Letter or Postcard – Letter
Sender – Ralph Peterson
Recipient – Phyllis Peterson
Postmark Place – St. Petersburg, Florida
Postmark Date – 6 March 1943
Letter Date – 5 March 1943
Text:
Dearest wife,
Yah! Here’s that man again, or as you would call me, your little boy. Well, no letter yet from you, yet, but I might get one before I finish this letter. You see the mail hasn’t been delivered out yet. There is an awful pile of it and I hope there is one for me. Or better still, I hope there is two or three. But I will be satisfied with one. Today was another hot day about 80 above. I’ll bet it is cold up there though. I got up at five this morning, had chow, and was on the drill field at eight. Then I drilled until noon, had dinner, and then I had an easy afternoon. We got our gas masks today. We soon will have our first test in the gas chamber. I guess that will be in about two weeks. I haven’t had a hold of a gun yet but we are going to have our chance yet. I get 20 shots with a rifle and 20 shots with a Tommy Gun. Not much, but enough to get used to them. Just got back from mail call and I got a letter from you – the first one I got from you in two weeks. The way you wrote was that you and your mother both sent one but I haven’t got either one yet. Listen, honey, I want you to write every day and write longer letters. This one I got today was awfully short, but boy I sure was glad to get it. I also got the money with this letter and I sure can use it. I got this money belt in Fort Sheridan when I was there but it wasn’t a very good one so I sold the damn thing when I lost my wallet. I don’t know if I can get home when the baby comes or not. I don’t hardly think so. I will be going to school then, so I will have to wait until then. I sure hope I can. Say, you write as if you didn’t trust me. You know I won’t look at another girl. Don’t ever make me think you don’t trust me because it makes me feel awfully bad. That’s all for now. Night, sweetheart.
Love and more love, Ralph
Notes: My Mom was jealous by nature, apparently all her life.