Caribbean Patrol

Postmark: April 18, 1948 U.S.S. Harold J. Ellison

to Mrs. Louis R. Lawson Jr.

Saturday night

Darling-
How I wish you could be here to enjoy this wonderful tropical weather and clear blue sea with me. Someday you and I will have to catch one of those banana boats — the spotless white kind — and come down together. The days are balmy and the nights are made for you and I together for without you all this falls a little bit flat — speaking in understatements, that is.
Guantanamo was very unexciting. I had hoped to be able to get out of the base to the hills and Guantanamo City some thirty miles inland. Such a trip required much permission granting so I gave it up. Spent the afternoon browsing through Ship’s Service with crafts and the Pink House and you right along with me. After the few trinkets had been purchased, several of us went over to the Officers Club and had a swim in the fresh water pool in a lovely tropical setting. From there we went to the club for several of our favorite martinis and supper. We found ourselves envying these officers based here for one reason — Canadian Club whiskey is $1.25 a fifth against six or eight dollars in the States and your father’s Kentucky Tavern was $2.60 instead of South Carolina’s $7.15. Ummmmm!
The evening was spent spinning sea stories at the club and turning in prior to midnight on ship.
Tomorrow we enter San Juan for Sunday and Monday and it seems that I should have brought whites but I hope they will let me go ashore in grey. Sunday I expect to spend sightseeing with a new camera we bought and Monday I plan to check on some places and possibilities of importing mahoganies and perfumes through the Port of Charleston with our government here. How I wish for you! We’ll have to get your family to speak to Senator Maybank about reserves taking their wives on cruises.
But it hasn’t been all play and, as I hoped, we are getting some excellent refresher training in destroyer tactics. It’s only eight now and I’ve been on watch or drilling (handling the ship, etc., a bit) for 12 hours today. So you see, sweet pea, I’m ready for the sack.
Incidentally, we get back into Norfolk on Friday afternoon and there is a possibility that I may be able to leave that night if I’m not too pooped to drive. If I am, I shall certainly be on the way south again by Saturday morning at light and I’ll drive all the way (if the Crosley can stand it).
I miss you very much, darling, and love you with all my heart.

Louis

P.S. Regards to your family (and Sunny, and Rex, and Clara, and Julia)

Postmark: April 20, 1948 U.S.S. Harold J. Ellison

to Mrs. Louis R. Lawson Jr.

Monday night

My darling –
Leaving San Juan at 5:30 tomorrow morning is about the nicest think of for it means I will be with you again on Saturday.
Honestly, Rosy, I did’t realize how much I would miss you or I would not have come. It really has been pretty bad — everytime I see anything I wish for you — or hear a joke, I wish you could hear it — or swim, I wish I could reach out and touch you. Golly, sweetpean, I’m in such a mess without you. I guess I didn’t know before how much a part of me you are but I do now. You can never know, darling, how much you mean to me — how much you steady and help me – or how much I adore you – you couldn’t know!
Puerto Rico, San Juan, that is, it’s interesting but not without you. I guess, really, that I’m a good example of a fellow madly in love with his wife. Seems sort of strange for me because before I married this Salmons girl I couldn’t even imagine it but now — well, I’m just not interested in anything that doesn’t concern you or the two of us.
I find that I can’t leave the ship before Saturday morning so I’ll drive through and be in Charleston, I hope, before midnight.
Must go to bed now — I love you very much, Rosy – very much. In fact, I adore you!

My love always,

Louis