Fred Sauter
Letters Home
I've scanned a few of the letters my Dad sent to his mother while he was overseas. A couple of them might be hard to read (especially the V-Mail ones, which look like they were photocopied and shrunk; everything had to pass the censors, too - you know, loose lips sink ships and all).
I'm including the text of the letters below, just in case you can't read 'em.
There's one where he mentions "that new bomb," and I remember him saying that he read stuff about us having a secret weapon and all that, and he said he thought it was all just bullshit.
Images
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- 23 Mar 1943 102KB
- 17 May 1945 190KB
- 22 Aug 1945 90KB
- 29 Jul 1945 92KB
Text of letters
23 Mar 1943
Dear MaI've been transferred to a different company again. I'm living in a hotel in Seattle. I don't know for how long. There's 4 of us and we're supposed to be on radio maintenance & installations. Our boss is a civilian and he said we would probably travel around quite a bit. We are about 3 blocks from Puget sound. You can see it from the hotel. I think I'm using this paper the wrong way but I'm not going to write much anyway. I have a pass and I'm going out tonight. I never saw so many hills in a city in my life. Right in the downtown section the streets go straight up. Well, I'll say so long for now.
Love,
Bud
17 May 1945
Dear MaI got two letters from you yesterday. I see they were from Oneida so I guess you got back from Wash. I know there are a lot of letters that I didn't get because I've had very few and I know you write every day.
I imagine I'll be going back to my own outfit soon. I can't say that I'm happy about it. I'd much rather stay with the British. We finally got one months rations. We had 3 months coming but I guess somebody else has had the last 2. We got 3 cartons of cigarettes some candy some orange juice and some peanuts.
I didn't get anything you sent from Mrs. Heintz. If you send a package I probably won't get it for a long time. Packages come by boat and its quite a way by boat.
I guess I'll be paid in a couple days. I've got about $150 coming. I think when I get back to our place I'll send abut $40 a month home. There isn't anything to do with it here.
I wouldn't be surprised if we went to China after awhile. I hope we keep moving. I don't like to stay in one place long. I've been getting around a bit in the last two months.
I don't very often get to listen to the radio. Only the news once in awhile.
Well I'll have to say goodbye for now.
Love,
Bud
Postmarked 29 Jul 1945
Dear Ma,I got some mail today. The first in about a week. You must have had a house full for awhile. It seems to get better when the sun goes down. At least I sweat more. I had a letter from Mitchell. He says he has 85 points so he should be getting out pretty soon. Bob Hallett is going to be a papa and he is overseas now. I never thought he would get married. If I ever hear that Cliff Leahy is married it will be the last straw. If Herb is on his way overseas I hope he comes this way. I might run into him but probably won't. I never meet anyone I know. Vinney is sure good to everybody. He would give anybody anything he's got. Well I'll say so long now.
I sent $200 home. I hope you got it.
Love,
Bud
Postmarked 22 Aug 1945
Dear Ma,I haven't much to say, so this is plenty big enough for me to write on. I'm in China but I have no A.P.O. so I'm using the other one. You had better not write me until I find out what it is and let you know. I've been pretty busy lately and it feels pretty good. The time goes a lot faster and I can sleep better. When I was sitting around doing nothing I didn't have any ambition at all. I see Russia declared war on Japan. With that and that new bomb they have something should happen pretty soon. I got the thing you sent from Kallars. It was pretty nice. It doesn't seem possible that Dorothy is seven years old. Carol must be almost ready to go to school too. Well, I'll say goodnight now.
Love,
Bud