Today in the Written Richert Record: Lydia to Robert 15 April 1945

This post is also not current date identical, but is from April and mentions Roosevelt's death. It is rather long but mentions key events in the death of Roosevelt, Truman assumption of presidency and a famous Hollywood strike.

4/13/45[1]

Dear Bob[2]-

I got home early tonight – have read the latest McCall magazine – eaten some crackers and cheese – and have brewed me a pot of coffee so now I am all ready for letter writing.

You know how you hate to write some letters – not because you don’t want to write but because you don’t know what to write? Well, I have just finished on to a fellow overseas who used to work at Columbia and I feel very halo-ish now. Walter[3] still has a pack of R.K.O. pin-up pictures [4] so I think I’ll send a set of them off into the pacific area.

I feel very halo-ish, too, because my house is clean. I get so disgusted with this place but then when I give it a thorough cleaning it almost looks respectable. I even wiped down cobwebs – what few I could find. Then, too, just re-arranging, even if it is only putting the lamp behind the chair instead of beside it, always gives a lift to a room. And tonight the lights are dim – and that is as flattering to an ageing room as it is to an ageing woman.

You undoubtedly heard of Roosevelt’s death almost as soon as we did over here[5]. It was so unexpected and so unbelievable, even though all his recent newsreel pictures have shown him as tired and worn looking. You wonder how much this is going to affect world conditions – you can only guess.

President Truman is certainly going to have a busy and unenviable term of office. The studio closed down Thursday afternoon – was open today – but will be closed all day Saturday. All retail stores are closing and even the movie theaters for part if not all of the day. There have been practically no schedule radio broadcasts – and almost all commercial announcements have been banned. I’ll try to send you some clippings[6].

I’m glad one of the boxes finally arrived. Can you use the camphor ice? I had read where some flyers were glad to have it for chapped hands and lips –maybe they were fighter pilots who are more exposed to the wind than you are[7]. I had fun packing the box, though. Practically everything came from the dime store – which is as you suggested. As I remember – the second box had more food in it – I’ll try my luck at roasted nuts and hope that they don’t get rancid along the way.

Do you need film? Can you borrow a camera? When I last took a roll in to be developed I was told that if I brought in an overseas envelope I could have priority on tow rolls of film. I’ll get some 127 but let me know if there’s any brand that you could especially use.

Billie[8] is coming over tomorrow evening - it will be nice to see someone from home. I have a rand surprise for her – two packages of cigarettes!! She’s asked me on the phone to pick up any I might find – and strange as it may seem, I managed to do so. One pack is even her favorite Kools – if it is still her favorite. You hear people say now that they don’t have favorites – just cigarettes is all they ask.

The movie strike still goes on to a certain extent. We have pickets out in front but are so used to them by now that they are as much a part of entrance setting as are the magnolia trees in front. It’s a silly strike, I think, especially for war-time[9]. It demands nothing for the worker, but is a protest against the producers not recognizing a War Labor Board Decision. The producers, are on the spot. A rival film union, the I.A.T.S.E. says that if the producers do recognize the W.L.B. decision that all movie projectionists (the fellow who throw the movie on the screen) will be called off their jobs and all theaters will be closed. So – it goes on and on. Here at Columbia we now have a new job – convoy custodians – who escort the workers outside to see that the get safely past the picket line. It is a joke – and not a very funny one! Walter has been at Monogram for two weeks – they are an independent concern and not directly involved.

News over you way certainly sound encouraging. You almost hate to mention it, though, because we got too darn optimistic last winter. If and when – is there any chance of your coming home rather than being sent on into the Eastern end of it?[10] I sure hope so.

How do you like the cakes? They almost made me drool. When I saw them. Wish I could send you one a week – as it is, it’s sort of a dirty trick sending the pictures. Eh? Just some more pin-ups

Walter was very pleased that you liked the pin-up pictures and says he will get you some more. We don’t remember just what we sent so you may get duplicates but you can get rid of them.

Love

Lydia & Walter[11]

[1] Envelope is postmarked 15 April 1945 and that is the date used for collection purposes.

[2] Addressed to: Lt. Robert B. Richert 0-207169; 99^th Bomb Gp 346 Sq.; A.P.O. 520; c/o Postmaster, New York City.

[3] Walter Smith, the letter writer’s husband.

[4] Mentioned in previous letters.

[5] This type of news is often withheld from service personal in autocratic regimes, but even in the most forward areas, US forces heard of his death.

[6] The clipping below was enclosed in the envelope and is in one piece, but scanned in two due to the limitation of the scanner used.

[7] Actually, the waist gunners on the B17-F versions were the most exposed. They fired their machine guns through open windows. The altitude they flew at meant very low temperatures. In a previous letter, Robert mentions the electric heating suits they used.

[8] Their sister-in-law by brother Hubert.

[9] Since WWII is often referred to as the last “good war”, we often don’t picture any civilian unrest during the war. But strikes did occur and there was a draft that became increasingly necessary to fill manpower needs.

[10] As final victory in the European Theater of Operations became clear, the question of home or Pacific entered everyone’s minds. Robert’s training in heavy bombers and late induction certainly made him a prime candidate for transfer to the Pacific Theater of Operations.

[11] Return address: W T Smith; 1856 Vista Del Mar; Hollywood 28; Calif.