Letter to James Wright from his aunt and uncle, August 18, 1945
August 18, 1945
Dear Jim,
Hurrah for VJ Day when it finally comes! I guess it is all over but the shouting, but I wish they could make H shout soon. We can scarcely believe that our prayers will soon be answered and that you boys will be home soon! We’re hoping for Christmas. How do you stack up for points? Just to get back to the USA will be glorious won’t it? I just know that you have been, like so many other millions, mighty tired of your part of the job.
I was in the Grand Leader when the news was broadcast. Everyone ran out onto the street and the paper flew in every direction, horns blew, people stood on the streets shouting, crying, talking, or just listening. All at once, I realized that all of the stores would be closing and I was the last customer in a Food Store before the doors were closed. We were leaving for the Island and I was lucky enough to get meat, as well as groceries. Ada + H came on Sat Night and they had been caught with an empty cupboard. The baby has grown so much and is so full of play and mischief, but we must not hold him too much or we’ll spoil him! Thank goodness your folks were old fashioned – we could rock you young’uns and hold you as much as we wished. I don’t think it spoiled you either. Please don't get a wife who believes in schedules.
It’s surprising how rapidly changes are being made. Gas with no coupons, all blue points out and promise of all the feul oil etc. Roy came back from E tonight with the news that there will be no more Sat. work. We’re going fishing in the A.M now. So far not much luck in catching fish, but Click Clark gave us several and we canned 4 pts. Hoags, our woodpile neighbor, have sold out, and we bought their pressure cooker. It is 14 pt size, so we can handle lots of fish. I canned 7 pt of beans on Wed. to initiate the cooker. We had so many beans given us that I wanted to save them. The canning and jamming with glucose is all right. But I want a 100 lb sack of sugar just as soon as it is available. Meat hasn’t bothered me much but sugar has!
Ask for some red flannels to wear when you land in S.F., Jim. It’s hard for us to realize that you could be cold at 70˚ F but with your blood thinned - no wonder! I wish that the styles would change, so that women could wear more clothes. I’m cold all winter in fact, most of the time.
We enjoyed having B, W & Hazel with us, but B was sick in bed most of the time. I was glad that she was here so I could take care of her. Wilf worked with wood every day but managed a walk on the beach with Biffy too.
I wonder how long Paul will have to stay in Service. Not long, I hope, at his age. E and buddies are good sports about giving up their home and privacy. The visit is doing Pearl good, tho.
We haven’t heard how this will affect your Dad’s job – but imagine that faithful dependable ones will be kept as long as possible.
Hazel was telling us that there is sure proof that Hitler isn’t dead. FDR looked all thru Hell and he wasn’t there! Shame!
Roy has been shining spoons on "your" side of this table so ‘scuse my "worse than usual" scribbling.
Love as Always,
Aunt Mary I.
OVER
Dear Jim:
Just want to let you know I am still able to write. We went on 40 hr this week and no more [Sunday – crossed out] Sat. work. That suits us just O.K.
I only wish it had been that way all summer, well we can do better next year, hey! Any way Hope you and Bill can soon get out. Bill should be able to as he had 70 points when he was home and he got some more credits after he got to Calif.
We sure have had a nice summer, got a late start but was nice.
Have not heard from Aunt Cathy, so don’t know if your dad & Ward got laid off or not. I guess that yard had a lot of ships cancelled but also gives the yards a chance to hold [their] good men. Get home soon as we want to see you. Love, Roy.
From the Papers of James Wright, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command
