Capt. T.G. Leske
71st Infantry
APO44
Fort Lewis, Wash.
September 28th ,1942 (postmarked Port Angeles, Washington)
Miss Jane Axtell
Coquille, Oregon
PO Box 515
marked "Please Forward" (postmarked Coquille, Oregon Sep 30 5:30 PM 1942)
354 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, California
Saturday Nite
Hello Sweet!
Day after day, for three weeks now, I have been waiting for a letter from you and disappointment daily in the end result. Now that I have stolen a march on you and taken the blame off my shoulders for the lapse of writing. I should try to convince you that I really am sorry for not writing earlier but as you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway I’ll just give up now.
Really, though I have been moving around a bit to continue the (?) at all over different installations and haven’t even written a few words home. I’ve practically forgotten how to write. I can imagine the fear you will have trying to make sense of all this inkwork. It was quite a thrill to get two letters from you in succeeding mails. At the time, I was working at a particularly remote place and your brief notes were sure welcome. The nearest town was about an hours ride and it had no excitement anyway so I caught up on the sleep I had lost, if any. I did go hunting bear and got three shots at one of which he is carrying two I think. Another time I was trailing a bear, carrying a 45 pistol and it probably was very lucky I didn’t catch up with as I would probably still be running. My fishing trip one evening was aas a perfect failure but it did give me a good chance to try out my caulk boots.
What a setting! The radio is playing "When day is done", the lieutenant brought me a drink, and I am back again at the same lodge with you standing on the balcony.
We shall move again tomorrow and be in new fields and I certainly hope that they shall be better than the last six weeks have provided. Seattle shall be very close so that, no doubt, will be a great help.
Remember the leave I wrote you about? Well, leaves have been canceled for our officers in the regiment and many a good plan has been wreaked including mine. I did have high hopes of seeing you but that is of no account to the higher echelons.
It seems years since I saw you last and it makes me think of how much time will pass before I do actually see you again. Your constant chatter certainly did liven up the times we were together. I am anxious to see if that is still true.
Due to the tardiness of this letter I expect to get an answer postmarked San Diego or someother such place. You said in your letter that you expected to go south whereas you should have said north. Of course, you being of an obstinate nature, the case is understandable but not appreciable.
A letter of this length deserves a early answer, don’t ya think? If you are still home you have plenty of time on your hands and if your are working away from home it will give you a little relaxation to write a few words.
I’ll be waiting for an answer and don’t wait as long as I did, please.
Good night and good luck
Ted