December 3, 1943

Armored Force

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Dec. 3, 1943

10:00 P.M.

Darling Mark –

Hello Sweetheart ! !

I certainly have gotten a lot of mail from you the past 2 days. Yesterday, just as we were getting ready to leave the motor pool for our problem they gave out the mail & I got 2 cards and 2 letters from you, that you had mailed to my old outfit. Tonite when we came in was another letter & card on my bunk.

We didn’t get in till 9 P.M. – I’ve just finished eating chow.

Honey – now I didn’t break my arm! I can only remember the 2 days we were in the field last week that I didn’t write. Honey – I write every day I can & I’ll try & write every day without fail – letter or no letter from you. Honey – I miss not getting a letter from you every day too. I always look forward for your letter on my bunk at the end of the day. It makes it a lot happier. Honey – I miss you a lot more too; if I don’t get a letter from you every day.

From now on honey – I’ll try my darndest to write you every day & maybe twice.

You said you were going to a dinner tomorrow nite & probably wouldn’t get to write. I’ll write anyway to make up for what I’m behind.

It rained all last nite – so the Sarge & I put the top on the jeep and slept inside. It was cramped & not very restful, but we kept dry. Today it was sure muddy – that jeep looked like a big gob of mud. I guess I’ll be all day cleaning it tomorrow.

Honey – every time I look at your picture – I miss you worse & love you more! It’s sure a darling. Got any more?

I haven’t heard from Lu. & Cec yet – but I guess I will in time.

I didn’t do any work on this problem but drive, but we sure put in the hours - & we don’t get double-time unless it’s double-time-work!

Well – honey I guess I’ll close for tonite & get a little sleep.

Honey – I love you & miss you more every day! I’ll write tomorrow again.

Goodnite now, honey!        X       O      X

XOXOX      All My Love        xox   Johnny    

Hear about the first-nighter who looked at a particularly hefty chorus girl in one of the musicals & mused, “Hmmm, all that meat and only two ‘points’!”  Get it?

December 2, 1943

Armored Force

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Dec. 2, 1943

December 1, 1943

Armored Force
Camp Polk, Louisiana
Dec. 1, 1943
Wed. Eve. 7:00 P.M.

Darling Mark,

         Hello Sweetheart ! !

I don’t know what to say! That letter you wrote last Sunday has left me feeling so happy I feel drunk! I feel like I could whip the Jap Army alone! I know one thing for sure I’m coming back to you.

Honey that picture was just what I wanted! It was too sweet! Every time I look at it – I miss you ever so much more!

You asked me if I missed those kisses – are you kidding? You know dam well I do.

Honey – I don’t think there’s a chance in a thousand I’ll be home for Christmas. I know it would be a glorious Xmas if I could! I’ll be lucky if I get out of camp!

Well honey – I’m going to see “Guadalcanal Diary” tonight while I have the chance. We’re going out tomorrow night on a problem & probably won’t be back till Fri. nite. We go out for 3 days the 6 - 7 – 8.

Didn’t do anything worth mentioning today, except tell a “captain” how to send & receive a message by radio. I didn’t know it was a “Capt.”. I was on a radio about a half mile from him. A kid told me about it later – the “Captain” was just learning to send & receive.

Honey, we don’t have reveille till 6:30 in the morning. It’ll be like sleeping till noon. Longer to dream of you too.

As I said before honey- I’d better close & get to that show. You have to get there about 2 hrs. before it starts to get a seat.

There isn’t a thing you do in the Army that you don’t hurry up & wait & stand in line. I’ll sure appreciate civilian life when I get out.

Honey – I have been praying & I prayed that you would love & wait for me – I guess it worked – huh?

Goodnite honey – I miss an awful lot!!  Write soon honey! I got your card today too honey!

All My Love        Johnny

1000

X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X         X

X       X       O      X       O      X       O      X       O      X       O      X         O

November 30, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 30, 1943

Darling Mark,

         Hello Sweetheart !

         Oh! What a wonderful letter I got from you today. Honey – I didn’t think you could do it. And you said you couldn’t write a morale boosting letter! Just keep them coming like that & I’ll be more than satisfied. It was nice & long too – 9 ½ pages!

I doubt that I can equal that tonite honey. I got a big kick out of the pictures – didn’t you?

How did the wedding pictures come out? I’d like to see one. Send the picture of Cec & me together – if you have any more made.

Yes honey I think I’ll keep these pictures if you don’t care too much.

Today was pay-day for the guys – but I got red-lined on account of being transferred. I don’t know when I’ll get paid – in a couple of weeks I hope.

There’s a poker game going on across the room & you can hear the dice roll on the floor upstairs.

I really have given up all gambling tho honey.

This afternoon we fired the 45 pistol again and except for that I didn’t do anything.

We have been getting up at 5:00 but tomorrow we get up at 5:45. I have to be down at the motor pool at 6:30 and take a radio prep out in the field. I usually sleep an hour after breakfast 6:30 to 7:30.

Honey – you’re not alone when you’re missing those kisses – I could use a couple of dozen before I finish this page.

I haven’t received any mail that has been sent to my old outfit yet. The mail-orderly said he would send it to me - but I guess it takes time. They’re out on maneuvers. That’s one thing I’m glad I missed – but I have a feeling I’ll see a lot more of problems & maneuvers yet!

Honey I’ll have a picture taken every chance I get & send it to you – but right now we don’t have time for anything but work. Can’t even get out of camp.

Honey – I don’t know what to forgive you for – what you done to me that I didn’t like is something I forget. Anyway honey – I’ll forget everything mean you did to me – even if I don’t know what it was. (Maybe there was a couple of things – but I forgot them too).

Honey I think of you every hour of the day & miss you more every hour. I can feel one of those kisses right now – well almost, anyway.

I just know I could go for one now & how.

Honey – I’m at my end to write. I could write a couple of pages telling you I miss you an awful lot tho.

I’m going to write Cec & Lu & hit the hay. I never can get enough sleep & when I’m off duty I hate to use it up sleeping the time away.

Well honey I’d better close for tonight & hope I dream of you.

Goodnite now – Write very soon. I miss you honey a hell of a lot.

         All My Love                 Johnny     X O X

X       O      X       X       X               X       X       X               X       X         X      

P.S. How would you like to have a Scotch & soda – honey ? ? ?

November 28, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Sunday 8. P.M.

Nov. 28, 1943

Darling Mark,

         Hello Honey !

         I’m really happy today! I got 2 cards from you & the letter you wrote Thanksgiving day! The cards are nice honey – but I like the letters best.

I just came from Mass. I went to communion too. We had to work till noon & then had an inspection of vehicles & had the rest of the day off. So I slept. They’re having Mass on Sunday nites too for the outfits that work on Sunday.

We might get Sunday off hereafter. I hope. I got a letter from home today too! Everything okay – Dad has a job now. I’m sending $25 a month home to save. It comes out of my pay – that’s about the only way I’d get to send it. If I sent it myself, I’d never save it.

Tomorrow we go out on the grenade range & throw live grenades. It should be fun.

Honey – I just couldn’t turn around after I left you – if I had I’d probably still be there. Honey it’s so hard to leave like that – I just had to.

Next time I come home I probably won’t have to leave.

Honey – you’re doing alright at writing a morale boosting letter. I’ve read this one 4 times & have got it in my lap now. I’m sitting on my bunk.

I think I’ll go to a show tonite & see “Thousands Cheer”. We get up at 5:00 here now.

The “kid” won’t read your letters anymore & he won’t bother me now. He went to the Air Corps.

The first chance I get I’m going to put in for Air Cadet here. If I get a chance.

Well honey I’d better write Mom a letter & get to that show – a couple of guys are saving a place in line for me.

Tell Lu & Cec hello & to write.

Goodnite now honey.  Miss you an awful lot.  Write soon – huh?

I’m not so blue since I’ve got this letter from you honey.

X       O      X               X       O      X

All My Love                         Johnny     X       O      X

         X       x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x  

November 26, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 26, 1943

Darling Mark,

         Hello Honey !

I hardly know what to write about. I haven’t had any mail for a week. I should be getting some in a couple of days – I hope.

Yesterday – we had an enormous turkey dinner & stuff. I mean to say I was really stuffed. We had the afternoon off & I slept all afternoon till chow again. More turkey.

How’s everything & everybody in KC?

There’s nothing happening around here yet.

I went to Mass last nite. First time I had a chance since I’ve been back off furlough.

Well – honey – it’s about time for lights out so I’d better close & get some shut-eye. I wish I had one of your kisses to put me to sleep now. Just wishing!

Good nite now honey.

Please answer Soon. I miss you like all hell.

All My Love        Johnny

November 22, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 22, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello Honey !

I felt like writing to you – so I am. I probably won’t get any of your mail until the end of the week anyway. I’ll probably be out in the field this Thanksgiving. We’ll probably be on a 2 day problem Wed. & Thurs.

How is Cec & Lu by now: is Cec working? I’d write to him if I knew his address.

I miss you an awful lot honey. I think about you more every day.

How I could go for one of those special kisses right now. I can only dream about that now.

Well honey it’s about time for me to turn in. Probably have to get up early in the morning.

Goodnite Now.  Write real Soon.

I miss you! !

All My Love        Johnny

X       O      X       O      X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X         

November 21, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 21, 1943

Darling Mark -

Hello Honey,

I’m back now visiting my buddies before they go on maneuvers. I hate like hell to leave them. I’m not bragging but they were glad to see me come back for awhile. I’m sure going to miss them.

Tell Lu my address & let them write so I’ll know their address.

I think about you a heluva lot honey.

Their censoring our mail now maybe I won’t be able to write inside the envelope anymore or sign xx’s but you’ll know if I could they would be there.

Honey I won’t be able to tell you when we move or anything like that or what we do now.

There’s a chance we’ll be over here for 2 or 3 months yet.

I didn’t tell Mom anything about getting ready for overseas. I just told her I was transferred to a new outfit. When & if I get across then I’ll let her know. Honey don’t tell anyone about my outfit or that I expect to go across. It might put me in an embarrassing position if you know what I mean.

How are the newlyweds getting along? Okay – I know. Honey I miss you more everyday. I can’t help it – I just do! You going to send me some small photos of yourself?  Better.

Well honey this will be all for now.

Goodnite Honey!

Please write real soon.

I miss you honey.

All My Love                 Johnny

1000   2000   etc.

         x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x       x         x

I’ll take a chance on these – this time.

November 20, 1943 - afternoon letter

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 20, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello Honey ! !

Well, here I am at last. I don’t think I’m going to like it much. The Troop I’m in at present is mostly tanks & I don’t like tanks.

I figure we’ll be here at camp for about a month yet. These guys have been working on Sundays for a long time now – so I figure I won’t get much rest from here on in.

Honey to tell you the truth I’m really blue! I didn’t know I could get feeling so low. How about sending me a nice morale boosting letter. You can send your letter to this address until further notice

Pfc John F. Jambrosic 37234941

113^th Cav. Regt.

A.P.O. 403A c/o P.M.

Shreveport La.

Bye for now honey. Please write soon! I miss you an awful lot.

All My Love                 Johnny

X       X       X       X       X       X       X       O      O

                                  O      O      O               X

X       X       X       X       X       X       X       O      O

November 20, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 20, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello honey !

I received your very nice card today honey. And in answer to it – I really do miss you & think of you constantly.

I’m still around here for awhile. Had to take another physical this morning – passed it.

I’m still getting my equipment straightened out. Right now I’m just waiting for my special orders.

I just had chow & learned that I leave our outfit today at 1:45. It’s 1:00 now so I haven’t much time.

We might be here at Camp Polk for a couple of weeks yet or even a month. It’s hard to tell where we’ll be or how long. I’ll keep writing every chance I get honey & let you know the dope.

I’ll have to go now honey.

Bye now & write Soon.

I miss you more every day honey.

All My Love

                          Johnny

         X       X       X       X       X

         X       X       X       X       X

         O      O      O      O      O

November 19, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 19, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello Sweetheart ! !

         Well – honey I’ve had a very busy nite. I don’t know quite how to write this either.

I was called tonite to take my “overseas” physical – I passed it. I guess I leave in the morning! Pretty fast isn’t it?

One reason I was called is on account of my record firing. I’m going as a machine gunner. I think another reason is because I put in for a transfer to the Air Corps. I kinda hate to go because I’ll be leaving all the fellows I’ve been training with for a year & on the other hand I’m anxious. I was getting kinda tired of this fooling around over here anyway I’m going & there’s nothing I can do about it.

I’m going to miss you an awful hell of a lot honey – I know that.

Boy – they keep interrupting me here – turning in equipment & getting other equipment. I’m going to write Mom tonite – I hate like hell to tell her – I know she’ll damn die & I can just see the effect it’ll have on her. She always was asking me if I thought I was going across.

Honey you can keep sending mail to this address until you hear from me again to change it.

Tell Cec & Lu not to write until you hear from me again.

Well Honey this is 2 hours later. I’ve been over to personnel filling out forms.

I’ve been transferred to the 113^th Cav. (Mech) which is alerted for overseas duty. We’ll probably be in a P.O. for 2 or 3 months. A lot of things can happen in that time.

Honey here it is 10:00 & now I have to go back to the supply & turn in some more equipment. It looks like I’ll be up all nite.

I’d better close for now & get these things straightened out.

I hope you’ll write often honey – gotta keep up my morale you know. And if anything would it would be a letter from you.

Goodnite now honey.

I’ll write as soon as possible & let you know more dope.

Write real soon

All My Love        Johnny

         X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X

O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O     

Some more of those kisses we like

November 18, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 18, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello Honey !

Now this is alright – I got two letters from you today. The ones you wrote Sun. & Mon. I got the picture too – let’s go swimming some time huh?

Honey – I thought you took that picture of me with a mustache? I told you to.

I haven’t any pictures at all here – we’re not allowed to have cameras on the post here.

I’ll try & raise one on these maneuvers & have a picture taken with it, & then shave it.

We’re going to be pretty busy the rest of this week – we even have to work Sunday. I’m getting off long enough to go to church & communion tho.

Honey – I’m laying on my bunk writing now & thinking so much of you – I can hardly write. I miss you so darn much ! !

You’re not the only one that could go for some of those dewy kisses! I can feel one now!

Honey don’t forget to send one or two or three small pictures of yourself to me soon.

How about sending some more of those jokes you were goin to let me read? I never did get to.

I had a seat coming back across from some woman with a couple of brats that pestered the hell out of me.

I thought of you all the way back, honey – a nice way to pass the time. I just got rid of that kid again. I have a feeling he’s going to be back tho so I’ll close now & besides there go the lights. I’ll have to finish this in the Sgts. Squad room.

         Gooodnite honey.

Please answer soon.

All My Love        Johnny

         X       O      X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X

X       X       X       O      X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X

         O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O

November 17, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 17, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello honey !

I’m disappointed in you gal! I was sure I’d have a letter when I got back to camp today – but nope!

I haven’t had a chance to see about the Air Corps yet, but hope to tomorrow. If I don’t get to take the test before next week – I’ll just have to wait till after maneuvers. We start on maneuvers next Monday, & how I hate that!

The nights are so damp & cold I wish I had you here honey along with some of those “kisses”. I could take the coldest weather out!  All I can do now is dream.

Damn! I think I’m catching another cold. The dew falls as heavy as a light rain during the night. I knew I forgot something when I left home – my shaving kit!

Guess what – my ‘pest’ is sitting quietly on his bunk – writing a letter. He makes me so mad, sometimes. I feel like I could “way lay” him – but he’s such a good guy most of the time, I can’t do it.

Honey – have you got a small picture I could carry in my billfold? I’d like to have one – how about it?

I’d better close now – time for lights out. Write Soon honey. Bye now.

All My Love        Johnny     X

Yo tea mo.  
X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X

O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O      O

 X       X       X       X       X       X       X       X

New Address

Pfc. John F. Jambrosic 37234941

Troop “C” A.P.O. 259

89^th Cav. Ren. Sqd. (Mecy)

% P. M.      Shreveport La.

I talked too soon he’s here.

Veterans Day, 2011

November 14, 1943

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 14, 1943

Darling Mark,

Hello honey !

Well, I’m back at the same old grind again. Oh- how I’d like to be back in K.C. with you!  It’ll take me a month to get used to Army routine again.

I wished I had caught that train Sat. morning. We had to work till noon today getting vehicles checked.

         We go on a 3 day problem starting tomorrow. How I hate that. It’s so damp & wet in the mornings (the poor boy).

I’m going to try & get out of it, so I can take the Air Corps test Tues.

I’ve got complications now. We have a new C.O. now & I’ll have to get his permission & I hear he’s plenty rough. (Not too bad though - )

A week from tomorrow we go on maneuvers. We go to Texas & then work up towards Kent. & Tenn. I sure hope I get to take the test before maneuvers.

Right now honey I’m laying on my bunk (alone & it’s unusual for him to lie down alone.) & writing letters. I’ve got a lot of packing of field equipment tonite sometime.

OH! Honey how I miss you!!  (Ever so much)  I’ve just been informed that I’m on guard tonite. (But that will give me loads of time thinking of you.)  I don’t mind, I won’t have to go out till Tues now & I’ll have a chance to see about the Air Cadet test tomorrow.

Well honey I’ll have to close now & shower & shave. I have to stand guard mount at 5:00. No rest for the wicked!

I’ll have to finish this quick – that “kids” here again & writing in between the lines.

I don’t think I’ve ever written a letter that he hasn’t been around to pester me.

He’s got the first page now writing on it, so honey what you see in pencil is his writing – I have to humor him. Sometimes he makes me “so mad”!

Bye now – honey

Please Answer Soon.

All My Love

         Johnny

“Ego amo te”

November 2, 1943

Armored Force

Camp Polk, Louisiana

Nov. 2, 1943

Thurs. 12:00

Darling Mark, -

         Hello Sweetheart ! !

I haven’t much time to write today. We’re going in the field right after chow, & come back sometime tomorrow evening.

Honey – every time I look at your picture now I miss you so much I feel like coming to K.C. which I know I can’t – but that’s the way I feel.

It’s time for chow now so I’ll finish this when I get back if I have time.

Back again & stuffed to the gills with pork chops!

It’s pretty warm today – I guess it’ll rain tonight! It rained last nite quite a bit.

Is it very cold in K.C.?  I don’t think it could be any colder than when I was home.

Well honey I’d better close now & do some more packing. I’ll be thinking about you constantly.

Bye now.   Write Soon.

I miss you honey ! !

All My Love        X       O      X

X       X       X       Johnny     X       O      X

X       X       X       O      X       X       X       O      X