before writing reports to be sent to similar US R & D organizations. We also escorted visiting VIPs and officers from the States. My field was Fire Control instruments, light artillery, and anything electrical.)
7 August ‘43 Saturday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . My job promises to be very good. I’m working with a swell bunch of fellows, and the work should be very interesting. Remember the night we first met Gordie French in the Officers Club in Aberdeen? Well, the fellow who was with him is at the same place I am now. I didn’t recognize him when we met, but we got to talking and discovered that we both know Gordie, and then remembered that we had met before. It is a small world!
Don’t worry too much about any “shortages” over here, we are taken care of very well. We eat at an officer’s mess, where the food is plentiful and good; very reasonable too. There is a PX where we can get cigarettes, candy, gum, soap, uniforms, and so on. The amount you can buy is rationed, but the rations are adequate, for instance we are allowed one pack of cigarettes a day. The price of a pack is only about a nickel.
I’m getting so I can tell if I’m receiving correct change now. Getting on to the currency isn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and the values of the coins are quite similar to ours. There is the penny, which is worth about 2 cents, the three pence (5 cents), the sixpence (10 cents), the shilling (20 cents), the two shilling, and the half crown (50 cents). There is a ten shilling note ($2.00) and the pound note ($4.00) which are the common paper currency. They have higher value paper money, such as the five pound note, but you don’t see too many of them. (The exchange rate was held at $4.00 to the pound throughout the war years)
There are a few differences in speech (besides the accents) which are a little confusing at first. An elevator is a lift, an apartment is a flat, an apartment building is a block of flats, and so on.
The countryside is very pretty and green this time of year. The weather is quite cool and rainy. We have to wear blouses (tunics here) at all times, so it is a good thing I bought that extra one before I left (although I could buy one here). I had sort of expected that things would be a little more informal here, but if anything it is the other way; everybody salutes all the time.
I have a very nice room in the flat. It has a wardrobe type closet and a large chest of drawers in one corner; in the opposite corner is a full length mirror. In between is a fireplace, with a gas stove installed in it. I have a chair and desk, and a comfortable bed makes up the rest of it. The room is about eighteen feet square.
Well, dear, that bed looks very inviting, and I’m sort of tired, so I’d better close for this time. I worked (studied) hard today and then went for a long walk this evening. Be good, and write soon and often. Say hello to your folks for me, and remember - I love you. Glenn
(We had to wear “Class A” uniform all the time; coats, called blouses, & tie. The light colored pants were “pinks”, darker ones were “greens”)
11 August ‘43 Wednesday My dearest Betty;
. .. . . I overslept this morning so I didn’t have time to go to breakfast. That alarm clock is another item in my footlocker that I need; I wish it would get here soon. There was no good reason for me to oversleep because I got to sleep about nine last night. I came home right after supper, took a bath, and then went to bed and read for a while. We have some books that came with the apartment, but none of them are very good. A typical title is “Forty-one Years in India”. Doesn’t that sound interesting? Maybe reading a little of that was what put me to sleep so early. . .
The English tea drinking custom is carried on here just like we’ve heard. Twice a day everything stands still while everybody has their tea. A lot of the secretaries are English, and they prepare tea for everybody. The tea is stronger than I like, but it is good to have something hot to drink between meals.
Later - I went for a walk through the (Hyde) park after supper. There was a small lake (the Serpentine) where people were rowing. I didn’t see any sailors. I think I’ll go down there and rent a rowboat one of these nights. There were bridle paths, only I didn’t see any stables where a horse could be rented. There were several baseball games going on between American service teams; some of them were very good. They attracted large crowds of spectators who didn’t seem to know what was going on. There was a RAF officer standing near me who kept asking me questions about the game. He seemed to enjoy it and was interested to learn how it was played.
There are several parks near where I live. In these long evenings it is nice to have them to walk in. Lots of people are out in the evenings, walking around and watching the various games, concerts, and the soapbox orators. . .
14 August ‘43, Saturday My dearest Betty;
I had a rather pleasant day today, everything went right for me. I sat in on a conference, at which the lowest rank besides me was Lt. Colonel, and didn’t pull any major blunders, so I was satisfied. The Colonel (Reed) I work for seems to be very nice, and strictly “regular army”. He is quite an athlete too; he is one of the best squash players in England, and in spite of his gray hair is very active and seems to have unlimited energy.
So much for the brass. After my long walk last night I don’t feel too energetic tonight, so I think I’ll go to bed early and catch up with my rest. I don’t seem to do much in the evenings, but it is usually eleven-thirty or twelve before I get to sleep, and it is always a struggle to wake up in the morning.
I wish I could find some scales to weigh myself. I bet that I’ve gained weight recently. I should, the way I’ve been eating. We usually have cooked fruit, cereal, and eggs and bacon for breakfast; meat, vegetables, potatoes, salad, and dessert for lunch and dinner. I generally go away from the table feeling stuffed. How about you, are you putting on some weight; you should.
Bill just came in and we opened a bottle of wine and had a glassful. It sure was good. We had gotten the bottle several days ago, but didn’t have a corkscrew. I wish you could be here with me, honey. I miss you an awful lot. Still no letters. Guess I’ll close now and climb into my lonely bed. Goodnight dear. All my love, Glenn
18 August ‘43 Wednesday My dearest Betty;
I got very cultural (or something) this evening and went to the symphony. I had supper with one of the fellows in the office, and he suggested going; so we hopped in a cab and went. The fellow’s name is Steve (Rousch) . At least that is what he is called; I saw his first name and it is about a block long. He is about my age, a little taller, blond, and comes from Minnesota. A very nice guy, he was married just before he came overseas.
The program was all Bach and Elgar. I had never heard of Elgar, but his music was good. He is/was a recent English composer. Anyway, the program said his Symphony No. 2 was first played in 1911. That was the main offering of the evening and I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t care too much for the rest of the program. It was very interesting to see the concert hall. It (Albert Hall) was shaped much like an oval cup, with seats in the bottom and part way up the sides, three tiers of boxes on the sides, and a gallery above the boxes. We arrived a half hour after the concert started, so we were standing just above the gallery. It was a lot like the concert halls in Europe I’ve seen in moving pictures. We walked home afterwards in the blackout. It was mostly across the park so it was a very nice walk. The weather has been nice lately so it was very pleasant out. . . All my love, Glenn
20 August ‘43, Friday My dearest;
I heard the Mikado tonight; just on records tho. George (Drury) (Gordie French’s friend) and I went up to his place after supper and listened to it and also to the New World Symphony. He has rented a combination radio-phonograph and bought the records over here. I don’t know how he plans to get the records home, but I guess he’ll stick them in his footlocker. We had some drinks of rum and coke which weren’t too good because they were lukewarm. George is tall, thin, and blond, nice looking, and hails from Oregon. He went to Oregon State, is very nice and a lot of fun to be around.
It was very dark when I came home. It was almost a necessity to smoke a cigarette to use as a sort of headlight so people wouldn’t bump into me. I found my way home OK tho, it was only a couple of blocks.
I overslept again this morning; didn’t wake up until about ten minutes to eight. I had sort of planned for it and had shaved the night before, so it didn’t take me very long to get ready to go. I had planned to eat breakfast and show up late, but just as I came to the corner where it was one way to the office and the other to the mess I met my Colonel! About that time I decided to skip breakfast. . .
Our laundry came back today, and they did a pretty good job. There was no starch in my shirts, but I’m used to that (my last laundress didn’t like to starch shirts either). The laundry was quite reasonable; only 10 cents each for shirts and pants. Of course it wasn’t quoted as 10 cents, but as 6 pence.
I’m looking for a letter from you any day now, one should arrive soon. I’ve just about given up hope of getting any of your letters that were sent to APO 4200H.
I miss you a lot dear. Goodnight, I love you. All my love & kisses, Glenn
22 August ‘43 Sunday Dearest;
Happy day! Your first letters arrived today, and was I glad to get them (I was)! They were postmarked July 23 and 27 from Philadelphia. No kidding, they really made me feel swell. It’s too bad you had to wait around Philly so long; I was hoping that you’d be able to get a train right away. I suppose that you got my letter in Philly alright.
I went out walking this afternoon after lunch and about wore my legs down to the knees. I saw a lot of interesting places, too. I thought maybe I’d go see a movie this afternoon, but all of them had lines about a block long (a half hour before the show started) so I gave up the idea. I came back by the office, and that was when I got your letters. One of the boys, Saint (St. Lawrence), was duty officer of the day, so I’m now holding down his post while he goes out to buy his weekly rations at the PX. I got mine earlier this afternoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I miss you more than I can say. All my love, Glenn
24 August ‘43 Tuesday My dearest Betty;
My footlocker and bedroll were here when I got home this evening so I’ve spent the time unpacking and putting stuff away. The alarm clock will come in handy too; maybe I’ll get to breakfast once in a while now. It still will run only when it is laying on its face, but as long as the alarm works I’ll be satisfied. Everything came through in pretty good shape except for the little tray in the footlocker. I must have had too much weight on it or something because it all busted up. The clothes were pretty well wrinkled but otherwise alright.
(My roommate) Bill, bless his soul, got my footlocker for me. He went down to inquire about his, and when he found it had arrived, he asked if mine had come in. They didn’t have any record of it, but when he went back to pick his up, mine was sitting right by his.
We had lunch at a Red Cross club this noon. I had chicken, but it wasn’t anywhere near as good as you can cook. We had about an hour to kill after lunch so we found a ping pong table and played at that. We had some good games and it was a lot of fun.
I didn’t get any letters from you today, so I read again the ones I got yesterday and the day before. After supper I went for a short walk in the park and then came home and have spent the rest of the evening unpacking. It’s kind of late, so I’d better close, or even the alarm won’t awaken me in the morning. I miss you a lot, honey. I love you. Goodnight dear.
All my love and kisses, Glenn
25 August ‘43 Wednesday My Dearest Betty;
I was very happy to find letters from both you and Mother in the office when I got in this evening. Mom had just gotten a letter from (my youngest brother) Ray, as I suppose you know long before now. I had been away for most of the day, and came down here to make notes on what I had seen while it was fresh in my mind. I might as well work a few evenings a week, since there isn’t a lot else to do.
The day’s activity took me for a long drive over the English countryside, and I did a lot of looking on the way. It was all very pretty; it reminded me of what I have seen of New England, especially up around Connecticut. That resemblance stopped as soon as we went through the towns; the streets were narrow and winding, and the buildings were right up to the edge of the road. The buildings are quite foreign to anything I’ve ever seen. They all seem to be so old, and have all these little gadgets stuck all over them. They are really ugly. I’m getting used to them a little now, so I don’t notice them so much.
That cable that you got was meant to tell you of my safe arrival; I don’t know why it took so long getting there. I sent one to Mom at the same time and hers was delivered about the same time that yours was. Did you get the safe arrival card that was supposed to have been mailed from the Port of Embarkation?
I hope that you have a good time at my folks. You and Mom ought to get on together alright, I know that you will because you both are so swell, and Mom likes you a lot too (so do I). It should still be pretty nice beach weather there, and you ought to be able to add to your tan. Are you going to get in touch with Freer and Norene while you are down there? I have been meaning to write them a letter, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. . .
Later. I just got home. A couple of the boys were at the office too, and when they left I went along. We pushed the button for the elevator and both of them came, so I got in one and they got in the other, and we raced down. It’s a good thing nobody was at the bottom when we burst out trying to be the first ones there. I guess we are all slap happy, but at least we have a lot of fun. Everyone is almost continually in a good mood, and it makes the work that much easier.
I miss you more every day, if that is possible. It is sure swell to be getting your letters, so keep them coming. I love you. Goodnight dear. All my love, Glenn
(In the above letter, Ray is my youngest brother who enlisted in the Navy. He served as a radio man on armed merchant ships in the Pacific and got home occasionally when his ship was in port. Freer and Norene were friends I met at UCLA before I went to Cal; they introduced me to Betty. The ride I take in the above letter was with a General, probably General Saylor, Theater Ordnance Officer. Only a 1st Lt, I traveled with some heavy brass at times!
Before D Day the U S European Theater Ordnance offices were combined with the Military Attaché offices. My good friend Tom Daly was in the Theater office. I was always in the Military Attaché group, tho never actually assigned to the Embassy - most of the time I was assigned to the Theater Headquarters, even when it moved to Paris, but was on detached service at the Embassy. There was also a group that were trained to recover and analyze enemy ordnance and report on them. This group included “Saint” St. Lawrence, George Drury, Steve Rousch, and Major Keck; I saw a lot of them before they moved to join the First Army headquarters close to D Day.)
31 August ‘43 Tuesday My dearest Betty;.
. . . . . I’m all alone at the office tonight; usually there are quite a few around, but the joint is really deserted now. Steve is over at the other office, but is the only one that is working (?) except me. I just finished writing one report this evening, and feel pretty proud of myself. That feeling will probably change when I hand it in for approval, but at the present time I think it is a good report.
This is a good typewriter that I’ve been using, and the chair that I’m sitting on feels good too; it has a sponge pad about a half inch thick. George says we don’t have to worry about anybody running into us from the rear in the blackout, because the seats of our pants shine so brightly. I hear tell that one member of the “Chairborne division” got a medal for sitting so long without a chair pad. As I started to say, this typewriter is very nice; it is a noiseless model, and apparently very new. It is an American make because it has the $ instead of the pound sign, which I can’t illustrate because there isn’t one on this machine. (Don’t you think I’d make a good detective?)
I had dinner at a British army officers mess this noon. I didn’t think that their food was as good as that we get. They really treat us nice when we go to see them. Usually the officers we deal with outrank us by a good margin, but they aren’t formal at all, and as a general rule are very nice.
The work is really beginning to pile up for me. I’ll have to work nights for a while to catch up. When I work nights I don’t exert myself too much; it helps to get things done, tho.
I’d like to get your letters telling of your trip to the sunny southland (Hermosa Beach), it wasn’t too foggy, was it? The mail service between us doesn’t seem to be consistent at all; at least it isn’t on this side. I hope that mine are coming through to you in somewhat consecutive order. . .
With a typewritten letter, and especially with this small type, I seem to run out of things to say before the first page is finished, so I guess I’ll close for this time. I just looked up at a map on the wall, and you are eight hours away, or ahead, no, behind us as the sun flies. Since I usually go to sleep about 10:30 or 11 each night, you should begin your mental telepathy about 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon in order to contact me for your “goodnight”. Wonder if kisses can be sent by mental telepathy? We can try it anyway. I miss you. All my love and kisses, Glenn
4 September ‘43 Saturday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . One of the Colonel’s secretaries is giving a party for her birthday tonight, and we are all going. It ought to be a lot of fun.
I’m afraid that I’m getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side of the road. That’s bad because I’ll have to get used to them on the other side when I get back home. Now I usually look the right way when I’m going to cross the street, but I also look the other way to be sure.
. .
. . . . . Later - much later: I just got home from the party and want to finish this letter before I go to sleep. It was a swell party and we all had a lot of fun. It was in quite a small apartment, not so small at that, but with the number of people that were there, the place was dwarfed. The whole gang of us from the office were there and various other people, including one Major General, two Colonels, and about a half dozen Lt Cols. Lucile (the secretary) is a lot of fun and we spent most of the evening taking turns dancing with her and singing and drinking and eating. The gang in the office got her a cigarette case, it was silver and had copies of all our signatures engraved on one side of it. It was very nice and seems to me to be a good present. . . . I only needed you there with me for a perfect evening.
George got a letter today from Gordie. He is in N. Africa and had met John Locke there. (Gordon French and John Locke were friends from UCLA and Cal. Gordon had trained with George in the enemy ordnance field. John was a very close friend who talked Gordie and me into taking the Ordnance ROTC class that led to our commissions. After the war John complained bitterly that he slogged through the mud of Africa and Italy with the troops while I lived comfortably in London and Gordon was his own boss , attached himself to the best mess in the area, and went where he wanted.)
I haven’t gotten a radio as yet, lately I haven’t been home enough to use it much. I’ve either worked, or walked, or something every night this week except one, and don’t spend any time here except when I’m sleeping. . . All my love and kisses, Glenn
5 Sept. ‘43, Sunday night Dearest;
I got two letters from you today, yours of July 31 and August 7. Doesn’t sound like your trip west was much fun with such bad service in the diner and all. It’s too bad you had to make that long trip all by yourself, but I guess it couldn’t be helped. It is swell you met someone nice on the train.
I was super lazy again this morning and didn’t get up until twelve o’clock. I woke up earlier, but was right in the middle of a dream about you, so I went back to sleep again; I didn’t dream any more tho, darn it. The next thing I knew there was a drum and bugle corp blasting me awake. I went to the front room window and watched as it paraded by. It was Royal Air Force; they looked very snappy and certainly made a lot of noise. After that I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up and went to lunch. I wasn’t used to those late hours like I kept last night.
I met Steve Rousch at the mess at noon and we decided to go see a concert. We got down there, tho, and all the seats were sold out. So we decided to see a show; same story as before when I tried to see a movie on Sunday, long lines an hour before it opened, so we decided not to see one. We came up to the apt. and had a glass of wine and talked for a while. He had gotten married only a short while before he came over, so we frequently cry on each other’s shoulder. He is from Minnesota and is one of 13 children. (Think we should have that many, dear?)
About four we went to the office where I got my letters. We then went to a tea dance given by Lady something or other at a local hotel. The dance was very nice. It was a swell large floor, there were tables around the edge and a balcony all around the room. They had all the allied flags hanging from the balcony and I think there were officers from most of the allies present. I saw some uniforms I’ve never seen before, and you really see a lot of different kinds around here. A drum and bugle corps gave a show; that was the second time today I’ve had my ears blasted out. I danced with several good dancers, but not one was as good a dancer as you. It was a lot of fun, tho, and I understand they are held every Sunday afternoon.
It is funny about the music over here; if you think the east coast is slow in taking up the new songs, you should see this place. The latest songs are those that were popular in the States six months or a year ago. I don’t think that any songs are composed here.
After the dance Steve and I went to the mess & had supper. It wasn’t too good this evening - sauerkraut & wieners, and the wieners were cold, at least mine were. After supper I came home and here I am in bed. That just about completes “my day”. Now if you were here it would really be complete. I sure miss you, honey. It seems like ages since I’ve seen you and held you close and kissed you. I guess about the best thing is to remember the swell times we’ve had together and look forward to when we’ll be together again, and hope that time won’t be far off.
Well, darling, I’ve rambled on here for almost three pages, so maybe I’d better stop and get some sleep. Goodnight dear. Keep writing every day; your letters cheer me up no end and make me feel a lot closer to you. All my love and kisses, Glenn
P.S. Maybe thirteen would be too many!
6 September ‘43 Monday My dearest Betty;
I just got back from lunch a few minutes ago; it was pretty good today, we had hamburger steak. This morning with tea I had cup cakes that were left over from the birthday party Saturday, so my appetite wasn’t all it should have been. I managed to eat most everything on my plate tho. At the moment I’m feeling a little uncomfortably full.
I haven’t received any mail yet today, but I feel sure that there will be a letter from you in this afternoon’s mail. It is about one PM here, so It should be about five in the morning there. I suppose that you are very comfortably asleep. Maybe if our mental telepathy is working you are dreaming of me. I’m concentrating very hard, am I coming through?
I haven’t really got anything to talk about now, I just felt like having a chat with you. Are you awake yet? Move over and I’ll crawl in with you for a while. That’s better; now give me a kiss. What are you planning to do today? Going shopping, or to visit someone, or what? Don’t go back to sleep now, here I’ve been up for six hours already and I’m not sleepy, much. Guess I’d better get back to work now, be good and think of me. I’ll be thinking of you, and will come back to talk with you some more later today.
Later -- 4:30. I got a letter from your mother this afternoon, but none from you as yet. Maybe some more mail will come in before I go home. Hope so anyway.
Much later -- 11 PM. This letter seems to be coming in bits and pieces today. Just as I was getting started the second time the Colonel walked in and stated that I was to have dinner with him tonight to meet a British officer who does corresponding work to mine, except he is a Colonel and has charge of the whole works. So, not having any previous engagement, I accepted his kind invitation. He also had some stuff for me to look over, so I couldn’t get back to the letter. I came home about six and took a bath and shaved so I would look my handsome best; donned my pinks and a clean shirt and arrived at Col. Reed’s apartment at 7:30 on the dot.
He lives in a very swanky apartment house, or rather (the Dorchester) hotel. The doorman and the elevator man and so on wore very swanky and colorful uniforms. His place was very nice, but he didn’t have nearly as large a place as we have, and tho the furnishings were newer, they weren’t any nicer. The British Colonel came presently, and we sat around and talked and drank until almost 8:30, when we went out to eat.
We ate at the Senior Officers’ mess, which is just for colonels and above and not for us lowly lieutenants (although the “high moguls” can eat at our mess, and most of them do). The mess closes at 8:30 so you can guess how happy our waitress was to see us walk in at the last minute, she slammed the silverware around and muttered under her breath, but audibly, about people who come in to eat at that time. Anyway we had something to eat, I’m glad to say; I was getting pretty hungry by that time. Col. Reed saw another colonel he knew there, and he joined us. Nothing but brass! (And a little silver). After supper we went back to Col. Reed’s room and talked some more and drank some more. Finally people went home and I staggered out too. ( I didn’t really stagger out, but it was an effort to walk straight).
It was black as pitch out but I found my way home alright. I’m practically getting to be an owl, or something, and can find my way around in the dark quite well. I’m very careful when I’m out in the blackout tho, there are too many tales of accidents and walking into posts and so on. I walk slowly and hesitate at each street crossing and make sure the way is clear before I start across. . .
11 September ‘43 Saturday night My dearest Betty;
. . . . . I ought to get all caught up with my letters tomorrow seeing that I’m Sunday duty officer and have to be there from 8:30 to 5:30. . .
. . . . . The nurses have new khaki uniforms now that look a lot like the WAC officer uniforms; they look a lot nicer than the old blue ones. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen them. . .
19 September ‘43 Sunday My dearest Betty;
. . . . . I met George and Bill (Capt. Durrenberger) at the mess at noon, and after lunch we went to Kew Gardens. They are a huge place around the Kew Palace where King George lll lived. There were a lot of very pretty and colorful flowers in bloom and also a lot of hothouses. It was all very pretty and we spent most of the afternoon walking around. . .
After supper we went to the Nurses Club where there was a dance, but it was so crowded that we didn’t stay long, and headed for home. I got two letters today, from (my brother) Dick and Mom. . .
Have you gotten any snapshots developed yet? I took some today with George’s camera and when I finish the roll I’ll send them to you. It’ll probably take a long time, tho, so don’t expect them too soon. I love you and miss you an awful lot. Be good, dear, and write me all the news. Goodnight darling. All my love and kisses, Glenn
(My younger brother, Dick, enlisted in the Coast Guard. He was a cook on a Coast Guard ship, and didn’t get too far from Southern California during the war, I got word of his marriage and the birth of his first child while I was in London)
(“Swell” was an “ultimate adjective” much used in movies and by young people of the 1930’s and 1940’s, and I was no exception)
posted by Betty & Glenn Burke | 3:50 PM
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