The following are the letters my maternal grandparents -Milan and Kathleen Smerchek- sent to one another as they courted during World War II.  I don't think either of them knew these letters would turn out to be part of the history leading up to their marriage, but I'm so glad that they held on to them.  Not only has it given me a glimpse into the life of my grandparents, but it gives myself, along with all of you, another personal account of what life was like in the US during the 1940's.  My grandpa passed away 11 years before I was born and my grandma passed when I was 13- before I could realize just how interested I was in hearing about her life growing up, or her first marriage. 

As I began typing up their letters, I had to decide how I was going to approach them- how much correction and censorship would I do, if any?  In the end, I decided to honor the integrity of my grandparents' words.  I left their spelling errors and variations intact- I think it adds character, and some of the variations were telling of the time period.  As for censorship- that was a harder decision to make.  In the first couple letters, the way my Grandpa chooses to describe some of the men he is treating in the hospital is uncomfortable for me to read.  But the fact is, they are his words and I felt that by censoring him, I would be changing history in a way.  I don't think that he was racist, but I do think it was telling of the times he was living in.  By leaving his words intact, I think it provides us all an opportunity to reflect on how far the world has come in the past 60+ years.

 

March 23, 1944

Dear Kathleen,

Ruth gave me your address so while I'm in the mood I'll drop you a couple of lines. I've been told you're building planes out here in sunny Cal.

I'm still taking care of sick folks an most of them are rather dark. You guessed they are colored but as a whole they are pretty nice . I'm working in a ward at the present time so I'm a nursemaid or something.

This base is very nice but Tampa isn't much of a city. There are too many GI's down here to have any fun at any of the dances. It reminds me of those rat races at KSC in Rec Hall.

I'm just fine and I'd enjoy hearing from you and perhaps I'd be able to think of more to say next time.

Sincerely

Milan

April 11, 1944

Dear Kathleen,

Got your most welcome letter Sunday. Gee I don't know where the time goes but it does somehow and I have a lot of letters I should have answered sometime ago.

I never did have any sort of an accident since I have been in the medics but evidently lady luck ran out on me the other day. The 30th of March while using a glass syringe it broke in my hands and severed the extensor tendon in my left thumb. So it will lay me up another week at least. So you are not alone. Ha! Ha! This all happened while I was on duty in the ward.

We have mixed wards in that means the colored fellows are on side and white on the other and some of those negros get pretty black. I have been working in a medical ward and most of those cases are ulcer, high blood pressure, and the like.

First of all I'm back in the USA due to a skin ailment which bothers me in cool and damp climate and where there isn't much sunshine. It isn't anything really serious but it prevents me from carrying on functions expected of him. I'm disqualified for foreign service so it is hardly likely I'll be returned even though I'm perfectly well now for this skin ailment is liable to come back if returned to that sort of climate.

Someone of these days I'd like to show you some of the many pictures I collected in England. I was stationed about forty miles from London. Very close to Cambridge. We went to Cambridge in G.I. transportation of an eve and come back the same way that nite. We could see London guns in action at our airdrome though. I got to see London several times also quite a bit of Scotland on my seven day leave while over there. A lot of damage has been occurred but it isn't as bad as one would expect or what Germany is getting. I'll like the good ole U.S.A. with all its faults any day as it seems like they are so far behind in many things. Then too everything is on such a small scale over there. There is a lot I could tell you in fact when I get started I go on for hours.

I wouldn't give up that trip over there for anything even with all its ups and downs. I can't help but feel I'll always want to get around and see different parts of the U.S.A. if it will be at all possible. Somehow or another you expressed it pretty good about home though that we have something there that these other parts lack. This climate is quite similar to what you have down there.

Well you are one of the few people if you have not changed your liquor and admire you for it. Somehow or another the morals have got to a state where it is simply disgraceful. So I just stay in camp except to attend church on Sunday when I'm off and see the few sites that can be seen around here.

Topeka had changed quite a bit to me but of course I had been gone a lot longer then you have been but it still had this place Tampa beat by a mile. It was rather dull though for all the fellows were gone and hardly anyone I knew except too old or young. I hope to be back up Topeka way in July if everything does okay.

In England I worked in the dispensary as a clerk, and rendered first aid and assisted when ever we got any surgical work in. Sort of Jack of all trades and I also took care of all the records of our Dept. Down here I'm just working or rather was working in a ward and if I go back I'll probably will be in charge as we got a bunch of rookies in the other day but it doesn't make me any difference as long as I get my pay.

Dayton was stationed only about six miles from me and I used to ride over this station on a bike but I wasn't there when Rook got over or I should say I was in the process of being returned to the U.S.A. That's all I know at the moment.

As Ever

Milan