Too Many Leaches Around: June 24, 1942

Camp Forrest
Tullahoma, Tennessee

Wednesday, June 24, 1942


From the Diary of James Gregory

Great time organizing Company for loading train. Made it O.K.

Letter from Emma.

Night demonstration until 11 p.m.

Wrote to Emma.


11:00 P.M

My Darling,

Here I am again, Honey, though it's late.

Just as I finished a tough job that turned out O.K. and had eaten supper (I missed my dinner, I was so busy) your wonderful letter of Sunday evening arrived Johnny on the spot to make me feel like a king again.

This evening the whole regiment went out to watch a night demonstration and we just got back.

The air is really cool tonight and the moon is bright again, don't you wish you were here. Yes, I'm on a night problem tomorrow night so you'd be lonesome anyhow - if the ordinance didn't know I was out. Ha!

Since I won't be in tomorrow evening I'll need all the sleep I can get but Honey, I couldn't wait until Friday to answer your letter.

By the way, they cancelled the guard duty so we could load on the train and unload again this afternoon.

That brings up another subject. Makes me wish I were getting two pays July first or something. Emma, My Darling, part of that suspense has been cleared. I wish you could spend the first two weeks of July here again then you could kiss me that big good-bye. Of course, I don't think I could let you go home and have to answer that popular question (Did you get married?) with a "No, just didn't."

Sweetheart, that one question sure has me thinking. I'm not a bit afraid to go. I just can't get over the idea of leaving you so that you are giving everything as if we were married and at the same time, of course, apart as we are. Yet I am giving you nothing but my love, all I can love, from a distance. Honey, I want to do more than that, want to so darn much it hurts.

If you love me as much as I do you, and I believe you do, that's reason enough for us to be married regardless of anything else.

Now, I want you to have the protection of my life insurance, you deserve it and you deserve what you want of my base pay, which I have to allot to someone. I can't allot it to a bank and get what few bills I have paid without giving the folks the privilege of using the money. They wouldn't use it to gyp me or anything but every time things got tough they would use it with the thought of repaying it someday and that someday would never come. If only my folks got the benefit, it would be O.K. but there are always too many leaches around who could work but don't.

You would be doing me a great favor, Honey, as well, and we could really be saving for the real things in life that we want.

Now, this is poor salesmanship but, since we have promised each other so much and, as you said, "are the same as married" with the exception of three things: the wedding band, the certificate and the act of marriage, we deserve what Uncle Sam pays extra to married officers, or in my case, $80.00 per month. Honey, it isn't the money though that counts as far as I'm concerned except that we just as well have it. I wouldn't care if you spent every cent of it if you wanted to or needed it and you know it. I love you too much, Emma, for money to ever make a difference.

I hope you don't think this is an attempt to blame you for our not being married, Honey. It isn't. You asked me to name you one reason. It's just the whole story, a little on my side. When you asked me that night, I just bogged down I guess, it just wasn't the right time to say anything, maybe.

Anyhow I've said enough except that I haven't given up and if I get $192 this month I may do a lots of talk, figuring and trying to have you back in Tullahoma.

Sweetheart, if you don't like this letter, please burn it and forgive me as it burns. Anyway, please excuse the scribble and mistakes.

How about it, can you get the pictures and deliver one here by July 15th? Boy, I hope so. It must be unbreakable.

When you were wondering what I was doing I was thinking of you, as I always am.

Gee, Emma, I hope your back trouble isn't serious and that it soon gets O.K. You better find out pronto.

I must close, Sweetheart, with all the love I know, a gentle affectionate hug and a big sweet kiss.

Here's one for "Linda Lou" (Thanks, Pop.) Goodnight, and God bless the one I love.

Always,
Your Jimmy

p.s. Do you think I'll get seasick?



Thoughts of Daughter Linda Lou: June 26, 2012

Wow, most of the time I can read Jimmy's letters without a strong urge to comment. This entry's different somehow. Departure time seems close at hand. Maybe Jim knows where he's headed, maybe not. And the man really wants to get married and provide for his wife while he's away.

My heart breaks in some ways with this entry but I haven't figured out why. I see so much love and yet sense a great deal of frustration as he chooses his words carefully.

If anyone out there is reading, what's your response? Maybe that's the same way both Jim and Emma felt back in 1942.

Here's a hug for my dad, wherever he may be.