Janie received notice from Johnny that he was coming come and they were to be married. She only had 5 days’ notice to get ready for the wedding. Johnny only had 2 weeks leave from July 13 through July 25, including the train ride to Des Moines and back to San Francisco. Johnny arrived in Des Moines on July 18, 1944.
They got their marriage license.
and They were married at St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Des Moines.
With reception that followed at Janes home.
Jane had planned everything. They then ventured off on their honeymoon, staying at the Hill-Top Hotel, Clear Lake Iowa.
They enjoyed the lake, restaurants and dancing at the Surf Ballroom.
They went back to Des Moines following their honeymoon. Janie returned to work at the Ammunitions Plant and Johnny returned to San Francisco, awaiting assignment or acceptance to a new ship.
August 12, 1944
Hello Darlin’:
Well, well, well, here it is another year added to our years of happiness. Five years seems like a long time but yet it has gone by so very fast. In the five years I have known you I have never missed you, loved you, adored you as much as I do now.
Shipping has been very slow. Maybe Monday I can get a ship.
I found a book Naval Machinery and beings it was the last one they had I bought it. Now my total money left is $.63. Pat is just as broke as I am. Maybe a little worse.
I did have a chance for a Jr. job on a diesel transport but another fellow registered before I did so he got the job. Outside of that, there hasn’t been anything. The way shipping I now, I may not get a ship until next weekend.
Darling, I want to thanks you for the swell birthday card, it sure is swell. I had almost forgotten about it. I have you on my mind so much of the time I can’t seem to concentrate on anything else. I love you so very very much,
Pat and I are going down to the drug store for a little bit and splurge a done for a coke, I will finish this a little later. Okay? Okay!
Hello Darling, I’m back. Well after we started drinking our cokes, we met an Ensign in the Navy. He was from Ottumwa and knew some fellows from East that I knew. He used to be in the Merchant Marines but as he put it ‘he went crazy’ and went into the Navy. He wishes he was back where he was. We talked for about an hour and a half. Pat and I then came home.
Well Darling, how is my little wife tonight? Fine, I hope. As much as I love you, I’m afraid I will close for now and go to bed. I will write again tomorrow. Goodnight Sweetheart.
Good morning Darling and your wire came this afternoon sometime. Pat and I got up about 11:30. I really got a good night’s sleep. We fixed dinner and went for a walk. We were going to make it a short one but we ended up in the Marina. From there we walked up to Van Nuys Ave and took a street car down town. We went in and shot some pool for 40 minutes which came to $.40. We also had a hamburger. I’m sure glad your check came.
There isn’t any news so I don’t know what I’m going to write about,
Oh yes, I’m going to sell my Blues to Syd. When I come home next time I will have a gold braid on it so I won’t need them anymore. If you rather I kept them, just write Syd, and tell him. See it makes no difference to me. He will send you the money for them.
Pat’s money hasn’t come yet so I still have to take it easy.
Well, I’m sorry honey but that I about all there is to write about. We are going to how at the Vogue. It id that little theater down here by the house. I forgot the name of it but Pollett Gaddard is playing in it.
I will finish this in the morning. I love you so very very very very much. Good night Darling.
Hello Honey. I’m fine and fit as a f fiddle this morning and I hope you are the same. Outside of missing you something terrible, everything I just swell.
It is still very dead here at the hall. Oh yes, I’m down at the Union hall. I’ll bet you think I will never get this letter mailed. There are quite a few fellows here this morning. Pat and I got up about nine and had breakfast and got down to the hall by 10, which is the first call. I wish there wasn’t so much noise going on. It wouldn’t be so hard to write.
(5 min later) I just walked over and got a drink. Did you miss me? I hope.
I have a few clothes to wash one of these days. I have been trying to keep them all up on cleaning so when I get a ship I won’t have a lot to do,
EXCUSE ME THERE IS A CALL ON THE BOARD for a Jr. I will be called in about 10 minutes. I’ll be back soon.
I’M BACK AND I GOT THE JOB AS JR. It is on a C1 Troop Transport, the name is the SS Cape Nedrek. I’m not sure of the spelling. I have to report tomorrow morning at 9. I guess I will have to wash those clothes now. When I get the right spelling I will wire you. Okay? Okay! I love you very very much.
Love & XXXXXXXXXs YH Johnny
S.S. Cape Neddick
Fun fact: C1 Type ship. The C1 ships were the smallest ships designed by the US Maritime Commission and were intended to be used on routes that did not call for fast ships. The SS Neddick was a C1-B and had diesel motors. It transported 1,232 troops.
August 16, 1944
Hello Darlin’:
How is my little wife today? Fine I hope. I didn’t write last night as I couldn’t stay aboard and write as the ship was supposed to be fumigated. They are fumigating it tonight instead. I called Syd and then met him at 6:00. We went out and had dinner and then went to the world premiere of “I Love A Soldier” with Polly Goddard and Sunny Tufts. It is a good show, I insist you should see. It was made right in Frisco and the cable car you see is the one you and we rode to the Ferry. Even the station in Oakland, where we ported twice and met once. Everything is so real.
I’m awfully glad you called me yesterday and it was very sweet of you. It didn’t even seem like a birthday until your sweet voice came over the wire saying “Happy Birthday”.
I’m down at the USS now writing. It is for Merchant Seamen only. They have a bar, pool tables, ping-pong tables, movies, lockers, showers, nickelodeon, lounge etc. It sure is swell.
We are moving over to Oakland tomorrow to take on some supplies. I don’t know when we will be leaving. The ship is a C-1 Transport. We carry troops. It is kind of funny n=being on a ship like this after being on the Santa Ana. The Santa Ana was a larger ship, but there is so much more ship to this one. It has a hospital with all kinds of wards, and regular troop quarters. They are pretty cramped but that can’t be helped.
So fat I have been doing a lot of repair work on the engine and pumps. I’m getting along a lot better than I expected.
Well Darlin, I think I had better close for l=now. I will write again soon.
Pat and I have a hotel room tonight and last night.
I love you so very much and miss you terrifically.
Love & xxxxxxxxxs Y.H Johnny
August 17, 1944
My Darling Wife,
It is your husband again to take up a few minutes of your time. I’m kind of blue and lonesome tonight and I shouldn’t be writing. I love you so much and miss you until it hurst. I finally bought a picture frame for you picture. It sure looks good with you picture in it. I wish it was you instead. I could never love anyone as much as I do you. I’ll be glad when is war is completely over and we can lead a normal life again. We will do the things we used to do and have a lot of fun together.
I’m down at the U.S.S. again. It is pretty noisy aboard ship so I came ashore to write to you. I just finished a few lines to the folks. It has been quite some time since I have heard from them or written to them.
The weather has been terrible yesterday and today. This afternoon we had quite a bit of sun for a little while but right now you wouldn’t be outside without your fur coat. If you were here, I could hold you in my arms and feel your soft warm lips on mine, it would be a beautiful night. Everything would seem gay and perfect again. (Is this me talking?)
That is the way I feel right now. I love you, and only you. I love everything about you, your eyes, your cute little nose, your beautiful mouth, your hair, your perfect figure. Everything about you is just right. I like doing things with you because everything seems to be more fun, nicer, and sweeter.
Darlin, I’m afraid I had better close for now and get back to the ship. I love you with all my heart.
Love & XXXXXXXX Y.H. Johnny
August 18, 1944
Hello Darlin’:
This will just be a note, I’m going right back to the ship. I came down to get some clothes and send you a telegram.
The reason I need the money is that I have to eat out the rest of this week. I haven’t had a meal on the board yet. It costs quite a bit. I also have a few things to buy. I have to have a pair of wooden shower sandals and also another pair of jeans.
We moved to another pier today. I expected to move to Oakland, but we have stayed right here in Frisco.
I don’t have any idea when we will leave as yet.
Well Darling, that is all for now. I will write a longer one tomorrow.
I love you so very very much.
Love & XXXXXXXXs Y.H. Johnny
Monda August 21, 1944
Helo Darling:
Well we are still here in Frisco. We moved three times since I came aboard.
I quit work a little early Saturday afternoon. I went ashore and had a haircut and them met Syd after he quit work. We went to the Golden Gate and saw ‘Count Basie’
I was a little disappointed in both his band and his entertainers. I also wish you could have been there with me. We came out of the show about 8:30 and then out to the house and I picked up the Money Order. Thanks a lit Honey. I bought Mom a pin and am sending it to her. I have $10 left.
I think we may leave Thursday again to pick up our troops somewhere. Getting back to Syd and I.. After we left Jackson we went out to Syd’s and picked up his swimming trunks and I came back to the ship and picked up mine. We stayed downtown at the Harbor Club. It is ran by the U.S.O. We have a bunk to sleep on and breakfast in the morning for 50¢. We woke up at 8 and left Frisco at 9 and went down to Searsville Lake. We hitchhiked down, taking seven rides to get there. It is down south of Frisco about 35-40 miles. Frisco was foggy and very cold Sunday while down at the lake it was warm and sunny.
It is a state owned lake back of Stanford College. It is a very beautiful place. We swam and laid out in the sun until about six then hitchhiked back. Syd was pretty tired so he went home. I had three pairs of pants over at Dearr’s that I forgot so I went over and ironed them and came back to the ship. I’m going to stay aboard tonight and get some sleep. You should see the moon tonight. It is really beautiful. From what I hear, this trip is going to be rather short. Maybe just to the Islands and back. I wish I could talk to you again. I haven’t had any more mail yet so I get kind of lonesome. I’ll sure be glad when this war is over so we can be together for good. The next time you come out here, we are going to Yosemite for a week or so. It will be another honeymoon. This month and three days of married life sure went fast., It seems like only yesterday that you were walking down the aisle.
Darling, I guess that will be all for now. I will write again tomorrow.
Love as always. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Y.H. Johnny
Tuesday Aug 22, 1944
Hello Darlin’:
Well, I am aboard ship again tonight and just about freezing. It sure is cold and damp here. The air just seems to go right through me. I wish we here together now, I could keep you warm.
Darling, I guess I had better find something interesting to write about because there isn’t any news at all. I think we will be leaving Thursday morning so I may go ashore tomorrow night and call you. I want to hear your voice again before we leave. I miss you so much. The troops should come aboard tomorrow morning. I guess they are coming to the pier. So far we have had very good meals aboard. I hope they keep up this way.
So far I have done pretty good as a Jr. Engineer. I have been doing a lot of repair work, repacking valves, pumps, repairing flanges, etc, etc. While we are underway, I have charge of the evaporator plant. I have four evaporators to keep going, making fresh water for the ship, it will be a hot job, but when we are in port and coming home the work will all be repairs.
How do you like the hours you have now? I hope you like the 4 week changes better than you thought you would. How are Marian and Mom? Fine I hope.
Well my little wife, I think I had better close for now. Will write again tomorrow night if can.
I love you very, very much.
Love & xxxxxxxs Y.H. Johnny
Johnny & Jane 