Love Letter August 9, 1944 - Before E-Mail there was V-Mail

Laverne: Dad always spoke Polish when talking to his ma on the telephone.

Me: In this letter Dad talks about V-Mail being so informal as compared to the handwritten letter. He was wise beyond his time, he knew how detrimental it could be to become reliant on V-Mail, an earlier form of E-Mail.

V-mail, short for Victory Mail, is a hybrid mail process used during the Second World War in America as the primary and secure method to correspond with soldiers stationed abroad. To reduce the logistics of transferring an original letter across the military postal system, a V-mail letter would be censored, copied to film, and printed back to paper upon arrival at its destination.

The picture above is of my Grandmother Zabielski. My Dad was always so respectful of his Ma. They say you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother. I remember when Grandmother got old and senile (that is what they called it back then) and she came to live with Mom and Dad. Mom took care of her because Dad worked. That played an important part in my decision to have Mom come here to live. I felt like she earned some pennies from Heaven for taking care of Grandmother and so she deserved a chance to cash them in.


9 August 1944
India

Dearest Grace,

I received your letter dated July 16 and I sure did find it a very welcome and interesting letter.

I started to write you a letter last night on V-mail, but it seemed to me very informal to write in V-mail. In the second place, half way finished with your letter I ran out of ink so I postponed it till today.

They had some Sunken Gardens up at San Angelo and I really thought they were beautiful. I know what you mean when you describe those at San Antonio.

I know that Lt’s are wolfs also, and now that incident that you mentioned convinces me that I was right.

Last night after work I went to see our Squadron play the M.P.’s baseball team. We won the game 2 to 1. After that I started to write you a letter but could not finish it. I’m sorry. After that I went to a show. Had a little trouble cause they announced all men in overalls would have to leave the show and so all the men in overalls left and the guys who were dressed in Khakis left also. The guys in khaki uniforms did not go back until they allowed the guys in overalls in. They finally let every one in.

They guys were sure mad cause they didn’t mind dressing up in their dress clothes in public cause then you are living up to the standards of our Army, but when they made us dress in dress clothes in the field where no public is allowed sure made the men angry.

Nothing more to say only that I am well and healthy and I sure do miss you. I wish that you were here so I could hug and squeeze you till you say stop. Honey, do you miss me as much as I miss you?

How is every one at home? Well and happy, I hope. Did you hear from W.R. lately?

So, honey, I’ll close with love and yours, always,
Ray

P.S. Enclosed is a clipping on why I am now overseas.