18 October letters Bobby and Gayle

18 October 1967 Postmark- Bobby to Gayle
Monday Morning
Dear Sweetheart, Well, Here it is 2 am. I just got
back from checking the guards. Things are going
fairly well, except for these 2 captains. One came
here raising all sorts of hell because there was
no guard at the PX. The PX is not our responsibility.
And the other one - well, he just hollers and screams
all the time. He's an MP and chief of depot security.
I think he is trying to prove how tough he is. I
really don't pay any attention to him.

I haven't been promoted yet. It's really pissing me
off. They said I would have to have a recommendation
from my company commander, which I got. I think it
is ridiculous. Col. Bell's recommendation should be
enough. Anyway, it should come down in a day or two.
They are going to make my pay retroactive to the
10th of October. I have the 1st Lt. bars sewn on my
uniforms now. The Battalion Commander said there
is no sweat because I had proved myself at Ft.
Jackson. It's just a formality, he said.

I've been in country a full week now. It sure has
gone by slowly. I got off at about 11 last night
[Saturday] and got up Sunday morning at about
10:30. I won't get off until about 7 this
morning and don't have to go back to work
until 7 Monday night. You wouldn't believe
how dirty you get around here. You had might
as well not even take a shower because 15
minutes later you are dirty again. They had
a show at the NCO Club next door. I got on
top of a container of some kind and watched
part of it.

I love you so much. I just can't wait until
I can be home with you again. My driver is
from "Atlanta. He took basic training at
Ft. Jackson in the 6th Battalion. He knows
a lot of the same people I know from there.
We got a new 1st Sgt. in the company. He
seems like he's going to be real tough but
I haven't talked to him yet. It's so muddy
here. I wear about 2 pairs of boots a day
-Plus some rubber boots. Now we are wearing
rain suits which make you sweat a lot. I'll
probably lose about 40 pounds while I'm over
here. They say you usually loose a lot of
weight over here. I can see how with the
humidity the way it is. It sure will be good
to get back in the states and be able to
get clean again and get some good water.

You wouldn't believe how tired I am. You just
stay tired all the time over here. I guess
it's the heat and not having an appetite. We
are just sitting around and listening to the
radio now. I guess I'll be able to write a
lot of letters here on this job. At least
I hope I will.

I've got to go now. Sweetheart, I love you
very, very much- more than anything. Please
take care of yourself and I love you. All my
love always, Your Bobby


18 October 1967 Postmark- Bobby to Gayle


Tuesday Night

Dear Sweetheart, This has been the worst day.
There hasn't been a thing go my way today. I
haven't been able to do a thing right. Well,
to start off with- this morning I went to see
the Col. like they told me. Well I was supposed
to have gone on Monday. Then the Col. came into
the front room and I didn't stand up fast enough
and he jumped all over me. Well I didn't even
get a chance to talk to him. I have to go back
in the morning. Your talk about being tired.
Got about 3 hours sleep last night. This morning
I didn't get into bed till round 10:30. It hasn't
rained today thank goodness, but there is still
mud all over the place.

This has really been a discouraging day. This
sergeant I work with is the best man. He's
colored. He makes me feel a lot better when
he is around. He gives me some good advice.
I've got a lot of respect for him. He's
fixed it up for me to be able to eat at night
without paying for it.

It sounds like there is a lot of action about
10 or 15 miles away because you can hear
artillery going off all around off in the
distance. It's been going on for 2 -3 hours
now.

I should be getting some mail any day now.
I sure hope I get some for my sweet mouse
tomorrow. This is the loneliest place.
Everybody's getting mail but me. But
I'm sure when it comes I'll get a lot.
I sure hope your birthday present got
there alright. I sure hope you like it.
I want to come home so very bad. I want
to see you so bad. It's been real hot
today- almost unbearable. You just sit
around and sweat.

Well, it's Wednesday here now and a day closer
until I come home. Lord, I can't wait for that
day to come. I love you so much darling.
This is the worst time of my life -Being
separated from you for such a long time.
Lord, I hope I don't have to stay the whole
year I want to come home when our baby is
born so badly. But the only thing I can do
about that is to pray.

The time I've been here so far, all I've
done is think about you and coming home to
you. And it's such a long time off it
depresses me so bad. It's a little after 12
right now and the office I'm sitting in is
right at 80 degrees and this is supposed to
be the cool part of the year. I can imagine
the summer will be terrible.

I sure do dread having to go see the Col.
tomorrow. The way my luck has been going I
won't get promoted for while. But I've been
doing the best I can since I've been here
and I don't think anybody can ask for anymore
than that. But people are really funny around
here. It's certainly not what I thought it
would be like. But I don't guess I can complain
too much, because I've got a real good job and
a bed to sleep in every night. I could have it
so much worse over here. In fact I could have
it a heck of a lot worse. I guess I'm just
wondering how long it will take me to get over
this. I know I can't get over missing you.
That's something that I'm going to have to
learn to live with. I guess it will take two
to three weeks to get yourself adjusted over
here. I've been here just about a week and a
half now and it seems like an eternity since
I left you in Atlanta, or talked to you from
Travis Air Force Base that night.

Well I'd better go now. I'll write again tomorrow.
Please take care of yourself and Little Bit.
And I love you very, very much- more than anything.
All my love always, Your Bobby


18 October 1967 Postmark- Bobby to Gayle

Wednesday
Dear Sweetheart, Am I every sleepy. It is right now
7:30 in the morning. I've eaten breakfast and showered
already. All I have to do now is see the Col. If he
will see me this morning. I'm scared to death about
seeing him this morning. But I guess he puts his
pants on the same way I do.

I sure hope today is not like yesterday. I couldn't
take many days like that. It was the worst day I've
had since I've been here. It is real bad having to
work all night and then having to go some place
in the morning and not getting into bed till about
10:30 o9r so. I'll be glad when I get the promotion
straightened out and I can start getting some sleep.
It's real cool this morning and there is a strong
breeze. But you can bet it will get real hot before
the day is over with.

Would you believe that in the PX they have Christmas
decorations? You wouldn't believe how they mess with
your mind over here. And they say they do everything
they can to build morale. About the only things that
are morale builders around here is the company club,
movies, and mail. This has got to be the worst place
in the world. If they told me I could go home today
it wouldn't be soon enough. I hate it so bad over
here.

I hope you are feeling alright and are taking care
of yourself 'cause I don't want anything to happen
to you. I worry so much about you. I love you so
very much darling. I sure hope I get some mail today.
It's so bad over here not hearing from home in such
a long time. You just can't realize what it's like
over here. I guess that it's about as bad for you.

Well, I've got to go get ready to see the Col. I
sure dread seeing him. Please take care of yourself
and little bit. I love you very, very much- More
than anything. All my love always, Your Bobby

19 October 1967 postmark Gayle to Bobby

October 18, 1967
Dear Angel, Well, I'm finally getting caught up on
my sleep. At least until Brenda goes to the hospital.
We just sit and wait on her. It's a full moon tonight
so maybe she'll go. I went to Elaine's tonight for
my birthday. Your parents gave me $20 and Elaine and
Jim gave me $10. This Weekend I'm going to paint the
nursery and the furniture. I've decide to paint the
nursery white. [I mean the furniture] I cleaned the
house up real good today- finally. I've put it off
'till I couldn't stand it. Next week I have that
Tupperware party and everything needs to be clean
I suppose.

Honey you just wouldn't believe these sweet kids
of Sonja and Brenda. They come to visit me all
the time. They are just wonderful little things.
They stay for hours. Bob, Brenda, Sonja and I are
so close now. It's funny how it just sort of
happened in 2 wks. time. We sort of make spur of
the moment plans and live day to day. That's all.

It's really hard isn't it? [This separation]. I
constantly worry and think about my Wolpf. It's
awful to wait and wait and wait. I imagine by
the time you come home it won't have seemed like
such a long ol' time, but for the present it's an
eternity. But we will be together and be happier
than we've ever been. You know I got to thinking-
someday we'll know a much worse sadness but we'll
probably never know a happier happiness than when
we are together again. I love you so very much
sweetheart. I ache all over from missing you. If
you were here just to fuss I'd be happy. I haven't
got our phone bill yet. Whew! It'll be a whopper I
guess. Snuffy is sitting here chewing on a bone.
He's so noisy with bones. I don't know where he
finds them, but everyday he comes in with another.
I haven't heard from the Ninabuchs as yet. I wish
I would. Did your mom tell you that Janice and
Howie bought a $30,000 home? Haven't you got any
mail yet? That was silly ' cause when you read
this you will have gotten some. Tomorrow I'm going
to Mom and Dad's for dinner. They're having me
[Dad is] a dress made for part of my birthday.
Oh! Daddy's buying the yellow car from your dad.
Can you stand it? At least it will be family.
I've gotten worried about daddy now. He's gotten
real pale and sick lately. From the type pains
he has we think he has kidney stones again. Bob,
there isn't any way they could operate like he
is now. Well, I go to Dr. D. Friday. I always
get scared before I go. [I'm a rabbit-mouse, so
it's all right] Take care of yourself. I'm going
to sleep now. All my love forever, Your Gayle


Thought today: If you don't enjoy what you have,
how could you be happier with more?

Hint today: Apply a dab of vaseline to your wrists
before spritzing on your fragrance. The oils in the
vaseline give the fragrance something to hold onto so
it can stay longer than before because the alcohol
base of fragrances evaporates from the skin more
quickly.