Moving Cows To Get A Seat

October 22, 1952

San Diego, Calif.

Atchison Topeka &Santa Fe trademark in the late 19th century

Hi Norma,

Your letter was postmarked in New Albany, Indiana, so I suppose you're enjoying another excursion. Wish I was there so we could do a little chasing around together. 

[Editor's note: Norma's love of travel didn't end when she married Jim. One of his nicknames for her was "Go Parker."]

The was you describe those buses you rode reminds me of the trains on the Santa Fe route. 

I had to move a cow to get a seat.

There were 250 big shots who came aboard today and we had to show them around. They are a lot of trouble and can ask some of the damnedest questions. 

I made out tonight. I got the 8 to 12 flight deck watch. I don't have much to do, but I had still rather sleep. 

Of course, honey, I would like you to snuggle up to me and if I had been on the bus, I wouldn't have let you get cold. I'm too much of a gentleman to let that happen to a lady. I would have given you my coat. HA  

It seems I've seen this "Club Rialto" going from Detroit to Tennessee. 

That floor show sounds like it was pretty good. I could go for something like that now. 

"Yes," I know what "zombies" are and I know that it can knock you on your "stem-shut." I drank a few of them. I bet you were "hot to go" after them. I've seen how they affected women before. Whiskey works on me the same way, but beer is just the opposite. When I drink beer I'm not much of a guy to be out with.

But with a few mixed drinks under my belt, I can make any woman happy.

Well, baby, I've got to sign off.

Answer soon.

Love, 

Jim

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Sing Me To Sleep

October 20, 1952

San Diego, Calif.

Sheet music for "You Belong To Me,"
#1 on the Top Ten Billboard Charts for weeks in 1952
and one Jim and Norma's favorite songs

Hello Norma,

I'm back again. I got your letter today and thought I had better answer it while I have time. We will be going to sea pretty soon and I won't be able to write at all.

So, you are an elbow-bending baby, "eh?" HA I should be on the beach bending the elbow now, but I'm not, "dog gone it." "Oh, well," maybe tomorrow night. You know something? I haven't been drunk in quite a while. I guess I'm slipping. 

What do you like your drinks mixed with? "Gin" or something like that, huh? 

[Editor's note: When I was a teenager, Norma limited her drinking to weddings and always ordered what I came to call The Baptist Wedding Drink, gin and 7-up.]

I would like to go to Kentucky with you. We could have a wonderful time on those curves (the ones in the road, I mean). HA

Honey, tonight I need you to sing me to sleep. For some reason, I haven't been sleeping very well lately.

Last night, a couple of guys had a fight right next to my bunk. I think it was about 2 o'clock this morning. I had only been to sleep about an hour and they woke me up. I still haven't found out what started it all.

I can't think of anything to say tonight, so I guess I'll sign off.

Answer real soon.

Love, 

Jim

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Midnight

October 19, 1952

San Diego, Calif.

"Midnight" sheet music, ca. 1951

Hi Norm,

Here I am again. I didn't have any stamps and couldn't get any until yesterday.

"Nuttin'" new here, I went to Tijuana yesterday. But I didn't even have a beer. I went down with a buddy of mine who went to buy his wife a birthday present.

He just got married two or three weeks ago. 

He is the one I used to pull my wild liberties with, but the guy really has reformed since he married. If that's what married life does to a guy, I'm more afraid of it than ever. HA  An old, hard drinking guy like him suddenly stops drinking and chasing around with bad women. HA 

But I don't blame him. If I were married I would stay off the stuff myself.

You know, after being home and seeing decent girls, the things out here sure are disgusting, but they looked pretty good after an 8 month stay in Japan.

"No," we never get any mail when we're at sea except when we're overseas.

Honey, if I were there I would get you "warm," also myself. We might even go to bed?

So, them "damn" Red Wings started off bad already, "huh." "Oh, well," they will do better.

I've been hearing about the record "Back Street Affair." I've never heard it yet. 

"No," I haven't the one by Red Foley, either. [Editor's Note: It seems that Red Foley's hit, "Midnight," is the most likely song since it was released at about the same time as "Back Street Affair" and replaced it on the Top Ten Chart.]

"Yes," I'm gonna vote. My absentee ballot should be here any day now. Don't worry about not being able to vote. You're probably better off.

[Editor's note: For years, Jim and Norma had a running joke that their votes cancelled each other out and it was important that they both vote to maintain the balance. He was a loyal member of the Democratic Party; she never voted anything but Republican.]

My bowling average used to be 160. I don't know what it is now. I went last night and shot a 168 and a 194. 

Well, Norm, it's chow time, so I've gotta close.

Answer soon.

Love, 

Jim

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Baby, You Can Trust Me Anywhere

October 14 1952

San Diego, Calif.

Ronson print ad, Life Magazine issue 3/24/52.

Hi Norma,

I got a "charge" out of the way you asked what "elbow-bending baby" was. HA 

Did you ever sit at a bar on a stool and drink beer or whiskey? Or sit and drink anywhere, for that matter? If so, you always bend your elbow when you take a swallow, don't you? That's what we call "bending the elbow."

I'm glad our last two weeks of operating are over. We had all those Marines along. There weren't bad guys, but there were so many they got in the way and their helicopters were a lot of trouble, too.

Two of my buddies wanted me to go over with them last night and I'm glad I didn't go because they came back "soaked to the tonsils," if you will excuse the expression. 

The night we were celebrating, we were drinking everything from straight whiskey to beer. Mixing it like that was one reason I got so "high." No, I never have a very bad hangover. I never do unless I drink a lot of beer and most of the time I stay away from that stuff completely. Only one time I had one to any extent. In Japan, I got drunk on a little beer and a lot of Japanese wine. I was "shaky" and had a bad stomach for three days but I never did vomit.

You signed off saying you were sleepy. If I were there, I would take you in my arms and sing you to sleep and then I would put you to bed, tuck you in and fall asleep with you.

You asked if you could trust me out here. Baby, you can trust me anywhere. I'm the most trustworthy fellow I know of. HA

It looks like I left everything I own in your car. By the way, did I leave a small Ronson cigarette lighter with my initials on it there?

Your bowling was real good for a new bowler. It took me a long time to do that well.

Honey, how am I supposed to send you a kiss? My lips don't leave "foot-prints." 

I've got to close now and write my little sister before she eats me out for not answering her letter.

Answer soon.

Your admiral,

Jim

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In The MIddle Of It

October 1, 1952

San Diego, Calif.

Scan of Jim's stationery,
ca. 1952

Hi Norma,

Don't pay any attention to my "griping," but this place gets worse all the time. I'll sure be glad when we shove off for Japan. I wish our home port was "Frisco" or Seattle, any place besides here.

When I was home I asked Norman D_____ (Bob's cousin) where Bob was going. He said "to Austria." I remarked that he was lucky to be getting duty there. Norman said, "Whatta ya mean lucky? If a war starts over there, he will be in the middle of it." I didn't say anything, but I thought of the guys who have been in the middle of "it" for the last two years in Korea and most of them would give their right arms and eye teeth to get duty in Austria.

The name of that race track is Del Mar, but I didn't get to go back and the racing season is over now.

No, I've never been to Hollywood, but I've been to Los Angeles once and was only about 20 miles from Hollywood.

When I get away from "Dogo," I usually go to Long Beach. I have a few friends there. If you want to see the place, come on out, and I'll show you around. I don't know much about the place, but we could learn it together.

Tomorrow we go out for three weeks. We are taking 800 Marines and a bunch of Marine helicopters along to practice making invasions from carrier based air craft. 

Well, kid, I've got to sign off. 

Answer soon.

Love, 

Jim

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