November 7, Saturday 6:00 PM
Hi Honey:
Well here I am again and very discouraged. The girl tool-setters are going to be dropped. You see, the plant thought they could hire the girls who were here for about $35.00 and the Union says they must pay the girls who are doing a man’s job their wages, which would be $50.00 a week. So the plant says they will do without. I’m kind of mad because I was crazy about the work. It was a lot harder, but I still liked it.
Last night I told you about getting too much money in my check, well today I told them out of the plant and the office girl said she would call the main office to see about. Later this afternoon I was called the office and she told that they had made a mistake but that they had looked at my record and I was very deserving of the money and could keep it.
Your letter today said a little something about my letters being short, but Honey I can’t help it. I don’t have anything to write about but myself and Christmas and I get awfully tired of writing about me, Christmas, that’s another thing Honey, I can hardly wait to be in your arms and feel your lips, to see your nice eyes and beautiful blonde hair, to hear you talk, to hear you laugh, to see you leaning against the cupboard in the kitchen while I’m drying the dishes. Then in the end helping to dry then. If you’re only home for a day, it will be heaven. To see you, to criticize you, to argi with you and love you all at the same time. I think November 26, 1943 will be O.K. But I think the most thrilling moment of my life will be when I see you step off that train. My Honey, My Harlan will come home to see his Darlin’.
Look Sweets, I have to go to work at 12:00 tonight and I have to get some sleep before I go or I’ll never make it, so I better close.
Good night Sweetheart
All My Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
November 8, 1942 Sunday 8:00 PM
Hi Honey:
Well here I am again, waiting for the phone to ring so I can hear My Harlan’s voice. I’m very tired tonight. Last night was really a raw deal and I only had 8 hours sleep today but it didn’t help much.
Gee Honey, you couldn’t have written a better letter for my Special. I’m so tired. I guess I’m kind of blue tonight and that letter helped a lot. And another thing Harlan, if I cry tonight on the phone, please forgive me but I miss you so much tonight, when I think of Christmas it helps but it seems so far away right now. I don’t know whether I’m going to like this shift or not, but we should know within the next two weeks if it is going to be frozen. Personally it doesn’t make much difference to me.
You didn’t say anything about my financial condition, so I take it you approve. I hope so.
How are you? I hope this finds you well, happy and not as lonesome as I am.
You Mom called me tonight wondering how you are. I told her I received a Special but was very sorry that I just couldn’t read it to her. I hope she understood.
Oh Gee Honey, I miss you so. If you were here, we would be riding in Herman or smoothing a little while before I have to go to work.
Well the phone is still quiet, and I think I will take a little nap before I go to work, but I will be right by the phone, don’t worry.
All My Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Well it is now 9:10 and the phone call is a thing of the past. Harlan, I’m sorry the call was a flop because it was my fault. I shouldn’t have told you to call me tonight but when two weeks pass and I don’t hear your voice, I can’t stand it. I said if you didn’t come home for Christmas, I could come out. You see in ten weeks I have a weekend off. I’d take Friday, Saturday and Monday. If I can take the plane, I would spend two days on the road and two with you. But there are a lot of drawbacks to that and the first one is that I may not be able to charter a plane.
Harlan, it’s hard to say but if you don’t come home Christmas and I find out its because of Opal and Max, I’ll never forgive them. After all, we have our lives to live too. Maybe I’m butting into something that isn’t my business, but somehow I believe that I should have some say about this.
But to get back, I’m sorry too. I cried on the phone or maybe you didn’t notice it. I hope not, but Harlan, I wanted you so tonight and I was tired and blue. But the next time I promise, I will do better. You didn’t sound so happy yourself. Are you having a rough a time of it Harlan? Please don’t work too hard. I know you’re making a great sacrifice. Why don’t you go our as much as possible? Have some fun when you can. It helps a little.
Well Sweets, I’m bored with myself. Thanks for calling and again I say I’m sorry I ruined it if I did. It’s just one of those nights where I couldn’t put up a front. I love you Harlan more than any man in the world and would give the world for just one embrace before I go to work tonight.
Good night Honey.
All My Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
11:30 PM Sunday, November 8, 42
Hello Darlin’:
Another 6 minutes gone. Those are absolutely the fastest 6 minutes I have ever seen. You know Darling, I get the funniest feeling inside of me whenever I talk to you. I seem to want to reach out and grab you, so I can hold you in my arms. I try to strain my eyes so I can see you. To see how lovely you looked, but all I can do is to hear you. I will be awfully happy when I see you Christmas. On the following you said if I didn’t come home Christmas you would take time off to come out here. Would you rather come out here or have me come home? All I am coming home for is to see you anyway. I’m sorry I said that. I do want to see the folks to though, but you mostly. You let me know, one way or the other.
About the money in your check, I’d keep it if I were you. It would cost the government more money trying to correct the mistake then if you let it as is. That is the only question you asked me in your letter, so I don’t know what else I’m going to write about.
I love you very much and miss you like the very devil. For two cents I’d pack up and come home right now. If you don’t mind Darling, I will close now and get some sleep. I will finish in the morning.
All the love I have I give to you.
Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Good morning sweetheart.
How are you this morning? I hope well and happy, also as lonesome as I.
I have to go down to the union and then get some new work clothes. I also have to go to the dentist. There isn’t any news since last night, so I had better close. I love you and miss you very much.
Love and xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
November 9, 1942 Monday 7:45 PM
Hi Honey:
How are you? I sure hope you’re fine Honey. Gee I miss you. I kind of hope you are as lonesome as I am. How’s every little? How’s work and all your troubles and Opal?
I just got up about an hour, have eaten and am all ready for work although it is three hours before I leave. Your letter was here when I woke up. Thanks a lot. It’s raining here and has been since 1:00 this morning. About 4:00 AM it was raining hard but as it wasn’t lightening, we didn’t close down the wing. We were all working the machines, all going and everything running along as usual when suddenly the current went off, all the lights went out and every machine in the plant stopped. It was pitch dark and not a sound. Harlan, I never heard such a silence all my life. No one moved. I guess we were too scared. Well in about 2 minutes it came on again. It seemed like about 20, but they swore was only 2. Well anyway, we started them up again and about 15 minutes later, it happened again, only this time only for about 1 minute. Well when they came on, we shut down and were down for three hours. I hope I never hear such a dead, dead silence, silence again.
Gee Honey, there isn’t a darn bit of news. I hope you don’t feel too bad after the phone call last night. I thought about it all morning while working. It was so good to hear your voice. I sure love you a lot. I sure do. It sounded so good, your voice I mean. Gosh, I’ve written and rewritten and written and haven’t set a thing, have I? I guess I’m in a rut, I hope not!
How’s Opal? I hope she’s 0. K. How’s work? How’s bowling? I haven’t been bowling for some time. Oh Harlan, guess what? Daddy bought two 5-gallon cans and filled them with gasoline, and I’m going to have him get another and all buy five more gallons. Then when you come home, we will have 15 extra gallons of gas so we can use Daddy’s car more than we could otherwise. Isn’t that swell, I think it’s a honey of an idea, don’t you? AI don’t think you would call that boarding, do you? Me either, it’s for such a good reason. You and Christmas time.
Well sweets, I better go now as I have no more to write. I will write again tomorrow night. Good night honey. I love you and miss you more than I can say.
All my love and xxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
November 10, 1942 Tuesday 7:30 PM
Hi Honey:
Well here I am again. How are you? I hope that this finds you well and happy. Was that letter last night long enough? I hope so treated remember dear, I write small as you
I’m going downtown tomorrow and will buy the chain and send the ring and chain. No it doesn’t seem silly of you to want it, but it doesn’t sound like you. But Honey, anything that is possible for me to do for you I will do without hesitation. You know that don’t you?
Gee there isn’t any news, I still feel bad about the phone call Sunday night. I sure am sorry
Honey don’t forget we are going to one dance when you are home Christmas. You know why I want to go to a dance so bad? Well of course it’s because I haven’t been to one or so long, but the real reason is because I can be in your arms all the time, we are dancing. Pretty good reason or what?
Am I ever mad? I went to the beauty parlor this morning and told her to cut my hair off about half an inch all around – well I swear she thinks I said one and a half inches because when I came home and combed it out I found I didn’t have any hair left. Now I have to tie my hair up for two weeks waiting for it to grow out a little.
I received a letter today that was written on the fifth. It must have gotten lost somewhere on the way because it was written all over the front in pencil.
Well sweets, that’s all, there isn’t any more. Good night honey. We gals are going up to Boyce’s for a little while. I love you and like you say I could go on and on about how much I miss you and how close tears or to my eyes every time I hear a love song and how I’m living, hoping and praying for Christmas to be what I wanted to be and how I think of you all the time but I won’t. Again I say, I love you Harlan.
Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
November 12, 42 Thursday 9 PM
Hi Honey:
Three years and three months ago tonight at this time I was sitting in front of the Des Moines Public Library, waiting for what I thought just another guy but what was really the man of all men. After I had been with this boy a few hours I knew he wasn’t just another guy, that he was different from the regular run. Not only the way he dressed, but the way he walked, the way he held his head, the way he had smiling, his nice clear blue eyes, his fine clean ideas, his plans for the future, his ambition, and everything about him was different. The most wonderful guy in the world and he loves me. I’m the most fortunate girl in the world. How are you? I hope you are very happy and well and not as lonesome as I am. I don’t have a bit of news, so I don’t know what I’m going to write about. Gee I miss you. Harlan, do you want me to send your coat and hat for you to wear home? Just think, six weeks from this very moment you’ll be on your way home, every minute bringing you closer, closer, closer and I’ll be slowly going insane with happiness and impatience of waiting. I’m going downtown tomorrow morning after work and buy some new work clothes, slacks, sweater and two shirts. I need shoes but they can wait until after Christmas. Gosh I wish you were home. You know when I was waiting for that boy three years and three months ago, little did I know what happiness he was going to bring me. I hate to think of what would’ve happened if Donna hadn’t talked me into going on my first blind date. I wouldn’t have anything to live for. But now I have three beautiful years to look back on and plenty to live for. You. I’ll be so happy when you come. We have both looked forward to it for such a long time. Excuse me but they are playing “Dearly Beloved” (Fred Astaire~ Dearly Beloved ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBVmPxQLKTg.
It will be so good to hear you laugh. I always love your laugh, so natural and such a happy laugh, it just made me happy all over to hear you laugh or even to see you smile. I remember when we used to have a fight, I would watch for you to smile because when you did, I knew you weren’t mad anymore.
I didn’t get a letter today but oh well, I’ll get one tomorrow.
Well Sweets, I think I’ll close now as I have to wash the dishes and get ready for work. I love and miss you very much. Good night Honey.
All my Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
November 13, 42 Friday 11 AM
Hello my Sweetheart:
I received two letters just before I left for work yesterday. One was your special. I sure have a lot questions to answer. First of all I will answer the most important one, about coming home. I have been trying to see the boss of all the welders in the yard for some time. I finally just about gave up, yesterday when I received your letter, I thought I would try again. I didn’t see him, but I saw his secretary. He said “sure it’s possible to take leave. You can take leave just about any time you want to. He said to be sure and, in and see Mr. Taylor about a week or two before I leave. That way he will be able to replace me on the ship until I get back. A lot of fellows make a mistake by just up and leaving. When they get back, they find they have no job and the draft board knows that they quit. If I take two weeks off Darling, I will be able to be home both Christmas and New Year’s. Would you like that?
Transportation is absolutely certain I may be delayed by troop movements, but I will be able to make it in maybe a day more later than I planned but I don’t think any more than that. Please let me know if that answers your question.
When we have a blackout here, it is the same deftly silence as you told. It is just like graveyard only quieter. There is so much noise in the yard during working hours that when everything shuts off it seems awfully quiet
buying that gas is about the best idea I have heard of in a long time if you want to, and you can buy 5 gallons for me too. I’ll pay you when I get home. No I wouldn’t call that hoarding.
In you are special I have already answered your first question about coming home. I forgot to tell you about reservations. They told me to come in and make my reservation patients about two or three weeks ahead of time. Darling, I haven’t even had the thought of not coming home Christmas. I’ll be there if I have to walk. I have no doubt whatsoever of not being able to come home Christmas!!!! If you haven’t told folks, let’s let it be a surprise.
Max is going to pay for the doctor bills. He has the money for that now. I don’t know what Opal is going to do about mom. She says she is going to tell her when she goes home. I am going to write a letter to Max either tonight or after I finished this one. About the ring, it is still at the jewelers. It isn’t ‘will call’. She still has the $10 from Max and is going to send it to the folks a on the ring.
Excuse me, I just received a letter from you. Do you mind if I read it? Okay? Okay!
Gosh a swell letter! I hope we can go to more than one dance (for the same reason). That letter that just got to you was written the week you said you didn’t get any. Wasn’t it? I hope so because I was sure I wrote some that week. Again I say the phone call was all right. I love you very much too.
Now to get back to the Special – I’m not going to give Opal any money for the baby. No money comes out of our bank account. I wouldn’t blame you a bit for being mad at me if I gave her money for baby. Things aren’t different between you and me now and they never will be. I have never even thought of giving up. Please let me know what you mean by giving up.
Darling, my love for you is something that just can’t be given up. It is a feeling that I can’t quite explain myself. I know that it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, and I’ll fight till I die to keep that love. Right now I feel like a good fight or an argument with you to bring you back to California with me.
All the love I have I give to you. My devotion to you is as endless and deep as the ocean.
Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
If I haven’t answered all the questions you want please ask some more. Love.
November 13, 42 Friday the 13th 9:45 PM
Well here I am again, and they are playing “ When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World “. ( “When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)” is a popular song composed during World War II. It was written by Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVg97yrjkwA) Kind of long title isn’t it but I’ll sure be glad when it comes true. How are you? I hope fine and happy. Daddy went pheasant hunting yesterday and he was the only one who got a pheasant, so he brought it home. Was he proud? You bet!
I’m kind of late writing tonight as I just got up. Do you want to hear about my new clothes? O.K. My pants are herringbone stripe and brown and they have a fly front, my shoes are dark red leather with thick soles and my sweater is dark red. Pretty nice huh!
Yes Darling, I know what I want for Christmas from you or someone, but I don’t think I should ask for. I’ll tell you what I can. It is something you wanted to buy my me last year. You had it all picked out in fact, but when I found out about it, I put my foot down and said no because I thought in fact you couldn’t afford it. It’s something I need, and you were excited about it yourself, you liked it so. Now that’s all I can say except I hope you guessed it.
Now come on throw me a hint, on what you want, PLEASE!! I’m in an awful mess over it.
Have my letters been long enough this week? Swell, because this one is going to be cut short so’s I can go to work. Good night honey. I love you. Miss you, and I’m dreaming of a White Christmas.
Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
November 14, 1942 Saturday 1:45 AM
Hello Darlin’:
Now while I’m writing this letter, I suppose you are busy at your machine. I’ve had a terrible night and I am very mad. I had the best welding since I have been in the yard and could have made the largest bonus I have ever made, and you would have been very proud of me. I didn’t smoke one cigarette until after I had my lunch at seven, because I was so busy welding. About 8:30 it just started to pour down and rained for about 1 1/2 hours. I got all wet, my welding got all wet, so I had to stop. The result was no bonus! It is sort of sprinkling outside right now. I think I forgot to tell you why you I was mad last Sunday. I meant in the letter I wrote this morning, but it just slipped my mind. – Sunday, Sis and I drove over to Chinatown. Everything she saw, she wanted. She didn’t ask me to buy it for her, but she kept on saying, “I’d sure like to have that”, or “ I wish I had about $100 to come over here to spend”. It got on my nerves so much I was kind of mad. I told her that I wasn’t a millionaire and that I wasn’t made of money, and if she wanted all these things, she could have Max send her some money for them. I think I have Opal convinced she should tell mom about her condition. She got a letter from Max saying that he didn’t want to keep the baby. He wants to adopt it out after it’s born. He doesn’t want to tell his folks about it. Opal wants to keep the baby and really wants Mom to know, but yet she doesn’t want to do anything that Max doesn’t want her to. So much for that!
Darling, I love you and miss you more right now than I ever have. It is just a few more days then five weeks till I leave for you. I can hardly wait to step off the train and see you standing there all wrapped up in your winter clothes. After I get there you won’t need any winter clothes as I will be close enough to you all the time to keep you warm. It seems awfully funny for me to be way out here and you out there. So far from each other, and still our love become stronger and stronger, day by day. Couldn’t be possible for me to love anyone as much as I love you. I wish with all my heart that you were out here with me and we could do things together the way we used to. I don’t believe you are being elfish in saying you are tired of this life because I’m the same way and I feel that it is just being truthful. It wouldn’t be truthful to say I could go on like this forever. I’m not making a great sacrifice. I think I’m a lot closer now than I ever have been and also it has brought our marriage a lot closer than if I’d have stayed at home. Besides I love you. Well darling it is getting rather late and I’m kind of tired, so I had better close.
All the love I have I give to you
Love and XXXXXXXXXX’s Good night Darlin’
Harlan
Johnny & Jane 