February 6, 1952
Wednesday night
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| A U.S. Navy Grumman F9F-2 Panther from fighter squadron VF-52 Knightriders prepares for launch from the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge(CV-45) off Korea on 19 July 1950. |
When you call me the "sweetest sailor" you know, that makes you the sweetest gal I know. And it sort of makes me feel homesick too.
Why were you surprised to hear from me? Don't I write often enough? I write every chance I get.
You know, Norm, I looked at the water where your letter went in and it looked so cold I just couldn't go over side. If it was summer, I would have.
The 2nd, 3rd & 4th of this month were the worst days I've ever endured yet. I thought it got cold in Detroit but the weather there is like Florida compared to this. The wind is terrific, up to 70 knots sometimes. [Editor's note: approximately 80 mph.] A few times I thought it would blow me off the flight deck.
A carrier from the States came over to relieve the carrier that has been operating with us. I'll bet those guys are glad to be going home. I think I'll "hitch" a ride with them. HA
We got to knock off early tonight (at 5:00) because the weather over Korea is too bad for flying and probably by tomorrow our flight deck will be covered with snow. And I'll be up there at 5:00 shoveling it. "Oh" this exciting life of a Sailor. HA
"Oh heck" (that's milder than "hell") I stopped long enough to get a drink (of water) and forgot where I left off.
While we were in port last time, my buddy from North Carolina and I went over some Japs house (he knew the people from last year) and they really treated us good and were glad to see him. They said that he was "veddy good boy." They gave us beer and something to eat. I don't know what it was. It wasn't very good, but I ate it to be sociable.
I don't know if I should come out to your house when I come [home] or not, if your smile knocks guys over, but I'll risk it if you'll let me, O.K.?
You should have seen me yesterday morning. I was working on the wheel of a plane when the one in front of me started turning his engine up. I got caught in the "slip stream" and I grabbed hold of the wheel I was working on. The blast from the one forward had me waving like a flag in a big wind. Now the guys call me the human stars and stripes. HA I almost beat my insides out before I could get out of the way.
No, you've never seen me smoke. I didn't before I came in the Navy, didn't drink either. HA
[Editor's note: I'm pretty sure that's a fib. When I was a kid, elementary age, I was on the anti-smoking bandwagon and nagged my father relentlessly about his habit. In one sincere conversation, I stopped telling him why he should quit and asked him why he started. He explained that he took his first drag on a cigarette when he was 11 years old and something inside him when "pow!" He described his head feeling different, lighter; he got a buzz. He wasn't hooked immediately, but the feeling was so pleasurable, he knew he would repeat it as often as he could. I quoted the recent Surgeon General's Report on the effects of smoking and implied that the 1960s must be more enlightened than the '40s. Jim said, "It doesn't take a genius to know that lighting up something and sucking on the other end is a bad idea."]
Well, I've got to close now. Almost time to go to bed.
Answer soon.
Your pal,
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