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Today we have a letter from 20-year old soldier Harry Lowell to his sister Eva in San Francisco.
New Guinea
July 30, 1944Dear Eva,
This being the last of the month I think it a good idea t get rid of all my delinquent correspondence and start the next month with a clear conscience (Speaking of conscience, I guess there is no need to tell you that seven of your V-notes are in front of me – all of them unanswered, for shame!) O well, civilians don’t need letters to maintain their morale as much as we men in New Guinea do; so – please don’t follow my example! Keep on writing….till your pen runs out of ink! (Then, refill your pen and continue writing!)
Having dedicated one whole page to apologies for my epistolary shortcomings, I shall proceed with my letter.
First of all, I want to thank you for your constancy in dispatching your cheerful V-letters. If I should ever be awarded the Congressional Medal. I’ll let you wear it forever, in view of your morale boosting. Amen.
Yes, you may use my tennis racket, as I was going to buy me a new one anyhow – but please keep your fingers off my badminton racket, please! (And don’t use my foil for weenie roasts, either!) Who came out victorious in the Julia vs. Eva match?
Congratulations on your new raise! What in the world are you doing with all that money? How about advising your bank to let me be the co-withdrawer of your account?
I received a letter from an acquaintance from San Bernardino. Although I pictured as realistically as possible the life of a nurse (post mortems, deaths, insults, etc.) and otherwise discouraged her, she ignored my fatherly advice and turned around to join the Order of the Nightingales. You see, I may as well consider myself a complete failure as far as my capacity as a second Mr. Anthony is concerned. Nobody gives a darn about my advice at all. It’s rather discouraging, isn’t it? (However, I’m glad you heeded my advice regarding the Standard Oil deal. ‘Twas a moral victory!)
Another friend from San B., a school teacher, has presented me with a subscription to the National Geographic magazine, which is one of my favorites. Don’t you think that’s very nice of her? I am being taken care of alright. With every letter that I get from anybody comes an offer that I should let it be known if I needed anything. You know, it is very gratifying to know that quite a few people think of me. It’s a great life!
Starting August we’ll be getting 24 bottles of beer a month; that is a whole case, for half a pound. The Army is trying to make life here as comfortable as possible it seems. I suppose the government will look for volunteers to stay here after the war; as far as I am concerned, they can build me a mansion and I wouldn’t be persuaded to remain in this place, by Jupiter!
The news is very good and we will expect this war to be over by Christmas of ’45, we hope.
Well Sis, that’s about all I can think of at present; there have been no new developments All’s quiet at this front.
Give my regards to all.
Love,
HarryMy mother taught me to be good
At least as good as I was able;
Otherwise I think I could
Dress in ermine, mink, or sable.P.S. What about that photograph of you that I have been asking for the last six months. Have one taken tomorrow and send it to me P.D.Q.
Eva seems to have learned letter writing from her mother - faithfully writing to her loved ones, even when they did not reply. Her sense of love and duty kept her going, even when she probably felt quite alone. At this point, she hasn’t heard from her parents in a few years. She probably knows they have been sent to Ravensbrück and Buchenwald and is helpless to do anything.
Eva and Harry both loved playing tennis, from the time they were children in Vienna. (See June 14 post.) We’ve seen examples of V-mail in earlier posts (see March 14 post). Mr. Anthony must have been extremely popular - Harry mentioned it in a previous letter. (See June 28 post). Is the poem original? Although it feels like it might be a song lyric or silly poem, I didn’t find anything in a quick search.