12:30 AM June 21, 1943 Monday
Hello Darlin’:
Well, here it is another day closer to July and the sweetest, cutest, loveliest little angel in the world.
I went downtown and stopped in to see Hook. They were going bowling and wanted me to go with them so I did. If I bowl as good when you get out here, I don’t think I will have much trouble beating you. I bowled 149, 196, and 200.
Something is sure haywire somewhere. Your Special isn’t here yet. Maybe you had better start doing what I do. Your Specials always come late Sunday evening.
Well Sweets, I guess I will close for now. I will answer your Special in the morning. I love you very very much.Good Night Little Angel.
Good morning Darling:
Say now, what’s going on. Your Special isn’t here yet. The mail came and there was a beautiful tie from my little girl. Thanks a lot Darling. There wasn’t a letter though, so I still have nothing to answer. I haven’t even heard whether you received the bracelet yet or not. You are getting me worried now. I sure wish I had gotten a letter today.
The weather is sure swell today. I hope it is this nice when you get here. No matter what kind of weather we have, it will be the nicest I’ve ever seen as long as you are with me.
The time is starting to drag along now. Three weeks from now you will be on your way.
Well Darling, it is time for me to fix my lunch. I’ll be back in the little while.
Hi Honey, well I’m back now and all ready to go to work. Your Special hasn’t come yet. I have to go early today, I lost my badge someplace on the ship last Saturday night. I was in the fantail and it might have been torn off climbing around or through the holes. I have to see if it has been turned in by someone at the gate. If not, I will have to get a new one.
Well Darling, I guess I had better leave. I will see you at 8. I love you very very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Harlan
1:30 AM Tuesday morning June 22, 1943
Hi Honey:
To start with I’m sorry I didn’t write last night or this morning, I was so tired simply fell in bed and then this morning Daddie was sick again and I had to go downtown for some medicine for him so I didn’t get one written. Please, am I forgiven?
How are you? There was no letter from you today, so seeing how your Special came Saturday, I haven’t heard for two days and it seems like ages. I hope you’re not sick or anything but then maybe I’ll get two tomorrow.
Nothing much has happened since I last wrote. Tomorrow is my day off and Yudie, Eleanor and myself are going to a show and then I’m going to stay all night with them, but I’ll write before I go downtown. I’m going to get up early and cut the grass for Dad. Poor Daddie, I sure feel sorry for him. He was awful sick. It seems every time right after he eats, there is so severe pressure against his heart and it’s painful and he can’t breathe very well. He was better tonight and he says he’s going to work tomorrow. You know Daddie, nothing can keep him down. He has stopped smoking cigarettes however, which makes Momie very happy. She said, now if I would quit everything would be all right, but you know me and my cigarettes. By the way, Harlan I use a cigarette holder now. Doesn’t that sound funny, me using a holder?
I just happen to think, I don’t know whether I told you I received your bond or not. Well anyway, that makes it $575. We would have had $600 if I hadn’t cashed one of mine in. Harlan I’m sorry but I hate to ask you for money. Jeepers, you need every penny you can get yourself. I think I can make it now.
How’s work and Lang and Hook and Johnny and everyone. What have you been doing? Any burns lately? Hope not. Have you bought anything new and how are the haircuts? By the way, Harlan please don’t send your clothes home until I get there. If you will wait, we can buy a small trunk and I’ll help you pack them right. Besides, you don’t want to send some now and some later. Harlan, do you really think you will go? Well, three weeks from now I’ll be halfway there. Guess I better close now and get to bed. I’m very tired. Hope there is a little a letter tomorrow. Bye for now Honey. I love you very much and miss you terribly. Be careful, be good and don’t worry, that’s my job.
Love as Always “Your” Darlin F.W. Janie
Tuesday 4:30 PM June 22, 1943
Hello Honey:
Well here I am again and with no news whatsoever. There were two letters this morning, one written Friday night after work and the other Sunday morning and they both left Frisco Sunday afternoon at 11:30 PM. There were no questions and they were both very short. But at the end of the one written Sunday morning you said you would write write me a long one Sunday night so I’m looking forward to it very much. I’m very tired today. Daddie had another attack this morning at 4:30 AM. I’ve only had two hours of sleep. He was in terrible pain and the medicine didn’t help him one bit so at 6:00, Momie called the Dr. and he came over. He gave Daddie a hypo but it didn’t help much. He slept about an hour and then he woke up and was still in great pain. Momie called the Doctor again and he made up some medicine, stronger, and I went down and got it, but Daddie is still very sick and can’t sleep. If he isn’t better by 6:00, the Doc is coming out again. The doctor told mom it definitely was his heart and that he might not be able to go back to work for a while. I guess we might as well face facts Harlan, if Daddie doesn’t get over this like he should I won’t be able to come out. I know it’s pretty hard to take, but if Daddie has to go to the hospital, my place is here with momie. You do understand, don’t you? Poor Daddie, I’m sure glad the boys aren’t here to see him. I hate to burden you with all of this but you would have to know sooner or later anyway. It kind of skeares me because I’ve never seen Daddie like this before.
If Daddie is better tonight, I’m going to the show. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one.
Please Harlan, I’m sorry you have to hear this but gosh I have to tell someone, don’t tell your folks.
By the way, didn’t you get another package besides the cookies? Let’s make the letter a little longer. I better go now and help Momie get dinner. I love you much very much, and I will write again tomorrow.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ Janie
1:30 AM June 23, 1943 Wednesday
Hello Darlin’:
I’ll bet you that three weeks from now I won’t be doing very much sleeping. I’ll be already to take out for the ferry building.
I didn’t write last night because I wasn’t feeling very good. I got galvanized a little bit. I hope you will forgive me. Please. Your Special came Monday afternoon. I have three letters from you to answer so I had better do that now. By the way, where did you get that paper you are using? You had better take it easy on these whing dings or gin whizzes with the girls. No questions in your Special. I will try again now on another letter. I had half a notion to call you tonight but you said you were going out on a whing ding with the girls so you probably aren’t home as yet. You had better save up some of that energy because you are really going to need it when you get out here. I mailed your last Specials at the same time. I mailed them on the way to work on Friday. If I mailed it on the way to work Saturday, you wouldn’t have gotten it until Monday or Tuesday. I used to mail then Saturday morning on the way to the bank, long before work. You can never make up the bond you cashed in now. Why don’t you buy a few clothes out here instead of buying them all before you come out. It would be fun shopping in some of these big stores, don’t you think? I think you had better tell the folks that you were coming out. If you don’t, they might feel you are holding something back on them. I really wish you would tell them. I’m sorry to hear that your Dad had another attack.
I made these those little impressions on the bracelet with a hammer and a punch. I’m glad you like it. Tell your Father that I didn’t make the bracelet at work, I made it at home. I think I must’ve spent about three weeks working on it.
Well Darling, I guess I had better get to bed and get a little sleep. I will finish this in the morning. I love you more and more and more every day. Good night Darlin’.
Good morning Sweetheart. Rather good afternoon. The time is 12:30 PM I got up this morning at 7:30. I went out to the ration board to see about getting another tire. I hope I get one before you get here.
I didn’t get a letter today. The mailman is slipping. This is the third day in this week so far.
Well Sweets, there isn’t any news so I guess I had better close for now. I love you very very much. And I will see you at 8.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
1:00 AM June 24, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Three weeks from right now will be our first night together. I wonder what we will be doing. I’ll bet I can sure guess! I hope all of our nights and days together will be late today and tonight is. It is really clear out and the moon is big and bright as day.
There isn’t any news and I didn’t get a letter today so I haven’t any very much to write about. I’m just about dead so I think I would tell you that I love you more than anything else on earth and then go to bed. I love you more than anything else on earth.
Good night Sweetheart.
Good morning Darling:
Well here it is another beautiful day. I got up about 8:45 and fixed breakfast and then washed all of my clothes. I had quite a few.
I received a letter from you and one from your Father today. Soon I will write the letter you ask me to write for you to your folks. Yes, you are forgiven for not writing last night. I’m terribly sorry about your Father been sick again. I hope it’s not too serious. I would like to see you smoke a cigarette holder. Work is just fine and so are the boys. We have all had a lot of bad jobs this week and also last week. I don’t think I have made out this week so far. Last week I only made $16.84. I don’t know whether all go into the Army or not. That is something that is beyond me now.
There isn’t any news so I don’t know what else to write about.
I will probably be busy most of tomorrow morning ironing some clothes.
Well Darling, I guess I had better close for now. See you in my thoughts at 8, see you in person in two weeks and six days. I love you very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
Thursday 12:45 AM June 24, 1943
Hello Honey:
Gosh I’m tired, you bet. We didn’t go to the show last night. Daddie was better and I was all dressed and about to leave, when zoom Daddie got worse, just like that. He could hardly breathe. We were all pretty skeared. Momie called the doctor and he came right away. He gave Daddie something to relieve the pressure and then gave him a hypo, then Daddie went to sleep. Momie was pretty skeared because he kept waking up and he was kind of delirious. You know how you are after all that dope. Momie hasn’t had any sleep since 3:00 yesterday morning. So I stayed up with him so she could snatch a few winks of sleep in between Daddie’s spells. (They are playing “Miss You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1hByrMr41g) He calmed down about 4:00 this morning and really went to sleep, so I came up to bed and got up about 10:00, so I’m pretty pooed tonight.
There was no letter again today and there should have been that nice long one, promised Sunday night. But then maybe you went out or it’s in the mail.
By the way, I heard “All or Nothing At All” by Harry James and Frank S! I like it. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAN_jLnD_Q8)
There isn’t much news. I haven’t called your Mom because I been so busy. I’ll try to call her tomorrow. Remember don’t tell her anything about Pop been sick. He’s very self-conscious about it.
Well I can hardly hold my eyes open so I better go now. Sure hope to hear tomorrow. Good night Honey.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ & F.W. Janie
Thursday 1:30 PM June 24, 1943
Hello again:
Well there was a letter this morning. It must be the mail because I sent your Special at the regular time and then too. I received your bracelet on Thursday and wrote you right about it and mailed it Friday morning, so you should have had it by Monday. I’m awfully sorry. Glad you liked the tie.
Gee, that sure was a good bowling score. I’ll have to go some to beat that. You said something about that time dragging, you were just kidding. This week’s seems like two instead of one.
It’s awful hot here today, hot and sticky. One minute the Sun is out and the next it looks like rain. Daddie is a lot better today, the pain is all gone except one little one, but he is awful weak. It will be a couple of days or so before he gets his strength back, he is still in bed. How did you like his letter?
Well Honey, I better go and get ready for work now. It’s going to be an awful hot with those uniforms on. Oh what I wouldn’t give to be with you right now, maybe down on the ocean beach. Can we go swimming in the ocean? Well must come back to realization or rather reality. “You’ll Never Know Just How Much I Miss You” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZtWNlCTc6o) is being played.
Bye for now Harlan Dear. I’ll finish this tonight. See you at 10.
12:50 AM
Good morning Honey;
Well how’s my Honey tonight? Or this morning. Fine and dandy I hope. I’m rather tired but not as much as last night. Do you know what? Two weeks from tonight, I’ll get off just like I did tonight. I’ll change my clothes, run out to the clock and check out, run to the gate, walked out and then I’ll grab Marian, kiss her goodbye and then run to the car jump in and drive home not to return for about a month. Oh happy day.
We shut down tonight at 10:45 and since it was too early to get dressed. Marian and I went out in back and were sitting there talking about – well you know what, and zoom, there comes the fire wagon. It stopped right out back of the tracer wing, the one next to ours. Boy, the people came rushing out, smoke and all. It was pretty bad, but no one was hurt. It was fun watching then.
Well Sweets, it’s getting late and I’m getting sleepy, and I will write tomorrow. Bye for now.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ & F.W. Janie
1:30 AM June 25, 1943 Friday
Hello Darlin’:
Well, here it is another day closer to July 14 in the sweetest little angel this side of heaven. To begin with there isn’t any news so I don’t know what I’m going to write about in this Special.
The weather tonight is perfect out. The sky is clear and the moon and the stars are just as bright and nice. It is cool but not cold. Just the right kind of night for about 2 or 3 hours of smooching. When you get here the 14th, I will meet you at the depot in Oakland and we will take the ferry across to San Francisco. It will probably be around dinnertime so we will eat either downtown or all fix dinner here at the house for us. Then I will work that night and let you rest up from your trip. When I get home from work, I will take a shower and change my clothes and then we will take a ride in Herman and then park a while. I won’t work Thursday, so we can sleep a little late and then when we get up we can go down and get your baggage and then maybe go out and play a little golf and maybe in the evening we can go to a show or parks some more.
Well Darling, I think I had better get a bite to eat and get to bed. I worked in the fantail again tonight and I’m very tired. I will finish this in the morning.
I love you very very much. Good night Sweetheart.
Good morning Darling: Again it is a beautiful day out. The Sun is very bright and warm and there is a little breeze to make it a little cool and not too hot. There isn’t any news since last night when I closed so I’m still at a loss as to what to write about. I’m getting terribly restless now, I can hardly wait until you get here. I have a weeks vacation coming up pretty soon. It may come while you are here. So I may get paid for over one of the weeks I take off.
Syd called me the other day and says he wants to play golf Sunday morning with me. He’s going on a picnic Sunday afternoon and wanted me to go with him. I’m not going know because I would have to take a date and I don’t think I will be here by that time. Besides, we will be going on lots of picnics when you get here. Just think, two weeks and four days. That isn’t a very long.
By the way My Dear, you told me you told me you would let me know when you bought your ticket because you weren’t sure of the right date. Your Father told me you had bought your ticket already.
Darling, the mail just came and there was some bad news in your letter. I’m terribly sorry your father is worst. And of course you should stay with your mom. I understand. If such a thing happens that you can’t come right away I won’t be too disappointed beings it is a man like your father taking my place and will being with you. You keep me posted as to know how he is.
I may go to a show Sunday night. It has been 3 weeks since I’ve seen one I think.
Well Darling, I guess I had better close for now. I will see you in my thoughts at 8.
I love you and you alone.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
Saturday 2:00 AM June 26, 1943
Hi Honey bunch:
Guess who, well how silly, of course it’s me, your little angel, if you only knew. Ooops, that’s the wrong thing to say. Well how’s T & T’s future daddy today? Fine and dandy I hope and in high spirits too. There was a letter from you today, a nice too. Did I note a bit of sarcasm in the remarks about the bond, if so I’m sorry. O.K. Harlan here’s your chance, you have said time and time again that if I need money I could ask you and you would be more than willing to send it. Harlan, , or rather would you, well to get to the point, (Harlan I hate to ask you this but I must and I’ll try to pay you back, in fact I will) would you please send me, or rather loan me $10 by next Friday? That is so I will it by next Friday. You see, just before Dick left, he wired me for some money and I sent it to him thinking I would get it back. But he evidently forgot because I didn’t. It set me back terribly and I hate to ask Daddie because he’ll want to know what it is for and why I’m short and I don’t want to tell him about Dick. Understand Honey? If you can’t do it, well I’ll understand.
It’s awfully hot here tonight, about 90° I should say, and guess what? I’ve got my hair in pigtails. I look like I’m about 16 instead of 19 – ahem.
We didn’t go on that whing ding last week. I got this paper at the drugstore, would you like me to send you some?
Well today was payday but as I received a short check and tomorrow is Momie’s birthday, it won’t last long. I’m going to get up kind of early and bow down and buy her a bedspread, I think.
Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’m going swimming Sunday morning with Marian. First time this year. Harlan, I’m sorry you didn’t call but as long as you didn’t, I’d rather not have you all unless you are drafted and if not that you can call me about three days before I leave, which won’t be long now.
Well Honey, it’s getting later and later and my eyes are getting bigger and bigger, sooo better close.
I love you very much and am waiting for the time when I’m in your arms again.
Bye for now.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ & F.W. Janie
11:00 AM Saturday, June 26, 1943
Hello Sweetheart:
well here it is another day closer to you. I just got back from town, I took my check down and put it in the bank and I took your Special down to the post office.
Tommy Dorsey is playing “In The Blue of the Evening” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m27MhMAihLA). Have you heard it? It is very nice but it makes me kind of blue.
I didn’t write last night because I got home kind of late. One of the fellows I know who rides the streetcar with me at night missed it. So he came on home with me and I took him home in my car. I went up and had a cup of coffee with him and then came home. I didn’t think you would mind if I waited until this morning to write your letter.
Honey, I have to go to the store. I’ll finish this when I get back. I think the mail will be heard by that time and I will have a letter to answer. I love you.
Hello Darling. I’m back from the store in the mail is here. I’m sorry about your father getting worse. It is a shame to have a man like your father sick even for a little while. He’ll be alright though. I won’t tell the folks about your father being sick. There aren’t any questions in your letter so I haven’t a thing to answer. The weather is beautiful here today. I hope it is like this tomorrow. I have quite a few clothes to iron tomorrow and I also plan on washing Herman.
I had a good night last night. I had about 140 feet, I think. I should have made out pretty good. I had a good job right in the open, I didn’t even need to use a respirator.
Leo changed over to the day shift and Zeigler may change this week. I don’t think Hook will change though.
Gee, I wish you were here. I have the radio on and the music is just about driving me crazy. If you are here, we could go to a dance tonight. After the dance we could drive out and parks some place for about 2 or 3 hours.
Well Darling, I guess I had better get ready for work. I will see you in thoughts at 8. I love you very very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
1:30 AM Sunday, June 27, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well, here it is another day and also another week closer to you in the happiest moments of my life.
I hope your father is all right now. I don’t think you will be able to keep him down long. Night every welder on the boat worked in the back and of the boat. A China man and I worked in the fantail because we were the smallest in the crew. He is a little larger than I am. I had to do most of my welding standing on my head for using a mirror. I welded 21 feet, so you can imagine how hard it was to get at the welding. Tomorrow the machinists are going to start boring the stress so the back end had to be finished tonight. Tonight for the first time I saw women welders in the yard. There were two pretty young ones on the slab right in front of our ship. One was cute and the other one wasn’t so hot. All the fellows just stood and looked at them. In another month or so they will have a lot of them in the yard to replace men that are drafted. I don’t think they will ever put them on the ship so unless it is after they are launched and then they can work on outfitting.
Well Darling, I am going to play golf in the morning so I had better get to bed. I love you very much. Good night Sweetheart.
Good morning Darling: I have just finished calling you. It was nice hearing your sweet voice again. I just found out this is my last sheet of paper so I guess I had better close. I love you very very much. I will see you at 8 and I will write again tonight.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Fun Fact: In addition to the thousands of women welders in the shipbuilding program, thousands of other women workers participated in almost every facet of shipbuilding. Shipyards invented a parallel to Rosie the Riveter called Wendy the Welder, but she never received the icon status of Rosie. Nonetheless, the essential contribution by women welders during World War II has been recognized. No woman is arguably more iconic in World War II era-history than “Rosie the Riveter.” While Rosie was riveting fighter planes, her lesser known cousin “Wendy the Welder” was welding battle ships across the Pacific Northwest. By 1945, women across the San Francisco Bay Area donned denim overalls and wielded heavy machinery in support of the war effort, churning out nearly 4,600 ships in four years.
Monday 1:00 AM June 28, 1943
Hello Honey:
Well to start with I didn’t get a letter off today as I didn’t get home from swimming until 2:30, leaving half an hour to fix my hair, eat and change my clothes, sooo I’ll send this Special and it will get there sooner. O.K? O.K!
Gosh Harlan, I was so glad to hear your voice again this morning. It sure was well of you to call. I’m sorry though that you couldn’t hear me better. I can hear you just grand. Thank you so much for calling, however I’m more impatient than ever to see you again, two weeks and two hours. 14 days and 2 hours, in fact 438 hours from now I’ll be stepping on a train, which will take me to see my Honey.
Harlan, Daddie meant that I had made my reservation, I still haven’t paid for my ticket. The ticket man said he would call me when I was to bring the money down and as yet he hasn’t called. I think I’ll call him tomorrow morning before I call your folks. By the way, they were over this morning and brought your skis, but as I was swimming, I didn’t get to see them. Boy Harlan, you should see my back or maybe it’s better that you can’t. It’s flaming red, my arms too. I really do like this time. We sure had fun though but I’m sure short winded, going to have to cut down on smoking.
Daddie is definitely better he is still very weak and doesn’t get around much, but we think he will be all right.
Oh, I forgot, I saw Marilyn Farmer at the pool this morning, she said Opal was coming home in a week or so.
Well Honey, my arms ache, my shoulders ache, my back aches and my eyes are tired so I better close. I love you very, very much and I’m very lonesome for you. See you soon.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ & F.W. Janie
PS thanks again for calling and a nice long Special.
Love as always, Jane
10:00 AM Monday, June 28, 1943
Hello Darlin:
Well, here it is another day closer to July 14 and you. I got up about an hour ago and had breakfast and then went to the store. I also bought a new package of paper.
Your Special was here when I got back from playing golf. I’ll answer that now. I will send the $10 in my letter tonight. I don’t have it on me so I will get it at the bank. No, don’t send me any of that. That is all the questions you have in your letter.
I had a terrible game of golf yesterday. On Sundays there are too many people and it takes so long to play a game. I got there about 10:30 AM, I think and I didn’t get to play until 12:00. It took about five hours to play. I stopped to Johnny’s about 5:15 and he said he wasn’t doing anything that night so we came over to my place and I took a shower and shave and put some clean clothes on. We then went over to his house and ate dinner. Then about 7:30, we drove downtown in his car. We went to the Backstage Club and had a couple of drinks and then we went to a show. We saw “5 Graves to Cairo”.
After the show, we stopped and had a hamburger and came on home. The park in front of my house in about an hour and a half. Then I came in and went to bed.
Have you heard from Dick yet? He is probably right in the thick of it now.
Well Sweet, I’m and running out of words. I love you very very much. I will see you in thoughts at 8 and I will see you in person June 14. (Harry James is playing “All or Nothing At All”)
I love you and you alone.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
Now they are playing “Goodnight Little Angel” (Russ Morgan and his Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEqY0FJIno8)
Tuesday 1:30 AM June 29, 1943
Hello Honey:
How are you? I hope you are just fine. I’m just fine and so’s everyone else that I know of. Work is fine too, in case you would like to know.
There was a letter this morning written Saturday but no bond. Didn’t you get one this week #yes, I put his arrangement of “In The Blue of the Evening”. I like it very much.
I called the ticket office this morning to see about my reservation and why they haven’t called me. Call me and they had me down for the 14th, that’s Wednesday. I told them that I made my reservation four weeks in advance of purchase because I could only get so much time off and at a certain time only. He said he was very sorry and one wire to Chicago tonight to see if he could get me one on either the 11th or the 12th and would call me Thursday morning. Sooo now I’m really in the dark. If I can’t get one until the 14th, that means I waste two days here unless I can arrange with my foreman for two more days. I also called your Mom this morning and told her I was going to see you. She was kind of quiet for a minute, then said she thought it was very nice. She said I could come back with Opal as she would be coming back about the 24, but I told her I thought I would be out there longer than that. Have you heard from Opal?
I saw Ford at work tonight but only to say hello.
It’s real chilly out tonight, a real swell night to – – you know what. Gosh Honey, I was thinking tonight about how it all seems like a dream, when we use together every night and when we worked, used to call me three or four times in evening. It all seems like so long ago and yet sometimes I catch myself listening for Herman to come down the street where I half expect to hear your voice when I pick up the phone. As long as I live, I’ll never forget those three glorious years. How everything is changed. In the last 11 months, I’ve been with you 2 weeks. Here we are 2000 miles apart. You working in the shipyards and me in a munitions plant. Little did we know 14 months ago that right now we would be 2000 miles apart doing what we are and that I would be getting ready to go out and see you. I’ve waited so long for the best, nothing must happen to disturb our plans. We have to make up in two weeks what we have missed and gone without her on a year. I love you very much Harlan and always will. Better go now before I shed a tear. Good night Honey.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs “Your’ Darlin’ & F.W. Janie
PS. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear from the ticket office.
12:00 PM June 29, 1943 Tuesday
Hello Darling:
Well, here it is another day closer to July and you.
There isn’t very much news and I didn’t get a letter today, so I don’t know what to write about.
I was sicker than a dog when I got home last night, so I took a hot shower and went right to bed. I worked in a tank and fill about 8:30 and was pretty hot. Then I went outside the ship and welded some shell tops. The wind was pretty strong and rather cold. I feel a little better today. I got up at 9 and fixed breakfast, I then took some of of my close to the cleaners and came back and ironed the rest of my laundry, including 4 pair of shorts, 3 undershirts, 5 sciny shirts, 2 pair of work pants, 2 pair of pajamas, 2 sweatshirts, 4 handkerchiefs. That’s some laundry, isn’t it?
Then I fixed dinner. I had pork chops, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad and golf”. I feel pretty full. I sure found a small way to grill porkchops. I put them under the fire. I put a little of my Worchester shire sauce on top, a little butter and a little chopped onions. The butter melts and the flavor of onions and that sauce goes through them. I am getting so I can fix dinner now and have everything get done at the same time. Wait until you taste my strawberry waffles. I put some fresh strawberries in the dough or strawberry jam. They are pretty delish.
I don’t feel very much like working today but I think I had better go anyway.
I sure hope the weather is like this when you get here. Last July it wasn’t so good.
How is your father doing by now? Fine, I hope.
Well Darling, again I find myself running out of words. I love you so very very much and will be the happiest fellow in the world when you get here.
I will see you in thoughts at 8 and I will see you in person July 14.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Y F H Harlan
Enclosed find 2 $25 bonds and 1 $10 bill.
12:50 AM Wednesday, June 30, 1943
Hello Darling:
Well, here it is another day closer to July 14 and the sweetest little girl the side of the Atlantic. I guess I had better wait until you get here to see if you are still a little angel, I thought you were. That is from what you said in one of your letters.
I worked pretty hard tonight didn’t make out.
Just think, this is Wednesday. Two wee-ks from today you will be here. We are sure going to have a lot of fun.
I have to take a shower and get a bite to eat and then go to bed. The sooner I get to bed, the sooner tomorrow will be here and the sooner tomorrow gets here, the sooner you will be in my arms again. Oh boy. I love you very very much.
Good night Darling.
Good morning Sweetheart.
It is almost noon. I have been working on Herman this morning. I hope to have it all fixed by the time you get here. It looks good now but it will look a lot better when you see it.
I have to go downtown this morning and get my $5 car stamp. It is the last day I can get it.
The mail is here and I got a Special from you and one from the folks. I didn’t get a letter in the regular mail though. There were no questions in your Special, so I will have nothing to answer. I guess I had better make the short and get downtown.
I love you very much. I will see you in thoughts at 8 and in person two weeks from today.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxs Harlan
Wednesday 1:45 AM June 30, 1943
Hello Honey:
Well, here I am again and with nothing whatsoever to write about. There was no letter today, so there aren’t any questions to answer.
They were kind of late tonight because our car had stopped at the Hi Ho Grill and had a Hi Ho, we were all so hungry. Is the first time I’ve been there since Christmas when you are home. Memories, memories. How are you? Fine, I hope. Tomorrow should be my day off but I changed with Marian so now I’m not off until Thursday.
It’s very chilly again tonight and was downright cold coming home. Oh Harlan, they are converting the machines in our waiting to machine feed. You see, now they have operators, girls, feeding the machines but they are putting on a machine that feeds instead and there is a lot of welding to be done. I was watching the follow and, well you see every thing. I would fill the machines, I would go up and watch him then when my machine ran down, I would go back down, fill them up again, then I would go back up and watch them, after about an hour of this, he told me I better be careful not to watch the light too long for I would burn my eyes. He asked me why I was so interested and before I knew it I told him all about you. He wore a big black helmet and big gloves like you used to buy, but of course he didn’t have leathers on. It was sure fun watching him. I tried to imagine you, maybe in a little room doing that.
Well Honey, it’s getting late and I’m going to get up early and wash my hair. By the way, don’t get a haircut until about a week before I’m supposed to arrive, then it will be just right. O.K?
Arlen, I’ve told you three times about my address and yet you aren’t doing what I asked. Please, put the number 10 after Des Moines.
I’ll show you once more. N. J. Hare
1809 27th Street
Des Moines 10, Iowa
See!
Now please Harlan, it is really supposed to be there, by request of the government.
Better go now. See you in 14 or 15 days.
Love as always. “Your” Darlin Janie
Wednesday 3:00 PM June 30, 1943
Good afternoon Hon:
I have about 15 minutes before Don comes so if I should just stop in the middle of a sentence, you will know he came. There were two letters this morning. I’ll answer them tonight. Last night is the first time I slept since I went swimming Sunday. My sunburn has kept me awake. Much of my regret, my left shoulders blistered and it’s quite painful. I’ll never learn, I guess. Harlan, you didn’t say much about the $10 that said you were sending, except you were sending it, are you are you mad at me for asking? I guess maybe I should have asked, huh.
It’s a terrible day, am sure glad it isn’t my day off. It’s only about 55° out and raining now and then. I heard “All or Nothing At All” again today, it’s kind of sad in a way, don’t you think?
12:45 AM Thursday, July 1, 1943
That ended rather suddenly, didn’t it? Well I’ve been to work and I’m back again. Gosh Honey, poor Marian, you know she was expecting Wesley, her boyfriend, home today or tomorrow and just before she came to work the mail came and it was a letter from Wes saying he wouldn’t be home for maybe the duration. All leaves have been canceled and he is going to Florida for six weeks then overseas. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a girl so broken hearted. We sure are lucky!
Well Honey, it’s another month closer to that time and if everything goes as planned, in 12 days I leave. Say Hon, maybe I could get a job in the yard. Yes or no?
There isn’t much news tonight. It’s still very chilly but it’s clear, so I hope it’s nice tomorrow. I didn’t get my hair washed the other day, so I’m going to get up about 8:00 and cut and wash it and then I’m going down to the depot and then meet the girls about 3:00 and go see “Coney Island”, then to dinner, after that is very undecided.
No we haven’t heard from Dick but are looking every day for a letter. Harlan, I’ve never heard that “Good Night Little Angel”, is there such a song?
Well Honey, I’m tired and have a full day ahead of me. I love you very much and oh jeepers it won’t be long now.
Love as Always “Your” Darlin FW Janie
Johnny & Jane 