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292 Monday, 13 August 1945 10:40 pm Tinian time 8:40 am Washington time 5:40 am Carmel time (to get our time here, add 17 hours to yours; or subtract 7 hours and add a day) My dearest- As Staff Duty Officer whose responsibility it will be, after the Captain has been informed and convinced, to have the news announced over the public address system, I'm waiting a little breathlessly to see if anything will come of the eleven o'clock newscast. That's the hour - 9 a.m. in Washington - before which the White House promised there would be no further statements overnight. No guarantee, of course, that there'll be anything to release, but it will be a great relief if the news comes and is what we've been waiting for. Otherwise there's a good chance that I may have to get up in the middle of the night, waking the Captain (in accordance with his request) and everyone else. Not that it wouldn't be worth it! Tuesday 7:08 am We awoke this morning to hear the steady, angry roar of B29s warming up in the distance, seemingly greater in volume than we have heard it before, and having been going on for hours. Those boys will [pg 2] really strike with a vengeance today. Your reply (356, Aug. 4) to a couple of rough letters of mine made me want to hug you and hold you, darling. I love you very, very much and don't want to hurt you, ever. But I do want you - both of us - to be strong. That's not at the expense of loving, it's part and parcel of it. In another letter you leave me uncertain as to whether you did anything to cauterize the rusty nail puncture. You must, darling; nothing is more dangerous - lockjaw, as you know, doesn't hit till some days later and then it's too late to do anything about. Always arrange to have it cleaned out or, if it's too deep for that, have a tetanus shot, and nevermind the distance to Del Monte - it's a hell of a sight nearer and more convenient to get back from than the other world. You’re not an average mother; you mustn't let yourself believe that you’re capable of being so. There are some things which the average mother practices which are just common wisdom, of course, but I don't think one of these is the building of character. You've got that yourself and from everything you say about Wendy it's evident that you are marking a healthy start toward building it in her. I am proud of you, Sweetie - and by the way, there's no substitute for “the hard way”, only the comfort of knowing that I'm with you all the way, and always Warren
