Letter or Postcard – Letter
Sender – Ralph Peterson
Recipient – Phyllis Peterson
Postmark Place – St. Petersburg, Florida
Postmark Date – 19 April 1943
Letter Date – 18 April 1943
Text:
My darling Phyllis and Bonny,
Well here is number two today to you. I got your letter after I sent my first one, so with nothing to do I thought I had better write to you. Today was one hell of a day. Didn’t get up until 6:30 but the rest of the day was just running after running. Then at noon a guy reported that he had lost $70. They lined us all up out in front and searched us and all of the rooms, but as yet they haven’t found it. If they find the guy who did it he is going to carry a full field pack, which weighs about 70 pounds, for a month straight. Then he will go to jail for 15 years. That’s what I really called a punishment. This is my fifth letter today. I wrote to Don and Marian, Clarence, my half-brother, my brother-in-law, and two to you. Kind of catching up on my writing. I also washed up a lot of my dirty clothes, so instead of Sunday being a off day it is just a day to get all my stuff cleaned up for the next week. In Marian’s letter she wrote how much the baby looked like me, so if everybody says so it must be so. I only wish she would have looked like you. What has Joy done? Left your place and went up to her grandma’s again? I didn’t think she would stay very long. It will be quite a relief to you. You will be able to take it more easy. There isn’t much more to write about now as I guess I told you the most in my first letter, so I guess I will have to close with all my love and kisses to my dearest wife and baby from your daddy.
PS – It just started to rain, so if it keeps up we will have tomorrow off. RP
PPS – I hope so. Ralph
Notes: Perhaps a bit of hyperbole here, with the theft culprit carrying a pack for a month followed up by 15 years in prison.