12:30 AM Monday, March 15, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well another Sunday night without you, closer to August and you. I wish August wasn’t so far away. I played golf this morning and I sure wish I hadn’t. I must’ve lost about 12 balls. The wind was so strong it was hard to judge just where they would fall. I finished playing golf about 4:30. I then drove good old Herman down to Hook and Ziegler’s. I think I forgot to tell you that Hook and his wife and Ziegler’s wife are going back to Missouri for a couple of weeks. Hook’s wife is going to stay for about a month and Hook’s coming back. Ziegler’s wife is going to stay about two weeks, I think. Ziegler is waiting to hear from the draft board, so he couldn’t go. I got there about 5. My pal Herman and I took some of their baggage down for them. Watching them leave reminded me of the time I was ready to leave. Hook wanted to know if he should stop in Des Moines on the way back and pick you up. I said, You bet! I wish you were coming back. Their train left at 8:10. They left the ferry building about 7:30. Ziegler and I came in up to my place and I took a shower and put on some sport clothes. We then went down to the bowling alley and bowled a couple of games. After we got there, Leo came in and said he thought he would find us there. Leo pulled with us. His wife went to a dance. She’d rather dance than eat and Leo doesn’t care to dance, so she goes by herself.
My scores into bowling were all around 150 and 160. I forgot just exactly what they were though.
I don’t know why but I’m just about dead. I forgot to tell you I had dinner after we bowled. I had a great big rib steak and french fries and milk. $1.56.
Well Sweets, if you will forgive me, I guess I had better close. I will finish this in the morning. I love you so very much and miss you very very much. Good night Sweetheart.
Good morning Darling:
Boy did I sleep. It’s now 12 PM. I just finished eating breakfast and feel fine except I still miss you. The sun is out, and the wind has stopped. Now it is just like California weather. I wish I had gotten up sooner so I could have gotten a little more of this sun. The mail is here but I didn’t get a letter. There will probably be two tomorrow, or maybe this is the day that the one you did write was supposed to be here. However it doesn’t matter. I know how it is.
Darn, there isn’t any news, so I don’t know just exactly what to write about. Maybe I can do better tonight when I get home from work.
If you were here we could have gotten up early and gone out to the beach and laid in the sun on the warm sand. We could watch the waves come in and break. Wouldn’t that be a lot of fun? You bet!
Well Darling, as much as I hate to I think I will have close. I will write again tonight. I haven’t heard from my draft board as of yet. I love you very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
You never said anything about the letter I addressed Mrs. J Harlan Berhow, why?
Monday 7:45 PM March 15, 1943
Hi Honey,
Well, yes siree, here I am again. Tomorrow is my day off and this being Monday night I thought I would go downtown and meet the girls, but Barbie has a date, Twinkie is out, and Jodi isn’t up yet so – I guess I won’t go, it’s raining anyway.
So you will make fun of my spelling, huh, well how about you repeating. Oh well, that’s all right Honey. I think I’m very lucky to get a letter every day besides, I never could spell but I’ll be more careful from now on.
I just tried to get your Mom but no answer. In Dickie’s letter yesterday he said he graduates the 19th but has to work the next week so won’t you kids get together next Sunday? If you do why don’t you go to the redwood forests? Dick and you were both so enthused the first time you said anything about it. I think it would be a nice place to spend your last Sunday (for the present) together.
Have you forgotten by any chance about my ultimatum? I sure hope not.
There isn’t much news. Honey, I am going to sleep until about noon tomorrow. I’m so tired lately and I haven’t been going out either, so there. Don’t take that wrong now.
Another letter was waiting for me when I arrived home tonight, kind of short but nice and oh yes, your Special was here when I got home yesterday. Thanks Honey, it was a swell letter and I know how you feel and I’m very proud of you. Harlan just as proud of you as I am of Dick and Chuck because you are doing your part where you are needed, just as they are. On one towel is a water pitcher, two glasses and little flowers something like this and the colors are orange, yellow, and red and black the other towel is like this in cross stitches and the colors are orange, yellow, and dark red and black only it’s fancier you like? Hope so. The next one will be ‘His and Hers’, O.K? O.K!
Well Sweets, I guess this is about all there is to tell tonight. Except that I love you very much. Shishhh I don’t want Daddie to hear me. Oh, he knows it all right, but he doesn’t like to have me be bold about it. You know what I mean. Anyway, I love you and I miss you. Yes, I still miss you terribly. Good night for now Honey.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Be careful Honey and don’t get hurt. Careful and don’t be blue, because when you get hurt, I feel bad, when you are blue I am blue. So Darling, be the good little boy you are, and I love you.
Love “Your” Fiancé Janie
10:30 AM March 16, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well here it is another day closer to August and you. The radio is playing “There Are Such Things”.
I’ve been looking at you, I mean your picture, all morning. The more I look at it the more I fall in the path of love. On the back of the picture there’s a little writing which says love and good luck from Timmy and Tommy and Janie. That wasn’t awfully nice of you to put that on the back of the picture.
Do you remember how sort of disappointed I was when you just put, ‘Love to a Swell Fellow, Janey, on the front of the glass. Then you told me to look on the back when I got home because you didn’t want your folks to see it?
The day is another beautiful day. It would have been a swell day to go out and play golf with you, or maybe a little tennis. Anyway, you could do something to get out in the sun. Say Janie, why don’t you just pack your things and come on out. You remember my telling you about my friend Johnny being 1-A. Well he had his final examination yesterday. He is now 4F. There was something the matter with his lungs that was caused by galvanized and also because he was working in the shipyard that builds Navy ships. They told him he could do more and was more important there then he would be in the Army.
The mail just came and there were two letters from you. One that you wrote about our experience with the wind when we first got Herman. That was a lot of fun even though it was much more dangerous than we thought it was. If that wind had gone about 100 yards closer to us we probably wouldn’t be here to talk about it. The other letter was you written while you were at work. I sure hope that this working with older girls and women doesn’t make you rugged. At least not as rugged as I’m getting.
I have to leave for work early today as I have to stop and pick up my welding jacket. I had to get another new sleeve. I burned this one all up and my arm got pretty hot. I will need a new pair of gloves soon. Gloves are $3.00 and the sleeve is $3.50.
I’m not going to seal this until I get to work as I should have another bond (I hope).
My eyes were very tired. When I blink, sometimes my right eye muscles tighten up and then they sort of twitch. Darn, it bothers me. Well, I guess I better close now. I will write again tonight. I love you very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Tuesday 6:30 PM March 16, 1943
Hello Honey:
How are you? I hope this finds you both well and happy. I’m fine.
Well that’s that. My day off is over and I haven’t done a thing. There was no letter to get me up this morning, so I slept right straight through until 1 PM. I didn’t even wake up. Momie had to call me or I would probably still be asleep. After a breakfast I washed all my clothes and then ironed them and now I’m eating my dinner and in writing to the boy I love with all of my heart. Yep I do! I still have to pluck my eyebrows and fix my nails. Then I will read a story and go to bed O.K? O.K! Oh yes, I wrote Dickie a letter, a letter to Chuck and one to Donna and now one to you. Nice, Huh!.
I sure missed your letter today. How have mine been coming along?
It’s much colder here tonight, only 15 above and the wind is blowing 50 miles per hour. March is certainly living up to its reputation. It rained all day yesterday. It was awful, it rained so hard.
I just called your Mom, your case didn’t come up before the board today, but they are having or may have a special meeting Thursday and if they do, in all probability, it will come up then but if there is no meeting it won’t come up until next Tuesday. So oh well, what’s another week?
Jeepers Honey, there isn’t any news tonight. I haven’t done anything exciting lately.
Do you know what? You don’t? Well I do. I love you. Yes I do! Oh Harlan, I’m so lucky, more and more every day I realized it. You are such a wonderful fellow. I’m afraid sometimes, oh forgot it.
Margie, one of the girls at the plant has found out that her boyfriend in the Army is stepping out on her. I was thinking about it a few moments ago and I thought about you being out there all alone yet not even thinking about going out with other girls or doing anything you shouldn’t. You’re so good and sincere in everything you do, and I trust you as much as I trust my own Dad. You’re so – – oh I can’t put it into words how I feel, you’re just about perfect I guess, and I miss you so very much and love you more. Harlan, you’re my life.
It’s Tuesday night at 7:30 PM and if there wasn’t a war we’d be together, may be out for a Coke, planning on coming back home to listen to Fibber McGee and Molly and Bob Hope and Red Skelton but there is a war and we are hundreds of miles apart. Yet you are always with me in my heart. Good night Honey.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Tuesday March 16, 1943
Dear Harlan,
Here I am writing at last. I’m terrible sorry to be so late. I think I owe you two letters.
I still haven’t had Donna’s picture taken yet. Although I am making arrangements with a studio. Mother tried to take a few in the house but they didn’t come out at all. Her baptism dress was pretty. I’m going to have some taken in it.
I wanted you to be here so badly when she was baptized. I would have liked to have you carry her. Max still hasn’t really held her.
Harlan, I sure hope you get your deferment. It will be so much better for you. Best I think. I worry about you working there as much as if you were in the service. How is everyone there anyway? I heard from Mrs. Pennyman about a month ago. I answered several letters to people we knew there. Daddy was supposed to have mailed them, but whether he did or not or not I don’t know.
Jane still hasn’t seen over to see the baby. I sure do wish you could see her. Everyone that has seen her thinks she looks like you. Now she is beginning to laugh quite a bit and ‘coo’. She sure is cute when she tries to talk. Usually babies don’t start to laugh or make noises until they are about three months old. She is getting to terribly big. Goodness, and so fat. Tonight she has been pretty fussy. We are going to take her to the doctor soon, because she should start eating a few things now. If she gets any bigger I don’t think I’ll be able to hold her. She hangs was over my lap now.
Well Harlan, I hope you will forgive me for being this late in writing to you. And I’ll send you a picture just as quick as I can. I’m awfully anxious for you to see the baby. Bye. Love Opal
(be careful)
PS: Could you please send my radio (collect) I’m pretty lost without it. (please)
1:00 AM March 17, 1943 Wednesday
Hello Darlin’:
Well how is my little girl on this next day closer to August and you? Fine I hope.
I just got home from work, have had my shower and I’m ready for bed. I wish we had gotten married this morning. It is nice and cool out and it would be a good night to cuddle up to keep warm. We could open up all the windows so we would have to have in case we needed any encouragement and I don’t think we would need any. Do you?
Darling, do you know what? I have a plan for us to get married. Here’s my new plan. In about July you could quit your job. Then in August you could come out and we could get married. By August I will have enough hours in to have a vacation. I could take an extra week off and we could go to Lake Tahoe on our honeymoon. How does that sound? Oh! Well it was just an idea. I wish there was some ways of getting married there in the Little Brown Church at Des Moines without going to a lot of expense in traveling. I would like to be married at home, mostly because of our folks. I know yours would want it that way and I know mine as would as they didn’t get to see Opal get married. Maybe we can work it out some way.
Well Darling, if you don’t mind, I think I will hit the bed. I’m kind of tired. I will finish in the morning. I love you very very much. Good night sweetheart.
Good morning Darling:
Boy what a night of sleep I had. Guess what time it is now. No your wrong it’s 1:00 PM. I got up about 11:45 pm, had breakfast and now I’m writing to my Honey. The weather out smells nice, clean and fresh because it’s raining like the devil. The mail is here but I didn’t get a letter today. (The radio is playing “Blue Moon”)
There isn’t any news I don’t know what else I’m going to write about. I have to shave, and it is almost time to go to work. I sure wish you were here with me. We would have our own little apartment. We could be fixing my lunch, or just finishing washing our clothes. Maybe this morning because of the rain we could have gone down town and bowled a couple of games before work or maybe a show. Maybe we could just stay home and wrestle on the floor. Anyway we wouldn’t have a dull moment.
Well Sweets, as much as I hate to, I guess I had better close and get ready for work.
I love you very very much.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Harry James just came on and his playing :I Don’t Want To Walk Without You”
Wednesday, 6:45 PM March 17, 1943 St. Patrick’s Day
Hi Honey:
To start with, this will only be a note as I have to go downtown for Daddie and want to drop this in the mailbox. O.K? O.K!
Well, I received two letters today. Which was a nice surprise. Both of them were swell. Thank you Honey.
There isn’t much news. Momie says ‘Hi”. Harlan every Tuesday she says a little prayer for you, yesterday she said a great long one. She’s very fond of you Honey. You’re such a swell guy. Everyone loves you, especially me!
I’m sorry Darling that I didn’t say anything about the letter addressed to Mrs. J Harlan Berhow. I thought I had. It was cute but daring, don’t you think? It should have been the ‘Future Mrs. J Harlan Berhow. Oh happy day. I was thinking about it tonight while I got supper. I prepare supper once a week now and each week a different dish and every time I do, I pretend I’m fixing it for you.
Honey, if you get drafted don’t worry about the money part of it. I can save $40 a month and maybe you can save at least $20. That’s $60 a month. In a year we would have saved over $700 and when you come home we can start out on that. And Harlan I have told you before I will wait for you always, no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Yes the idea of me coming out, even if you don’t get a deferment, is food for thought but it is food I can’t think about yet or have. Your little doll is fine tonight, although a little bit tired but I think your little Darlin’ will live.
Well Sweets, Momie is ready to go now, so I better close, I will write again when I get home and then mail it on the way to work tomorrow morning. O.K? O.K!
As always, I love you.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
PS Your bowling score is swell, you big handsome brute.
Wednesday 9:20 PM March 17, 1943
Hello Honey:
Well here I am back again, only instead of mailing this tomorrow I think I will continue it when I arrive home from work tomorrow night as it is later than I expected it to be. We stopped and picked up Rosie and Dickie Junior and took them with us. Then dropped Rosie off at her Mother’s and then brought Dickie home with us, had ice cream and chocolate and then took him home and I took him to the door, I kissed him and said good night honey in a real low voice to see what he would say and he said in a whisper “Good Night Darling”. Well, if you don’t think my heart stopped for a moment you’re wrong. It sure did bring back sweet memories, but don’t you think that was cute.
Kay Kaiser is on. He is very good. The girls is singing “I’m in the mood for love”, jeepers!
Daddy went out tonight. He went to a stag. I sure hope he has a nice time. He doesn’t go very often.
Tomorrow night Daddy, Momie, Rosie and I are going to see “Yankee Doodle Dandy” None of us saw it when it was here before and so we thought we would go.
Our ring sure does sparkle tonight. It’s so pretty Honey, in fact I think it’s beautiful, so dainty and nice. I love it almost as much as I love you. There I go again.
Well Honey, I’m running out of words, so I better close for the time being. I hope you will understand. I love you so very, very much. Good Night Honey
Love Janie
5:30 PM March 18
Hello again:
Well I’ve been home from work for about 45 min., have read your letter, ate little something and changed my clothes and now I’m writing to my Honey.
Jeepers, I’m tired. You bet! My legs are very achy, and my right arm is tired to. It’s snowing very hard and has been since noon and looks like it’s going to keep up all night, it’s about 3 inches deep now. So because I’m so tired and it’s so bad out, we are not going to the show. Instead I’m going to bed and early.
There isn’t much news. Just tried to call to your Mom but she isn’t home. I won’t seal this until I get her in case she found out about your deferment. I received your bond that makes up $175 between us, every time I look at them I get a proud feeling. Because they are partly yours and anything that is yours, I love.
The only thing I will say about me becoming rugged is “are my letters rugged?” Yours aren’t, yours are very nice and gentlemanly.
“Having A Lovely Time, Wish You Were Here” (Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hookXeIBJmU) is on the radio. Oh Dear! Such pieces.
Well Sweets, dinner is almost ready, and I must wash up, so we’ll say more after dinner. O.K? O.K! Bye for a little while. I love you.
My gosh, it’s 9:15, after I ate I laid down on the floor for a minute and I guess I went to sleep. Anyway, I just woke up. I’m sorry but I can hardly keep my eyes open. Enclosed is a picture of a fur coat just like mine. I thought you might like to see it. Let me know how you like it.
Jeepers, I’m dizzy, look I skipped a line up there, oh well. I just talked to your Mom and the board didn’t meet today, not again till Tuesday. Darling, my Sweetheart, I must go to bed before I fall asleep right here. I love you. I love you so much.
xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Little Darlin’ Janie
12:15 AM. March 18, 1942 Thursday.
Hello Darlin’:
Well, how’s my little girl tonight? Fine I hope. On this next day closer to? and you. I’m almost at a loss as to what to write about. I didn’t get a letter so there were no questions to answer.
I had quite a night tonight. I ran about 116 feet. I received my make out slips for last week. One for $10.84 and one for 28 cents. I must have slipped that night. My sweatshirt caught on fire tonight and I have a big blister where the whole is. A hot chunk of metal fell down and stuck there. I tried to put the fire out and the metal fell right on down my stomach and into my shorts. It burned a hole in the bottom of them and fell down into my boot. I was jumping around like a toad trying to keep from touching it and the fellows there with me just stood and laughed. By the time the metal cooled, I was half undressed.
I just got home and have washed, so now all I have to do before I go to bed his finish this letter and then eat. I have a bunch of close to washed in the morning. I wish you were here to help me. I’d get them a lot cleaner then, I know. I have my radio on and they are playing all sorts of popular music. The sky is clear in the stars and the moon are bright and I feel like necking a while before I go to bed. What should I do about it? Oh! Just go to bed a little earlier and dream that you and I are together. We would be necking if we work together.
Darn, I don’t know what else to write about, I haven’t heard from Dick yet, so I don’t know what he we are going to do this Sunday. He said he thought he would get in. He has been very busy lately with examinations of all sorts I guess.
Well Darling, if you will excuse me I will go get a bite to eat. Gee, it would sure be good to have you cook something for me again just like we used to do. Do you remember how I used to come over for dinner or lunch sometimes and you would tell me that you fixed a certain thing. I would kid you and say I didn’t believe you. You ask your mother to tell me. She would. And then I’d say “Well, it is pretty good”. I love so you so very much.
Good Morning Darling:
I laid down to rest a little bit before I finish this letter and I woke up this morning. The time is 9 AM and I finished eating breakfast and I don’t feel so good this morning. My stomach feels kind of upset. I think it’s because of not eating the right things. One of the fellows here at the house has his wife with him now. She just got here this morning. He works the graveyard shift and some other shipyard. He and his wife have been apart for quite a while.
Well My Sweet, I guess I had better close and get my clothes washed. The sun is out, and it will probably be a nice day all day, I hope.
I love you very very much. Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
12:30 AM March 19, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well, here it is, another day closer to August and the sweetest girl in the world. I received a letter from you and one from the folks today before work.
I wasn’t making fun of your spelling, I was only kidding you. I don’t know whether Dick and I will be together or not next Sunday. He said he thought he would get off but didn’t know her sure. He will probably call in the morning and or Saturday morning. I would like to go to the Redwood Forests, but it’s quite a ways away. But we’ll see.
Have I forgotten about what? I can’t make it out. Do you mean Valentine? No, I haven’t forgotten about it. Just kidding about the first part. These towels must be cute I can’t wait until I see them – hanging in our bathroom or where ever they are supposed to hang.
I was kind of sick to my stomach this morning and I feel kind of funny now, I think that smoke is getting me down. One of these weeks I’m going to knock off a night and have a great big steak dinner and show all by myself – as usual. By myself I mean. I haven’t missed a night since I’ve been there outside of Christmas. I run about 120 feet tonight and I am really dead. The night is cool, and the sky is clear. The Big Dipper is still there, our soldier is still up there and your there and I’m here. What a mess.
Well Darling, it is getting towards that time again. I had better finish this in the morning. I have to go up and get a bite to eat first though. I love you very much. Good night Sweetheart.
Good Morning Darling, boy what a night. It is 11:00 and I just got up. Today is another payday. I was going to get up early and go see my tire rotation board. Then I was going to go to the Y. Then to dinner before work. Now I get up at 11:00, I’m still going out to eat. There is a nice restaurant on the way to work. It’s out by Leo’s. Leo said he and his wife eat their quite a bit.
There isn’t any news, so I don’t know what I’m going to write about. Maybe if I go up and eat breakfast I can think of something else. Okay? Okay! Love it isn’t the only thing I have to offer you now.
Well Honey, well I’m back and now it is time to go to work. I’ve been doing some ironing. Dick called me this morning. He graduated today. He is leaving for home a week from this Saturday. He won’t have this Sunday off, but he has next Wednesday off. I’m going to take that day off because it’ll be our last chance to be together for some time. I sure wish I could come home with him. But it is just impossible. I guess I’m going to have to spend another lonely Sunday.
Well Sweets, I guess I had better close. I will write my Special tonight. I received a letter from you today but won’t answer it until tonight so I will have something to write about tonight in my Special. I love you more than words could ever express.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Friday 8 PM March 19, 1943
Hello Honey:
My gosh, I’ve done it again. I laid down after dinner about 6:00 and just woke up. Jeepers I don’t know what the matter with me lately. Do you?
Well, how’s my Honey today. I hope this finds you both well and happy and having a nice Sunday.
Jeepers, here it is Friday night, time to write a Special letter and I don’t have any news. Trinkie just called and it is all excited, Eddie Clark, a fellow that both her and I have gone web, who has been reported missing for over six months, is a prisoner in the Japanese hands. His mother just received word from the government today.
I just figured up my budget for the week. Today was pay-day you know. I have a $1.50 left for the week, that’s pretty good. Last week I had $.75, but I put too much money in the bank last week. Oh well.
It has finally stopped snowing, but there is about 4 or I should say about 6 inches deep, it comes way up over my ankles and me without over shoes. But you can’t buy any here. I broke my watch the other day and took it down to the jewelers, but they can’t get the parts to fix it, so now I don’t know what to do. I almost have to have a watch out at work as I have to keep track of my time. Everyone has to keep a record of their time. To buy a new one would be too expensive, sooo’s I don’t know just what to do.
Although it’s very cold out, it sure is beautiful. The stars are very bright and the Big Dipper – oh boy.
Say, do you ever hear from Frank Webb. I haven’t seen or talked to him since you left. And oh yes, I didn’t get a letter today – darn.
Gosh darn it, I can’t even think of a cute joke. Oh Harlan, I know some news. I was runner up for the prettiest girl in our wing at the plant. Of course I’m not the prettiest but I’m next to it. Miriam is the prettiest and she has a good chance of winning the whole thing and be the prettiest girl in the whole plant. Won’t that be swell. I told Marian I would, like any girl, like to be the prettiest girl in the wing but you can’t have everything, and she doesn’t have Harlan.
Well I know that’s all I do know to write. Except that I love you very very much and I hope that you are having a nice time and are thinking of me once in a while. Be good now and be careful and eat a lot. Again I say I love you all of my heart.
Always “Your” Darlin’ Janie
PS Good night Honey xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooooooo all that I have
Saturday 5:15 PM March 20, 1943
Hi Honey:
Well I received a letter today. Which makes every thing just about perfect. Everything went along swell at work today. Marge, Marion, and I were the only ones on our side, and we did fine. I didn’t get into any trouble at all, which is unusual for me. I guess we are going to the show “Yankee Doodle Dandy” tonight. I sure hope so, as this is Saturday night and I haven’t been any place for about two weeks so, besides I feel like doing something, or what.
Your letter was swell but something you said about that night shocked me, tisk-tisk, but oh boy.
There isn’t any news. It’s even so much warmer out, the snow is melting rapidly and it’s very slushy. To get to the point of this letter you see, I didn’t get your Special done last night, thus it didn’t go out until this morning thus you probably won’t get it until Monday. I’m so sorry Honey, but Daddie didn’t have enough gas for me to drive down, so I’m sending this Special so maybe it will make up in a small way for the fact that you didn’t get one on Sunday. See?
I’ll write you another one when I get home from the movie tonight.
Must go now as the folks just arrived home and are ready to go right now. I love you Honey. Maybe I’ll write of love letter when I get home. Goodbye for now.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
PS Be careful
12:45 AM March 20, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well, here it is another day closer to August and you. Oh! Happy August. I just got home from work. I didn’t have such a good time. On the way home I saw several couples coming from or going someplace. When I was waiting for to transfer on, there was a lot of couples coming and going in the cars. There was one or two couples walking hand-in-hand. Darling, all I have to say is that it isn’t right. I talked to Leo’s wife on the way to work. She was telling me of the dance. They have a swell band that stays there all season. They play a waltz every third or fourth dance. When I heard that I just about died. There you and are here I am, and there is the dance that plays waltzes every third dance.
The Red Cross got me today for $10.
Your letters have been coming through swell. Each week that the board holds up on makes my next deferment that much longer. (If I get one.)
Darling, you are wrong about me not thinking of going out or doing things that I shouldn’t. I’ve had hundreds of chances to with fellows I meet at the yard. But you are right about me not going out or doing things I shouldn’t because I have too many things waiting for me and I’m not going to spoil that just because some fellow asked me to. Don’t take me wrong when I say I do that think about going out. I guess I didn’t just words that right. What I mean is that I think about going out with you and no one else because as far as I’m concerned there is no one else. I’m not much good at putting into words what I mean either. I guess I put my foot into my mouth every time I open it. I get all mixed up. I know what I think but I don’t seem to be able to say it. The way I feel is that I have something that is promised to you and therefore belongs to you. I won’t let another girl have it if my life depended on it. (Harry James is playing “My Devotion”) I hope you don’t think I’m getting too bold, but I am trying to write just exactly what I think. (Harry James’ “Last Night in Manhattan”) I will admit it’s an awful temptation to just call you up and plead with you to come out here. There is a shell plant right across the street from Bethlehem. There are all kinds of jobs you could have, even at Bethlehem probably. That is if you didn’t want to get married for a couple of weeks or more. But I guess that is out. Isn’t it?
Well Sweets, I guess I will close and finish this in the morning if you don’t mind. I’d like to get as much sleep as possible. Good night Sweetheart. I love you and am waiting for you. Please don’t make me wait too long though.
Good morning Darling:
Well, we have a beautiful morning. Guess what time I got up this morning. 7:30. I have to take this Special down to the post office, put my check in the bank. And then I may go to a show or to the Y. Tommy Dorsey is at the Golden gate Theatre. Do you see what you’re missing by not being here with me?
There isn’t any news so I don’t know what else I can write about so I guess I will had better close. I love you very very much. I can hardly wait until you come out.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
11:00 AM Sunday, March 21, 1943
Hello Darlin’:
Well another week has crept a little closer in bringing us together. I didn’t write last night because I was just about dead. I worked on a small foundation in the engine room. They are really hard to weld. Your Special hasn’t come yet. Syd called me this morning. He is going to drive his mother around San Francisco. He wants me to write around with them. Beings I haven’t anything better to do, I think I will. The weather is cloudy so I don’t think I will play in the golf.
There was a letter here for me when I got home last night. I had better answer it in this note. Darling, the (Harry James is playing “Seems I’ve Heard That Song Before” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX5S9iXmMek) least of my worries is my deferment, I don’t worry whether I’ll get it or not but what I am worried about is when I’ll find out about it. It doesn’t make much difference to me whether I get in or not. I can’t be with you here in San Francisco and I couldn’t be with you in the service.
The reason that I’m writing on both sides of the paper is that I don’t have much paper left, and I have to write some Opal and to the folks. I received a very nice letter from sis yesterday. She says you haven’t been out to see the baby yet. Why don’t you go out with Mom someday if you get a chance. You know Opal likes you very much. Although she may not show it very much. That is just Opal’s way. She is very quiet and sweet girl. Everybody that knew her out here thought she was just about this swellest person they had ever met. She never complains about anything. She told me that she thought I was a very lucky fellow to have you for a girlfriend.
Syd said he was coming right over so I guess I had better get ready to close.
There isn’t any news I don’t know what I’m going to write about. (Harry James “I Had The Craziest Dream” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeE1RnXJDiI).
We are launching another ship today. I worked on it for about a week just before my ship the U.S.S. Miller was launched. In two weeks, another one will be lunch. Then two more weeks and the one I’m working on now will be launched. I think I will be put back with Lang on Monday. It is a ship that is just started.
Well Sweets, again I say I love you very very much. I will write you again tonight.
Love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
Sunday 7:30 PM March 21, 1943
Hi Honey:
Well, here I am again. I just woke up. After I came home I read your letter, ate dinner then laid down on the davenport about 5:30 PM and just woke up to hear on the radio that they have frozen butter, can’t buy any for week after midnight tonight, well we only have a half a pound here at the house and as I take my lunches, we went to get some. We went to seven stores and they are all out, sooo I guess I’ll have to buy my lunches this week, darn. Jeepers, no butter for a week and you know me and my butter.
Your letter Special was swell Honey, just swell. It came about 3:30 PM and it was waiting here for me when I arrived home. I grabbed it quick like and read it thoroughly. We will go to that dance once a week. O.K? O.K! Just think, once every week. Honey, I was figuring up today there is this is March 21st. Five months from this very day we will in all probability be together and it will only be 4 1/2 months before I leave. Now that isn’t so very long when you stop and think about Rosie and Dick. If he comes next week they will be together for four days at the most and then they probably won’t see each other for the duration, which looks like a long time. Kathleen, the little girl in car, hasn’t seen her husband for four months and it will be two more before he gets a furlough, then he will probably go across. So see Honey, we aren’t so very bad off. Don’t worry, I know how hard it is to be alone evenings, to see the young couples together, going places alone, almost getting tired of going on sometimes but that then I look down at my ring and think and remember what a wonderful future husband I have, working and writing too. I think how lucky I am to have a job to keep me busy, swell parents and nice friends to help, if we can just keep happy and partially content until August, I know the worst will be over. Please, please don’t be too impatient, because I do love you so much and want nothing more than to become your wife and the day I step on that train bound for Frisco will be the happiest day in my life, so far, because I’ll always be on my way to you.
Darn, it’s much colder tonight. I’ll be so glad when it gets warm again. My little old winter coat is just about worn out, my gloves are worn out and my flannels are thread worn, oh dear what can the matter be.
Well Harlan dear, I believe I had better go now as I am tired and tomorrow up at 5:45 again. I must get my beauty sleep you for you. Momie says I’m changing very much both in actions and looks. I hope not too much and please, please Harlan don’t grow up too much remember you’re only 22. That is very young. When you were home Christmas you seemed so old at times, it was nice, but I felt like I didn’t know you, like you were someone else, not the Harlan I knew. Stay young and gay as possible and I’ll try to too. Now I must go. I say as I have said so many times before that I love you Harlan with all my heart.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Fun Fact: When the United States declared war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States government created a system of rationing, limiting the amount of certain goods that a person could purchase. Supplies such as gasoline, butter, sugar, and canned milk were rationed because they needed to be diverted to the war effort. The OPA froze the sale of butter at midnight March 21, 1943 through March 28, following the freeze, butter and other fatty oils were rationed.. The OPA (Office of Price Administration) assigned points to each type of fat based on scarcity.. Oleo was naturally white, it came with a packet of yellow food coloring to mix in and gained in popularity as it took less points then butter. Lard and oils rations ended in spring of 1944, but oleo and butter continued being rationed until November 1945. (credit to nps.gov/articles/rationing…)
Johnny & Jane 