Putting in His Order for a Package of Stuff; Living High off the Natives

Dated Nov. 11, 1943; postmarked Nov. 14. There is a “parcel post” stamp from Mount Kisco, N.Y., on the letter itself, not the envelope, dated Dec. 11.

Dear Mom and Pop,

I am well, happy and safe and I hope you all are the same.

I still haven’t received any packages yet or letters from Mr. Morgan. While I think of it, you can send me another package or two. You can send me about three pads of writing paper just like the kind I am writing on now. Send about a dozen pencils, a couple of bottles of ink, about a dozen pair of the heaviest woolen socks you could find, and I mean heavy; about a dozen handkerchiefs; 4 or 5 big Hershey or Nestle bars, either with or without; a fair sized box of tea leaves, not tea balls, but tea leaves; a couple of pounds of cookies all double with cream between the cookies; also a bottle of blackberry jelly.

I think you ought to find all this stuff around someplace and above all, don’t let anyone, I don’t care if it is the mayor, tell you you can’t send anything that I just mentioned because fellows here have received everything I want in packages already.

I can’t understand why you haven’t been hearing from me. I’ve been writing regularly. At least I get mail from you pretty often.

As far as the souvenirs go, I guess you will have a long wait because I had amassed a great variety of do-dads and stuff, but they were lost, so I have to start all over again.

It’s pretty nice here right now. It’s chilly outside and cold at night, but I am in a house with a roaring fire in the fireplace and a great big jug of wine and a sack of potatoes and onions and garlic that I talked out of an Italian. Now I am trying to get some macaroni and some souvenirs out of him. All I am worried about is him moving or us moving out of here and I won’t get the stuff.

Well, that’s about all for now and don’t worry.

Love and Kisses to all and send some pictures,

Babe

PDF: Putting in His Order for a Package of Stuff; Living High off the Natives


3 thoughts on “Putting in His Order for a Package of Stuff; Living High off the Natives

  1. Regarding the Mt Kisco parcel post stamp on Babe’s letter.
    There was an Army policy that the soldier overseas had to request a package before the folks back home could send one. The local post office would “stamp/cancel” the soldier’s letter when the family brought the package to be mailed. That would prevent “reuse” of the same letter.

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    1. Wow! No kidding? That’s really an interesting detail I never would have come up with on my own. Thanks for letting me know. I will look into that more. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment.

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  2. You are very welcome. This is a great tribute to all that did not return.
    If this is the only letter that the post office stamped, that might indicate that the people at the post office were not that eager to enforce the policy.
    One of these letters from Ben Kaplow, 26th ID, mentions the policy:
    http://www.benkaplow.com/Main/About_Me.html

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