Love from Daddy: Part 2

With Father's Day approaching, I am pleased to present a new series of letters on Lives in History: Love from Daddy. During World War II in Fall 1944, Major Thomas writes to his family in St. Louis, Missouri: his wife and their two children, Barbara and Tommy. The letters are full of emotion including frustration at the war, missing his family, and, of course, love for his children.

The next letter is postmarked November 4, 1944 and dated Wednesday, November 3rd at 11:30PM.

Thomas writes that he has sent the children some German paper money as a souvenir (since they cannot spend it in Belgium or Holland):

Dear Barbara + Tommy Joe,

I'm enclosing some more paper money, German this time

"Souvenirs over here are hard to get but I'm on the lookout for them." He's sent the children paper money, gas masks, and he sent his wife some large platters wrapped in his U.S. Navy blanket. "Also hope the other things I sent get there."

Hope you will receive the children's gas masks I sent. 

Tell Mother I sent some large platters wrapt in a U.S. Navy blanket. That's to put on your bed.

Thomas misses his family; How could he not?

I miss you children so much it bothers me and my work. Hope I can get to see you soon. I need a lift and you two can give it to me more than anything else I know.

Thomas also shares that he is working on a paper about his work as a medic:

At present Daddy is writing a paper. It may be quite a contribution to this war work. Who knows. It’s on vascular injuries of the extremities. Mother will explain it to you. Your Daddy has done quite a bit of work on it and so is an authority.

Cheerio now Barbara and Tommy Joe. Kiss your Mother for me.

Your loving

Daddy

World War II raged on. Just days after he wrote this letter, Franklin Roosevelt would be elected to an unprecedented fourth term as United States President.

Want to learn more? Check out Jay Winik's 1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History