Letter #12 Photos of Guam , "Ott" and Brother John

Ott, Wick's hometown friend.

Guam, setting up communications.

John, one of Wick's  three brothers.

Letter #12 August 4,1944 "We're on Guam now."

Page one

"Dear Fran"                                                                                      August 4, "44

 "Well I haven't heard from you either lately, so we're even anyway.... Got a letter from Ott the other day and he is in an antiaircraft battalion and was on the last place we were but we missed connections by a few weeks. He says he doesn't mind it overseas and hasn't thought it a bit bad but I look for all that to change before long. Anyway let's be glad he's happy. Read dis..."

Click on the poem "Rosie McQueen" to enlarge.  

 Page two


"Looks like  somebody tore off a piece doesn't it ?
Somebody in our platoon got a letter with that in it and showed it around, I about fell over when reading it. That's about the best my eyes have read for sometime."

"Oh well, another day is fading away, so we'd better speed it up. Mom must be getting a trifle anxious as she hasn't heard from John or me either for awhile and we don't have any idea where he can be."

"Don't get me wrong in saying this but we're on Guam now, maybe that's where Eddie is too.We got to see a few more places having been to Kwajalein and Enwietok in the Marshalls, and also were floating reserves for the boys on Saipan but apparently they needed no help. Some fun , huh. .... Anyway your luck pin must be okay as my luck has been pretty good in not running into any trouble or sickness. The little bus resides on my cap daily and my trust in it is deep."

"Oh goshk, ....the people here are REALLY glad to see us...They'll be treated right from now on though and will become much healthier...."

Page three

"...Maybe the mail will start in regularly for awhile again we hope so give me the latest of yourself and things of lesser interest. Little girl, write and put me back in my place as usual when I get too rambunctious. And if my form (Date With a Marine) is not filled yet, well you'd better get a move on or I'll come back and get it myself, including all measurements."

"...So goodbye now, Lovely Lewis, and good luck,
As ever,
Wick"

Letter # 9 (pages 3-5 ) "Moonlite Excursions and Gooneybirds"

Page three

"Or if we don't get that chance" (to steal away in her father's boat) there is always the alternative of the old "Moonlite" excursions down along the Potomac - wouldn't that be swell, we could be the life of our party, you and I..."

"Anyway you are getting spoiled by receiving as much mail from this soul as you do, and maybe it'd be better to give you a rest as my brain is even worse than of yore; then you wont be pestered in reading several pages of descriptions of Hyattstown's queen, fairest Fran of the moors. (Somebody left a copy of "Idylls of the King" around and occasionally I peruse the contents getting a kick out of the old style language, so stand by and suffer!)..."

Page four

"...my greatest fear is that somebody will be successful (winning your affection) before my return to the village and to Fran, the "Hyattsville Hottie"

"Well now let's see what we all can bat the breeze about from here on, besides you. We caught the damnedest looking bird the other day and we think it's a baby albatross but it was named the "Gooneybird" by an associate. It doesn't say anything, just stalks around with murder in its eye ..."

"Am still waiting for  an answer to the form about your form and hope to get it soon....The bus pin is my constant companion, nite and day, until it gets lost and breaks my heart. Its awful nice to have something like that from my gal and it means a lot ... Gee what a lucky thing that picture of mine is, to be there where you are and all; some things bet alla breaks."

"Well honey, its about time to begin the ending... you know that I miss my Fran an arful lot or do you know it by now Snicklefritz?"

"...So with a sending of love such as the confinements of a letter allow, ( a poor substitute for the real ) I remain,
Your boy
Wick"

Page five

'"This is probably an old one to you ..."

Letter #9 July12,1944 (pages 1&2) " I'll Stay Over Til It's Over."

I'll let you read page one as is , no shortened text. This letter is a great example of the language and culture of the 1940s.

Page two


"...but that's because I don't wanna go home and then have to come over again. There might be just a little trouble in getting me away again."

"Your brother will get pretty big if my guess  is good because my experience with service chow is that the Navy chow is the best."

" So you went down to the beach finally, glad to hear you get a rest. The old man's tub must be okay, you lucky gal. Hey, honey, you and I'll have to abscond with it for awhile ( maybe a few weeks) and what a trip!"

Letter #8 June 15,1944 " Speaking of Screwballs...Giddy with Love"



Groucho Wick

"Dear Frannie,                                                               June 15, 1944"                

"To steal your stuff on the postcard - this is being written also because  I jus' got ta thinking 'bout ya..."

"Colonel Stoopnagle : ( a well known comic figure of the time)

"This will make you laugh,
I've just cut a giraffe in half  or
Help,said the wheat field, I've been reaped!"

"Speaking of screwballs, that guy makes a living out of it, as he might  say - Frances is something Wick can't do without with. All of which ( this silliness) is caused by your casual mentioning of hurrying back to collect..."


"Aw yeah, please excoose me for not doing this sooner but give my hello to your Pop, as well as your brother, Billy... Hey you were seventeen turning eighteen when we were last around...  Remember that time when you were fixing the basement walls and playfully dabbed me in the ear with red paint?... I can hardly imagine you being any different..."

Page two

"Things are going along smoothly as ice cream is available every few days and it is taken advantage of whole heartedly, candy bars too. You know things like that aren't all over the world and its been nine months now since I've been in civilization, as the other overseas time was spent near a "town"  which was so punk that I never went near it..."

Page three

(To answer your question) " Yeah, there are plenty of buddies, even special ones as most of us have been together nite and day for some time. About ten of us have been together since Nov. of '42 and have been in all kinds of trouble....One of 'em has attacks of malaria frequently and yesterday he had it again and that guy is just a shadow of his former self. ( The letters of late are messed up because of the wind aboard here.)"

 "Comes the inevitable ending as I have only one stamp and no more are available so we'll have to wait awhile...."

"P.S. I'd like to see you every morning!"   

"Your Pal f''rever,"

"Wick"

Letter #7 Continued: " High Heels and Bowling...? "

page two

 "And the young lady with the high heels is on a winning bowling team, swell! What kinda average are you carrying now... No, your voice can't have changed so much that it couldn't register like it did before, beautiful Fran- dam, you are beautiful...."
 " The cards were swell, Frannie and hit the spot as they are so much like you......- the second one especially: they gave me a kick like the valentines used to do back in grade school from the best girl, maybe we're both kids, huh. Everything you write is swell and reminds me so much of you, Fran you're a very wonderful girl.  "

page three                                  

page four

page five

Letter #7 June 13,1944 "Just to Think of You Out There on the Steps..."

page one

"Dear Fran,"

"You know the old saying that the first liar has no chance, well I went you one better 'n that, three of your letters got here at once. Anyway, two letters and a card then...yesterday another card came. Boy my luck is good... and  they came at just the right time. So now to attempt an answer to all at once..."

 "Glad you saw Cap F. and Zora Mac C.is a gal who graduated a year before me so she is easy to recall- that   is when  you are out of my mind for a second or two."

 "Well  you know darned well I remember your old haunts in front of your house, Frannie and thanx for writing from there. ... Jus' to think of you out there on the steps...that's where you usta say the disturbing phrase you know ( hello Wick )."

 "Sorry that you missed out on the vacation deal but you'll probably live thru it. Saay that boat sounds like the Lewises are doing okay and it must be swell to have it. At least, lovely, you could say where the boat is,.....it must be in the bay or the Potomac. That'll be the life all right ..."

 "Horseback riding ? No, haven't been but the Buddington boys were very  good friends of mine  and they usta ask me up for a ride anytime. Saay hello to Nick and Ockie for me... two swell guys"

to be continued...

Souvenirs From China

Wick often included small souvenirs with his letters.