October 13, 1944: “…I do love & miss you & pray that we will be together soon…”
October 13, 1944
France
Darling Marie,
I’m enclosing a few lines to let you know that I’m still in the best of health & also pray to hear the same from you, my [loved] one. Today I’m going to answer a few of your letters dated Sept. 19th, 20th & 26th. Before I start, I want you to know it is really cold out here where I am & I understand it is also cold back home. Oh well, I guess there isn’t anything I could do about it.
But if I were home, darling, I guess I could keep you warm at least [illegible] you love that my dear little pigeon. I also see by the papers & your letters you folks are having a lot of rain & it also caused a lot of damage, trouble. I see you also [asked] me if I received any packages. Well my darling, to be Frank with you, I haven’t received any & I do hope I will get them by X-mas. Darling I’m glad to hear you have four box[es] of Cigars for me because I haven’t had a cigar for over a month. That was when one of the fellows got a package with a box of cigars in it & I smoked half of them an[d] him, he didn’t [mind] because he knows I smoke only cigars. I also do appreciate what Mom & Pop Masso are doing for me for cigars, etc.
I see you have the idea that I’m running around with these french [babes]. You don’t have to worry my dear, [you’re] my only baby & I do mean it. I don’t trust any of them because you don’t know what you may catch so I just stay away for my sake & I have a lot of respect for my wife. I hope you understand what I mean darling. I see some of the fellows out here with me are very sorry for not being careful. An[d] that is no baloney. So don’t worry about any gals being on my lap. Darling I’m sorry if I’ve never said anything about my sister going to have another baby & boy will she have her hands full. Also thanks for [illegible] for me to my sister & as I said before, I don’t ignore your letters. I do with my sister [lots] of luck with her new baby.
So you lost twenty pounds & I do hope you will save a little meat around the bones for when I get home. I would like some meat around my bone.
I’ve notice[d] that when I got your two pictures you sent me & you do look swell honey.
I see the twins were pestering you while doing your housework. Boy, by the time I get home they will be going to high school. I hope not. Say hello to the kids for me, darling & I do pray to see you all soon. Darling, I see you had a little trouble with a field rat. That’s what I think it was darling, it must of got in while you had the door open for lights from the car. Well darling, I don’t have much more to say only that I do love & miss you & pray that we will be together soon. By the way, I didn’t receive the pictures of you near the car but did get the one of you, Ida & Ann. You looked scared in that one, didn’t you dear. I’ll keep it for a while & give my regards to everyone at home.
Lots of love & kisses,
Love, Sam
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Note from Carolyn: I added a few commas to aid in the readability of the letter. I’ve retained the original use of ampersands and capitalization in “Cigars” and “to be Frank.”