25-26 October Misc. Letters

24 October postmark> Gayle's parents to Bobby
Mon.23 Oct.'67
Dear Bob, Well son, I'm on my school traffic at
Brainerd H.S. on N. Moore Rd. and was thinking
of you. I just hope to God that you are getting
used to being gone or away from home by now.
It really is hard just being away. I know this:
the 1st year across the "pond" is the hardest.
Ha. What if you had to stay as long as I did?
I'm hoping you don't have to stay that long.
3 years and a few months- not counting before
the war. Don't you get tired hearing this crap?
Ha. I just wanted you to know all of us from
World War II had it pretty bad also. The only
thing I was not married and did not have a child
on the way. It gripes by tail that good young men
like you and many more are over there and these
long-haired punks are causing all this trouble
over here in the states. Gosh, what I'd like to
do to them. Ha. Some tails would really burn.

Ha Well, Bob I hope you are in good health and
I wanted you to know we all miss you. Gayle is
o.k. I know she does miss you very much. Write
soon. Sincerely, your old father-in-law
[not out-lawed] "Moose"
In same envelope from Gayle's mom to Bobby
October 23 1967
Hello Bob, Guess what? I just came from your
house. Your mother and I have been painting
the nursery furniture and we hope to finish
it tonight. I have to fix supper now. Guess
who is buying the yellow ford from your dad?
We are. I think Bob's olds is getting too much
age on it. Gayle said you like that care so I
guess before we know it Randy will like it.
You know, in four years he will be driving.

I better get on with my dinner so I'll write
a note later this week. Love, Mama Susie

24 October 1967 postmark >Bobby to Gayle
Tuesday October 24
Dear Mouse, How are you? I'm pretty good,
though tired as can be. I hope you are
feeling alright. Got a letter from you
today. It sure is good to hear from the
only one in my life. I'm so glad you and
Sonja and Brenda are getting along so
good. It's good to have friends that have
the same thing in common with you. You
have a lot of other friends but they just
don't have the same thing in common or can't
realize how you feel like they can.

I've talked to several people who met their
wives in Hawaii. They say it costs approximately
$650. I think I can save that much. But I don't
know what to do. Doyou have any ideas? If you
don't think we can do it. I definitely do want
you to meet me in Seattle. I can send you the
money. You can get a youth card to fly to
California and they have a special rate for
wives meeting their husbands in Hawaii on R&R.
If I can't meet you there I don't think I will
take one because I just can't have any fun
without you with me to enjoy it. I miss you so
very, very much darling. I just don't know how
I am living here without you. I sure hope I can
get home when our baby comes. I'm sure I can
if Dr. Demos says I'm needed. Please talk to him
about it.

Sweetheart, I think there has been a change in
me already. I don't know if it's for better or
worse. I'm going out of my mind over here. I
sure hope I don't change a lot. I know when I
get back we will be happier than we have ever
been; I know I won't be as selfish and the
bastard I have been in the past.

I just can't wait for the mail to come every
day. I just can't wait to get your letters.
It's such a letdown when I don't get one. So
far I have gotten the one you wrote on the
16th and the 18th, but not the one on the
17th. I'm sure you wrote me then though.
Probably the mail got messed up. I wish you
would try to write me at least twice a day
so if one gets lost the other might get through.
I would love to get a letter from you every
day. I know if I can find time to write 2 you
can. Well, enough bitching for this letter.

Darling I do love you very, very much. I just
hope I can do a job over here to make you proud
of me. That's all I want to do. If I can do that
I'll be happy. If the last few letters have
seemed bitchy I didn't mean for them to. I
haven't been feeling real well and I'm scared
all the time and about a nervous wreck. I
guess once I get adjusted I'll be alright.
But sweetheart, please don't forget I do
love you and my life is unbearable without
you.

I hope your daddy gets to feeling alright.
I don't think there is anything to worry
about. I think it's funny he is buying the
yellow car. Our parents might get together
one of these days. I sure hope they do.
I'm going to try to call you next month.
I'll send you the exact date when I get it.
You will have to stay home all day because
I don't know when the time will be because of
the time difference and when the short wave
radio can get through. But you'll know the date
when I can arrange it. I would love to hear your
voice right now. Better I would love to see you
and hug and kiss you. Of just even hear you fuss
at me. I miss you so very much.

I want to try to get some sleep now. I got about
4 hours in the last 36 hours. I'll write when I
wake up. Probably this afternoon. Darling I love
you very, very much. ....more than anything. I
really do! I just can't wait until we can be
together again. Please take care of yourself and
Little Bit. I love and miss you so very much.
All my love always, Your Bobby [the Wolpf}

24 October 1967 postmark >Bobby to Gayle
Tuesday
Dear Darling, I just woke up. .....just a note
before I get dressed. Darling, I love you so much.
I really do. It's going to be so good when we
are together again. I hope when I get back we
want ever have to be separated again. This being
over here is hard on both of us. There is nobody
here I can sit down and talk to and I need that
more than anything now. ........just somebody to
talk to. It would make me feel a lot better.
More than that, I would really love to come home.
I guess the only way I can come home is to have
Dr. D. say you need me, or to get shot in the
leg or something like that. I want to come home
so bad.

It was raining here this morning. But now it
cleared up. I have to get some clean sheets for
my bed now. Since I sleep during the day I have
to make my own bed. I haven't eaten anything in
about 24 hours now. I just don't have an appetite.
I guess that I'll get out of that someday. I miss
you so much darling. I've got to shower and shave
now. I'll write again tonight. Remember darling
I love you very, very much. ......more than
anything. Take care of yourself and Little
Bit. ...and I love you. All my love always,
Your Bobby

25 October 1967 postmark> Gayle to Bobby

October 24
Dearest Angel, How are you today? Lord, I'm getting
depressed worryi8ng about your mail. You'll get it
all in a bunch probably. I just wish there was some
way you could get my messages as I sit writing them.
While I'm thinking about it...Brenda hasn't had her
baby. She'll probably go tonight 'cause we have 3/4"
size hail and 70 - 80 m.p.h winds- storm warnings,
and she'll feel like going in the middle of it. I
went to a coffee tonight at Marian Helinskys house.
She's one of the Viet Nam wives. Bonnie Glasgow was
there. Here's the address by the way:
Major William L. Glascow 088074 Aov-Tm#63, APO 96296,
San Francisco
Anyway, I may have to stop writing must anytime the
ights just went off for a second but it'[s till
lightening and raining, etc. In fact, I may go to
sleep 'cause I'm scared sort of- Snuffy's not scared.

I'm glad you finally got some sleep. Just try to eat
and always remember that when you don't get mail that
I'm thinking about you. ....constantly.

I have this discharge so bad now. It's turned yellow
since last Friday when I saw Dr. Demos. I may have
some stupid infection. I guess I'd better call him.
It itches and burns & my back hurts. I guess I'll
wait 'til in the morning but I* only have $4 to my
name [in the bank] and I have to get the cookies for
my Tupperware party and couldn't afford a prescription.
Also Marion wants me to work for a couple of weeks
starting next weeks and funny thing! I can't afford
to go and make the money 'cause won't have gas money
or money for parking. That I can work out- 'cause
I'll borrow $5 or so 'til I get paid by Marion. I
just pray to God that the allotment isn't late. If
it is I won't know what to do. [Sell Snuffy, my
guitar and our old clothes] I'm crazy - 'cause you
know things always work out, don't they? At least I
have stamps to write for a while. I love you so my
Wolpf. I've been looking at sexy gowns and pajamas
for when you come home so I'll have ideas anyway-
and honey PLEASE, PLEASE let's be alone the first
week, just you, me and Rick!

I pray every day that Rick's alright, you'll be
all right and I'll be all right when you come
home. I've just put you into His hands.......that's
all I can do. Tonight at Marian's coffee, we
read a thing on "what is a service wife." I cried.
I'm going to copy it and send it to you later.
It's terrific and you know I've learned it is
your duty to be there- isn't' it? Say, do you
remember some mess in the ROTC dept that Major
Glascow got a congressional over? About a boy
named Fuller? If so what was it about? Bonnie
was talking about it. She said he got another
just after he signed out at U.C. Bless his heart.
She's so sweet. Tell me, does this sound funny?
This girl at the coffee tonight has a 2 month old
baby and her husband has been gone a year and is
due next week. Does it sound like she carried it
10 months to you? Or something else? I think
it's funny.

Lord, I love you. Oh honey, I wish you'd get my
mail for you- I'm going to sleep. Take care. All
my love- Forever, Your Mouse.

25 October 1967 Postmark> Bobby to Gayle

Wednesday
Dear Sweetheart, It's about 1 am now and I'm in for
the night. Today [Tuesday] I got 3 letters from you.
Two of the ones you sent to the 178th caught up
with me. In one of the ones you were talking about
your financial troubles. If it's bad enough and
you can't handle it they will bring me home, but
did you count in the $70 I took out to come over
here? Gayle please don't start borrowing a lot
of money because that just gets us in deeper.
But if you need me they will bring me home
because of financial trouble. The check you
mentioned, well, I haven't gotten it yet and
when I do get it I'll just tear it up so you
can have that money back. But if you do need
some money I'll send you a money order.

You asked about me going up on the mountain
and if I had a weapon? Well you don't leave
the depot around here without a weapon. Anyway
this is just about the most secure area around
Viet Nam. Cameroun bay is the only place that
is more secure. They had a man killed here last
May. And one got wounded here last week. A
sniper shot at his vehicle and the glass cut
his face. That's all that has happened here
in the last year. Anyway the Viet Cong are
getting all the things they want out of here
and they would be crazy to hit the depot.
The rats are bad around her. I haven't seen
any in my room but I have seen some. I got a
letter that caught up with me today also from
mother. Has she been alright? I she has any
trouble please let me know. I just can't wait
for mail call every day. I just love to hear
from my mouse. I love you so much.

I'm expecting my promotion any day now. It's
just whenever they get a fancy to do it. The
depot commander is really a bastard. He thinks
that he holds everybody in the palm of his hand.
There are so many people around here that don't
have anything to do except harass you. Like
tonight this major came in here raising hell
about people speeding in the depot. Well we
don't have a thing to do with that. So I told
him I would call the MP's and see what they
can do. Isn't that silly? ...In a war zone to
worry about people speeding?

Please honey, talk to Dr. Demos and get him
to say I'm needed when our baby is born. I
know they will get me home and if you can do
that I don't think they will make me come
back over here. Wouldn't that be great?

If it's making you worry a lot about me over
here and it causes you trouble I could get a
compassionate reassignment. The same holds
true for anybody in our family. But please
get me home when Little Bit comes. I love
you so very, very much sweetheart.

Well, I'd better get some sleep now. I'll
write more when I get up this afternoon.
Remember sweetheart I love you very, very
much. .......more than anything and I miss
you very much. Take care of yourself and
Little Bit and I love you. All My love Always,
Your Bobby

25 October 1967 Postmark> Bobby to Gayle

Wednesday
Dear Mouse, I just woke up. I slept so good.
It's real cool today. The mail that went out
from here Tuesday morning was stolen. That
is the mail that left from depot headquarters.
I don't know if the letter I wrote you went
out then was stolen or not, because I don't
know if the mail mailed out of the company
goes through HQ's or from the company to the
APO.

Darling, I love you so very, very much and I
miss you very, very much. I ache all over
from missing you. Please get me home when our
baby is born. I just can't seem to adjust over
here. Every day seems like an eternity. I've
eating less than 1 meal a day. I'm not ever
hungry. I just don't know what's happening to
me. I want to come home so bad. You know they
say the morale is high over here. At least
that's what I heard when I was in the states.
Well, I've seen no high morale since I've been
here. Nobody really seems to care about if.
[it?}

Have you heard from Glee and Don? I wonder
when he is coming over here. I think I'm going
to subscribe to Playboy. Because in the PX the
October edition just got here.

Well, I've got a lot to do today and I'd better
get started. Sweetheart I love you very, very
much.......more than anything. Take care of
yourself and Little Bit and I love you. All my
Love Always, Your Bobby



Thought today: It is better to have a little
ability and use it well than to have much ability
and make poor use of it.
Hint today: To safely clean toys- wipe them with
vinegar, and then rinse with water. It's safe
for babies and strong enough to kill germs.