A partial letter from Lawrence Wild (February 22, 1921 - April 22, 1945) to his wife, Dorothy (Dot) Wild (née ; Sundstrand) dated August 17th, 1943. These are unique in that Larry was killed in action at 23 years old.
This letter contained multiple days worth of writing. This is the second part.
This is after he’s learned from a telegraph sent by his mother that his first child, Sandy, was born. “All the fellows are calling me Pop.”
Transcribed under the cut.
Aug 17 - 1943
Dearest Wife,
Here I am back again. it is noon time and I have time to write a few lines.
I just received a letter from you and was so happy when I got it. It is the first in 3 days.
Dot, we are moving from this camp next month on the 14th. We do not know where we are going. I hope it is near home. We have to send all our things back home. We are only allowed to have G.I. things with us.
So, if you get things from me then you will know what its for. I have to send our pictures that we have.
Its every thing that we brought with us when we came in the army. Do not worry now, we are not going over for we have a lot of training to go through.
Dot, I just received a telegram from Mom and I am so happy. So, it is a girl. That’s what you wanted and that’s what I prayed every night for. I hope she looks like you. Are you alright? Is our baby well? Is she big or small? How much does she weigh? I am all mixed up, I do not know what to say.
Dot, please tell your doctor to go to the red cross and try to see if he can get a leave for me. He can do it better than any one.
I do not think that I can come home for a long time, so please do that for me. I want to come home to see you and our baby.
Dot, did you name her? If you did, send me her name and when she was born and where she was born. You know, just like the one you sent me before so I can get some more money for you. I can get $12 more that’s for our baby.
I am so happy Dot I don’t know what to say. All the fellows are calling me Pop. I wish I was there with you it would be much better.
Dot, did you have many pains? Tell me every thing. Are you going to call her Sandy? That is a swell name. I like it a lot. It’s up to you to name her. Wish I could see her.
What time did you have our baby? Was it in the morning or was it at night?
Dot, we have to go out now. Sending all my love to you and baby.
Congratulations.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I hope and pray that you are alright and happy. Please send the doctor to red cross.
A partial letter from Lawrence Wild (February 22, 1921 - April 22, 1945) to his wife, Dorothy (Dot) Wild (née ; Sundstrand) dated August 16th, 1943. These are unique in that Larry was killed in action at 23 years old.
This letter contained multiple days worth of writing. This is the first part.
Transcribed under the cut.
Love,
Larry
xxxxxxxxxx
Aug 16 - 1943
Dear Dot,
Here it is Monday afternoon and I didn’t receive any letters from you in 3 days. Are you alright?
Did our baby start kicking you again? I will be so happy when its all over and you are home with our baby.
I went swimming yesterday. They have a place in camp now. They don’t have it all fixed up yet but it looks like a nice place. No one is allowed to go in there that is not in the camp. My back is all red. When I put my pack on it dose not feel so good. It will be alright in 2 or 3 days, I hope.
O Dot, I miss you so much. I hope and pray this mess is over soon so I can come home to you and our baby. That’s all I want. I want to work hard + have a home of our own. It’s going to be so nice to have our own home. Then we can fix it like we won’t . . . we will make it look like a doll house.
If I go back to the same place and work I want to run one of the big machines. Then I will make more money than I did.
We are having class today. I think we will have them all week. That’s better than going on them long hikes isn’t it.
It is very hot today. It seems like it is the hottest day so far. It will soon be getting cold again, then it will not be so bad on the hikes.
How is Mom and Pop? Hope they are well. Is Mom still getting all fixed up? Did she buy new dresses? Well, she has been working a long time so I guess she is getting tired of staying in. She stayed in almost every night after work maybe it will make her feel better to go out.
Well Dot, I have to stop now. I will be back soon. Its time to go out. Its 1 o’clock now and we come back at 4 this afternoon. Good bye for now.
Love, Larry xxxxxxx
Aug 16-1943
Dear Dot,
I only have time to say good night for we had a lot of work to do all day and I just got done. It is now 10:30 and I am so tired so I will close now til tomorrow night, then I will write more to you.
A letter from Lawrence Wild (February 22, 1921 - April 22, 1945) to his wife, Dorothy (Dot) Wild (née ; Sundstrand) dated August 4th, 1943. These are unique in that Larry was killed in action at 23 years old.
Transcribed under the cut.
Aug - 4 - 1943
Dear Dot,
Received a letter from you and was so happy to get it. It has been 5 days now. I was worried so much I thought something was wrong.
Yes, we have been doing a lot of hiking and I am getting so tired of it. This is something like maneuvers. We have maneuvers next month. Some of the men were saying that we were getting a furlough after we get done with these 4 weeks. I hope its time if we do not we’ll get [one] after we get back from maneuvers.
I am going to try to come before we go on maneuvers. Do not worry about the money. If I do not have it some of the men will hand it to me, I hope.
How is Rene? I have not heard from her since I came back from my furlough. Did she get her home all fixed up ? It is a nice home that she has.
I am going to eat now. We got our own food in cans now, in one of them I have meat + vegetable stew and the other thing is biscuit, sugar, soluable coffee is good. Sometimes I will get some and send it to you then you can see what the men get on the other side. I am going to eat it now. I will be right back. Love, Larry xxxxxx
Here I am again. I feel better now since I had something to eat. It was good. It makes me feel better when I hear that you are alright. It won’t be long now. I bet you will be glad when it is all over. It will make me feel better too. Then I will know you and our baby are alright.
That was a good thing that man was thinking you might have hurt yourself. That bus stopped so fast. They should take their time when they stop.
Yes, I will be happy if it is a boy and I will be just as happy if it is a girl. I do want a little girl and I want her to look just like you.
Do not worry about me getting a job after the war. The kind of job that I was doing. . there are lots of places that have that kind of work so do not worry.
No, I didn’t see that in the paper. I wish you could send me the paper. I would love to see the Camden paper.
Dot, you are doing wrong when you give our cat a bath. You will have to bathe him all the time. Cats always bathe themselves so now you will have a job for yourself.
Since you are talking about dirt, my hands are so dirty I guess it will be hard to read this letter. We do not get any time to wash. We do not get any water anyway. We were [???] yesterday. I did get a bath and shave in a stream. Boy, it felt so good to get the dirt off.
Dot, didn’t you say you had an examination? What do you have to of them?
Yes, I would love to hear from Mom and Pop. So the island is closing. That will be hard for Pop but I guess he will get a job. I guess there are lots of jobs now so it won’t be hard for him to get one.
Yes, I know you can not write when you are in the hospital. Maybe you can get someone there to write for you.
I have not seen George in about a week. You see he is out here too but he is not with me. I look for him all the time but I never see him.
Dot, you are not a wash woman. You are the best wife in the world and I love you more than anything in the world. You are all I want and our baby. No one could ever take your place. I always did love you and I always will love you. I will soon be home to my love, Dot. I am going to be so happy when this mess is over and I can come home to you and baby. I hope its soon.
Yes, I remember when I told you about girls face when they have a baby. Now you know.
Well Dot, I have to close now. Sending all my love to you and baby. Miss you very much and love you.
I am good but I can not seem to stop smoking. It is very hard to do.
