It looks like this letter might have been written over two days; Walt doesn’t date the second part nor mention it, but there are two closings, and there is no separate letter for 8 August. After the first closing, he continues with the page numbering instead of starting over with page 1.

Walt mentions his writing the incorrect address on a few letters and that one was returned.

A transcript follows the letter images.

Transcript:

Aug 7, 1942

Hello Honey, I Love You,

How is my Honey tonight? I hope she has received a letter by now—I addressed a couple wrong and one has come back. I send it along with this one.

Well Honey, I got my Corp. rating yesterday—That’s Okay isn’t it. Hope I can keep it now that I got it.—Ha—

We went for a 135 mi. drive today—The Troop + the Reg. Maintenance—and what I mean I put that truck thru its paces too. I got several (cop) compliments from the fellows who were w riding with me—They said I could take a curve faster and get away with it, then anyone they every rode with—I guess I don’t have to tell you that—Ha—All you have

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to do is make yourself believe that there is wings on it and it will fly around a bend—Ha——Don’t worry about such stuff as that I was just kidding you.—This is my last sheet of paper—I will have to try and borrow some tomorrow.

Don’t wait on the book—Ha—Just ask me—Didn’t you know that I’m a leading athority on such subjects—Ha—

The boys are sitting around singing, one of them is playing a Guitar—Don’t sound so bad.—

Well Honey—This is the end of of the paper—So I’ll finish by saying—I love you Sweetheart—Love, Love, Love you. I think you are the sweetest [above line nicest; below line loveliest] girl in the world.

Goodnight Sweetheart

I Love You

x Walt x

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Do you know what I tho’t of the other night? I was laying on my bunk and just thinking as usual. Someday after I get out I’m going to get us each a ring—both exactly the same, they will be composed of yours and my birthstones—Mine would make a good base and yours a set. Don’t you think that is a good idea. I never heard of it before, altho it maybe as old as the hills—I guess I’ve funny ideas for the male side but I sure do like (jewelry) precious stones, or anything pretty—I guess that is why I like my Ruth so well. She is very precious—the most precious person in

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my life—(Some) Someday Honey will make lots of dreams come true. If the timber holds together and the timber is going to hang together—If it didn’t I’d be spoiling a family tradition, I just couldn’t do that—Ha—Especially our family to be——That’s the main one to think about.

I’m sending a little——tonight. I tho’t it was kind of cute—It ought to give your big brother a laugh—Ha.

Well Honey—Another day—

Until tomorrow

Goodnight Sweetheart

I Love You

x Walt x

x xxxx xxx

Note inside envelope:

[two lines crossed]

I Love You

I Love You