#1 On My Prayer List

[Editor's Note: Norma tucked her letter inside the envelope of Jim's letter. They were both dated December 17, 1952.]

December 17, 1952 

Vintage Christmas card, date and country unknown

Dear Jim:

Just a little note to enclose with your Christmas card.

If you read the verse then you will know my Christmas wish for you. Because wishes, happy thoughts and pleasant memories go out to you every day and in every letter.

Maybe it's not in very good taste to wish you a "Merry Christmas" with you so far from home. So, I'll save that for next Christmas when you should be stationed in the States. You know what I'm trying to say, don't you? Sometimes, I just can't express in words what I feel.

I do want you to know that I do pray for your safety each night. I'm not saying that boastfully, but as a fact. To me, prayer is a wonderful thing for it is talking to God and with Him. That's why you are #1 on my Prayer List and have been since you went to Korea in 1951. Please don't think that I'm corny or acting silly. Right now I'm very serious and everything that is being written is sincere.

[Editor's note: The letter is unsigned and, obviously, unsent. I suspect it was a rough draft for the letter she put in the Christmas card she sent. Whether she edited the final version only slightly or went in a completely different direction, I have no idea. What I do know is that prayer and her faith were important aspects of who she was and she taught me that prayer can work miracles. Norma believed prayer was an active, not passive, practice. However, she would have been careful about discussing her beliefs until she felt secure that she would not be ridiculed and, as noted in previous posts, Jim could have a sharp tongue.]

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All My Love

December 17, 1952

Still at sea

Hi Norma,

Here I am again. This trip is getting more boring all the time. Every day we have less to do.

The ship is having troubles. Two days ago one screw went out (that's what drives her through the water). We have four. So, they had to cut one off on the opposite side to keep her on even keel. Now they think another one might go out. If it does, we're dead in the water. 

Map showing the IDL, courtesy of Time and Date.com

[Editor's note: I think the "screw" referenced in the paragraph above is slang for one of the four turbines or shafts on the ship.]

And sitting "dead" out in the middle of nowhere isn't the best place I can think of to be.

Oh, well, maybe it won't go out. If it does, there's always a brighter day tomorrow.

We lost Tuesday this week.  We crossed the International Date Line last night and, suddenly, it was Wednesday, but we will pick it up when we come back across.

It still hasn't started to get cold yet. I can't figure it. We should be past Midway Island already. They must be having a warm winter in these parts.

I see my buddy Gerry Lash sitting on his bunk writing his girlfriend. He really must love her. No matter how long we work or how tired he is when we quit flying, he always writes her. Never misses a day. 

I started growing a mustache, but after 5 or 6 days, I shaved it off. I didn't like it. I looked too much like Clark Gable. HA

I had better sign off. It's time to when I start talking about myself. 

Answer real soon.

All my love, 

Jim

[Editor's note: On the front of the envelope Norma wrote, "Dec. 17, 1952 'All my love' first time."]

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