Letter, Irene Conole to her parents

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15 Nov. 1952
Dear Mom & Dad,
I received both of your letters and I love
the picture. In fact I cut it smaller and put
it in my billfold. I’m dying to see little Mike.
I can see that he’s put on some weight. He’s cute.
It’s been raining here all day. It looks like
it might snow soon. I hope so.
The last two days I haven’t been feeling too
good. I had the runs from 4:30 am to 6:00 am. I should
have moved my bunk into the head (bathroom).
We’re no longer a Junior Company but a
Senior Co. now since we’re through with service
week.
When a Company and its sister Company is
close to graduation, they pick a girl from each Co.
to be an honor student and one to be and American
Spirit Wave. Sometimes if one is lucky she holds
both titles. To be an honor Wave, a girl has to
have good marks, then her teachers give a vote,
then the Battalion MAA (who inspects all the barracks
for cleanliness and gives a report on it) and then the
Company Commander gives her opinion. Today they
gave us girls the names of four girls to vote on.
Guess what I was one. Boy was I surprised!
Everyone here is pulling for me. As for the

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title of the American Spirit Wave, it could be one
of the honor Waves or one of the other Waves. Who –
ever is picked has to go to the Captain, which is a
man, and he has charge of the whole camp here.
He interviews the Waves and he knows nothing
about the girl at all not even about her marks
or anything. He questions her about everything
under the sun. Then he and he alone picks
the girl to be the American Spirit Wave. It’s a
fair judge. A medal is given to these two girls
who are chosen. We won’t know who it is
until morning quarters and then the Lt. Com.
announces it in front of the whole regiment of
Waves. Then the girls stand on the review stand
and takes the review and salutes each Company
when it passes in review. It’s a great honor and
a privilege. So say a prayer for me. I’ll know
if I make it by next Saturday.
I got a letter from Henry yesterday.
As for Rosie, I think she’s still looking
for a guy with money. She told me before I
left that she was thinking of enlisting. I think
it was the WACS she wanted. I say seeing is
believing in her case. I know that she and
Julia thought that I was shooting the bull
when I told her about my going in the Navy.
Bonnie doesn’t have a phone. It’s a
neighbor’s phone she uses. I got a letter from
one of the girls in the office and she said
that she was going to write her. So I’m going
to ask her for Bonnie’s address. If I don’t hear
from Bonnie, I’ll place a call to her when I get

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3. home for I believe she is staying at the
YWCA.
I received a letter from Aunt Anna and
she acts like a mother. She says not to believe
the men and to know all about their background
before I get serious. Isn’t she cute?
I’m writing this letter fast and the
radio is playing plus the girls are making
a racket. So you can expect mistakes galore.
Next Saturday and Sunday we have
another liberty but I think I’ll stay on
the base for I have no urge to go.
Aunt Anna sent me some money to buy
my X-mas present so I bought two shirts.
Monday we go into our blue uniforms for
the winter. All I’ll have to wash is blouses
instead of dresses. Am I glad.
Well I’ll guess I’ll sign off for now
and I’ll be looking for the box.

Love and Kisses
Irene
P.S. I should be getting my dog tags soon.