We have just three letters from Jack to Maggie in the last half of 1942, and there are no corresponding letters to Gram during this period.
June 27, 1942
Dear Maggie
I got your letter today and was glad to hear from you. I thought you had forgot me all together. I know how we were running around befor we left but that was for only a period of 3 days not a month.
I still don't like Wash, wish I were back in N. Mex, but will stay while I am making money. I passed my test and am working on the U.S.S. Nevada, too bad it wasn't sunk at Pearl Harbor. It is a hot and dirty job. I only work about 2 hours a night though, just stand around and wait on the ship fitter.
You think you have soldiers there you ought to be here, we have sailors , soldiers, and marines plus a few forgien " & etc. They are just every place all the time thats all you see, it gets tiresome after a while
I may move in with Louie after a few weeks I don't know, I would have moved in befor this but I hate to move.
Say have I've been smoking latley, more than a pack a day. I've got to quit or it will kill me (I hope)
Am I smart, I just took my watch off and put it on backwards.
It has been nice the last couple of days, the sun has actualy been out for more than a hour.
I have to close and get some sleep so write soon and let me know what you have been doing.
Bill
Again, a letter written on folded paper. It starts on the upper right, then lower left, lower right, and ends on the upper left.
Oct 4 1942
1243 - 5th St
Dear Maggie
Well it is Sunday and I woke up early & thought maybe I should drop you a line to let you know I am still alive.
I am still putting in my time here but that's all. Things have been rather dull of late, no work just stand around and hope a naval officer doesn't find you loafing. I haven't done a real days work in a month. I am still on the Nevada but it is almost done so I'll probable get changed over to the U.S.S. Tenn. or new construction in the near future.
You ask what I have been doing in my spare time. Well we have been boating several times but out side of that not a – – thing. The only thing there is to do on our day off is go to a show or Seattle, if we go to Seattle we always end up at a show. I have got so I go to sleep in every show I see. I went to a good show, last day off, and really wanted to see it, I tried hard to keep from going to sleep but did any way. Louie bought a car so that helps break the monotny once in a while, we have seen some very pretty country while we ride around. I just wish I had a movie camera to take some color pictures of it.
You talk of Alb. soilders – if you want soilders, sailors, marines, English salors and air pilets both RAF & RCAF and our own you should come here we have them all. You see them all if you stay here a little while the English salors are in town most every day, they are crazy & drunken. You can't understand a word they say, it sounds like a hog grunting.
You say you have reformed as far as drinking goes, well you should see this little boy – hasn't even smelt a cork since he's been here. Oh of course tried to drink a few beers but this stuff here isn't fit for nothing or no body.
In this state they don't serve whiskey by the drink – bottle only & you have to be setting down to drink beer. You can't even carry it to your table a waitress has to.
You talk about N.Y.A. it is one big laugh up here. That N.Y.A. training doesn't do any body any good, they put you in whatever shop needs you. The Nyaa gives you training then you come here and they have to train you all over. My training in welding actually didn't do me a bit of good. I had to start all over again when I came in the yard. We don't do much of any thing the way we were taught in N.M. The only thing they do that helps the boys is send them out here. I just wish I could get some time off & come back and try to show those instructors just what they want up here.
Talking a bout getting off to come back – a guy can't get off for love nor money now. The only way you can get any time off is to quite & then the army has you so there you are again
Well I guess I ought to close now. Write soon.
Bill.
Nov 14 1942
Dear Maggie
I guess I owe you a letter in – – fact I have owed it to you for quiet a while.
It has been rather cold here, not by the thermometer but by feel. It just goes right through you like nothing. It has been raining too not hard but rather steady it has come down for better than 24 hours now and sure makes a guy want to come back to N. Mex.
You asked if I was disgusted with the whole world, no not quite, just this part of the country. I guess I wrote those two letters to you when I was down in dumps. It gets very tiresome just putting in your time and not feeling like doing anything when you do have a day off. It is hard to do anything here, unless you want to spend a lot of money, and then you don't have the fun we use to have.
On our day off all Louie wants to do is go over to Seattle and ride around. Well to my notion he isn't the driver he thinks he is and it soon gets on my nerves so I come home all worn out.
I am working on the U.S.S. Idaho now, I meant putting in my time I welded for about 30 min. last night so you see I really work. Every once in a while I get to talking (as usual) to a sailor who has seen action and they really can't tell some real stories. Not the kind you read in news papers but the straight stuff.
One gave me some money from Iceland and told me all about it up there. In fact I have been around the world several times. I have heard stories about almost all the foregien countries except Africa.
You ask about Wayne. He is still in Aberdeen as far as I know he hasn't written me in a couple of week. And for Malcolm she is in Vegas from what Ma says. I guess she goes up to see Ma every once in a while. She never has written me so I have done likewise.
No I haven't been on a spree since I came out here (almost 7 months) but one of these days I am going to realy through a big one. I am going to get as drunk as I did the time we went out with Claude, J.C. Quack & ect. If I ever get back to Vegas & Wayne is there I'll really go on another one, maybe we could talk to you on being there too. That is if I ever get back there. If the weather doesn't start getting a little better I am afraid I'll die with my boot on. You ought to see the boots I have now they weigh about 10 lbs. Boy they are really heavy.
I almost fell over board the other day. I fell on a platform on the side of the ship and tried to get up befor a officer caught me. Any way I skined up my shins and did they hurt for a while.
I guess some of these mexican kids are going home. They don't like it here and want to go back to their girls. Dick the kid from Alb went home to join the army, I told him to look you up I hope he did but doubt it. His brother referred to you as Miss Murphy – I didn't know who he was talking about.
Well I better close now and get some sleep. I am still on the graveyard shift so I need it.
Write soon
Bill
Well, well! Jack and Maggie were drinking buddies! The things we learn!
