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250 Will you send me a shower curtain ring to use for hanging a knife on? - if you can get one. Military Government, Tinian [but continue to use the old address in writing me] Wednesday 13 June 7 pm On duty My dearest darling, I'm crazy about the pictures of Wendy. I'm glad they were unposed - these are so completely natural and real. And how much more of a person she is becoming! As on one or two other occasions when you sent me some especially fine and revealing pictures of her, I found myself catching my breath with a fresh sense of the mystery of creating and belonging. The one with the glasses is darling, and I was just a little sorry that the photographer was to cut it down - I like it just as it is. But no matter. The dress was an awfully good choice. But the facial expressions, of course, are what delight me - and those eyes! I hurry on because I've so many of your letters to answer but I'll be picking up those pictures again and again till I know them by heart. [pg 2] A letter from M and F received tonight tells me that Norman, just arrived home, has a number of finished pictures of you and will mail them to you as soon as everyone's seen them. I'll be waiting for them very anxiously. Would you get me another folder to hold two of them? Believe me, it's not too many to have - the new 5x7 of Wendy will go into the other side of the large one I have now, opposite her last portrait. Oh, darling, it makes me feel so good to have a family like you two. I wasn't aware that I have an enormous appetite for food - I don't think I do (Walter was judging by one meal when I was unusually hungry and ate two helpings of everything, especially canned spaghetti in tomato sauce - a real delicacy out here) - but I certainly share your sentiments, darling, about things other than food. [pg 3] (That was #288, Wed. June 6, noon; you skipped #s289-90 and your next letter is #291, Wed. June 6, 5:30 pm) #291- 2 more pictures, not compositionally perfect but so much more fun because they’re unposed. I'll send back the one with the glasses* in this letter - it's my favorite too incidentally. Am waiting now to see whether the “one more” you speak of is the enlargement or another shot. Does Wendy really know what you mean when you ask her to turn on the light, or to hold out her hand for a kiss? That is, is it the words she understands, or the gestures? Probably both together. Wish you’d stop almost buying very sheer, embroidered lacy nighties and let yourself go - it always makes my mouth water (or something) to hear about them. I love to get a letter with an excited notation *whose are they, the photographer's? [pg 4] on the back to the effect that the Special Man has just arrived - for one, because I can picture you at the time, and for another, because it means (usually) a long letter for me tomorrow. Not that I've anything to complain about tonight - after a day and a half with no mail I got three, plus one from Wendy. Thank you, Little Sweetie, for Taking Good Care of Mummy and Making Her Laugh - that's about the most important and the very nicest thing you could do for your daddy. #287 Thank you for the cherry stems, darling. I'm glad you went out. And 3 Manhattans! You’re certainly learning to take it. Even 3 can throw me for a loop sometimes if I drink them too fast on an empty stomach. - It feels good just to hear about your getting dressed up (out here when I put on my khakis and my visor cap I feel all set to go to a wedding or something - really [pg 5] formal.) Yes, I remember the Bougainvillea at Del Monte - it's the same as we have here. A lot more has been planted recently in the process of landscaping the officers’ quarters area. No, I know nothing at all about scuttle to the effect that Navy MG at the Presidio is going to fold up - Coach Hager is there now (I shall write him in a day or two and remind him to visit you) and recently wrote a long letter to Van Kougnet in which he mentioned no such contingency. The letter was mostly personal, about men who were there and about what a good time he was having going to Frisco weekends or hiking all the way along the shore from Monterey to Carmel. He also mentioned that men were still planning to have their wives come out to join them. Sweetie, do you really have a tan? From what you’d said before I thought the sun made no [pg 6] impression at all on you. I like hearing about your figure, and I even prefer your being just a little more topside together with a little slimmer around the waist. Perfect combination, sweetie. “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is on the island and will be here July 12. I may miss it on that night (movie at the school) but it will get to our civilian theater eventually. #286 - Yes, I guess Walter and I did get fairly well potted that night - reached the saturation point without quite exceeding it. It wasn't really how much we drank as what and how fast. I'm sorry, Darling, that I told you about the Mother Day flowers - I'll know better next time, if there should be such an occasion again, and I'm wondering if I shocked you with the super-naughty verses I sent - I'm so used to free language out here that it's hard to remember to what extent one uses restraint around women, especially (or sometimes particularly) one's wife. [pg 7] At any rate, I hope you got a few laughs out of them. I won't send any more till I get your reaction. Maybe it's just as well that you stay in our little house, darling, if the rent would go up much - that $25 margin means a lot. That isn't the most important thing, but it helps. Our getting something for Sammy and Ramona - darling, I just don't have time to go hunting for things- it takes me weeks to get a pkg off to you, even, and sending them to anyone else is burdensome and makes me wish it were for you. But they have been awfully nice to us, and I’d like to do something. How would a pair of bamboo vases, like the ones I sent you, be for Sammy - if I can get them? As for Ramona, I have another whole set of those bead necklaces etc. -a set was presented to Tel and one to me today by their manufacturer, the first principal of the Korean school, later just a teacher and recently established in his own business with 40 employees. I wanted to send it [pg 8] to you, thinking that you could wear some parts of the set double, or drape some of it on Wendy. From your description of Ramona, I'm pretty sure the belt won't fit her. I'll mail the set tomorrow or the next day and let you use your discretion. Yes, I remember Smith the photographer. We shall have to go see him when I get back. Are you sure he showed you all the proofs? You speak as though he took 10 or 12 pictures. It is most amusing and endearing to hear all Wendy's little episodes - screeching with delight at the steering wheel, shouting Da-Da at a sourpuss gold braid, doing all sorts of tricks and learning new sounds, turning on the light - yes, I guess I too am most thankful that she's happy-natured, with her being intelligent a very close second - actually the two things are indivisible in a given personality. #286 - Darling, all your letters lately have been long, and mostly happy ones - it's such a satisfaction [pg 9] to me. This one is her birthday letter, the one I’d waited for, read hungrily and put down with a sigh of vicarious contentment - I'm so glad everything went off well. Next birthday, the first one that she may faintly remember in later years, we'll all be together to make it a very special one. You bet I'll be watching for the cake. May I eat it? I probably will anyway - I’d rather share than admire from a distance. I don't know what announcement of Halsey's you refer to - haven't kept up with the news lately - and I can't qualify any further what I said about something big impending. It's not right away, and doesn't concern me personally. Yes, I thought Walter was rather a dope about some of the things he wrote home. Always fun to hear about opening presents - wish I’d sent one for Bobbie and Dickie - the candy was for you, of course, darling’ I was thinking of last year when I ordered it. [pg 10] If I had to be away 18 months, I couldn't have picked a better time from the standpoint of Wendy (3-21 mos.) or our children generally, don't you think? Well, anyhow, Wendy. -Riffelsniffer (as he chooses to call himself on occasion) just check in from a party at which he had his first date in 13 mos. - the last meeting of the “Tinian Hunt Club” (about 25 officers and enlisted members of the Jap-hunting patrols, whose successes were mostly those of persuasion rather than ambush) - apparently they have dissolved after their success of the past two months, there being too few Japanese soldiers on the island to be worth reckoning with. He was very pleased at having been given a lighter (just like yours) inscribed with his name and “Tinian Hunt Club - O.K.” I judge also from [pg 11] certain of his remarks that he and a number of others had themselves an intimate little time, the party having gradually evaporated into various quarters. -Do you expect to use the walking harness soon? I’d like a picture of that! Hope you do go to SF with Gerry. Apropos of coming home soon versus quietly outstaying the worst of the war here, I find now that I don't have the choice in the matter that I thought I did. Only two men have been transferred as a result of their requests, and then because it was evident that Colonel Fuddyduddy would not let them accomplish anything. The others have been released as being in excess of complement or relived by JICPOA; so even if I requested transfer (which ordinarily is done only for urgent reasons; otherwise it [pg 12] reflects either on your commanding officer or yourself) it would probably be denied. There is no telling how long I'll be here. Cebra Graves, silver-haired 46-year-old lawyer, ex-French Foreign Legionnaire, ex-Broadway actor and ex Vermont-state Senator whose home is Bennington is leaving shortly. He always complained, truthfully enough, that he really had no business here (official title - Advisor to DCMGO) but seemed to enjoy life. A fussbudget to work with and a stickler for forms, he is an amusing companion and conversationality, often trivial and boring with an excess of vanity, but equally often witty, sophisticated, and gently cynical. He has a young wife - in her twenties, I think - and one child. He will very probably look you up when he arrives at the Presidio after his leave, which should be late August or early September. I think you will enjoy him. Thank you darling for the card - “When You Get Back.” Did the red-feather hat [pg 13] remind you of Toni Deane? #284 On reading about the flowers Sammy brought - he must be a mind-reader, because he brought exactly what I wanted him to a detail even beyond the description I gave him. I loved your dream about shopping for a toy for Wendy, and your letting me choose the Pooh Bear because we were brokish and you didn't have the conscience to spend the $15! And then my teasing you sleeping in another bed, and your coming to me - there was a lot of wisdom and recapitulation in those two dream incidents. May you have dreams like that often, Sweetie. #282 - Of course I'll have somebody write and explain if I go on an operation or am going to be unable to write for more than a day or two, darling. It's just possible when I leave here that I may go by ship - one or two have - and if so I'll find a way to inform you without disclosing [pg 14] any censorable details. If I do, you will know almost for certain that I'm on my way home because men who are slated for an operation are always flown (so are most others, depending on traffic) Except for the mail angle I’d love to go by ship; I like life at sea, and could probably use a rest when I get out of here. Air travel is exhausting after the fact, if not too uncomfortable en route. There - that's all your recent letters. Haven't time now for the few from 3-5 weeks back because it's time to make my last rounds for the night and get some sleep. I love you very much precious, Warren
