Dad’s WWII Letters To Mom™

The adventure continues and we find my dad in what seems to be quite a fragile frame of mind. I never knew my father to be so full of self doubt, especially about my mother’s love for him, but hey, it’s young love here at this time in their lives.

I’m finishing out June, ‘42 in this post and will have pictures of them posted soon in their bios so all can see who is being written about. So, as the Anchoress says,

Get a cup of coffee or tea, and check in. It’s almost like finding a wonderful packet of dusty old letters, and becoming intimate with strangers.”

[Postmark: June 22, 1942]

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[U.S. Naval Hospital - Corpus Christi, Texas]

June 22, 1942

Dearest Anna Mae,

Just received your letter today. Sure was the best news I had received. It was the first letter I had received from anyone, and I had begun to believe that I had been deserted. I don’t know why mother hasn’t written.

I got a chance at the laboratory, but I couldn’t stay. We had to do hour after hour of microscopic work & it caused me to have a headache.

I like it fine here, you couldn’t ask for anything better. Nice beds & good food & plenty of it. Fried chicken every sunday. No laundry work to do, they have a laundry. Also they have negro help that does all the kitchen work & we have none to do.

I get off every other weekend from Saturday at noon till Monday morning at eight o’clock, then one day I work from 8 A.M. till 12 then off til 4 PM & work till 9 P.M. then the next day I got to work at 8 am & work till 4 P.M. This is every other day.

We alternate with a division called starboard. My division is called port. The weekend that we work, we work from 7am till 9Pm. both Sat. & Sun. I got off this last weekend & went (ashore) to town to see Mr. Sturgeon’s sister, you remember the one you met at Ames that day. (Remember) We went swimming in the ocean, had a swell time. There is a place down here, just like Spring Lake at Okla City. The friend of mine at Norman (Bill) is with me. We are in the same locker, but we don’t work together. There is friends here that I knew at Norman. The patients in the ward where I work are from Navy, Air Corps & Marines. Also there are some patients from last war here. They are the most trouble.

My uniforms all fit O.K. except the legs were too long.

[Sheet two]

I ran out of paper & had to borrow this. You see there are two branches here, one is U.S. Navy |Hospital| & the other Naval Air Station. They are both built as one & you have freedom of the whole grounds. But when you are sent from one place to the other to work, you have to go through the same proceedure as if you were being sent to Alaska or anywhere else & and it is only two or three blocks away. We can go to town anytime when not on duty. We get up at 5:30 & lights go out at 10 o’clock every day.

I got 4 suits of whites & 2 suits of blues, also a dress blue suit & everything else you can think of to wear. 3 pair of shoes, over coat, etc. $118 worth of clothes, that is whole sale prices.

Please excuse this writing, using my knees for a table. Someone is using the real table. I took this picture at the North beach last night. (Picture not here) That’s the name of the place like Spring Lake. You put 15 cents in a machine & push a button & wait a few minutes & out drops your picture. I’ll have a good one made real soon. It’s hard to tell all the new things I have seen but I’ll try from time to time, or letter to letter.

This menu (also not here) is from an outdoor cafe where I stopped and ate a sandwich. The ocean was so close that the water splashed on you everytime a wave came in. When the wind is strong, the waves are 3 to 4 feet high. They cover you up when you are in the water about knee deep. They knock you down if you don’t watch.

Will write more next time.

All My Love
Duke

[Postmark: June 24, 1942]

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[U.S. Naval Hospital - Corpus Christi, Texas]

June 24,42

Dearest Anna Mae,

Surprise again.
I suppose by now you have my other letter, so you know some of the things that happen here. I don’t know just what else to tell you about the activity here so you will have to ask me when you write.

Thanks for the Oilton news. It sure helps to make me feel more at home to hear about folks I know.

Boy, that little statement you made about not letting me forget you. I hope you don’t let me, then I will know you haven’t forgotten me.

Tell everyone Hello & tell mother to answer my letter. & another thing you will have to relay anything anybody want to know about me to them because I probably won’t write to anyone but you. (If anyone is interested)

I have had most all my teeth fixed. The dentist said one more appointment & I’ll be through. He took all the fillings out and put in new ones.
(Boy what a Job)

Mrs. Sturgeon lent me the military set my girl friend gave me. & also sent me a letter from Delmar. He is in San Diego Calif. making $45 per week. I think I’ll write him tomorrow. He said Ophard (dad’s brother) is working in the bag room whre they store the boy’s sea bags.

I am just a little glad you didn’t get to go to Washington. At least I know where you are now & if I should happen to get a leave I could find you.

All My Love forever
Duke

[Postmark: June 29, 1942]

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[U.S. Naval Hospital - Corpus Christi, Texas]

June 27, 1942
Hello Darling,

Sure was glad to hear from you, I was expecting a letter every day & when I didn’t get one I was disappointed but I was more thrilled when I finally did get one.

Sure I like it fine here & am liking it better every day. Bill said to tell you hello even though he didn’t get to meet you down at Norman.

I got a card from mother today & she sent me the fountain pen my girl gave me for graduation. Sure is a dandy — how do you like the way it writes.

I just got almost all my hair cut off today, don’t look much diff. I got my teeth all fixed now, boy sure does does seem diff. It is 10 o’clock have to go to bed.

I will now try to finish this letter. It is now about 1 o’clock in the afternoon Sunday. I am on special watch with a patient who is about to dye. He has already been placed on the critical list. Pardon this writing, I am using a Liberty magazine to write on.

One of my patients died a couple of days ago. I think I told you something about him.

This one that is about to dye now has an abcess on his lungs that’s all I had better tell you. Sure is a mess.

I have to give him 2000 c.c.. (about 2 qts) of Dextrose 5% intraveinously every day. It is given just like a blood transfusion, only it’s called an infusion. It is a method of feeding him because he can’t eat.

A couple of more boys from Norman just came in last night, sure was good to see them.

Bill got off this weekend & when he came home last night he was tighter than a skunk & crazy as the devil, was the first time I had ever seen him drunk, sure was funny.

This is my weekend to work. I work from 7am to 9pm both Sat. & Sun., sure is tough but I don’t care.

You asked me about my sunburn. Well, I haven’t been sunburned but I am brown as an Indian. I have been going out just a little each day. Can stand it just fine now & it doesn’t seem so hot as it did at first.

I have lost a little weight around the belt line. Everything is wonderful except I don’t have you here by me, but maybe it will all work out ok. Keep your fingers crossed.

& remember, I love you.

“Duke”

P.S. I didn’t know what those letters stood for & I couldn’t find anyone who did.

Sure wish I could ask her what letters he is talking about. Just the first of many upcoming mysteries, I’m sure. (dale)

Dad’s WWII Letters to Mom™
A celebration of love and discovery by Duke’s son.
Copyright © 2005-2006 — Arthur Dale Baker — All Rights Reserved

World War II letters, WWII, Dad’s WWII Letters, Corpus Christi, Navy

This first letter to his Anna Mae is my father’s last civilian correspondence before his enlistment is processed and he officially joins the U.S. Navy. We get a glimpse of his moral character in his comments about what could, or as he said, would have happened if he had stayed another night in Oilton before heading to Oklahoma City. We’ll learn a lot more about him very soon — apparently he had a bad reputation in his home town, something that I never knew anything about — regardless of the concerns he shows in this letter. Also, there are a lot of typos. After all, this was written a long, long time before instant editing and spellcheck!

In the second correspondence, Dad sends her a hastily written postcard to announce his imminent leaving Oklahoma for Texas, now a Pharmacist Mate 1st class in the U.S. Naval Reserve. The card he sends to her has a picture of the Pensacola Dam across the Grand River in northeastern OK that created the lake known as Grand Lake of the Cherokees. Years later they would have a cabin on that very lake, at least for a little while. I caught a lot of sun perch in the cove that cabin was located on, and spent some fun time as a four-year-old swimming there with the aid of WWII era surplus life preservers, but my best guess is that they had a lot more fun in that cabin than I did!

We’ll never know what “Don’t forget what I said” was — but we can guess.

The third letter details for Mom his first five days in the Navy — he has already witnessed five deaths — and contains the first of many reassurances for her of his devotion. He also expresses the hope that he will not see any ship time — what a naive, Okieboy he was — but not for long . . .

On to the letters, enjoy the journey!

[Postmark: June 6, 1942]

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June 5, 1942

Dearest Anna Mae,

Well here I am sunburned and all. Sure am having a swell time Will leave here monday and go to Okla. city
I dont know where to from there. but will let you know
I would like to have stayed home till time to go to the city but I had some things to do and if I had stayed there we would done things we shouldnt have.

I may be gone a long time so what ever may happen ### ## dont ever forget my heart is with you where ever I may be.

Tell mother hello and I will write her when I get in Okla. City.

With Love
Duke.

[Postmark: June 9, 1942]

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June 9, 1942

James I. Baker
Ph. M. 1C. U.S.N.R.
Corpus Christy, Texas

Dear Anna,

Am leaving OK. City in one hour. Will write later. Don’t forget what I said.

Love
Duke.

[Postmark: June 16, 1942]

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[U.S. Naval Hospital - Corpus Christi, Texas]

June 14, 1942

Dearest Anna Mae,

I’ll bet you are rather angry with me but it really isn’t my falt. I wrote mother & just as I finished I was called on duty at medical ward II & worked from then til 9 oclock at night & have every day till this evening. 14 hours per day.

I signed up in Okla City at 4:30 last tues. night, caught a train at 5:30 & landed here in Corpus at 6 oclock Wed evening. Road in a pullman & was given money for meals. My first meal cost $1.35 pretty high for me but I didn’t care it was on Uncle Sam.

The first 2 days I was sent around & took an examination & given small pox, tetanus, & typhoid shots. Then I checked out my uniforms. Saturday I went to work in the hospital. I check peoples (Men) temperatures, pulse, & Respiration Rate. We are suppose to get paid the 15th. but I haven’t been here long enough to have my record straightened out yet. Won’t be paid til 1st. also where I work I serve the patients their meals.

This is a Naval Air training station there has been 5 men killed in plane crashes since I have been here. There are planes in the air Day & night.

I am trying to get to work in the laboratory where they run blood tests, type blood & make cell counts. I hope I get it. also we run tests for syphillis.

You don’t have to worry about me going with anyone (if you do) they tell me girls don’t even look at a sailor down here. I haven’t been to town yet & may not go for a month or so.

The first time I go to town I’ll have a picture made & send it to you.

Have you heard about the effect of salt petre? Well if you haven’t it reduces your sexual desires & they put it in our food.

If the rumor is true I won’t be sent on ship for 2 or three months & maybe not at all.

We are on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 2 Blocks from where I sleep. I think I’ll go down & swim tomorrow. I can’t think of anything to tell you so ask me when you write anything you would like to know.

With all My Love
Duke.

Dad’s WWII Letters to Mom™
A celebration of love and discovery by Duke’s son.
Copyright © 2005-2006 — Arthur Dale Baker — All Rights Reserved

World War II letters, WWII, Dad’s WWII Letters