Category: 1943 letter

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

12-1-43 (Postmarked Dec 2 1943, Tacoma, Wash. 6 cent airmail stamp.)

Miss J.Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, #5 California

Hello Jane:

Have been rather busy lately- days, not nights, my pet.

Since my return my night work as suffered terribly.  Don’t know anybody any more and the gas situation even prevents me from going to Tacoma.  Got any gas coupons?  If not, sure as hell we will urn out of gas on our date and we will both have to walk home.

Speaking of gas coupons – there’s no ration on passion because there’s no ceiling of feeling.

Incidentally, read over your "Maiden’s Prayer" and then let me know if I can be "the man that plays God", as I can think of only one way to answer the prayer.

[Note:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden’s_Prayer  A Polish composition that Bob Wills arranged in 1935.  Listen to Willie Nelsons version.

Twilight falls, evening shadows find,

There ‘neath the stars, a maiden so fair divine.

The moon on high seemed to see her there.

In her eyes is a light, shining ever so bright,

She whispered a silent prayer.

 

]

I was going to surprise you some evening in the future and give you a call from L.A.  you see, leaves are being allowed and I was planning to go to Los Angeles for my leave but due to a change in headquarters I won’t be able to get it, I guess.  Any hoo, it would have been fun.

Did ya hear about the girl in a house of prostitution who, for a Christmas present, only received some advice from the madam?  The advice was to impress the girl with the fact that in her business, the customer always comes first.

Thats all – so long.

Good luck

Ted

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

10-23-43 (Postmarked Oct. 28 1943, Tacoma, Wash. No stamp, just "Free" written where the stamp would be.)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, #5 California
 

Hello Puss!

Well, here I am – what ya gonna do about it.

Hooray, hooray!  Maneuvers are over for us and tomorrow we will start on our way home.  Our last problem ended Wednesday noon as we were surrounded and theoretically would have been wiped out.  Sorry?

We traveled about sixty miles to the area where we are now, the railway siding at La Pine, and had a huge snow within a couple of hours after arriving, soaking my bedding roll.  As we have had typical Oregon weather since, my bedding is still wet and gee whiz it ain’t no fun crawling into a cold, damp roll alone.  In fact it never is no fun. 

What is this business of you not being able to take a drink lately?  Ya tell Casey that if she hasn’t been following my rules and taking care of you that the day will come when she will have to answer to me.  Of course, taking care of you probably entails hitting you over the head and making ya behave.

Your wrote, when ya were home with a cold (that’s silly, staying home just to have a cold to be with) that all ya needed was me holding your handand sympathizing with ya.  Methinks, that you would need sympathy all right but that you would be holding my hands.

Ya ask if I don’t (or haven’t) lie (or laid) in my bedding roll, gazing up at the stars and have romantic thoughts?  I don’t know if they could exactly be termed romantic thoughts but I sure have had a lot of thoughts. Seems strange, after your maidenly modest behavior in Salem, that you popped up so often at these times out under the open skies.  Wishful thinking!

So ya think I was "soupy" when I wrote about scenery once while in Washington.  I can recall exactly when and where it was – a lodge on the Peninsula, Pysht, and there you were on a little carved wood balcony, looking down on me as I was sitting in front of a huge fireplace, building castles and weaving dreams of affection.

Soupy or not, girl, I still think that scenery and so forth has its good points and is stimulating.  One night is brought to mind – it was on overnight bivouac, between problems and the locale was a valley some fifteen miles square.  My outfit was on a little knoll commanding the whole valley.  Although the weather had been terrific it was the first night we had been allowed to have fires.

Our Tank Destroyer Group was around us with scores of fires blazing, each with a knot of men around the flames, their voices carrying through the stillness of the desert.  On the other side of the valley, about twelve miles away, a whole division of infantry was bivouacked, with countless fires which were pinpricks of red, from our position.  No lights of any kind were allowed.

If you can picture all of the above capped by a brisk chill breeze, a bright full moon drenching the whole scene and silhouetting the surrounding mountains , and a fire of your own forming a screen forr ones dreams, you too probably would get soupy, or haven’t I put the idea across?

Its afer nine now and we must up and about a 4:30 AM so "Finis" for the time being.

 

Good Luck

Teddy

P.S. – Signing my name the way I have might surprise you but I did it [word unreadable], not coyly.  Ya see, I used the name for years and have alway been called the above.

 

This time –

Ted

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

9-27-43   (Postmarked Sept. 29 1943, Bend, Oregon.  No stamp, just "Free" written where the stamp would be.)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, #5 California

(Note:  Letter was written in pencil.  I had to scan it and adjust brightness and contrast to get to where I could read it.)

Hello Jane!

 

Conditions being not too good at the present youll have to excuse the sloppiness – more than ususal.

Just before I went to bed (bedding roll) last night (7:15 and you brag about going to bed at 8:30) our mail came in and, of all things, a totally unexpected letter from you.  Talk about a welcome surprise!

Whoever originated the motto "Keep Oregon Green" shuld be out here with us.  Sure as hell his picture of Oregon would change.  Its so damn dirty that some of the fellows even have sagebrush sprouting out the dust collected in ther ears.  That may soulnd like an exaggeration yet, knowing me, you know that it couldn’t be anything but true.

Really the lava ash dust is terrific.  When riding through it the dust sprays out from under teh weheels as if it were water.

My saying that we probably wouldn’t have the chance of seeing each other again was due to rumors – i.e.  "T.D. Btn are to lose their dental officers (with which I  heartly agree  because out here it is [unreadable] a high-price loaf) and in this case I don’t know what the hell would happen to me; " T.D. Btn are to be transfered after the manuovers to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin or Indiana. See?  [Note: Camp McCoy was in Wisconsin and in 1973 was designated Fort McCoy]

Tell Casey to get after you and your health.  Your letters sound as if you are trying to exist on nothing at all.

Thats all for now and still holding my breath for the morale builiding letter.

 

Good Luck

Teddy

 

 

 

 

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN. APO304 Fort Lewis, Wash.

9-7-43   (Postmarked Sept 11, 1943, Bend, Oregon. No stamp, just “Free” written where the stamp would be.)

Miss Jane Axtell 538 S. Normandie Los Angeles, California

Hello Jane:

Your morale building letter was received a day after I arrived at Hole-in-the-Ground and was very welcome.

We have moved and are now about fifty miles east of Bend in country which is worse than that at which we were before.  The nearest town the other way is about sixty five miles.  Plenty hot and dirty!

In writing a letter you should not end it as you did your latest to me when the recipient is living under these conditions. “Will I get everything I ask for?”  Girl, the ideas I get sitting out here in this country would probably cause you to a lot without asking.

You also said that when you were in this part of the country you were three and that you believed in fairies.  Don’t tell me you no longer believe in them – especially, living in Los Angeles.

It doesn’t look as if I will ever get to that school and, on the same theme, it doesn’t look as if I will ever see you again, the way things are working out.  As far as taking you with me – do you think you would be able to earn enough to support me in a style I am not accustomed to?

Nothing spectacular has happened and my back is going dead due to my position, so closing for the time being.

Don’t forget the morale of those in uniform and write.

Teddy

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

8-25-43   (Postmarked Aug 28 1943, Bend, Oregon.  No stamp, just "Free" written where the stamp would be.)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, #5 California

Hello Jane:

Received your short, snappy, letter with the picture.  You sure do look swell and quite a wolfess.  It’s really no wonder theat your nights are disturbed with men trying to get ya in their clutches.

You, of course, know where Bend is – well , we are about sixty miles sourth of it and a few dust miles off the highway.  Its plain decent, sagebrush and sand.  Hot during the day and cold during the night.  (Reminds me of my third wife)

Enough for now.  Looking at your picture gave me an inspiration for writing but I don’t want to over-do it.

 

Bye now –

Ted

 

Pome: (sic)

Shad roe comes from the harlot shad fish:

The shad fish faces a sorry fate.

A pregnant shad fish is a sad fish,

She go that way without a mate.

(what the hell, it filled up the page, anyway)

 

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

8-18-43   (Postmarked Aug 18 1943, Yakima, Washington.)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, California

 

Hyah Jane! 

 

Your last letter overwhelmed me with its length but I sure a not going to try to match it.  In fact, I think the main reason for writing so soon is that I want to have a letter from you when I get down to Oregon.

Today the truck convoy moved out for the maneuver area and tomorrow morning I, together with several officers and the remainder of the men, shall go by train. Nothing but the best for Leske.  Our final destination is Hole-in-the-ground.  Know where it is?  It seems that the first part of the name is very well suited to the area.  We supposedly will be some sixty miles away from the nearest town, which should all toward a very plain and healthy life, also boring.

You mentioned that you didn’t know why I wanted to transfer from the 71st.  Well, for sometime I have been trying to get assigned to a Maxilto-facial Surgery Course at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington with no good results.  Naturally, men with hospital units had priority as, being with infantry, I wouldn’t have any call for such work.  In a period of six months, there has been an allotment of only one for the whole IV corps.  Our division would not send any of its dental officers to any schools or allow them to transfer out.  I was the first in three years to get out voluntarily.  The Army setup would not allow higher than a captain dental with a infantry regiment and I was getting tried of seeing line officeres who were still evading the draft or were anywhere from private to 2nd looie when I was a captain, now wearing bars.  I was one of nine original officers left out of 77 and it was too comfortable a set up.  While on the post I was assigned to a clinic which ran like an assembly line putting in silver fillings all day and plenty of them – amount not worth.  Griping!

You asked for it and there it is!!

 

Goodbye for now

 

Ted

 

Capt. T.G. Leske

633 T.D. BN.
APO304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

8-6-43   (Postmarked Aug 6 1943, Tacoma, Washington.)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, California

 

Hello Jane!

 

If you think your typing was difficult to read just wait until you finish wading through this.  For a desk I have my knee and a magazine and am sitting on a wobbly cot.  You see, I am in a new outfit and they are here on the firing range at Yakima and we just don’t have all the comforts of barracks.

By this time you are probably  angry with me, again, for not writing sooner.  But, you see, I was on leave back home in Jersey.  Manage to get a plane reservation and went right straight through both ways without getting kicked off.  Had quite a bit of fun while home and also a hell of a lot of work as my brother, also a dentist, got his commission and duty orders so I had to help him clear out his office, pack equipment and furniture, and do a hell of a lot of running around.

My plane trips were good, also.  Stewardesses were very chummy.  In fact, at four o’clock in the morning I was playing rummy on the floor of the tail of the plane with the hostess and another girl.  Of course, it probably would have been much nicer just playing with the hostess on the floor but I think the air line has some sort of regulation against it.  I was even allowed to go up into the cockpit with the pilots and spent a nice hour there with them, telling stories and asking a lot of questions.

My transfer came through on the same day I was to go on leave.  I damn near didn’t get to go as the [unreadable, maybe 71st] no longer had the right to give me leave.  As the outfit I was going to was not in Fort Lewis at the time, matters became more complicated.  Finally 4th corps gave my leave about an hour and a half before the plane departure from Seattle.  What a hustle and bustle!

After making up my mind I wanted to get out of the 44th Div. I started working for it and now I am with this outfit.  I don’t like it at all but after all I have been here just one day.  The size, too, is strange to me – 650 men, 34 officers, 17 men in the medical detachment with just one medical officer and myself. (71st – 3600 men , 177 officers, 125 men in medicine with 8 medical and 2 dental officers)

Hear the story of two morons walking along and a pigeon flying overhead made a deposit on one of the morons’ head.  The chosen one said "Gee, I wish I had a piece of toilet paper."  Whereupon, the other moron said, "Don’t be silly, you would never be able to catch that pigeon."  Well?

Gonna get a ride into town and mail this.  Let’s hear from ya.

 

Ted

 

New address 633 Tank Destroyer Battalion
APO 304
Fort Lewis, Wash.

Going to be here in Yakima until the 18th and then we are going down to Bend, Oregon maneuver area.

Capt. T.G. Leske

71st Infantry
APO44
Fort Lewis, Wash.

7-9-43   (Postmarked July 10 1943, Tacoma, Washington.  Written in pencil)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, California

 

Hyah Jane!

 

Pencil and paper looks sort of silly but I have a good reason. Last Monday I rammed a long dental drill into my finger trying to get it out of a worn handpiece.  Inflamation, infection, vacation, pencil and scrap paper.

So you have reached the stage of "the hell with you".  Tsk, tsk!  Fie, shame, finger pointing, children and mothers pointing, crying aloud.  "Nasty girl, nasty girl." What wouldest they have me do, fair maiden with the new chaff???? [unable to read] (by the way, where is my picture?)  Shall I tell Army City Hall that I just can’t play their way and go my merry way to California?

Your letter mentioning your vacation sure gave me ideas but none of them will work.  I still must go home and after that I won’t have the leave nor the money to help you spend your free days.

A pilot took his airplane up in the air to frisk [?]
Such a silly lad was he
his little *

Too hard writing with a bandage forefinger sticking up like a distress signal so so long and [unreadable] luck

Ted

Capt. T.G. Leske

71st Infantry
APO44
Fort Lewis, Wash.

6-14-43   (Postmarked June 16 1943, 4:00pm, Tacoma, Washington)

Miss Jane Axtell
538 S. Normandie
Los Angeles, California

Hello Jane:

Might I say, right at the beginning, that your love letter did not measure up to expectations.  Surely you, of all people, should be able to do better.  And to sign a supposed love letter plain "Jane" – fie!  Why I have read better class-room passed notes written by mere amateurs.

Things have been so darn dull around here that it is hard to write a letter. You are familiar with out weather; I’m in a clinic all day; stay home most nights; you know I want to see you: my leave is still hanging fine; my brother going into service, wants to see me before I leave; still trying for the school in Washington, and there’s my life.

I’m bored, I’m restless, I’m dissatisfied, I’m in a rut, I’m nuts, I’m tired, I’m saying so long.

 

Good Luck

Teddy