Editor’s note: Great Britain had sent hundreds of thousands of troops to France in support of the war effort. But Hitler’s “Blitzkrieg” tactics caught the rear guard completely by surprise. The British troops began collecting at a beach head called town called Dunkirk. Between May 26 and June 3, 1940, about 330,000 British troops were evacuated, under heavy fire, by an armada of small boats back to Great Britain. About 40,000 French troops were captured when the Germans finally gained control of the area.
During this time Belgium surrenders to Germany and the U.S. passes more legislation to spend millions more in new defense spending to strengthen all of the armed forces. German planes and U-Boats begin to wreak havoc in the North Sea shipping lanes, sinking thousands of merchant ships.
6/7/40
Barksdale Field, La.
Honey:
Am I stiff and sore! Three afternoons of both tennis and swimming have just about made a wreck of me.
I like Jack’s idea a great deal. I suppose she told you that she talked to me on the phone. The idea is intriguing, and I believe you will like it better that way than here in Shreveport where we know no one and would have a lot of Army ceremony to monkey with. Tom and Marge are to go down to Baton Rouge with us.
I just talked to the chaplain here and got some dope on a marriage license. Send your papers from Burns air mail immediately. They may be necessary. The license does not have to be purchased in Baton Rouge. You will not need a physical certificate, but I shall.
I have written to Darby and told him to get Texas plates for the car and send them to the factory. This may cost a little extra that way, but it is much more sure than trying to get the plates here and send them to Detroit.
Speaking of the bridegroom forgetting the ring—what do I do now! That’s a little item I had completely forgotten. Do you want to send me the correct size and let me pick it out or should I send you the dough and let you get it. Holy smoke—what will it cost! What are we going to eat on! Lemme know right away.
I’m glad you liked Mother’s tea party, and I’m sure she was proud. For gunness sake! So we got presents. Well, good!
Write Jack, send me papers, and let me know about the ring. I’m glad Tom will be there to hold me up. I’m getting nervous already!
Lots of love, Cy