How Much Is That Doggie In The Window

June 27, 1953

San Diego

Sheet music cover for Patti Page's big hit
ca. 1952

Hi Doll,

Boy, has this been a long day. I have liberty, but I don't care to go ashore. This town seems to be worse each time we pull in.

I was over for a little while yesterday, but I came back early. The place was too dead even for an old "dead beat" like me. HA 

By now you are home from "Cinci" and I hope your uncle is better. 

I tried to call you this afternoon. I wanted to surprise you, but it didn't work out so well. It was my fault. I should have told you I was calling. I'll call again if you will send your phone number. I had a hard time getting through without it.

I was listening to a couple of married "swabs" talking about their troubles the first few months they were married. It doesn't make very good copy, but it is good listening. HA 

One of them said he was married four days before his wife would go to bed with him. I think if that happened to me, I would be beating my head against the wall.

I sure am sweating out the time until I go on leave. I wish we were at sea, time seems to go faster out there. 

Just think, when my leave is up, I'll only have 14 months to pull. I'll sure be glad when it's over. I called my sister in Detroit yesterday. It sure was good to hear her again. She talks with more of a southern drawl than your mother. But you better not tell your mom I said that. HA 

If I'm not mistaken, today is supposed to be Norton L___'s wedding day. Did it come off alright? The wedding, I mean.

Jim's stationery for this letter

I'm just like that sailor at the top of the page. I can't think of anything, either. And speaking of page, I heard Patti Page sing "Doggie In The Window" and is it pretty. I can't get enough of it.

[Editor's Note: That's a fact. I heard "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window" sung by Jim from the time time I was a child until the day I went to college.] 

At first, I thought you took a train to Cinci, but I was re-reading a letter and it seems that you were trying to park on a hill, so I guess you drove down.

I may as well sign off. I can't seem to think of anything more.

Answer soon.

I love you,

Jim

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Happy Valley

June 25, 1953

San Diego

USS Valley Forge a.k.a "Happy Valley"

Hi Doll, 

Well!! We finally made it. I was beginning to wonder, but we did.

There were 7,600 people on the dock, the largest crowd that ever met a ship in "Dago," I think. I wish you had been one of them.

I have duty tonight and can't get ashore. Just my luck the first day in.

The "ole U.S.A." sure looks good. In fact, I can't think of anything better, although it seems only a short while ago that we pulled out.

I'll be glad when we leave here for Norfolk. I'm anxious to see that side.

Honey!! those things I bought in Japan will have to go. They say we must have them off the ship by the 14th of July. Some of it is yours and some it mine. So, if it is O.K., I'll mail it to you.

I have the midwatch tonight. That is the midnight to 4 in the morning shift. I suppose there isn't much reason for me to go to bed. It must be 10 o'clock now. The watch is easy, but I don't like the hours.

Yes!! I think I'll get 30 days leave this time. If I don't, they will hear from me.

So, you are having trouble with the neighbors? My ex-landlady said they were, too. They are trying to sell their house, also. They live near Livernois and Joy Road.

Baby!! I had better sign off and try to get some sleep before I go on watch.

Answer soon.

I love you, Doll, 

Jim

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Hitting The Honolulu Beach

June 18, 1953

Honolulu

DeRussy Beach 1953

Hello Honey,

We hit Hawaii yesterday and I had five letters from you. It made me plenty happy.

It sure is hot here. Quite a contrast from what I've been used to and I'm having a pretty hard time getting accustomed to the change.

I'm not gonna answer your letters in order but just as I pick them up. I'm in kind of a hurry to hit the beach. HA  

Norma, I would like to be with you today. I can think of many things we could do. I love you, honey, and will be glad to get home to show you how much. 

That swimming and laughing on the beach sure sounds like fun. 

We had a division party yesterday. I didn't intend to go, but decided I had better. Now, I wish I hadn't. Too much beer, no good. HA  I couldn't hit the ground if I had fallen out of an airplane last night.

Oh, well, I'll quit doing things like that someday.

My mind won't function this morning. I must have been in worse shape yesterday than I thought I was and, from what they say, I was pretty far gone.

I think I'll go over today and see a movie.

Sweet thing, I better sign off before I pass out. HA 

Answer soon.

All my love, 

Jim

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Civilization By Way Of Milwaukee

June 16, 1953

"At Sea"

The Braves made Major League history when they moved
from Boston to Milwaukee in 1953

Hi Honey,

We must be close to Honolulu, it's hot at hell. I can't stand too much of this temperature. I think I'll go back to the line. On second thought, I don't think I will. HA 

I know we are getting close to civilization because tonight I heard a ball game from Milwaukee. 

We pull into Pearl Harbor tomorrow morning at seven o'clock and the division is having a beer party tomorrow night, but I don't think I'll go. 'Cause too much beer will weaken me. HA 

If I'm right, Pinnegar and Stewart and some more of the guys should be out by now. I'll bet they are sure glad to be civilians again. 

Sometimes I wish I had joined the Army. 

I just wrote my sister a letter and "chewed her out" for going with a certain guy. She is 16, he is 23 and the most obnoxious man I ever met.

My simple mind is pretty well a blank tonight. All I can think of is nine days to stateside and then about 40 days to Norfolk. That East Coast is sure gonna look good to me. 

Hey, honey, tattoo just went, so lights out in five minutes.

Answer soon.

I love you, Doll, 

Jim

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Coming Home

June 14, 1953

"Coming Home"

MSC vs. Oregon State, Spartan Gridiron News,
October 31, 1953

Hi Darling,

The old war weary aren't far from stateside now. We make Pearl Harbor next Wednesday. Today we crossed the International Date Line, so tomorrow will be Sunday also. Today we didn't have to work, but I don't know if we get tomorrow off or not.

We have been on the edge of a typhoon since we left Japan. It hasn't been blowing any but it's foggy and has rained all the way.

I'm pretty positive I can start my leave the first of October. So would you like to see Michigan State play football? I hope you like the idea because I want to see a game while I'm home. 

About four years ago I saw MSC play Notre Dame and just the ceremonies are something to see.

[Editor's Note: At the time, the college was called Michigan State College. It's now Michigan State University.]

Two years ago when we came through Hawaii, I saw "H.U." play a team from stateside. It was a good game but it didn't have the same bands and "bally-ho" as the large US schools have. 

[Editor's Note: The paragraph above has odd phrasing for contemporary readers, comparing the University of Hawaiia's football games to those of "stateside" colleges. Hawaii became a state in 1959. At the time Jim wrote this letter, Hawaii was a territory.]

We have an assembly line here tonight. There are about six guys on model planes and autos. But I doubt any of them will run when they are through.

It sure seems funny to only work eight hours a day now. I have so much spare time I don't know what to do with myself. 

But I don't mind too bad. HA 

Speaking of working with colored people, we have one in our division who is one of the best guys here. He is always cracking some sort of a corny joke. Everybody likes him, even the dyed in the wool southerners. 

I just found out we don't have to work tomorrow. Two days in succession off. What's our X.O. coming to?

Just a couple of days ago he came into our repair locker with a cup of coffee and told us sea tales about his naval career. I suppose he isn't such a bad guy, except he is afraid this ship won't be the best one in the fleet.

Honey, I might as well sign off since I can't think of anything else to write about.

Answer soon.

I love you, Doll, 

Jim

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Received My Answer

[Editor's Note: On the envelope of this letter, Norma wrote "Received my answer 1953"]

June 8, 1953

Scan of Jim's envelope with the stamp upside down
(meaning "I love you")

Hi Honey,

I finally completed my tour of duty and am on my way home. Break out the bands, lock up the girls and call the kids in the house, 'cause I'm heading East.

We stop today (tomorrow) in Yokohama, then we're on to Pearl Harbor for two days, then we'll reach San Diego the 25th, and we're underway again for Norfolk about the 15th of July. "Damn," it will be nice to get off the West Coast for a while. And another thing, they have begun to discharge Navy men three months before their expiration date. If they keep that up, I might not have to leave the States anymore.

I started this last night, but didn't finish it. I was too tired.

Well, we hit port today and are supposed to pull out tomorrow at 3:00 in the afternoon. 

This morning before we pulled in, we flew all our planes off that would fly and was I glad to see them go.

The pilots will go stateside with us and get new planes when we get there. 

We had a tough time getting them off because of a 50 knot wind that was so strong it almost blew over some of the jets.

Did I tell you about the jet pilot who piled-up so much this cruise? He hit the fences three times. The day after his last one, I saw him in a plane warming up for a take off. I went over and told him I was checking his plane number so I could break out my fire hose when I saw him coming back. At first, he didn't know what to say and finally he blurted out, "You son of  a _____!" HA 

We kid him and call him the "sloppiest" damn pilot in the Pacific, but he doesn't care and isn't a bad pilot. In fact, he is pretty good.

Honey, I got your answer today to my question. Thank you, darling. It makes me feel wonderful to know you love me, too. Also, knowing you'll wait for me gives me something worthwhile to look forward to.

"No," I never heard of the carrier "Albany," it must be "Jeep" carrier. 

I noticed out relief "tub" arrived and it is the "Lake Champlain." 

I was talking with two swabs from it tonight. They didn't seem too happy about leaving the East Coast to come over here. HA 

I think it will be good for those Eastern boys to put up with the stuff for a change. 

Well, doll, I've got to sign off. I have a feeling we will be getting up early.

Answer soon.

I love you,

Jim

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