Viet Nam arrival

Army/AirForce Posting 10-09-1967 Bobby to Gayle
Dear Gayle, Well here we are- somewhere between the Philippines
and Hawaii. It's been dark the whole way. So, I have slept most
of the way. We have been going for about 8 hours now. We just
finished breakfast. We had pancakes, sausage, orange juice,
cereal and coffee. It was pretty good.

When we landed in Hawaii it was raining so we didn't see too
much. Anyway, we just stayed there 30 minutes.

I've read all that was in the envelope you fixed for me. Gayle,
I think that is the sweetest thing. The long letter made me
feel a whole lot better. And your wish about having a child
while I'm gone is coming true. Gayle, I love you so very,
very, much. It sees as though when I look out the window
I see your face. I just think about you all the time. I
love you so much.

I'm going to mail this letter in the Philippines. I don't
know how long it will take to get to you. But you'll have
it one of these days. This flight seems so very long. I
guess I'll be glad to see it end. At least we can start
counting the days until I can come home now. I'm still
scared to death. I just wish I knew what I am going
to be doing.

Well, I'd better close for now so I can start composing
another letter to my sweet Mouse. I'm not much at letter
writing. I figured you would rather get a lot of short
letters than a long one. But Gayle I do love you with
everything in me. I really do. So please take good
care of yourself and Little Bit and Snuff. I'll write
again later and I love you more than anything. All my
love always, Your Bobby
Monday Oct 9
Dear Sweetheart,
Well I got here. You wouldn't believe how hot it is
here. Right now I am waiting an assignment. I should
get it sometime tonight. I'm scared to death. Gayle,
I love you so very much. I don't know how I'm going
to last the year without you. I figured we are 12
hours ahead of you in time. We landed here at 10:30
am VN time. It was 7:30 pm SF time which made it
10:30 pm Chattanooga time.

You wouldn't believe where we are staying tonight.
It's just a shack with a bunch of bunks in it. You
wouldn't believe how dirty this country is. It's
unreal.

Gayle darling, I love you so very much it hurts.
I wish I could come home today. I miss you so very
much. I mailed you a letter in Hawaii and in the
Philippines. The Philippines is a beautiful place.
Gayle I love you so much. I miss you so much it
hurts. I want to see you so badly. I'm so homesick.

Gayle I don't know what else to tell you except
I love you very, very, much. More than anything.
So please take care of yourself, Little Bit and
the Snuff. I'll write again tonight. I want to
get in the mail which goes out at 1:30 and its
1:15. I love you very much. All my love always,
Your Bobby


Army/AirForce Posting 10-09-1967- Bobby to Gayle
Monday night
Dear Sweetheart, The letter I wrote you this
afternoon won't go out until this one does. The
mail was picked up at 1 o'clock instead of 1:30.
'm still waiting to find out where I'm going to
o. I haven't heard a thing about it yet. I just
don't know what to do except trust in God.

I think I got some good pictures today of us
coming over the Philippines and VN from the air.
VN is beautiful, but when you land your opinion
changes. It's the dirtiest place I've ever been.
Right now I'm in a replacement company. I'm lying
on my back writing this letter, so if my handwriting
looks funny, it's because I haven't got much room
to write.

It's been raining for the last hour- Just pouring.
We are in the end of the monsoon season.
Gayle, darling, I love you so much. I miss you so
much it hurts. It looks as if I'm going to spend
a whole year over here. It's just 363 more days.
I just hope I'll be able to come home when Little
Bit comes. Lord, I love you. I'm thinking of you
constantly. I love you so much darling.

Do you realize that from 12 Saturday night to right
now its 3am SF time, that I've had just 5 hours
sleep? I'm dead tired.

Tonight for supper we had bar-b-que chicken. It
was pretty good. The water here isn't as bad as
I thought it would be. The first swallow is pretty
bad, but the next one is a little better. Gayle,
I hate to ask you this, but could you send me
some money if you think you can afford it? If
you can't afford it, forget I asked.

Lord, I wish I could see you and hug you and
make love to you. Sweetheart I love you so
very much. I really do.

Well I want to get a shower and shave and then
go to bed. I'll write in the morning. I hope
I can tell you something then. So take care
of yourself, Little Bit, and the Snuff. I
love you very, very, much darling, more than
anything. I really do. All my love always,
Your Bobby


10 October 1967 postmark - Reposted 10-21 Gayle to Bobby

Hi Angel, I'm just sitting here thinking about my Wolpf.
Daddy gave me bullets to fit my gun. I'm watching the
late show. It's nothing. I had breakfast with Brenda.
I don't know when she'll have that baby. I'm going
to go see Granny Warren tomorrow and Shirley is
going to come over for lunch. I'm also giving a
Tupperware party Thursday night. I'm staying just
as busy as I can. I hope you are. I love you so
much sweetheart. It's started getting real
cold again. Do you know what Snuffy did tonight?
I was just sitting there and all of a sudden he
jumped straight up from the floor, where he was
lying, onto the dresser where he laid down and
watched TV! I couldn't believe it! He's crazy.
He's gotten real bad about chasing cars. Even
when I call him he keeps on running. I never see
him with other dogs anymore. He spends his time
being a scavenger, rounding up garbage and wood,
etc. from around the yard and putting it on the
porch. It's hilarious. He's asleep on the bed now.

I have this thing on my mind. I just know I'll get
pregnant again when you get back home. I'm silly,
but it's sort of a premonition. Oh, Granny Warren
has been sick again. She's not back in the hospital
though. Mom wants a new record or so for her stereo,
so I guess that's what I'll get her for her birthday.
Is that fine with you? [It looks like this is a
'record' year- period.-Starting with Papa Fret's]
I haven't heard from Marion, so I think I'll call
her. Do you think you'll stay where you are? Is it
the same place?

Hi! This is now the 11th. I fell asleep last night.
And now it's Wed. night. Everything happened today.
Poor Brenda has all sorts of family problems. And
Sonja has a brother-in-law who was in an accident
and they're needed there. So today I've had to help
both of them. I'm so glad I can, but really all
we have is each other, so I couldn't finish your
letter or even write more 'til now. But I knew
you'd be glad we, all around here, can have each
other when we need one another.

Shirley came out today. Bob, you'd love her baby
so much. He's a doll. He sort of looks like you
if he had blue eyes. Anyway, he's all boy. You know,
I'm afraid to say it, but I think this is a boy.
It just seems likely. Oh, it doesn't matter. You
here at home and a healthy baby is all I want. I
love you so very much angel. I bought you something
funny for "happy promotion", but I can't mail it
'til I get something to mail it in. Honey, I have
a big problem and don't quite know what to do. When
I get my allotment next month - [Nov. 1st] I will
only have $5 left after all our bills and that will
have to go for your mom's birthday. This month I'm
going to have to borrow $20 from dad to pay my car
insurance. That's budgeted in with net month. Also
I haven't got the electric bill or phone. I assume
it's only part of the balance, what I've figured
on my budget. Even both of our John Hancock policies
are due. I only allowed myself $30 for gas and food.
Well, as it is right now I have enough to pay the
furniture $67 - 31= $36 - 5 [Dr. Humphreys]
= $31 - 5.00 [Mom's birthday] = $26 - 15
[groceries & gas] = $11 - 5.00 [Tupperware party]
=$6 - 3[stamps] = $3 left. Then if there's anything
like car insurance I have to borrow till next month
and anything else must wait. Even if the phone and
electric bills come in. And honey, it'll be about the
same each as next because there are things I'll need
to pay more on each month. Like this month I'm letting
Davisons go and only paying Dr. Humphreys $5 in Nov.
That's $5 more in Dec. before it's gone and I've only
budgeted $5 for Demos next month. I'm letting the
records take care of themselves till whenever! And
the big thing---------Xmas! In the first place I'm fit
to be tied 'cause we've been told in order to get
pkgs to Viet Nam; they must go by Nov. 11th. And I
don't have the money to even get you something. Least
of all mail it. Then in Dec. how do I get the family
gifts, or buy even Xmas cards this year? I guess
I won't. I have a towel for those curtains [bedroom]
and of course must wait till? That' why any little bit
with Tupperware I can make is worth paying about $5
to give one party and it be all. I really think I need
at least what we did have each month $412. That helps
a little. Well, I need $50 extra months until some of
these scattered bills are paid. So I probably can
earn at least $50 a month in Tupperware if you can't
spare it. We just sort of need the money now, instead
of worrying about saving. We do have some money to fall
on now or when you're back. Because even if I were to
charge xmas gifts I couldn't pay them each month since
it's only 3-4 months afterwards till the baby gets here
and I have to have money to get ready for it, don't I?
Honey I'm so upset over this mess I'm left with.
I haven't done it. It just happened. Honey, I'll just
be writing 1 BIG letter a day until I can think of
some solution, 'cause then the stamps go twice as far
as they would at 2 letters a day. You know I'll get
you Xmas someplace- It may be a month late, but I will.
About everyone else- well, I just don't know.
Please help me. I 'm frantic. Especially, when I
realize all a pregnant woman can do is sell Tupperware
or something. Like I said, it's some money and I
imagine I'll get birthday money and there may be enough
to keep me from having to borrow money for the car
insurance. Then I'd have $20 I had been paying back
next month to get you some Xmas. Of course by Xmas I'll
need to be getting some clothes since I won't be getting
into things and Dr. Demos will be putting me on a diet
next week. I won't be able to stay on it because I'm
going to have to eat with the families to Live- period.
I hate to have to tell you angel but there's no other
way. We have to do something. If for no other reason
than Little Bit, because I can't take care of us on this
or $400, with all we owe. I love you and miss you and
worry so much it hurts without all this on top of the
baby. God I need you so. Honey, I must go now. I've made
myself depressed. I love you more than anything-
forever,
all my love, Your Mouse


Thought for today: All the legislation in the world
will not abolish kissing.

Hint for today: Use Rosemary to flavor chicken, lamb,
pork and fish dishes: A joint U.S. - Japan study found
it reduces the risk of stroke 40% by helping shield
brain cells from free-radical damage.