October 11, 1943

My dearest Terry,

I got back to the base today and saw a card and two letters from you.  Naturally, I couldn't wait to read them - still nothing definite. I'm glad I called you now and found out partly what the story was. I was on a 2 day pass when I called. I tried to get you Thursday night, but I gave up after midnight after 4 hours of waiting to get it thru. I finally got you Friday night, calling from the Herring Hotel in Amarillo, Texas. Now we're still not straightened out, are we? I wrote a special delivery letter to your dad, he'll have received it by the time you receive this. Not knowing your dad, I didn't know exactly how to approach him, but I made an attempt and I hope he answers it. 

I don't like to see you in trouble with your folks, but I'm sure that if they see that we're really serious about this thing, they'll come around. They always put up a fuss at first (we're not the first ones to have this problem), but after it's all over, they realize that they might as well face the facts. 

I was really expecting something of that nature, partly because it's hard for parents to realize that their little Terry has grown up now - and is no longer their little baby girl. It happens so gradually that they fail to appreciate the very much changed child - into a woman, and a very lovable, mature, and stable one at that! And as I said before, they'll come around to accepting this fact that you know your own mind, and want to certainly live your own life - and that they'll have to share their love for you and you for them with some one else. 

You're certainly in a spot, I wished I could trade places with you, you must be awfully mixed up, and it must be hard on you. My folks would never try to stop me at anything I wanted to do, they knew it would do not good, that I'd do it any way; and I don't love them less, or they, me, for all of that.

I wished I could talk to your dad and give him our side of the story.

I spoke to the Chaplain here at the base. Asked him what he thought of it after telling him the whole story. His answers were very frank and honest. He said that from what I tell him, and his judgment of me, that we had his blessings and that we shouldn't wait any longer than was necessary. "Every marriage is a gamble and no one is tying the other one down in any way, shape, or form. It's a 50-50 proposition, and if we both love each other, are sure of our own mind, we should go ahead, and let the future take care of itself. Get all the happiness you can get now, and when tomorrow comes see what happens, but today, let today be the big problem, or joy, as the case may be."

I haven't spoken to my mother about coming down, but I'd be glad to have her here for the big event, and as you say, it might help. I'm going to write to her today and see what she wants to do. I've told her of our engagement, and I know that she'll be glad to hear it.

I'm sure that I'll have a place for you. It'll be kind of nice down here. You'll be living with my bombardier's wife and it shouldn't be too lonesome. They have a car, and it'll be convenient in that respect at least. I hope you don't mind the set-up that way, but we sort of thought that it's better to have our wives together so that they won't seem so all alone. Besides, she and you will have mutual feelings in common, and all that sort of thing.

When you come, reserve pulmans and wire ahead for reservations at the De Sota Hotel. I want you to have every comfort - always. Let me know darling how things are, and especially how you're feeling. Don't go getting sick on me now, I don't know what I'd do, I'd be like a caged hen.

I haven't made arrangements with the chaplain as yet, but there's plenty of time when you're on your way. I hope to make it a good one - we don't get married every day, do we? Incidentally, I'm enclosing a memorandum on what we'll need in the way of documents. They should be very easy to obtain.

Darling, I can't wait to see you again. I know that every thing will turn out all right. But I want to make it plain that you do whatever you feel is right (in your own mind). I want you to be happy, and if something should happen to prevent our being married now, I want you to know that I'll come back looking for you, and you alone. If, however, you should experience a change of feeling, and I'm sure hoping that you don't, I want you to do what you feel is right. I want you to love me always, and I know that if you do, you won't feel tied down. If you feel the way I do, you'll be all right, you'll be happy, because I know that I'll be happy to come home to you, sweetheart.

I trust you darling, if I didn't I wouldn't love you as I do, and it's the last worry on my mind. I'll never believe anything bad about you unless you, and you alone tell me, and what I don't know won't hurt me.

If, in the future, you want to go out for sociable evening with some one, I won't mind, honest I won't. I'll tell you why. As I said before, I trust you with all my heart, and if you really love me, you could go out with anyone and not be afraid of yourself. Let's face facts, if either of us went out for purely platonic reasons, it would only make our love that much stronger to know and fully realize that we mean so much to each other.

I believe that, right now, you have no desire to go out, that you wouldn't enjoy yourself with any one else. I believe that because that's the way I feel. However, I know you love to dance a lot, and I can't see anything wrong in your going to dances. It's fun, and we'd only be kidding ourselves if we couldn't trust ourselves in another's company. What do you think?

I know now, that I could go out with 12 different girls in 12 different nights, but you'd be on my mind, you'd be the one I'd dream about, you'd be the one I'd be waiting for. That's why I'm so sure of my love for you. All the other girls I've known before, and have met since, don't hold a candle to you. They just don't compare!!!

Answer soon and let me know what's what honey. I love you darling, I'll always love you.

Always yours,

Jim