World War II
Jack wrote to Helen nearly every day while he was deployed in the army. She kept the letters and numbered them.
She told me once that they had developed a code so that she would know when he shipped out and where.
John Edie, Head of History Department, Leaves for Service
Blake Newspaper Article
On February 26 Blake suffered a great loss when Mr. Edie was called by the army. Although he doesn’t have to report for a month, Mr. Edie left school so that he might have time to clear up his business problems and to visit his parents in New York. When he came to Blake to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Bittinger, Mr. Edie had his work cut out for him. However, he has handled his jobs in the school very well, and he has proven his worth as a teacher and adviser to the boys. In the fall he has coached the formidable “C” team. In the spring he coaches “A” team baseball. In the winter term he was in charge of the debating team, and he also helped to arrange the programs for the
forums. It was a great surprise to Mr. Edie when he was ordered to report. He had tried to enlist in the navy several times, but he was rejected because of color-blindness, However, now that he is in the army, he hopes to get into the morale department of the air corps. We, here at Blake, know that regardless of where he is put Mr. Edie will do a splendid job.
When Mr. Edie left so suddenly. Mr. Alder set about to find a man to take his place. He succeeded in getting Mr. Johnson, who formerly taught at Patrick Henry. Mr. Johnson has taken over the economic geography courses and the debating team. Mr. Johnson comes to us with a fine record behind him. He has coached several baseball teams and no doubt will be a great help to Blake this spring. Blake extends a hearty welcome to Mr. Johnson, and we hope that his connection with the school will be pleasurable
Service Timeline
Feb 1943
Inducted at Camp Upton
Long Island, New York
Feb or Mar 1943
Basic Training at Camp Lee
Near Petersburg, Virginia
Apr 1944
Officers Training School at Camp Lee
Near Petersburg, Virginia
Helen & Johnny have joined him
Jul 10, 1944
Commissioned a Second Lieutenant
Fall 1944
Attends Military Government School
Princeton, New Jersey
Jan 1945
Sent to language training school at the Presidio
Monterey, California
Mar 1945
Ships out for the Pacific Theater
Port near Seattle, Washington
Apr – Oct 1945
On ship and then working on the island
Okinawa, Japan
Oct 1945 – Oct 1946
In Pusan (now Busan), Korea
Oct 1946
Shipped home at last
Cleveland, Ohio
Arrives about 11:00 PM at the Terminal Tower train station
Military ID
Letter #1 – March 25, 1945
(Temporary ) APO 9275
c/o PM San Francisco, Calif
25 Mar 1945
Dearest Helen,
Just a note I say we arrived safely, and here’s my temporary APO anyway.
Darling, we did have a lovely day today. I’m so glad you came to San Francisco with me. You were grand, and as a result today will go down in my memory as one of the most pleasant. I sure did hate to see you go, but we did have a good time.
Mike was in his usual rare form. Also I felt as if I got to know Shirley much better. She seems O.K. I like her very much, even as 3d base for Lefty O’Doul. The C.O. and I had a long talk on the merits of military education for high school boys. Guess my opinions! At any rate the time passed quickly. So far we haven’t been told much. As soon as we are, I shall try to call you up.
I feel very tired and sleepy and lonely so I guess I’ll go to bed. Give Johnny a big kiss for me and my best to Carolуn, Eleanor, and Joe (Give Eleanor a kiss if you арprove).
And darling my dearest love to you.
Dearest Love,
Jack
More Information
Carolyn & Joe are Carolyn Drake Tompkins & Josiah Millard Davis. Carolyn was Jack’s cousin 1x removed. This diagram shows their relationship. They have a daughter Eleanor and Joe has a sister Eleanor so not sure which Eleanor is mentioned.
Mike & Shirley Welds were longtime friends of Jack & Helen. Mike was John’s godfather, and he always called him Uncle Mike. John’s memory is that Jack and Mike worked together at some job in Manhattan for a brief period of time and thinks they met at Columbia grad school where Jack got his masters.
They lived in Fullerton, CA and had a daughter named Kitty. The family would see them whenever they visited Granny and Aunt Sally in Southern California.
Mike eventually got a job with Hughes Aviation Company. John said he was also a part-time sports columnist for an LA paper, so he got into the press box for big events. He got John tickets for the Rose Bowl game and the NFL CHAMPIONSHIP (1956) before there was a Super Bowl.
I found articles that said that he was assistant to Angels’ president and that he was Athletic News Director for Santa Clara University.
Back of the Envelope
Box to J
Clothes
Frame + add book
Q tips, inhaler, powder?
Food
Letter #2 – March 27, 1945
APO 9275
c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif
Dearest Helen,
Busy bees we have been continuing our processing. I really haven’t had much time Is do anything except pack & finish our processing.
Today & got some extra copies of my special orders. I shall forward them to you and also copies of the orders that sent me to Princeton. With 5 copies of either of these orders you should be able to move your furniture from Minneapolis to Cleveland. I shall also send you some money & probably a bond – as soon as I get paid.
I’ll send your mother the key to my footlocker. I’m going to buy a pair of combat boots, but so far have had no luck buying a wristwatch or flashlight. I have an inhaler & some cue tips, but you could send me some more if you will.
Darling – now I really appreciate and thank you for doing my laundry last week. Some of the boys are learning to do theirs now. Thanks a lot.
I wondering where you are, when you are moving, and how you made out on those tickets to Seattle. Give my love to everyone. I’d give anything to see Johnny sticking up his head in the morning. Tell him Daddy says “Hi.”
My dearest love to you, darling. I love you.
Jack
Back of the Envelope
Read
Dishes
Write J.
Clothes & trunk drawers
Read
Letter #3 – March 28, 1945
APO 9275
c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif
28 Mar 1945
My dearest,
I shipped my trunk home in care of your mother in Lakewood. I shall write her a letter and send the key. As for the 5 special orders, I shall send my 201 file to Cleveland also. In it you will find 5 copies of my orders from CASA in Monterey. That (either 5) ought to enable you to move your furniture with no trouble at all.
The weather has been grand, and there is an excellent gym here where I can get a work out each day. As a result I am feeling grand. Tonight we were a little less busy so I went over to see Talulah Bankhead in “Royal Scandal”. It’s very good. See it if you can.
Dearest, I miss you and Johnny very much. How are his doggies? Can he walk without a chair yet? Give him a big hug from me.
Did the Davenports move in with you? And how are you making out?
George is still in rare form. This morning over at the Q.M. Store he was having trouble getting fitted. “Give me the largest size,” says he, “and then the one larger than that.” He said he enjoyed buying barracks bags and handkerchiefs. They always had his size.
I still have not been able to secure a flashlight or a pair of garters, but I guess I can do without them.
Darling, I must to bed. My dearest love to you. I love you.
Jack
George sends his best
More Information
A 201 file is the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF).
CASA stands for Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army. You can learn more here: Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army
Letter #4 – March 29, 1945
APO 9275
c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif
29 March 1945
My dearest,
Nothing much new to say. We’ve had some time to do some bowling and a little ping pong – and at bowling I stink but I still believe I could take you in ping pong. Also we have been eating royally. The cafeteria here is excellent.
We’re getting paid so I shall send some money to you. $50 in a war bond for Johnny, $50 in a bond for us (both I’ll send to 1236 Granger), and I’ll send a check for $100 to Cleveland for your account there. You check with your mother to see if it arrives safely.
Dearest, there is nothing much to say except I love you and Johnny very much. I shall miss you terribly, and then the memories of our past few months will be happy ones.
Write me all about everything and my dearest love.
Jack
Letter #5 – March 30, 1945
Letter no 5
APO 9275
c/o PM San Francisco, Calif
30 March 1945
Dearest,
Happy Easter – wish I could be with you! As a little Easter present for both you & John I have sent you both $50 bonds to Lakewood Ohio. I also am sending a registered letter with a $100 check to you in Lakewood.
Enclosed also is a clipping I thought you might be interested in from Jacque Barzun’s book Teacher in America. Please send it on to Paul Phillips for me.
Dearest Love to you & Johnny
Jack
Letter #6 – March 31, 1945
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, Calif
31 March 1945
Dearest,
It’s a bit on the rough side, but so far I have held on to my cookies. Praise God! I will say that very few have. I find the best deal is to stay up on deck as much as possible. So far it has worked. Nick, the Greek, says, “Staten Island Ferry was never like this.” His other comment was, “They’ve got to build better ships than this if they want me to keep giving them my patronage.” We saw some porpoises today — first I ever saw. George is a big shot now — in charge of garbage disposal over the side of the ship.
Heard a pretty good one today — An army officer is an officer trying to be a gentleman. A navy officer is a gentleman trying to be an officer. A marine officer is a son of — trying to be both.
I have met most of my detachment now. They all seem to be pretty good guys. Time will tell.
Thanks for your two letters which I received, 1 & 2. I’m glad you had such a pleasant trip to Monterey. Maybe we were lucky it all happened so suddenly. We did not have time to work up a good old fashioned “Edie shower”.
My stomach was pretty hollow, but a few of Mike’s wisecracks managed to get me laughing, and I shook it off. You were a good girl to take it so well. I love you so much, my dearest. I shall remember well Johnny waving in his absent-minded fashion and you looking out the train window with such a good goodbye smile.
I must admit to a few sniffles when your letters were read, but they were grand epistles, dear. You do write so well. Johnny must be getting cuter all the time. Do keep me up on all his antics. I’m so glad he was good for Eleanor and Carolyn. It’s a wonder they let you take him away.
I hope that you and the Davenports get together soon, and I am sorry you are being pestered about the house. I’m glad you finally recognized the wisdom of silence once in a while. There are some things, I insist, which are nobody else’s damn business. On the other hand I do admire your open, above board frankness — but, dearest, mix a little discretion with it.
I’m glad those last four days were as happy for you as they were for me. Friday was an especially joyful evening for me also. Darling, I shall miss those snuggles, and the back of my neck has been cold all day. These days when life moves so fast past one, one must learn to enjoy the good moments when they are here. I believe, that if one can do that successfully without thinking too much of the future, one has solved one of the problems of a happy life – one has become more mature. I think we did a grand job, dearest, and I believe we love each other more because of it. Real love seems to be deeper than surface demonstrations.
I’m glad you got your ration books, and let me hear about your reservations. As for those clothes, I shall not need them. If I do, I shall let you know.
Today as I watched the boat lurch around, I thought of some future date when you and I and perhaps Puss or some of our kids go an ocean trip somewhere. Maybe I could work alternate summers so we could afford it.
(Did you give Ralph the whiskey?)
All my dearest love to you and Johnny and best to Davis’s.
Jack
Letter #7 – April 4, 1945
APO 9275
c/o PM San Francisco, Calif
4 April 1945
Dearest,
I have been thinking a lot about you and Johnny lately and wondering how everything is going. Have Bill and Cathy moved in with you? What’s the news from C.A.S.A. at the Presidio?
Doubtless you have now secured reservations for the train back to Cleveland. Are you still planning to stop and see the Mountains on your way home or are you going straight to Minneapolis? I received a letter from the Mountains and I am sure they would like to have you stay with them for at least overnight. They say that Mike has been placed on shore duty somewhere around Oakland. That’s a lucky break for Shirl and Mike. I guess he will be able to take it.
I have been boning up on cooking and sanitation, and I find I know quite a bit about the stuff from old QM School. My boys are going to be vitamined to death. As for purifying water and disposing of garbage I shall have no peer.
There’s a very pleasant and intelligent fellow named Bernie Confer with us. He’s a 2nd Lt from Milheim, Penn. and went to Penn State. We had an interesting time talking Sunday morning after chapel service. We were a bit disgusted with the service, no Easter hymns at all just the Sawdust Trail to heaven variety. We had quite a discussion on religion, and I found out his uncle is a Lutheran minister in N.Y.C. The other officers seem like a good gang, but I have found few good talking companions except a graduate of Stanford law and O.C.S. at Camp Lee named Chung. He’s a real good thinker, and has a nice sense of humor.
Most of the boys are over their seasickness now, but when it began to get calm, I began to feel sick. I weathered it successfully, however.
Dearest, I love you and think of you and Johnny continually. My dearest love,
My best to the Davis’s
Jack
Letter #8 – April 5, 1945
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, Calif
5 April 1945
My dearest,
I just wrote a long letter to Puss and another to mother. In case they don’t receive them for quite a while, you keep in touch with them, won’t you? Why don’t you try to have Puss come out and see you this summer some time.
Finally, I secured some of those things I’ve been looking for, flashlight, garters, etc. I believe the only thing I lack is a pair of moccasins, but I may be able to get those soon.
So far I have only received letters 1 & 2 from you, but maybe some more will come through soon. I am anxious to hear how everything is working out. I’d give anything to see you two. Has Johnny got a dog to replace the two pictures in his old room? Maybe I shall be able to find one to send to him. Let me know if you received the check & bonds I sent to Cleveland. I sent them there because I thought you would eventually anyway.
Have you heard anything from Mike and Shirley? I guess his folks will be glad to see him after a year overseas.
There isn’t an awful lot of news at this point. George is still the same and sends his best to you. He takes everything in his stride.
Darling – did those pictures of Johnny come out well. Send them to me as soon as you can. Also if you can get any film, send me a couple of rolls.
Would that we could have had that last week at Carmel together again. Has the river become dammed up lately.
I miss coming home each night to you and Johnny. Let’s hope some day it will be to you, Johnny, Priscilla & Mike.
I love you, dearest.
Jack –
Letter #9
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, Calif
31 March 1945
Jack
Letter #10
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, Calif
31 March 1945
Jack
Letter #11
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, Calif
31 March 1945
Jack
Letter #12
No. 12
Mrs. John Edie
General Delivery
Carmel
California
Lt. John Edie
APO 9275 c/o PM
San Francisco, CAL
[Date redacted] 1945
Dearest,
Somewhere in the Pacific
I’m going to send this V-mail to see how it compares with Air Mail. I’ll send it the same time as No. 11 so you can compare the two.
How are you and where are you? I’m wondering if you’ve left for Minneapolis yet, if you went to Seattle. I never did get letters 3, 4, 5 yet.
Life on boat is pleasant enough. Only a couple of days have been really rough. I manage to keep plenty busy. There’s always plenty of puttering to do with your rifle, shoes, laundry, etc. Then I’m reading up on my job, meeting with the men, and we have been playing a lot of bridge. My bridge luck has been phenomenal.
I had a long talk with the head steward or mess sergeant (whatever he is called). He’s a CPO and an excellent man, been in this sort of work for almost five years. I believe I am lucky.
Been thinking of you and Johnny lots. I love you!
Dearest Love,
Jack