Howard wrote Margaret a letter dated December 12, 1943
S/sgt Mccormick 14003792
My darling Margaret,
It has been some days since I wrote to you. Your beautiful cheeses arrived safely. Pretty potent they were too. Things are much the same. They have taken a little different turn of late but not much. (I have no typewriter available so you will have to decypher [sic] this as best you can. Your pictures came and they were lovely. this writing by hand is real work for me. I'll bet I haven't written much but my initials for nearly three years. My Christmas presents are arriving regularly. I got a box of very potent cigars the other day from Reba (one [ ]). I'll smoke them if it kills me. This is just too much.
Howard
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Brisbane, August 1943
Howard wrote on August 9:
My Darling
Status unchanged. I have gotten three or four of your letters with my new company number on them. The postal system is vastly improved over what it was a year ago. This meets with my approval.
The days are getting a little longer and warmer now, thank the Lord. It was really rugged at first. I've been here long enough now so that all that was once backward is now right. Even the people walk on the left side of the street here. I supposed that when I get home it will take me just about as long to get oriented as it did here. One of the boys got a letter from some guy who went home. He wrote that he felt like a foreigner back there. The people drove on the wrong side of the raod and most of all the money was no good. I can understand that because altho' a pound is worth about $3.25 here we spend them like dollars.
Another one of our boys got himself a wife yesterday. Marriage here is now commonplace. In fact the next generation is coming along.
All my Love,
Howard
My Darling
Status unchanged. I have gotten three or four of your letters with my new company number on them. The postal system is vastly improved over what it was a year ago. This meets with my approval.
The days are getting a little longer and warmer now, thank the Lord. It was really rugged at first. I've been here long enough now so that all that was once backward is now right. Even the people walk on the left side of the street here. I supposed that when I get home it will take me just about as long to get oriented as it did here. One of the boys got a letter from some guy who went home. He wrote that he felt like a foreigner back there. The people drove on the wrong side of the raod and most of all the money was no good. I can understand that because altho' a pound is worth about $3.25 here we spend them like dollars.
Another one of our boys got himself a wife yesterday. Marriage here is now commonplace. In fact the next generation is coming along.
All my Love,
Howard
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Brisbane, July 1943
Howard returned to Australia in mid-1943. He was within APO 923, which was Brisbane.
My Darling Margaret,
I'm afraid that it has been too long since I have written you but I have been moving around the country a good bit of late and I wanted to have a permanent address to give you when I did write. Even now I do not think that this one will be permanent. I hope to make one more move.
I guess that I told you that I am back on the mainland. After the last year or so this is rally a country club existence. I even get Cocoa [sic] Colas frequently. Ice cream too. The movies here are later than those we saw before but I can put up with that I guess. This is a pretty nice company I am in now altho' all companies seem to be more or less alike.
As soon as I came here I got me a furlough and I went where I wanted to this time and had me a time for sure. I will tell you all about it when I see you. This place I went to had more civilians than soldiers and you can guess that this alone was worth the price of admission. I got me some film for my camera while I was away and Ruth sent me a roll of Kodachrome too so I have some for now at least. There are some restrictions on taking pictures here so I can't get too many that I feel are suitable.
I have gotten some mail since I shifted bases and no doubt I will be getting more - I hope. I can't think of any burning questions that you asked me that I can answer right now. All I can think of right now is how much I miss you. I got a wire from you too. They have a very nice custom in this company and that is that someone that is going where it is available gets a box or two of fruit most every day. It is paid for out of the company fund and I think it is one of the nicest things that I have run across for many a long day. Some day when I get some time that I think that I can spare I will tell you about the theater situation in this country. Right now I will just say that I need you more than somewhat and wouldn't it be just dandy - - - - -
Lots of love
Howard
He wrote on July 26,
Dearest Margaret,
I have several letters and a [ ] from you. You are doing much better in the correspondence section than I am. I don't know. I seem to have lost interest in writing to everyone except you. Some of my correspondents are doubtless wondering what kind of flowers they have over here, but I'll get back in the groove after awhile. This will have to be just a note and I will say that I am as well as ever in spite of the chow here. Food comes and goes and right now it is on the debit side of the ledger. One thing in the army that an enlisted man can raise hell about and get away with is the condition of the mess. The officers do not seem to know about it or they would do something about it.
Maby I'll break down and tell them. Oh well! some times things are bad and then all of a suddent they get worse. Actually I am enjoying myself here a good bit. The work is not to the word escapes me, hard will do, and we lead a kind of country club life. I seem to have quit drinking. I don't know why because elbow bending is one form of exercise that I have always approved of.
Lots of love,
Howard
My Darling Margaret,
I'm afraid that it has been too long since I have written you but I have been moving around the country a good bit of late and I wanted to have a permanent address to give you when I did write. Even now I do not think that this one will be permanent. I hope to make one more move.
I guess that I told you that I am back on the mainland. After the last year or so this is rally a country club existence. I even get Cocoa [sic] Colas frequently. Ice cream too. The movies here are later than those we saw before but I can put up with that I guess. This is a pretty nice company I am in now altho' all companies seem to be more or less alike.
As soon as I came here I got me a furlough and I went where I wanted to this time and had me a time for sure. I will tell you all about it when I see you. This place I went to had more civilians than soldiers and you can guess that this alone was worth the price of admission. I got me some film for my camera while I was away and Ruth sent me a roll of Kodachrome too so I have some for now at least. There are some restrictions on taking pictures here so I can't get too many that I feel are suitable.
I have gotten some mail since I shifted bases and no doubt I will be getting more - I hope. I can't think of any burning questions that you asked me that I can answer right now. All I can think of right now is how much I miss you. I got a wire from you too. They have a very nice custom in this company and that is that someone that is going where it is available gets a box or two of fruit most every day. It is paid for out of the company fund and I think it is one of the nicest things that I have run across for many a long day. Some day when I get some time that I think that I can spare I will tell you about the theater situation in this country. Right now I will just say that I need you more than somewhat and wouldn't it be just dandy - - - - -
Lots of love
Howard
He wrote on July 26,
Dearest Margaret,
I have several letters and a [ ] from you. You are doing much better in the correspondence section than I am. I don't know. I seem to have lost interest in writing to everyone except you. Some of my correspondents are doubtless wondering what kind of flowers they have over here, but I'll get back in the groove after awhile. This will have to be just a note and I will say that I am as well as ever in spite of the chow here. Food comes and goes and right now it is on the debit side of the ledger. One thing in the army that an enlisted man can raise hell about and get away with is the condition of the mess. The officers do not seem to know about it or they would do something about it.
Maby I'll break down and tell them. Oh well! some times things are bad and then all of a suddent they get worse. Actually I am enjoying myself here a good bit. The work is not to the word escapes me, hard will do, and we lead a kind of country club life. I seem to have quit drinking. I don't know why because elbow bending is one form of exercise that I have always approved of.
Lots of love,
Howard
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
New Guinea, June 1943
My Darling:
My correspondence has overcome me. A lot of little short notes now and then I will start over again when I get more time. Your last was 10 May and I got that three part letter you wrote before that. I am still quite well and my duties are not too onerous. You are having a bad time with the film proposition but keep trying. That brother of yours seems to be a pretty good bet.
Things have not changed a whole lot around here and we are still doing our bit in the same way as ever. I hope that the seeds get here before too long. I feel the need of a little gardening to keep my mind off one thing and another. I will try to get a more complete letter off to you without too much delay so if I want to get the others 29 written I had better stop.
All my love,
Howard
Later in the month, he was moved to the 1912th Q.M. Co., APO 923, which was Brisbane.
My Darling Margaret,
I have been moving around some of late and am now in the 1912th Q.M. Co. APO 923. I did not write for some time on this account but will perhaps catch up. I have gotten quite a lot of mail from you since I last wrote to you including the letter with the clippings in it. This address will probably catch me for a while but I expect I will go a little further before I stop. I am out of typewriters just now so if you can read this you are seeing all right. I would like to tell you of my [ ] but [ ]. Suffice it to say that [ ].
All my love, Howard
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