July 18 through 24, 1943

1:30 AM July 18, 1943 Sunday

Hello Darlin’:

Well here it is another day closer to you. I just got home and work and have had my shower and am ready for bed. I don’t feel so good tonight. I worked in the double bottom tonight and last night and I got a good dose of galvanize and to top that off I’m dead tired.

I’ve been invited to go on a picnic tomorrow with Hook and his wife and his wife’s sister. I think I will go because it over a year since I have been on one.

I drove to work today. Herman’s battery is going up. It sure isn’t like it used to be though. We could park for a couple of hours and listen to the radio and it never went down. Those were sure swell days. I sure wish I had you with me now. I could try to keep my hand on your knee. I could take you in my arms and kiss your lips and neck. We could go and bowl a couple of games or play a little golf. Maybe go to a show or dance. We could really live again. Say Jane, did you see the moon tonight? It is a big full moon. I went up on the main deck at 8:00 and smoked a cigarette and then went down and worked until 11:00 PM. We quit at 11:00 on Saturday so we can pull our lines up. (The radio is playing “The Right Kind of Love” with The Vagabonds (https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VAMSf8B32qw&list=RDAMVMVAMSf8B32qw) Have you heard it?) Getting back, I came up at 11:00 and there the moon as bright as day and round as I’ve ever seen it. It kind of sent chills up my up and down my spine just thinking of all the wonderful nights we used to spend under it.

Well Sweets, I guess I had better get some sleep. I love you so very very much. Good night Sweetheart.

Good morning Darlin’:

The Sun is out and it is a beautiful day. I am going with Hook.

Have you heard the song “In My Arms?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL9rM0wP5Lw Dick Haymes) It’s kind of cute.

Well Sweets, I will put this in the post office on the way. I will see you at 8. I love you more and more every day.

Love & xxxxxxxxxxs Harlan YFH

11:00 PM July 18, 1943 Sunday

Hello Darlin’: I sure miss you today. I kept thinking that you should be with me instead of me being with someone else. I did have a lot of fun though. We went out to the Golden Gate Park, I told you about the artificial lake they built around the hill. Well, they have row boats in it now. We got one and rowed for about an hour. Hook’s wife bright some chicken and we had potato salad etc. etc. None of it tasted as good as yours the day we went out to the park and then went to the Glenn and went horseback riding. Getting back, after eating we back to Hook’s house. Then we went to a show. We saw Madam Du Barry Was A Lady, with Red Skeleton. It sure was funny.

Hook has a little girl about a year old. She is the cutest little girl you ever saw She is starting to talk and she understands most of the things you say for her. I guess she must be a little over a year old. We were listening to the radio dance time so I took a hold her hand and danced with her. When I was going to leave, she just cried and cried. She didn’t want me to go.

Oh Honey, it’s so hard isn’t it. I can’t get out of my mind that you’re not here and won’t be for quite some time. I have been planning on it for so long. I love you so much and I miss you more than ever. It doesn’t seem right that we should be apart so long. Just a year ago tonight, we were together up by the Statehouse. I was getting all ready to leave. I had so much do before I left and I wanted to show you how much I love you and to make you see that someday I come back for you. Remember how we sat on the hill and watched the freight trains below us. The wind was blowing and a storm was coming up. I loved you so much then and now the love is even stronger. It is torture, isn’t it? I guess I had better get some sleep. Maybe if I’m lucky again I will dream of you.

Goodnight sweetheart.

Good morning Darlin’:

The time is 11:45 AM. I got up about 8:30, fixed breakfast and watch my clothes. I had a pretty big laundry. The mail is here and there is a letter from you. Your Special came yesterday about 12 noon, I think. The Vagabonds are singing ‘The Right Kind of Love”. I’ll answer the questions in your letters. No Darling, nothing is going to happen to your father. It just can’t. I’m glad he is a little better.

Well Sweets, that is all the questions in your letter so now I don’t know what I’m going to write about. I sure wish you were here now. The weather is very gloomy and foggy today. It is a heck of a day to wash clothes. It will take about 2 to 3 days to dry.

Well Sweets, there isn’t any more news, so I think I better close for now and get ready for work. I love you very very much. I will see you at 8.

Love & xxxxxxxxxs YFH Harlan

Monday 10:00 PM July 19, 1943

Hello Sweetheart:

It’s 10:00 and the Chesterfield Hour is on. “All or Nothing At All”. It would be awfully easy for me to get sentimental.

Well, I went back to work today and on the day shift now you know. It was kind of good to be back, everyone seemed glad to see me and it kept my mind occupied for a while. Daddie isn’t any better tonight, we just arrived home from the hospital. He looks very bad and oh Honey, he is getting weaker by the day. He has thrombosis of the heart, in our language he has a blood clot right by the heart, every once in a while it moves and when it does he can’t breathe. When I was there tonight and he wanted me to kiss him and he hung on so tight for so long. Poor Dadie, he is so good I don’t see why he has to suffer so, there never was a better man, husband or dad.

Gee Honey, that’s swell about that job you did, I’m very proud of you. I told Momie and she is too. You have every right to feel good. That’s swell. I got my check today and when they, the government, got through with it, there was $22.88 left when they started there was $33.38, it really hit the single ones. That letter today was swell, keep them coming, you’ll never know how much they mean to me. I miss you so much.

Well Honey, this about covers it, everyone is just fine, except Momie is beginning to wear down under it all. She sure can take it though. I love you so much and miss you more than you’ll ever know. Keep those letters coming.

Love as Always, “Your” Darlin’ & FW Janie

1:00 AM July 20, 1943 Tuesday

Hello Darling:

To begin with, this is just going to be a short letter. I am just about dead. I made out tonight. I think it will be the largest bonus I have ever gotten. I am really pooed.

I have to get up rather early and go to the ration board in. I forgot to sign my application for new book, so I have to take it back.

I can hardly keep my eyes open. They are kind of sore. I think it’s because of the smoke. I was working in a small tank and an inspector came down and he couldn’t even see me in it. There were three lights in the top about 4 feet apart and you couldn’t see the end of one, so you see it was pretty thick. I love you so very very much. Good night sweetheart.

Good afternoon Darling. 1:00 PM

It is another cloudy day. I’m not wide awake it. I got up at 9:30 AM, fixed breakfast and then drove to the ration board. I got home about 11:30 AM, I ironed a work shirt and a pair pants and fixed dinner and my lunch to take to work. The mail is here and there is a letter from you. I will answer it now before I go to work. I’m sorry your father is a little worse. There are no questions in your letter so I guess I had better close for now. I will write a longer one tonight. I love you very very much. I will see you at 8.

Love & xxxxxxxxxs Harlan

PS Keep your little chin up.

July 20, 1943

Hello Honey:

It’s now 2:00 and we are shut down because of an electrical storm. In the cafeteria relaxing with a cigarette and it sure tastes good. It’s 12:00 out there and you are probably eating your lunch or working on Herman. Our wing is sure noisy today, one of the water pipes sprung a leak under the current cement and two men are in there with one of those big cement drills, you know like they used to tear up the street, my ears are ringing like bells. Marian isn’t here today and I sure do miss her. We help each other so much that it makes the week seems harder when she is not here.

Daddie is just about the same, only maybe a little weaker. This morning at 2:00 the phone rang and it was Miss Bremer, his night nurse saying, we had all better come down, and quick, so we rushed down and Daddie was barely breathing. I honestly don’t know how he pulls through those spells, but he does. The nurse gave him a heart stimulant and a hypo and she said we better stay a while, so we stayed until 5:30 and he was sleeping soundly, so then we came home. I laid down when I came home and didn’t wake up until I heard Don knocking on the door and I it was 7:00, so I really had to hurry.

There’s the all clear signal, so gotta go now. Will finish this tonight. Bye for now. Janie

Hello Again:

It’s 11:00 and I’m all ready for bed, jeepers am I tired? I can hardly hold my eyes open. We were down to the hospital, Momie and I, but we didn’t go in Daddie’s room because it would only upset him and besides, he wouldn’t know we were there anyway. Daddie is a little better tonight, he is a little bit stronger but every little bit counts, we sat in the hall for about two hours. He hasn’t had a bad spell since 2:00 this morning.

You your letter was a nice one. I hope you had a nice time on the picnic. It was swell of them to ask you.

Gosh Harlan, I’m too tired to write, so please excuse me for tonight. Yes, I have heard “In My Arms”, and thought of you the first time I did. It sure is cute, I like it a lot. Gotta go now. I love you with all of my heart, and oh yes Saturday night, I did see that moon and it was beautiful.

Good Night Honey

Love “Your” Darlin’ Janie

1:30 July 21, 1943 Wednesday

Hello Darlin’:

Well here it is another day closer to ? and you. There isn’t any news so I don’t know what I’m going to write about. I just got home and wash my face and hands and then took a shower.

Work wasn’t so good tonight. I only welded about 15 feet. Most of that was either with a mirror or standing on my head. I don’t care so much for that kind of welding. You work yourself to death and you never get any place. Our ship has a lot to be done yet and they have to launch it the first of August.

I think Johnny and I are going to drive up to Russian River this Saturday. I have five gas stamps and they won’t be good after tomorrow. I’m going to fill Herman in the morning and also John’s car. Well Sweets, I guess I had better get to sleep. I will write finish this in the morning. I love you very very much.

Good night Darling.

Good morning Darlin: The time is 1:15. I got up about 8:00, fixed breakfast and then drove over to Johnny’s. We had a cup of coffee and then filled his car and mine with gas and also two 5-gallon cans. I came on home and had dinner and fix my lunch to take to work. Now I’m writing to my one and only. The weather today is really beautiful. The Sun is out and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. It would be swell if you were here. We could go out and play some golf and maybe go to the beach for a swim, and then we could go to a dance or just go out and park some place. Anything except just waiting and wondering and hoping.

I think I will go out tomorrow is in golf. I haven’t been out for some time.

I didn’t get a letter from you today, so I have nothing to answer. It’s almost time to leave for work so I had better close.

You’ll never know how much I love you and miss you. I will see you at 8.

Love & xxxxxxxs YFH Harlan

The radio is playing “With the Wind and the Rain In Your Hair” (Bob Crosby and his Orchestra, Marion Mann Vocal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSt2-FxOQQ). It reminds me of the last night we were together just before I came out here.

Wednesday 9 PM July 21, 1943

Hi Honey:

Well here I am again. Hey, you know what? Daddie is better, yup he is. He hasn’t had a bad spell for over 24 hours and has hasn’t had a hypo since this morning and was without the oxygen for a little over an hour this morning. Isn’t that swell Honey. Gosh, I’m so happy. We all are. Now if he can only go tonight without another bad spell, he is on his way.

There was another nice letter today. I’m glad you had a lot of fun Sunday. I wondered if you would love chicken and potato salad. Gosh that sure does bring back some memories, very sweet ones. Harlan, you’ll never know how many times I’ve thought of that last night on the State Capital Hill. I’ve driven by that hill many times. 

Gosh, I’m tired tonight I was in bed last night at about 11:00, but couldn’t go to sleep, guess I was too tired.

Darling something happen today that is very good. But I can only say this about it, keep saving your gas and keep Herman shiny and don’t have it your hair cut too short the next time.

I received my telephone bill today – yikes

Gosh Honey, there isn’t any news. I wish you were here to rub my back and legs, but then again I don’t know.

Your mom called this evening and she said (In the Blue of the Evening is playing on the radio) that Opal hadn’t heard from you for quite a spell and she thought I was out there.

Well Honey, I’m going to cut the top of my hair now and bathe and try to get in bed by 10:00.

I love you with all of my heart and miss you so much. See you in thoughts at 10:00

Love as always “Your” Darlin Janie

I love you

I love you

I love you

11:30 AM July 22, 1943 Thursday

Hello Darlin’:

I suppose you are wondering at the time this was written. I was so tired and full of smoke when I got home last night that I could hardly keep awake. My eyes were burning a little bit too. Last night right after supper, Howell the Quarterman, came up on the ship and asked Lang where I was at. Lang said I was down in a hole. He had a job for me under the ship on the rudder. It had to be done last night. I worked steady until about 20 minutes after the whistle blew but I finished it. There was no place to rest my arm while I was welding. (The radio is playing “Miss You” (by Bing Crosby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVrKo8tWeug)). On a job like that you have to keep welding until you’ve finished it.  If you stop, it will cool too quickly and maybe crack. If it cracks, the whole thing would have to be done all over and the ship wouldn’t be ready to launch for maybe a week later than the schedule. 

I got up about 9:45 and washed and then fixed breakfast.  After washing the dishes, I ironed the rest of my clothes.

The mail is here and there was a letter from you.  When it came, I was upstairs doing my ironing.  I had the radio on and Harry James and Frank Sinatra were playing “All or Nothing At All”.  (The radio is playing Harry James “I Don’t Want To Walk Without You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6dUkkjPI_I) I read your letter and you started out by saying, “The Chesterfield Hour is on, they are playing “All or Nothing At All”. This song Harry James is playing sure brings back sweet memories. I don’t want to walk without you,

I’m very sorry your father isn’t any better.  You and your Mother keep your chins up.  Everything will turn out for the best.

I guess this is an all Harry James program.  He is playing “Come To Me My Melancholy Baby” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HcYm3Ellw4).

Well Darling, I guess I had better close and fix my lunch. (He is playing “I Cried For You” (Helen Forest vocal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOxq3p5e-7M)).

I love you so very much. I will see you at 8.

Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s Y.F.H Harlan

1:30 AM July 23, 1943 Friday

Hello Darlin’:

Well here it is another day closer to ? and the sweetest little girl in the world.

I got home about 12:30 and talked to Mrs. Purcell for a while. Then I came down and took a shower and now I’m writing to my one and only.

There isn’t any news so I don’t know what I’m going to write about.

I sure wish you were here tonight. It was warm and clear out when I got off work and now the fog is coming in pretty fast. If you were here, we could drive up to the top of some hill and park. We would be right in the middle of the fog. The radio is playing “Good Night Little Angel” (Russ Morgan and His Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEqY0FJIno8 ) Have you heard it yet?

Well Sweets, I’m very tired so I guess I had better get to bed and get some sleep. I will finish this in the morning. Okay? Okay! I love you very very much. You’ll never know just how much. Good night Darling.

Good morning Darlin:

The time is 11:45. I got up and went to the store. I then fixed breakfast and my lunch to take to work. Now I am writing to my one and only. The mail is here and there is a letter from you and one from my cousin Connie in Patterson (The radio is playing “Begin the Beguine” (a rumba from 1939 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDczOaOSfAo) Do you remember that one?) Your letter was written in two parts. The first one first part was written at work and the other half at home.

You were telling me about those drillers drilling the cement. Now you can imagine how noisy it is where I’m at. All of the chippers and rivetters use the same amount of pressure in their guns only they hammer against steel instead of cement. The noise just bounces back and forth across the tanks. When there are about 15 chippers on the ship you can see how noisy it would be.

I like these letters when you say your Dad is a little better. I’m sure he will be all right.

They sure are keeping us busy on the ship. They want it launched the first of August. They are quite a ways behind, so they bring in a lot of extra welders up to work on it.

The radio is playing “Let’s Get Lost” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsV-5Cw9gFI Kay Kaiser) That is what I would like to do. I wish there was some way.

I’m getting awfully tired of working now. I should be with you or rather you with me. I sure wish you were going with John and I up to the Russian River Sunday. That is where Syd and I went last year. I sent you some pictures of me in a swimming suit that you said ought to fit Timmy.

Well Darling, I guess I had better get dressed for work. I will see you at 8. I love you so very very much.

Love & xxxxxxxxs YFH Harlan

Harlan Harry James is playing “Miss You”

Friday 11:30 PM July 23, 1943

Hello Honey:

Well how are you tonight? Fine, I hope. We had a bad day. At 11:30 AM my foreman came back and told me that I was wanted at the hospital at once, so while I dress, he fixed up my pass out and then I left. I was at the hospital at 12:15. Daddie was somewhat better when I arrived but Momie told me when she called the plant the nurse didn’t think he would live until I got there. We really got a skear. I still think Dad is going to pull through this. The doctor came tonight and told Chuck that he didn’t think he to go back, (he was leaving tonight) and he that was going to wire the station for an extension. Personally, I’m awfully glad because I don’t know what Momie would do without a man around. I’m not going to work tomorrow, because Daddie is so bad. His pulse is up to 260 Honey. He’s still got a lot of fight in him though, that’s why I think he can make it.

There was no letter today. I sure missed it but it must be the mail, hope you aren’t sick again. There really isn’t any news. I’ve thought of you many times today while I was sitting in the hospital corridor, wondering what you are doing, etc. Is Opal leaving tomorrow? That old backache is here again, sure wish you were here.

Well Sweets, I’m sorry but I must go get ready for bed. I love you and miss you more than you know. Good night Honey.

“Your” Darlin – Janie

Honey I just happen to think it’s time for your Special, gosh I don’t know what I’m doing I guess. But two pages just isn’t very much for your Special.

I don’t know, there doesn’t seem to be much to write about except Daddie and you probably are getting tired of reading about our trouble. But if I write and tell you how much I miss you, now that makes me feel bad and you too, so all I can say is please don’t be too discouraged and low. I’m awfully sorry for everything. It can’t last forever Harlan. Please say everything is going to be all right. Can’t write anymore, have some fun Honey and don’t work too hard.

Love as always. Jane

12:30 PM July 24, 1943

Hello Darlin’:

Well here it is another day closer to ? and you. I didn’t write when I got home last night because I was just dead. I had to take a shower and wash my hair and shave. So when I was through, I just went right to bed.

I got up not too long ago. I fixed breakfast and went down to the post office and got some envelopes and then to a clothing store. I bought some work clothes. I came home and fixed my lunch and dinner and now I’m writing to my little darling before I go to work.

I had a good job last night. I welded about 186 feet. I made about $5 bonus on it. Tonight I’m going to really have a tough job. Lang said I was the only one he would give it to because I was the only one who could get into a hole that small. We are going to leave for Russian River really early in the morning.

The mail is here and there was an awfully nice letter from you. That sure is swell about your father been better, I’m so glad. There are no questions, so I haven’t much to write about.

If I can get a camera, I will try to get some pictures taken at Russian River.  I will see you at 8. I love you so very very much.

Love & xxxxxxxxxs Harlan