April 20, 1942, Evanston, Illinois

This letter was loose, without an envelope to indicate a date. But based on the stationary he is using, and the topics he discusses in his previous letter and subsequent letter, it seems likely that this was written on Sunday, April 19th, 1942, and would have been postmarked the following day, April 20th.
Tom invites Zoe to visit him in Greenville the following weekend when he will be home. He also invites her to the Spring Formal at Northwestern in early May. He recites a gruesome tale of someone captured during the Battle of Wake Island (which fell on December 23, 1941). The fraternity house has acquired a dog.
April 20, 1942, Evanston, Illinois, Page 1
April 20, 1942, Evanston, Illinois, Page 1

Sunday afternoon

Dearest, I just got up in time for dinner today so I guess I am fairly well caught up on my sleep. Yesterday, Steve and i went down to Elaine’s and cleaned her apartment we worked from 9:00 A.M. till 7:00 that night. Then played alittle bridge. We really gave the place a going over. Cleaned all to the walls, ect.

Say honey can you come up May 2 to the spring formal. Elaine said you wouldn’t be any bother so how about it?

One of the fellows in my Chem class came over to the house Fri. night and we went to the show. He has a cousin who was captured on Wake and the boys mother got a ltetter from him that the Japs had let him send. In it he told her to save the stamp for his collection. She knew he didn’t ever have a stamp collection but she steamed off the stamp and underneath it he had written that they had cut out his tongue. I wouldn’t put it pass them.

April 20, 1942, Evanston, Illinois, Page 2
April 20, 1942, Evanston, Illinois, Page 2

Could you go home this coming weekend? Let me know as soon as you can so I can let the folks know. If you can make it then that will be swell because I believe it will be about the only weekend I will be able to make it.

I don’t know whether I told you or not but we have a dog here at the house. A little white and brown collie. As yet he isn’t house broke but we are all trying our best. We are trying to teach him to scratch on the door.

Write soon.

With all my love,

Tom

 

A Young Man Went Off to War