Dear George,
Since there is a lull in our work right now and the Navy Insp. doesn't need his pen, I'll try and get a few lines written to you.
How have you been? Fine, I hope! Me, well, since I got over my spell of the flu, I have been rather tired but feel real good. The nurse told me that I had "(illegible word)-Malaria fever". That is, I eat well, sleep well, but I'm too darned lazy to work. Ha! Ha! Now you know what is wrong with you! No kidding, I honestly believe I'm getting spring fever. We have had a lot of nice sunshiny days with mud and everything else mixed in with it and most of the ice and snow is gone, but the ice on the river hasn't started to go out yet or even to break up.
Well, I'm back again. I had to get up and go talk to one of the guards. He sure is cute. Red-headed, freckles and brown eyes. About 6 ft tall and not over 21 if he is even that old. Now don't get any ideas! Jim Barnett by name. Do you know him?
Gee, this place sure is a mess. They are moving the whole plant around and maybe by next X-mas they will be all settled. Our department will either be moved out the back door or up in the front offices. Ha! Ha! They even have to rewire the joint from one end to the other. Now they are building some more bullpens for some of the big bosses. Well, I've got to go upstairs and wash my hands for lunch, then come down and buy my lunch before the crowd gets there.
Well, lunch is over and I'm back again. Everything is quiet out here right now. We still haven't any work to do.
Darlene and I went up to hear Ray Pearls last night and boy was he ever good. He sounded just like Guy Lombardo. His music was very smooth, even their arrangement of "Woodchopper's Ball". There was really a very good crowd up there and even some extra men. I didn't think there was that many men left in town or even the state of Iowa but I guess there is.
This big city of ours was invaded by 400 army air corps cadets last Tuesday afternoon so now maybe we will have somebody to dance with on Saturday and Sunday nights. Of course, that is as far as it goes with me because I don't give two hoots about having any of them on my trail all the time, and besides they are nothing but a bunch of young kids.
Mom is on her sixth week in the hospital. She should be home sometime next week if nothing happens.
I got me a beautiful tan and brown slack suit the other night and do I ever like it. It is real cute. I'm going to have seven or eight more made just like it only different colors to wear to work. I just had a whole mess of clothes cleaned so I guess I'll wear slacks for awhile. Then too they are so much more comfortable than dresses or skirts of any sort and really look a lot nicer on girls. I'm going to wear them all the time this summer. They are as cheap as dresses so why not. I'm going to make me another suit for Easter. It is just as cheap to make it as it is to buy it so why not. Boy, will I be dressed up. Ha! Ha! I'll have to have my pictures taken in all my new clothes so you can see what I look like. Ha! Ha! You wouldn't even know me, as if you want to?!
Gee, I wish you could be home with me for a little while anyway. No kidding, George, there are times when I get so blue and brokenhearted I could just kill myself; but then I suppose I shouldn't get that way, but I can't help it any. Every thing has happened in such a hurry and has come all at once, that I don't even know where I'm at or where I stand. Gee whiz, I shouldn't write things like that should I? I'm just plain crazy, I guess! I've got to end this and only pray for the day when you get to come home for a few minutes as least.
Good-bye for now,
Lots of Love,
Ethella
P.S. Write honey when you can. I'll understand if it is a long time between letters.
Love and Kisses,
Ethella
Wednesday, Eve.
Dear George,
Hello Sweetheart! How are you? Fine, I hope. Me, well, not so good. I nearly passed out at work twice today. Boy, did I feel rotten. I feel a quite a bit better tonite though, thank goodness.
My mom isn't home from the hospital yet.
Thursday
Well, I started this before I went to bed last nite and I'm at now so I'll try & get it finished. I'm eating lunch at work right now so I'll write between bites.
As I told you Mom isn't home from the hospital yet and from what the doctor says she probably won't be home for another three weeks. Gene and Donnie are both home sick in bed with "cat fever". You have probably heard of it. It is a form of the flu. Me, I feel better today, thanks. I'm not all out of it yet though.
Say, you know what, I received the sweetest valentine from the sweetest fellow named Geo. E. Bargheart! No kidding, darling, that was the sweetest thing I have ever received, but tell me, since when have they started having card shops aboard ships?
I haven't as yet received my teeth but then I suppose it will be Summer before I do. I can't have any impressions taken yet though because I have some (illegible word) that are coming out of my gums so I have to wait some more. Such a time. I don't see why they don't just take me out and shoot me. I'd be a lot better off and so would everybody else.
Say, little one, pardon me for asking but did you have a brother named Clarence that was in the Navy? Just curiosity. Thanks.
Well, this is Friday nite and so help me I'm going to finish this letter.
I had to work until 9 last nite at the plant and didn't get home until 9:40; so when I did get home I went straight to bed. Now this evening, I've washed dished and cleaned out the icebox and sprinkled clothes and have some soaking that have to be washed and as soon as I finish this I'm going to iron. Oh, yes, I have a hem to put in my suit skirt that I got back from the cleaners today. It is now 8:30 and I'm listening to the president. Oh, I forgot, I have to wash and fix my hair yet too. I'm beginning to look like a rag picker's daughter. Ha! Ha!
Gee, darling, I don't know what else to tell you. There isn't any news here only that my family have all improved a great deal, aren't out of bed, yet, though. It snowed this morning, now every thing is slick and clean.
Gee, whiz, sweetheart I've got to sign off for now and have a swell valentine day. Remember you are still my valentine and I mean it too.
Lots of Love
Ethella
Geo. E. Barghart, S 1/C U.S.N.R.
U.S.S. Token
c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
Jan. 21, 1943
My darling George,
Well, sweet, I don't feel very well, but I don't suppose I should complain. I went up to the dentist after work tonite and had the last six teeth pulled. One wisdom tooth and the five lower front ones. I only yelled and bawled but no kiddin' darling, that really hurt. My jaws still hurt and now I'm absolutely toothless. Really, darling, when you come home you won't even know me. I'll be all fixed up and just like new. I probably won't even look like myself. Gee, darling, I'll send you a picture of my new teeth! Ha! Ha!
They took my mother to the hospital this evening about 6:15 to be operated on tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M. They are going to operate on her for another gallstone that they didn't know was there until the other operation that she had for the same thing was all healed up. Any how, she is going to come out all right.
I'm on days this month so now I get quite a bit done in the evening, but now I'll have to work harder than ever, but I guess
I can stand a little of it providing my mother gets well. (I don't even get to go anywhere but who cares I don't)
Gee, honey, the company is having their midwinter party Saturday nite at the (illegible word), and I don't know yet whether or not I'll go. I sure would like too! I certainly wish you were here to go with me. Gee, would we have fun, but darling, I'll just pray that this is all over very soon and that you will be home very soon and then maybe, as you said once before, I can persuaded to be a bad girl. But I don't know. It all depends on how I feel then but I certainly know I won't feel any different then than I do now. Say, darling, my face hurts like mad and my eyes hurt and I'm just about asleep. Besides, I don't know any more news only the fact that I still love you and certainly wish you were here instead of there and that I'll be waiting and writing until you are.
I've got to go now and hope to hear from you soon. Lots of Good Luck on your adventures, darling.
With all my love to my darling sweetheart, George Sailor , first class.
Ethella
It was only 22 degrees before the other morning when I went to work and it stayed that way for a couple of days. It is warmer now though.
P.S. I love you, darling
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The U.S.S. Token was commissioned on Dec 31, 1942 (placed into active service) and moved from Alabama to New York. The address change above is where George's letters are addressed until otherwise noted.
Jan 4, 1943
Darling George! Happy New Year!
Well, it seems to me as though I owe you a letter. But you should know by this time just about how hard it is for me to get one written. I'm in a defense plant as you know all ready, Collins Radio Company to be exact. All we've done out here all evening is sit and talk and write letters. Boy, have we been busy! It is just one hour until we can all go home and get to bed. Oh, happy day! I'm in the shipping dept. and for some unknown reason we haven't had a thing to do tonight. I'm on the shift from 5 till one in the morning. It is swell to work those hours as we can keep our minds off those things that would generally bother us if we were home all evening. It keeps me from getting lonesome for you. Of course, I am any how, but I suppose I will just have to wait until this is all over before I can call you my own, then I suppose I'll have to fight a war all by myself to keep you all my own. I'll be so darned glad when I can kiss you again and be in your arms that I will probably faint or pass out on you when I am.
I haven't been doing any thing of interest lately only working and sleeping. I don't get home from work until 1:30 A.M. and by the time I read the paper and get to bed it is two o'clock and then I go right to sleep and sleep through until any time between 9 and 12 noon. Then I'm up all afternoon and have to get all of my work done between the time I get up and three o'clock, so you see I really don't have very many spare minutes. I'm off from 1 A.M. Saturday till five o'clock Sunday afternoon and the only thing I accomplished this weekend was getting my washing and sewing done.
Well, I'm home now and it is 1:40 A.M. and before I go to bed I am going to finish this letter so that it will get mailed tomorrow. At the same time I'm finishing up the bottom layer of a box of cherrie chocolates. Boy, are they good! Sure wish you were here to help me eat them.
I spent a very dull and boring New Year's Eve, but I couldn't help it any. All of the kids that I ever went with are gone or else had dates so I went up to danceland as I usually do by myself and met a whole gang of girls and a bunch of kids from Collins. I just about bawled when midnight got here and there was nobody kissing me. Honestly sweetheart you will never know how I felt. To tell you the truth, I just don't care to go any where any more at all because I don't have any fun. I know I shouldn't talk or feel that way but it is the truth. I suppose you had a very wonderful evening. What did you do? Write and tell me about it. It is snowing and blizzarding and has been all day yesterday and is right now. Dad tried to teach mother to ice skate on the river the other day, but for some unknown reason she couldn't stand up. Boy, did I laugh at them. Dad got released from the doctor Saturday afternoon so tomorrow he goes to work all day, and the kids go back to school so I'll get to sleep without so many interruptions. (All I have to do now is hit Grandma in the head & keep her & the radio quiet and the neighbors out and the telephone from ringing then I can sleep in peace!) Ha! Ha!
I went up and had my eyes tested and Dr.Stansbury told me I was missing out on half of my life so he sent me & a prescription over to Pigg's (could be Rigg's?) Optical Company and now I wear glasses all the time. They have pinkish colored rims and are tinted and non-breakable. They are very nice, only for the fact that they get awfully dirty.
Well, my sweet little darling, I'm awfully tired and my hand aches and Mom just hollered at me to come to bed, so I guess I had better tell you how much I do miss you and how much I do love you and finish this for tonite. I miss you so much that I could just bawl at times because you aren't here. And you will never know how much I do love you until you get back here. I'll even be "persuaded", as you put it, to be a bad girl then, but not until then.
Well, sweetheart, good-night for now, and good-luck to you on your journey and don't give up the ship, remember, I'll always be here waiting for you.
With all my love to the swellest guy on earth.
Lots of Love and Kisses,
Ethella
Excuse the pencil, my pen is out of ink and the factory doesn't have any.
P.S. When is your birthday and how old will you be? Don't forget to answer this as I want to know & it is very important that I find out!
E.M.
HISTORICAL NOTE: The reference to George's "journey" refers to the ship he was stationed on , the U.S.S. Token, being commissioned on Dec 31, 1942. From the Wikipedia page:
"USS Token (AM-126) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
Here is a link to the full Wiki page for the U.S.S. Token:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Token_(AM-126)
