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402 Monday 17 December 1945 6:45 pm My dearest, dearest darling, I'll send you a cable in the morning, but meanwhile I can't wait to tell you: my relief arrived yesterday afternoon and - what's more important - my orders today! I shall probably leave here not later than next Monday, and thereby avoid the drear fact of another anniversary spent on Tinian. Just so I'm moving, I won't care where I am or how hectic a Christmas it is. I hope to get off with Arthurs Sz. And K., but since their reliefs have been here a week already they may leave a day or two from now. I just can't, because my man's too green and there's too much for him to learn. But we'll see. He's Ensign Cruzius - 27- two years as an intelligence yeoman at Pearl, then Boulder and Still-water for 6 months. Majored in German and minored in philosophy at Harvard and Wisconsin, where he taught a short while as graduate assistant. [pg 2] He isn't the best I could hope for, but he'll do. I got the word this afternoon early, and immediately thereafter began taking him all over the school, Scout and church area; going over routine matters; helping him get his desk cleaned out, etc. Then I couldn't wait before dinner to start packing my trunk; so right now things are scattered all over the room. In a few minutes, just to make sure I won't spend Christmas on Tinian, I'm going to open my two boxes from you and Wendy. There's one thing I want to mention, however, before I forget it in my excitement. It's rather disturbing. One of our officers whose wife lives in Salinas got a letter today, as long and as sweet as usual, which ended startlingly with a paragraph something like this - “By the way, I hear there is a young nurse on Tinian whom [pg 3] you know - quite well. Please tell her for me that I understand you very well, but….” Without making any accusations, the officer concerned, puzzled, confessed to Barry Lowe that he could imagine no connection except through me. So tonight I approached him and told him that I was distressed to hear about this thing, and didn't think I did have any connection with it, but if I had been indiscreet to the degree where it could get around I had done so unintentionally and unknowingly. Now as you know, Sweetie, if [?] tell you things is an indiscretion (and by most men's definitions it would be) then I have been indiscreet. But I just can't imagine your repeating them unless it was equally involuntary on your part. I should be ashamed for both of us if I thought that this matter was traceable to us, yet I should rather know if from you if you can search your memory and [pg 4] find any possible clue. If there is, then I am certainly equally guilty. The man in question is very fond of his wife, and while he isn't ashamed of anything (and because of his particular personality - buoyant, cheerful, considerate and straightforward, as well as discreet and unobtrusive in the pursuit of his fancies here) he naturally doesn't want to create an issue. As he said with grim humor, if that happened again he’d expect to receive a [?] of large package of all his belongings shortly thereafter. And he wouldn't like that. He's been married ten years or more, respects his marriage and for all his truancy behaves as tho he does. That's not true of all men in similar circumstances. To use his own language, he doesn't pretend that his skirts are clean, but neither does he want to air his dirty laundry at home. If there's anything to this as far as we’re concerned I shall respect you the [pg 5] more for admitting it to yourself and me - in private, of course, when I get home. Meanwhile I won't assume that there is and if later there proves to be, I won't hold it against you. It's just something for both of us to think about. And that's that for now. And so to the happy task of opening my Christmas presents- 7:45 Sweetie, what fun! First, I smelled Yardley's - it smelled so good. As I began to unwrap things I carefully saved the red paper for use in stuffing small things into my baggage. (I love the green and red tape.) I unwrapped the Yardleys, took a good whiff of it and picked up a long box whose contents I couldn't guess. A pipe! - and a very nice looking one! (In size [pg 6] weight and general appearance it is one I’d have picked out myself) I stopped to open Father's can of tobacco, fire and light it. It tastes good as I continue to puff on it now - the first time I've smoked a pipe in about two months. Next, I think, the preserves. I love to get such things here because if I don't eat them myself they make perfect (if illegal) presents to the civilians I work with and like best. Then the little leather folders containing scales (Things like this which are both practical and unique please one) and stamps. I forget what remains of the first box, but the second was equally fun, and the cards more so. I'll see that your flower seeds are planted here (but I got the message) The little celluloid wrist watch I shall give to one of the babies of my acquaintance, and similarly with the toy boats and soap bubble set. The tiny Christmas tree goes to the Officers’ Club, the film will be used here if I can [pg 7] possibly make it but otherwise brought home, and the book from Wendy I look forward to reading on the ship as she has directed. Best of all, the Pink Elephant - you know, I couldn't make head or tail of it for a minute! - and then I realized, understood the transformation and loved you for sending it. I'm going to get down to packing in earnest now - so till later. I love my darlings very, very much and am excited all over - also sort of numb. We've so much catching up to do, darling, more than can be done in a day or a few. Warren
