A couple corrections about the earlier letters.
My mom clarified that she did meet Jack before he went to Washington. In fact, she met him while she was working for the National Youth Administration, an agency created under the New Deal. Margaret actually helped him to get the welding job up there.
Mrs. Goodwin/Grandma Goodwin was not related. She was a friend of the family in Concordia, Kansas.
Onward to letters from late summer, 1943.
Nothing super interesting here, but there is the first inkling of Uncle Sam sniffing around.
Jack had moved from Seattle to Bremerton. The 6¢ air mail stamp would cost 90¢ today.
Aug 31 43
Dear Ma
I received your letter with the IAL and I can't figure out what it means. I was planning on going up to the draft board and changing my address but figured nothing would happen so soon. I'll go up tomorrow and ask them what that stands.
Don't get worried I got all your letters and also Nene's. I got one from you yesterday also the kids. I couldn't figure out why you would write me so soon when I got this one but when I opened it I understood why. Oh well I guess that's the way things go. I still can't figure out just what the score is. Say if my induction papers should come there please send me a telegram stating the date.
When you see Ava tell her we think she is a rat & etc. She left $2 in the Glove compartment.
I took my watch up to have it fixed -- Martin didn't tighten the minet hand and it has been losing the time. I wish I could have taken it back in there and told him a few things. If it didn't take so long I would have sent it back but it would have taken almost 3 weeks.
We have been having swell weather here last night and to day typical Wash. weather. It is what they call rain I call it mist just enough to make everything nice and disagreeable. We go out in it to absorb our vitamins.
I got the pictures o.k. and that one of Bo ought to be enlarged to a bout a 10 by 12 and hung in the front room. Ask Nene if she can make positive rolls. A fellow has a projector and said he would project the films from me.
Well I'll close and finish this when I found out what the score is.
I found out what the L stands for Limited Service. I also ask when I was subject to call and they said they didn't know, When ever they need limited servicemen. I don't think much of the I deal myself as I said before. I think I am as good as any man in the army. I think I'll ask for a deferment. I don't know if I can or not but I'll try.
Were those needles the size you wanted (I hope). I can get you some Singer machine oil if you want it.
Well I guess that's all except more vitamins coming down in the form of moisture and I had to cut the web between my toes.
Jack.
Sept 4, 43
Dear Ma
I got a letter from you yesterday so may be I ought to write you one today. We got payed today they moved it back a day for unknown reasons enclosed is 30 dollars you gave me they said N.M. money isn't any good up here.
Good for our dear Brother in law for having to work. I'll bet it almost killed him I hope. If that guy ever hit a brick in his life he would have to rest for a year.
I went up to see about a deferment and the guy just laffed at me. He said if I could hold out till Oct. I might be able to get one, but he expected me to be gone long before that. I'll just sit tight and hold on for dear life.
I was washing some cloths today thought I had taken every thing out I started really pouring it on my shirt and noticed something flash I looked again and it was my badge. It didn't hurt the picture but it blurred my name. I just don't give a dam though if they don't like it they can give me another one.
It is our day off and the sun would be shining if the clouds weren't all over the sky so you don't even see one little speck of blue. I wish you would send me some pictures of these. Also the one of Bo.
I don't know what we will do today nothing I guess. Thats usually what we do and plenty of it. I don't know but we will probable go to a show
Well I imagine the kids are happy about school starting. Now Nene will have to study and won't be able to see Jim as much. Bo will have to stop seeing the [____] so much and there dear little bro will be working like mad or be in the army. Oh well we have a lot of fun wondering just what will happen next.
Well I better finish dressing and go mail this.
Jack.
Sept 8.
Dear Ma
May be I ought to drop you a line to let you know in a secret. ( I am still alive). I had my income tax figured out this morning and in the end I won't owe them anything in fact they will be owing me a little cash. That makes me very unhappy.
I'll enclose the neg. and ration book I kept forgetting them. I guess I just can't remember a thing.
You never did send Wayne's address you said you did but I couldn't find it and I did read the letters I am going to send you a roll of film for Nene to develop. They have pictures of the trip and about 6 others. I still have about 20 to take so don't expect it for a while.
I haven't been doing much as usual except work. We went out to Curts Sunday and cut up about 6 cord of wood so we did work. I took about 3 hours and we all realy slaved. Got a good meal out of it. They said thank you for the beans.
Believe it or not I almost went blind went up on topside this morning and the sun was shining in fact it is still out. I don't know what is going to happen.
Louie is feeling sort of low hasn't received any mail from home and "Little Bill has had gobs of them. Of course he has[n't] written one since we got here and that was about a week after we got here. Now say your little boy doesn't love you. If I treated you like most kids treat there parents you might have some thing to kick about.
Well maybe enough wind has blown in N. Mex so I'll sign off
Jack.
Notes:
- Yes, he was unhappy to have Uncle Sam owe him money. Uncle Sam should not get to use your money for free!
- Jack often leaves off the "n't" from his negative statements, but I placed it when he talked about Louie not getting mail. Poor Louie.
- Jack's friends called him Bill. And his given name was neither Bill nor Jack, nor any of the common names that those nicknames come from. His was a family of nicknames!
- There are a few clues that perhaps he went home sometime between February and Summer of 1943:
- The lack of letters for that period.
- He mentions the watch he had fixed. It wasn't repaired correctly, and he was loathe to send it back to "Martin" as it would've taken 3 weeks.
- Ava left $2 in the glove compartment. He must've recently driven back to Washington. I don't know who Ava was.
- He had changed addresses
Next entry: A little boredom is setting in.
