October 16-17th postmarked letters 1967

17 October 1967 postmark Gayle to Bobby
October 16th, 9:30 PM
Dearest Sweetheart, do you believe I'm writing you
here at 9:30? I usually write to you last thing at
night. It seems as if the days hurry when I have a
set time before bed to write. I'm so glad to know
you're settled. Bob, it sounds like where you are
is a relatively safe place to be. Sonja and I got
out her map when we found out today where you where.
Brenda's husband [Maj. Wm. Kelly] is in An Khe,
which isn't far from you. You looked in your
picture like you've lost weight. Remember what
I told you about "behind the clouds." Look
behind, beneath that filth and smell there and
you can see the beauty of God's earth. You
said it yourself. "It's filthy here- the country,
but the mountains and ocean are beautiful.
" Try to be happy there. Say, what's this
thing about if you are XO why you won't be
getting training in your field? It's a supply
Co., so why wouldn't it be? That's the idea
I get. You know I wish you'd get all my
letters. I've written one at least and often
two each day you've been gone. I wrote them
to my lover Wolpf- not to get lost in the mail.
[I'm mad]

Honey, you'd be so proud of me. I've changed
already- for the good I think. Sure, I'm still
sensitive, temperamental, headstrong, etc. but
I've been able to see so much deeper beneath
things and even see funny things in life much
better. What's good is my mind is quicker on
comebacks and comments to situations. Brenda,
Sonja and I went to Eastgate tonight and I had
them sore from laughing and it made me feel
better. That's laughs secret- making others
laugh and being nice regardless. Sonja and
Brenda's girls love me. They fight over who
I'm spending the nights with and cry when I
don't stay with either. They both hug me
anytime they hug their mamas or for no reason
at all. [I guess I'll be a fairly good mama
for Bobby's babies] They come to me house all
the time and sit and talk or play with the
stuffed animals. I make them laugh and tell
them "I'm pot wabbit." Tonight they gave me
two pictures they colored and I had to put
them on my bulletin board in the kitchen.

I have a big problem with Snuffy. You know
how I love him, but if he keeps on as jealous
of kids as he is I'm getting rid of him. Every
time he sees any of the kids 2 ft. from me, he
starts lunging at them- viciously. Then when
I'm not around he's fine with the kids. There
are too many incidents to go into detail, but
it is making me a nervous wreck 'cause if he's
like that with other people's kids what will he
do around ours? I just don't know. I'm going to
try to work it out. Every time he jumps on
anybody or snaps at the kids he gets a hard 3
licks with a newspaper. If all else fails
then I'm going to try to find him a good home.
I've got everybody asking friends of theirs if
they want a puppy-dog. There is a cousin of
Sonja's who might. I've cried for two days
about the prospect of Snuffy being gone, but
do you have any ideas?

Now to tell you what's been happening
today...........In the first place I only
had 2 1/2 hours sleep last night. The last
time I looked at the clock it was 1:30 and
at 4:00 Sonja called me. Well, she had to
take Brenda to the hospital and I kept the
kids and haven't been back to sleep yet so
I'm going to bed early tonight. Well,
Brenda stayed 'til about 10:00 this morning
because it was a false alarm! It was so
exhausting. I'm fine and I guess Little Bit
is too. I've felt him quiver 4 times now!
Can you stand it?! It's so early, but I
really have.
Honey, I love you- more than anything. Take
care of yourself. Right now, you're all I
have! All my love-forever, Your Mouse

October 16 1967 postmark Bobby to Gayle
Monday Afternoon
Hi Sweet Mouse, I just got up. It's 2 in
the afternoon here. My day consists of
waiting from 7PM to about 6:30am and then
sleeping until I wake up and then writing
letters or watching movies until I start
work. I really think I have a good job.
It's like you are a duty officer. You get
some sleep at night. I don't think that
it's going to be bad. At least I hope I
hope it won't.

It's pretty today. The sun is shining and
it's real hot. This place sure isn't like
home. Like I told you, you can't stay clean,
mosquitoes eat you up and the heat and
humidity is almost unbearable. This
captain, who I told you about last night
- the MP, well, would you believe he wears
starched fatigues, spit shined boots and
a brassoed pistol belt. I couldn't believe
it when I saw them.

Well, it looks like it's going to cloud up
and rain. I sure hope not, because it's muddy
enough around here now. This has got to be
the noisiest places over here. -With planes
and trucks going by all the time.

Well, I'd better go down to the orderly room
and see what's happening. I'll write tonight.
So take care of yourself and Little Bit and
I love you very, very much- more than anything.
All my love always, Your Bobby


October 17 1967 postmark Bobby to Gayle

Monday
Dear Sweetheart, We had another practice alert
tonight. My job during these alerts is to just
stay in my office. They say I have one of the
best jobs at Qui Nhon. But I don't know. I
stay scared all the time. It's kind of hard
to sleep during the day but I guess I will
get use to it. I have some real fine men
working for me. They help me a lot since
this is the first time I have been in charge
of my job by myself.

We had pretty good dinner tonight at the mess
hall. We had steak, corn, tossed salad the
tea and apple pie. You know I can't really
complain about this here. I have a bed to
sleep in, hot water to bathe in and 3 hot
meals a day. That's better than a lot of
people have it. I've got a lot to be thankful
for.

I'm going to try to get some sleep while
I'm here tonight. I sure hope I can. I
just can't wait to get home. It seems like
such a long time off. As soon as I get a
chance I'm going to use this system they
have here and call you. I'll let you know
in a letter so you'll be home all day. I
sure hope I will be able to get through
and talk to my sweet mouse. It will
probably be next month because I now
the phone bill this month will be a huge
one.

I sure hope your birthday present gets
there on time. I sent it registered air
mail. Please if you need any money let
me know and I'll send you a money order
'cause I know I can afford it.

I'm going to buy a movie camera while
I'm over here, so we can take pictures
of little bit and anything else that
we want to. You know they issue us a
ration card. We can get 6 cartons of
cigarettes a month, 3 bottles of booze
and 2 bottles of wine, about 12 cases
of beer and the other luxury items are
rationed like cameras tape recorders,
etc. I wish those packages of underwear
you sent me would get here. I think I
have about 2 pairs left. I have about
8 pairs in all.

I'm glad I finally got a job now. Maybe
the time won't go by so slowly. It has
really drug by so far. I just can't wait
to get some mail. "They say the time goes
by a lot faster after you get mail. I
wonder how long it takes for mail to get
here. I want to hear from you so bad.
I miss you so much. My jeep driver has
5 days left. The company commander has
6 days left and what do I have
left............about 350 days. It's
really going to be a long year. This
is so bad over here being without you.
I love you so very much. I think of
you all the time.

I'd better go get something to eat now.
I'll write when I get a chance. Darling,
I love you very, very much. Take care
of yourself and Little Bit and I love
you. All my love always, Your Bobby

October 17 1967 postmark Bobby to Gayle
On 157th Quartermaster Co. stationary

"WOLPF LOVES MOUSE"

October 17 1967 postmark Bobby to Gayle
Tuesday Morning
Dear Sweetheart, Well here I sit. Now I'm
waiting to see Col Higgins. I guess it's
about the promotion. I see him at 9A:30.
I got off work about 45 minutes ago. I
sure would like to go to sleep. I'm so
tired. I got about 3 hours sleep last
night and I have to get some more after
I see the Colonel.

I have to get a shower and shave before
I see him. And now I'm waiting for them
to get the hot water going into the shower.
It's kind of cool this morning after it
rained practically all night. I just
wouldn't believe how tired I am. I can
hardly move. I would love to go to bed
now, but if the Col. calls, you have
to go. I've had to shine my brass and
everything this morning.

You know I'll probably lose about 50
pounds over here. I just don't have
any appetite at all. They will serve
me a tray full and I just sort of poke
around at it. They are having some
sort of election in Qui Nhon; therefore
it has been put off limits to everybody
until after the elections. I don't really
care to go down there until I've been here
awhile.

Lord, I wish I could see you. I miss you
so very much. I'm just hoping for the day
we are together again. Lord, I love you.
All I do is think about you. I dream
about you when I sleep. When I'm awake
I think of you. This is terrible. You
just wouldn't believe it. I guess it
will rain some more today. You get sort
of tired of it after awhile, all the mud
and everything.

Well, I'd better go get ready to see the
Col. now. I'll write again when I get a
chance. Darling, I love you so very, very
much - more than anything please take care
of yourself and Little Bit and I love you.
All my love always, Your Bobby

17 October 1967 Postmark Bob's Mother to Bobby

Tuesday
Dear Bob, It was SO good to get your letter
yesterday. You are a "fur" piece from where
we thought you would be or so it looks on
the map. I've an idea our map will be
dog-eared by the time you get home for
every time I hear a place mentioned on
the news I check it on the map.

Is it the South China Sea your room overlooks?
It seems that is a break for you must get a
little breeze from the water Are your quarters
nice? What kind of work are you doing?
Did you see Major when he was in Saigon?
How did you get from Bien How to Qui Nhon?
These are just a few of the questions we would
ask you if you were here.

I hope your mal has caught up with you for I
wrote you twice last week and Elaine wrote
besides the "dozen or so" what Gayle wrote.

I took Jeff to the doctor yesterday. His
arthritis is acting up. We are giving him a
cortisone shot every 3 weeks and 2 aspirin
a day. I am getting him a dog bed today and
we are going to let him sleep in the kitchen
from now on. I know you will be happy about
that!

Did I tell you Janice has a 7 1/2lb. Girl?
Lois called us at 3:30 am last Friday morning.
If Gayle eats with her family on Thursday night
then she will eat with us tomorrow night-
or if her family is involved on Thursday she
will spend it with us. I am going to give
her $20 for her present. She said she thought
the dresses should be her present but I told
her they were "just because I love her."

Daddy is busy but not having to knock himself
out- for which I am glad. I'm trying to convince
him that we have saved and planned for the future
and "this is our future." I'm working a little
on my cards- just the big accounts for I'm
still a little tired although I'm feeling much
better.

I'm not giving you any news about Gayle for I
know she has told you all about that. She ate
with us on Sunday and is doing fine. I've told
her anytime she wants me to go to the doctor
with her that I will. Just think- we are marking
the days off now.

Bob, I know, no I don't really know unless I were
in your place, how lonely you get at times and
how you want to come home. But you are in a
situation where there is nothing that can be
done about it, so my advice to you is to make
the best of it. In your own words, "do your job
and a little bit more" so you can come out with
a good record.

I'm praying now that when you come home God will
help you find a job you will enjoy and can do
well in. I know He will. When the stars come
out tonight, find the brightest one in the sky.
That is the one we pray will watch over you.

We will keep our eyes open for a good buy on
some property, 3 or 4 acres and if we find it
will buy it and hold it for you until you can
get a VA loan. After thing get settled a little
more Gayle and I can ride round and look- who
knows what we can come up with!

Keep your chin up fellow- we're very proud of
you and love you very much. Mother




Thought today: The most dangerous wheel of chance
is the steering wheel.

Hint today:Outside of regular brushing and flossing,
the best way to prevent gum disease is to eat 2 oz.
of yogurt a day. It's good bacteria helps fight
germs in the mouth.