9/17-25: Historical note: Operation Market-Garden is initiated by British General Montgomery in an attempt to secure several bridges in the Netherlands for the purpose of invading Germany and skirting the main defenses. It ends badly with almost 1500 allied troops killed and more than 6500 taken prisoner. See: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-story-of-operation-market-garden-in-photos
9/18/44 Corsica
Honey Girl:
I can hardly stand this waiting until I get my hands in that old fuzzy of yours. There are so many different ways it can be fixed when it is long—I’m a damn nuisance. But you’re so pretty no matter how it is fixed that I can’t make up my mind which way I like it best.
Marfy, it’s hard for both of us to be apart, but we can’t complain. I’ve probably done all of the combat I will, and you are damn certain I will eventually get there. Of course, if I get put in a combat outfit, I shall continue for I really enjoy the thrill of pitting my abilities against Jerry. Naturally, I get “scared” but not frightened, if you can see the difference. But I have decided not to ask to go back to it, as I have twice, for your sake.
I went flying with the boss yesterday and made only 1 good landing out of three. This business of flying once a month is taking the smooth polish off of my work. I shall try to do more flying. The OM seems to have taken a great shine to me recently, although I believe he is the sort who won’t go out of his way. I hope I am wrong, as I am getting damn sick and tired of having mere children and civilian soldiers come in with chickens on [rank of “Bird Colonel”]. I’m afraid you’ve got a professional soldier for a husband, Darling, for the more I think, the more I realize how foolish it would be to try to go back to civilian life. Even as a shavetail, we’d make $346/month, and that is not bad. Everyone assures me that I should be in line for at least a Captaincy when it is over. All of my service counts on fogies. As you can see at left, it isn’t bad.
Base 163
Flying 81
Subsistence 42
Quarters 60 }2nd Lt. with 6 years service
$346
As a 1st Lt. the following would apply. Also Captain just in case.
1st Lt. Capt.
Base 182 218
Flying 91 109
Subsistence 42 42
Quarters 75 90
$390 $459 <-This is 2 ½ times what the chief engineer of Wells-Gardner makes!
As you can plainly see, if I get the chance, we’d better take it.
Now, if we do, the first thing will be a year’s assignment to Harvard for additional study. If I have to pay my fees it will leave us about $1500 of our $2000 savings. Then if we’re lucky and have kids, or adopt some, my school money can be used for them. I figure on paying their fees, books, and clothes and letting them earn room & board. At the same time, roughly 20 years from now, our first $5000 endowment pays off. And ten years later we get another $5000. So Snooks, rather than change horses in the middle of the stream, like Daddy did, I think we’ll ride this one. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about another war for another 20 years or so, and by that time you’ll probably want a couple of years vacation from my repulsive mug.
The planning on page 2 sure looks a lot better than the planning we did in the beer joint in Elmhurst the night you knocked Fritz off of a stool.
Finance forgot my class N deduction for July & Aug and I am sending it in on my Sept. voucher. If you get any correspondence on it, just forward same.
That’s all except
Ti amo per sempre [I love you always], Cy