Letter, Irene Conole to her parents
A letter from Irene Conole to her parents. Irene writes that she has a “miserable cold”, an upcoming dentist appointment, and that it has been snowing. She has been permanently assigned to the E Club and tells her parents that she has to keep servicemen and women from drinking too much or becoming too physical. She explains that she is popular with the men at the club and that this is part of the job’s appeal. Irene discusses plans to come home in February, riding with another Rochester serviceman. She reports seeing the plane that carries atomic bombs and requests that her parents send her soup, beans, peanut butter, and cream cheese in future care packages.
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7 Jan. 1953
Dear Mom and Dad,
I checked on my clothes and they had
them. They claim they were going to send me a
notice but they have been busy. In fact I got
the notice the day after I picked up my
clothes. I also got Henry’s letter and boy was
it long! He told me all the presents everybody
got.
We’ve been having snow off and on here
I wrote Bonnie and I’m waiting to see
if she answers and what she has to say.
Friday I go for a check up on my teeth.
Hope I have no cavaties.
Tomorrow I am going down to the
educational building for my seaman test.
If I pass I’ll get my stripes in June.
I have a miserable cold that is
hanging on. Those “helps” are wonderful for
my cold throat.
Yesterday was the last day of X school
and I’m glad that was is over. I am
assigned permanently to the E Club as
Wave Master at Arms and I am happy
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2. about it. There is a typing class starting
in February and I am thinking of going to
it.
Every Tuesday night at the E club we
have bingo. I sit up on the stage and call
the numbers. The fellows razz me about my
way talking. When I am down to the
Navy exchange having coffee all of the
guys come over to my table and say a few
words. I get along great with them and
they have all told me that I am the first
Wave they really like. I am also the first
Wave that some of them have ever talked
to. There are quite a few sailors that come
to the E club just to tell me their troubles
they have at home or on this base. They
are always asking me to shoot pool with
them or play the shuffleboard. I am getting
to be a whiz at shuffleboard. I have had
trouble with two Waves up at the club.
They have gotten a little high and started
necking with their dates at the table or
in the television room. Well I have stopped
them from drinking beer and if they still
don’t behave I have warned them that
they will be barred from the club. The
fellows and girls can hold hands but this
putting their arms around each other I
don’t go for. There have been guys who have
come up and talked to me that have put
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3. their arms around me. Well I put the
law down to them. I have never danced so much
as I have here. I don’t get a chance to sit
down for a minute on some nights. The
food that they serve at the club is good
and cheap too. I don’t have to pay for
any meals up there and they are always
coming over to me and bringing me coffee.
There are a couple of squadrons that have
adopted me. Something like a mascot.
You see why I like my job?
Some weekend in February I am coming
home. There is a fellow, I have met, who
is from Rochester and he goes home practically
every weekend. It’ll cost me $10.00 round
trip/ Not bad, is it?
In the boxes that you send in the
future will you put canned goods in it?
Like soup, beans etc. The Lipton soup
packages are good too. We can cook some
things in our barracks. Oh yes, I’d like
peanut butter and cream cheese too.
I guess this is all I can think of now.
I have nine more letters to write. Give
my love to James.
Love and Kisses
Irene
P.S. One night I was riding around the
base and the fellow I was with showed
me the plane that carries the atom bombs.