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Oct 5, 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
I suppose you will be wondering if Im still alive or not
but I really am very much so Ask the Top Sergeant He
knows because he tried to trick me out of my furlough
and in trying to do so he made a bad actor out of me
result 1 black eye not on my face though. I have a good
reason for not writing to. I had my hands swollen to an
extra large size from poison ivy that I got while on
police work last week now that Ive got rid of that Ive
got a boil on the end of my nose. I just got back from
the sick bay where I got it cut. My blood must be in
pretty bad shape because that is the only thing that
could cause those things.
I went
up and saw to it myself that my furlough request got
made out and Ill personally see to it that it gets
signed and sent in and then it is up to the General. If
he don’t approve of it then you can write to him and
tell him to give the old man a furlough. That is a sure
way.
Well honey Ive finally got your ring but its not the
kind you wanted instead of the red setting this one is
black and the ring is gold instead of silver. I like
this one better. Im having it cut down because they
arent made in half sizes so I had to get the next size.
This one has a nicer emblem to, than the other kind had.
Im expecting a letter from you today yet so Ill quit
this one now with love and kisses to my sweetheart
Porter
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[October 7, 1927] Friday
Dearest:
Ive just had three finders lanced today because they
were infected so I don’t know how much of this you will
be able to read. Im writing this while the boys are
eating their dinner cause weve to police work today and
Ive got to work even with sore hands.
Now for the bad news honey. My furlough has been revoked
and sent back so I can’t come but I will come at Xmas of
its possible. Im sending you ring in this box sorry I
couldn’t get a regular ring box but they dont keep them
here I got it cut down in Fredricksburgh so it should
fit now. I hope you like it. It’s the closest I could
get to the other one that you wanted. All I can do now
is to hope you like it.
Well honey I dont know how much of this you will be able
to read so Ill close with love
Your lonesome
Porter
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October
10, 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
Im going to try to write this letter so it can be read.
I dont know how Im going to do it though, because my
knuckles are beginning to hurt already. They are still
sore and swollen. Im getting them lanced again tomorrow
morning. They seem to be pretty peeved around this place
cause I can’t do duty. They are trying to put something
over on me again. Theyve been trying it ever since I
fought trying about my furloughs being revoked. Theyve
been trying to catch me asleep ever since. Im afraid
there won’t be no furlough for me now till Christmas or
after.
Did the ring arrive yet? If so do you like it? I liked
it better than the other ones myself. The ones with the
red setting were such cheap affairs. Im glad they didn’t
have any on hand the day I went up.
Do you know what I did? I wrote and told Erv I was
expecting to come home and when my furlough was revoked
my hands were to sore to write and tell him otherwise so
I bet he is still waiting for me to get home. Ill have
to write and tell him otherwise.
I was kind of expecting a letter this morning but none
came so it may be in the late mail and if not it may get
here in the morning mail tomorrow. I dont expect Ill be
able to answer it for a couple of days if it comes
tomorrow cause my right hand will be in bandages and I
cant write left handed anyway not so it can be read.
Dont you worry about my not getting a furlough honey
cause I still love you, and after all you know that is
all that really counts and Ill get another furlough
before I get discharged and that will just divide up the
time. I know how you feel and everything like that cause
I feel the same way. I was even thinking of writing to
the Major General Comandante in Washington but that
would make things worse for going over the heads of our
office. They would never give us any peace after that.
Well honey Ill close now and go for chow and then after
chow Ill write to Erv. Write soon to The only great
private
Porter
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October
14 [1927] Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
I received a letter from you Wednesday and another
today. I would have answered sooner but my hand was in a
nice bandage. I was going to remove it this morning but
I was on the police detail and I didn’t want to take a
chance of breaking the scabs by working so I kept the
bandages on and all I had to do then was be present to
make the required number of men for the detail. My hand
feels very stiff but otherwise it seems alright. I made
a trip to Washington in the sidecar with the boss on
business last night and we sold 186 volts of Edison
batteries for $90.00
Well honey Ill admitt that a boil is painfull but Id
rather have one of those than to have a sore inside my
mouth any old time.
Im only wishing that you should like your ring as well
as you did the description of it. I sure tried my best
to get as close to what you wanted as was possible. I
only hope you like it honey. I hope it may make you very
happy I only wished I could be with you now so I could
hold you in my arms and kiss you. I would have been
there to only on account of our Top Sgt. Being such a
damned runt. You will have to excuse me if I use a
little rash language for a while now but Im so mad cause
my furlough didn’t come through that I believe if I get
the chance Id tell the General to go to hades. They
couldn’t do very much more than to lock me up and Ive
been thrown out of much better Briggs than they’ve got
here or ever did have or ever will have here.
Ill bet your new sweater is a peach as you call it and I
sure wish I could be there to see it. Ill bet Id hold it
in my arms most of the time when you get in it.
Ill explain the furlough request proceedings and so
forth some other time honey. You just ask me some other
time but Im really finding it hard enough to keep my
eyes open now and I sure couldn’t keep them open for
about three extra pages. You don’t mind, do you honey?
Im sure you did have some very nice things all planned
for my furlough honey and Im sure I would have had a
good time but its no use to cry over spilt milk.
Dont you worry about my Love for You being something
indefinite honey its only the way I mince words in a
letter that makes it sound that way. My love really is
positive and Im sure it will last honey. I could
convince you much better if I were with you so I could
kiss your doubts away. Believe me honey when I say that
I love you better than anything else and always will
think sometimes of
Your
Porter
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P.S. How I wish I could cash in on those right now.
Porter
(over) P.S.S. Give my love to your folks and also to
Hoppy
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October
18 [1927] Post Band
Dearest Bea:
This is Tuesday morning and as it is raining there were
no colors and for some unknown reason or another there
was no rehearsal and so far Im not on any of the working
or guard details for today so I think Ill try writing a
letter. Ive got another motorcycle now. I traded the
other one in on it. I got a very good bargain so I took
it. I had a few dollars and the rest Ive got 6 months to
pay and it sure is a wonderfull engine in it. The frame
could stand some paint but the engine is fine.
Im glad you like your ring honey and Im very glad that
you are happy. I only wish I could have come home to see
you but I guess you know as well as I do that it is
useless to argue in the service. Ill try to come when
the band comes to Cleveland if they do. I wont be able
to see very much of you if I do get to come but I will
at least see you which will be better than nothing.
Do you know honey that the time is coming now when we
have to think about Xmas and gifts and I dont know what
to get for anyone give me some ideas you ought to have
some better ideas that I do. You should at least know
what your folks would like and Im sure you should know
of something you would like. Tell me about it so Ill
know what its all about. Ill be trying my best in the
meantime to get a nice furlough for December or at least
over Christmas or New Years. I hope I get to make a
couple of my bets good for the football season. If I do
win some Ill try to get 30 days instead of just the
usual Christmas leave but if I lose like I did on
Dempsey and on the world series then I think Ill have to
committ suicide or something like that cause Ill sure be
a pauper then. Ive lost over $300 between Dempsey and
the series. Dont say anything to Erv or to Lill about it
cause they sure would call me a fool if they knew. I
dont think you will bawl me out or call me a fool or I
wouldn’t be telling you although you are really entitled
to know what I do.
Well honey Im just now wondering if you have ever had
reason to be sorry that you have promised to marry me. I
have tried my best to make you glad and happy and Ive
kept straight and been true to you, so I was just
wondering if there was anything else I could do to make
you happy.
Well honey Im afraid this letter is getting worse and
worse all the time so I guess Ill close and hope to hear
from you this afternoon. Say howdy to Helen for me and
also to your folks and say that Im trying my best for a
leave in Dec. so lets hope for the best for
Your
Porter
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October
20, 1927 Post Band
Dearest:
Im going to try to write again although Im afraid Im
like you I forget half of the things I want to tell you
about. I don’t even have to look at a ring to do it
either. I just have to glance up at your picture and
right away I forget everything I want to say. All I can
do then is to wonder how you could ever think enough of
me to promise to marry me because I really have nothing
but my love to offer you. I could understand more easily
why if I were good looking but this way I cant
understand. I do love you though more than anything else
so I guess Ill just have to make good with the help of
that love.
You asked how that game the Marines played came out. The
Marines had a score of over 60 to Washington Colleges 0
and the Marines have won the rest of the games so far
but they havent started to play the hard teams yet.
Levey shipped over about a week before the first game
and done some excellent work for no training but weve
got two more dark horses this year who are supposed to
have Levey skinned a mile. Ive forgotten what their
names are now but both of them can out run Levey and
even give him a handicap I know those fellows names now
one of them is Shapely and the other is Woods.
Sure thing honey I meant every word I said when I told
you to write a book when you felt in the mood. Two
hundred pages of you want to. Im always happy when I
hear from you. I think its only natural that you can’t
write to much to suit me, cause I love you and still in
the position Im in now I cant have you with me so
naturally a letter is the next thing to a kiss, cause it
shows that you think of me sometimes and that makes me
happy.
I do wish you would tell me one thing about your last
couple of letters though. What do you mean by Chin Chin.
Im not a chink so I really cant guess.
Well honey these is really no more to day except that if
you call writing me nice long letters revenge. Just go
ahead and get lots of it cause I like it and as long as
you will be mine Im sure Ill be only your
Porter
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October
24 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
Your letter arrived here a couple of days ago but every
time I started to answer it I get about three words
written and then I either have to go on guard or police
work or out to the garage or something and it always
happens in a hurry to. Ive been over to the hospital to
see a friend a couple of times to. He hurt his foot
while he was working on the milk delivery truck, got his
foot caught in the wheel and all these little things
have kept me from answering sooner. I started this
letter this morning but had to put it aside in favor of
police work so lets hope no more work shows up today.
Ive cussed the Top Sgt. For you and for me but believe
me I didn’t put in a good word for you. In fact Im
inclined to think the word I used must have shook up the
whole state.
I sure would enjoy hugging your new sweater some
providing you were inside of it all the time. Ive got a
new sweater to and also a new pair of whipcord breeches
and tailor made leggings
Dont you worry about my gong to England honey but
instead you might expect my transfer in a pretty nice
hurry and again you might not. I came pretty close to a
Port Au Prince detail this morning but Im still here.
Then to these is a nice detail going to Nicaragua soon.
I might have to go and I might not dont worry about it
till Im gone.
Talking about a strong wind we had one here about two
weeks ago during a young cloud burst. I was on my way
back from Washington by motorcycle and I was going
backwards and there is no reverse gear on a motorcycle.
I got a little wet and cold to. In fact I thought of
taking off my clothes an swimming back.
Yes honey I have written to Erv and Ive also written to
my sister Lill. Ive asked how to bury the hatchet and be
friends. I havent heard no answer from her though.
Im listening right now to an argument about love. Some
fellow here who falls in love with every girl he sees
and right away falls out again is talking. He is telling
the fellows never to be true to any one girl. He claims
they appreciate a fellow more that way. I get disgusted
with a fellow like that. He dont realize what love is or
he would never talk that way. He talks about being
broadminded and still he is the most narrow minded
person I know of. He dont realize what love is nor how
it changes a fellow when he falls in love.
Well honey I think Ill close this letter so if this
argument gets to hot I can tell them what I think and
stretch a couple of them out for the count Well ta! Ta!
Honey write soon to
Porter
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October
28, 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
I have a letter here that is just dying to be answered
for the last two days. Yesterday was Navy Day and we
were supposed to go to Washington to play. We were
supposed to leave at 6:30 A.M. on a ship from the
Washington navy Yard but that ship never left Washington
on account of the heavy fog, so we started out on
another one and half way up the river we ran off our
course and found out that we were lost in the fog
without any idea at all of our position. The skipper
decided to head due East until we either found our
course or run onto the Maryland shore so we finally
found ourselves on the beach in Maryland about a quarter
of a mile due South of Indian Head so we made for the
dock at Indian Head at Slow Speed and tied up till the
fog lifted at about 11:00 A.M. so we called in for
orders and were told to return to Quantico so we missed
out on Navy Day. Today everyone has a cold from that
fog. I am a little (horse) hoarse now. Im on guard today
and I should be sleeping now but Ive got this letter to
write first. Tomorrow we go to Washington for the
football game at Catholic University Stadium. I have an
idea its going to be a very good game. No the former
Tech man is not the captain of the All Marine team. I
think he might be captain of the Parris Island team
though.
Well if chin chin means goodby why do you use it in your
letters. I hope you aren’t tired of me and want to say
goodby. Do you? I know I don’t. I dont recall ever
having used the expression in any of my letters and
thats why I asked what it meant to see if you knew and I
couldn’t imagine where you got the expression but I see
it all now. I think Ill not send you any more things
like Chinese American dictionaries cause I dont like to
get scared like I did. I like to think that your mine
and the very thought of losing you makes me sick.
Sure my new motorcycle is the same as the other one (A
Harley Davidson) only it’s a better motor and in better
condition. No I havent had a spill for a long tome so
knock wood.
Yes I wrote to Lill but so far Ive had no answer from
her. Im afraid she is even more stubborn than I was and
I dont think she will write but I at least know that I
did the right thing so if she don’t write its not my
fault. I think Ill write to my dad tomorrow when I get
back from the game. I havent the time now cause Im on
guard.
Yes honey Ill have to quit betting on sports if I ever
expect to save enough to get married on. Ill close now
honey cause Im late now so write soon to
Your
Porter
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November 5, 1927 Post Band Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Your letter arrived yesterday while I was on a working
detail so I left it till this morning to answer. We had
a carload of flour to transfer from the boxcar to the
bakery. There were 35 tons of flour in that car and only
four of us unloading, so you see we were pretty well
played out. Im still all stiff this morning.
Well honey Ill admit my letters are always short and
pretty far apart but really honey I can’t help it. I
don’t get the time I used to get. I think we will pretty
soon though, because I heard that a bunch of rookies are
coming here from Parris Island and if they do then we
will be relieved from guard and police work. Ive been
kept so busy this week that I haven’t been able to go
out to the garage since Tuesday. I think Ill quit going
out anyway. Im losing to much sleep on account of that
place.
Im glad to hear that you and Hoppy have ended your odds
because it seemed to me like you was sulky all the time
and I dont want my sweetheart to be that way. I want her
to be bright and cheerfull, not ready to bite all the
time.
Ill tell you about Navy Day honey, or rather our part in
it. We were supposed to go to Washington and make three
formations and we were supposed to go up on the gov’t.
boat but that boat never got here so another ship was
supposed to take us and about half way up we got out of
the channel in the fog and got lost. We had an awfull
time getting out and when we did we were so late that we
got orders to come right back.
Our game came out fine. We won as usuall. We play a game
today that I dont think we will win but we will see. The
same goes for next Saturday. I hope we win, but Im
afraid we wont. I hope West Tech wins. If for no other
reason at least to see East Tech beat.
Well I cant swear that Ill get a Christmas leave but Ill
sure try and for once Im thinking it might come through
approved.
You havent given me any idea yet about what I should buy
for gifts and I haven’t the least idea what to get
myself.
Well I wrote to Lill sometime ago honey and I haven’t
even heard one word from her yet. I guess she just dont
want to be friends. Well Ive at least got the
satisfaction of knowing that I humbled myself and made
the first break. I think Ill make a break to my father
to and see what he has to say.
Well honey Ive no more news now but I have an
appointment with the Chaplain so Ill close now and Ill
write more later.
Porter
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Nov. 8,
1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
Ive had all day today off so I slept till noon cause I
just came off guard this morning. I woke up to find a
half inch of snow on the ground, our first snow all this
year. Its turned to rain now. I didn’t know what else to
do with myself this afternoon so I took out all your old
letters and re read them.
Sweetheart, do you remember the letter you addressed to
“The Greatest of the Great Privates”? The one that was
to be read on his trip back to Quantico. You wrote from
the “Greatest of the Great West Tech Rooters. I found it
among the others. You started that one with a “Dearest
Pal.” That is one letter I never could clearly
understand it seems that every time I read it I get a
different meaning. It made me happy in one way and in
another way it made me feel blue. Do you remember what
you wrote into that letter? You said that maybe you
shouldn’t have left me kiss you and you went on to tell
me that Anne or Hoppy wouldn’t have, and you went on to
tell me you couldn’t help it cause it was nice but you
still insisted that it wasn’t playing real fair and
under the flap you had S.W._._.K. Thats one letter Ill
never forget. Then the other one is dated July 7th.
Thats my red letter day. You wrote in that letter that,
“Really you didn’t know if it is Love or not but you
said it is awfully nice so you were going to take a
chance and say, “Yes” Oh how happy you and that letter
made me honey. I haven’t the education to tell you in
words just how happy it has made me. I guess Ill just
have to prove it by good deeds and Im hoping to prove it
by being an exceptionally good husband I went through
all your letters and found some that went back as far as
June 10, 1926. That was the first letter you wrote me
since I left home and I believe I can show you that no
letters are over two weeks apart except during July,
1926 when two of them were 16 days apart and each one of
those letters brought me joy. Im really beginning to
think that I must have been born under a lucky star, but
then they say unlucky at cards, lucky at love – and I
believe it.
Honey Ive bought you Christmas Gift already and I don’t
want to keep it here cause something like it is a
temptation for somebody to steal and I have no one else
to send it to so I want to send it to you now but I want
you to promise not to peek until Christmas. Will you
promise? I wish you would honey cause its to risky
keeping it here cause there are quite a few crooks in
this outfit and nothing of any value at all is safe
here.
Well honey I borrowed a pen to write this letter with
and wrote small so you really have a __ing book in only
four pages and its taken almost an hour to write it so
I’ll quit and go up to show so write soon to
Porter
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November 12 , 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
Yesterday was Armistis day so we went to Richmond for
the football game between Wake Forest and the marines
The score was 39-10 and half of the game was played by
our second team in order to save the regulars for the
Army game. The after the first half of the game they
took us away to play a parade for the American legion.
All in all we were on the go from 6 A.M. yesterday till
Midnight last night. We were asked to play a Radio
Concert last night but couldn’t find the time. We got
back here and I found your letter waiting for me. I
wanted to answer it right after breakfast but couldn’t.
We had to play colors and a parade and here it was 10:30
before we got back and Ive put in a half hour now
already but Ive nothing more to do till dinner time now.
Im sorry honey if I havent wrote as much as I should and
Ill sure try to mend my ways Ill try to be a regular guy
as you say and try writing at least two letters a week.
The Marine Corps is pretty short handed right now and
that is saying a lot.
Darn right I know what Im in for if you are going to
pull my ears good and hard as you say. But. What I cant
figure out is if I should look forward to this ear
pulling or if Im supposed to dread it.
Sure honey Ill admit my kid sister is witty in fact both
of them are but also stubborn. Ive done my best and they
wont answer. I dont know what more a man can do than to
apologize for something that he didn’t do or that wasn’t
his fault. What do you mean by (Thomas Jr.)
Oh sure I can swear quite a bit when I want to but I
still say that I cant swear Ill get a leave for Xmas. I
can swear though if I really want to. I learned all
about that when I first joined the Marines and Im a
seasoned trooper now and can swear as such.
What I want to know now honey is if I can have your
promise not to peek if I send your present in advance. I
dont want you to see it yet and still I don’t want to
keep it here cause there is to much danger of someone
stealing it and I havent got a place where it would be
safe so let me know if its all right to send it.
Im going to try to sell my motorcycle again cause I want
to come home first chance I get and winter is no time to
cross the mountains on a motorcycle and I cant come if
Ive got all my money tied up in the motorcycle.
Say listen young lady. I believe you made a remark once
before about my still loving you. I told you that Im not
much at putting my thoughts into letters so please dont
take everything like that the way it sounds. Of course I
love you still and always will. Does that sound better?
You know what I mean anyway so why all the argument.
Write soon to
Your
Porter
Love and Kisses and a few hugs XXXXXXXXXXXX
P.S. Are you still adding these up? If you dont you
might get cheated.
Porter
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November 14 1927 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
Here it is Monday again and I haven’t had a thing to do
all morning although I lay around all morning just
expecting to get sent out on a detail any minute. How
they forget me is a big mystery to me. Im glad they did
miss me though cause I was very tired today as you will
see when I tell you about my week end.
To begin with we had a nice warm day Saturday so Morris
and I (Thats the owner of the garage) decided to go
motorcycling over the week end. We started at noon and
rode till 4 oclock in the morning which was Sunday we
came back and slept till 9 oclock and started out again
I was excused from Sunday night concert so my liberty
was till Reveille this morning (5:30 A.M.) I came back
in at 2:00 A.M. and I sure was cold and tired. Is it any
wonder that I was glad to be forgotten this morning?
Do you know what? I may never be a good clarinet player.
I cant say for certain but the sore I had on my lip has
been gone a long time now and still my lip is weak and
no matter how much I practice my lip don’t seem to want
to build again it just remains soft and flabby. I went
to see Dr. Dickson about it and he said that he cant say
for sure, but it may be that my lip will never build
again. I was afraid I might get put out of the band now
but it seems that Im not. They are going to keep me here
and let me struggle along as best I can. I think that is
darn nice of them dont you? I havent given up hope yet
though. I still hope that it may be a mistake and that
my lip muscles will build up and get solid again if I
practice long enough and hard enough.
My bunky finally got his furlough honey. His request
went in eight (8) months ago. What do you think of that?
I hope mine dont take that long or its liable to come
back just before I get discharged. Thats when his came
back cause he gets out on the 15th of January. When he
comes back from furlough he will have just 32 days to
serve. I think he might get a job right close by here so
he can stick around a year and a half and wait for me
and then we will both come to Cleveland. At any rate
thats how he is going to spend his furlough. Looking for
a fairly decent job somewhere near here cause really you
would be surprised how close we are. I dont know what I
would do if he went away all of a sudden like that weve
grown so very fond of each other.
Well honey I dont know of anything more to say except Im
expecting a letter from you tomorrow morning. Thats
really all sweetheart unless you want me to tell you
again that I love you. Now dont forget the old soldier
Love and Kisses from
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
P.S. You may kiss Hoppy for me if you want to.
Porter
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November 20 [1927] Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
I received your letter Friday or rather it arrived
Friday but I was on guard so I didn’t really get it till
yesterday morning and I was supposed to make the trip to
Washington yesterday for the Army Marine Corps game I
had an absess on the thumb of my left hand and was also
supposed to go to the sick bay to have it cut but I
didn’t want to miss that game so I let it hurt and made
the trip Boy I mean if I had lost my thumb because it
wasnt opened yesterday I would still think I got a
bargain. That sure was a good game, the best Ive ever
seen and the best I ever hope to see. The Army had a
heavier team and they fought like wildcats but our team
just seemed to get around them for two touchdowns and
also kicked the two goals making the score 14-0 in our
favor. That game had plenty of variety to. First Tunney
was present and he stood by the band and shook hands
with those that were lucky enough to be near him I was
one of the lucky ones. Then Nick Altroch was present on
our line as a cheer leader and comedian. Then to top
things off about 30 army men tried to steal the big
Marine Emblem we had standing at one end of the Stadium
so a bunch of Marines went up and it ended in a free for
all fight. There were three real blows struck and three
soldiers went rolling down the hill and the rest went
down as best they could. After that three of us stood
guard over the emblem but no army men came up any more.
Then some of our men swiped that mule of theirs and rod
it Boy I never had so much fun in all my life.
This morning I went to the sick bay and got my finger
lanced and you should see it now its as big as a sausage
and as sore as a boil cause the absess was fight under
the finger nail and it sure is tender there
Good morning sweetheart. This is Monday now. This letter
was unavoidably detained on account of my thumb giving
me so much X:?--!!*- That means pain. I had to have it
cut again Ive had it treated again this morning.
I believe Im going to look forward to meeting some of
your relatives when I come home honey. You tell me so
much about your Aunt Mamo and your Uncle Miles that Im
the one that wants to meet them.
Yes Ive heard of people dying of curiosity and now that
youve reminded me of it Im going to think twice before I
send that package Im thinking twice any way cause Im not
sure if you will like what I got, cause Ive had no
experience at buying gifts for girls you know so I just
took my buddies advice and also the advice of the clerk
at the place where I got this I wish there was some way
I could tell if you are going to be satisfied or not and
still not let you see what I got. Anyway I think Ill put
off sending it cause I don’t want you to die of
curiosity.
Well honey I really don’t know if I should keep on
fooling around with motorcycles or not. They are great
sport and everything like that but gee I cant keep it in
camp now and Morris is closing up his garage so now Ill
have no place to keep a motor and then to I really
should be putting something away instead of into the
motorcycle cause a person can’t get married without
money and those ten of fifteen dollars every month might
amount up to something in a years time so I think Ill
give up motorcycling and start the New Year out right by
making an allotment for every month until I get paid
off. Then I should get a bit of money saved up that way.
Say! Did you ever give Hoppy that kiss I told you to
give her? If you don’t I will when I get up there.
Well honey this morning is just about gone and Ive got
to soak my finger again before noon so I guess I better
close now and I guess you better write to me. I really
expected a letter this morning so I suppose it will
arrive in the noon mail or at least I hope so Well Ill
close with much
Love & Kisses
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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[Nov.
25, 1927] Thanksgiving Day Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
I decided to write today and Im going to do it in spite
of all Hell and high water by that I mean that Im not
supposed to be moving my hand around on account of
having blood poison in it and the blood racing into the
hand makes it swell still more.
We sure had a swell chow today we had Roast turkey,
oyster soup, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, cranberry
sauce, cold ham, bread, butter, coffee, milk, oyster
dressing, peas, plain and stuffed olives, celery,
lettuce, mince, chocolate and pumpkin pies, cake, candy,
ice cream, cigars, cigarettes, oranges, apples, bananas
and nuts and last but most important we had sweet
pickles and as much of this stuff as we wanted. I really
think I ate at least three jars of sweet pickles and at
least a half jar of stuffed olives.
Sho honey I guess my lip will harden again if I practice
enough but I really cant practice until my finger gets
better.
Never mind socking Hoppy, you are liable to hurt one
another just tell her, “If you dont someone else will.”
Are you going to get that new Semper Fidelis record when
it comes out? What kind of an instrumentation are they
going to have? I suppose it will be a military band
again just to make us hams feel cheap when we hear it.
I hope to say Im glad to hear that my fire haired step
sister got married. I only hope her husband lives in
Canada or Russia or somewhere and goes back there to
live I only knew here ten days but that was two weeks to
much for me. If I never see her again it will be about
two years to soon to suit me.
Oh. I dont know I think my chances are pretty good for a
Christmas leave but still Im not so sure if Ill be able
to come but Im sure going to try my best honey and I
guess thats as much as can be expected of anyone.
I meant to send that package the first of this week but
Ive been put on light duty and cant leave the quarters
except for show so I really can’t go to the post office
but Ill try to get off light duty by next week if Ive
got lots of luck
No I dont think you need to be afraid of being cheated
cause I really believe in being honest with
Love & Kisses
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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November 29 [1927] Post Band Quantico
Dearest Bea:
No certainly writing don’t hurt my hand its holding it
on the table while I write that hurts. Im supposed to
hold it up to keep the blood from running to the sore
thumb and there is the chance of catching cold in it. I
done that anyway yesterday so I sent out for an
electrical heating pad to keep the hand warm and Ive got
it wrapped around my hand now. The doctor gave me heck
this morning cause I caught cold in it. He says it will
take every bit of six weeks more for my hand to get well
and I told him to chase a cow cause this hand is going
to be well in time for me to get a Xmas leave. They
won’t let me go on leave as long as there is anything
the matter with me so you just watch this hand get well.
I suppose by this time you must have guessed that this
is the answer to your letter it just arrived today and
Ill say Ive sure been waiting for it. I kind of expected
it to be here Saturday but it didn’t come till today but
then this is the regular day so I cant kick.
Im inclined to believe I would rather have seen West win
that game than Cathedral Latin although I don’t know
why.
Well your president may have a failing for pumpkin pie
but Ive still got to see the man that can eat more lemon
cream pies than I can Thats the only kind of pie I like
and then the lemon has to be at least an inch thick. Boy
thats when Im a real Marine and I sure know how to be a
chow hound.
This coming Friday the band makes a trip to Philadelphia
with the Parris Island football team but !-* the
greatest of the great privates don’t go. He’s got light
duty on account of his finger. I would like to see the
game but I guess that is out of the question now
although I might be able to go to carry the extra music.
Yes sweetheart I hope I get to come to. I hope so as
much as you do and I also realize what a long time six
or seven months can be and Im pretty sure of coming but
in case I can’t please dont forget honey. Its my duty to
Uncle Sam to be a soldier first. Oh honey I dont know
why I always mince that one word (but) in every where. I
really dont need to cause Im pretty sure to get that ole
furlough.
I wish I could say like you do honey I wish I could pick
up the old clarinet right now I and practice some. It
wouldn’t do any good though cause my left hand is
altogether useless right now and a man needs two good
hands to play clarinet and mine couldn’t exactly be
called good right now.
Im glad honey that you are still my heavy lightweight.
Just as long as you are mine you will never hear me
kick.
Im glad you like the ring honey and I only hope I can
always get just the thing you want, but Im really not
much at picking out such things.
Ill close now Bea but write soon and often cause the
days are pretty long when Ive got to nurse this hand and
your letters help to pass the time along honey. I
actually forget my sore finger when you write to
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX OO
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December 1, 1927 Post Band Quantico Va
Dearest:
Im writing this letter tonight cause Ive just got to
tell my troubles to some one. My spirit is pretty low
tonight so Im afraid this letter is going to make you
feel just about the same. Im kind of stuck here though I
don’t know if I should send the sunshine or the rain
first. Ill send the sunshine first. Your package is on
the way. I went to the Post Exchange for supplies today
and at the same time I sent the package. Im sending you
the insurance slip so in case it don’t get there you
will be able to make a claim on it. don’t forget though
no fair peeking Im not sure if you will like it or not
but it will be your fault cause you never even gave me a
hint of what you wanted.
Now for the cloudy side – Im afraid I can’t come home
for the holidays, for two reasons. First the Doc. Says
my finger won’t be healed by then but I could get around
that alright but now I cant afford it cause Ive made out
my pay for allotment so Ill have some saved when I get
out. I figured on collecting money Ive got standing out
so I could make this leave but only two small debtors
could manage to pay this month so I guess Ill have to
wait till after the New Year. Dont worry though honey,
Ill get 30 days instead of 10 days when I do come. That
will be worth an extra month or two, wont it? Oh I feel
bad about it and it does just about spoil my faith in
human nature but well just have to remember that absence
makes the heart grow fonder.
I guess by the time I have a couple more rotten months
like the last one Ill start refusing to lend these bozos
any money even if there whole family dies and they need
it to go home on. My profits for this month should have
been $32 but as it stands they are just $2.00 if Im
lucky. Well so much for that homey girl I really don’t
like to tell you all this but I just had to so you could
see why I can’t make it. Oh there still is a little
chance but it sure is small.
The band left tonight for Philadelphia for the game that
the Parris Islanders play up there. Im sure sorry I
couldn’t go along cause I think they are going to see a
darn good game if you ask me.
Weve got a very good programm at the show here this
month. I think Ill try to sneak over tonight yet. The
show tonight is Adam and Evil and its supposed to be
very funny. Ill sure try to see it. We have “What Price
Glory,” again this month on the twentieth. We also have,
“The Dress Parade,” this month and another Marine
picture called, “Devil Dogs.”
Well honey there is nothing cheerful about this letter
so I guess Id better close now with all kinds of Love &
Kisses
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
P.S. Id sure like to make these real right now.
P.S.S. Dont forget to write soon.
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December 3, 1927 Quantico Virginia
Dearest Beatrice:
Your letter reached me this morning and although it was
short it sure served the purpose. You see it was this
way I was just getting ready to turn in to the hospital
when your letter arrived. You know what my turning in
means, dont you? It means I wont be out in time for an
Xmas furlough and quite naturally I was peeved and sore
as a boil, but when I read the letter I kind of got over
it and although Im still sore about missing out on a
leave in that way still I feel much better just for your
letter. Im really glad you started the month off right.
I want you to write always honey, even if there is no
news. Do I always have news for you every time I write?
I guess not. Half the time I fill up two out of three
pages simply with “I love you.” You don’t call that
news, do you?
We had a lot of rain all day yesterday and this morning
we had winter to. I got up and it was snowing to beat
the band and it didn’t stop till this noon either.
You say youve done nothing but work so far this week. Is
that right? Well Im glad someone is doing the work for
this family. This part of the family sure can’t do any
work for a while. Not till after the first of the year
anyway.
Who do you think is in the same ward with me here in the
hospital? None other than my old friend Cain of Marine
Corps Football fame. Boy weve had a good time this
afternoon talking about football. Ive talked it so much
today I bet Ill dream about football tonight.
Is that very lady like to claim to be a good cusser? You
better be careful young lady or the first thing you know
you will be able to out cuss me and that wont do at all.
I saw a good picture last night and boy it would make a
blind man laugh. The name is “The High School Hero,”
staring Sally Phillips. See it if you get a chance cause
your sure of at least two dozen good laughs in about the
middle of the picture. There is one place where the
crowd roared so loud I was afraid of the walls falling
in.
Well honey Ill get a furlough as soon as I can so just
be patient another month or two Ill write often and
please do the same honey. Im sure Ill welcome the letter
no matter how little news there is in it only write it
soon to
Porter
I Love You
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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December 5th [1927] Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Im writing this in bed and with only one hand. The left
one is bandaged so heavy I can just barely lift it. They
have cleaned it out and put a drain in it this morning.
They also tell me that the chances are ten to one that I
must lose at least the first joint of my left thumb and
maybe even the whole finger. They are going to try to
save the whole thing however although the doctor claims
it is a waste of energy. Lets hope not.
I still have good hopes even if the doctors havent. If I
do lose the finger or any part of it that will mean I
get discharged with a small pension, probably about
sixteen or seventeen dollars a month. Still I really
wouldn’t mind the finger as much if it didn’t mean
losing you. Of course you know I won’t be holding you to
any promise because I was real fit when you promised and
couldn’t hardly expect you to marry a misfit and that
will be about what Ill be without that thumb. Lets wait
till I lose the thumb though.
There is a fellow right across from me who was burned by
a gasoline flame and they are dressing his hand and foot
and after seeing how that hurts him Ive just about
decided that Im not in pain at all.
I havent even had a thing to read ever since I came over
here but this afternoon my buddy is going to being over
some reading material. Its been kind of lonesome just
looking at the ceiling except for a couple hours each
night when we have radio. Ill bet I could draw an exact
duplicate of this ceiling and put every spot in the
right place to.
Ive written my dad a letter letting him know just how
things are I dont know what he will say. I expect to
hear from him tomorrow, maybe today yet. I suppose he
will think Im asking him for help now, but Im not. Im
only letting him know because he is my father and I
wrote because I knew he wanted to hear from me and not
for help cause there is nothing he can do.
Ill close now honey and just remember no matter what
happens I Love you, so write real soon and make me
happy.
Always
Porter
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December 6th [1927] Ward “A” Sick Quarters
Dearest Bea:
This letter is being written at the End of a perfect
day. Oh yes perfectly uneventful. This morning early
they changed the dressing on my thumb which consisted of
taking it apart and putting it back together again. I
mean the dressing, not the thumb, although it felt the
same way. Id take that every morning though for what the
doctor told me this morning. He said that the chances of
saving the tip of the thumb are just about even now. I
had a good night last night and the same for my finger.
Im getting the Daykins treatment and it sure did a lot
of good for one night.
I sure felt down hearted yesterday though. The way he
talked yesterday I didn’t seem to have a chance but oh
how different he talked this morning. Ill most probably
be in this place for quite a while though. They treat us
very nice here though. Ive been soaking my hand in
bicloride of Mercury 1 to 10000 strength and mercury
sure does sap the strength right out of a persons body.
Then to they are afraid the pain in the finger is liable
to get the best of me on account of that weakness so
they made me a bed patient and Ive got to stay tucked in
all the time. The hospital corpsmen and nurses are very
considerate though and they see that we have everything
we need. We even have radio a couple of hours every
night. We have a plug behind each bed and every one has
a pair of earphones.
I kind of expected a letter today but it never arrived
yet. Whats the matter are you sick? Or are you sore at
me for some reason or another? Ive sent about three
letters now since I heard from you last. Did your
package ever arrive? I don’t think you will ever guess
from the size or shape of the package what is in it. Ive
kind of wished you might cause then I might get to know
if you like the par contents. I hope so, because Ive
really tried very hard to get something you might like
and Im really inexperienced.
I dont know if it is the pain or just what it is but
something or another has kept me sweating steam and
breathing fire today and if it dont stop pretty soon Im
darned if I dont go out and get cooled off if I have to
go in pajamas and barefoot
Well honey no more news so Ill close now but please dont
forget to write and make it real soon
With Love & Kisses
Porter
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December 10, 1927 Ward “A” Sick Quarters
Dearest Bea:
I received two of your letters today both of those you
sent to sick quarters. There are also two at the Post
Band Office but the band is away on a trip so Ive got no
one to bring them over.
I was very glad to get these two though. This is the
first mail in a week. Im glad to see the stand you took
about my finger but now I think that danger is over. Ive
been perfectly helpless since Wednesday morning. They
took the defective bone out of the first joint of my
thumb and didn’t use anything to kill the pain because
they were afraid to freeze it on account of not getting
all the chill out and maybe causing it to infect some
more. The pain left me so weak I couldn’t even hold a
spoon with my other hand. The thumb looks like it was
going to get better now though. I had two more X rays
taken this morning to be sure that the bone in the
second joint is perfectly solid. They have kept a tube
stuck into my thumb up to the joint for irrigating
purposes ever since Sunday morning and the put in two
C.C. of Clorazine at 110° Farenheit every two hours day
and night. I think my thumb will get as well as it ever
was except that it will be minus a bone. I didn’t leave
them take it off though.
I hope to sneeze Ill like the Tatler and the books. Ive
read just about every magazine that was ever published
and Ive done all this in the last week. I even read all
the Advertisements in them every word. If I did miss a
word or two its because I was getting to sleepy or
something.
Im afraid that anything you might send the chap that got
burned might be in vain. He had a high fever last night.
106° and Im afraid he wont pull through. He has been
very dilerious
Hoppys friend the football player got out of the
hospital today. He had a twisted knee. He just barely
could navigate but he is getting married tomorrow and he
wasnt going to miss that if he had to leave here in a
wheel chair.
I don’t doubt that Hoppy wanted to know all this but I
dont think she is the only curious person. I actually
believe I got jealous when I found out why he was
leaving so soon. I didn’t like to see him go cause he
sure helped to keep the clouds covered with a silver
lining.
I know darn well you would never guess what is in that
package or I would never have sent it so soon. The only
reason I did send it was because everybody in this
Marine Corps isn’t honest and that package was quite
tempting to a fellow like that.
I can see right now where I better get out another sheet
of paper
Darn right Im going to tell you about cooks reading
while they cook. You better not get in the habit cause I
know how it tastes to put Climalene into the sugar bowl
by mistake or pepper into oatmeal instead sugar and I
dont like that taste.
Honey you cant wish you were here any more than I wish I
were there. It sure makes me feel miserable when I think
of missing out on the holidays again this year.
Yes Ive tried many times to write when about 20 guys
were talking to me all at the same time. That day I lost
two pairs of work shoes and a pair if civilian shoes.
Ill swear sweetheart I cant keep my mind on this letter.
The fellow with the burns is very restless and he does
make the weirdest sounds in his dilerium
I noticed something in the lower right hand corner of
that last sheet of your letter. I dont know if you meant
to put it there or not, nor do I know if I was supposed
to see it, but I did. It looks something like this
(Beax)
Well Ill close now with
Love & many X’s
Porter
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[Cancelled: Quantico Va Marine Branch Dec 13 1927]
Dress material 6.50
Candy 1.85
Kids 1.50
Hankies .50
Stockings 1.35
9.75
58.59
68.25
16.39
Stockings 1.00
Bud .25
Hilda .15
Hoppy 6.48
Esther .20
Elsie .20
Ornaments .25
Tickets .50
Grand .50
Shop .50
10.30
Cards 1.00
11.03
[Letterhead: U.S. Marines & symbol]
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December 12 1927 Ward “A” Sick Quarters
Dearest Bea:
Your books and the Tatler arrived yesterday noon and I
managed to keep myself busy with them all afternoon.
Thanks very much for them they came at just the right
time.
They sure razzed you about the Marines in that issue of
the Tatler. They weren’t satisfied with razzing you in
one place they had to put it in two places. I looked
over the graduation class and find that I knew quite a
number of them.
You do have some good ideas, don’t you? Just think
though if they left every sick patient go home until he
recovered they would be no use for a hospital or a
medical corps and all these doctors would be out of
work. I wouldn’t have anyone to tell where to get off
at.
Dont you worry about your lemon pie. Ive never yet seen
a lemon pie I didn’t like and Ive seen quite a few bad
ones.
The doctor got tired of me growling this morning so he
left me get up out of bed. I just couldn’t see sense in
making a man stay in bed when, with the exception of a
bad hand or two the said man is able bodied.
Yes the Philadelphia game came out in our favor although
it wasn’t the all Marine team. That was only the Parris
Island team. I don’t know what the score was all I know
is they won.
I also got that letter from my dad yesterday He didn’t
have much to say except his same old line of sob stuff,
and a lot of pretty raw cracks about being glad to have
heard from me the first time in 6 months. I didn’t know
that he was out of work most of the time since I left. I
still don’t believe half of what he told me because he
has a very bad habit of stretching the truth like the
statement he made about working for six dollars a week.
He tells stories like that so naturally I think he
believes himself half the time.
You may not hear from me again for three or four days
because they won’t let me go to the barracks yet and Im
out of supplies so unless my buddy gets a chance to
bring over my supplies I may not be able to write for a
few days. I think he will be over tonight though
I sure enjoyed “The Flaming forest” and Im half way
through “The Flying US Last Stand.” The librarian got
kind hearted again and brought over a few magazines so
we will have something to read now for a couple of days.
Ive also got a deck of cards and I play a lot of
solitaire.
Well honey I just know there is something else I wanted
to tell you but I can’t think of it right now so Ill
just close now with love
Your
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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December 15 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Beatrice:
I kind of had a little hunch that I would have a letter
from you today and sure enough here it came. I believe
if Christmas was any further off than it is. Well I
don’t know. You would either weaken or the suspence
would kill you. Well I almost forgot to tell you. I
didn’t have any nice paper to wrap it in so Santa Clause
better re-wrap it for you. Maybe you could guess better
then but I doubt it.
Im having it pretty nice here right now writing a letter
and listening to the U.S. Army Band playing, “Rose
Marie.” They have a very good band and I wish I was as
good as their solo clarinet player. Ive been listening
to them for a while and that solo clarinet sure can
tongue faster that a snake.
No honey Im afraid they couldnt very well do anything
else but take the bone out without anesthetic. They were
afraid of catching a cold in a sore that was so very
inflamed and I dont believe in being rendered senseless.
Id rather stand the pain. So you can easily see just why
all the monkey shines and then to they were afraid to
give me gas or either because I had a cold and my
tonsils were in bad shape. They dont take any chances of
strangulation you know.
No honey I dont believe you told me anything about no
contest at Church so go ahead. I used to enjoy those
affairs even if they did always make me wash the dishes
afterwards.
Im going to tell you something that happened today. Two
men walked in here both of them in civilian clothes and
asked for Thomas. The one of them flashed a badge and
told me that he was the sheriff and the other one was a
notary public. The old sherriff wanted to kid me so he
said “Im sorry I have to take you back to Cleveland.” I
havent a guilty consciense or anything like that but I
started looking for a door. I thought Id rather die than
to come home under arrest and maybe in disgrace. Then
the old buzzard of a sherriff started laughing. All he
wanted was to serve a court order and a notification on
me so They’d be darn sure I would know my father is
selling the house. I got so mad I wanted to hang both
the sherriff and the notary to.
You may send my gift right here if you want to just like
you do these letters.
I almost forgot to tell you about my thumb. Its getting
better but I just found out today that they are trying
to give me a medical kickout of the service. That would
mean that my discharge would brand me as physically
unfit on account of my thumb. I found out cause I tried
to sign the regular S.M.R. but couldn’t theyve got me on
a non pay status. Ill soon get the idea if a medical
kick out of their head. I believe I would just as soon
have a dishonorable discharge as one like that. Im
figuring on getting returned to duty about the middle of
Jan. so Im figuring on coming home in February and if we
didn’t have to wait so long for spring Id wait till then
to come home. Ill be up in February though. Im pretty
sure.
Listen here young lady Im going to have to bawl you out
a little. You said what I though I saw might or might
not have been. I didn’t say I thought I saw it I said I
did bee it. Just like this (Bea x) and I was happy to
think that you had sent me a kiss and now you say it
might ---
Im sorry sweetheart but I dont feel in the mood to write
tonight, maybe tomorrow so for now its Love and lots of
Kisses even if you don’t like them from
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
P.S. excuse the paper please
Porter
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December [?] 1927 Sick Quarters Quantico Va. Ward “A”
Dearest Beatrice:
Ive been pretty sure so far that Id be in the hospital
over Christmas but now I know it. I always had just a
little hope left that I would get out in time for a
Christmas leave. I intended to surprise you but its out
of the question. My thumb is healing allright but its so
darn slow on account of the remaining infection. Im
afraid this thing wont be well even by the middle of
Jan. 1928. When I do get out of the hospital though Im
going to request a furlough first thing off the bat for
Feb. 5th if possible
We were all sitting here playing “five hundred” last
night when the ambulance brought up an officer and his
father in Law. The two of them were slightly (top heavy)
and had tried to push a Washington Richmond buss off the
road. The officer had his face all cut up but his father
in law may lose one eye and he had his chest and ribs
caved in and a broken arm. He looked just like one
stretcher full of blood when they brought him in. Im
afraid the authorities will hold his son in law for
driving while intoxicated.
Do you know what honey? I haven’t even written Erv or
Jimmy a line since my finger went bad. Its so hard for
me to write this way cause the paper always slides all
over the State of Virginia so if you see either one of
them at any time tell them why I can’t write.
Did I tell you about one of these hick sheriffs trying
to serve me that court order on me? Well I haven’t got a
guilty conscience or anything but I sure started to see
which door was the closest. I sure wish I was home right
now though Ill bet Id convince my father that it isn’t
necessary to sell the house. I wouldn’t argue with him
through the mail though because that would please him to
much. That is the big reason why he is selling cause
he’s expecting me to raise a protest and keep him from
it in the last minute. He is only starting this racket
to get us sore.
Well honey I suppose you are still trying to guess whats
in the package. Cheer up honey only six more days to go.
I only hope you will like it when you do find out what
it is. Dont lose any sleep trying to guess though cause
you might be sorry later on.
No more news now honey except to remind you to write
soon to your
Lonely
Porter
XXX
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December 20, 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea: Your regular Tuesday letter arrived this
morning just in time for me to tell you about my
promotion. Ive been promoted to general now. you know
what I mean? General errand boy. I do all kinds of
errands around here now. I was a general before to only
that was general gold brick.
Ill wait till seven oclock Sat. night to open my package
so we will both be opening ours at the same time. I hope
it don’t get here before Saturday morning anyway cause
the suspence will kill me otherwise. Im sure Ill like it
though regardless of what it is. Its who the thing comes
from that counts by me.
I believe you allright honey when you say that Hill does
think a lot of me. Im pretty sure she does in fact cause
after all she is my sister. But you can’t expect me to
do more than I have already toward making peace. If she
is sending me something for Xmas it better have a note
with it that tells me she is willing to make peace cause
if it doesn’t she will get it back.
Ill bet Babe will be tickled silly with a wrist watch.
Thats a usefull present for her to.
Yes honey I guess that does make a good excuse for
signing off. Ill bet you heard that voice say, “Get to
Bed,” more than once though before you became the
obedient daughter. Ill bet you even tried not to hear it
the first two or three times.
Dont worry sweetheart Ill help the hand along all I can.
It was almost down to normal size this morning which
means it wasn’t swollen over a half inch at the most.
Thats the best its been yet but it will still be pretty
close to two weeks before Ill be able to get out of the
horsepistol so till then Love and Kisses
From
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
P.S. Tell Hoppy Merry Xmas for me.
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December 22 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea:
I received your letter this morning and also a slip for
an insured package requesting me to call for the same. I
decided to wait till tomorrow to call for it cause then
Ill have so much less time in which to wonder what could
be in the package. They tell me that curiosity killed a
cat but Id be willing to catch a dozen cats for
curiosity to kill if it would help me to guess whats in
that package. Oh well only about forty seven and 27/60
more hours to go till Saturday night at seven sharp.
I don’t remember ever having heard or having played,
“Vagabond King,” anyway if I did I really couldn’t be
expected to remember it cause we play so many different
ones and hear still others played so I couldn’t say for
sure if I know it or not. Now Ill ask you one. Did you
ever hear or play, “The Wedding Ring” Overture? Someday
if my finger gets better Im going to be able to play the
solo clarinet part to that if I have to practice it the
rest of my natural life.
No I don’t suppose I could do an awfull lot about it if
they decided to kick me if they really wanted to get rid
of me all I could do would be to let them know what I
think of them and in that case I believe my thoughts
could easily fill up two and a half hundred pages of a
dictionary and that would be mild.
I suppose you know enough about me by now to know that I
wont put that furlough off any longer than I have to and
I guess you know enough about this ole Marine Corps to
know that the man higher up is the man with the say so,
but don’t worry Ill be home to see my sweetheart as soon
as possible.
No you didn’t say you didn’t like them you said what I
saw or thought I saw might or might not have been. Ive
looked a dozen more times since then just to make sure
it was there and be sure I wasn’t drunk, and its there
all right. I didn’t think my eyes had gone bad on me
that quick.
What do you mean by a better than nothing letter? Of
course I’d rather have a long letter and rather than
none of course a short one but I can’t really expect you
to write a long letter every time.
Hold on a minute honey. You wrote that you were glad my
name is Porter cause I sign it so nicely. Don’t go so
fast cause Porter isn’t really my name. Thats the name
you gave me at W.T.H. and thats why I sue it.
Well honey here is wishing you and the folks all a Merry
Xmas and a Happy New Year.
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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December 25, 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea:
I wanted to write last night but I couldn’t. We had the
Christmas program by the Red Cross starting at six o
clock. I just took my package along cause I was bent on
finding out what was in it and I only had an hour to
wait. I opened it while the quartet was singing and I
don’t care what they thought I would have written last
night yet only the lights were out when we got back and
Im not much for writing in the dark. They sure treated
us nice though. We had a Santa Claus and everything. We
got Christmas stockings with many usefull things in them
also fruit and candy and each man got two packs of
smokes and a deck of cards. The Red cross gave the
smokes and cards and fruit and they also gave us a
stocking so we each had two stockings.
Thanks very much for the pen and pencil set. I didn’t
think I was going to get anything so nice and still
usefull. I really love them. I was wishing for a pen the
other day but I never dreamed that my wish would come
true so soon.
They brought in a little boy and his mother yesterday.
They were struck by a machine out at the Triangle. The
boy is in this ward with a broken leg and his mother was
put in the family hospital ward with a broken neck and
other injuries, all internal. They operated on her last
night but she didn’t pull through. The boys father is
sure half crazy this morning. That was a nice Christmas
present for that man. Wasn’t it? I can just about
imagine what Christmas will mean to that family after
this.
Well honey Ill write more later cause Ive got to clean
my bunk up for sick call so Ill close now with Love
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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December 25, 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea:
I wrote you a letter this morning but when I found
another one from you this noon I decided to write
another one. Im not writing because my hair are wet but
because I like to write with my new pen especially when
its to my sweetheart that Im writing.
Im just wondering if you like the pearls. I hope so. I
just couldn’t guess what to get you when I saw those
pearls and I just had a hunch to get them.
Well if you like to look forward to nice things then I
guess you are looking forward to the same thing I am. Im
looking forward to the time when we can get married,
when Ill be able to call you my own. Thats one time when
I sure will be proud.
I sure do remember “The Black Tulip” and I think “Dumas”
is a wonderfull writer only Ive just about decided that
his mind was wandering when he did his writings either
that or he was in a trance. Thats the truth though you
can’t enjoy his works unless you are alone in such a
time that your imagination has plenty of room, because
he sure leaves a lot to your imagination. The words give
one story, and between the lines we find another.
The fellow you saw in the gray uniform with the N.A. on
it must have been from the Naval Academy at Anapolis
Maryland.
Don’t worry honey Im sure having a nice Christmas. Not
like I’d have liked to have had, but nice nevertheless.
The nurse thats on night duty at the Family Hospital
gave me a gift this noon to. She gave me a carton of
Chesterfields.
I guess this is enough for today so Ill bid my
sweetheart by by with
Love and Kisses
Porter
P.S. Dont forget to write soon.
Merry Xmas
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December 27, [19]27 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Beatrice:
This is Tuesday morning so I expect my regular letter
will arrive some time today. Im going to write now
though instead of waiting for your letter.
I went to the show last night to see, “Devil Dogs.” I
had heard that it was very good. Ill admitt it was funny
but not half as good as I expected. It showed the
Marines in war but it wasn’t no where as real as “What
Price Glory.” It showed divisional headquarters so close
to the front that a plane could be seen over the enemy
lines.
Ive read a good book. The name of it is, “Kindred of the
Dust,” and the author is, “Peter B. Kyne.” I liked it
well enough once I got started although it was pretty
hard to get interested at first.
I just now took a little run for myself and hid for a
couple of minutes because some one called up and I heard
the nurse say she would send him over. That generally
means me so I just laid low for a couple of minutes.
My hand is coming along fine now. Its healing up pretty
quick and don’t hurt much any more although it didn’t
feel so hot last night. I expect Ill be able to convince
them to let me out of here in a few days now.
Do you know what I think honey? I think you got
something way to good for me for Christmas. Im not used
to handling anything so good. Ill have to be carefull or
Ill get a swelled head from using such a nice pen and
the first thing you know Ill be writing all ten page
letters. Then you will be sorry. Then you will have to
write letters equally as long and you’ll get writers
cramp.
Do you know what Im going to do the day I get out of tis
hospital honey? Im going to jump on the First Sgts. Neck
for a furlough and Im willing to bet even money Ill get
one to. Ill get one for February around the first part
of the month and I don’t mean if.
Well honey Ive got less than a year and a half to do in
the service now so pretty soon Ill be free again. That
year and a half (almost) will be pretty short even if it
don’t sound that way. Just compare it with the two and a
half Ive already served and I think it will seem pretty
short. Then if I request to get discharged three months
ahead of time why Im really a short timer.
Well honey Im still looking forward to that big day, but
we’ll talk about that and about short timers when I get
my furlough so now Ill just close with twice as much
love and kisses
From
Porter
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December 28, 1927 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea:
Im glad the pearls are so adorable cause I was starting
to think they might not be. I thought they were nice as
long as I had them here where I could see them every day
but after I had mailed them they didn’t seem so very
nice. Im glad you like them though.
Tell Hoppy and Anne that I wasn’t to know if they think
that was so nice to turn out the lights when you were
writing to me.
I was just thinking of murder and two or three other
gentle pastimes when I read that you were stepping out
with a boy friend and the worst part was it took me a
half minute to find out which one of the three sheets
was the one containing the rest of that sentence and
also which side of that sheet was the next one but my
collar cooled off a little when I found the right sheet
where you told me that the boy friend was your cousin
from Akron. Im also glad to hear that he prefers blondes
but just the same let him know next time that its my
girl he’s out with.
Yes I guess we did have some good chow. We generally do
at the hospital though. Our ration allowance is almost
one third larger over here so instead of being allowed
seventy four cents for each man each day they are
allowed one dollar a day for each man so that makes our
chow better and then on Xmas it makes the chow fit for a
King. They even forget the toast and rotten eggs on that
day.
Certainly I still Love you honey. But why ask that? I
think you just put that in to see if Id say it the same
way and I did. I don’t care how it sounds you know what
I mean anyway. You know that I love you more than
anything else and whats more I always will.
So the ice skating is good up there now, is it? You
didn’t tell me any thing about that before. I wish I was
up there so I could go skating with you.
Im glad to hear about Babe being tickled with her watch.
She sure deserves some happiness. Sometimes when I think
of how Lill bullys her around Id love to take Lill over
my knees. The Babe is really a very good child though in
spite of it all.
I havent even had one word from or about Lill and please
honey don’t always get me to try to overlook Lills
faults cause if I did she would be making a door mat out
of me and I sure wouldn’t like that. Ive done my part to
burry the hatchet so the next move is up to her. For
your sake Ill try to be what you call a good chap
although Id call it being a good Chaplain or maybe even
a good Santa Clause
The doctor came in with a grouch on last night and
started to take it out on my finger. I came near being
A.W.O.L. this morning. Lucky though he didn’t have that
grouch this morning any more so I decided to stick
around awhile.
I hope to be well enough to get out of here soon and
then Im going to make a furlough some way or another.
Well honey I guess Ill close now before I use up all the
stationary in Quantico so for the time being Ill send my
Love and Kisses Porter “See you later” [a dozen times]
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December 29, 1927 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I really don’t know what Im going to write about in this
letter I wrote so much yesterday.
Sure I like my nick name or I wouldn’t use it if I
didn’t. That name seems to have some kind of a hold over
me. I don’t know what it is unless its because it
reminds me of days long gone. That must have been every
bit of five years ago wasn’t it?
Do you know what I often think? I think if a woman
couldn’t take a half day off every once in a while and
chew the rag she would die. I notice most every time you
go to Hoppy’s you either go to a show or spend the
afternoon (gabbing) Don’t blame me now cause that is the
expression you used yourself. You at least admit the
fact that you’ve been chewing the rag but most women
don’t (Thats Why I Love You)
I see you always will tell me about all the good eats.
Like doughnuts etc. Do you think that is nice?
Say I believe this Mary Katherine Falhaber is the same
old gossip that used to start all kinds of talk. Isn’t
she? If it is then she better stay out of my way.
What do you mean is so good. John Gilbert and Greta
Garbo in “Love” or do you mean (Love) itself? I don’t
know so much about the picture but “Love” in person I do
know and to me it seems to be very good.
The finger is coming along in such a way that its hard
to say if it’s a good or bad way. I hope its good
though.
Well honey Im going to do my best to see you in February
and also see you later
Porter
See you later a dozen times
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Jan. 1,
1928 Sick Quarters Ward “A”
Dearest Bea:
I kind of expected a letter from you today but it didn’t
seem to get here. I guess my intuition must have been
off side a little.
Yesterday was a dull day for us considering that it was
the last day of the old year. We didn’t even have
anything to celebrate with. But at about eight oclock
last night we got some liquid celebration in the shape
of a quart jar, so we really felt pretty good when the
old year left us. I only wish I could have been with you
when the new year came in. I didn’t make any resolutions
except to myself I resolved to do my best in everything
I undertake in the coming year and to knock off the
foolishness
Today I feel like a misplaced part of 1927. I cant talk
see or think straight. I hope you had a good time when
the new year came along. Did you?
Ive written a letter to Erv. I wrote it Friday but it
layed in the other room on the nurses desk until
yesterday. I wonder what he is going to think of me for
not writing sooner and oftener. I think he will
understand though.
I think the day nurse is going to recommend me for a 30
day sick leave when I get out of here. Wouldn’t that be
nice honey? As it is Im just sick and tired of this
nonsense of keeping a man away from his sweetheart.
First one thing then another.
I saw the Top Sgt. The other day and he told me that if
I cant play the clarinet when I get out they will let me
play a trombone or something like that.
Well honey I havent any more news now so you tell Hoppy
and Anne that I wish them a Happy and prosperous Leap
Year. I guess it better be just a New Year for you
though and don’t forget to Wish the same for your Mother
and Dad from me.
Write soon honey to
Porter
See you latter later x 500
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Jan 4,
1928 Ward “A” Sick Quarters
Dearest Bea: I haven’t been feeling so good for the last
two or three days. I seem to have caught cold in the
head and eyes. They give us some wonderful treatment for
a cold over here. A dose of (M.G.S.O4)
If you know what that is. That means nothing more or
less than salts and they don’t make it a small dose
either. Then they gave me an orange for a chaser or else
they gave me the orange for the cold and the salts for a
chaser.
I received a letter from you Monday and you said you
were going to write more that same night so I waited
till Tuesday to write cause I didn’t have any news
anyway so when the letter didn’t get here yesterday I
decided to wait till today and when it didn’t come today
I just had to write.
I suppose you have been reading about the Nicaraguan
noise for the last couple of days. Haven’t you? Well
there is a Battalion of men going on Friday and they
take a twenty piece band along. I don’t go. Id like to
though. Ill bet Id bring me back a couple of niggers
toes and they wouldn’t be the kind that grow on nut
trees either.
Do you know honey I still cant figure how the dickens it
happens that I got you to say yes. I never can believe
its true. I always have to get out your letter and read
it over again and again. In that letter you told me that
you don’t know if it is Love or not but you said
whatever it is it is nice. I always wonder if you are
convinced yet that it is Love and if you still think it
is as nice as it was the day you said yes. For my part
if you ask me Id say it gets nicer every day cause every
day brings us closer to the much looked for furlough.
Well honey Im sure I get a letter tomorrow but if I dont
answer it tomorrow it wont be my fault because tomorrow
we have to get this ward in good shape for an inspection
Friday by the Post surgeon.
Write soon to your
Love Sick
Porter
“See you later” a dozen times
P.
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Jan 7
1928 Sick Quarters Ward “A” my error
Dearest Bea:
I guess Im due for another month here with this finger
They have made me a night Hospital corpsman and given me
night duty at the switchboard here in the O.Ds office so
from now on just leave off the Ward “A” part on my
letters and just mark them Sick Quarters cause this is
where they get sorted out.
You better prepare yourself to answer many letters now
cause this business is pretty slack at night and Ive
absolutely got to stay awake so Im going to take it out
on you. If I havent anything else to tell you Ill just
write about how much the thermometer says or Ill maybe
tell you that Ill “see you later” or something but Ill
sure have to write about something.
Im reading another good book now I don’t know if you
will like it or not but the title is, “Twenty Years
Later.” It comes in two volumes and is written by
“Dumas.” The same author as, “The Three Musketeers.” I
like all of “Dumas’” books he seems to write so
different from all the others.
I received your lessons in ice skating today. Or was it
a letter? Whatever it was I sure was glad to get it. You
had better be carefull though honey. Those flops on the
ice may be a joke now, but if one of those flops was to
send you to the hospital you wouldn’t like it so well.
I hope to cry or sneeze (or something like that) Ive
read about the Nicaraguan affair. Thats all Ive heard
about or been able to find in the papers here for the
last four or five days. Everyone with six months or more
to do was sent down. I couldn’t go cause Im on the sick
list. Id have liked to go and have a try for Sandino’s
scalp. Still I guess maybe afterall Im still the lucky
bird.
Im getting over my cold pretty nicely now I can talk and
make myself understood pretty well even if I do sniffle
a little yet. The O.D. was just in and wanted to know
what Id do in case of an emergency. The first thing we
are supposed to say is send the ambulance and then the
rest of the details.
Well honey Ive no more new so Ill sign off till tomorrow
night and I hope you will write soon cause I love you
and Im lonesome as heck when you don’t write to
Your
Porter
a couple of times (See You Later)
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Jan 8
1928 11:30 P.M. Sick Quarters
Dearest Bea:
This is a nice time of night to start writing a letter.
Isn’t it? Good little boys should be asleep by now you
know.
This is another one of these nice all night watches at
the switchboard and Ive got to do something to keep
awake. I got my thumb dressed when I got relieved this
morning and went right to bed and didn’t wake up again
till just before suppertime. I mean breakfast time. Then
I took a little stroll after chow until time for me to
go on watch. So far Ive had no chance to get lonesome
yet. The Officer of the day and a couple of Gobs were in
here chewing the rag with me until 11:30 so when they
left I started to write. Its almost time for my dinner
now but Im going to try to finish this before my relief
gets here cause after chow I just know Ill be to lazy to
write.
There is nothing much happens around here so there isn’t
any news for you tonight except that Ive heard a rumor
that they expect to keep me here another month at least
with this thumb. Im going to fool them though when I do
get out of here. Im fairly sure Ill get 30 days sick
leave and Ill just wire in for about 15 or 20 days
extension. These people don’t know it yet but they cant
keep me away from my Sweetheart and get away with it.
Ive already been recommended for 30 days leave by the
Senior Medical Officer here.
You remember when I told you I wrote to Erv? Well I
haven’t heard a word from him yet. I wonder if he is
sore or if he just hasn’t had time to write. Im
expecting a letter from him tomorrow, one from you
Tuesday and my wings and Identification card for the
Aviation Society.
Do you know what honey? Im going to have to get
permission from the comanding general to wear those
wings on my uniform. They wont wea let me wear then till
I can show them sixty hours on the air twenty of these
are supposed to be solo. Ive got the proper number of
hours alright but no proof cause I never had a flight
book never thought I would need one. Ill get permission
some way though honey.
Dont forget to write soon honey cause Ill be waiting for
your letter to
Your
Porter
“See you Later”
X 12 12X
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Jan 9th
1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Your latest letter to the “General” got here this
morning and Im going to try to answer it now although
god only knows what Ill tell you about. There just don’t
seem to be any news. I seem to be leading such an
uneventful life. All I do now is to get my finger
dressed in the morning and then go to bed. I sleep till
anywhere from two to four thirty in the afternoon when I
go down to supper which for me is really breakfast then
I lay around some more till nine oclock when I go on
watch here and I stay on till seven in the morning.
Isn’t that a rather exciting life honey?
Ive a good mind to get my rate changed to hospital
corpsman and get transfered to the Navy. They at least
pay good wages here and have nicer quarters than we have
and also much better chow.
Good Lord honey. Here I was really waiting for you to
bawl me out for taking come of that liquid entertainment
and all you say is “Hmmm ---.” Here I was actually
dreading the arrival of this letter. You sure are one
wonderful sweetheart. I don’t know how come I to be so
lucky as to get you. Ill sure try to be worthy if you
though honey.
I suppose I would have quite a fight on my hands if I
tried to get on one of the details that are going after
my twin brother, “Sandino.” I dont suppose he or his
gang of stupid spicks would give me the worst fight
either.
Don’t you worry about my hand being full when I come
home and especially by anyone but Beatrice. Any way my
hand dont want to be full. Only my arms. My arms are all
out of practice honey and if you dont get to fill them
pretty soon Im afraid those arms will be getting stiff.
Yes thats all I do all the time Im awake is to wonder if
Ill ever get that leave and wish that I was up there
right now. Im sure do look forward to this leave. Im
coming on it if I have to walk. Lets hope its soon.
I just now had a little intermission while I ordered the
chow for our midnight dinner tomorrow night. Ive always
got to order what we need for the next night and I
almost forgot tomorrow’s list. Im glad I didn’t cause I
don’t want to starve myself and the other night corpsman
would likely kill me if we missed out on that.
Well sweetheart be good and dont forget to write soon
and much to
Your Ole
Porter
Will you see me later?
I will!
A dozen times
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Jan 11,
1928 Sick Qts Quantico
Dearest Bea:
“See you later” Thats a nice way to start a letter off.
I cant help it though its just the way I feel.
I meant to write this letter yesterday but yesterday was
three minutes ago when I started this so this has to go
as Jan 11th. Id have written it yesterday to only as
luck would have it a long distance call came through
just when I wanted to write and I had to stand by at the
board for to make the connections and to locate the
party etc.
Im reading a lot since Ive been in the hospital and much
of that is magazines. Do you ever read “War Stories”
Thats a magazine and if you ever get a hold of one of
them Ill guarantee you will get a good laugh out of each
story. Im also reading a lot of good books here lately.
Did you ever read, “Twenty Years After,” by Dumas Its
kind of hard reading at first but once you get
interested it’s a good book.
Well honey its now a known fact that Im coming home on
leave pretty soon. Im sure of a sick leave just as soon
as my hand gets well enough for me to go without medical
attention for a month so start in right now and get your
nose powered cause you told me once that you didn’t want
me to sneak up on you before you got a chance to take
the shine off of it.
Im writing to Erv tonight or rather this morning. I
don’t know why but he hasn’t answered my letter yet.
I got my permission to wear my wings now. I also got my
flight card for identification and record purposes. Im
going to try my best to get a pilots liscence to but Im
not sure if Ill succeed.
Well honey I guess Ill have to quit now so write to
Porter
“See you later” X 12 = X X = 12X see you later X =
(X)X(12)
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Jan 11,
1928 Sick Qts Quantico
Dearest Bea:
This seems to be just another night toward my furlough
from the way I feel. I can’t say that there is anything
wrong except the blues. I only wish the time was here
already when I could start on my way to Cleveland. Ill
bet there would be no blues then. When I come to think
of it I think I know what it is. I just heard the
Silvertown Tire Quartet singing “Beautiful Ohio.” That
was on the radio. I guess its made me more homesick that
anything else. Can you imagine me getting homesick after
two and a half years?
I received your letter tonight when I woke up and I
can’t see why you should be so horrified just because
you like to hike through the woods and fish and stuff
like that. Those thoughts seem to me to be perfectly
good for a girl. I sure like those things myself but if
I didn’t I fail to see how it would be so terrible. Im
sure that I love you enough that if you wanted to hike I
would go hiking with you and no matter how much I
disliked it at first Im sure Id change my mind by the
time we got back.
I really believe that you would rather pick up a stray
pup on the streets than to eat a good meal. Wouldn’t
you? I don’t know that I can blame you though. They tell
me that mans best friend is a dog. I believe it to.
I know that eight months seems an awful long time honey
but just be patient. Dont forget that hose eight months
also mean that much less time till I can come to stay
for good. If I get out three months ahead of time, and I
think I will, Ill be getting out in a year, two months
and ten days. That isn’t so long when you come to think
of it. Ive already served two thirds of my time at that
rate.
You don’t need to imagine thirty days of happiness just
stand by and you wont inly imagine but realize that
thing.
I think Ill write to my father tonight or tomorrow night
and see why he don’t write. wrote to Erv last night so
he’s got two of my letters to answer now. I expect he
will get busy now.
Well I don’t know of anything that is happening and as
there is no news I guess Ill have to close now
Porter
“See You later”
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Jan 13
1928 4:30 A.M. Sick Qts
Dearest Bea:
I don’t know just how it came about but this night
nearly passed without my writing a letter. I was reading
a book and I guess I got to interested anyway I just
realized that it was four thirty and I hadn’t written my
letter yet.
There isn’t much news except that my watch refused to
run again and I had to see what was inside of it and
when I got it together again it started running. The
only trouble is that Im afraid the darn thing wont stop
anymore now.
My finger looks for all the world like it was healing
but Im darned if it feels like it. There seems to be a
tender spot right on the end that keeps getting sorer
every day.
I havent written the letter to my father yet that I
promised myself I would write. I got to tired to think
last night and almost forgot to write even to you this
night so Ill have to write as soon as I come on duty
tonight.
Id better have a letter from you tomorrow or you may get
a bawling out. Not that you have neglected me lately or
anything like that only Im in a mood to receive mail
tomorrow or rather later this morning and if I don’t,
Ill just start a war of my own.
Do you know where I want to go when I come home honey? I
want to go to Brooky. Down there where we took a walk
once before. Do you often think of that trip through the
mud? I do, and everytime I see a mud puddle I want to
Jump into it. I kind of have a feeling that the mud that
day brought me much closer to my sweetheart than Ive
ever been before or since, with the exception of a
certain day last July when I received your letter that
told me you would think of becoming my wife.
Ill close now honey but write more when I come on duty
tonight
Porter
P.S. This is Friday 13th My lucky day. “See You later”
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Jan.
14, 1928 Sick Qts Quantico
Dearest Bea:
Your letter arrived today as per expectation, so I guess
Ill have to be sociable seeing as I cant bawl you out.
I just wrote a letter to my father and I sure asked him
plenty of questions. I only hope he can read between the
lines. I had to m[put my real message between the lines
cause for all I know my step mama may read the letter
first and that wouldn’t do. Nevertheless compared to
that letter a bushel of garlic is weak. I just asked for
an explanation of everything in general.
Ive been listening to the fight between Sharkey and
Heeney as the radio man saw it. I think it’s a shame to
call that fight a draw. I think Sharkey did the best
fighting in every one of the first ten rounds and in
order to give Heeney the benefit of the doubt I would
give him the last two.
I don’t fancy my new position at all. If you mean how do
I like it why Im satisfied but this isn’t a tea party or
anything that could really be called fancy. No I havent
done everything there is to do in this Marine Corps yet.
I really havent had a chance to step on the Generals pet
corn yet.
Do you really like this stationary? I like it cause it
writes very smooth and I don’t seem to collect near so
much trash on the end of my pen.
I read Chico the Jester, but I didn’t know that twenty
years later is a sequel to it. In fact I cant seem to
see any connection whatever.
When you read a news paper why just believe half of what
you see and nothing of what you read. Thats a lot of
bunk about National Guard deserters training those
bandits. They are being trained by some German Ex Army
officer. He used to be a Captain in the German
artillery. Thats how come those bandits to be using the
anti aircraft guns etc. When that story started they
claimed that it was a couple of Marine Deserters and now
its National Guard deserters so you can see that its all
talk. In the meantime Major Bourne has started to fly
down there with our newest Bomber. A Fokker three mother
monoplane. If those fool gooks still fool around why he
will simply fly over the island and drop a couple of
those nests of eggs and blow all of Nicaragua out of the
ocean.
Well honey Love and Kisses until tomorrow so write more
soon
With Much Besos & Pesos
Porter
“See you later”
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Jan 15,
1928 Sick Qts. Quantico Virginia
Dearest Bea:
This is Sunday night to most everyone else but its just
another night to me. They all seem pretty much the same
on this job.
I had company last night. The ambulance driver wasn’t
sleepy so he stayed in the office with me all night,
consequences were that I didn’t write to you last night.
Ive paid for it to. I was tired as the dickens today and
I couldn’t sleep all day. Every time I started to fall
asleep I would realize that I had forgotten to write. Im
pretty tired right now and its only 11:20 P.M. now. What
will I be in the morning at this rate?
Ill bet I toss a wastebasket or a desk chair at one of
these sentries if they dont quit coming in here and
asking me foolish questions such as what the time is and
why the heck do I have to sit up all night at the
telephone switchboard, and dont I get tired and is that
clock right etc. Its really enough to make a saint
swear.
How do you like the new Cheve.? I think they are sure
putting out a nice and neat car there and I think they
will be able to meet the every day tests that are put to
a car.
Have you seen my sister lately honey? When you do just
keep your ears open and try to hear how my Dad took that
letter I wrote the other day. Ill bet he plows up three
city lots when he gets that letter. When he reads that
letter he’ll be able to kill an elephant with a look. I
put it on heavy on purpose though cause the only way to
make him snap out of it is to get him reall sore.
Pardon the intermission honey but I just then discovered
a stick of gum in my shirt pocket, and as my one track
mind always works better when my jaws are in motion I
decided to skin the gum alive and give it a chew.
Well honey if the keep me on G.O. time much longer
before I prove my injuries not due to my own misconduct,
why Ill have quite a bit of money coming to me when I
get discharged. Ill come home in a nice Ryan monoplane
with an O.X. 5 engine. Then we could spend a honeymoon
in the air. That wouldn’t be so worse we could see three
times as much in the same time as we could in a machine.
Well ta! Ta! For this time sweetheart and write soon
With Love
Porter
“See you later sooner”
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Jan 17,
1928 Sick Qt. Quantico
Dearest Bea:
Today I received a letter from Erv and promptly answered
it. I wanted to write this letter first but I was afraid
I might get tired by the time I get this written and
then I wouldn’t write Erv’s so I wrote his first cause I
knew Id write this no matter how tired I got. I do wish
that I had written this first though cause I sure felt
kind of rambunctious before where I feel a bit tired
now.
Erv was telling me that they ran a dance at O’loughlins
on Jan 10th and they made $100.00 clear and he also went
on to tell me that they are planning another one during
the first part of Feb. and he said he was hoping I would
be there to act as a bouncer. Can you imagine that? He
must have the impression that Im a hard guy and he
forgot that my hand may still be sore and that I might
not be able to use but one fist for a while. Have no
fear though my sweetheart I took great pains to
disillusion him and to make the whole thing plain to him
about where I intended to be standing when an argument
starts in the next couple of months. I sure used plain
English when I meant black and white when I meant white
so he would be sure to understand. You see I know Erv
and even understand him and I know that there are only
two ways to get something through his skull and the one
way is with a very sharp ax and the other is a very
sharp tonge tongue in other words either swear at him or
kill him out right and Id never kill a friend.
Well honey seeing as there is no news today Ill have to
tell you again that I love you and wish that you were
here. I realize that it must sound foolish to keep
telling you the same thing all the time but I cant help
it.
With Love
Porter
See you soon X
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Jan.
18, 1928 Sick Qts. Quantico Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Tell Hoppy that Im much obliged to her for getting
interested in a book long enough for you to write me
that letter. I was sure expecting that letter to arrive
here as usual on Tuesday, and I believe I would be
broken hearted if one didn’t arrive on Tuesday.
Well if my writing a letter a day is going to spoil you
why Ill just have to quit it. I think I will after this
week. Now do you see what you’ve done for yourself by
making such suggestions? Are you still afraid Ill spoil
you? Is one letter a day to much? I only wish I could
this minute get one kiss for every letter Ive written
you. Im afraid Id get writers cramp in the near future
though.
Sure thing honey. Sure I can get a leave when my thumb
gets better and Im going to try to make that real soon.
Who is the other little wild cat that you refer to, or
are you counting yourself twice. Hoppy is one and you
are the other but who the heck is the third? Dont worry
about me needing a regiment to finish any little wars of
my own making, cause I can lick twice my weight in wild
cats and Im no light weight. That means that each of you
wild cats can weigh about 121 ½ lbs.
Do you think I could ever forget the trail that we took
through Brooky that day? I can still remember every step
we took that day including the ones I took in the mud.
What would be the good of going over a trail if we were
going to come out where we started?
I can’t figure where half of this night went to here it
is almost two oclock. I guess the big part of the night
was spent trying to make long distance connections for
some Sgt. Major who didn’t know what it was all about
then and who doesn’t know yet.
Im going to adopt a new name since Ive been elected
telephone girl. I was thinking of Alice or Rose. Those
two sound like a telephone operators names, don’t they?
What do you mean by, “Have I tried the imagination
scheme.” Ive tried the smoke picture scheme and result
was that I smoked to many cigarrettes a day.
Im just wondering
Love your
Porter
“See You sooner”
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Jan.
19, 1928 Sick Qts. Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I received your letter today along with one from my
father. I was expecting both of them to.
I guess you hadn’t better try to spell what little
German you know. That used to be my ambition or rather
something like that. I always wanted to talk a little
Hungarian and some of the fellows down at, “Davis Hunt
Collister’s,” used to tell me what to say. I was all set
to spring my line on my father and mother one time and
practiced on some fellow during the day. Well I got a
sock in the nose that I still feel, but when I found out
the real meaning of what I said I sure was glad it
didn’t get as far as home. My Dad would have killed me.
Motto: Leave foreign languages alone and no one will
punch your nose.
What do you mean poor Dempsey? Why Tunney never was and
never will be the man that Dempsey was when he was up to
form, and thats how he is going to be for the next
fight. Id bet my shirt on Dempsey this time.
Dont worry honey if I step in the Generals toes Ill have
a big crowd around so he won’t know who done it. I think
Ill wait till I get back from furlough though cause Id
rather step in his neck anyway.
Why should I get bawled out cause you are the only
single one on your floor? Didn’t I offer to remedy that?
You tell those women they don’t know a thing about it,
even if they have been married. You just tell those cats
that you know all about your guys likes and dislikes and
you understand him to. You do. Dont you? There is no
such a thing as chance in marriage. The whole thing
depends on how much the couple think of one another and
how much common sense theyve got. If a couple get along
well before marriage then their married life just
depends on their good judgement and their desire to
co-operate in order to make this thing a go. Will you
please tell me what likes and dislikes and whims have to
do with it. A fellow should have more sense when he
thinks of entering the state of matrimony than to expect
every whim to be gratified.
Who is the fellow at work that told you about that
basketball center who is 7’8” tall?
How am I going to know which ending of which letter you
refer to when I write one a day. Tell me what kind of an
ending it was and Ill explain. Would it hurt you to use
your imagination.
That, (“Ever Yours) part of your letter looks extra
good. It makes me feel like a young man again
Love and Kisses
Porter
P.S. Did you mean that (Besos Ye Pesos) ending?
“See you later”
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Midnight Jan 20, [19]28 Sick Quarters U.S. Navy Hosp.
Marine Barracks Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
This is another one of these (Sunny Southern nights) 50°
F below. Of course its not quite that bad but Im darned
if it don’t feel like it. The gold bricks that are
afraid they will have to work in the cold tomorrow are
all turning in. Its sure surprising how many people can
discover their appendix hurt on a night like this and,
oh! about forty eight hours before some nice detail is
supposed to leave. I sure pity the ambulance driver
tonight cause it don’t look like he is going to get much
sleep tonight. It was the same thing night before last.
Well they tell me that it isn’t always the cough that
carries you off, but often it is the (coughin) coffin,
they carry you off in.
I answered my fathers letter last night and Im afraid he
don’t understand what I say in half of my letters or
else he tries to misunderstand cause he sure does write
sarcastic letters.
Well honey this waiting around is getting my nerves
tomorrow Im going to see how soon I can get my furlough
Ill either find out or know the reason why I can’t find
out.
What do you think about those plans of mine honey about
following up aviation when I get on the outside again?
That seems to me to be the big job in the future. I
think that ten years from now aviation will be a bigger
thing than the automobile ever will be. Then to a man
don’t have to be up in the air all the time. There are
seven men work on the ground to every one in the air.
That includes mechanics crew chiefs etc. All of those
men draw good money and Im interested in the game so I
can’t see why I shouldn’t be in on it. Let me know what
you think about it.
That was another half hour, shall we say intermission?
The Ambulance driver just burst in here in a 110° heat.
He was half nuts because the ambulance isn’t in the pink
of condition and he raised 7 ¾ kinds of particular hades
because the gasoline had water in it and he wanted to
know what kind of a *!—X::;- fool he was anyway. I told
him in plain English. (That is, it was as plain as he
used.) that I wasn’t responsible because I really wasn’t
buying nor manufacturing the particular gas that he was
using. He has gone to bed now slightly cooled off but
still hot enough.
This pen sure is a blessing to me honey cause if Id be
using a pencil Id be lost half the time trying to find
something to sharpen it with.
Well honey, have I said enough for one night? Write soon
With Love & a couple Hugs
Porter
“See you later”
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Jan 22,
1928 Sick Quarters Marine Barracks Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I received your letter just before I went in search of
the Senior Medical Officer. I was looking for him
because he is the only one that can give me any info
about a furlough. I didn’t find him though. It seems I
forgot all about it being Saturday so I slept till well
after one oclock only to find that Saturday afternoon is
a holiday for the doctor as well as anyone else. Now Ill
have to wait till Monday to see him.
I went over to the band after I couldn’t find the S.M.O.
and (“boy do you smell the flowers coming?”) I found out
that they can’t get along without me. Why I hadn’t been
over there three minutes before three different fellows
wanted me to fix their radios and one wanted his machine
overhauled. Just think of those three radios and a
Studebaker Special Six Roadster rotting just because I
cant go over to fix them. I just wonder what the
mechanical world would do if Id never been born?
I wonder how much of a success a basketball or football
game would be if you weren’t there to yell your head
off. It seems like you must come from one game and go
right over to the next cause every letter I get, almost,
you tell me about some game that you saw. I only wish I
could go with you to see all those games. You know Im
always worrying. I always imagine that some day at one
of those games you are going to meet another guy and Ill
be out of luck for a best gal. Oh well a little better
than a year and Ill be free again and If you are still
mine then Ill keep you if I have to beat up on every guy
in the city. If not -- Well I don’t know just what might
happen. Id probably get to see China and people to get
lost very easily over there.
What do you think of my writing since Im using this nice
pen? Does it look like it is improving any? Im kind of
careless when I write a letter because Im generally
pretty sleepy but I think my writing is improving to
such an extent that if I tried I could really write a
letter that could be read. Shall I try?
Well honey Ive ben doing some battle with the old
sandman all night and Im afraid he is going to be the
victor so pray with me that when the board or phone
rings that I may hear it cause if I don’t and it does Im
liable to see that long desired furlough take wings, so
pray hard for
Your
Porter
“See you later” -- not much
XX
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Jan.
24, 1928 Sick Qts. Marine Bks. Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
This is Tuesday morning very early. I decided to write
tonight because I was afraid of spoiling you but as I
said before Ive got news for you.
I went in to see the Commander yesterday just as soon as
he arrived and I asked him about my leave. He refused to
commit himself but he told me that they will send me to
duty soon and he also hinted that I might also find some
papers in my hand letting anyone whom it may concern
know that Ive got authorized leave. He only said I
might. Well if he isnt willing to give me the same I
always know of another way to get one. Ive got a little
notation in my record book which says to give me leave
so I can always fall back on that although that wouldn’t
give me 30 days.
We are having our hand full here the last couple of days
but today has been the record day. We took in and
admitted seven patients in less than one hours time and
about twice as many during the rest of the day. We were
almost forced to open up another ward and if we get many
more tonight or tomorrow why we will have to.
I have a sort of a hunch that my regular Tuesday letter
will arrive this morning as per schedule. I dont know
yet if I will answer it right away or not. Depends on
the contents and also the number of things that happen
around here for me to write about.
I don’t believe its necessary for me to tell you that,
“I Love you” but you may like to see it written out. I
really havent anything else to write about so Ill close
now
Besos ye Pesos
Porter
“See you later” X 100
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Jan 24,
1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Your lecture arrived this morning but I am afraid it was
already in vain. I didn’t miss three days in writing.
Not in a row at any rate, anyway you shouldn’t bawl me
out for carrying out one of your own, shall we say,
“hints”?
What are all these means that you are going to use to
punish me? Id like to know before hand so I wont make a
mistake when they occur and think you are being extra
nice to me. When you want me to roast, why I want to
roast so be a good sweetheart and let me know.
Now lets get at this kissing part of your letter. I cant
quite understand it. Im given to understand in your
lecture that I don’t care for your kisses. Some mistake
here somewhere. I can’t seem to remember having said
that. In fact I don’t ever remember having refused one
when there was one chance in ten of my being about to
get one. By the way I remember in the letter that you
wrote for me to read on the train you told me that maybe
you shouldn’t have left me kiss you. You said that Hoppy
wouldnt. Do you still think the same way?
Oh come now honey you haven’t told me yet who the third
wild cat is. You know very well that it isn’t Anne. She
is to quiet to be anything like that. I might not be
able to lick two or three wild cats but I know one that
Im going to take over my knee if she don’t give me some
of those kisses she is kidding me about. Muchyo Pronto
What are you trying to tell me about the piano? Are you
trying to say that it is out at your house? Do you mean
at 4805? Please break loose and explain a little more
about said music box.
When you letter got here and I saw the Respectfully
Beatrice Keeran part of it I said so much that my
exhaust gas – I mean my breath nearly burned down the
building. I saw light though in about two minutes. My
guess is that Hoppy got impatient and finished the
letter for you.
I wore a pair of boots to come over from the quarters
tonight and if there is anything hurts more than a pair
of these ***--?! Unregulation boots Id like to know what
it is. When I get this letter finished Im going to take
them off and throw them as far as I can.
Im going to bring this epistle to a close now and I only
hope you haven’t denied me the right to send my love and
kisses tot eh only girl from
Her
Porter
“See you later”
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Jan.
26, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I don’t know how much of a letter this is going to be.
Im afraid not much. In the first place there is nothing
new to tell you about and in the second place Im not
getting much time tonight on account of an emergency
operation.
There have been many patients brought in in the last
couple of days. Today we got two bad ones at almost the
same time. One is a broken leg compound fracture, the
other is the case they are operating on now. Then to
make matters worse a lot of little accident cases have
been coming in till about a half hour ago. I havent been
getting much rest trying to admitt those who need it and
keep records of the rest. Then I have to stick at the
telephone to in case of an ambulance call. Theyve had me
standing on one ear all night. I haven’t even had a
chance to get my dinner tonight. That is about two and a
half hours late now.
Duty calls.
Love
Porter
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Jan.
27, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Your second reader got here today. Sure am glad to see
that you felt real oblidging and wrote. I believe those
are the very words you used in your last letter when you
told me that you might write on Wednesday.
I was forced to cut off that letter rather short last
night. It seems like everything came up all at once last
night and knock in wood Tonight we havent had a single
patient come in. I nearly did have a nice fight though.
I finally found out who the thief is that has been
stealing the night Corpsmens chow. I caught a sentry
from the prison ward at it red handed and offered to
take him outside and he refused. Im kind of glad he did
though. He is built in such a way that Id have my hands
full if I could use both hands, which I cant. Id sure
enjoy taking a punch at him though for all the chow he
has swiped in the last couple of weeks.
You say you think aviation would be very interesting. I
could have known you were thinking because I smelled a
peculiar odor way down here. I thought it was a forest
fire at first. Now who is the biggest tease? I’ll let
you know more about this aviation noise when I get home.
Do you blame our ambulance driver for being such a
puritan? I’ll bet even you could use strong words if
every time someone got sick they rang a bell for you at
most any hour of the night and you knew that 5 minutes
from the time that bell rings the ambulance has to be
out of the garage and gone. He has to get dressed and
come here for his orders to all in 5 little short
minutes. I might add that that ambulance can’t always
start easy when its cold. It’s a white truck ¾ ton and
has to be wound up no starter. Would you use strong
language? You might. Buttttt dont never let me hear you
use it.
Ive got about five shirts but you better not let me
cause you will get all you want of my shirts when we are
Ball and chain. Then to Tunney is the Champion and his
backers have to give heavy odds so it would really take
almost a years wages to cover my bet. Just think you
might have to work a year for nothing.
Why not write me about these few points that you claim
are wrong in the shop argument. Im interested seeing as
Im the husband to be.
Why tell me that this ardent sport fan at the shop has a
wife and family? Those are the kind of fellows that
generally elope with the single girls just like the
single me generally run away with another mans wife.
That little Spanish at the end of that letter mean Love
and Kisses. I thought you knew that.
Maybe you will be so good my sweetheart as to write and
tell me who your Alice is and why you want the bell to
ring to wake him up, and what bell?
You will have to wait till I go to duty for those films
cause they are in my box and its turned in for safe
keeping
Six
Bits
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX “See you later”
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Jan.
28, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Here it is two A.M. already and Im just starting your
letter. Ive been making radio hook-ups all night. I
really don’t know what that darn Post Band is going to
do for a radio man when I get paid off. They won’t leave
me rest even in the hospital.
Its snowing here right now and it is starting in to look
like it meant some business this time. We’ll have two
feet of it by morning at this rate.
I wonder what is the matter with this camp tonight. No
emergency calls yet so far. Knock on wood. I guess the
big majority of the gold bricks don’t know its snowing
yet. I should worry, as long as I can sit in a steam
heated office all night and sleep in a steam heated room
all day Im satisfied. The cold don’t bother me.
I wonder what it means when I think of you so much that
I cant sleep. I guess that must mean that I need a
furlough pretty pronto. Am I right there? Ill get it to
sweetheart. Ill bother them so much until they give me
the furlough for breakfast, dinner, and supper and two
or three times between. Do you remember what Perry said
when he got shot? Beside asking for water. Ill keep that
up and soon Ill be able to say, “I came I saw and I
conquered.”
Have my folks moved yet? I haven’t heard from them in
the last couple of weeks. I suppose my father is so busy
he don’t know where to start.
Im expecting a letter to get here today. I don’t know
who it will be from yet but Ive just got a hunch. Do you
think it is a good hunch? I hope so cause Ill be real
disappointed if no letter comes.
Well honey there is nothing new down here except that I
took my semi annual shave before I came on duty last
night. The orderly on watch at the time refused to turn
the watch over to me cause he thought I was someone
else. Didn’t recognize me. The only way I could prove my
identity was to take and show them my sore finger. By
the way I think you asked me to raise a soup strainer
the last time I was home, Didn’t you? No sooner said
that done. Ill have one by the time I hit Cleveland.
Mit Liebe
Porter
“See you later”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X
P.S. These cant be helped
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Jan.
29, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I really haven’t a bit of news for you today but Im
forced to write anyway for several reasons. First this
matter of kisses for letters and second cause I don’t
want you to think that I forgot you so easily Then to
your letter got here today and Ive got to answer that.
Then last of all Ive nothing else to do cause someone
swiped my deck of cards and I cant pass the time away by
a solo game or two.
Oh I agree with you on that allright they don’t pass out
the furloughs so very fast around here. Ill get mine
though. Im afraid it may be a couple of weeks though
cause my finger is still open on the end large enough to
stick a lead pencil into it. The cold last night and
today didn’t do it any good either. It is tender yet to
be any good.
Why do you underscore the we when you told me about
enjoying your musical hour. Are you sure that you and
your uncle are the only ones that know good music when
you hear it?
That new paper and paint stuff is allright but dont
forget the Welcome doormat when I get my furlough or the
paper and paint might scare me right past the place.
When you write again let me know when my folks have
moved to. Will you honey? Im afraid Id never find out if
I left it to them to tell me.
What did my Dad do with our, “mustard colored cant”? Is
he still running it?
Well Im afraid thats all there is this time sweetheart
so for the time Ill have to close with
Besos Ye Pesos
Porter
P.S. The lights just went dim then, Nearly out. Ill bet
that was for that Love & Kisses part
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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Jan.
30, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I finally got a letter from Lill. Ive been waiting quite
a long time for it and still when it got here I was so
surprised I didn’t dare to open the envelope. I had just
about decided not to answer because there was no
explanation in the letter but I remembered what you said
so I sat down and wrote her a nice answer avoiding to
mention your argument or anything. I wrote just like I
would if we had been writing each other every day. Then
while I was in the mood I wrote a letter to my Dad at
Carrolton Ohio
Well I don’t suppose it will be long now till I start on
the long run. In other words I ought to be able to come
on furlough in another week anyway Ill try my best to at
any rate.
By the way. Ive never seen that cold sore I was
promised. Ive got a chapped lip now though. I was just
wondering if this might be that cold sore in disguise.
Did you know that E.G. has been doing some great work
the last three days? He has. Ill tell you about it. For
the last three days nights Ive lived on nine smokes.
Thats a record Ive never been able to make before. I
remember when I was driving the baker wagon I tried to
quit smoking and after a half day of it. I had to quit
because I was sick. I couldn’t eat a square meal for two
days after but some way or another it hasn’t bothered me
so much here. I kind of miss my smokes but I manage on 3
each night.
I made my father a bid for you mustard colored cant. I
only hope he’s got it yet cause if he has I know he’ll
sell to me. I value that thing pretty high since I was
home last time.
Well I dont know of anything new happening so Ill have
to close this with the same
Besos Ye Pesos
Porter
“See you later”
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Jan.
31, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Did you ever operate a telephone switch board? Well if
you did I think you would cuss them to. Sometimes I sit
here all night without a call coming in then some nights
for a couple of hours every station on the board calls.
All at the same time and gee how it gets on a mans
nerves. Tonight I had every one of the stations busy and
two trunk lines beside and boy what I mean by head feels
like the wreck of old ninty seven or something like
that.
I didn’t think I should write tonight on account of this
same headache but decided to ask you if I should or not.
What do you say?
All fooling aside now. I never saw so many me trying to
be admitted to the hospital all at once. I had them
standing in line here from my office out into the
waiting room and still the calls came in for walking
cases to be called for by the ambulance. The doctor
examined them here in this office and I sure heard a
bunch of organ recitals. From sore toes to heart failure
and suspicion of death from old age one guy came in here
and so help me God he was weak in the knees had headache
sore teeth his hair was falling he said his appendix
hurt and he thought he had a broken hip. That same
fellow was here 3 weeks ago with the same complaints. We
gave him every possible test including blood counts
blood tests and XRays and they sent him away after a
week of observation as perfectly physically fit. I can’t
see what a guy like that comes into the service for hes
got such a good imagination he should make good headway
in civilian life as a teacher of “Christian Science” In
my own estimation he should be backed up against a brick
wall and shot at sunrise or before if possible. As a
Marine that Guy would make a Grade “A” street cleaner.
I just now saw the Medical O.D. and asked him about my
furlough and he told me to see the Commander in the
morning. I think I will. I wanted to start Thursday
morning but they figure there is to much danger of
infections yet and one of those would mean complete
disaster as far as my finger and maybe my hand is
concerned. Im not going to give it a chance to infect
though. Im watching it close.
Its starting to snow outside again sort of half snow
half slush. It makes me kind of homesick to be writing
to Cleveland and see it snowing at the same time.
I wish you were here now sweetheart. I wouldn’t care
then how many hours I had to do. Id be satisfied to know
that you were near. Well I hope it wont be very long now
anyway so until then Ill just say By. By.
Your Six Bits
Porter
“see you later” X
P.S. Id like to fill the page with those crosses but my
head is ready to split now.
Porter
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February 1, 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
Don’t worry about that lecture cause you wont get it. It
seems that you were in luck and that letter of yours
must have come double quick cause it got here as it
always does on Tuesday morning.
I was going to see the doctor about my leave this
morning but that headache I wrote about in last nights
letter got worse and this morning I had a temperature of
101° so I took a nice dose of Cascara and went to bed.
Im feeling fine tonight though so tomorrow Im going to
find out or rather this morning cause its past one A.M.
already
No it don’t sound like temperament to say that you
didn’t feel like writing. I often feel that way. Id
rather just sit and think about you and build my “air
castles.” That generally happens when there is no news
cause its really harder to write a letter with something
to write about than without. Ive often thought that a
person that can sit down and write page after page when
there is really nothing to write about should get a
medal. Understand now. Im not asking for a medal for
myself only saying what people like that should get.
Why do you say (“Darn letters”)? Dont you like them? Do
you want me to think that you dont appreciate my
letters? Ill write fewer if thats it, only the last time
I don’t that you called me down for fair. Don’t you
worry honey I know what you want to say alright only I
purposely make like I didn’t. I take things the wrong
way on purpose just to tease you. Im an awfull tease you
know.
That thumb is coming along so-so. In other words no one
knows. One day it looks and feels fine and the next day
it looks and feels rotten. Im afraid the hole in the end
of it wont ever close all together or if it does it will
take a long time. The Doctor says it will close in time
but Im inclined to think he is batty. Just plain nuts. I
dont hesitate to let him know it either.
Im not worried about your being interested in any
married man. It’s the single man Im worrying about and
wondering if you would be interested in his getting
married. Do you remember the guy I mean? I dont know him
but his initials are E.G. and hes got a funny last name.
something like Thomas. Thats the guy Im worrying about
your interest being placed in.
Dont worry about liquid refreshment and me. I swore off
every thing but an occasional glass or two of wine and
of course I couldnt very well swear off the usuall
Besos Ye Pesos
Porter
P.S. You are making me very happy and I wont forget
either.
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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February 1st 1928 Sick Quarters Quantico Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Now you may prepare yourself for a bawling out. In your
letter that got here you promised me a letter for
tomorrow so this morning instead of going to sleep I
waited for your letter but it never got here. I did do
something worth while though. I saw the Commander this
morning so – tomorrow I go to duty without a sick leave,
But (like a goat) I went over to see our company
commander and he said to put in my request tomorrow and
it would be back in a few days so powder your nose cause
Im coming to Cleveland. I also went to find out about my
being on a non pay status and found out that that was
released but I wasn’t over there to sign the pay roll
the 25th so Ill have to wait till next month for my back
pay but I won’t be here to sign next month again so Im
going to have it put on the books. That will mean so
much more money to get married on when that time comes.
Send all my letters to the Post Band from now on and not
here cause this is really my last night here so Im
listening to a lecture on the radio entitled, “The
Blessedness of Marriage and a good wife.” The guy that
was talking just said good night so now Im listening to
some of “Wagners” music and it is beautifull.
Today I wanted to see how much truth there is in the
advertisement, “Not a cough in a carload” so a bought a
pack of “Old Golds.” The first one I smoked must have
been from the second carload. I coughed so much I nearly
choked.
I hurt my hand today. Ive been inactive so long now and
acheing to go so when I said black was black today some
guy tried to tell me it was white or green I forget
which anyway I got in a hurry and hurt my hand on his
Ivory chopping block nothing serious though only my hand
feels sore I guess that is because my hands are so very
tender from doing nothing for so long a time.
If that confounded phone rings once more before I finish
this letter Im going to cut the wires on it and the
switchboard and throw them both out of the window.
Well honey tomorrow is going to be my busy day so Im
going to sleep at the switch tonight and leave the new
night nurse answer the phone in case it rings. She said
it would be alright and I guess she should know cause
she is next to the O.D. for rank and say so.
Ill close now honey cause there is no more to say for
present except to say that I refuse to share you with
anyone the first day or night of my furlough.
Love Your
Porter
X
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Jan 4th
1928 Post Band Quantico Va.
Dearest Bea:
I cant tell now if you need a bawling out or if I need
it. I haven’t had a letter from you since Tuesday. There
may have been one at sick quarters today. If it is Ill
get it tomorrow, if not (----?) I don’t know what goes
in where those lives are yet.
Well when I got back here they refused absolutely to put
in my request for a furlough but I later talked them
into it so my request went in yesterday. The result to
be seen later. Heres hoping the results are good. Boy
maybe you think I didn’t feel bad when they refused my
request at first. Im telling you if it hadn’t been for
you Id have gone over the hill I was so sore. I can’t
understand why they always make promises and don’t keep
them. I know why they wouldn’t send in my request this
time though. There is a direct order from the Major
General Comandant that no furloughs will be granted in
the immediate future. Mine may come through though as
special leave. God knows Ive tried hard enough for it.
Im on Light Duty so I dont have to work around here and
Im sure lucky to be that way cause they sure are doing
everything but band duty. They are working on the coal
pile and making concrete butts for the rifle range and
tearing down buildings and doing general police work all
around. I almost feel ashamed of myself when I see those
men go out day after day to work and Im getting out of
it all with laying on my bunk doing nothing I went to
sleep at 6:30 pm. Wednesday cause I did my last
Telephone watch the night before and I couldn’t get
transferred and sleep to so I turned in early. I slept
all day and night yesterday to. Ive been checking up a
radio all day today. I just now decided to leave it be
and write a letter cause I can always finish the radio
tonight.
I wonder what is the matter with my father now. I havent
heard from him in a while and Ive been trying to get a
reply to the last two or three letters I wrote him. I
suppose he’ll write when he gets good and ready.
Well dont forget honey I want that letter tomorrow or
you better stand clear cause you’ll get a bawling out
sure. On the other hand you told me what a tongue
lashing Anne is capable of so Ill just let her tell you
about it. Now will you be good?
Do you realize that its harder to write now than it was
when I was in the hospital? It is, cause my whole left
hand is extremely sore from the finger stool on it. They
try to make it hurt so as to toughen the whole thing up
cause it wouldn’t be no good to me as sensitive as it
is. I cant even hold a pipe or a box of matches with it.
The darn thing keeps me awake all night so the best I
can do is to get my few hours beauty sleep during the
day.
Love & Kisses from Somebody Else
Porter X
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[February 7 1928 cancelled Carrolton Ohio]
Dearest Bea:
Im here in Carrolton paying my Dad a little visit and
Ill be home in a day or two I hope. Im waiting for a bus
now to take me out there and have only about 7 minutes
before we go. Ill write tonight if I get a chance so
Love
Porter
XX
It wont be long now
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1928
Feb 16 AM 10:51
Western Union Telegram
Private Emil Thomas=
4805 Wetzel Ave Cleveland Ohio=
Ten Days Extension Granted=
The Commanding General
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Feb. 16
1928 Pittsburgh Pa. Depot
Dearest Bea:
Ive arrived this far on my journey safely and Ive been
gone from Cleveland less than four hours. I was going to
write on the train but found I was just out of envelopes
and anyway the train was shaking to much. Even now Ive
got to write in pencil cause my pen is dry and my ink is
in my grip and that is checked.
I tried to sleep in the train a little but couldn’t so I
just stayed awake and thought of you and of how happy
you have made me and I only wish I could have stayed
another day. Where did you go to when I boarded the
train? You disappeared fast. I looked for you when I got
on and wanted to see you just as long as I could but you
were gone. Oh well honey I guess it was just as well
cause I felt pretty bad about having to leave so quick
and you staying would only have made it harder for both
of us.
I dont know how much of this you will be able to read
but it cant be helped cause Im writing this on my lap.
My intentions are good at any rate. Ill close now and
see when I leave here so
Love
Porter
P.S. Dont forget young Joe the crack basketball man.
X
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Feb.
17, 1928 Post Band Quantico Va.
My Own Derby:
I arrived here this morning two hours late but the sgt
of the guard Checked me in as being on time so I was all
set there. My bunk was turned in before I left so I
didnt have a place to sleep so I curled up in a corner
and slept like a rock till Reveille. The Drum Major came
around soon after I woke up and I started raising the
roof on account of the extension so he told me that my
extension had been granted only it was late. He himself
had taken it to Post Headquarters and saw the General in
order to get it because the company commander had
refused to grant it. I only wish I had stayed there even
without the telegram. The major goes on the mat before
the General for refusing a hearing on the telegram
because it was really on a sick leave.
Ive been drawing my bunk and property all morning or I
would have written before. Then to I was up to the sick
bay this morning and got put on light duty.
I wonder if you know how much it hurt to come back when
I did. I certainly can’t tell you honey because it hurt
more than I can tell. I know it hurt you to cause if it
hadn’t I don’t think you would have left in such a
hurry. I sure would have liked to see you those extra
few seconds till the train left but Im sure I would
rather have you leave the way you did than to see you
with tears in your eyes. Ill confess your eyes sure
looked nice with tears in them the night before I left
but tears generally mean a heart in anguish and a
sickness of the heart isn’t nice to experience nor to
see in the eyes of the one you love. I only wish I was
well enough fixed to bring you along. The last year sure
would be nicer with my wife present. Oh well Ill just
have to make the best of it, although I don’t suppose it
will hurt any to dream, Will it? Well I don’t expect Ill
be able to make another furlough for a while now but
maybe you can do what you told your Dad about coming
down here and if he can’t come maybe you can tease the
folks into letting you come alone I don’t think we
should need a chaperone anyway still Id rather figure
that way if I could help it. Id rather come up there
myself.
Well honey Im going to mail this with the stamp Ive got
and when I mail it Im going to get more stamps so I can
write to Max and Min and Jim & Erv tonight if Im not to
darn tired.
Im sending you the money for that telegram and you may
paste it in the scrap book as the furlough that I
refused. Don’t forget to send those shoes honey.
The best we can do now sweetheart is just to Love one
another more and more each day and look forward to our
next meeting and toward our wedding day and may the sun
always shine on it and its anniversaries
With Beaucoup Love & Kisses
Your Porter P.S. For the 100 candle power For those lips
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Feb. 18
1928 Library Quantico Virginia
Dear Heart:
I know my extension got there after I left and although
it is a bitter disappointment I guess the best thing is
to do as you say. Just take it shoulder to shoulder.
Im glad you said what you did at the depot. Im happier
than a person would guess just because I know its true.
The only fly in the ointment is the tardiness of my
extension. Dont you worry about my forgetting what you
said when we parted honey, how could I? Don’t you
realize that, that was the first time you told me of
your own accord, that you love me?
I wonder if you realize just how happy your letter made
me this morning. You know, every soldier thinks a lot
more of his sweetheart when she is brave and Im no
exception honey so lets just be brave and take things as
they come. We have known each other five years now and
if things must be I think we can wait for another
thirteen months although I dont exactly relish the idea.
I took my writing tablet (one of them) and came over to
the library to write this morning with the intention of
writing to Jim & Erv after I finish your letter but I
come to find out that this tablet has only got one sheet
in it so they will have to wait till this afternoon for
their letter. I wrote one to Max and Min yesterday
afternoon but was to tired to write to Lill or Erv. I
went to sleep at 8:00 P.M. and slept right on through
everything.
Did you go to the game last night? Who won? Did Joe
shine again last night? Id have liked to have got there.
Dont forget though honey I don’t care how much you see
him play nor how much you admire him don’t forget you
are mine and so you mustn’t love anyone else. I don’t
know what Id do honey if you ever left me now.
Well honey I can’t think of anything to write now and
anyway your letter was short to so Ill close for this
time cause if I dont Im liable to say things I don’t
mean. By that I mean Im liable to make a mistake and
write what Im calling the Marine Corp on account of my
extension being so late.
Much Love & Kisses from
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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Feb.
19, 1928 Post Band Quantico Va.
Dearest:
I was writing to Lill this morning and I told her I was
going to write to you when your letter gets here and
sure enough here comes your letter while Im finishing
her letter.
I sure wish Id have known about that extension in time.
Id sure have enjoyed that game. I might even have been
able to take some of that dirty work out of those West
guys and might incidentally have got some much needed
exercise.
Don’t start worrying about a name yet and anyway “Joe”
seems to be as good as any I know of and at least he
would be named after, “shall we say an idol?” and the
name is no tongue twister.
Sure honey the first few days after a parting are always
very trying, in fact every day of a separation is trying
only the first few are worse than the rest. I was kind
of wishing you wouldn’t open the telegram until my
letter got there because I knew it would give you a bad
minute or two. It couldn’t be helped though. The man
that caused the telegram to be delayed so long was our
company commander a Major and he has been warned by
Headquarters that another similar act and he would be
given the privelidge of resigning his commission or
being court martialed because in the case of a telegram
there really is no way of knowing how seriously the
extension is needed especially when the reason is
personal as given in the telegram or when the furlough
is a sick leave. I didn’t want them to ask him to
resign, Oh no, I wanted them to muster a firing squad
and put me in charge.
Sure honey you know just about how I felt after the last
furlough only you don’t feel it as much cause after all
Im expected to come back but after my last furlough I
felt on top of the parting that I was a failure and I
wasn’t wanted. That is changed now though so that part
don’t hurt anymore. Dont blame yourself for that cause
it wasn’t your fault. You loved me then only you didn’t
know it or Im sure your answer at that time would have
been the same as it is now.
Im more glad than you can guess to know that that little
pin is such a comfort and a consolation to you. Well
dont worry honey it wont be long now until we can be
together always and then nothing will ever separate us
again. Then we’ll make our dreams come true.
Im glad to hear that your cold is better honey and I
hope it keeps that up and then after that if you wear
your boots when you go out and a slicker on wet days you
wont catch another so easily.
Ill try my best honey to make out that list but Im not
sure how correct it will be cause Im so much in love
that I forgot to keep up my book to.
Well here goes what I know. I arrived at your house
about 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday Feb 8th and spent the
evening with you till about 1:30 A.M. Then Thursday I
got to your house about 7:30 and we stayed in again
until about 2:10 A.M. Then Friday I met you at May Co’s
entrance at 5:15 P.M. We went to Hoffmans to eat some
supper, no success. From there we went to the square for
a car and met Hoppy’s sister then to Hoppys house and
then to the game at West tech then home till 2:10 A.M.
Then on Saturday afternoon we waited for Lill and John
till 9:30 P.M. I had supper at your house that night.
Lill and John took the car at about 11:30 P.M. and we
came back till almost 2:00 A.M. Sunday afternoon Erv and
Jim tried to get me stewed no success and Sunday night I
got over at 8:00 P.M. and went for the Chevy with your
Dad then we got Anne and the four of us went to the
Airport and afterwards through the flats and got stuck
off of Spring Rd. in a deep rut. Monday the 13th you
stayed home from work and I was over all day and we went
to a show at night. We saw Chas. Chaplin in the circus
had a good laugh. Tuesday we went to Mins house for a
while and came back and I stayed at your house till way
after 2:00 A.M. Wednesday I called you up downtown after
sending my telegram and we went home together and waited
all day for the extension. Again no success so we went
up to see erv and Jim to say goodbye and also to Mins to
pack my grip. Lill and John came over so after saying
the farewells we went back to you house. Thursday
morning we met on the corner of Stickney Ave and went to
the depot together. Then you told me for the first time
of your own accord that you love me.
Note: We did not go to Brookside
It got cold down here again to. It was so cold this
morning I could hardly more.
I hope you do get your fiddle out today like you said
and practice some and just forget the time and do it
often. I want you to honey cause you are liable to
forget how altogether if you dont practice.
That, “on the square” and also “How could I forget”,
makes me happy and so does the
“Love”
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Good for musicians lips
XX Good for 40 candle power
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- - - - - - -
Feb.
20, [19]28 Post Band Quantico Virginia
My Own:
I just couldnt wait another minute to write this morning
Im the closest to being happy right now that Ive been
since I got back. I drew my clarinet out of the store
room this morning and cleaned it up and tried playing –
and honey I actually got a noise out of it. No bunk. But
how? I have no lip at all and my complete register is
about six full tones and Oh! what tones. Just like my
dads Ford and my fingers refuse to synchronize with my
lips and I had to use a mirror to be sure I still had a
tongue in my mouth. It simply refused to function. Now
after about an hour of practice it promises to loosen up
but now my lip is dead so while Im resting it Im going
to see if I can still write a letter.
The Drum Major was real nice to me and has been since I
got back. He told me that I didn’t have to start
practicing yet if I didn’t feel fit but I was just dying
for the old gob stick. The Drum Major also hinted to me
that I may go out in a detail to Port Au Prince Haiti
cause they are making out a detail now and are short I
men. Nothing definite only he told me that they might
have to take men who have as little time to do as I
have. That would kill my time in a hurry and give me a
chance for a better rating but I don’t want to go now.
Still duty is duty and its not for me to question my
superiors decisions if they say go I suppose Ill have to
go. Ill try not to though.
Well honey are you over the blue spell yet? I hope so
because it does more harm to brood over things that
can’t be different than it does good and I signed my
name for four years to do or die and its to late to cry
now.
Well honey I guess Ill close now and try my hand at
practicing again so
Love
Porter
See You Later On the Square
X
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February 21 [1928] Post Band Quantico Virginia
Dearest Derby:
You and I both feel so all alone, honey. Yet all in all
Im happy. Im happy because I know that you and I are
going to be one, and because I know that at the same
time you will be all mine. Im happy and thankfull for
all these things and still I feel all alone as you put
it just because we had to part so suddenly after the
happiest week of my life so far. Oh well maybe its all
for the best as you put it. Only I wish you would set
our wedding date. Im sure anxious to know when so Ill be
able to count the weeks and days. Thats liable to kill
my time more quickly. I think I told you in yesterdays
letter about a tropical detail. Well there is nothing
definite out yet today but I don’t think Ill get to go.
Ill let you know either way so (take it easy).
Do you know how much in love I am sweetheart? Well for
example this morning I slept in cause Im on light duty
and so Im not forced to make reveille so I slept in and
missed my breakfast. When I woke up it was nine oclock.
The first thing I thought of was your letter cause it
was time for my Tuesday morning letter and I hadn’t
received one yesterday so the first thing I thought of
was you and my letter. It was there to. Five pages full.
Gee that made me feel good.
Im glad Grandma put you to bed with all those mustard
plasters honey. Im afraid you don’t take good enough
care of yourself honey. Im afraid some day one of those
colds will get the best of you and Ill be all alone in
this world again. Don’t let that happen honey, please
take good care of yourself for my sake.
Certainly a soldiers sweetheart must be brave honey and
you were to, but of course there is a limit to everyones
endurance and I think your and my limits were just about
reached.
Talking about that money honey I forgot all about it
till this letter got here. I remember saying I was
enclosing the money but Im darned if I remember doing it
so I checked over my months expenses so far and they
check without including that so I think I didn’t send it
at all. I think you are fibbing again. Aren’t you? Dont
forget the answer to this question. (On The Square) Im
just curious to know if my accounts lied and Im not
going to forget about our partnership so let me know.
Certainly were partners honey were going through life
shoulder to shoulder even if we are separated for the
time being. Partners now and always will be. Lets seal
that with a kiss. X
They played quite a few numbers at the state when we
were there sweetheart and I can’t remember names so Im
afraid you will have to tell me what role you bought. I
miss the piano to. Are you doing what I asked you to
honey? With the violin I mean. Please put in a little
time on it honey.
I didn’t notice that Anne made any remark that might cut
honey. All I heard was a little good natured kidding and
I took that as it was given. Its quite natural for an
engaged couple to be teased you know and they cant
afford to get sore because they would lose to many
friends. You just forget all about it cause if she did
say something she didn’t mean it.
You don’t know what icy cold means cause it dont get at
your bones the way it does here. Boy we get all the
moisture from the Chesapeake Bay here beside what we get
from the mountains, the Atlantic and the river.
Now your talking honey when Im looking forward to the
time when we go to buy that paper at the court house and
that little ring. Boy that thought was all that kept me
from staying in Cleveland when I saw you leave the
depot. That thought is all that keeps me from going
Bolshevick right now. Id sure like to be with you as
long as I can do it honorably and as much as I love you
and long for you I just couldn’t bring myself around to
bring disgrace like that on myself and my loved ones.
How lucky do you think you Are? Ill bet a nickel Im
luckier than you are. Im watching one of the barracks
while the band is out practicing for a parade for
tomorrow and the guy thats watching the next barracks
just came in to chew the rag and interrupted my train of
thought.
Well honey Im going to close now and don’t forget to
tell me what I asked and if possible let me know the big
date cause its up to you
Your Puritan
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX OOOOOOOOOOOOO XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Forty Candle powers XXXX
Write Soon
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- - - - - - -
February 22, 1928 Post Band Quantico
Dearest:
I just received your letter as I was fixing to write.
You see the band left for the Washington’s Birthday
Parade in Alexandria and Im left to watch the barracks
again, so I decided to pen a few lines and then practice
the rest of the afternoon. You see honey Ive really got
to do an extra amount of practicing now if I expect to
have my finger get tough again and my lip hard. Although
the chances are even both ways still I might have to go
to Port Au Prince and if I do I want to be in good
enough shape to hold down a decent rating and a decent
chair. The only way I can see of doing it is by Muyo
practice.
Sure honey I believe you when you say that you are
interested in Joe only as far as sports goes, and I
agree that his grit and playing is to be admired.
No I never read, “Under Two Flags,” maybe some day Ill
run across it and Ill read it then. Say honey, Is it a
good wifes duty to chose the books for her husband? If
not, why you better assume those duties anyway cause Ill
warn you, I can’t pick a good book to save my life. The
Librarian here always picks my books for me. Boy what
taste! The books she picks are just like she looks, but
she’s so darn nice that I hate to disappoint her by not
taking them. She means well.
Why don’t you have Hoppy come over to play cribbage
every night then Id get a letter a day. Maybe. No honey
I didn’t get a cold. Those things weren’t made for good
Marines. Sure theres an awful lot we are missing all the
time only we dont realize it and once we do why we
always try hard not to miss it. New we were probably in
love ever since we went to school together only we never
knew it or rather you never knew it. What other girl
ever inspired me to write poetry to them and when did
any of them ever get me to write more than once a week?
Why they couldn’t do it.
Say honey I was talking to the representative of the
company where your Pearls were bought about the care of
them. I don’t know if you know it or not but by washing
them in milk they are supposed to get more lustrous. He
didn’t say how often but he said just luke warm milk.
For a week now Ive been trying to enclose those theater
stubs from the State for the scrap book so today I
stopped writing the letter long enough to address the
envelope and put the stubs into it. I addressed it first
so Id be darn sure to get the right envelope.
Well bye bye honey and write to
Your Puritan
Porter
Love and many Kisses and may we always cherish them as
we do now. I Promise to ___ to ___ and to____ Will you
promise the same?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Feb 22,
1928 Post Band Quantico Va.
Peg O My Heart:
I wrote you one letter earlier in the day and mailed it
just a while ago. Since then I got notice from the
company that Im going to Port Au Prince Haiti. The
detail leaves on Feb 28th so of course I had to write
you first of all. Im going to write to my dad and
sisters etc yet and thats going to happen as soon as I
finish this letter. Then I don’t know how much time Ill
get between now and the 28th. Not much Ill bet. Well be
rushed right along trying to draw clothes etc and
packing the stuff that don’t go along and standing a
million inspections physical and otherwise.
Ill have to go now honey there just aren’t any two ways
about it. Ill just have to obey orders and please honey
please take it easy and be brave. I may have to go now
but Ill be back.
Just keep writing to Post Band until I write and tell
you Ive arrived there.
Now Ill have to close honey with much
Love and many Kisses
Your Puritan
Porter
XXXXXX
for the 40 candle power XX
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Feb 23,
1928 AD Post Band Quantico Virginia
Dearest Derby:
I really should not be writing tonight cause nothing new
has happened today.
Last night after I wrote your letter and a couple more I
started to go over my clothes and junk and I separated
the stuff Im taking along and what Im going to store. I
also took those sailors blues out that Im going to send
for you. I sent Erv and Jim their emblems that they
wanted so bad and would have sent the blues at the same
time but I didn’t have a carton or anyother thing to
pack them into but Ill get something tomorrow or know
the reason why.
Gee honey I don’t know what to think anymore. I haven’t
heard from Lill yet nor from Erv or Jim. Ive had a kind
of sneaking feeling that Id hear from them either
yesterday or today but no soap.
Well what have you been doing here lately, beside
thinking of how unjust this old world is to some of us.
Oh yes Ive been doing my share of thinking to and Ive
just about decided that we get along better here if we
dont think. That isn’t what we get paid for. They have
some high salaried officers to do that for us.
Well honey if you see either Lill, Erv, or Jim tell them
for me that I want them to write soon and do the same
for
Your
Porter
X
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Feb.
24, 1928 Post Band Quantico Va.
Darling Derby:
Your letter arrived about ten minutes ago so I decided
to sit down and answer it now as I have a little time on
my hands.
Why do you say my letters arrived? Did they get all
bunched up again? I tried to kind of keep them
separated.
Ive been humming, “Blue Heaven,” all the time since Ive
been back now only instead of Mollie and me, it was
(Derby & Me) You see you aren’t the only one that has
been working that song to death.
Im glad to hear that you got your violin to work like I
asked you to. Your shoulders may hurt the first few
times but just stick by it and do it right honey not
half way but just so.
There is no if about my going to Port Au Prince now. Its
certain that Im going now We leave on the Norfolk Boat
on Monday night
No fooling honey Id like to go to Port Au Prince
allright but now I hate to go just because Ill be
separated from you by so many more miles. Last night I
lay awake till almost two A.M. thinking of you. No
kidding honey it hurts to go now. At this time a year
ago I would have been real happy for this chance but now
Im not. Oh well honey what can a good soldier do but
obey orders? Oh the duties down there will be with the
band just like here only I don’t think we’ll have as
much police work as we have here. Dont worry sweetheart,
there are no dizzy blondes down there. Only Hatien
niggers and even if the place was filled with blondes
they wouldnt bother me any. You know how I like blondes.
The only good thing about Haiti is the beer and the
climate.
Dont worry honey your folks may at one time have been
disappointed by getting a girl instead of a boy but I
don’t think they are any more. Im sure they are just as
proud of you as I am and some day we may present them
with a grandson so that ought to make it up for them.
Im glad you sewed up that tweed skirt honey it wasn’t
bad – but it showed entirely to much for any mans good
health.
Well honey when I go down there I dont know how this
mail business is going to be. I think mail comes and
goes twice a week if Im not mistaken but I dont mind
getting two or three letters at a time and Im quite sure
you wont either and at any rate dont worry or get
disgusted honey because I love you and think of you all
the time so that thought alone should and will keep me
out of trouble Unless I forget to wear my hat and get
sun struck, and there is no danger of that cause they
dont let us even stick our head out of the window
without a hat on. One of the campaigne hats with the
wide brim on the peak. The total capacity of these hats
is about a half gallon. They are careful not to let us
get the half gallon into them though. Each one has four
vent holes in the crown.
Well honey I may get to write tomorrow and I may not but
dont worry if I dont and dont forget that I love you, so
write to Your Puritan
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX One for each candle power
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX one of these may be
for those nose and the rest for those lips
Did you notice the absence of these in yesterdays
letter? I was rushed in the last minute and forced to
sign off in a big hurry.
Love Your
Porter
X
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February 26 [1928] Post Band Quantico Va.
Dearest One:
I received your letter this morning and was happy as can
be until noon. Then I missed my pencil from the set and
the day is ruined cause it was stolen not lost. I posted
a couple of rewards for it but no results so I had the
barracks and every man in them searched and still no
results. I figured the fifty dollars should bring them
around cause I promised to ask no questions but no
results. I even tried to get the guy thats got it sore
by telling all the men what I thought of the man that
took it. What I said was enough to make any man that has
any self respect at all get out and fight now and only
have one hand but I can still kill with one punch the
guy that ever shows that pencil where anyone can see it.
I wish I knew what is causing all this hard luck Ive had
here lately.
Ive got a cold in the head now to from washing my hair
at night and sleeping in this cold place with wet hair.
No! I didn’t think that West Tech played like a green
team and I think that I can truthfully say that they
showed some very good team work and some very neat
plays. By the way I wrote to Bill Caldwell and give him
a brief but clear outline of the service as I see it and
told him that I would try to clear up any points he
doesn’t understand.
Well honey I expect this will be my last night at the
Post Band Quantico for a while. When I get back Ill be
able to count the hours of my enlistment on both hands.
Im leaving here with a nice thought for the Post Band at
any rate.
Ill never forget that pencil and if I ever find the man
that got it Ill smash him like a ripe tomato. Im going
to Haiti now where the good beer flows free and when I
get there Im going to stay strictly to myself no
favorites and no buddies. Ill just practice in my spare
time. Ill never again trust any man in the service.
Oh Ill see you about our big day alright honey if thats
the way you want it only don’t forget you are the one
that sets the day. There is only one day that will ever
mean any more to me than any other day and that day will
be the big day so if you have any favorite dates just
pick one. Only we’ll make it as soon as possible after I
get out and get steady work.
Well sweetheart don’t forget I love you and always will
so no matter how far apart we may be dont forget your
Porter. He will always be thinking of you and working
toward the day when you will be all mine.
I tried to get some dope on the mail deliveries down
there and find that right now its supposed to get there
twice a week and sometimes it does and sometimes it
don’t. At any rate write often and Ill be sure to get at
least one or maybe two every time the mail does arrive.
In turn I will write as often as possible and Ill make
sure that no boat leaves without at least one letter
from me.
My address while down there will be 2nd Regiment Marine
Band Port Au Prince Haiti
Any letters you may write before the middle of March
though shouldnt be sent there send them to Quantico
until I write and tell you Ive arrived. Ill drop a few
lines every place we stop with
Love from Your
Puritan
XX 40 candle power
XXXX for your lips
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Feb. 27
1928 Post Band Quantico
Dearest Derby:
The shoes arrived this morning thanks muchly for them.
They arrived just in time. Ive got everything packed and
waiting to leave when the boat gets in. We go as far as
Norfolk by passenger boat cross to Hampton Roads by
ferry and there we embark on the U.S.S. Kittery as far
as I know. If it is the Kittery I know of a bunch of
Marines that won’t enjoy the trip very much cause she
sure is some rocking tub. The Kittery I mean.
Do you know that in spite of the fact that this trip is
taking me far away from you and in spite of the fact
that the Kittery means so much misery Im still looking
forward with pleasure to my trip and my stay down there.
I won’t get a chance to mail those sailors blues now but
one of my buddies will mail it some time this week and
with it a few books those you sent me and one other.
When I mail this it may be the last for a while now. At
any rate for a few days. Ill try to drop one when we hit
Guantanamo Bay although I doubt if we will be allowed to
disembark there. We’ll probably only stop to drop the
supplies for that post.
Well honey if I dont get to write soon just remember
that Im thinking of you and I love you and hope that you
will think of me often and continue to love me and write
to
Your Puritan
Porter
“On the Square”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
XX 40 candle powers
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Feb.
28, 1928 Naval Operating Base Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
We arrived here this morning after an all night trip
aboard the civilian liner “Northland” We stay here till
day after tomorrow I think then we go aboard the Kittery
for the big trip. The only stop over we make is
Guantanamo Bay Cuba. I dont think there will be any
liberty because we stop only long enough for coal but
Ill manage to get a letter off some way there.
We didn’t get paid at Quantico before we left but we did
sign the payroll here today and I refused for the very
simple reason that theyve forgotten my specialist pay
and are trying to fox me out of six bucks. Im not
signing for anything that isnt right so Im going to put
in a letter through official channels to get the matter
adjusted seeing as I dont need the money right away. The
only thing is theyve made me mad as the dickens by
trying to gypp me.
The first thing they done when we arrived here this
morning at about 10:00 A.M. was to give us breakfast and
assign us our rooms. Three men to each room. Then they
gave us each a certain detail. Three of us got mess
duty. This is easy though so I wont kick. The good part
of this is that we eat when ever we want to and what we
want to. Its to bad this isnt going to last any longer.
Im going to turn in and sleep till four oclock now cause
that is just time enough to get my supper before we have
to serve the regular meal. The rest of the gang will be
gone on liberty to see the town all afternoon so I wont
be disturbed any. I dont know when or where Ill get to
mail this but Ill mail it the first chance I get. I dont
believe there would be any use of writing here cause we
will be leaving about the time this arrives at your
house and by the time you get it we will be gone about
our seasick way. Yes I mean sea sick. I dont believe the
man has been built yet who can make that trip aboard the
Kittery without getting sea sick. She’s the worst tub in
the U.S. Navy.
I wish you could be making that trip with me honey. That
would just about make that trip perfect. Id even forget
to get sea sick then. I sure miss you honey, more than
Ive ever missed anything in my life. My only hope is
that I may be worthy of you and your love.
Ill write more later sweetheart but right now Ill close
with
Love
Porter
P.S. I havent heard from Lill or Erv or Jim or anyone
yet. Did they all die? xxxxxxx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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February 29th 1928 Naval Operations Base Hampton Roads
Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Im still at Hampton Roads but I don’t think we will be
long. We go aboard the Kittery tomorrow and sail wither
tomorrow or the day after before daylight.
Ive been one of the lucky ones to get mess duty while
here and although the hours are a little longer the work
is easier and we eat when we feel like it and whatever
we fancy. Ill bet I ate a quart of olives today and
drank enough coffee to float the battleship Maine.
Gee honey Im figuring on doing some tall practicing when
I get to Port Au Prince. Ive just ordered myself another
exercise book and two books of a six volume studies.
These two books contain most of the harder overtures and
small Operatic selections. Ive already got two exercise
books and now the one Ive ordered will make three. Ill
never want for anything to practice from.
Well sweetheart Im not over anxious to go down there nor
am I trying to get out of the detail. If I stayed in the
States I might be able to make another leave before I
get paid off but if I go to Port Au Prince Ill save
about $75.00 by not making that leave. It may make it a
little harder for both of us by being separated for so
long a time but on the other hand it will mean so much
more toward our wedding. Then to it will make us
appreciate each other more if that is possible and just
think darling when I come back Ill be able to count my
days on my hands and then Ill be a free man again and
Ill be up there with you. Then Ill bet they’ll never
separate us again. Not if I can help it.
I haven’t heard anything about my pencil yet even in
spite of the reward they must be afraid of exposing
themselves. Id like to lay my hands on the guy thats got
that. Ill bet that bird would think three hundred times
before he ever touched another cent or article that
doesn’t belong to him. Ive got a kind of a hunch that
the pencil is right along on this detail with us. If it
ever shows up Ill sure get it. If it ever shows up in
Quantico Ill be notified by a dozen guys and the man in
whose possession it is found will be locked up until I
can get sent back to prosecute at the guys General Court
Martial. Id hate like the dickens to send a man up four
a couple of years for theft or cause him to get
discharged dishonorably but if that pencil is ever found
Ill sure do that thing.
Well honey Im going to sign off now and get this letter
and my order off so bye bye for now and dont forget to
think of your
Puritan
I love you more each day honey and if it keeps up like
this Im afraid Ill be loving you to death. I still dream
of little Joseph. Do you?
XXXXXXXXXXXX
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March
2, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
We were supposed to leave aboard the Kittery today but
that old tub is so crowded that we are being left behind
and it may be a month or more before we get to leave
here. Im in the Mess hall now and I suppose Ill stay
there until we leave here. Seeing as we’ll be here a
while you might write to me at this address
Pvt. E.G. Thomas
M.B.N.O.B.
Hampton Roads
Virginia
(MSM)
The (MSM) at the bottom means messman. Thats just a
precautionary measure.
This would be a nice place to be stationed if they only
had a band here. I can look right out of our window over
the Bay and see everything from rowboats to battleships
and even aeroplane carriers. That means the new ship
(The U.S.S. Lexington) shes out in the harbor now she
sails for San Diego on March 7th
I havent written to Min or Erv or Lill or anyone yet
since I get here but I think I will today. I think Ill
write to Min first and then if Ive any ambition left Ill
write to the rest of them. My mail so far has been
forwarded to Port Au Prince so it will be another week
before I get any of it so write soon. I kind of wish
they would hurry us out of here and get us going to
Port. Im anxious to get a good lip on the clarinet again
and here I am without an instrument.
Well if they don’t send me down there pretty soon I
won’t have much time to do when I do get down there. I
should worry though. If they keep me here three months
Ill come home on another furlough. I dont mean maybe
either and if they get wise about it Ill just turn into
sick quarters again and leave them get someone else to
do the work Im doing now.
Well honey this letter is being written in spasms. This
is the second spasm. I was called away kind of sudden
like to serve eleven oclock chow and by the time we got
our own chow it was time for the regular mess again.
You can’t imagine how much I miss you honey. It seems
like Ive loved you since I knew you honey but I never
knew how much nicer it is when your love is returned.
That furlough sure made me realize what a nice thing
Love can be. It makes a man want to get going and get
something accomplished. I just can’t seem to do enough
to suit myself anymore and everything I do I always
wonder would she like it this way. Call me a sick calf
or whatever you like but its true. I think of you all
the time and always imagine that you are there by my
side.
I saw two good pictures in the last two nights. One was,
“The Wizard” I forgot who was playing the lead part and
Last night I saw ”Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” Im not a
gentleman though, Im a Marine and most Marines Love
Brunettes and a few prefer blondes, but none of them
love blondes. They do say that a blonde is treacherous
and can’t be trusted. I know a couple that Id trust with
anything I own. One especially. This one did me a big
favor, a favor Im afraid Ill never be able to return. I
wish I knew how I could. Perhaps some little gift from
the tropics, when I arrive there, might be appreciated.
Do you think so?
Well honey Ive still got an hour to write before I have
to go back to the mess hall and at just such a time I
run out of things to write about. Ill bet if I was to
start working right now Id think of a cool million
things to write about but when I sit down to do the
writing my mind seems to wander to “My Blue Heaven.” You
remember The cozy room and the fire place in that song?
Thats where my mind wanders to.
When that fireplace and that cozy room comes true and
its Derby & me & Joe makes three. Then we’ll be happy in
our own Blue Heaven. There won’t be any squads right
column left then anymore.
Well honey Ive still got enough time to write Min a few
lines and let her know where Im at so when you get this
dont forget to write because Im lonesome for a letter or
two a half dozen wont spoil me. Ill always be
Your Porter
Here’s some Love & Kisses from
Your Puritan
XOXOXOXO
P.S. Dont forget to write soon
P.S.S. Write soon
P.S.S.S. Dont forget a couple of letters.
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March 3
1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
Ive just written a letter to Lill and Im going to try to
write you a few lines before I have to go to the mess
hall again. Im acting chief now and Im responsible to
see that all the tables and dishes and so forth are
cleaned properly and that the mess men give good service
at meal times and I sure have to look alive to make em
work.
Some goof just came in and spoiled my train of spuds
thought so I threw him out. The darn fool came back at
me and was going to wrestle with me. I threw him through
a loop the loop and made him say uncle. Hes some kid
just came into the service and don’t realize how much
hes got to learn yet before hes a real Marine.
Ive been on the go since 3:30 this A.M. now I had to get
up to help the cook get the chow and Ive been keeping
the messmen going ever since in order to get the mess
hall ready for the regular Saturday inspection. Im so
tired I could sleep for two weeks.
Well honey I havent heard from you in such a long time
now that I don’t even know what you have been doing or
what you intend to do or what pictures you intend to see
or anything about West tech.
I saw another good picture here last night. I saw,
“Larry Semon” in “The Woman “The girl in the Limousine”
That picture was a scream and I don’t mean maybe. I
think Ill get to see another good one Monday night. Ill
try to get around to it. Its “Karl Dane” in “The Enemy”
I think its going to be a ripping good one.
About 3 hours later.
Well sweetheart it may take me a long time to get a
letter to you written but I generally do. Its been about
3 hours now since I had to quit writing and go back to
work. We had a big chow and served twelve tables which
is 120 men and then only enough showed up to fill about
eight which means 80 men so we had to empty all those
extra dishes and all that extra food and had to clean &
scrub the tables all for nothing then we had to put away
a bunch of supplies that came in today. All in all Im
just about out on my feet. My puppies feel like five
balloons on each canal boat.
Well in spite of being dead and tired etc Ill bet if I
was given the chance right now I could sit up till 3
A.M. and make love to you every minute of that time. I
sure miss you honey, even more than you realize. If I
was out of the service now and had you and a good job
all to myself Id be the happiest man in this old world.
Id never ask for anything more. “Just a Cottage Small”
Ive been singing that tune all day now. Gee honey if I
was going to stay here the rest of my cruise you could
feel perfectly at ease. There isn’t a woman of any
description within 9 miles of this place. The only time
Ive seen a woman since I got here was the other night
when I went in to town and the outskirts of the town are
just 9 miles away. This place is nice though. The
quarters here are in a old hotel that the Marine Corps
bought with the land. It’s the Pine Beach Hotel. We
sleep three men to a room and weve got plenty of space
to spare. Our window looks out over the bay and we see
all kinds of watercraft from Battle wagons on down to
row boats and at night we can see the lights of Newport
News across the bay. I cant see anything but your
picture now though. Ive got it right across from me. Oh
yes I took it along in my heavy. I wrapped it up in my
towel and they thought that was the way I had the towel
folded.
Did I tell you about my watch honey? I broke mine and
took and traded it for another broken one. The fellow
told me it is over 80 years old and I found out today
that in July it will be 87 years old. Its one of those
that you wind with a key and set with a key a regular
antique. If I get a chance to get it fixed I will and if
not Ill send it to you the way it is. I dont want to
take it to Haiti with me. Its very old but its also very
nice flowers painted in the dial and all. Its even in a
padded leather pocket case. I wouldn’t part with it even
if it couldn’t be fixed. Lets see now that means it was
bought just about twenty four years after the
Revolutionary war or about nineteen years before the
Civil war. Is that right.
I guess Ill have to close now honey and dont dont forget
to write cause if I dont hear from you at least by
Tuesday Ill quit writing until I do hear from you so if
you love me write to
Your Puritan
Porter
(Love me honey.) XXXXXXXXXXX OOOOOOOOOO
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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March
5th 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
I just got my work for this morning done. We got through
kind of early. My men went bolshevick on me yesterday so
I showed them my game. I got myself a chair and sat down
and made those birds sweep the galley, then scrub it and
then sweep it again and swab it. Then we started all
over again till the deck shone. Boy what I mean those
buzzards worked this morning. They weren’t taking any
chances on working till 9:30 at night again. They know
who is boss now. There was only one reason why I didn’t
like that and it was because I couldn’t write the letter
I wanted to write last night.
This is some rotten life honey. Here is another day gone
by and still no letter from you. Gee I wish you would
write. I guess you did though only the letters are being
forwarded to the wrong place. Im lonesome though and
getting no mail makes me blue on top of that Im
wondering if my Derby still loves me. If her letters
would get here I would know but this way I can’t tell.
Do you realize that its now nine days since I heard from
you? Nine days. Thats to long for any man to wait for a
letter. But then I know it isn’t your fault. Do you want
to know what I done? I tore up everything from the way I
had it packed in my sea bag and got out all of your
letters and read them over. Ive simply got to read a
letter from you every once in a while and if I can’t
have a new one I guess Ill have to read the old ones.
Do you know that its both nice and bad to be in love
while in the service. I think there is nothing nicer
than true love since Ive tasted it but its also got its
bad side because to love someone and be far away from
them makes it hard. As much as I like the service, still
I hate it for keeping me separated. Still I put up with
it all because it all brings us closer to “Our Blue
Heaven.” That day whenever it may be will be the
happiest day I ever want to see. Im always afraid it
won’t happen though and it hurts to even think that way.
I haven’t even got a bit of reason for it but every once
in a while I think, “Just suppose she should change her
mind.” Then my whole day is spoiled. I don’t know what
Id do if you ever quit me honey. I love you so much that
I just couldn’t live without you. I wish you wouldn’t
insist on my seeing you personally to decide the big
date. Id feel better if I knew how much longer Ive got
to wait. Just like the Marine Corps I know just how many
days Ive got yet. Ive got 482 more days. I get paid off
on the 482nd morning from now so you see Id like to
figure that out the same way. That makes the time pass
quicker. If you can’t decide yourself get Hoppy to help
you out. She seems to have a lot of good ideas. Some
night when have nothing else to do just get a hold of a
three year callender and find a date you like and then
let me know how many days.
I had to quit writing when I had finished the word three
in the last paragraph and served two chows and got the
galley cleaned again before I wrote the rest of the
sentence.
Oh well about 20 or 25 more days and then we leave for
the land of good beer and sunshine.
Some bozo here thats sleeping in this room with me just
gave me a sermon on self control if he only knew. You
tell him honey. I stutter to think that he would preach
to me about control of our passions. Why Ive got more
control of my passion than he has over his own head.
Talk of a sick calf all you want to honey but if I don’t
get a letter tomorrow Im going to start tearing up
things around here.
Doggone it I cant help thinking of that darn cottage
small by the waterfall. I have a couple of songs like
that and I keep singing them all day long and I just
cant get them out of my head for some reason or another
but that cottage small runs through my head more than
any other. Dream castles I guess.
I suppose by this time you will have received your
sailors blues and the books. Haven’t you? One of my
buddies up there at Quantico promised to send them first
chance he got and I think by this time you should have
them.
Say I hope old Bill Caldwell dont take to writing to me
in Haiti for a while yet cause if he does his letters
are liable to travel six months before I get them. Ive
written to Erv and Lill and Min and left them all know
where Im at. I think Ill write to my dad tonight if Im
not to tired. I told him not to write till he heard from
me so I guess he’s still waiting.
Well darling I think Ill quit writing now and start
hoping that I have a letter from you tomorrow cause if I
don’t have one by then Ill go nuts. If thats possible.
Write soon often and much honey or Im liable to think
youve forgotten to Love Honor & obey cherish or that you
don’t love me anymore so if you don’t want me to think
that write to
Your Puritan I dont like that
Porter
P.S. Dont forget to write
P.S.S. Make it soon & often
Love & Kisses
OOOO XXXX
OOOO XXXX
OOOO XXXX
40 candle power
XX
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March 6
1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest Derby:
Here is another day half gone and still no letter, oh
well it may arrive this afternoon. I just wonder how Im
supposed to write and keep my mind on what I am writing
when the victrola next door is playing, “My Blue
Heaven,” and every once in so often it switches to, “Im
Drifting back to Dreamland.” Thats another song I like
very much
I saw Lillian Gish & Cark Dane in, “The Enemy,” last
night but it wasn’t half as good as I expected it to be.
It was fairly good though.
Well honey Im starting to think that you are sorry you
ever promised to marry me, or else that you don’t love
me anymore. I only wish you would write soon so I could
know for sure that it isn’t true. When I get your
letters all the time then I know that you love me even
as much as I love you. But how am I supposed to know or
be reassured when no letters some. I wish I had you here
so I could hold you close and kiss you. Then I know that
no one could every take you from me. I can still taste
that kiss I got at the Depot and Im not stretching the
truth one bit honey when I say that the kisses I got
while on that furlough told me of a great and a nice
love. Those kisses are still warm on my lips honey. Ill
never forget any of them. The memory of that furlough
will always be with me honey, no matter where I go.
Ill have to be going to the Mess hall now in a few
minutes honey so Id better close this missil with much
love and kisses and many hopes for a letter soon so
write to you Marine friend and make if Muyo Pronto
Always Yours
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XX
40 candle power
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March
6, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest Derby:
I wrote once this morning but Ive a little time over
this afternoon so how could I spend that time better
than by writing to my sweetheart.
I just heard some news this noon. The Marine Corps is
going to give me a nice present for my birthday this
year. I just heard that the next boat for Haiti is the,
“Vega,” and she sails from here on my birthday. Oh well
dont worry sweetheart that will make my tropical duty so
much shorter. They won’t keep me there even a year then
cause I wont have enough time to do. I only wish I could
take you down there with me. That is the land of romance
you know. To be able to take you along would fill the
cup of joy, but as that can’t be I guess we’ll have to
make the best of things as they come.
Have you been doing any practicing on your violin
lately? I hope so. Id like to know that I have a real
musical family. Know what Im going to do honey? Im going
to make a nice big radio set and Im going to to have a
genuine mahogany cabinet made for it. They have better
mahogany in Haiti than they do here you know. That will
make one piece of furniture we won’t have to buy. I
think Ill make a set like the one Min and Max have only
a nicer looking one.
Gee its turned colder down here today honey. Its so cold
that I was just thinking of going down to the galley to
finish this letter but I decided not to cause all the
cooks and messmen are down there fooling around and they
would always be interrupting my train of thought.
Have you decided the day yet? I mean our big day. Do you
know honey Ive just been thinking our wedding day will
make me a very happy man but do you realize that it wont
be the only happy day in our life. If you want to go
through with it the arrival of (for the sake of argument
shall we say), “Joe,” we would always have a binding
tie. Of course that’s up to you. You know as well as I
do what it will mean but if you are willing you’ll
surely find me the same.
Well honey girl this paper is getting full so Ill close
while I still have room for the
Love & Kisses
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Here’s drinking to the day. Make it cherry. XX
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March
7, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
My Own Derby:
Why don’t you write to me. Here Ive been watching the
post office door all day hoping that there might have
been some delay and still hoping for a letter. But no
letter came so Ill have to read some of the old letters
again and wait and see how lucky I am tomorrow. I only
hope I won’t be doing the same tomorrow. I only hope I
won’t be doing the same tomorrow as I did today. Just
think honey eleven days without a letter. What would you
do if you had to wait that long for a letter? Two
hundred and sixty four hours and each one of those hours
have been slow and dreary for me.
Ive been having some pretty nice luck with my finger
here lately but today I hurt it trying to educate one of
my messmen. I always wonder when I look at him or watch
him work, just why. They shot men like Lincoln &
McKinley and left guys like him live. His name is Abe to
so Ive just about decided that Booth shot to soon by a
few years and got the wrong Abe.
I heard the Top Sgt here say that there might be a ship
leaving here for Haiti about the 29th of March and he is
going to try to get me aboard her. I don’t know if that
is good or bad news. In a way Id like to go and in
another way Id like to stay here till I didn’t have
enough time to do and then Id get sent back to Quantico.
Id like to go to Port au Prince though until my thumb
gets a little tough again cause no matter how carefull I
am its always freezing here. Still I believe Id rather
stay here where I would get a chance to come home to see
you again. I could to if Id make the request here to
remain in Hampton Roads for duty and be transfered out
of the band but Id be losing to much. Ive just decided
to buy me a set of clarinets. One B[flat] clarinet, one
A clarinet and one E[flat] clarinet. These same would
cost me at least $250.00 Are they worth that much to me?
Im afraid not but Im darned if I haven’t a good mind to
get them. I think Ill wait till I get paid off though.
Then Ill have a good clarinet and not as much chance of
ruining it. Well Ill close honey but please dont forget
to write soon and often and very very much to your
lonesome lovesick calf.
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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March
8, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest Bea:
Ive got the blues. No letter today either. Why don’t you
write? Have I done or said anything wrong? If I have Im
sorry. I hope you havent changed your mind and decided
that you wouldn’t go through with marrying me. I love
you to much honey, still if it would make you happier –
just let me know. You know I told you that if you found
you had made a mistake by accepting me Id go and it may
be hard to say or do but I stand by my word. I do hope
its not that though. If it is that Ill promise you won’t
hear from me anymore. This will be the last letter I
write until I do hear from you. I heard from my dad this
morning and when they handed me the letter this morning
I thought it was from you till I saw the front.
Ive been spending all my spare minutes today reading
over all your letters and I just couldn’t stand it. For
once in my life Im afraid, afraid you are casting me
off. I sure wish you would write and end all this
useless misery. I can’t believe though that you would
want to break our engagement it has been to beautiful.
Ill never forget the happy moments you have given me.
both by your letters and your kisses and by your
promise. I only pray to God that it may not be over yet.
Oh it can’t be though. I love you to much to let you go
so easily as that. Cant you see yourself honey that I
love you? Yes love you more than anything. Why don’t you
write?
I cant write anymore now as my head huts hurts me and my
heart is to heavy to tell me what to write except that
Ill love you always now write soon so I may know.
Love & Kisses
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX XX
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March
9, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
Your letter got here this morning. Ive never knew it to
fail yet that when I get hasty and send off a letter Im
liable to regret the very next day I always get a letter
that had been delayed or something. I wish you would
just disregard the letter I sent yesterday. Im sorry I
sent it, or even wrote it. I didnt think it was possible
that you should forget this love of ours so soon but you
know how that goes when no letter gets here for two
weeks.
Ive been sick for the last couple of days but I didn’t
turn in and just stuck it out. I got up early as usual
this morning and got the chow out but I immediately
turned the whole mess over to an understudy and came up
to my room and slept till eleven oclock. I went back
down then to see that the early chow was put out and I
was feeling better. Since then Ive put out the regular
noon meal and got the galley clean and now Im feeling
almost fit as a fiddle. I had two letters waiting for me
when I got down there. One from you, thank God, and one
from Erv. I must have been nuts last night cause Im
finding things done that I dont remember doing. I find
on the back of the folder of your picture that I have
all the, shall we say (red letter letters) recorded. The
back of the folder is ruled off into spaces and each
(red letter volume) that I ever got is recorded, day
month and year. “By red letter volume,” I mean a letter
that contains something that means more to me than what
some of the others do. Maybe just a word or an
expression or something. I had to get rid of some of
those letters honey cause there was no room to take them
along so I saved the most important ones and squeezed
them in. They are letters such as the one you mailed
July 7, 1927 where you promised to be my wife and like
the one to the Greatest of the Great Pvts and the one
where after the Post script you signed yourself BeaX.
Those are just some of them. There are 114 so far. I
think Ill keep up that list as long as the spaces hold
out.
Im sorta glad Im not going for a while but in another
way I wish I was there already. Im losing money by
staying here. Ive got no rating while Im here. If you
want to honey Ill put in a request to stay here but Im
warning you I stand to lose some money if I do. Id
probably get rated but Id lose other ways and that would
mean so much less of a start for us.
I didn’t even know you were having those pictures
enlarged. I suppose you told me about it in the letters
that are doing all the globe trotting.
The Lexington left here a couple of days ago. Id have
liked to have been aboard her but she wasn’t going my
way at all. She’s heading for the West Coast.
Yes I can see where one Marine will forget how to pivot
for squads right column left. He will most probably have
to learn how to take care of a furnace.
I believe you are right about Hoppy. What she needs more
than anything else is a Prince Charming. Id have like to
had her meet Erv but maybe its as well she didn’t. He
isn’t good enough for her and who should know it better
than myself. Hes an athletic fan like her fond of sports
but hes a darn sight to crazy yet.
Why should you write that experience is the best
teacher? Have you had that experience?
Darn right Ill, “write!”, and also, “Love,” my Beatrice.
No one knows how much I love her and as my vocabulary is
small and I keep my mouth shut a good deal of the time
Im afraid no one but my Beatrice will ever know, and if
there is a God in Heaven Im sure he will help me to be
worthy of her or at least as worthy as it is possible
for me to be.
You havent told me yet if you have received the two
packages Im having sent you from Quantico. Have you? The
one had those sailor blues in it and the other had those
books in it.
Did I tell you about that old watch I got my hands onto?
Im crazy about old things like that. Wait till you see
it. You’ll be wild about it in place of winding it with
the stem you just press the stem and the back opens up
to the place where the key is used. Then you pry the
next cover up and you see the working machinery in it.
Real old fashioned clockworks. Ill send it first chance
I get to keep it from being stolen so if you care to see
the inside save these instructions.
Im also waiting for the bawling out Im going to get on
account of my pencil. I got a letter from Quantico
yesterday. They found some guy that had a gold pencil
and they had him under guard until one of my bunkies who
had a copie of the floral design could get back from
liberty. He wrote me about it and said the design was
altogether different and anyway it was some other make
of pencil not a, “Wahl.” I wrote back and told him to
offer a reward for me to any one that brought in any
correct information. I suppose its useless though
whoever got it knows better than to let it be seen.
Honey Im going to give you a good laugh. Im going to
rewrite Erv’s letter for you word for word and letter
for letter. He writes
Dear Buddy::-,
I received your letter of March 3 & was sup glad to hear
that you were still in the good old U.S.. I am sorry to
hear that the U.S.S. Kittery was to crowded to that it
was no room left for you but I think you better off in
the it States don’t you think so. I wrote a letter
sometime in February but I don’t think that you have
received it as you dont state in your letter. How come y
that you are swinging grease balls what in Hell did you
do now that you are in the grease ball bushiness
business.
For some reason or other my mind is blank today for
writing so I will make this letter short but still
theres some news it to interest you y a to give the
satisfaction, that I have received your letter will
write soon as something pops in my head.
Respectfully Your Buddy
Ervin
I have written him a letter telling him they had made a
grease ball out of me for the duration of my stay here.
That is the letter I received today and all those words
scratched out are just as they are in his letter.
Well honey I hope you forget all about that letter I
wrote yesterday and will write me often so I wont have
to wait so long for another letter and lets hope that it
never comes to what I was afraid of in yesterdays
letter. I dont know what Id do if that ever did happen.
Think of me only as your Porter and Love me as I love
you and don’t forget to write soon to Your
Porter
XXXXXXXXXXXX OO XX Have you figured this out yet X
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March
10, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton roads Virginia
To the one and only Derby:
Dearest:
I know now that all my fears were groundless and I know
that in spite of everything you are still my own ____.
Still waiting for the time when I can come and claim
you. Oh yes. I think those things to. My imagination is
always working. Im always building castles and working
toward that day. How happy Ill be and how proud. I know
Ill be happy and if I can make you as happy then Id be
satisfied.
Who wrote my name and address on the envelope of the
letter I received today? It looks like your writing and
again it doesn’t. It looks like you might have been very
nervous or excited when you wrote it. What was the
matter? Or are you sick and didn’t tell me? The writing
in the whole letter seems to be different.
The champion olive eater seems to be in better health
and spirits today than he has been for the last couple
of days except for a bump on the skull that I got this
morning coming out of the supply room. I seem to be O.K.
Thats what I get for trying to take six foot of Marine
through a five foot door on a run, It it seems I must
have forgotten to stoop or else the door forgot to
stretch. I havent decided which yet. I guess its about
six of one and a half dozen of the other. The finger
seems to be coming along fine when I dont bump it and Im
being as careful as I know how to be.
I wish I could be with you to hear you play our piece
with the violin muted. Ill bet it sounded nice. Still if
Id been there I don’t suppose you would have played it.
You would have been sitting by me, where you belong.
Oh I don’t know honey I think the only reason we can’t
think of a whole lot to write is because we write so
often. If I was to write only two letters a week I think
I could put more pages into them but Id rather get one
short letter every day or every other day than to get a
long letter twice a week. How about you? Do you know a
little verse that goes with, “Mendelsons Spring Song,”?
Its something like this, “Once upon a time famous poet
said. Ill pen an ode to Spring. But, when he began to
write he found the bird had taken wing. Then someone
played a melody so grand, his soul was moved. Tis
Mendelsons Spring Song said he” Did you ever hear that
verse honey? I don’t remember it all but I think that is
about what you were trying to tell me. Now I can’t write
what Im thinking because now Im singing the, “Spring
Song.”
Is that the best you can wish for honey? To be in the
country for an extended period of time. My word, you
should hear my wish once and see how simple it makes
your little wish. I wish I was with you right now and
that I was in a position to make you my wife today. We
wouldn’t have to cut loose to have a good time then, we
would have one another to make us happy.
Say if you dont quit adopting every gas station and
railway station that we go to why soon we’ll have such a
large family that we won’t have any room for, “Joe.”
Better go easy honey. How many stations have we got now.
How come Mom beings the letters to work? Doesn’t she
start work at the same time you do? Sure you could guess
by now that youve got a letter most every day cause Ive
only missed three days since I got back off of leave.
Thats twenty one out of twenty four.
I had a big argument last night again. Ive got a room by
myself now and some guy came in snooping around last
night and ended up by making some wise crack. I was
forced to give him a lesson in manners and then throw
him out on his ear. Can you imagine that guy telling me
that you must be Jewish. I guess I know better myself
and I guess he does to by now. He’s got an awfull time
explaining how he nearly put his eye out on the door
last night. You cant fool these old soldiers around here
though. They know to much cause theyve seen to many
shiners to think that that many guys run into doors. I
topped off all the fun though by putting him out of the
mess hall for making to much noise this noon. He will
make an apology or Ill run him ragged.
Well honey dont forget to write often and think of me
often and love me a little. Ill always do the same honey
always. Ill Love Honor & Cherish my Own.
Love & Many Kisses
Porter
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X
XX 40 candle power
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March
11, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
I hardly know if I should expect a letter today or not
but Im going to try my had at writing anyway.
This day seems to be Sunday to some men but outside of
the fact that it brings me a day closer to you, it is
just another day for me. This makes 475 more. No! --- I
just figured it up again and 375 to do for 3 months
early discharge. That would be 10 days more than a year
to do.
There was a detail of men sent back from Nicaragua last
night, or rather they got here last night. Honey you
can’t guess how glad I am now that they wouldn’t let me
go along when I wanted to. These men tell some awfull
tales of bad food no place to sleep living in mud up to
the waist drunkenness, sickness, filth and also blood
thirstiness. One of them shows us a shirt taken from a
gook. This fellow had put a whole clip through the gook
into a space almost as small as a silver dollar. Then he
took the shirt for a souvenir. We fed those men and when
I saw how starved they were I gave strict orders to feed
them all the could hold and I mean they did justice to
the meal. Some of the men were sent back because they
got malaria from the drinking water others got other
diseases some wounded. Two died on board ship from
wounds. Im sure glad now that I didn’t go down. The only
thing hard about band duty down there is the starvation
and what little gold fish & hard tack they get is
mouldy. So the worst part of that is the living
conditions. Those fellows got under a shower here for a
decent bath and almost had to be driven out to give the
next man a chance. I hear that one man was so over joyed
to get back to the States that when he got into Norfolk
and saw a white woman his feet gave out on him. Thats
what the, “Glory of War,” does for men. They have
Chaplains and Chapels here where they preach about the
Ten Commandments where it says (Thou Shalt not kill)
then they turn the men around and let them, “Kill & be
Killed.” If they are going to stop all the useless
slaughter down there they ought to get it over with as
soon as possible. They could put a shot over the Island
from any one of their, “Men O War,” and blow the place
completely off the map without loosing a single Marine.
All those fine white American boys being killed just so
a few less niggers will be killed. This may all sound
kind of radical to you honey but it isn’t. If I was
called on to go I wouldn’t balk any Id do my share like
the rest do but what makes me mad is that all those
perfectly good White men should be sacrificed to save a
few ignorant niggers, without whom the world would be
much better off.
I think Id better find out what time it is honey and
finish this after we get dinner served.
Well here I am again about three and a half hours later.
Weve served cow since then for twenty men at eleven
oclock and cleaned up after that and served chow for 100
more men at twelve. Boy what a chow. Breaded veal
cutlets, gravey, mashed potatoes, stewed corn, cream
peas, asparagus – tips, celery, lettuce salad, bread,
butter, coffee, cake & ice cream. They sure serve good
chows here. They can do it easily enough though cause
theyve only got a few men to feed, not like at Quantico
where each company feeds over twice as many men.
I just found out that Im not getting a letter from you
today honey. Why? Its because there is no mail delivery
here, like there is in Quantico, on Sunday. I believe
finding that out has taken away much of my pep to cause
now Ive forgotten all that I was going to tell you but
then why worry Ive two and a half hours to remember it
in.
I suppose you will be wondering why I’m using this
stationary again. Its because the pen was getting empty
and caused a big blot of ink to fall on my last sheet of
the other paper and as I have quite a bit of this on
hand I decided to use it up. Chalk up 40₵ more saved
toward furniture.
Im even doing my own laundry this month. Not because Im
trying to save those few dollars but because if I was to
send clothes to the laundry here and got notice to leave
in a couple of hours time Id just be out that many
clothes. I washed a half dozen suits of underwear and a
dozen hankys and a couple of towels yesterday and Im
washing some socks tonight and if Ive got time afterward
maybe a couple of shirts.
I read a good book in my spare moments since Ive been
here. The name is, “Mr. & Mrs. Villiers,” its got some
pretty radical ideas of married life in it. I got a big
laugh out of it.
I saw, “Johny Hines,” in “All Aboard,” and that is a
scream, if you haven’t seen it and get the chance go, by
all means, you’ll like it I know.
Gee honey, this world sure is a funny place. Here weve
been having weather quite in keeping with the time of
year, not to cold and still not spring nor has it been
rainy, yet about a hundred and fifty miles north of here
in Quantico and Washington they had one of the hardest
snow storms and blizzards that theyve seen in years.
That isn’t so far from here either. One might almost say
a stones throw. Id really like to see a real good snow
storm just once more before I leave for Haiti.
Ive just been thinking honey they wont be able to keep
me down there even a year cause we don’t expect to get
down there till sometime in the later part of April or
first part of May and they dont discharge a person that
far from home. They always send them to the closest
garrison camp to their home and discharge them from
there so if I get down there in May they will either
send me back in the early or middle part of March or
early part of May. wouldn’t it be hotsy to know one is
coming back to the states with only a few days to do
when one arrives? Gee it will be easier to keep working
down there now cause Ill always be thinking, “only a
year and so many days and Ill be able to go to her for
good. You can’t imagine how much it spurs a fellow on
with his work when his loves a girl and knows that she
loves him in return. Its made me so that no matter what
they put me to doing or how much of it I can always sing
a song and think about you and even if they were to stop
me from singing a song at myself they couldnt no way
stop me from thinking about you, and that in itself is a
consolation. Thats why I like to get up early in the
morning. It just gives me so many more hours each day to
think about you and about the kisses I got from you.
Do you still think that everything I want to write about
vanishes when I sit down to write? No my sweetheart it
doesn’t, only the most important things do and it makes
me so sore to forget those important things that I dont
write the rest of the things I think about. The most
important thing I can think of is that I love you but I
always forget just how I had intended to put it into the
letter and if I was just to write I love You and repeat
it a dozen or two times you would soon grow tired of it.
Then what would I do? Id have a broken heart. I can’t
bear to even think of anything like that honey all I can
think of is that I love you and of course I think of a
home and kiddies and a violin and clarinet duet to lass
the time away. Then a few say about 17 or 18 years later
I can see more. Ill bet you cant guess what it is? Ill
tell you if you can’t guess. Just ask me.
No my darling this life doesn’t get boring for you or
for me because we have to much to look forward to. It
may be that times passes to slowly for us but we aren’t
bored. We might be able to tell all about what a cruel
world this is for keeping us apart but we are never
really bored. When you want to get away from everything
for a week or two it is a sign that you want to forget
routine matters but its not because they bore you but
because a change of scenery makes one forget and it
makes the time pass quicker.
I hope Mom doesn’t have to carry this all the way over
town for you honey. If it has to be taken down to you Id
advise her to ship it by express or freight or something
like that. Ill bet she would cuss me for a month if she
had to carry it very far, I wouldn’t blame her either.
Well darling I hope you will enjoy this letter although
Im afraid that will be pretty hard to do and I hope you
will write to me soon, often, and much. That part should
be easy. Im closing now so write to
Your lonesome
Porter
Love & Many Kisses
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March
14, 1928 464 days and a flop
Dearest:
Please don’t think for one minute that I doubt you
honey. I don’t in fact I trust you more than anyone I
know of. I was simply beside myself the other day when I
wrote that letter. I hadn’t heard from you in such a
long time and I didn’t realize that it takes a day
longer for a letter to reach you from here than it does
from Quantico and the same with the letters for me. By
this time I think you will have received the letter
telling you to disregard that letter where you say I
doubted you. I am ashamed of myself honey but I just
couldn’t help it. I love you so much that my mind
refused to figure out anything else. The only thing my
mind was saying all day was, “You lost her,” and it was
torture to think
I just got another letter from my dad today honey. He
told me about everything he bought with that check and
all about the stock hes got now. He wrote part of the
letter in german trying to fool me, but I foxed him and
wrote back in german. Ill fool him good some day. Ill
tell him something in Spanish and Ill bet he’ll lay off
then. I dont know much Spanish but what I do know is
just that much more than he knows.
Ive started work in my course again honey. I wrote out a
lesson on Transformers last night. I sure burned the
midnight oil. I worked on it till eleven oclock last
night.
That watch I was telling you about cant be such a relic
as it is old. I performed an operation on it the other
day and wound it up with a pliers and stuck it together
and lo and behold it ran for a period of 7 hours and
twelve minutes.
Have you received one of my letters yet that was mailed
in Washington? I suppose you are wondering how come when
I am about 150 miles south of there. Well a buddy of
mine went to Washington to get some dental work finished
that was started when we were in Quantico so as he was
going to Washington I thought he might as well mail it
for me and we would give you a small puzzle to work out.
Im getting more time to write here for the last few
days. They have been keeping us well supplied with
messmen. I just got three more which all means the work
gets done so much quicker. These three seem to be a
little radical as yet but Ill soon take that out of
them. Ill have them working themselves to death for a
few days and they’ll get so they jump when I yell. Then
if that don’t bring them around Ive got another method
that will.
I wrote a small note yesterday so I haven’t much to tell
you today but you should have enough news stored up to
write me a book.
I Love you more each day darling if that is possible and
I think of you always. Only 464 more days.
Muyo Besos Ye Pesos
Your Porter
“See you later”
About 50 or 100 times
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Enclosed –
4506 Oak Park Cleveland Aug 2 – 27 –
Dear Friend, --
I might as well tell you in the first few lines what Ive
got to say. Lindy flew to Paris and has just visited
Cleveland – but I sent you a letter a short while ago
and didn’t receive no ans so if you don’t get this
letter please write to me and I will send it at once. –
“Yaw”
Business has been dull since you lefted especially the
saloon business. Your wife was took to the insanig
assylm yesterday she was crazy to see you.
I saw your boy yesterday for the first time. I thinks he
looks just like you but he is all right otherwise so I
would not worry if I were you.
I am sending you by Adams Eggs Press your overcoat and
as they charge so much a pound to send it I cut off de
buttons. Hoping this will prove satisfactory You will
find de button on the inside pocket.
I almost forgot to tell you I got married last week I
got a pretty good wife. She from Mt Zion but I think I
could have got a better one at Newville as they have a
larger stock to select from.
Well kid we aint doing much around our neck of the woods
no excitement only we held a few beach parties and
wiener roast. Also I got into a scrap with the step
father because he beat my mother up. I come out the
worst he didn’t come out very nice I battered hell out
of his face knocked out a couple of teeth and blackened
his eyes and all I got was 2 bites on a little over my
tit and another on the arm also I got my neck all
scratched up where he tried to choke me.
Irving is Lifeguard instructor down at Brookside park
also he aint working neither is Bill Meyers. I work
every day but still Im flat broke week in and week out.
I don’t know if you knew that Lindy was here in
Cleveland for the 1st and 2nd of Aug. there was some
excitement about him I only went out to the airport to
see his plane. Boy it’s a small one.
As this is all I got to say I will Klose my mouth and
aspect you to do da same. Hoping dis will reach you
before you get it and dat you vill answer before dat. I
remain your confectionary second to the last Kousin
James Anderson
4506 Oak Park
Cleveland
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March
14 [1928] M.B.N.O.B. 462 more
Dearest:
Your special delivery arrived this noon and as we just
got our tables cleaned and re-set Im through till four
oclock so Im going to answer it now.
I think I told you in one of my letters that I had one
posted in Washington. Well the fellow that took it along
forgot to mail it, gave it back to me this morning so I
mailed that a little while ago.
Dont bother your little head trying to figure it out
darling, Im getting your letters now and those that were
forwarded to Haiti will get to me sometime or another.
Boy what I mean, if you could see me for one minute now
to wipe away those doubts that arent here, Ill bet you
would never go back to Cleveland till I get discharged.
Id never leave you go any more honey.
I believe you when you say you love me darling and Im
happier for knowing it, and as for that furlough you
might never forget it but neither will I.
It does seem like there must always be a fly in every
ointment, dont it honey? Here weve both found love only
to be denied that love well the love isn’t denied cause
Ill always love you no matter how far apart we may be
but, they or if you would rather have it that way fate
sees fit for us to be separated for a while yet before
we shall have a chance to be married and to show our
love other ways than by these precious letters that we
both value so very much.
What luck Im having here honey. First I get to be in
charge of the messmen here and now I get an even better
chance. It seems that the all Marine baseball team is
going to train here this year. They will probably begin
getting here tonight and as they have special chow while
training we have set four special tables and Im going to
be in charge of those four tables so it will be up to me
whether or not the Marine team is well fed or starved
while training this year. I will still be in charge of
the other men but I won’t stay behind them all the time
because Ill is busy with my four tables. Don’t you wish
you were me? Just think of all the baseball players you
could get acquainted with.
Know what I was thinking of much of the time when I
didn’t hear from you darling? Well I was going to get a
week end and a 72 hour leave that’s 120 hours all told
and I was going to come up and take you along with me.
That would just have given us enough time to have got
married but as that wouldnt have given us time to get
married in Cleveland and we couldn’t hardly take Hoppy
to Pittsburgh I put that plan out to the wind. On 120
hours I could just get to Cleveland at 6:00 A.M. and
take the train out again at 8:00 A.M. and I wouldn’t
have a layover long enough to be married until I’d be
almost back but gee honey if 120 hours would have given
me time to catch a later train you would be a married
woman now and your residence would be temporarily in
Norfolk Va. I mean I was honestly speculating on that
only the time tables showed me it couldn’t be done and
still have Hoppy there for a while I was going to get
you and make apologies later but I changed my mind.
I received a letter from Lill this morning about an hour
after your letter she hasn’t much to say but what she
has to say is sure welcome. She says that I shouldn’t
say Im writing Beatrice a few lines. Lill says to tell
the truth and say “I’ll write you a few books.” She also
wants to know, “If you still write me volumes.” How does
she know you wrote that to me? Surely Ive never told her
and Im sure she’s never seen any of your letters once
they got here. There seems to be a, “gook,” in the wood
pile somewhere. I guess I’ll have to investigate. Did
she get out seeing you Sunday? Or were you out? She said
she might see you but she said it was such a nice day
she didn’t think you would be at home.
Thanks for telling me again that you love me and taking
such pains to be sure the letter gets here honey I sure
appreciate it and it’s made me happier than you can
guess.
Well I guess I’ll close now honey and try to catch a
couple of winks of beauty sleep.
Yours Always
Porter
P.S. Thanks for being mine always.
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XX 40 cdl PR
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March
15, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Va.
Dearest:
I received another letter this morning and Im thinking
it’s too good to be true. The letter I received this
morning is, -- well I think I’ll call it your relief
letter, because you are as much relieved to know that I
have received your letter as I am to know that you still
love me.
I guess you are right there to when you say it wasn’t
Erg’s letter that cured my sickness. Well honey to tell
you the truth about it your letter sure cured the sick
heart but the tired feeling was cured more by taking it
easier at my work and letting my men do a little more
instead of trying to do it all myself. Ive only got
about 40 minutes though till early dinner because I had
to serve a special chow for the few ball players that
got here. It seems they aren’t going to stay though.
They are going to stay nine miles from here at Norfolk
instead. Tough luck.
Im glad you got your packages honey and Im glad you
liked the outfit although I was a little afraid it
wouldn’t fit. Im glad you liked that extra book honey. I
enjoyed it myself. Sure I picked it myself but don’t
blame me because I was just lucky enough to get a good
one, most of the books I pick are, “lemons.”
Don’t worry about that watch honey I’ll send it the
first chance I get to go to town. I can’t very well go
to town until Uncle Sam decides to give me my last
month’s 20/80 or at least it wouldn’t do any good. We
will get it in a few days now so why worry. I performed
another operation on the watch the other night and had
it running for 16 hours but one can’t afford to take a
watch apart every time it needs winding and unless I can
get a key to wind it with Im afraid that is what we will
have to do.
I wrote Babe a letter last night and asked her to write.
I didn’t know the baby was sick. Im glad she is better
again. I guess I’ll have to write Bonnie a little letter
one of these days when I write to Min and I’ll have to
tell her where Emil is and also where, “The lady,” is.
Well honey you refer to the trick they tried on me that
Sunday. I suppose you mean the time they tried to get me
drunk? Honey I could take two to their everyone and
still drink them drunk. Ive quit drinking that way
though.
Well darling Ive simply got to quit for a while now and
go to the mess hall for early chow so Ill write more at
about two oclock this afternoon.
1:30 P.M.
Well honey we got through in nice time today everything
went as smooth as velvet everyone did their part without
any argument whatever.
Ive decided on a new idea since I got Lills letter
yesterday. I decided I would write you a book seeing as
everyone thinks thats what I should do. Ive decided to
answer all your letters as they come with short ones and
all the time Ill be writing this ?? Book. It will
probably contain many things youve wanted to know for a
long time. Don’t be surprised now honey if the letters
start coming two days apart or more maybe three days but
no longer. Im going to look over your letters one by one
and answer anything you may have saked me. Then when I
get the book done if its alright and suits me Ill send
it to you. Is that all right with you?
I guess this will be all for today honey so Ill close
with
Love & Kisses
Porter
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XXX
XXX
XXX
I love you more than anything my darling.
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March
15 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
To my darling Beatrice:
Do you remember the first letter you wrote me after I
had enlisted in the Marines? It was posted on June 20,
1926 and arrived at Quantico June 22 just 365 days after
I was sworn in. You told me to consider myself bawled
out for not writing sooner. Thats one of the few
bawlings out that I have never forgotten and never will.
I had asked you if your dad would have any objections to
my writing to you. You went to great pains to assure me
that he would not. He used to think different when we
went to school, you know, but you told me he had changed
since then.
You told me you had never seen me in uniform and you
went on to assure me that you didn’t mean that as a
slam. As if I could possibly take that as a slam. How
proud you were of the fact that you had just become a
senior. I may not have told you so then darling but I to
was proud of you.
You told me you had been to see, “Kiki,” “The
Blackbird,” and Brown of Harvard. I wish I could have
seen those shows with you. Do you know that I can never
even think of a show anymore without thinking of how
happy I was when we went to those shows together, its
then I realize how much I missed you during the time I
wasnt writing to you, and just what it was I missed.
That letter was one time when you doubted my word. I had
told you that I was studying, and you said seeing is
believing you couldn’t imagine me studying. I wonder if
Lill ever showed you the proof of it when you was over
at our house. Oh yes they have presented me a nice
diploma signed by M.G.C. John A. Leguine.
You asked me to write and tell you how things looked
around Quantico, wanted to know if we had big or little
trees, did we have nice horses, did we see any ball
games, were there any lakes, boating, or fishing. I
don’t know if I ever answered that flock of
interrogation marks and commas or not. It seems that the
trees are about the same as at home only they are all
strange. Not one of them had ever been in Cleveland and
they were so stuck up they wouldn’t talk to me anyway.
Yes we had nice horses but it was very hard to get a
hold of them cause the officers were always riding. Im
sure Ive told you about the baseball games and as for
the players you know them as well as I do and know as
much about them if not more than I do, so I wont start
telling you about them. There are no lakes around
Quantico nor are there any around here. The Potomac
River went by Quantico and when it gets down to here it
is Chesapeak Bay. The fish are plentiful around this
side of the Globe but so are the confounded eels. We
aren’t allowed to go boating because it affords another
way for dissatisfied sissies to desert.
You closed the letter with, “Your used to be Friend.”
Was that nice for my sweetheart?
Your next, “Red Letter,” came on July 8th. I believe I
was in the Hospital at the time trying to argue the
doctor out of the notion that I needed my appendix out.
I won the argument, by the way.
You asked me if I had turned woman hater. I guess you
know why now don’t you? Who wouldn’t after a loveless
engagement just to please an over nosy parent. Yes Im
referring to the affair with Evelyn. Thats where I
learned to mistrust a blonde.
You told me you had gone fishing with your dad and the
fish refused to bite so you gathered water lilies. You
were contemplating at the time on a camping trip with
your dad and you were going to take growler along. I
never did see that beatifull beautiful green bathing
suit you told me about. You simply had to learn to swim
then. No success I think.
You said never mind the ink you liked pencil better
anyway cause ink is so sloppy, yet you gently hint that
pencil rubs and fades to easy by giving me a pen for
Xmas. Oh! Ive stolen a march on you then I guess.
Do I ever think of old West Tech? How could I help but
think of West Tech especially when I realized how much I
missed by stopping when I did and above all when I met
you there?
That letter was when you asked me to make a furlough
before Christmas if possible. You sure were anxious to
see me then. If I remember rightly my supervisors
weren’t so anxious that I should come and see you and
had a guardian angel to (protect?) me from all
temptation of coming anyway. That was six months later
though. Ive several volumes to go through before then.
In your August 14, 1926 letter you showed your first
sign of affection also your first sign of Jealousy but
not of me but of how good I was doing in music or at
least you claimed to be jealous. Well honey thats over
now we have one another to look forward to so there is
no sense in it (Practice what you preach Porter)
Helen and you had been bathing and your shoulders were
sunburned you said I ought to see yours and Helens
shoulders. Hm interesting part of the anatomy to be
gazing at. Can you make that out?
Your Oct 2 1926 letter is next in line and you asked me
what a formal Guard Mount is. Ill try to explain. The
old guard Those that are not actually on post form in
skeleton squads, that is six men to a squad thusly
X X
XXXX and as many squads as they make is supposed to be
as many squads as the new guard has full squads thus
XXXX
XXXX These aren’t well kisses you know, each cross is
supposed to represent a man. Then they stand at
attention and the band plays generally a march after
aggilance call is sounded to march on the colors. The
old and new guard march over to the right of the band
into a single line. Then they stand at parade rest while
the band marches in front of the line and back again to
its original position. We call this trooping the line.
Then we play a waltz or something while the guard are
inspected. Then the sgts of the guard report their
companies. Then the pass in review.
Next you ask what Ive been doing. Thats so far back I
couldn’t tell you. Ive forgotten all shall we say
unpleasant things that happened so long ago. I suppose
though it was either guard or else swinging a pick and
shovel or something like that, generally was.
Next comes your letter of Oct 12 1926 you started out
with (What do you think?) How the heck should I know
what I was thinking of at the particular time that you
were writing that volume?
You closed that letter in French with “Your Friend
Occupied,” I think is what it means, it is like this,
“Yotre Amie occupie,” was my translation right? Do you
want to know what my translation is based on? Its on the
word Bon Amis. My uncle who is passed on now explained
to me when I was just a kid that it means, “Good
Friend,” or something like that so I knew that “Amie”
means friend and, “ocupee,” looks like occupied and,
“Yotre,” looks like yours. Hence my version of your
shall we say , unusuall ending of this letter. So much
for this one.
Your October 22, 1926 edition was a bit of advice to
stick around cause the service was doing me so much good
and telling me how many more good things were in store
for me if I stayed. That letter makes me feel like
shipping over for the good I get out of the service.
Shall I?
You said you cant ever think with your eyes shut. You
must have learned how between that time and my last
furlough, cause every time you closed your eyes and I
asked you you said you were thinking.
October 31st edition you told me you had met my sister
and the most of the edition was devoted to raving about
her. Here you was in love with the wrong member of my
family and here was me willing to give my right eye just
to have you love me even to let me love you if you
couldn’t love me. Here I was ready to shoot up a
regiment of men just for the right to love you or be
loved by you and you were wasting this perfectly good
devotion on my sister.
In your Nov. 9, 1926 edition you promised to tell me
some of the things Lill has been telling you if I was
good. You never did. I just wonder now. You said (hoping
I think who you think I mean) Took up your letters about
that time once honey and tell me what that refers to if
you can find it please don’t forget darling cause I sure
want to know.
You gave directions like this soon after that letter. To
be taken after each meal with or without water according
to courage.
Doctor Bea:
Antidote:
Same as for rattlesnake bite.
In your Jan 2 1927 letter you asked in one breath when
they were going to let me out of the brigg and in the
next you asked how my music was coming along. Did you
think the brigg was built to make us feel at home? If
carrying and lifting trash cans full of wet ashes all
day makes a man feel at home, it was. Music my eye. They
wouldn’t even leave us talk cause it made to much noise.
Let alone blow an instrument. Anyway the only personal
stuff we were allowed to keep while in there was a
couple of suits of B.V.D’s and some toilet articles and
writing material. How the heck could I sneak a clarinet
in? Under my B.V.D’s?
Well honey this much of the book has taken me all the
spare moments of this day with the exception of those
minutes I used to answer your letter, and as it is time
to retire use Kelly Springfield or, “what have you.” Ill
close for tonight
Porter
Well this is another day honey which all means another
dollar from old Uncle Sam. It means more to me though.
It means one more day toward “My Blue Heaven.” When I
look forward to that my darling I get as happy as a kid.
In fact I sometimes get so happy that I can’t even
think. Thats a good excuse for not writing when one
can’t think, one cant write either. I only ask to get to
see you once more. Ill bet that will be one long time
though that once will last the rest of my life cause Ill
never let you go anymore. I can just about see us
waiting like I told you at one time till about two years
after I get discharged. That idea was all O.K. then. Id
die now if I had to wait that long. I don’t know what it
is. I know you love me and I don’t think you will give
me up any easier than I would you. In fact Im beginning
to think it couldn’t be done no way. I don’t believe
they could make you give me up for any reason yet, Im
always afraid lest something should happen that would.
Honey if you ever do give me up for any reason at all.
Well Id never leave anyone else have you.
I just run across a place in one of your letters where
it was you that was cheering me up and a few letters
later you were the one that needed cheering. I just
wonder now if I ever did give you that cheering. If I
didn’t Im afraid you wont get much of it today cause
it’s a dreary rainy day out today and the dreariness
seems to be contagious.
Your next letter indicates that you didn’t need any more
cheering but it also says my letter arrived at the right
time.
Oh dear! He was such a terrible looking thing, and I
came near not having a Beatrice to write me even a short
letter. I got so sore when I read that part of one of
your letters. I was going to look him up. Well after
reading half a page more I find out that it he was a mad
dog. Someone else probably had the pleasure of killing
him for giving you such a scare. Now Id like to kill him
for giving me such a scare.
No Im not 180, Im 21 this year. Oh! pardon me. I see you
mean 180 lbs. Oh yes I was that at one time but Ive
reduced since then a few pounds. Im about six pounds
less now than 180 lbs but if I stay with the Mayonaise
dressing, olives, and sweet pickles, I wont be very
long. Oh I dont mean that Ill be any shorter than 6 ft
but I mean I wont be under 180 lbs. very long.
Oh, you made me say, “Yes,” one time and you didn’t even
give me a chance to argue but you steadfastly refused to
say, “yes,” yourself for a long time. You’ve made up for
lost time though.
Do you know what the answer to this one is honey? I love
you so much that just thinking of the time Ive got to do
yet makes me sore at the Marine Corps. I love you more
than anything else. I don’t believe its possible to love
more than I do and still every day I feel like I love
you more. I can’t possibly love you more though because
my love is as strong now as it seems possible to be. Try
to figure it out. Im darned if I can. It just beats me
some way or another so I cant think of anything else.
Say I always get jealous when I read some of your older
letters. You are always telling me about some other guy
and I always resolve inwardly to find that guy next
time. I get to Cleveland and I always change my mind. I
think Ill have to forget to change my mind about the
pianist of the orchestra in the Rialto. You were to
stuck on him. Why honey Ill swear you wrote almost a
half page about him.
You also had another one of your, “Bright ideas,” as you
call them when you wrote that letter but wasn’t ready to
tell yet. I wonder if it is ready now? You never have
told it you know.
Here Ive got a letter from you posted March 28th 1927
that gave me warning that it was no nice feeling to have
a crushed thumb. That was eight months before I got mine
crushed now how did that happen.
I don’t know what is the matter with me and my writing
today but for some reason or another I can’t seem to
think of anything to write about neither does my pen
want to write.
No I didn’t mind your not autographing your picture at
the time but later I kind of wished you had. Im liable
to get it mixed up with all the other girls pictures I
have if your name isn’t on it. No darling it isn’t
necessary to put your name on any picture you give me
although I don’t mind but I know the picture was given
to me so Im satisfied and if anyone else thinks I swiped
it Im fairly confident that I can convince them that
they are fooling with someone else’s affairs and that
their intrusions are unwelcome to me. If anyone wants to
know who the girl on the picture is. If I feel like
telling them I will if not I wont. Im generally glad of
the chance to talk about her though.
The next letter I have from you was right after my third
furlough or your first one. You asked me how could I go
to sleep and pass up all that beautiful scenery on my
trip back. If you had laid awake nights for a week
wondering (Why) someone refused to be your wife and if
had been worrying your head off do you think you would
prefer scenery to a bit of sleep? I doubt it.
You called me, “Porter Dear,” in that letter. That gave
me more hope than anything else. It made me happy and
still it worries me cause I couldn’t figure it out for
myself.
Now to put those letters aside for awhile and give you
what little current news I have up my sleeve.
To begin with my music arrived today, a whole half
months worth of it. Do you think you can figure out the
last sentence Well it means it cost half my months pay.
It is well worth it though it has all kind of standard
overtures and selections in it. All solo & 1st B [flat]
clarinet. I only wish I had a clarinet here now. Id have
a good chance to practice.
I dont remember if I told you in yesterdays letter or
not but the Marine Baseball team have decided to do
their training elsewhere this year. Namely, Norfolk Va.
which is nine miles from here. I guess that gives my
idea of getting the low down on them a punch in the
kneck. Poor idea. Im really sorry for it. Oh well Im
kind of glad honey cause I expect we might leave here
within the next couple of weeks and Id only have to feed
them and wouldn’t see them train at all from the looks
of things it looks like its going to rain for the next
six months not only the next two days. Heres luck to
them (Bottle of ink) I hope they all break a leg.
Guess what Ive been singing at my work all morning? Your
wrong it wasn’t Blue Heaven at all it was that Souvenire
song that I like so well.
In place halt! Until about 6:30 P.M. or 7:00 P.M. anyway
until after supper.
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March
17 / 1928 6:15 P.M.
Dearest:
Im afraid I must close this book without finishing it if
I ever want you to have it before I get paid off. I wont
have a chance to finish it after tonight cause Im afraid
there won’t be any tables or anything aboard ship to
write on. Yes “Dear Heart,” you have guessed the reason
for all this haste. Im not going to Haiti but to
Nicaragua instead. We will probably leave Monday so Im
going to have to pack my stuff again and do it when my
work in the mess hall is done tomorrow. Well as much as
I hate to go to that darn place still in a way Im glad.
Im going down there and get me a couple of “gooks,” and
when I get them there wont be any fight in them at all.
Someone has to pay for taking me so far away from you
and it might as well be a nigger as anyone else. The
funny part is they aren’t even sending me as a bandsman
but are sending me for straight duty. I think Ill put in
either for Aviation or Machine gun Company.
Now honey I know just how you are going to feel about
this news but it can’t be helped Im afraid, it looks
like ill have to take orders like a good soldier and
like you will have to bear it with me like a soldiers
sweetheart. God alone knows how much I hate to ask you
to bear this with me darling and we will just have to
trust him to watch over us both and to loosen our
burdens.
Oh how I hate that place, Nicaragua. Well they are
sending me down there and if I take to free a hand and
Kill a few niggers for looking cross eyed maybe they
will realize that I didn’t want to go to Haiti Nicaragua
but to Haiti. Of course you will keep on writing to this
address and the mail will get to me faster.
Well darling I love you now and always will if that is
any consolation to you. Ill always be looking forward to
the day when I will come back to you and will always
remember darling that you are all mine and if, “God
Almighty,” wants me to come out of it all a sound and
healthy man why everything will be nice for me but if he
wants that I should come out another way beside healthy,
Then Ill make every nigger I see pay and Ill not come
out. I want you to be brave my sweetheart and no matter
how heavy your heart may be look up to the world with a
smile on your face.
Im doing that honey. I don’t like to go away from you
either but there is no one beside you and me that knows
it. I won’t ever have any one say, “He was a coward,”
not if I can help it honey. Im going down there with the
full knowledge of what I am going into and if they smite
me on one check Ill turn the other and do it with a
smile. Im smiling now but not my heart. That feels like
lead. Oh that this world should come to this. They teach
you “thou shalt not kill,” and then turn around and make
you kill. Well I can sure do that if that is what they
want.
I suppose about this time you will be thinking my good
senses must have left me suddenly or something to that
effect. Im going to assure you they have not left me. Oh
no, my darling Im simply angry at the hypocracy of it
all. They keep books in the libraries for us to read
such as is in front of me now. The title if, “In his
Steps,” or “What Would Jesus Do?” The author is Charles
M. Sheldon. Now if he were in my place and someone said,
“kill,” What would he do? Would he rather obey orders or
would he rather stay by the, “Commandment” I believe it
would be one pretty hard party if we were to try to lead
this life in his foot steps from the “Garden of
Gethsemane,” to, “Calvary” I wouldn’t be such a big sin
to ask us to fight if it were someone with intelligence
but to kill those ignorant niggers that are no
comparison at all for us and only just for one reason,
because the big money sharks on Wall Street have their
money invested there. For that reason we have to sin to
commit the capital sin. Take life.
Well darling as I said before we will just have to be
brave and take things as they come and we will look
things square in the face. In other words we won’t let
other people know our real feelings except maybe our
love. That I never would deny. Ill live only for that
love darling and for a, “Captain Joseph,” later on
maybe. I only wish I could make you my wife before I go
darling then I know Id be back O.K. Oh Ill be back O.K.
anyway honey so lets not worry any more about it. Im
afraid as it is you should be the one to preach to me
about how brave a soldier should be and how I am
worrying to much.
I may send another package of things home to you darling
if I can and I may send your picture because I don’t
want to break it by putting it into a heavy marching
oiler and you can send me another small one to fit in my
purse as the other one got spoiled one time when I got
wet to the skin trying to use a motorcycle to swim
through a lake after a cloudburst.
Good night I though all night that I didn’t have a thing
to smoke but I remembered some tobacco in my pouch that
was to fine for a pipe so I just found some cigarette
papers and as my thumb wont work rolled one with one
hand. Its funny how many things we can do in need that
were simply impossible before.
I wrote my dad a letter today and told him I might go
but it wasnt a sure thing then yet but Im not going to
tell him yet for a while till I get down there. Im not
going to write to Lill about it at all nor to Min. There
is no hurry about letting them know so you can tell them
when you see any of them.
Im losing money by going down here because all Ill be
drawing will be privates pay no specialist money but I
dont care. Ill have enough to get married on when I get
back and I hope Ill be able to earn enough after that to
support a wife on. I may make some kind of a rating down
there to who knows? I may get pushed into the motor
transport company or something with a chance for a darn
good rating.
Well darling all we can do is hope for the best and put
our trust in God so lets live and be happy in this
beautiful love of ours while we may. Ill think of you
always and you do the same and we will leave the rest in
the hands of our maker.
If you write soon I may get the answer to this when I
hit Nicaragua. Ill surely have one more letter before I
go aboard ship Monday so Ill remain
Your Lover Always
Porter
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Weve got most of our life to make these good honey and I
mean to cause I love you so much
Porter
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March
18, 1928 M.B.N.O.B. Hampton Roads Virginia
Dearest:
Just a few lines to let you know that I haven’t left yet
but that I am expecting to soon. We leave here to join
our Regiment The 11th Regt. At the navy yard at noon
tomorrow. I had to draw some more clothes today so I had
to repack my sea bag beside that I had to stay in the
Mess hall today yet I was supposed to be relieved last
night. Ive just through packing and have very few
minutes left till Taps so I thought Id use them for a
good cause.
Do you still love your Porter honey? Even when he is
going down to kill, “gooks”? That’s funny but he’s more
liable to come back to you if he kills them than if they
are left to live. No darling Ive kind of got over my
blues cause I found out today that very little of our
time will be spent in the hills in pursuit of Sandino
but we are going down to suppress any trouble that may
start at their election of a President to take Diaz’s
place. Oh. We may get into the hills now and then but
the most of ours will be in the bigger cities and in the
capital.
Well Darling, does that make you feel any better? Ill
write to you often when I get there and again before I
sail if I get the chance. Ill try to send the watch
before I sail if I can. You just keep writing to me here
and the letters will reach me and dont be so very
surprised if you dont hear from me for a couple of weeks
cause the trip alone will take some time and a letter to
the
States from there takes some time to so write to
Your Love Sick Marine
Porter
Kiss me by the radio like this XX
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Mar. 19
1928 N.O.B. Portsmouth Va.
Dearest:
Here we are at the navy yard at Portsmouth. Not much
distance for one day but it’s a start anyway. We
probably leave here tomorrow or the day after. Just as
soon as all the men get here. We will be the 1th Regt.
And most probably the 3rd Battalion. It seems funny to
do straight duty again after doing special duty for such
a long time. There are quite a few of my buddies that
came through traing with me that are in this company. I
dont know yet what it is all about but its, “Nicaragua
here I come,” and, “Bye Bye Sandino.” I got a swell
rifle and boy what I mean those gooks want to keep out
of my way if they want to to stay healthy. I was going
to start in on a couple of them as we came through
Norfolk but the man in charge (a corporal) wouldn’t let
us.
Im going to send that watch from here if I can and I
most probably can as soon as we get some liberty to go
to town.
I had to store a lot of my clothes at Hampton Roads
cause I had to darn many to bother with on an
expedition. I suppose half of them will be missing when
I get back but it’s the best I could do.
I suppose you will be wondering whats the matter with my
writing. Ill tell you. Theres nothing to write on and
sitting on a bunk and trying to write in your lap is no
easy thing to do unless I can find a post Exchange to
get some envelopes why this letter wont get mailed for a
day or so. I think Ill get some though.
Well honey I don’t know about how the time is going to
pass for you but I expect it will pass pretty quick for
me cause there will be something new during each day.
From what I hear why we will be back in the States by
next October when the gook election is over so I may be
home for next Christmas. I hope so. Any way when I get
back Ill have so little time to do that Ill be able to
count the days on my fingers almost. Even if I get back
in October then Ill put in a request to be paid off 3
months ahead and Id only have 5 months to do, as it is
tis only 159 days. I think.
Im lonesome and blue today honey. Lonesome because you
arent here and blue cause there was no letter for me
before I left Hampton Roads today and one was due today.
You see the mail come in before we left cause we didn’t
leave till 1:30 this afternoon. That letter should have
been there. I think Ill have to have the Post Office
Department wages cut.
Well honey thats all for this time but Ill write more
before we leave so Love
Your
Porter
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March
20. 1928 Still at Portsmouth
Dearest:
This seems to be another day and another dollar earned.
Weve been on the go all day and well likely keep going
till taps tonight. This is noon and the rest of the gang
have gone to show. I went to the Post Exchange and got a
small box to ship that watch and Im enclosing this note.
God only knows when or where I will get to mail it.
I also got a new Kodak yesterday a Eastman Autographic
No 1 I dont know how Im going to get the pictures
printed and developed but they will be taken anyway. I
wouldn’t make a trip like this without a camera if I had
to starve to get the camers.
We got assigned to companies this morning and Im in the
sixty first machine gun company Eleventh Regiment and we
will probably be at Leon Nicaragua. We aren’t sure of
our destination yet.
Don’t be surprised if you dont hear from me for a while
honey, cause I don’t know when Ill get the next chance
to write or mail a letter. In fact I don’t know when or
where Ill get a chance to mail this yet.
I suppose youve still got the directions for opening the
watch just press [illustration of watch] this and the
back opens then you see this [illustration of watch]
those two circles represent the place where you wind and
set the thing. Ive tried to get a key for it here but no
one seems to carry any of them
Well honey we have a rifle inspection right after dinner
preparatory to turning them in so Ive got to close and
Ill write as soon as I get a chance.
Love Your
Porter
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March
21, 1928 Navy Yard Norfolk Marine Barracks
Dearest:
Ive just got to write to you tonight if I never get
repacked. It seems that the U.S.S. Ogalala got in today
and 16 men have gone aboard already to load and we go
aboard tomorrow morning. We leave when she gets loaded I
think.
I walked half a dozen miles across lots till I found a
post office today and mailed that watch. There is a
small letter in the bottom of the box. We had another
“heavy” today layed out on the field for eth majors
inspection so that means repack everything. We also were
assigned machine gons and drew steel helmets, Pistol,
blets, holsters, clips etc. and drilled about an hour in
the bargain. Some day.
Now its just up to us to put about 3 complete changes of
clothes and our toilet articles and mess gear into a
heavy and make the roll so tight it will fit into the
brim of our hats. Nice people.
I wish we would get started cause the sooner we get
Sandino’s scalp and put the fear of Christ into his
followers the sooner we will be back to our loved ones.
I sent off a letter to Erv today that I had written a
couple of days ago but couldn’t mail it cause there was
no post office to get stamps at but I found one today so
now Ive got stamps so I sent it off and tonight Im
writing one to you and one to my dad. Maybe one to Lill
before I go. Whats the matter with my letters honey? The
one that was due here Monday hasn’t arrived yet and the
mail that gets to Hampton Roads got here yesterday and
today so it evidently never got to Hampton Roads or else
they’ve forgotten that I left there.
Ive met about half or two thirds of what is left of my
old company that I came through boot training with. Ive
also met many of the friends that Ive had at different
times since Ive been in the service. This place isn’t so
hot though for anything else. The bunks are nothing but
canvas cots, no mattresses or pillows and the chow is
worse than it was on Parris Island. Oh well weve only
got once to live and the sooner we get it over with the
sooner we’ll be done.
You never have decided yet when the big day will be so
if you don’t decide soon Im going to decide to make it
one week after I get home after my discharge. Oh yes
that means that I have good intentions of coming home
before that once more if I get back to the States soon
enough.
Im still seeing things as they should be about eighteen
or twenty years from now and Im strong for it honey but
first Im looking forward to another big date. I often
feel that a dozen guys like Sandino with an army apiece
couldn’t hurt a guy that’s as lucky as I am. I sure feel
mighty lucky since July 7th 1927. Im old man “Luck”
himself. Lindy’s got nothing on me for luck. As far as I
know he hasn’t found or been accepted by is idea of a
perfect sweetheard and mate. I have.
Tell Helen that if she and Anne feel very peppery and
quarrelsome to come down and look me up and Ill let them
try their luck at beating up on “Our Friend” (Sandino)
That should give her a fast couple of rounds and Anne
chould be able to argue him to death. Please don’t take
these as slams its just a little fun.
Im going to try to take some pictures while we load ship
and some more on the trip and Ill try to get em
developed and printed at Ocotal in Nicaragua if we stop
over there long enough and if there is a photograpers
there. Ive got a dandy Kodak again it is smaller than my
other one was this is a No 1 Kodak Eastman Autographic
Kodak sure a swell one cost me twelve bucks without
accessories
You will find my new address on the sheet facing this.
Our headquarters will probably be at, “Leon, Nicaragua,”
but we aren’t sure of that yet so just mark it Nicaragua
until you hear from me down there and Ill let you know.
I love you darling and they will never make our return
soon enough to suit me cause when we do get back Im
coming to see you. Its really cruelty to make a man
leave the woman he loves when he loves her as much as I
love you. I love you so much that I can’t eat in the day
and can’t sleep at night.
Well honey they cant keep us apart forever so write soon
to your
Porter
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Private
Emil G. Thomas 3rd Battalion 11th Regiment 61st Machine
Gun Co. U.S. Mrines Expeditionary Force Nicaragua
March 22, 1928 Navy Yard Norfolk
Dearest Derby:
I didn’t expect Id be here to write to you tonight I
expected to be long gone but we aren’t going to go
aboard until tomorrow morning.
Today we were standing by to go aboard and in the mean
time we took a little physical drill and machine gun
instruction. The later was very interesting. More so
than the former at any rate but Im still betting that
the casualties on Sandinos part will be larger if they
turn us loose with a couple of straight razors apiece. I
don’t know much about Machine Guns but then weve got
about a twelve or fourteen day voyage ahead of us to
learn about the Machine Guns in and when we do Look out
Sandino and all his relatives and friends.
Sorry to hear that Tech lost that game to South. That
was a deciding game to, wasnt it? Oh well it isn’t the
fact that your beat, that counts. Its how did you fight
and why? Who was it that wrote those few lines? He must
have been a smart guy whoever he was.
Dont worry about my not knowing what part of Jimmys
letter is bunk and which isn’t. When you know him as
well as I do you cant help but know which is bunk and
which isn’t.
No honey I never did receive the letter witht eh Tech
Team’s pictures in it. I guess its still trying to find
out where the heck Im at.
Darned if I know what made that fool think you were
Jewish but don’t worry about it he either thinks
different now or else he realizes that what he said was
an insult. Anyway he knows better than to repeat his
words. Id break his back in two if he ever did repeat
those words so I could hear them or about them.
Why the heck don’t you bawl me out and tell me how
careless I am to let that pencil stolen on me, or is
that bawling out still traveling too.
We just got some definite information now. They told us
to be darn sure to have everything we will want on the
trip in our sea bag heavy cause the sea bags will be in
the hold where we can’t get at them so Im going to
repack my heavy again tonight. Heres hoping this is the
last time cause if we roll them much more Im liable to
roll them in my sleep and you might wake up some morning
and find yourself rolled up in a heavy marching order.
You wouldn’t like that so well, would you? It might not
be so pleasant cause they get rolled pretty darn tight.
Something like a corset.
Darn right Id try the cave man stuff honey. I love you
so much that if I was to see you right now Id never
leave you go anymore. They say everythings fair in Love
or War and I seem to be having plenty of both right now
only even the plenty isn’t enough as far as the love is
concerned. Ill never get to much loving and I doubt like
the dickens if I wouldn’t try cave man tactics right now
if you were here and wouldn’t get married of your own
accord. I wont say that I don’t prefer the other way but
if the other way didn’t work Id sure use the cave man
method.
I received a letter from Lill about an hour after yours.
A nice letter to. It was three pages long. Its not often
that she writes that much in the same letter.
Yes Ill admit Helen and Jimmy would make a good pair in
those uniforms but Im darned if Jimmy only had a little
more sense Id like to see those two make a pair marching
together to the alter. Hes not good enough for her
though. Neither is Erv. I only wish he was. Id have
liked to see Hoppy struggling with the Jacket of that
Gobs outfit buyt Id rather see you in it. In fact Id
rather see you anyway.
Don’t worry honey I wont gyp you on letters if I can
help it but of course you know that I might not be able
to write every day while Im down there nore will I be
able to receive them every day. I may be some way from a
post office most of the time. Depends on where Im doing
duty heres hoping its very near a post office
They will probably assign one corporal and two or three
privates to preserve the peace in each small village or
town and when we go into the hills where Sandinos army
might be we will probably be a full squad, eight
privates and a corporal. Thats noting though. In 1924
they sent 42 Marines to China to protect two full
regiments of the army from the Chinese rebels.
Well honey we leave tomorrow sure so bye bye for a while
and write often to me at the address on the envelope. I
love you now and always will darling and if dreams come
true we’ll both be very happy. Think of me often
Porter
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March
24, 1928 Aboard the U.S.S. Ogalala
Dearest:
Your letter of consolation was received by me about 2
minutes before we came aboard the tug that brought us
out to the ship. That was yesterday. We spent the day in
standing in line for chow and trying to find a place to
crowd in our folding cot. We are now almost eighteen
hours out, about 200 miles as they go in the navy.
The water is pretty rough today and bound to get worse
cause we are scheduled to run into a storm sometime
today. We are doing everything but barrel rolls now so
what will we do then. I havent been sea sick this trip
yet but Ive got a hunch I will be soon. Im going to
write this letter a little at a time and when I get an
envelope full Ill start another one.
I don’t know what to say to tell you how much good those
few lines just before my departure done me. I realize
how you feel about my going honey cause I feel the same
way but it cant be helped so we will just have to make
the best of a slightly bad bargain.
Time out.
Sunday A.M.
I was called away from your letter kind of suddenly
yesterday when we had a class in Machine gunnery on the
upper deck and one thing followed another and I didn’t
get time to get back at my letter till now. Im going to
write instead of attending the religious services this
morning. Im sitting on a mine-rack at the stern using
the mine-rack to write on. Its not very steady but its
as good as anything I could find.
Oh yes we have a class today too. They are going to have
a first class M.G. Company by the time we need one. The
class meets – Time Out
Monday noon
I started to write some more yesterday but was called
down for not being on time for class. We also had to go
to church and I met one of the Hoffman boys there. Used
to go to school with em. They live on Stickney. I knew
he was in the Navy but I didn’t know what ship he was
on.
Well honey we are getting down into warm country now
yesterday morning we passed Key West Florida about 60
miles off the coast this morning we passed San Salvidor
Where Columbus is supposed to have landed also some
other group of Oslands. I don’t remember the name of
them. We slept under one blanket last night, and were
uncomfortably hot. Today it is to darn hot to wear any
clothes only they won’t leave us run around that way.
I tried shaving last night and Im afraid my face got
into the way a little cause I seem to have only half a
face left.
I hear we stop at Panama but cant go ashore but the mail
gets dropped there. We should get to the canal tomorrow
night and lay to and go through Wednesday. They don’t go
through at night so they always wait till morning to
start through cause it only takes about eight hours to
go through. Weve been practicing firing the Machine guns
through the nime gate in the stern shooting at barrles
tied about 1000 yds behind the ship. They are real hard
to hit too because the waves roll them around so much.
Dont worry honey I love you as much as you love me and
Ill come back to you some way and whats more Ill come
back to you as soon as pissible.
It seems strange to me that so many men should be
feeding the poor starving fishes and I can’t seem to. I
eat just as much as any of them and I just don’t get
sick. I guess my stomach is made of sheet iron or
something.
Well honey I want to try to drop Erv a few lines so Ill
close soon. I don’t know if I will succeed or not at the
rate we are having classes but Ill try it anyway. Id
like to write to Lill and to Min too but I doubt if I
will get the time.
Id like to get a couple of letters at Panama but I know
I wont so Ill just make the best of things as they are.
Well honey write soon so Ill be sure to have a letter
when I get down there. Ill close now with Love and many
Kisses
Your Porter
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[March
28, 1928] Date ? 1928 Wednesday
Dearest:
This is Wednesday and we are due to hit the canal today
some time probably in tow more hours Im going to try to
write you a few lines before the mail is taken up.
More dope – We are getting cleaned up for the canal. We
are just two hours out and they are figuring on going
through the locks on this side and we anchor in Gatun
lake over night and we will probably go in swimming
seeing as that’s fresh water. Birthday suits regulation
What a relief that will be from the heat, sweat, dirt;
and salt water.
Well honey I must be moving so write soon.
Our address is now 61st Co. 11th Regt. Expeditionary
Force Nicaragua U.S.M.C. c/o Post Master Balboa Canal
Zone
Dont worry honey cause Ill surely come back.
Always Yours
Porter
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