Reilly

Letters from Larry – 8 July 1941

8 July 1941 – Queens, New York

Dearest Marion,

I was very unhappy when I found out you hadn’t come home.  As yet I haven’t your note, as Ethel can’t find it.  But she told me what it said.  I’m sorry the note I left for you wasn’t what I wanted it to be, but I wasn’t in the mood.

George is going out to visit Terry a week from Sunday.  He’s going by train.  Jimmy got a new car, a forty-one Chevie.  Artie Molter got a thirty-seven Plymouth.

Outside of work, heat and rain there isn’t much doing. Ethel tells me you are lonely out there, but I don’t see why you should be with Frankenstein and Dracula; I mean Phil and Bert.  Bill Rodgers, Red and myself played at the Elks Club in Rockaway Point last Thursday.  What a hectic night, without George.

Well dear, I really missed you and I still do since you’ve been away.  If you think of me half as much as I think o fyou, you must be thinking of me pretty often.  By the way do you want to go to Indian Point on the boat ride Aug. 3? My place is having an outing and the fellows can bring the wives, girlfriends or kinds. If we want to go we will have a swell time.

How is Dotty and your Aunt and Uncle?  I hope they are well. I was talking to your father tonight and he said Lucky has fleas from teh two days he stayed with over teh weeknd. How did you like that weather.  We enjoyed it very much, so much in fact that we played four games of poker, two games of craps (dice), and lounged around for about six hours a day.

Do you remember what I told you about going to Connecticut?  Well, just in case I get expelled from school between Sept and Dec I won’t be old enough to take the job in Conn. so I’ll join the CCC for six months.  How do you like that.  Well honey with fond thoughts of you, our picnic, and stolls through “Cherry Lane” I think I’ll close. It’s about eleven o’clock and I should be in bed.

Sincere Love and Kisses,

Larry

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P.S. I think of you always darling because I love you.

LJPRR

aoeae

whtyi

rneml

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n   ny

c   d

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P.P.S. Do I Worry?  I’ll See You Again.  Some of These Days.  LR

[At the very bottom of the page in small letters:]

I’m nuts, but don’t remind me.

 

Notes: George Fredericks and Jimmy Palumbo were two of Pop’s oldest and dearest friends.  Phil and Bert are unknowns.  Bill Rodgers and Red were bandmates.

CCC was the Civilian Conservation Corps, a public work relief program during the Great Depression.

P.S. was signed with his initials and his names spelled out vertically beneath them.

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Letters from Larry – 3 July 1941

3 July 1941 – Queens, New York

Dearest Marion,

Although you have been gone but a few hours I miss you immensely.  Your charms, when you are near, have been very lucrative to my wants of happiness and joy.  Last night I remained awake for a few hours thinking of you.  Last night before eI went to bed I read a little verse which caught my attention, thus;

Your voice is like bells over roofs at dawn;

When a bird flies

And the sky changes to a fresher color,

Speak, Speak beloved,

Say little things

For my ears to catch

And run with them to my heart.

I think that was very nice and full of ideas.  But thus far all I have written is a lot of bologna.  The main reason for this note was to remind you that I, Lawrence John Peter Raymond Reilly, Esq., love you.  (I ain’t kiddin’ see.)  Every time I tell you that you always say I don’t think so; well this is one time you can’t answer back.  Well sweetheart although this isn’t what I had planned to write it seems the same purpose.  It’s getting late and I must retire, aboard the 7:25 express to Chambers St.  Enjoy yourself dear.  I’ll be thinking of you.

Love & Kisses,

Larry

P.S. Millions of kisses for you and one for Ethel and one for Dotty. LR

Notes: Ethel was Nan’s older sister and Dotty was Nan’s cousin, Dorothy Stamm, the daughter of Mae.  Mae was Gerald Thomas’s (Old Pop) sister.

The poem is Prime by Amy Lowell, written in 1922.

 

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Letters from Larry – 6 January 1941

6 January 1941 – Queens, New York

Dearest Marion,

This letter may seem a little strange to you and then again it might not.  I’m writing this to beg forgiveness for the way I have been acting the last few days.  No one is to blame but myself.  I’ve been a crazy fool. I don’t [know] what got into me.  It just happened.  I hope you understand and forgive me.  I really can’t write or say what inside of me.  Please understand that it isn’t htat I[‘m] tiring of you because everyday you grow stronger in me.  Try to understand.  I’ll try my hardest to treat you like a lady and a dear friend should be treated.  I love you.

Love, Larry

P.S. I think you’ll understand this.

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Letters from Larry – An overview

After my grandfather’s death in May, my father collected all the letters Pop had written to Nan during both World War II and Vietnam, during both of which he was active duty Navy.  I’ve been going through the letters putting them in archival sleeves and cataloging them.  I hope to eventually transcribe all of them.  I’ve just finished cataloging all of the letters from World War II, and they fill 8 2″ binders.

The letters are on a variety of paper – anything from his ship’s stationery to sheets of onion skin.  His handwriting also varies considerably, depending on the time of year.  He wrote letters about every other day and were generally 1 or 2 pages long. His longest letter was 14 pages, while his shortest was a postcard with only a couple of words on it.

The letters start in 1941 before Pop joined the Navy when he was only 17 years old and Nan was only 15.  They were already in love, and in one letter, he asks her to marry him for the first time. They did not become officially engaged until later in 1943, but he was sure that she was the one for him.

His most prolific writing year was 1945, a year in which he wrote 182 letters covering 245 sheets of paper.  They were married in January 1945 while he was on leave, and Nan quickly became pregnant before Pop had to return to his ship.  Most of the letters are from the Pacific and cover the news of her pregnancy and how much he misses her and is looking forward to being a father.  As her due date in November approached, his anticipation and anxiety increased steadily, and his worry about Nan and the baby is very apparent.

His second most prolific year was 1943 when he wrote 122 letters covering 212 sheets of paper.  This is the year he was assigned to the USS Oakland when it was commissioned in July and he departed for the Pacific.  Many of the letters appear to have been mailed together, as he would write, but wouldn’t be able to send them until he had access to a supply ship or port.

1944 was his least prolific year, with only 44 letters on 122 sheets of paper. There are two possibilities: either there are some letters missing (which seems unlikely based on how the letters were kept), or as seems most likely from the letters, he was engaged in prolonged combat from late 1943 to the end of 1944.  He was present at most of the major battles of the Pacific, and as a gunner, was directly involved in the combat.  I think he just did not have as much time to write to Nan that year as he would have liked. I think this is also evident from the fact that his letters averaged 3 sheets of papers vs only 1 sheet on average in 1945 and 2 sheets in 1943.  He couldn’t write as many letters, but he wrote longer ones.

pops letters chart

Letters from Larry – 1 January 1946

1 January 1946 – San Francisco, California

My Darling,

Here it is New Years night aboard and its as quiet as a church.

About five minutes ago the word was passed that we’re shoving off for Washington tomorrow morning so I guess I don’t get any liberty in Frisco.

Was trying to find out if there is any dope on who is staying aboard in Reserve Commission but there isn’t any dope as yet.

Gee I wish I could be with you for our anniversary but it don’t look as though I can.  Although time seemed to go slow when we were at sea it hardly seems like we’ve been married a year. It sure will be swell to be toether for more than a month or two.  By the time I see you and Jimmy again I’ll bet Jimmy will be pretty big.  You know the more I think of it the more I feel we should have been married while I was in Newport [late 1942 to 1943].  Don’t you?  I wonder if we would have had Jimmy right away like we did. I still wish we didn’t have to use those damn rubbers.  It a lot nicer without them but we can’t have anymore children till 48 or early 49.

J.J. and Cimarolli, Pete Smith and Pete Pruchnik and all the boys were asking how you were and also send their best wishes.  Well what di dyou do last night honey?  Were you home all alone or did you and J.T. go uot New Years calling?

Before I forget it your money order was here when I got back.  I’ll keep hit and send you may pay this Saturday.  Well baby I think I’ll close now.  Give my love to J.T. and the folks.  I love you and miss you sweetheart.

Your loving hubby,

Larry

over

P.S. Enclosed find some post-cards for your scrap-book.

LAA

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