Germany

March 28, 1945

Dearest Helen,

I’ve received so much mail from you in the last few days that I am slightly bewildered as where to begin my reply, so I’ll start at the beginning. The dates range from March 2nd to the 15th, so arranging the letters in chronological order I will now begin. Here’s the one with the pictures (I’ve already told how nice you look in the V-mail I sent last night. But I know you won’t mind if I say it again). In your letter I notice a few remarks about the pictures all preceded by the word “Note:-“ hat, weather, and what’s this – hm-m-m – no girdle – so I take out the picture and study it real close (Absent-minded, I turn it over) – but I honestly can’t tell whether or not – after all a picture can never replace the real thing. But anyway it’s wonderful.

Mystery of the band picture is now cleared up – here’s another one to take its place – and in case Art sends the original back to you, you can send it back to my folks. Here’s an intention to make a deposit at the blood bank. Well, my pet, - in answer to this I say we are making enough contribution to the war effort and though as you say – it wouldn’t cause you any harm – I say no – a large veto. Suppose I walked in the day after and you were still without all that vim & vigor. You see I’m looking ahead. As I read, - I see that my mail has been pouring in to you and you sound so happy. You’ve received the pictures (high hat) – Hm-m – here’s something about an overnight ride on the Pullman – a must – O.K. but you know how sticky train windows are.

Now I come to a long, serious letter about the future – wherein you propose plans in the advent that my service in the Army continues for a long period after the cessation of hostilities. Your letter is all-inclusive, concise and to the point – and I agree with what you say. The idea of waiting another three years before we can be married is not a pleasant prospect – and that’s what it adds up to if events follow the one extreme that you point out. If the war is over soon in this theater and I return in a reasonable length of time and the prospects point to my remaining in the States until the Pacific war is over, I don’t see how we could keep from getting married – no matter what plans we had made before – because we both feel that we should be married at the earliest possible moment. I also agree that in case my stay in the States will be only short one before being shipped to the Pacific – we will wait, because I feel as you, that it would be worse to be separated after only being married a month or two. God, it’s bad enough as it is (I’m trying to write this with a radio blasting my ears, two guys arguing, another writing at my side asking me how to spell words – another trying to tell me his troubles) – I want you to be my wife and though I’d prefer to start our life together as a civilian, we can do it while I’m in the Army, too. No matter what, I know we’re going to be happier than we ever dreamed – I have no fears for the future. You’ll be Mrs. Ted Katz as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

Next I find that you’re planning on visiting the folks in April. I don’t want you to feel that there is anything strange or unusual about the trip. They want you to come very much and they think so much of you now, I honestly don’t think they’ll let you leave once they see you. All this admiration they have for you, Helen, stems mainly from yourself, from your correspondence and telephone conversations – though my mother (with a true mother’s pride) – says that the girl I pick is bound to be wonderful. I haven’t told them everything about you because it’s impossible for me to describe you the way I’d like in a letter or in words – but I remember that way back on my last furlough – let’s see that was in Oct. ’43 – when I spoke to them about you and showed them your picture, they gave each other  knowing glances and knew something was up, because I never was very communicative in the matter of girls, - on who I went out with – and this was the first time it had ever happened.

As I keep reading, I see that the mail is pouring in from me – how much you miss me. You have a beautiful way of telling me these things. You say “nothing new on the Apt situation” but a letter of March 18th that Jack received from Edith says that you girls have found a place – so I’m waiting to hear from you. Today I received the letter which you received in response to the ad you placed in the Star. Got a big laugh out of it, very frank wasn’t he? Also – today I received a wonderful letter from your folks – and also a cable from you saying that you haven’t been receiving my mail and that you’re worried. A surprise, because in all these letters I’ve been receiving you’ve been so happy that the mail has been coming through. They must have stopped short. So fortunately, I am now in a position to get a cable off to you immediately and it’s going out tomorrow morning.

Time to say goodnight – until tomorrow.

All my love,
Ted