Christmas Love Letters: Missing Home

Holiday V-Mail, December, 1944.

Hello all, 

Christmas is just two days away! Are you as excited as I am? Maybe you are, or maybe no, not this year?  I know the holidays can be a joyous time for some and dreadful for others, depending on what life has dealt you at the time. Many individuals are lucky enough to spend the holidays with their loved ones, while others are missing those nearest to their hearts for whatever reason. I do not know if you feel the same, but I feel very fortunate to live in the age of technology where even distance can be conquered if we have the means, and will, to do so. We can be thousands of miles away from our family and still be able to see their faces through the internet. Of course, even that could never replace physically being in their presence, but it beats the alternative. During World War II, the only way families could stay in contact with loved ones overseas was through letters. It must have been torture not knowing where they were exactly, not knowing if they were safe or if they would be okay by the time the letter was received.

 

I would like to share a few holiday letters written by a Bedford Boy to his lovely wife, Sergeant John B. Schenk to Ivylyn Jordan Schenk.

“12-9-42, My Darling Lynn, Oh yes you guessed it. I am just a little homesick. Just think what fun I am missing by being over here. When you get this letter it probably will be Xmas so here is hoping you have a most pleasant one. Two of the boys were just in my room and brought a fruit cake with them. We were discussing what we were going to do when we get home and we all said the first thing would be to go on a honeymoon. Of course I had to tell them about ours and they agreed it was much better than traveling…”

“December 16, 1942, 7:30P.M., My Darling Lynn, Here it is nine days till Xmas and I haven’t got a bit of Xmas spirit… I am invited to have Xmas dinner with the same people I had dinner with last nite. We did have a real nice time. Each person had a foot of silver on each side of his plate. When I finished the meal I had used every piece so I think I did a good job of it...”

John Schenk and his wife, Ivylyn.

“December 24, 1942, England, My Darling Lynn, Here tis Xmas Eve and I am 4000 miles away from you but my heart and soul are with you. My love for you is increasing each day. Every night and many times during the day I am praying for your happiness. Also I pray for a quick end to this foolish war and by the looks of things my prayers are being answered. When I say foolish I mean foolish. Tell me what can one gain by war. Of course it is different with us. Our freedom was endangered and we are fighting to keep it. I guess I am first a lover of peace is the reason I think all disagreements could be settled without the loss of lives. It takes civilized people to see it that way I guess. I was in town this A.M. and the British just like the Americans believe in Xmas. Everyone greets you with a smile and wishes you a merry Xmas. People like that couldn’t believe in war. On every smiling face you could see that God was there. These people believe in him just as we do. Even the war worn German prisoner has a smile for us. It may be that he is getting more to eat than usual but I think down deep in his heart he is much like you and I. He is forced into battle by Hitler’s threats. For him it is either fight or starve. Anyway darling we, the allies are going to win this war. It is you we are fighting for not ourselves. Our lives are not worth the value of a Confederate bill and you know from history that isn’t worth much.”

“… Judging from this letter you would think I was home sick but really I am not. Well not very much any way. I would give an arm just to see you and hold you close and tell you how much I love you. Darling you are all I have so take good care of yourself. God will bring me back to soon. Good nite and a Merry Christmas. All My Love, John.”

John was killed in action on June 6, 1944. As you may have guessed, these letters were the last holiday exchange these two would ever have together. In fact, the only Christmas we know they spent together was in 1941, before they were married.

Letters such as John’s show us how similar human beings really are, even when we come from such different times and places. I think anyone missing a loved one over the holidays can feel a connection with John and Ivylyn through their letters. John’s sentiments make me thankful for what I have and hold dear. I hope they do the same for you.

 

Christmas Card delivered to GIs, WWII.

Take care,

Elizabeth

Love in Wartime: A Valentine's Day Special

This week we have a special guest blogger, my colleague and fellow educator, Felicia Lowrance.

With Valentine’s Day coming up on Thursday, we thought it would be appropriate to write about love in wartime.  After thinking about this topic for many days and reading a lot of letters written by women to their significant others during the war, it was something that I overheard yesterday at our lunchbox lecture with a few veterans that really stood out and prompted my writing.  A guest asked one of the wives of a D-Day veteran if they were married before he went off to war.  Her response went something like this:  “Oh no!  We lived on the same street but he thought I was just a silly teenage girl.  I won him over through the mail.  The farther away he got, the better I became.”

This made me think about courtship during the war.  Many young couples were separated as the men went to fight in the European or Pacific theaters, and letter writing became the main form of communication.  In their book Since You Went Away: World War II Letters from American Women on the Homefront, Judy Litoff and David Smith have complied letters written by women to their sweethearts, husbands, sons, fathers, and sometimes even (as in the case below) to men they had never meet but were asked to write to by a family member.  Relationships that would be fostered through dates and talking, now had to be fostered through the use of letters.  The letters in this book may only show one side of the conversation but through them we can read descriptions of daily life, what women on the homefront thought about advancements the troops were making, and how love was fostered during WWII.

This letter was written on June 6, 1944 by Barbara Sanz.  Her brother convinced her to write letters to his buddy Lester “Mac” McClannen, a cryptographer in the Army Air Corps stationed in England. 

Dear Mac,

                Now I understand why I have not heard from you.  The “Day” has come.  I can’t explain the feeling I had when I first heard of the Invasion.  I heard it when I walked in the [beauty] shop this morning, I was stunned.  We all knew it was coming and were happy that it is started, so it can all end soon.  When it actually happens it’s a shock. It was such a gloomy day, rained all day. That didn’t help much. We had the radio going all day. The President gave a prayer tonite that the nation was to join.  Believe me, when I say I put my whole heart and soul in that prayer and will continue to pray knowing that you and the other boys have help and come out on top. And as for you especially, Mac, do take care of yourself. I am still anxiously waiting to meet you and will keep on waiting. You must promise me your “first date.” Or am I being selfish? Then you can see your “other girls.”

                Everyone was so quiet today. It’s a day that I’ll never forget. It was like the day War was declared. That was also a gloomy day. I hope you will still receive my letters. I will write as often as I can. I know letters mean so much to you boys. Wish I had time to write everyone of them…

                It’s so cold here again I had to build a fire tonite. It was so comfy in the house tonite and I was wondering how “comfy” you are. It almost makes you feel guilty when you’re enjoying the comforts of home and thinking of the hardships you boys have.

                There isn’t must more I can say to you to you tonite, Mac, I just don’t feel real cheery tonite, although I hope I’ve cheered you up a little by letting you know I’m thinking of you and praying for you.

                God Bless You, Barbara[1]

By October 1944 and into the early months of 1945, letters were being signed with “sweetheart” and “love.”  One month after Mac’s homecoming in August of 1945, Mac and Barbara were married. 

- Felicia

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[1] Litoff, Judy Barrett and David C. Smith. Since You Went Away: World War II Letters from American Women on the Home front. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1991. 45-47