Robert to Cornelia 12 June 1944

Monday, June 12[1]

Dear Cornelia,

        I'm looking forward to tomorrow with great joy, but I'll bet you can't guess the reason. The laundry has come back & I can start the day with clean sox & underwear. I arrived in Texas with a barracks bag of dirty laundry which I sent out at the first opportunity so the last 11 days have been limping along with a pair of shorts & 3 pairs of sox which I washed out every few nights and a wilted set of suntans[2] with which I could do nothing. The laundry is just one of many situations inadequately referred to as delicate.

        I think I wrote you or momma describing the choice location of my living quarters with the choice view from the front lawn of the civilian workers housing unit, the colonels' home, the Texas landscape, the chapel and the officers club. There's a gala time in the last named tonight there being a dinner dance with Al Donahue, who is supposed to be somebody, and his band playing and thru the lattice fence around the terrace can see glimpses of the tables & people. It's nice seeing women in long fluffy summer formals — reminds me of the spring formals at State[3]. It's still early, the band not having started yet and over the P.A. an uninspired, & I assume reluctant, toastmaster announces a new craps table is opening so don’t crowd around table number 1, and at intervals intimidates someone into buying a bond by the subtle method of mentioning his name: Who's going to buy the first bond? Capt. Blank are you stepping up etc. or: Col. Dany has just bought a hundred dollar bond who's next?

        There's been a quip buzzing thru the barracks all day I thought you might enjoy: In the ground forces a pass is a pass but in the air corps a pass is out of the question.

        By now you must know that I was disillusioned in thinking Hondo in the midst of a desert[4], I don't know whether this country extends very far but I had always thought of San Antonio & the Alamo as cactus country. May be I'll find out this week if lucky enough to have open post.

        Have you started your painting project yet? It sounds big enough to last 3 months. My project is to finish this course. Wednesday we fly our first mission & I'm quite anxious to start flying again. The training seems thorough and intelligently planned so I shouldn't have too much trouble as long as I eager and accurate unless there are unforeseen obstacles. The latest rumor going around is that our course will be 16 instead of 20 weeks finishing the middle of Sept. Instead of Oct. You hear the darnedest things sometimes.

        Write and keep me informed on the state of the farm.

Love

Robert

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[1] Envelope is also missing, but the content indicates that the year is 1944.

[2] This is slang for the summer uniform worn (and paid for) by officers.

[3] Robert was a pre-war undergraduate at Fresno State College, which eventually became California State University, Fresno. It is still called by many “Fresno State” and “State”, especially in casual conversation. Robert was a member of the Zeta Mu fraternity, a local fraternity at Fresno State College. In 1949, they would become initiated as the California Iota chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Many former members of Zeta Mu took the steps necessary to become ΣΑΕs, but Robert did not. His brothers Ted and Hubert did and became founding fathers of California Iota.

[4] This phrase is slightly confusing. I think he might be saying that he didn't expect the base to be as much of a shithole as it was. Or less.

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Barbara to Robert 1 June 1945

May 31, 1945[1]

Dear Bob[2],

        Just think! It’s nearly summer again. The Dutch iris are all through blooming, but the roses are in all their glory. I have ten nice bushes and two Belle of Portugals struggling up the trellis.

       

A nice neighbor gave us four double poinsettia cuttings which now have buds. They should be six feet tall by Christmas.

        Some of my faculty presented me with some Martha Washington geranium slips which are starting to take hold. Yes, the weeds are doing nicely, too, thank you.

        You must think from this I’m quite a gardener. But, I’m not ‘cause I don’t have enough time or information. It’s fun to watch things grow, though.

        The house, however, takes most of my time as there are meals, cleaning, washing, and ironing plus all the extras one has when moving. I teach, too!

        There are just three more weeks of school now. It’s been the best year yet as L.A. is a grand system to work for[3]. I’ll like having more time for other things, though.

        We were certainly glad to hear of the capitulation of Germany[4], but aside from an assembly, things went on as usual. We’re too near the Pacific for any real celebration yet[5].

        We follow the S.F. Conference daily and are hoping for an effective peace organization[6]. Wish they were organized to take care of Syria and Lebanon[7].

        Where do you think you will go from Italy or are you like Dan, in doubt? Have you seen any Italian opera? Write sooner than I did or have a better excuse than mine.

Sincerely,

Barbara[8]

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[1] Postmarked Inglewood, Calif Jun 1, 1945, 11AM.

[2] Addressed to: Lt. R.B. Richert 02071698, 99^th Bomb. Gp. 346 Sq., A.P.O. 520 c/o P.M., New York City. 99^th Bomb. Gp. 346 Sq is marked out in black crayon and a “TRFD TO, 301 BOMB GP” is stamped in black on the envelope.

[3] It would be interesting to see if the sentiment is the same from the current faculty.

[4] VE Day was May 8, 1945. The Soviets celebrated on May 9.

[5] Some of the fiercest fighting in the PTO occurred during 1945 and one can imagine the traffic of returning wounded, death notices, and outgoing troops would have made for a somber West Coast. For them, there clearly was still a war going on.

[6] Interesting to see the peace element of the UN creation mentioned so prominently. Today, the UN is so often mentioned in terms of administration, reports, rankings, etc. that it is easy for forget that it’s primary purpose was to promote peace to a world that just suffered two major conflicts.

[7] The Middle East problems are framed in a centuries-long paradigm.  Reading, in a 70 year old letter, someone’s desire for a solution we seek today, one must question if that solution is really possible.

[8] Return address: 1035 Fifth Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. I do not know at this time the relationship of Barbara to Robert.

Envelope

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