DEAR JEANNIE: LETTERS HOME FROM WWII
Lou Winsauer and Jean Johnson didn’t have a classic love story. They were a pair of strong-willed rebels who ran with a crowd that called themselves The Dawn Club. When they married, neither of their fathers attended the wedding.
Their tempestuous marriage ended in divorce after 10 children, but (after a cooling-off period) they rebuilt a cordial relationship that lasted for the rest of their lives. She saved the letters he sent home while serving as an army medic, and they are published here along with a few other letters that were preserved.
And no, he never learned how to spell “reveille”.
"Still bet you could drink me under the table" - January 4, 1943
It's just some late, but I've been going to write you since early this morning and didn't, so late or not here goes. One of the kids in the detachment came back from his furlough this evening and brought two quarts of 'the stuff' with him, so we got a case of cokes from the P.S. and had a little party in the back room here at the Dispensary.
"We cooked some coffee on the sterilizer" - December 30, 1942
'Lo again, Shorty — I'm over at the Dispensary again tonight, and now that the place has pretty well quieted down perhaps I can finish this letter without too many interruptions. I came over at about 8:30 to write, but about eight of the Medics were here and so we just sat around talking and listening to the radio 'till now. Lt. Welch brought his radio over to the Dispensary again so now we can at least hear a few good bands and get a little news.
"They had fixed it all up with evergreens, etc." - December 27, 1942
Hi again hon' with a Merry Xmas (a little late) and a Happy New Year and darling I miss you like all hell— and to coin a phrase, 'that's for sure'. How about this stationery? It's slightly dated by now, but from here on in I'll be using so much of it it'll probably be gone in a hurry — Yea, man!
"Thought sure I'd be up for court-martial" - December 21, 1942
'Got into Camp this morning (Mon.) at 6:00 A.M., — just in time to stand in revielle, eat chow and then get to work over at the Dispensary. We were busy until now (11:30) with sick - call, and are now taking a break till dinner. Will write tonight.
"Just a little lower than a lizard" - November 5, 1942
I got your letter here in Virginia, via California this afternoon. That black envelope must have caused just some comments on its way across the country and back. Where in the heck did you ever pick it up? We left California at the Desert on pretty short notice on October 24th and after a not too long six-day trip hit Virginia and Camp Pickett on the 30th.