September Letters

Mert September 1 Letter A

1 September 1950
Itami
13

Dear Jane,

Since you started by missing a day — in fact several days, writing to me, I will do onto you to as you have done unto me. There is no letter for yesterday. I have a good excuse however. I was very, very busy. This oddly is the truth. Yesterday I rode or drove a six by six from the dock to the air station.

The evening before yesterday I went into Kobe to see the sights. I rode in a rickshaw but I didn’t get to see very much. The town is much cleaner than any I saw in China. I went to the Kobe Army O’Club and spent most of my time there. Drinks were ^$.20 which was pretty good. You should like to hear this. Everybody — with one exception — that is everybody on the unloading detail — (15 guys) shoved off to see the Geisha houses. Being the lone one, I carried other guyses extra money, camera, and purchases back to the ship at 1045 PM — the bar closed at 1030 PM. You married a clean cut kid. Perhaps I am getting old or perhaps I’ve sown all my wild oats in my recent youth — I think there were three or four other fellows out of the 14 who didn’t go to the Geisha House. I am pretty sure some fellows went just to see what one was like and they didn’t indulge in anything but Jap beer. Last night I got toulsed up at the O’Club here on the base. They closed the bar at 1100 PM and they threw me out. Why do I do these things. Anyway I hit the sack at 1115. Today I don’t feel so well.

So far I have received three letters from you. Two apparently were written while I was at El toro — they were the 8, 9, 10, and 11^th of August. These letters were all in one envelope. Letter no 1 and letter # 2 have arrived. I was glad to hear that you met your mother ok. You must have had a big week between the 11^th and 21^st. Strange also, the 22d 22nd of August letter is missing. Am I let led to believe that I am required to write every day? I have been writing because I want to write — I enjoy it. It makes me feel that you are near.

You must have those sad letters that I wrote on the ship and you must know now that I love you more than I can express.

The purse arrived today. It sure is beautiful. Thanks a lot “pink ears”. I sure wish you were around so I could tease you. There’s nobody here to tease.

We are living in a barracks. The room, food and weather is ok. So far we haven’t been assigned to any outfit. Yet This inactivity will probably go on for quite awhile.

Believe me baby I live from one mail call to the next just to read about what you are doing and how you feel and how much you love me. Just keep up the good work and I’ll keep the letters moving your way.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

P.S. I’m still in love with you, still faithful, still anxious to come home to you.

Mert September 1 Letter B

1 September 1950
Itami, Japan
14

Dear Jane,

Well, I decided I would ease up on you and write a letter to make up for the one I failed to mail yesterday. Earlier today I mailed letter #13.

It is dusk now; the sky is beautiful and suddenly I missed you very much. When I think of you I have a contented warm feeling inside. Some place in the center of me there is a pain or sort of hurt combined with much longing to be with you. Baby, how I want to hold you in my arms again. I’ll snuggle with you anytime you want to when I get back. You can bet your boots that you’ll be treated a lot better in the future than you have been in the past. This is so because I’ve discovered what you mean to me and also the pathetic humbleness which comes after a woman has gotten her hooks in a fellow very solidly, where a guy’s love for a gal makes a mental, moral and physical weakling of him. What I can’t understand is how a gal can get a fellow to love her so desperately that she becomes the only center of his life, where he devotes all his time and energy to her. How come?

Bern Daigle was in a jeep accident last night so this afternoon Yang and I drove to the Osaka Army Hospital where he is. The driver of the jeep — an MP apparently went to sleep and drove over a 15 foot embankment. No one else was hurt but Daigle ended up under the jeep. They don’t yet know how bad his knee is nor if there are any internal injuries. He looked well and seemed in good spirits. I hope everything turns out ok for him.

Hocking tells me that his wife wrote him and that she raved for a whole page about what a wonderful person you are. Well, I knew that to begin with. He says she is very reticent and that you certainly must have impressed her because she rarely says anything like that. So, there you have your part of the T.L., now what have you heard? Hocking thinks it would be a good idea if you visited together. Sounds ok to me.

Baby pink eared rabbit please be a good kid — or rabbit. If you weren’t it would tear the insides right out me. I’ll be a good kid because I just couldn’t bear to hurt you that way. I couldn’t ever be that cruel to you — I love you too much.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 11

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Friday
Sept 1, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

Brother, is it hot here today! Guess it just warmed up for the long weekend or something. This noon the “girls” in the President’s office all went to Ramor Oaks for lunch as it was President Sterling’s secretary’s birthday & asked me to join them. We had a very nice lunch & it was nice to eat out although the company was quite dull to say the least! Egad, I wonder how they could get such spooks together in one office — however a few of them are relatively normal. My famous last words are — “they are all either old maids or divorcees & I know why”. At any rate I will say it was nice of them to include me.

Last night I went to the Dermodys for another wonderful barbeque. This time they had a barbequed roast beef & it was scrumptuous! After dinner we had a hot game of Canasta at which Betty (Peggy’s niece) & I were completely skunked. The 2 girls or nieces Peggy brought up & their husbands were both there & very nice too. Peggy & Bud asked me if I would like to have the refrigerator they now have as they are getting a new one. It is a 4-year old Norge, quite large & very modern compared to the one we now have. Of course, I told them I would be delighted to have it, but wondered if they did not want to put it in one of their other rentals. They said they did not, & thought that we really needed it & wanted us to have it. Of course, who was I to say “no” & told them I would be delighted.

Incidently, yesterday a notice came from Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Assoc., Omaha, Nebraska telling you who your again agent would be in San Francisco & to pay your premiums there. I presume this is some sort of policy you took out before you left that I do not know about, so shall keep this slip here for reference.

Tomorrow I am going to David’s & Freda’s to spend the week-end. I think I will take Buster with me & put him in the garage & put Cinder & Baby Cat in a kennel for 2 nights. I know Buster misses you, but not anywhere near as much as I because for me it’s just as if only half of me were here. Last night was nice, but I kept thinking if only you were there to spark up the party. Oh gosh, bunny you’ll never know how lonely it is without you & how terribly much I love you, I only worry for fear I won’t look as good to you when you come back. But I pray that will not happen. Never worry about me — my middle name’s GLUED TO MERTON!

Marian Griffin called this morning to ask if I’d like to drive to L.A. with them tonight & come back Monday, but of course I told her about David & Freda.

Many hugs & all my kisses,

Love,
Jane

2 September 1950
Itami, Japan
15

Dear Jane

I am doing nothing but lying in the bunk right now — 1145 AM — with nothing to do. I started thinking of you so I decided to talk to you by writing. I suppose you would call this a monologue.

This morning they assigned me as (one of many) an Operations Duty Officer, apparently for for the Group. This afternoon I’ll find out what it is all about.

So far this duty has been excellent. What I like about being here is that all the powers that be act as men with common sense. The small and petty guys aren’t here to get in your hair with their stupidity — ie excuseless rules, hollow formality, touchyness about what their number is in their rank. So far there are none who try to shirk their job — pass the buck or find easy soft jobs. The fellows seem to want to take the bad duty with the good. Thus, as an individual you don’t feel as though you are being screwed when you do end up with something unpleasant. What a far cry this is from the shafting I got as an instructor last time.

By the way, the mail apparently isn’t censored but the Col asked us to tell our wives not to let anything we write be quoted in the papers, or pictures we may send be published. They have regular channels for publicity. Considering the complexity of the problem this request is more than reasonable. Thus don’t let any reporters or others publish anything I send to you.

You already know how much I love you but I say it again and again — I love you.

Chow call has just been made.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 12

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Saturday
September 2, 1950

Dearest Bunny,

Oh boy, oh boy, today I received your first 11 (eleven) letters & you were foolish enough to ask in one if they were the kind of love letters I liked! Egad, what more could I possibly ask of anyone? They were all wonderful, perfect, lovely, terrific, stupendous, marvelous, superb & best of all they were written by you, my own loving husband! They were absolutely the sweetest that anyone could even hope to receive. But, baby, please do not worry that I have any thoughts of or even would think of being unfaithful to you in any way. You are the only one in this whole world that I want! I would never dream of being unfaithful to you for even 2 seconds. I would never jeopardize in anyway my very good luck & deep love I have for you! Please put all stories like Hocking’s out of your mind. Yesterday after that luncheon Mrs. Reynolds one of the ladies who works in the President’s Office who is in her 50’s told me that both she & Mrs. Colte, Pres. Sterling’s secy, were divorcees because their husbands had met “other” women while they never suspected & thought they were happily married after years of married life! You see I, too, hear “stories”, but as you say, you are perfect for me in every way & I am positive you are my perfect compliment & I feel we are “soul mates” or something. I, too, believe in the philosophy of — “do unto others as they do unto you” & should be through if I found out you were not true to me. I assure you with all my heart & mind & soul I shall never prove unfaithful to you — you are all I will ever want or need — please believe implicitly in me & I will put all my trust & love in you. Please do not worry about my maybe slipping in a weak moment because I will NOT; under any circumstances. All I want & pray for is your rapid & safe return.

I am at David’s & Freda’s for the long, lonely week-end without you. It was terribly hot at home today & I was glad to come up here to get out of the heat. As David told you I brought Cinder, Baby Cat & Buster & they are all down in the garage & seem to be O.K. I brought Buster’s bed so he will have a warm place to sleep & left the window open in our car which is in the garage so the cats can sleep in there.

Another thing you said some people (most of them) were not writing their wives every day but you thought it made one another feel reassured & believe me bunny, no truer word was ever spoken!!! DON’T EVER STOP WRITING ME EVERY DAY & I will never stop writing you every day even if I have nothing as important or simple to say as I LOVE YOU!!! And only you!

I cried & cried today as I read your sweet, sweet letters.

I do not have your letters here so cannot begin to answer your questions until Tuesday, but I will answer them all & please do the same for all the questions I have asked no matter how feeble they may be. More tomorrow,

Love,
Jane

P.S. I just finished giving Freda a Toni & it’s now midnight.

3 September 1950
Itami, Japan
16

Dear Jane,

We are standing by in our quarters because there is a big storm going on outside. They say the winds are to go up to 75 MPH. It is quite gusty now and the windows are vibrating quite a bit. The building is shaking at times. Across the way, the roof of another building has started to peel off. It is a sheet metal roof and the wind has gotten under one edge. In a little while the nails ought to be worked loose or a big gust ought to come along and then we will have a big show. It is 1250 right now but it is quite dark. The lights went out some time ago.

Two of your letters arrived today. They were #5 and #6. Number 3 and 4 have not yet arrived. Write the number on the outside — on the envelope so I can open them up in order. You know your letters are very important to me. I exist from one letter to the next. Please keep sending a steady stream of letters and I’ll keep letters going your way.

My, it sure is blowing outside. The rain is going by horizontally. Some of our windows are beginning to work loose. This is turning into quite a show. Now the rain is shooting by in great white masses. Can’t see any rain drops — just large white flashes. There is a big streak of white rain and a big rumble — then it is clear and quiet, then it starts all over again. I would guess that the rain is going by about 70 mph. If it picked up another 50 mph I don’t think these roofs or windows could take it. Anyway, so far we are dry and warm. My, it sounded like part of our own roof went off. Well, the rain is thick now and at times you can’t see the building which is just 20 feet away. Seems like a white haze is down across your eyes. If the wind gets no faster no damage should be done or not too much. Lucky we have no planes because this wind would work havoc with a plane. Sounds like horses galloping across the roof. Here it is 1315 and almost too dark to write — lights are still out. I’m going to stop writing now and finish the letter later when I can see better. A fellow down the room has a jug so I guess I’ll bum some fine water and waite for the light to come back.

Light has returned. It is now 1355. When it got real dark it got very quiet then all of a sudden the wind came from another direction. This time trees were blown over, electric and telephone lines are down. A whole section of a mess hall roof just across the way lifted up and blew away. Once there were about ten large sheets of corrogated iron sailing through the air just over the top of the telephone poles. Great masses of junk, sheets of metal, a fifty-five gallon drum, hunks of wood, pieces of wire went sailing by. It was quite a show. We all stood in the head which was in the center of the building — It was cement, anyway we stood there and watched all the crap blow around. The damage has been fairly extensive but nothing to get excited about. The storm seems to be gasping out now but now and then a gust comes by and shakes the hell out of this building. So far our building has stood up to the worst gusts. I think it will hold out ok. This is the best show I have seen in a long time.

Tomorrow I start on my new job as an Operations Duty Officer for the Base — representing the Marines — this being an Army field. Capt Cornell is the senior man in charge. I met him on the ship. We bunked in the same room. We got along quite well. Things seem to be going smoothly. There are four of us who are to keep a twenty-four hour watch going. Apparently our function is to treat all incomers and out goers with the maximum curtesy. The job is easy but it would take a lot of writing to tell you all of the details. Really the job is quite boring but it is about as good as they come. I’m led to understand that I have not been side tracked and that I’ll get in an operating squadron as soon as the next fellow. Nobody has gotten into a squadron yet. As usual we are just hanging around.

I was only paid ^$110 on the first. I used all of August pay to pay off the ^$450 advance pay I got at El Toro. So that debt is gone. How have you made out with the ^$250 I left with you? They say that about the 5^th of October you should get the allotment check, I may have some extra money left over in a couple of weeks, after I have figured out what my expenses will be. I will send it to you. If you need it use it. But if you don’t need it put it in my checking account. This way you will have some rocks if necessary but once you put it in the bank it is gone as for immediate use by you.

As you can see I could write to you forever; just as I could live with you forever. Don’t pay any attention to people who say you have gained too much weight. I love you any old way. If you’re going to be chubby that’s the way you were built. So what, that’s the way I’ll love you. Besides that I don’t like skinny girls too much. Forget about getting chubby. If God didn’t want you to eat he wouldn’t make you hungry; also, if He didn’t want you chubby he would have made you thin. Why fight it?

One thing is required of you however. Keep in good condition and healthy. Because when I get back we are going to establish a dynasty of Camerons — to do that requires a big family — and to get a big family — well you know what is required. As long as you have some time on your hands you might as well buy yourself a thermometer. We might as well know when the right day comes along right from the beginning. Anyway, from the ideas I have in mind you had better do sitting up exercises to be in tip top physical condition when I hit the house. I’ll show you know mercy. I’ll listen to no protests. Of course, I imagine it would be a wonderful way to die. When I hit the states I plan to take an immediate vacation. For the duration of that vacation I plan to have my way when I so desire — after the vacation you will be permitted a voice in the operation — but not until the vacation ends. By that time I figure I’ll only be a shadow and I won’t care what happens so I’ll do as you say. By the time I get back you’ll probably feel the same way I do so we ought to make a good team. I have a feeling all our old records will be completely shattered.

I have to bring this letter to a close but I have to tell you how I feel about you. Each day I love you more and more. I don’t think I could possibly love anyone more than I do you today but I know that tomorrow my love will expand a little bit more. You know, I never get tired of writing about my love for you. I feel as though I’m using the same old words over and over but this feeling I have inside for you feels so good and warm and longing that I just don’t tire trying to tell you what it is like. If you have this same feeling inside of you that I have inside of me, our marriage will never break up and we will be ever loyal and faithful to each other. The most revolting thing in the world to me is the thought of sleeping with another woman or loving her. I want you and I want you badly.

I suppose you have known this all along but when we were first married I must not have loved you too much. I felt that you were like other woman I had known. I didn’t trust you or anyone in the world for that matter. Now, after three years, just by being your wonderful self you have proved to me by actions and not just words that you are the best, sweetest, kindest, loveliest woman in this whole wide world. You have proved to me that you are a fine and noble lady. How could I help but worship you like a big sad eyed buster? The kind of love I have for you didn’t grow out of my imagination as to what I dreamed you were like. This love was created by your actions and life with me — it is based on the real facts of what you actually are. Some fellows have a dream girl and then they try to find her in real life. By some miracle that God worked I found you and you married me. Well, as for me I first found a real girl and now I have created a dream girl and she is the spitting image of you. She has your exact personality and temperment. So when I dream of a girl in the South Seas she turns out to be you or if I dream of a gay place where there are dashing men and sexy, seductive women — why there you are all decked out seducing me. Since all these gals some how turn out to be you my conscience doesn’t bother me at all. I tell you my dreams are just plain heaven with a heavy shot of extacy (sp) added.

To sum up — baby rabbit — my love and respect for you has grown so big I can’t control myself any longer. I’m helplessly at your mercy. But, somehow, being at your mercy kind of makes me feel contented because I know that home and safety exists for me in your loving care. Deep down inside I know, because God has told me, that you would never betray me, never harm me and always — through thick and thin; you will love me just as I love you.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 13

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

September 3, 1950

Dearest Baby,

I am so sad tonight & have been so sad all day today — I keep thinking of the wonderful letters I received from you yesterday & how very sweet & sincere they were — & then you asked me if I like that kind!! You know of all the times in my life that I have been sad & felt terrible this time is the worst. I am quite sure that when I was told that my father had died it was nowhere near the shock to me your leaving has been. When you called me up that Friday & told me, you will never know the terrible feeling I had. At last I’d found someone I loved completely & that someone returned my love & we knew three years of it together & for that I am happy, but my heart is breaking now. You are all I have in this whole wide world & all I love & all I want. Oh bunny how can I tell you how much I love you, how much I need you & how much I want you? I can’t be a happy rabbit with my ears up without you. All I can be is a sad, droopy-eared, pink-eared rabbit. You made me complete but now I feel as if half of me were gone. Please believe in me with a never-ending faith — I do in you.

The Friday that you called me when I went to Stanford to get a ^$50 advance for the plane fair I was shaking so I couldn’t hold the pen to endorse the check — & I never shake. They finally said I didn’t have to endorse it. Oh gosh, bunny the hurt in my heart is terrible. Why did this happen to us? It seems almost as bad as being sent to prison for something you didn’t do. I sometimes wonder how God reconciles all this on his ledger sheet — & why. Please believe that I love you with all my heart & soul & will never be unfaithful of your love for even one second. Please believe in me.

Today we got up rather late & after cleaning up 6 messes Buster had made in the basement we went for a ride over to San Leandro to see General Foods where he David has prospects of a job. Incidently, Freda told me that David was fired from his job at the Emporium after several disagreements with various people. I really do feel quite sorry for David altho’ if he were my husband I would be very unhappy. Since I came he has done nothing but sit & reads while Freda does all the work. After the ride which was very hot, the temperature was up in the 97º’s we went to Omar Khayaams for dinner. It was also very hot there but the food was as usual very good. Then we went to a show & saw “The Winslow Boy” a very good British film. No doubt you are familiar with the story, but I thought it was very well done.

At that point we came home & I am writing you & crying so hard I can hardly see to write.

Sometimes I wonder whether David really will be successful. Of course, I think he has the savvy, but I wonder about his personality. He only lasted at the Emporium 3 months, & after all that looking! Poor guy, I think he is quite depressed about it. They have no more furniture than when you saw their house last. If David gets the job at General Foods then they are going to sell their house & move across the Bay. I am convinced they are mad; they claim they are very poor but I just laugh & laugh. Freda told me she has her hair done nearly every week at Charles of the Writs Beauty Salon at I. Magnin’s. They must be real, real poor.

Guess I’d better go to sleep now, but baby, don’t ever forget how much I love you & always will & will ever be faithful to you, — don’t ever waste time worrying about that, stupid puss, ‘cause you’re the only one I want.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

4 September 1950
Itami, Japan
17

Dear Jane,

This is just a short note to let you know I’m ok. The wind yesterday turned out to be quite a blow. Some buildings were left in junk heaps. The civilian houses really felt it. There has been no water service or electric service all day. We are eating out of our field kits. All we eat off of is sterilized in hot water. So far no one has been injured. So much for the big blow.

I have a job as operations duty officer at the Air Base headquarters. There are four of us. The duty is pretty good because we have a day on and a day off. So far we have no planes so I guess this is a way to keep us busy. Things are just getting organized out here but a big show should come off very soon.

I want to impress on you how much your letters mean to me. I have to read each day that you love me, are loyal and faithful. You see this is very important in that each time I read that it recharges, refreshes my desire to be the same to you. If I know you are waging a successful battle at home in loyalty, faithfulness and love, then it is a much easier battle for me to stay on the straight and narrow. Morale is very important and you are the only one in this whole world who can build it up or destroy it at your pleasure.

This letter is much shorter than yesterday’s 12 pages. By the way, how do you like my love letters? They are very easy to write because the words just pour out. Pet names and love words just seem appropriate — pink ears, lover rabbit.

I’m going to close this one up short. Today has been very busy.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 14

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Labor Day
Monday
September 4, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

Well, finally I & the kids are safely home after a week-end in the City. But really it wasn’t any fun without you, in fact it was quite dull without your good, witty conversation to spark things up!

Today we got up about around 10 a.m., had breakfast, I cleaned up Buster’s messes in the garage again & ironed, Freda had invited Beryl & Kim Grimm over for lunch & they brought their 2 cute children. She is the one Freda & I went to Playreading with from New Zealand. They were very nice, altho I think he is a typical HBS goody boy. If you know what I mean. As soon as lunch was over I left as it was then 4 p.m. & I knew I had lots of things to get ready for dinner for Dale & Virginia Smith tomorrow night.

I drove home down Skyline Blvd. & cut down through Woodside. I missed a lot of traffic & it was a beautiful drive & also I am sure I missed a lot of heat as when I got home it was hotter than Hades & Grace said I really missed the worst heat she’d seen in Los Altos. It was supposed to be 103º.

When I got home I am sure all the kids were real glad to get out of that old hot car. Cinder is definitely that way again, & as soon as she has this litter I am definitely going to have her fixed. Yegods, she’s more productive than any rabbit I’ve ever heard of.

When I got home I cleaned up a few odds & ends in the house & then set down to write you. I don’t know why but I always cry when I write you. I suppose because I feel nearer to you. Incidently, do the kind of letters (love) I write please you? Yours all perfect in every way & please don’t ever stop writing to me every day.

Gosh, bunny, I’m awfully sleepy now — will you excuse me if I stop here now? I’ll send you all my hugs & kisses though & love you & you only forever & ever.

Sweet dreams, bunny —

All my love & kisses,
Jane

5 September 1950
Itami, Japan
18

Dear Pink Ears,

This letter will be short because there isn’t anything to write about except that I’m still in love with the same little rabbit.

I moved into new quarters, another fellow and I have a room. There is a closet, dresser and a double bunk. We are fixed up real well. The room is quite hot in the afternoon because the sun hits our side then. As yet the electricity and the water are not available. There is quite a big repair job to be done in the wake of that storm.

Well, there is nothing left to write expect love mush but I think I’m getting pretty good at it. Tell me what you think of it. Perhaps I can improve it. Anyway it’s lots of fun to write it to you because I mean what I write. There seems to be no better way to express how I feel inside — here is a sample: I’m just a big worshipful dog sitting here with sad eyes — just like Buster’s — dreaming of my sweet pink eared rabbit who is the best of all possible mistresses. I am very lonesome for my boss Boss Rabbit. When there’s no Boss Rabbit around my life seems very disorganized and worst of all when there is no lusty sex rabbit around things are in a terrible way. So, sitting right here is a big sad eyed dog with two great big warm, salty tears rolling slowly down his cheeks just pining away for a small pink eared Boss Rabbit — named Jane.

The above is a small sample of what I have been thinking and who I have been thinking about.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

No. 15

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Tuesday
September 6, 1950

Dear Baby,

I just finished feeding Dale, Virginia & Voan Smith a steak dinner with baked potatoes, “green” salad & stuff, corn on the cob & ice cream & coffee. They seemed to think it was a scrumptous meal & seemed very pleased to think that I had asked them. Virginia said they were just about done in, & it was so good to be able to sit & relax & I am glad I had them. They are leaving for Maxwell Field tomorrow. But, I’m sort of bushed now & wish I had some little bunny to help me. Boy, oh boy do I — even just to have you standing beside me.

Today when I came home at noon to make the green salad, I found your letters Nos. 12 & 13 mailed on the 30^th & 1^st respectively & I am simply amazed at the speed of the mail service. I never dreamed you would get the wallet anywhere near Sept 24^th, & when you said you already had it I can hardly believe it.

But, bunny, I think you were mad at me ‘cause I didn’t write to you from the 16^th to the 21^st, & I’m terribly sorry, but my mother was really much worse than usual, & each time I’d sit down to write she would begin to nag at me to do something else, so in desperation I gave up. Also, each time I began I would begin to cry all over again & my mother would have just been more unpleasant had she seen me. I am not going down there again unless I can possibly help it. You said you got the letters written on the 8, 9, 10 & 11 at El Toro & then said I must have had a big week between the 11^th & 21^st & boy am I insulted!! On the morning of the 12^th I flew down to meet you & stayed with you through the 15^th — egad, have you forgotten already????? So, that means I didn’t write Wed thru Sunday when I was at my mother’s. The letter of the 22^nd was included in the letter of the 21^st which I think I wrote down, because it was so long!!!!!

Gosh, bunny, just exactly as you say I feel as if I were mean to you when I write to you & love to do it — there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to be with you & as long as I can’t letter writing has to be the next best thing. I almost feel as if I am talking to you & I love you so, I live only from one of your letters to the next so please don’t forget to write me every day — I’ve written you every day except the 16^{th to 21st inclusive. Oh, bunny your letters are so precious to me & I read each of them over & over. The letters you wrote on the ship are so precious to me, it’s such a good feeling to know that you love me as much as I love you — & I’m sure that’s so. There’s no one else in the whole world for me.}

You said you would write me every day — please do because that’s all I live for every day — your precious words.

Oh, boy you said you would call me this week & I can hardly wait until that wonderful moment when I hear your voice, please call me as often as you can because baby bunny, I miss you more as each day goes by instead of less & the hurt in my heart becomes greater each day instead of lesser. There just isn’t any life for me without you. I can hardly wait until I hear the phone ring with you on the other end — oh joy, bliss & happiness.

Needless to say I am very proud & happy that you resisted the charms of the geisha houses. I’m glad you sowed all your wild oats before you married me & very proud you didn’t go with the “boys”. That’s my good baby.

Tell me more about Japan & Kobe. I have always heard the Japanese were very clean. You didn’t tell me anything about your trip to Kobe expect you rode in a rickashaw. Most & mainly I want LOVE letters ‘cause then I can feel you right near to me but secondly, how about some travelogues.

Today Dean Faust came back looking tired as I guess he had to work pretty hard in Chicago, but his usual pleasant self.

Have I told you Isabelle wrote me a letter & asked me to spend the next week-end with them which I shall do as Saturday & Sunday are so ghastly around here without you. I’ll take all the kids & go in time for lunch Saturday & come home Sunday afternoon. Isabelle said Marilynn (her sister) was married to the goon she’d been going with & supporting for years a couple of weeks ago. All the close family was invited except Isy & Roger & they had no idea why! Isy said she was plenty upset. No doubt I’ll hear more scoop when I see them & I’ll report to you immediately.

Cinder is already dozing off so guess I had better hit the sack too.

But, baby, please write me every day — I write you every single day & have tried to explain the missing letters at the beginning.

I love you like nothing else in this whole world, “believe in me & trust in me, & I’ll believe in you & trust in you.” You’re all I’ve got & all I’ll ever want — just you — nobody else will ever be my lover — please have faith in me.

All my love & thoughts are with you always,
Jane

P.S. I’ll begin sending cookies this week.

Did you really get thrown out of the “O” club bar? I hope you don’t get that way too often, please, huh?

6 September 1950
Itami, Japan
19

Dear Jane,

You won’t like this but I put a couple of letters to you in my pocket and forgot about them. You wouldn’t know of this if I hadn’t said it.

Send any kind of picture of you, you think best. Pay off the debts in the best way you think fit. You’re idea sounded ok to me. Send your picture in a stiff covering other wise it will get bent. Any size picture is ok by me, but don’t forget to send it. I really need it.

Today has been very busy. All I do is try to straighten out snarls as planes come in and go out. Everybody wants something we don’t have so we have to improvise. So much about the work. The food is good and my room is fine.

I note in your letters you worry about the Jap girls. Well, just set you mind at ease. This rabbit belongs to only one pink eared Boss Rabbit named Jane. Another thing I noted in your letter was whether you would look good to me when I get back. You must be taking drugs to get ideas like that. My last love letters must convince you that I love you more than anybody in this world. What do I care what you look like. I want just you. You see I fell in love with all of you. As far as I am concerned you are my one and only lover until death do us part. That’s what my marriage means to me and I hope that is what yours means to you. My sex life is totally yours baby and do I need you now but I never need it so bad I will sleep with anyone else. You keep what you have for me and I’ll keep what I have for you.

Baby, your letters have been coming in in fine style. I have received eleven of them. If you knew how much they mean to me I don’t think you would miss an opportunity to just say something. Since your letters mean so much to me I have been writing as often as I can to you because I don’t want you to have that terrible feeling that you are being ignored or not thought about. You know I think we were very lucky to have met, to love and be loved as we do each other. I really believe you love me almost as much as I love you. Somehow, this is right and I don’t think God would do anything to spoil it.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 16

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Wednesday
September 6, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

Today I received a letter post-marked the 2^nd, No. 14, & am amazed at the very speedy mail service. It was a very sweet letter in which you said you wish I were there to snuggle with, & oh boy, do I wish you were here. Just one little snuggle with you would be wonderful.

I was sorry to hear of Bern Daigle’s accident & hope he is coming along all right now. It certainly is too bad things like that have to happen. But, gosh, bunny, why don’t you tell me what you do all day, what you think they are eventually going to do with you, & what Japan is like. All these things are very important to me, & you’ve hardly told me a word about what you do all day & what the ultimate plan for you guys is going to be. And, what is Kobe & Osaka like. Ruth Hadley in Asiatic & Slovak gave me a big map of the Orient the other day, so I can see Kobe, Itami & Osaka. They had a map in her office with all the air stations in Japan marked on it & Itami was one of them, so I imagine that is what you mean when you speak of Itami, altho’ you’ve not told me enough to put on the end of a needle about it. How about some info??

Everyone here is really mad & stirred up about the acenine remark or statement Truman made about the Marine Corps which was released yesterday. What was the explosive reaction on it where you are? That is about all anyone talked about here today — & all as mad as hornets at Truman.

Tonight when I got home from work I took Grace over a bowl of “green” salad & she insisted I have dinner with them, so I did. No good neighborhood scuttlebutt, but I have decided that Grace revels in scuttlebutt because that is absolutely all she can talk about, nice as she is & I do really think she is most generous & kind.

Incidently, Faust asked me today what I was going to do as he was worried about me. Ha! Ha! I told him I was going to stay & he said — quote — “I’m so glad as I just don’t know how I’d get along without you”. Of course, with that bit of malarkey, I almost said, well if I’m so valuable why don’t you give me a raise, however I refrained from that bit of sarcasm — the old bat!

I am very amused at what Hocking says his wife says about me, because if I remember correctly she spent most of the lunch telling me what a rotten deal her 27-year old daughter got in a husband & I hardly got a word in edgewise. Well, a few I guess. At any rate I had to agree with her as it seems her daughter married a ne’er-do-well, had a baby, & the husband proceeded to have a girl friend whom he lives with now, altho’ still married to Mrs. H’s daughter, who was the daughters friend & next door neighbor. I think that is the way the story goes — ask Hocking to fill it in as I cannot remember exactly. Mrs. H has 2 daughters by a former marriage but her first husband was killed in an accident many years ago. At any rate I thoroughly enjoyed lunching with her & think she is a very nice person. She lives in Castro Valley, across the bay so it is quite a long way from Los Altos however we might be able to get together sometime.

I got a letter from your Dad today & they bought a house in San Gabriel which I think will be a nice place for them. It has an l.r., d.r., breakfast room, kitchen, 1 bath, 2 bdrms & a den on a lot 60’x137’. I don’t know how much they paid for it or how old it is but it sounds real good to me. He also said their furniture had not come yet & he was about to raise hail Columbia. He also said they were coming up here again about the end of September they thought & I’ll be real glad to see them.

I called Peggy Dermody to ask if she & Bud could come to dinner tomorrow night, but they were busy so are coming next Wednesday night.

I’ve kind of been waiting all day for you to call me, but as yet I have not heard you’re wonderful voice. I do hope & pray you will call soon so I can at least hear you talk to me. I called Western Union today & found we are 17 hours ahead of Japan in time which will no doubt make the calling time quite awkward, but please do call me whenever & as often as you can. I just live for you baby.

Boy, these kittens Cinder has this time must really be devils as since I have been writing this she has attacked Baby Cat 3 times for no reason at all. I trust they all will not have her disposition.

Guess I better go to sleep now & dream of you, my sweet. Bunny, I’ll never be able to tell you how much I love you — I’ll be a very good & meek & humble rabbit & try never to fly off when you come back ‘cause I never want to do anything to hurt my precious baby. I couldn’t be anything but a good & true rabbit because I have only one lover, — you!

As far as the T.L. from Hocking’s wife goes — everyone has told me how wonderful you are & how they miss you & Ceilly McFarland keeps telling me that the minute Kirk laid eyes on you he thought you were really the kid & kept prodding Ceilly to ask us over, & she says he’s extremely reticent about making any opinions, but she says he was really impressed with my bunny.

Gotta go to sleep now with Cinder & Baby Cat, but just rest assured I’m right here waiting for you & you alone, loving only you & I never will ever have to think about faltering in my faithfulness to you alone for even one second. Your for me, baby, & that’s all.

Be a good bunny & tell me what you do, etc.

All my love & kisses, & bunny hugs,
Love,
Jane

Mert September 7 Letter A

8 September 1950
Itami, Japan
20

Dear Jane,

What is all that insurance talk about from the Mutual Benefit & Accident Assoc., Omaha, Neb? What insurance policy are they referring to?

If want you to go visit Edie & Ken sometime it seems alright to me. However, I have some qualms about my wife taking such a long trip alone. Somehow it seems like it is a short trip and ok for other gals to travel alone but when it comes to my wife I have sort of conflicting feelings. Tell me more about the trip?.

Yesterday I was Base Operations Duty Officer. A lot took place which I’ll tell you about some other time, but after a hell of a hectitic day, an Air Force transport took of and ran into the mountains about 5 miles away. It was sure a hard way to cap off a hard day. Seems like eleven people were killed. I hit the sack about 3 AM. Some how marine organization functions — although we had been dumped here a few days before and things were confused we got the basic job done very fast. You might say we carried the ball — the air Force operates in what seems to me a peculiar way.

Remember Baby I love you and want you no matter what. You are the only friend, companion, playmate, lover and trusted person I have and I want to keep you all for my own forever.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert

Mert September 7 Letter B

7 September 1950
Itami, Japan
21

Dear Jane,

Thought I would write you another letter today. I haven’t much to do so I started thinking of you and how I want to be with you. I have no news expect that I’m still here.

Oh yes, Maj Sorrell the CO of the Base who is an in the Air Force told me just a little while ago how much he appreciated the work done by the Officers and men who went to that crash and recovered what they could. They worked from 2350 last night until about 1000 today. They did a very speedy and efficient job. It was one of those cases where the poor Maj had a big job on his hands with little equipment and only a few men. As usual the Marines sprang into action and had helped him out before he really knew what had happened, so naturally when the Air Force inspectors came around to do their job all the hard physical work had been done. It took about three officers and fifty men to do it. I think a lot of the cuter service rivalry against the Marine Corps is sponsored by ignorant men who haven’t experienced the dispatch with which this kind of an organization can do a job. I don’t think there is any rivalry left in Maj Sorrell if there ever was any before. It is only when you are in such a position as he was do you get the full view. The Generals may not get along but we get along in the lower echelons. There was also the Air Force Operations S/Sgt who worked like a dog at the scene and I bet he knows more about how we operate. He was working hard and right with him were the Marines. I doubt if there is any serious rivalry left in him. Too bad that more Air Force and Army men can’t see the internal workings of an a Marine unit. You would have to be an awful small man not to admire a job well done. Well, so much for that.

Back to the important part of this letter — my eternal love for you. What makes me laugh is when I think back to the times you asked me if I love you. I can tell you now I certainly didn’t have the faintest idea of how much I loved you even when I said — “of course I do.” When I get back to you I’ll know what I’m saying when I say: “I love you.” There won’t be any doubt in my mind what you mean to me, no matter how angry I may get in the future nothing could be worse than living without you. If you ever feel insecure it will be the result of a “pipe dream” all of your own making. Who would ever want to get rid of a “good old dog?” Not me. Baby rabbit I’m starving for some loving from you but your letters have been wonderful

Think I will stop this letter and save some love writing for tomorrow.

Bimatimaiwbiyatiy
Mert

P.S. Can you figure out what the above is?

No. 17

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Thursday
September 7, 1950

Dear Baby,

Boy, am I ever a sad little bunny this afternoon — I went rushing home this noon with my pink ears UP, expecting to find a letter from you, but when I opened the mailbox & found no letter(s) from you my poor, old ears immediately drooped so low they have been dragging on the ground, & are getting very dirty by now because they have been dragging so long. I guess they will drag until I get a letter from you. Gosh, rabbit all I live for is your letters & when there isn’t a letter it’s too sad for words ‘cause I think maybe you’re mad at me for something I’ve unknowingly said in a letter. You used to accuse me of having well-planned ulterior motives, but honest & truly I never have been a deliberate schemer. Then, I have pangs that you might have seen a real, pretty little Japanese girl. Please write me every day, because I write you every single day.

All my little coffee drinking pals are on vacations so I am here all alone with no one to even drink coffe with. It’s really terrible without my little pink-eared rabbit to come tapping on my window. Sometimes you even used to bring me coffee, remember? What happy, happy days those were.

Today in the mail I did get a letter from my mother & she said your folk’s house was very nice & in a nice neighborhood near San Gabriel Blvd & Las Tunas near San Gabriel Country Club.

Saturday I’m going up to Isabelle’s & Roger’s in Oakland for the week-end. I think I will just feed the cats real well before I leave & leave them out a lot of food & milk & leave them home for just the one night. I’ll have to wash Buster up all clean so he will meet with Roger’s critical eye. Did I tell you I got Buster a dog license for $1-? As yet I have been unable to get a dog house, but understand some fellow in Los Gatos makes nothing but dog houses, so will try him. I think Buster likes his bed real well.

Later

Well, bunny, I’ve been waiting for you to call me all day & it is now 9:30 p.m. & no baby bunny’s voice have I heard yet. Gosh, & I’m so very, very anxious to hear my baby’s voice. Wish you’d hurry & call. Do you know I think of you practically all the time & how much I love you. Please hurry back.

I’ll try & answer all your questions & hope you will answer all mine too. I’m going over each letter as I get it every day (except today of course) & answer any questions each day. I’m going over the 11 letters I got Saturday now & will try to answer all questions I have not already told you about.

You asked when my birthday was:
June 19

And our wedding anniversary is:
September 24

When I can find your little black book I’ll send that to you & put the dates in the back with my sizes.

It will take me awhile to get all the furniture estimates, but I roughly figure it will take ^$1,000- to furnish this house completely including vacuum & sewing machine.

I would much rather have a baby than a new car, you know how eager I am to have a baby & get “our” family started.

I have not bought anything for the house yet — no allotment check yet, so hence no spending.

I have not rotated the tires yet, but will when I get the car lubricated soon — it squeaks.

After the 18^th of Sept. I am going to San Jose State to see about getting my Credential to begin working on it in February or so. I’ll tell you all about it.

By the way, what is the combination to the padlock on the shed. Please draw me a diagram. I can’t seem to make the darn thing work. Please do not forget this important item. I can’t clean it out if I can’t get in.

Tonight Grace asked me over for dinner again but I didn’t learn any new scuttlebutt, but I think they certainly they are nice.

Guess I’d better try & get Baby Cat & Cinder in & go to sleep & dream of you. Buster’s already tucked in.

Baby, you’ll never know how much I love you & how perfect I think you are & how lonesome I am without you. You’re all I’ll ever want to love me or for me to love. When I write you I almost feel you are right here with me & are just in the living room studying.

You’re the sweetest, nicest, bestest love letter writer I’ve heard of in my whole life & I love you so much. More than you’ll ever know!!

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

8 September 1950
Ashiya Air Force Base, Japan
22

Dear Jane,

Note the red ink, as if you haven’t. Note where I am, Ashiya. If you have a good map you can see I’m not too far from Korea. Well, don’t get excited. I was flown down here to take a single F4U-4 B back to Itami. It belongs to a SQD, WMF 214 which is somewhere but not here. I don’t know where it is but here I am getting ready to fly it a plane back. Seems the engine didn’t work right so two mechanics and myself were flown down here. They are to fix it and I am to fly it. Obvious — yes?

Boy it is hot, and I expected to go back today but the mechs are still working so I am staying here over night. I have nothing with me but my flight gear and the clothes on my back. I bet I feel crumby tomorrow.

As you guessed, I had nothing to do so I am having a B&B at the O’Club, borrowed the paper, pen and envelope. I still have to get a stamp. I’m not sure what the number of this letter should be so I guessed because my record of the number is back at Itami. Anyway, right number or wrong number I bet you will like to get this little love missel. Even if you don’t like this letter just rest assured I like to write it. So there! Funny how it worries me not to write. Funnier still to me is the strong desire inside to write you several times a day. I actually have to restrain myself because if I did that you and other people would think I was soft in the head. After all the guy you now profess your love for is the guy who was indifferent, rather mean and inconsiderate. Now if you love that guy you might not love so much and may even dislike the passionate lover side of me that I am exposing. You see by writing as I have I may lose the love you now have for me. Believe me: this is quite a dilemma. In your wildest dreams did you ever think I would write or want to write once a day such torrid love drivel. Somehow I feel that I have exposed the only weakness in my armor against life and that is this desperate kind of love I have for you. Now that you know how I feel, I feel that you might use your knowledge as a weapon in attacking me or in getting your way on some issue. You now know you have an absolute and ultimate power over me and I know it. All I can do is pray that you will be a wise and kind user of your powers. You know me; I never even think of myself as subordinate to anyone but now I want to be subordinate to you. It just seems right. What has happened to me? Will I ever snap out of this?

Lover rabbit be a good, soft, sweet rabbit and keep our little home warm and lovely so that when I get back I can just snuggle right up and forget all about this short separation.

I have decided we shall have five children. I don’t see how you can prevent it, I can think of several dozen sneak attacks. In view of our confused lives we might as well have the first of the five as soon as possible — so save that cash.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 18

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

September 8, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

Oh, boy this noon when I went home there waiting for me in the mailbox were Nos. 15 & L-O-N-G— 16! I had to laugh too, for no sooner had I sent you my letter of yesterday asking you to please tell me what you do & what Japan was like then I get L-O-N-G No. 16 with all the poop about the typhoon & your job as operations duty officer. At least I’ll bet you can use some of your 2 years of “Ad Proc” at HBS in the job. At least, you ought to be able to experiment with Ad Proc & see how it works for future reference. Tell me more about your job.

Today as I was having coffee Keirney came up & asked me how & where you were. I told him near Kobe & he said that he had spent 2 years at Kobe & thought it was a pretty good place. He said the Kobe Country Club had the prettiest layout he had ever seen — on a cliff overlooking the ocean, & if you ever got a chance to go there to be sure not to pass it up. He also said if you had time to be sure & try & see Kyote-o (sp?) as that was the garden spot of Japan & really beautiful. He said when he was there the Japanese were pitifully eager to learn what democracy was all about, & he thought it was a shame more was not being done about it.

Golly, baby I waited all day today too for you to call me & as yet I haven’t heard your dear, sweet voice yet & I’m so anxious to hear you. It seems like ages, I do hope you will call me soon.

You said you had not received my letters nos. 3 & 4, but I hope you have by this time! I have received everyone of yours in perfect order which I think is wonderful!

Today Peggy Dermody called to ask me over to another barbeque dinner tonight with her nieces & their husbands & I went. The had another barbequed roast beef, onions, potatoes, corn-on-the-cob — all barbecued & oh baby was it good. But, of course it was no fun without my baby & the party was full without you to add that witty conversation. After dinner we played one game of Canasta & we won by a huge margin for about the first time since I started playing the game. I asked the Dermodys over for dinner on next Wednesday night.

Tomorrow I am going up to Richmond to spend the week-end & I hope you do not call me when I am away. I think I will leave Baby Cat & Cinder outdoors with some food & milk for just one night & take Buster with me so he can see his mama & Taft Dahlia.

Gosh, bunny I love you more than anything in this whole world. It just doesn’t seem fair that we are separated while everyone else is going on just as if there weren’t a war, & then I think of my little baby so far away & it’s so lonely without any baby rabbits around. Honest & truly life is so purposeless without you — I feel everything I do is senseless & useless & I’m so lonesome. Gosh, this all seems like a nightmare that I expect to pass any minute. But I suppose it won’t. Oh baby, I wish I could tell you how much I love you & how I think about you all day long — & that’s no fooling

All my love & kisses,
Jane

Enjoy this breather from Mert. He won't shut up for the rest of the month.

No. 19

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Saturday
September 9, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

Well, this morning I got up bright & early, sort of cleaned up the house & gave Buster & Baby-cat a bath as I knew Roger would be giving Buster the critical eye & left for Richmond about noon. Roger advised me to go Bayshore & across the Oakland Bay Bridge, but smarty-pants me decided it would be better if I crossed at Dunbarton & up 17. As a consequence I got into a terrible traffic snarl & it took me until 2:30 p.m. to get to Richmond. Needless to say, I will take the Bay Bridge back. At any rate when I arrived we had a very good lunch of fruit jello & home-made clam chowder. We gabbed & I ironed a dress & made pineapple nabisco. I used Isabelle’s mixer to make the pineapple nabisco & what a cinch it was to make compared to my slow hand method. I definitely think I will get a Sunbeam Mixmaster out of my house fund if that is all right with you, because I think it would really help my time element. At any rate after we did all this it was time to get dinner & we had a wonderful beef roast etc.

After dinner the best part of all came — Roger showed the movies he had taken of you before we came home from church on Easter Sunday. It really gave my poor, old lovesick heart a start when I saw you walking around & playing with the dogs just as big as life! Gosh, you don’t know what a funny feeling it gave me to see my own sweet baby pink-eared rabbit walking, throwing the shoe & having a good time. At any rate, after the first start of seeing you it was very enjoyable & it was quite a long movie.

September 25, 1950

For some reason when I didn’t finish this letter I just kept it in my purse & didn’t finish it or write a penalty letter, but I promise you I will & am now finishing 19 at least. Baby-cat always lies between me & the paper when I write you which makes my handwriting quite peculiar, but of course I can’t move her if that’s where she has to lie — purring like a motor boat!

If I were a cat (no cracks) I’d just purr & purr when I’m around you & I’d have to purr all the time now because I think of you all the time & then I feel nice & cozy & snug & warm inside.

Today was registration day & I went over to the Basketball Pavilion for 4 hours today so the students in Social Science wouldn’t have to disturb the hallowed halls of the President’s Office. It was quite warm in the Pavilion with thousands of people milling around. I saw all your Law School bunch & it made me quite sad & jealous to think you were not with them.

Please don’t every worry about my not being faithful to you alone — because honest, rabbit, I just couldn’t be any other way only faithful & true to you & you alone! No one else ever will hold any interest for me but you! I just told Baby-cat there was just one person that could snuggle as well as you she & that was you & that she’d have a long way to go before she could even run you a close second. She said she’d been trying but she didn’t think she was quite big enough & I agreed.

I love you more than I’ll ever be able to tell you & will always be true blue to only you. You fill in all the empty spaces in my life & when your not here everything is quite dull & drab & it seems as if something big were missing & it is — YOU!

All my love & kisses,
Jane

8 10 September 1950
Itami, Japan
22 23
0900

Dear Jane,

As you can see letter 22 — the red letter was also 22. You can also see that I missed 9 Sept. I have a good reason for missing the letter but there is no reason that excuses a missed letter. So I have devised a penalty for one who misses a day. The sentence is 3 2 letters for each day missed. Thus, since I have missed 1 day, I have to write one letter for today and 2 letters for missing yesterday, that makes a total of 3 letters for today. You see I could cheat and only write one, ie I could just date one of these letters as 9 Sept 1950 but that would be wrong. The same sentence applies to you when you miss a day. The penalty system begins as of today, 10 Sept 1950. Now I want you to play the game fair because if you don’t there will be a hex on you.

Well, yesterday I was to fly a corsair back from Ashiya but they couldn’t find out what was wrong with it. Since I have the duty beging at 0800 today I came back when another pilot showed up who said he would fly it back when it got fixed. I came back in an SNB as a passenger. I arrived here about 1500 yesterday.

Upon arrival I got cleaned up and found a ride into town in a 1949 Buick — what joy! I got to the Osaka PX about 1700 where I went and bought you an anniversary present. A week ago I went in and saw this Rolex wrist watch which looks like a bunney to me but since I wasn’t sure how good a Rolex was I inquired around and found out it was about the best you can buy. Berry a fellow from Oakland who had managed a jewelry store told me the name and product were excellent.

Here’s the poop on the watch. ^$50.00 is tax free but you have to pay duty and on any amount in excess. The cost to me was ^$75.95 at the PX. I have a receipt which I will send you in a few days along with a Rolex statement about their product with the names of companies who have parts and make repairs. As you can see the only place in the U.S. is in New York. So if you ever need work done etc you will have to write to New York and ask them for the procedure you go through on watch repair. Once you have the information you can send them the watch or do what else they say.

Now I figure you will have to pay some amount of duty on the ^$25.95 (75.95 - 50.00). I hear it may be as high as 100% or ^$25.00 but it should cost you nor more than ^$25.00. You will have to pay it because I can’t do it from this end, so I’m told. I hope you have ^$25.00 to get it out of hock. You pay it and I’ll send you ^$25.00 when I get paid next. You see this ^$75 nearly busted me. Even with the duty I think the watch will be cheaper than if I got it in the States. Also, you ought to get it appraised at some good Jeweler. If I’ve been stung I can go back to the PX and get it straightened out.

I hope you like it a whole lot. Even if it did take a nick out of our funds I think it was a good buy. Even if the expense differential between our presents is considerable believe me you deserve it. Actually, you deserve a much bigger present than that but I couldn’t raise any more cash. Also, considering the hard work you’ve put into our marriage as against mine the differential is to my advantage.

Believe in me and Trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

Penalty Letter#1

Penalty Letter #1 for
Missing 9 Sept 1950

10 September 1950
Itami, Japan
24

Dear Jane,

I suppose you can see the difference in the pens I’ve used. My ball point ran out of ink so I’ve had to borrow a pen.

I forgot to tell you that once I got to the Osaka PX and got the present I then had to find a way back to the Base. I went to the Osaka Hotel which is an Army Hotel. They have eating and drinking places there for the Officers. Officers can’t go to Japanese clubs but the enlisted men can. Well, I went to the Hotel at about 1800 to see if I could get a ride home. I met a major and a captain who were going to eat and go right home. Well, the place was full of Marines — some of whom I knew. Well, these two guys said they wanted a drink so we had one. They went off to eat and I tried to get another ride but no luck. So I had a drink. They came back from chow so I had another drink. They said they were leaving any minute but they had a drink. Nobody was going back to the Base, so I waited and had a drink. Then some old buddy of theirs came in and they went to a table to talk of old times. Then there were seven of us Marines. Some band music was on the 3rd floor so we went up to see. We had a drink. Finally at 1030 (2230) we left for the base and I hit the sack about 1115 (2315) — dead tired. Thus, no letter but I lugged your watch all the time — a constant reminder of you. I have found out that there are quite a few of us who haven’t laid any Jap girls — we’re called “Jap virgins” — the name for us pure boys.

However, at the Osaka Hotel I did get a shock. The Hotel is a dependent housing place for Officers of the Army. The loving hubbys of these gals are over in Korea. The boys were really after those gals’ tail. From all reports quite a few but not all of them came across up in their rooms — hotel bill paid by hubby. I would have supposed they would let their hubbys get a little farther away than that and besides some friends might see them and tell hubby when they see him in Korea. Well, it was the old routine. Put a lot a alcohol in the baby — speak to her sweetly — excite her sexually and keep trying incessantly to get into her pants. Well, it usually works.

I just want to let you know that I forbid you from going to any O’Club or any kind of a pre-text. I know what goes on and I don’t want you to be exposed to it. The pressure is really put on. When a guy is hot after a piece of ass he can usually get his way. There is no such thing as a group of nice clean friendly service men where a nice clean friendly girl can remain that way. So much for that but just watching the whole show started me worrying about you all over again. Now, I don’t expect you to be any better than I am and there is one thing I haven’t done and won’t do and that is get a little piece from some sweet gal — so called sweet & as a matter of fact, when you love some one as much as I love you it’s real easy not to go out chasing and catching a little tail. When you have a real good reason like love for not doing something it is pretty easy to remain loyal and faithful. I’m glad it is easy because I was a little worried as to how hard it would be. Junior says he won’t talk or visit anyone but his one and only friend. I asked him who that was just to find out what his attitude is: “Why dear sweet clit of course. Who else?”

Anyway, I’m now going to cut off this first penalty letter.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

Penalty Letter#2

Penalty letter #2 for
Missed day of 9 Sept 1950.

10 September 1950
Itami, Japan
25

Dear Jane,

Here is the final penalty letter for the missed day. Since I like to write to you quite often I think I will dig up other penalties. Why don’t you think up some kind of penalty which consists of writing an extra letter. You see if you put in the penalty form — no one will think I am out of my head for writing so often. Never have I had so much joy in being punished. Please punish me some more this way. Do you think I’m going off my rocker for by wanting to write to you so often?

For two days now no mail has arrived for anybody. I expect to get a big batch from you all at once very soon.

Have I told you recently of my you for you? Well, since I haven’t mentioned it in a long time I will give you a brief summary of the love bug you have put inside of me. This bug that you hid inside of me some time during the last three years has been acting up in the most ornery way — just jumping and kicking and screaming for you. He keeps yelling about getting me back to you. He says he is a love bug; and I asked what a love bug was. He said that every gal in the world has only one real love bug in her. Now, when a girl wants a man to love her she very secretly and I carefully inserts her only love bug inside the selected man some time while he is asleep. At this point, the love bug tells me, the man is a goner for that gal. The bug says that in all respects he is normal — he works an eight hour day but he works seven days a week. He says he gets no pay and he said he never needed any anyway. He said his food and quarters were ok. His job, he says, is to constantly agitate to keep the selected fellow in a constant state of love. Nothing to it he says. He just plays on the emotions.

A new penalty has been thought up. I was interrupted in writing yesterday at this spot. I failed to finish this letter. Now, the new penalty for not finishing a penalty letter the very next day calls for a penalty-penalty letter. You understand? Thus, the penalty system stands as follows: (1) for missing a day of writing two penalty letters must be written the next day plus the normal letter of that day; (2) if all of these letters are not written the very next day then there is a penalty-penalty letter for each letter not written. Thus, today I have to write a penalty-penalty letter for not finishing this letter yesterday plus a normal letter plus completing this letter. The idea is very simple and I think you ought to understand. You see if you want to write a whole bunch of letters all in one day, all you have to do is miss one day and then the penalty system starts operating and by this means the amount of letter writing you do increases with an adequate explanation as to why you write so many times a day. Thus, if necessary, you have an explanation if anyone asks what gives. You can explain by saying that you missed a day and since we have a peculiar penalty system set up you have to write to catch up — other wise you will be cheating. Thus, you plus other people won’t think you have gone soft in the head. You see, love and just plain wanting to write doesn’t seem to be an adequate reason for most people, but this penalty system which is completely illogical seems to satisfy the logic of most people when they ask you why you write so much. By now, you should be adequately checked out on the penalty system and the reasons for its existence.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 20

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Sunday
September 10, 1950

Dear Little Baby,

For some reason today was a terribly lonely, blue day for me especially after I left Isabelle’s & Roger’s & drove all by myself with just Buster back through the City & saw everyone going on about their Sunday trips as usual — as if my little baby were not so far away in Japan. For some reason it made me very sad.

We got up about nine this morning & Isabelle made a delicious coffee cake & omelette for breakfast. Then we read the paper, looked at some more of Roger’s slides, talked & just generally passed the time of day. They are in the process of buying a house in Orinda, just back & across the Berkeley hills. The lucky dogs. They say they do not want to get caught again in the real estate squeeze that came after the last war & live in another place like their one-room housing unit place in Richmond. It is a 3-bedroom house & sounds real nice to me. They insisted that I come & spend the week-end of our wedding anniversary with them — that is, the week-end of the 24^th, in 2 weeks (hint! hint!) They also gave me a present, to have in case anything happened I don’t get there that week-end. But, as far as I know I shall as I enjoy them both even though Roger does go off on some rather long-winded lectures.

Incidently, Isabelle said some of her friends had gotten some gorgeous jade in Japan, & sometime if you should see some jade drop ear-rings I wouldn’t mind having some &/or a jade ring, although I would rather have none than cheap jade. If you get any, by chance, please get very good jade. By drop ear-rings, I mean the kind that hang down. At any rate use your own good judgement on any of that kind of stuff you send me.

At any rate after looking at slides etc. we had warmed-over roast, gravy, salad & pineapple nabisco. After dinner it was time for me to leave so I would not have to drive in the dark. Incidently, after seeing their dishwasher again I am convinced they are really the cat’s p.js. They hardly have to scrape or rinse the dishes at all.

Gosh, bunny, I wish you’d call me real soon ‘cause there’s nothing I can think of that I would like better than to hear my little rabbit’s voice. Of course, don’t ever stop writing me letters because they just about keep me going & keep my morale buoyed up a little so that my ears don’t drag & droop too badly. But, it really would help if I could talk to my little, teensy wabbit! I mean, my great, big, strong fighter-pilot rabbit who used to kick me out of bed — gee, I wish I had a cold-footed baby to push me out on these chilly mornings. Or I just wish I had a funny-bunny who went charging across the bed with his lance & beautiful white steed in his little scanties.

Baby Cat is already curled up purring & asleep, so I guess I had better hit the hay also, as tomorrow is another day of work, ugh. Please don’t ever forget I’m your ever-loving baby & I love you alone & will be faithful to you alone forever.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

11 September 1950
Itami, Japan
26

Dear Jane,

Here is the normal letter for today. I have just finished up the penalty letter I wrote yesterday. After I get through with this letter I still have to write a penalty-penalty letter for not finishing the penalty letter the very next day.

Well, as you remember, I was telling you about that love bug you put in me — unknown to me until just recently. I asked him why he had never acted up this badly before. Well, he said that he felt it was unnecessary for him work hard when we were together. He says we were so much in love with each other when we were together that he didn’t have to play on my emotions. He said that he couldn’t understand why we got into squabbles all the time because from where he was down inside of me all the machinery that made a guy in love with a gal was operating perfectly but what he couldn’t understand is where the barks and growls came from that showed up on the outside. Love bug said that some of his brothers had passed stories onto him about fellows they were in who acted some what the same way and that there was really nothing for love bug to worry about — you see love bugs have the job of keeping a guy in love with a gal.

About this time love bug told me he was tired of talking and that he was going to hit the sack. He had already put in his eight hours and that all the love machinery he attended was operating fine and would run smoothly until he woke up. He said he had very little adjustments to make. He reports that from a love bug point of view I’m in excellent shape. So there you have the report directly from the love bug himself. He says you have nothing to worry about.

I’m waiting for you picture. I sure want one — any size will do. Put it in a stiff cover so it won’t get bent.

Lots of activity has been going on. We are getting ready to give the Reds a blow that’s coming all the way up from the deck. Outside of that general idea I have no idea what is going on. This is sure a lash up.

I mailed your watch today. It went air mail — first class, registered. They said registering amounted to insuring since you could claim your ^$75 under either system. This puzzles me but I guess it won’t get lost anyway. By the way, the wrist band is cloth on cord. They had no others around but I guess you can get one some time for about ten dollars. I think the cord looks ok.

The more I think about paying all the debts up before purchasing anything seems like a good idea. Why didn’t you suggest it before? This way, in about two months all the debts would be gone; then with that ^$200 at a crack you could get the complete sets you want all at once — no deficit financing — which is a good idea. Then with the debts out of the way and your basic furniture in (enough so we won’t have to buy any until I get a job) we could salt away the cash in big hunks. Thus, in about six months we would be able to see clearly where we stand. Of course, if you go to school you would have to alter your plan. Write and tell me what you are planning to do?

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

Penalty-penalty letter

Penalty-penalty letter for failing to finish a
penalty letter the very next day after the missed day.

11 September 1950
Itami, Japan
27

Dear Jane,

Today some mail came in. I don’t have your letters with be me; they are on my closet shelf and I am in a writing room. But I think they were numbers 12 and 13. I had a letter from Dick Knowlton plus those exams. His letter was very funny. The exams looked tough. Also, I received a letter from Mom saying that they liked you very much. She said Dad was quite taken by you. What is it that you have? She said that you were a wonderful addition to the clan. My, my, I’ve given you two T L’s and you’ve given me none. Mom also said that Dad was sold on Buster and that any time we thought we would get rid of him, why Dad wanted him. Mom said Buster impressed her too.

David and Freda’s letters were in one of yours. David says that Cinder is pregnant again. My, my I wonder who is hubby this time. That Cinder! I suppose something should be done because you will have cats all over the place if and when Baby Cat comes across to some Romeo Tom Cat. Baby Cat ought to be allowed to have her share. We’ll just have to ration those cats — that’s all there is to it.

The forgoing brings to mind a bunch of chatter you keep giving me about having only three kids. Well, I say if it is physically and medically sound to have five I want five. Now, I want you to put into writing and send to me your solemn promise that you will have five kids if I so desire. I don’t want to make any threats or anything like that but if I don’t get your agreement to five kids by return mail I may see fit to write a few less letters — or if you insist on three we can have them but I’ll get the other two around the country side some place — at a little later date — ie after the first three. You’ll have three but I’ll have five. Now, I’m not trying to coerce this promise out of you but in view of certain already mentioned facts you may of your own accord may want to produce for us five kids or any greater number that health conditions may permit. Feel free to promise any number you want but be sure your minimum is five. Baby pink eared rabbit — with ears standing straight up pointing right up to the blue sky — the days of birth control is are over for us. For the rest of our lives I’ll use birth control only on a Doctors advice. I regret that we ever did because now I think I would be a lot happier if we had one or two children. We could have made out some how. Just think, I could have at least two kids who would be just as sweet and lovely and like you. Then I would have two or three of you to love. Somehow I could find the money to give you all a good life and the kids a good education. You know I really do want a large family — of unlimited size I would work very hard to support one and you know I wouldn’t expect you to work harder than I do. After all what is there to work for but something like that. A life of ease and luxury wouldn’t make me happy — I guess I was born to work hard at something — so if I’m going to work hard anyway — why not for a gigantic family? Even you wouldn’t like too much ease and luxury — what would you do if you didn’t spend the rest of your life working for a large bunch of kids? I don’t think you would be happy if you couldn’t have all the kids God says there are for you. Our life has been difficult but I just think back and nothing has been better for me. I think love for the other mate grows and strengthens in direct proportion to the troubles and problems the couple have met and conquered. I know I love you more intensely because I realize how hard you try and because of that I’m cemented to you forever. You’re so different from other girls I’ve observed. You are a hard worker by nature. You would make a wonderful mother. They way for more kids to have a wonderful mother is for you to have them.

I’m so glad you liked those love letters I wrote. They came from deep down inside of me. Love Bug helped me write them. Some of them were rather sad and full of worry but your two letters, 12 and 13, built me up again. I feel certain that you mean what you say, That you do love me and will be ever faithful. I trust and believe in you as I do in no one else. I know you will never hurt me by betraying me in anyway. It would hurt so much I don’t know what I would do. Since I know how very much it would hurt me if you did anything wrong I just couldn’t hurt you by being a bad rabbit. If you would be hurt just a fraction of the hurt I would feel if you were bad, I couldn’t be that cruel. So baby just keep trusting and believing, and I promise you you will never be hurt.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 21

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Monday
September 11, 1950

Dear Little Baby Rabbit,

Boy, have I been telling Cinder & Baby Cat off tonight. I went to get something out of the cupboard for dinner & noticed what I thought looked like mouse drippings. I looked further & found a few more. I decided I’d better clean that whole cupboard & my gosh the top shelf & third shelf were just covered with drippings. I don’t think the little devils missed one single can. They had gotten into a package of beans & there were even beans on shelves where the package of beans weren’t! At any rate I got it all cleaned up expecting a mouse to jump out at me momentarily all the time I was going it. Then Baby Cat & Cinder came ambling in & I sure gave them Hail Columbia & asked them what in the heck they thought we kept cats for? As usual, they just ignored me & didn’t say a word & pretended they didn’t know what I was talking about. I told them I wouldn’t feed them the next time I found anything like mouse tracks around & they acted a little better then. You would have died laughing to see how gingerly I opened each package expecting a mouse to jump out any minute!

Did I tell you that I finally got the Japanese gardeners at the Los Altos Nursery to do our yard. They charge ^$1.⁵⁰ an hour, but they said once they got the yard cleaned up which would take about one day it would only take them about 2 hours a week the rest of the time. Peggy says they work twice as fast as anyone else, so I guess it won’t break me up in business.

Now, don’t get mad at me & say I am up to my old tricks, but Roger said over the week-end that he thought it would not be long until Singer Sewing Machines would be off the market for perhaps years as they were in the last war. Beginning On Oct. 12 I am going to take the Singer Sewing Class for beginners & of course after I take that & learn how to sew it would be nice to have a sewing machine. What would you think of buying putting a deposit on one & having them hold it for me until I can pay for it in a couple of months. I will not do it until I hear from you, so please answer me promptly. Please do not be too mad at me for suggesting it either, but I would sort of hate to lose out altogether, & on the other hand I don’t know what to do expect I remember what you told me & that is, if in doubt — DON’T SPEND.

Today I received your Nos. 17, 18 & 19 & I hope by this time you have water & electricity. The room you have sounds surprisingly good, but who’s your room mate? You also said you thought a big show would come off very soon — what do you mean by that — I surmise the U.N. countries are really going to give the [g-d’s] a real wallop & I hope so. I’m real glad you’re a big worshipful rabbit, but am I really a BOSS rabbit? I just thought I was a “YES” rabbit. I thought I was just a real sweet little baby pink-eared rabbit instead of a horrible old “BOSS” rabbit. At any rate, what ever kind I am I’m all yours, yep, all yours & no one else’s ever! I’m just keeping old C— & her house warm & toasty for you know who! Oh boy! Won’t we have fun on that vacation though! Yahoo! Old lazy Baby Cat says it’s time for bed & is curled up on my shoulder purring very loudly & I’m sleepy after the bout with the meece. More tomorrow.

Love,
Jane

Mert September 12 Letter A

12 September 1950
Itami, Japan
28

Dear Jane,

We are expecting another big blow but we don’t know when it is coming. Right now there is a drizzling rain.

We have been doing nothing and as yet I haven’t been assigned to a squadron. I’m still an Operations Duty Officer. I go on nights this week — from 1600 to 0800 the next day. If the storm keeps threatening only, there will be very little for me to do. I am writing this letter in the afternoon (1315) I think I will write you again this evening. Writing occupies my time, otherwise there is nothing to do.

You better be in good shape when I arrive because never before in your life will you have had so much loving. You are going to be in for a very, very rough time. I’m not going to waste any time starting in. I’ve already promised myself I’m going to shatter our honeymoon record by a good piece. Since I can only dream about it, I’ve been figuring out all kinds of new ideas. Just you waite and see.

By the way, have you bought a thermomertter yet? You better have all the answers by the time I arrive.

In yesterday’s letter I gave you the low down on the five kids. Now, the letter I’m going to write tonight is one I would cut out if you don’t come across with an unconditional promise. My theory is to have as many as God will give us or restrict only on a Doctors advice. Perhaps you now hold to the same theory. All I can say is that it is too bad we don’t have a couple already. My advice to you is to start getting adjusted to the idea of taking care of babies and growing kids for the nearly the rest of your life. I really think you are the mother type. Since this is so I don’t see why you don’t do the work you were built for, for the rest of your life. Do you want to do anything else?

All these arguments I’m giving you are to condition you to the point where you also think it is the thing to do and if you don’t have all these kids you will be very unhappy. By the time I have hammered over this idea in letter after letter, month after month — there’ll be no stopping you. Then I’ll probably be at my wits end as to how to turn the flow of kids off. But I would much prefer to face that problem than to face the problem of face getting you to agree to have all God gives. I’ll figure out some way to support all of you and still have a better than average material life. Also, I’ll see that you have all the modern devices a house the size contemplated would need as well as all the outside help you need to give you a reasonable amount of leisure. If the two of us bend our backs toward this goal I don’t see how we could fail to be as happy as any two other people in the world. Look at all the education and training I will have. It should lead me to a good income. Then we have the problem of how to spend that income so as to make us two happy people. We could lavish it on ourselves but we could also devote it to a large family on the other hand. We would have a little less for each of us but think of what we traded it for — a big healthy family well provided for — others may be able to display greater luxury but we will have something better. You see I don’t believe in having something you can’t pay for but I believe I’ll make enough to pay for it, nor do I believe in having a child the doctor advises against. I think you should agree to any number that is feasible and I think five is an absolute minimum. You are as young as you think you are. Let the doctor tell you when you are too old. He knows more about it than you do. We could reach five in the next ten years with no strain.

You know what brought all this on is the fact that one day I was regretting I didn’t have some children and how I would like to have five — when all of the sudden there was a jeep with five American kids in it — I was kind of jealous. But what really surprised me was the timing — why did they appear right then? Just to prove to me what a good I d idea I had in my mind? Then I remembered your foolish limitation of three. There’s no damn good reason for it. So I said to myself that if I wanted to break down that resistance — and knowing how you want some kids also — I better start right in and lay down a barrage of arguments so that when I meet you face to face you will be all for the idea. The only reasonable limitations are those of health and money. If we can beat those problems what argument do you have left? The work problem can be solved by earning enough money. So I’ll earn it. What complaint do you have left?

I’ve got to stop writing this letter. I’ve been on it quite a while. So — I hardly have to say in this letter that I love you. If I didn’t, do you think I would promise to do my share to have a big family — yours and my kids, if I didn’t love you more than anything in this world. Just think how much better the world would be if you were reproduced several times. A fellow hardly dreams of a big family by a certain once gal if he doesn’t love her very much. So there!

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

Mert September 12 Letter B

12 September 1950
Itami, Japan
29

Dear Jane,

It is 2030 and time to write the evening letter. This is the letter you won’t get if you don’t come across an agreement for five kids. So if you want some extra letters now and then you better agree. I’m waiting for your answer. I’ll give you enough time to receive my proposition and enough time to get a letter to me.

It seems that the big storm isn’t coming here after all. But there is plenty of rain. The bad weather means less work and more sleep.

I have finally settled down enough and started reading that law book on Corporations. It is ok but I have to start out by reviewing all that went before.

As yet I’m still waiting for your picture. David said it was pretty good, so now I am eager to see it.

Of course I know that Cinder, Baby Cat and Buster are doing fine. They always will. But how are you pink ears — large soft ears pointing up to the blue sun shining sky? You are always so healthy I also think you along with our animals are doing fine.

By the time you receive this letter I suppose you have gotten the watch out of hock. If you held on to the cash I gave you, you should have no trouble meeting that bill unless you paid off some of the debts. Go ahead and pay them as fast as you get the money. Let’s get that millstone off our necks.

I still don’t know where I am going or what I am doing. Sooner or later I may get into a squadron, as I have said before they are building up and organizing for a big push. It should make any other operation they have ever had in the Pacific look small by comparison. We all hope it will be successful. Where I fit into it I don’t know. Right now I am on duty as an Operation’s Duty Officer. This will probably go on for some while longer.

As you already know this rabbit is too much in love with you to act normal anymore. Love turns me into a family man and gives me a desire for a bunch of kids. I will settle for five but if you are willing to have more I’ll keep right on with you. Don’t you think you will be happy with a large family? Don’t you think you are more efficient and a better organizer than other gals and thus, with a minimum of trouble you could have more children than the average. I think would you be a fine and loving mother. You have understanding and sweetness. You would be perfect — I know it and I think you also think so inside, perhaps secretly. How can you have all the natural charactoristics of a mother and not want as many children as you can have?

Tell me how you are responding to this pressure I am putting on you. Aren’t you beginning to weaken every once in a while when you think about my suggestions? I want to work you around to the point where you will demand as your natural right the five children I have promised. I want to see you insisting on five. I don’t see why you haven’t insisted — the way you like kids. If you really wanted to be a mother you would want all you could have.

I love you more than ever before. I think of you constantly and how perfect you are for me. I long to hear you and see you. I wish I could feel your warm skin and soft touch.

Naturallye, above all else I want to be right in the sack snuggling and making love to you. There is one thing we never had any trouble with and that is sex. We sure are compatible, aren’t we? You sure agree with me in love making and I sure hope I agree with you. You’re a real tonic for me. Maybe we enjoyed our loving making too much so the good God decided to separate us for a while just to show us how complimentary we really are. Anyway, when I return we will have a second honeymoon and will it be a humdinger — what with all our experience behind us how could we eve miss. I can hardly waite until we are together again. Don’t you ever worry about this rabbit staying over here any longer than he has to stay.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert

No. 22

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Tuesday
September 22, 1950

Dearest Baby,

Today I received your No. 20 in which you said you’d been Operations Duty Officer for the base & the transport crashed. Golly, tell me more about that day — it must have been a lulu if my poor little bunny didn’t get to bed till 3 a.m. Incidently, you always tell me what you do on the days you work, but I want to know too what you do on the days you don’t work! God, when you don’t tell me about those days I have all kinds of visions of you with a pretty Japanese girl or something. Well, not really because I trust my little baby with all my heart & soul. At any rate I hope you don’t waste too much time drinking. I still want to know who your roomy is. I hope he’s a nice kind of a guy. Incidently, what happened to Dr. Reinertsen? Have you gotten your teeth fixed yet? I am trying to find out more about that insurance policy. I don’t know anymore about my taking a trip to El Paso — mainly because I will have to see how Edie likes the idea & see what kind of a financial condition I am in by that time. As soon as I know something more definite on it I will tell you, but if you don’t want me to go I won’t.

This noon I had my dinner at the new John Barns which he has opened where the Carousel Drive-Inn used to be on El Camino. It was just as good as it used to be & this is quite a cute place.

Tonight I came home & cleaned more kitchen cupboards after my mouse experience last night. And then it was time to write my little baby ‘wabbit. Have I told you it really has turned quite cool here & I am getting my wool clothes cleaned. By the way, I got Buster’s papers from Roger. I am going to type you up a chart of his ancestry & send it to you so you can think of a real clever name to put on his papers. All his ancestors have real fancy names & we hardly thought just plain Buster would hardly be acceptable. You can see what you think when I send you the chart & I wish you would think up the name, please.

Golly, baby I think you have forgotten or something that you said you would call me, because I’ve waited & waited & waited & no little bunny wiggles voice have I heard at all! And, I get sadder & sadder ‘cause I think maybe you’ve forgotten or didn’t think it was worth it. But I hope neither of those reasons are true. I love my little bunny so much that I’ll never be able to tell you how much I love you. If I had you here now I’d smoother you with big, gooey kisses even if you didn’t like them & then I’d hug you till it hurt — & then —— I’d jump in bed— !!! Oh boy, won’t that be a happy day when our two friends meet? And then I can have my little baby back & I can begin to purr again. I always felt so warm & cozy & secure when you were around, but now I just have a sort of blank, thudy feeling — at least I feel nearer to you when I am writing to you & know you love me too.

I am keeping a carbon copy of the enclosed retirement thing, but sending you this one so you can see it & make any corrections. Have you applied for my travel pay to El Toro?

All my love & kisses & bear big bear hugs are for you!
Jane

Mert September 13 Letter A

13 September 1950
Itami, Japan
30

Dear Jane,

This is a morning letter (1100). I came off duty at 0800 but I got a good night’s sleep from 2300 - 0800. Since I have nothing to do I’ll write you a letter.

This letter is one of the letters that will not be written unless you agree to a minimum of five children. Later today I’m going to write the regular daily letter. So if you want these extra letters coming you better agree. If you don’t agree that means you don’t want extra letters. If you don’t want letters you must not be interested. If you’re not interested — well!!

Last night I wrote Mom and Dad saying I was ok. I told them about meeting you and how red in the face you used to get. I also told them to look out for you while I am gone because I know I would never find a wife one half as good as you are if I were ever to lose you. I told them that as far as I was concerned you were prefect for me. I also said that I was very glad they liked you so much but that I would never understand why they wouldn’t like you. Naturally, I told them that I missed you and wanted to come back to you quickly more than anything else in the world. So, now you know that I have told them how much you mean to me. I have often wondered why you felt insecure. Do you feel insecure now?

Enclosed is the PX receipt for your watch. I’m sending this in case you have any trouble with the customs. As you can guess I’ve got about fifteen dollars to last me until pay day. Then I’m going to buy a pen. On pay day I’m going to make arrangements for a phone call. Some of the fellows have said they have had good results and others haven’t. As soon as I get some cash I will call you. As for me, I would rather have sent the watch than called because the watch would last so much longer though perhaps temporarily the phone call would have been more sentimental. After-all I have only been away from the States for less than 30 days. Besides that I’ve kept up a steady barrage of letters and they should put you in contact with me quite regularly. I hope these letters make you as happy as yours do me. When I got to mail call and there is no letter I get a sinking sensation in my stomach.

You know, I always was told that I was rather a cold individual emotionally. I wonder why? Perhaps it is true that still water runs deep. Perhaps you can see now that quiete as I am I love and hate with a strong passion. I think you can gleam through these letters how strong this emotion of love for you is — yet I doubt if you really knew how strong it really was. It is even stronger than I can describe in words. Even you, when you looked at me never knew how strong this love was. Perhaps I didn’t show any of it on the outside. Then came the separation and the possibility of us drifting apart or maybe I would lose you. Since I’m here and you’re there I could do nothing. So you see feeling the way I do about you I had to do something — I had to fight and destroy the remotest possibility of any difficulty between us. Suddenly, I knew I had to let you know of my secret love for you. Funny how I kept it secret. I was sort of ashamed of it. It seemed silly, mushy, ungentlemanly, even cowardly. Then, also I was afraid that if you knew you would use your knowledge as a weapon against me. I really feared this because when anyone ever attacks me I never want them to know they have struck home.

But now the truth is out. Our whole fate as man and wife is entirely up to you. If you guard us well I know you never need worry about my love for you. If you want my love, protect what you know and above all be kind to me. I both love and fear you. You are absolutely the only person in this whole world who could anything that would hurt so badly I don’t know what I would do.

This is the end of this love letter. Remember this is today’s extra letter which would not be sent if you were not to agree to a minimum of five babies. Also, I don’t want mere acquiescence. I want a promise of a demanding insistence for five babies.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

Mert September 13 Letter B

13 September 1950
Itami, Japan
31

Dear Jane,

Today I received #14 and 16. I guess #15 will come later. You say “But, gosh, bunny, why don’t you tell me what you do all day, what you think they are certainly going to do with you - - -“ etc. Why, Baby rabbit I’ve written you 30 letters. Sometimes I write you more than once a day. I’ve literally written thousands of words. Have I not given you information?

As of now I am an Operations Duty Officer — one of four who rotate on a 24 hour watch at Base Operations. We are liason with the Air force at Itami Air Base. The work consists of directing Marine and Navy personnel to the places they want to go on the base. We keep track of incoming and out going planes. One week I work from 0800 - 1600 and the next, like this week, I work from 1600 - 0800 the next morning. All of my spare time is taken up checking on mail hoping to get one of your letters. I spend almost 2 hours a day writing you. I eat three meals. I bath, brush my teeth and have gone to the dentist but all the work is not yet done. A couple of hours a day I go down to MAG headquarters to try and find out what is happening as relating to me. It seems I’m going to be transferred with a bunch of other fellows to MAG 12 when MAG 12 gets here. MAG 33 is moving out and nobody knows where it is going. Nobody knows when MAG 12 is getting here or when we will be transferred.

I have been to Kobe twice on the first two days I arrived as I am sure I told you. I went to the Kobe Officers Club both times — very few people were there. I rode around in a rickshaw for about an hour. I ate lunch at a PX snack bar. I walked all over the Kobe PX looking for a present by for you but could find none. Each night I was back on the ship by 1200. Kobe is a fairly modern town — street cars, autos, big buildings — lost of electric lights and phones. It is much cleaner than any city in China. It doesn’t seem too oriental.

I have been to Osaka twice. One afternoon I rode in a jeep to go to the Army Hospital to see Daigle. I stopped off at the PX and saw your watch. We went back to the base directly. It was not even dark when we got back. The second time I went to Osaka was to buy your watch. I wrote you about that. I was in bed here by 1200 as I remember.

So you see I have been into town four times and home by 1200 and absolutely no dates. The other nights I have spent on the base. The last three nights I haven’t even been drinking at the O’Club. Last night I had the duty and two nights before I wrote you and talked to Capt Griswold my room-mate. The other times I spent a couple of hours at the Base O’Club. There are no women guests here because there are said to be better clubs around.

You see most of my time is just waiting and a good part of that is taken up writing you. It is very hot and I have been doing a lot of sweating. I have a room boy who washes clothes and keeps the place clean. I greatly fear you will have to train me all over again but don’t be too cruel to me — please.

Osaka is a very modern city. I have only been on the main street. There are a lot of cars and plenty of electric rail roads. Many parts of the town are still bombed out. These Japs seem agreeable and the troops have no difficulties. As for the party life and sex life that goes on I have no knowledge except that one evening at the new Osaka hotel and even then I was in the sack at 1200. I only observed the revolting behavior of some married women. No date for me.

Well, baby pink ears rabbit with the large soft hears waving happily in the breeze — you can see I’m trying as hard as I know how to tell you all I can. My poor hand has a cramp in it.

Where I’m going or what I’m going to do I don’t know. But baby rabbit be of good cheer.

As for dear Harry’s loving words as our great military leader whom we all worship — many people say that if Harry were alive this would never have happened. As a loyal democrate I find it hard to reconcile his views with my views.

I am waiting for your persistent demads for five children. I think I have decided what I want most and that is a large family. I really hope you will agree because if we both do our share it shouldn’t be too much work for either of us and I think we would both be happy regardless of what befell us in other ways. I know that right now I would be much happier if I had two children to think about and love in addition to you. They would really be a part of both of us — and no strangers to either of us. I want to know that I have a wife, at least five kids in a place called home. If you will give me this I will work myself to the bone for you and them. Then all other success and defeats will seem unimportant because I have all of you to turn to and to love. All I really want is your whole hearted cooperation and desire to have this. If it is never realized I will know that you wanted them as much as I did and that if we don’t have five you will be as disappointed as I will be. If the both of us really want them I think we will have them. I guess I’m the kind of guy that wants to get married to set up a home and work for a family. It seems like a natural goal and I would like to do a good job of it. Of course, you know my threats about writing are just teasing but if you love me as you say you do then I think you would give your heart and soul to have at least five. What do you say now? How do you honestly feel about it knowing how I feel about it? I want you to want them as much as I want them. Then there will be no stopping us — no arguments and no regrets or complaints. Can’t we agree on this?

By now you can obviously tell that I love you, want to stay married, want a home and want a large family. Wanting all these things, how could you possibly feel insecure or even doubtful as to my fidelity. When I think of you I just have a big warm glow all over me — inside and outside.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

P.S. I like your letters more than words can tell. I just roll around in extasy when you tell me how much you love me and how much you want me and need me. I’m certainly not the cold indifferent fellow I might appear to be. Funny, I can write about my love better than speak it to you.

No. 23

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Wednesday
September 13, 1950

Dearest ‘Wabbit,

Today I’m an especially sad little pink-eared bunny because there was no letter in the box today from you. I suppose it was slow in the mail or something. It makes me very sad all day when I don’t get a letter from you, but at least I suppose I’ll get two tomorrow. Gosh, bunny, I hope you answer all the questions I have asked you in all my letters — when I write you I read over your letter(s) that day & put a check mark on the outside of the envelope when I have answered the questions. Imagine if you have no planes to fly you are not getting flight pay which no doubt is quite perturbing. Today the Korean situation seems to sound quite a bit better, & I am glad Johnson is out & Marshall is in. At least I don’t think he could be any worse than Johnson.

Tonight when I came home & checked the cupboard for mouse tracks I found some more on a shelf I had just cleaned so I made both Baby-cat & Cinder stay in the kitchen tonight & put up a blockade & told them they’d better catch that mouse or I’d really starve them until they are forced into it. Cinder is in a foul mood all the time these days & picks fights with poor little Baby-cat all the time, until Baby-cat cringes when Cinder comes around.

I wish you would tell me what Japan is like & what the Japanese people are like. You never give me one bit of travelogue information, except of course the typhoon description was wonderful.

I think I have definitely decided not to get the sewing machine until I have paid off the rest of the debts, as there is no use incurring any more no matter what for — & I am sure you will agree with me!

Today I did buy myself a new blouse — ^$6.⁹⁵. It has a bow in the neckline & I got it to wear with my brown skirt & bolero jacket with the brown and write checks & of course, with other things too. My winter clothes for work are really in a sad state, so I guess I will have to buy quite a few so I will have a good reserve for the days when you are finishing school & we are starting little Camerons.

Gosh, baby you’ll never know how much I miss you, how much I love you, & how really droopy my ears are no matter how hard I try to keep them up. I’ve even thought of putting starch in them on the days I feel sadest. I love you so much & you are so dear to me that I even get sad when I write to you because I want you so much to be near to me so I can feel warm & cozy with you around. I bet you would be a real snuggley rabbit now & I could get hugs & kisses to my heart’s content. But I know when you get back there will be years & years of 2 lovey rabbit’s living together in their cozy nest — maybe even with little rabbits running around! At least I am sure Cinder will keep us supplied with little ones. I really expect the kittens any day. Who will hold Cinder’s paw this time? I had to tell her Daddy would not be here to hold her paw, & she seemed very sad indeed.

I am very sleepy & must hit the hay, but believe in me always & rest assured in the act I will always be faithful to you alone & love you alone — you have always been so good to me & so patient with me.

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

14 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Thursday
32

Dear Jane,

I received your letter #17. I’m sorry to read of the big soft white and pink ears that were dragging in the dust but this bunny has done his best to get the letters to you. Counting the 15^th of Sept August there have been 31 days and here I am on #32. I have written 31 hot passionate letters to my pink eared rabbit. This rabbit is surely doing his best to keep those clean pink ears out of the dust. You know, I feel the same way when I go to mail call and there is no letter telling me how much she loves me and how much she misses me. I think that behind my desire for five children is the feeling that I want some one to need me and depend on me. Now a small helpless baby would sure need me and would have to depend on me. I guess every fellow likes to think that he is needed and wanted. Having kids would satisfy this desire.

Baby, you just set you mind at rest about these Japanese girls or any other girl. You’re the only one that excites me. Here is something I can’t figure out. When I do see a good looking gal who looks sexy I have no emotion what so ever to do anything. I have no urge at all. But when I lie down and think of you or like right now when I am writing you Junior is just throbbing and when I think of something else why he just quiets right down. This seems odd to me in that quite a few of the other fellows get excited over any decent looking skirt. Now, I don’t think I’m abnormal but I guess when I love it is the strongest emotion I have and my sex urges only respond to you or thoughts of you. Other women seem to revolt me when I look at them. I even had a night mare last night. I was fighting off some queen who was trying to make me break my faithfulness to you. I woke up fighting and sweating. I looked all around and when I found I was in my own room by myself you will never know how relieved I felt. Baby, was I glad it was only a dream. For a split second before I awoke I thought I would die. Everything in me was teeming against the idea of this gal getting me to be unfaithful. I don’t whether you understand this or not. I don’t, but the only thing I can think is that love for a woman is so powerful it can dominate your life and all of your emotions. Never have I been so certain of anything in my life and that is my love for you and because of this there isn’t the slightest doubt in my mind that I will return to you untainted by any sex relations with any woman. (There seems to be a double negative in the above sentence but what I mean is that I’m not touching anybody) you can bet your life that every night I dream for of playing with you. There is one other thing that helps me stay in line and that is that we are so damn compatible sexually. that You are positively the best I know of. I can’t conceive of anyone being better. I’m not telling you this just to write but I honestly believe it. You know I’ve said that many times before. I actually think there are lots of fellows that don’t believe their wives are the best they have ever had. Since she probably isn’t the best a guy’s mind will turn elsewhere for something better. I can’t conceive of anything better than you — and I’ve told you that before. I think it would be hell to be married to a gal who couldn’t more than give out all a guy would want in a fashion a guy would consider perfect. This all comes about from a conversation in the BOQ where some guys were telling of some superb times had with other gals. When I said that by far the best sex I’d ever had was with my wife and that I couldn’t possibly imagine better nor did I have the slightest desire for some variation which some guys said was good. Their conversation led me to believe that they weren’t completely satisfied with their sex life. I must have been sincere because I think some were a little jealous. This all led me to believe that we are damn lucky to be able to satisfy each other so well that all desire of better contact or variation variety of tail is completely out of the question. I know I’m happy and completely satisfied — in fact you have satisfied me so well I’m going to waite till I get home to you and have the best possible again. I would be a damn fool to risk the loss of the best possible sex I have ever known by sneaking some on the side. I’m looking forward to years and years of compete and perfect satisfaction just as I have had in the past. I want to come back to you with a clear conscience because perfect contact depends upon complete mental relaxation and comfort. There is only one big worry I have and that is whether or not I have given you all you wanted in a fashion such that you couldn’t hope for better or want to find out if there were better and such that variety was out of the question. If I have done as well by you as you have by me I haven’t got a worry.

Well, I’ve written you all this to tell you that my sex life revolves around you completely and I want no change and I’m only too happy to write. I hope the same applies to you. I promise that when I get back I will try my damndest to be the best lover you could ever possibly find in the world. I also wanted to write you all this to let you know that I’ve been trying to find why others are unfaithful and I think it is because their wives didn’t completely master and dominate all of their husbands’ physical and mental sex life. Now, since I’ve been on this little survey of my own to find out if I’m alone in this over powering desire to be faithful I have found that their are quite a number of fellows who believe as I do. I have found this of those who are faithful — not only do they love their wives intensely — think they are perfect — good mothers — excellent cooks — hard workers — very much in love with hubby, so much in love with hubby that to hurt her is out of the question — loyal to the point where hubby is a little ashamed of himself, his weaknesses of temperament etc BUT on top of this their his wife gives him absolutely and positively the best sex satisfaction conceivable. This latter point is decisive because even the unfaithful can believe all the other points I’ve mentioned. The unfaithful don’t want a divorce but they find rationalizations for having other gals. It all springs from lack of complete sex satisfaction with their wife. Now I know you give me complete satisfaction and I’ve even said so again and again. So, it all ends up that the faithful have no need for any gal except the little wife. You’ll never know how glad I am to be married to you because I think I am far happier than those guys who have to satisfy their needs from other than their wifes.

In this letter I’ve tried my best to show how absolutely out of the question it is for me to lay any gal no matter how pretty and sweet she is. I know I now have a perfect married life and I’d rather die than risk losing it or even having the thought on my mind that when I was away I was unfaithful. I’m trying so desperately to tell you how I feel on this subject. I want you to believe this so completely there can never be any serious doubt in your mind on this subject. Your worry about other gals worries me no end. I want to allay all your fears. Thoughts of other gals are bad thoughts. I swear by all the Gods above that I’ll be true to you, that I love you with an intensity that hurts me all over. Please believe me baby. I’m beginning to realize that I love you so much there is nothing you can do that would be wrong except leave me. I would accept anything you do except leave me. Do you understand even a little bit what this kind of love is? You could do things, such as be unfaithful, and it would hurt me terribly and I would never forget and never forgive but I would still want you to love me and be my wife. Do you know anything of this kind of love. I tell you baby I’ve never wanted anyone or felt like this about anyone in my life. I used to think love was lot of hooey but love is the most real and powerful force in this world. How can I describe this feeling to you? What words would be adequate? This force is so strong I could never leave you, never even think of another woman. Do you feel this force that binds me irrevocably to you? Can you tell me what it is? Do you see why I kept it a secret? Do you understand my fears about your abusing your powers over you? Do you see how badly you could hurt me? Do you understand why I beg you to be kind to me, to use your power wisely. Do you fully understand that I am helpless to resist and completely subject to you? Can you see why I want to devote my life to you, to have at least five children by you, to love and live with you, and you alone, for the rest of our natural lives, Can you understand the hurt that would be in my heart if I were unfaithful? Can you understand the terrible hurt and pain in my heart if you were ever unfaithful? Baby pink eared rabbit — how can I communicate my love to you so that you would know how truthful I am as I write this letter? How can I ever let you positively know how honest and sincere I am when I say I love you and will be, as I have been, always faithful and loyal?

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

P.S. Combination lock:

1. Spin to right several times
   Combination is R38 - L28 - R2
2. Turn to right to 38 — can end on 38 when spinning to right
3. Turn to left to 28 — keep left turn past 38 until you reach 28 — ie there is more than a 3600 left rotation
4. Turn to right to 2 — ie, 28 back to 2 — then pull down

No. 254

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Thursday
September 14, 1950

Dearest Baby Rabbit,

Oh boy, oh, boy, oh boy — today I got the letters which told about the watch & I am thrilled to death, first, because I need a new watch badly as the chain on mine is almost completely gone & it hangs by just the chain most of the time & it loses about 15 minutes each day. Secondly, I am especially pleased because you picked it out for me & it is all your choice & doing. When I mentioned that you might send me a new watch someday I really never dreamed you would send me one knowing your usual aversion to presents. I really said it more jokingly than anything else. I am appaled at the amount you spent on it & hope you are not too desperately broke as a result. Of course I will be the last one to object to a beautiful watch as you know how I love “pretties”. Nevertheless I feel a little foolish at the differential in our exchange of presents, & please do not feel that I have given a great deal more in our marriage than you, because dear baby, yours is a long-range plan & I shall have my day of just being a housewife & lady instead of a business-woman. Perhaps when I send the pictures they can be considered “anniversary” too, although I will never be able to equal your stupendous gift & will always cherish it most highly of anything next to my engagement & wedding ring. You are such a dear, sweet bunny to be so nice to a little pink-eared rabbit like me that it makes me cry to think I was so lucky to marry someone as nice as you. I am most anxiously awaiting the arrival of the watch. I will have it appraised when it arrives.

I met Bob Bullock in the Foodlines last night & he received his call from the Navy day before yesterday to report on the 29^th of this month. He said Lorelie was in a tizzy as they have just laid a new foundation for a new house in Los Altos.

Yesterday the gardners from the Los Altos Nursery came of & cleaned up the yard; put a 2 ft wire fence around the gardens & planted bedding plants. Little by little they are going to clean up the parking & the front part of the yard & put in grass in the backyard. When I came home after work they were still there & told me they would work for ^$1.²⁵ an hour at which I was very glad. I can’t imagine what made them change from ^$1.⁵⁰ to ^$1.²⁵ but that’s perfectly O.K. with me.

Boy, that must have been some experience you had in the Osaka Hotel, but all I’ve got to say is that if those women would do that to their husbands I have no doubt their husbands are the same type & have probably already done like-wise.

I was very interested in your story about the efficiency the Marines displayed in cleaning up the crash & how Maj. Sorrell thanked you — he must have had to eat awfully humble pudding.

I think your idea about 2 letters for each day missed is a very good idea & I will adhere to it. Yesterday when I changed my purse I found No. 19 still in my purse, so in humbleness & please forgive me I will send it on with one penalty letter.

Tell Junior his dearest friend sweet Clit is saving herself all for him & no one else & that she will always be true to him alone. Tell him not to worry because she has whispered all this to me.

— I’m really excited about the watch!

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

Mert September 15 Letter A

15 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Friday
33

Dear Jane,

Today was is pay day. I’m drawing ^$115. Enclosed is a Money Order for ^$50. This ^$50 is part of our savings. But I’m sending it to you to put in your savings account. Now if you really have to use this why good ahead. I’m sending it just in case there is a delay or for some other reason you are short of cash. Remember this ^$50 is part of our permanent savings. As you remember I was going to keep it but for various reasons I think it best that you have control of part of it for emergencies. I know you will hang on to it like a bull dog so I’m not worried about it. In fact you will probably do better on savings than I will. I’m setting up a record so we will know where we stand. As of the moment this ^$50 is our total savings. And I want you to have access to it if mud arises. At the end of the month I will send you more — some to go into my savings account and some into your new savings account.

Following your suggestion and my agreement that we should get a minimum of our household goods purchased, I think you should (1) pay off the B of A — and the Sears debt as fast as possible — ie use practically all of the $200 allotment to get out of debt. Once the debts are gone I suggest that you use all of your spare cash out of your pay and the allotment to purchase furniture etc. ^$1000 seems quite high to me. Can’t we get on for less without feeling the punch? If it is going to make you unhappy with less, just remember it will take 5 months @ ^$200 per month to get there. If you go to school that will cause a lessening of income and consequently a larger time to get what you want.

I will send you further cash designated for your savings account and mine. This will be our permanent savings but you will have control of part and I will have control of part.

Thus, as things stand now: use your pay and the allotment to (1) pay the debts and (2) buy furniture after the debts are gone. My understanding of the above is that I will take care of the savings account and you will take care of household purchases. Give me reports as to your purchases, our debts and the balances in your checking, my checking and both of our savings accounts at least once a month.

Will you be able to live on a ^$200 allotment while you go to school? If you go to school the only excess cash will be what I’m saving and then you will have to decide whether you want to buy furniture or save so that I can finish school and at the same time have a baby. Me, I’d rather have a baby. You know what is funny about this situation is that now I’m earning about ^$600 and still we don’t have enough money. Not that I want to say I told you so but this is what I tried to explain to loving you — no matter how little or how large our income we’ll never have enough — so why argue, why not accept fate but still struggle to get more. Tears and fights and feeling sorry for one’s self will never solve this problem — even earning more and more money will never solve this problem — only discipline — self discipline and a desire to save that cash. Believe me baby rabbit, I’m not criticising nor complaining, it’s just a fact of life. Please don’t think I’m angry because I’m not and I love you dearly. However, I do wish you would some time understand this fact of life. I would like to hear from you that I’m wrong and that you do understand even better than I do.

I’m placing more responsibility on you for guiding and planning the future life of our family. If you are wise and firm in your decisions then we will prosper. You must realize that only one of us can’t be responsible while the other shirks his duty and responsibility. If you would really love a child — five the of them — then certainly this job of planning would come first to your mind. As I understand, this mother love drives a woman to protect as best she can the life and health of her babies. Now that I have found out how much I love you I am rather weak — I can’t drive you and I don’t want to force you to do something even if I know it is best for us. Thus, my love for you places greater responsibility on you because if you don’t back me up I’ll give in — I need your encouragement and direction. Since my aim in life is to provide well for you and our children I don’t see why your mother instincts can’t be our best guide in protecting our future life.

I hope that I’ve been writing about something that is all settled in your mind. I hope you will write and tell me that I’m way behind you and that you’ve already figured out what you think is the best course for us to follow. I’m waiting to hear what you think would be a good financial plan. Perhaps I can add to it and then I can go right to work as your obedient slave to make it come true. What are your goals? What do you want and how do you think we can get there?

I bought a new pen and pencil set for ^$10.60. It is a Sheaffers. State side it costs ^$17.50. I think it will last me for a long time. People got tired of loaning me a pen. This set was the cheapest they had. It seems to be ok but I hated to part with that lovely cash.

In about ten days I’m going to try and call you. After all it is something special. I hope you have the watch by now and that you like it a whole lot.

Remember always that I love you and the love I have is an awakening for me. Believe me, I had never knew what you meant to me before now so if I sound as if I have gone off the deep end please understand that you have me so firmly in your power I can’t think too clearly. Some of the things I have written I am sort of ashamed of having said. I’m afraid that quite a bit of what I have written in an effort to tell you about this feeling has probably left you cold and perhaps a little revolted. All I can say is that it came right out of my heart uncensored. For the first time I’m beginning to understand what others meant when they said some one was love sick, madly and passionately — and uncontrollably in love. I guess it took a long time in coming out of me but when the full force of love did hit me it took me by storm and all the dams broke. Just think — for three years I’ve been married to you and only at odd moments did I get a quick look inside of me to see this tempest boiling around inside. These moments I kept secret. Why, I don’t know.

Now that I look back on things I’ve done and the ways you have reacted — if you even felt the least little bit as I now feel I can now see why you reacted as you did. So many things you’ve done and said which before seemed mysterious are so clear if they were based on this emotion. How could I have ever been so cruel as to play on your emotions. Believe me baby pinke eared rabbit I didn’t know and I didn’t understand. Baby rabbit, so many of our spats were based on my lack of understanding of this force. If I’d known what this emotion was before now I could have understood and helped you — if you were as much a victim of this power as I am now. Remeber your telephone call to Cherry PT? I understand now. There are many other incidents and arguments that came out of my complete lack of this experience. No wonder you used to ask me if I loved you. I had a strong feeling for you but nothing like this. I understand baby rabbit, I understand. Never worry any more about me. I know now why you worried because your instincts told you that this was missing in me but pink ears it’s not missing in my now. Can you ever forgive me?

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

Mert September 15 Letter B

15 September 1950
Itami, Japan
34

Dear Jane,

I’ve mailed the first letter today already. There was no mail from you today and I am so sad. But I hope there will be some tomorrow.

This afternoon I met Garten and Evans. They came in in an F7FS. They are stationed here for a time — how long no one knows. They are in VMF 212 but as yet I’m in no squadron. There are a bunch of us who were transferred to MAG 12 as carrier pilot replacements. MAG 12 has not as yet arrived. What is in store for us I don’t know. Anyway they were full of life and I was beginning to get depressed with all this waiting and doing nothing.

I really hope you liked my last love letter. For some reason I feel as though I’m kind of soft in the head about you and I like being that way. It makes me happy to love you and to think that you love only me, want only me and waite with open arms for me to come back. It is such a good feeling to be loved, wanted and depended upon. Where I h have I been all my life not to realize the complete satisfaction that comes from love.

While I think of it I have been thinking of a correction I want to make in one of my last love letters. I said that I would accept anything you do, even being unfaithful, except leave me. I would still love you and want you to be my wife. On the subject of being unfaithful I find a very strong conflict of emotions. Though I would still love you and want you as my wife I would leave you because if it were once it would be again and thus for my only piece of mind I would have to get rid of that whole part of my life — no matter how painful — and start all over again — I would again set out to seek a perfect wife. I want to say this because you may have been misled by my other statement. Faithfulness is an absolute and positive bond that can’t be broken by either of us. So much for that. Anyway I’m doing my best in any letters to give you courage and strength and security in your love for me. You see I also need constant reassurance. Each time I write I renew my vow to you. It is constantly before me. With you constantly before me during the day and night I find it very easy to adjust myself to a lack of sex. I pray that this is also true with you.

Lately it has been very hot. The water has just been pouring out of me. Drops of water have been falling on this board upon which I’m writing.

Since I haven’t been off the base from the time I bought your watch, there is nothing to report about Japan.

In a few months I may buy you some Japanese stuff but it will not be too much. I want to start on our five kid family rather than have a lot of Japanese junk. I’ve got a lot of Chinese junk already. If we save well we could be well on our way with a second baby by the time I graduate and take the bar examinations. Kids are more important to me than a bunch of luxury items. Now if you don’t agree I’ll buy what you want me to buy.

Since we are going to start a family right away when I get back and soon after the first we will start on the second — when are you going to teach school — after you get your credential? How do you plan to have these babies and teach too? If you’re having babies you’re not teaching and if you’re not going to teach why are you going to school? Believe me i’m not criticising nor complaining and I’ll do exactly as you want me to do. Perhaps you could set me straight. You see, before this time next year I figure we’ll have Junior on the way or at least it will be not more than 12 months from 15 August. No one knows how long we will be here but we suspect that one year will be the standard tour of duty. Just about the time you will get your credential you’ll start raising kids. Do you need a credential to raise five kids? Do anything your little heart desires about going to school, I’ll not complain but I would like some kind of a reason if you choose to give me one.

You know as well as I do how I would like to be in bed with you tonight. I think you’ll find my whole attitude changed for the better and boy am I planning on being at least a 500% better lover. Maybe this separation is just the thing to get me finally adjusted to married life. I think you are perfectly adjusted — you are perfect for my money. I just hope you will stick it out long enough to give me another chance. I promise you will be surprised and you will enter a new era of your life. You will know happiness you never dreamed existed. You will have your home, your children (five) and a kind and considerate loving husband who’ll work his fingers to the bone for you. I promise you will thank your lucky stars and you will say that all the troubles of my early life were well worth it if this is what I get for it. Baby pink ears your rabbit is finally adjusted and now that I am adjusted I’m so damn glad you stuck out the first three years I could cry. How could I be so lucky to have a woman as wonderful as you are? I’m so sold on you I would pay any price for you. I feel as though I live for you as I surely want to.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 25

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Friday
September 215, 1950

Dearest Little Baby,

Well today we heard over the radio that the Navy had invaded the Korean coast near Seoul & I imagine this is what you met when you said last week there would be a big show soon. I am glad & hope at least the Korean episode will be over soon, although I do not think the Russians will stop there. All I want is my baby rabbit back home so we can bill & coo & begin a family of small Camerons & so we can snuggle once again. Boy, how I long to snuggle with you.

The watch did not come today but your “red” letter No. 22 did come after 23 & 24, so that yesterday I didn’t know what you met when you mentioned your red letter. Today I received a letter from my mother who said that my pictures would be ready in about two weeks & I will send them immediately to you with all my love & kisses.

Yesterday I bought 12 stepping stones for the back yard & they were 35¢ each for a total of $4.³³, so I think that combined with the lawn I’m having put in will help toward capital investment for the Dermody’s. I asked you to tell me what I should have done as capital improvement here & you have not told me yet & I wish you would. I am having the Dermody’s & their niece Jewell over for dinner Tuesday night. Jewell is the one we saw with Bud in Hal’s one night. Her husband is a pilot for Pan-American & flying the air lift to Tokyo. He goes on his first hop this week-end.

Sunday I asked Marian & Gene Griffin over for dinner as I have always felt so guilty about them. Then I decided I owed Ceilly & Kirk for several dinners & maybe it would be more fun if I had them too, so I asked them & they seemed delighted to come. Of course it will probably be plenty dull without my little helper & witty conversationalist & pink-eared, long whiskered bunny.

Monday night there is a rrr meeting, the first one this year & of course I shall go because I find when I keep good & busy I do not get so blue & feel so sad that my one & only lover is so far away.

Tomorrow at 9 a.m. I am going to have the car lubricated & the tires rotated finally.

Gosh, bunny what ever happened to that phone call you were going to make to me. I’ve waited a long, long time, but no phone call have I heard.

Incidently, how did you happen to go down to Oshiya to get that plane? How is Bern Daigle now?

Isn’t it funny, people here too, think I have socks in my head to write you every day. They all say they wouldn’t have anything to say, but I can always think of lots of things I want to tell you & I too, can think of nothing better than to write to my own baby. I just like to tell you again & again how much I love you & think of you all the time. Jeanne said today that she thought you & I must be soul mates or something & I think so too. She said she just couldn’t write anyone everyday. But, of course, I think she has lots of peculiar ideas. Incidently, she is going to be the secretary in the Department of Philosophy part-time. Philosophy has never had a secretary before & they have a new Executive Head. She suggested it, & of course both Faust & I thought it an excellent idea as each of us separately had been worried about our office being over-staffed with secretarial help. It seems a happy arrangement for all.

Better go to sleep now so I can get up early to clean the house up real clean for Sunday.

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

Mert September 16 Letter A

16 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Saturday
35

Dear Jane,

Another day and no letter. No letter yesterday and none today. This is very sad and makes me feel badly inside. I hope you don’t have two or three day waites like I have. Gosh, I write sometimes twice a day. You’re getting the big end of the love letter rocket. You’re letter #15 hasn’t come and #17 is the last and it was post marked the 7^th of Sept. Well, anyway I’ll just keep writing so at least you will always have a letter — alass — poor me — no word from the most beautiful and perfect little wife in all the world. It is enough to break a guy’s heart.

Everyday I expect to get you’re picture. When will it get here? I really need it. I’ll just sit and stare at it and dream of lovely you.

Enclosed is a snap shot of me and a Lt Fees in a rickshaw. This was taken in Kobe the second day I was there and rode around in a rickshaw. Nothing has happened to me. MAG 12 is not here yet. I met Ross Hughes today. He is in a night fighter squadron. They seem to think they are going into Soul when they capture a field but then who knows. I still am trying to get in some squadron. This can’t be another run around such as I got last time I keep telling myself. Tomorrow I believe the MAG 12 Personnele Officers will arrive but who knowz. I am going to give him my sad story and how I want to get into a squadron. I’m getting so frustrated I know I’ll explode if this keeps up much longer.

I haven’t been off the base since I bought your watch. You should get it today or tomorrow. I’m excited to hear how you like it Baby, you deserve far better than that and this rabbit is really going to fight to give you and our five children the best life I can produce.

It sure is muggy around here all the time. They say it will cool off soon. I hope so.

Capt Griswold has gone out to a ship and now I have a new room-mate. But I haven’t met him yet.

Things seem to be really going on but I’m completely in the dark. I wish I knew what I was going to do.

The houseboy here isn’t very good but I’ll have to train him. He has been washing and ironing my clothes today but he is pretty slow. He’s quite cheap however.

I beginning to think this pen and pencil set was a good buy. Perhap, I told it was green. Odd color but that was all they had.

What do you think of my last love letters? They sound kind of insane don’t they? But, I guess that is the way I feel about you. I’ve toned this one down and I guess you will like it better. There is more news in this but news is awful scarce.

Remember to put that ^$50 in your savings account. I’ve listed it on my records as being there. If you use it let me know so I can get my records in agreement. I can save ^$250 this month I think.

Do you agree about using all your money to pay off the debts and then using it all on the house indefinitely — ie for as many months as necessary to furnish the house and then you try to save some. However, I want you to keep at least a ^$50 balance in your checking account at all times. Please send the balance to my savings and checking account.

I love you and need you and I don’t know what I would do without you, so always love me and be loyal and faithful.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

Mert September 16 Letter B

16 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Saturday
36

Dear Jane,

I’m going to bed in a few minutes. I was over at the Club this evening. Nothing much at all happened. It is now 2330.

Baby, do I wish you were here! If you think you want me around I can sure tell you that I want you around me. There’s no one in this world but you for me. Junior tells me that he agrees completely and he is sure lonesome for his sweet warm friend. He says nobody else will do. Since you’re there and I’m here I keep telling him there is nothing I can do for him until I see you again — He cries and cries — poor fellow! I cry and cry too.

This is just a short note and in a second I’m going to crawl in the sack and dream of you. You are the most wonderful dream girl any fellow could ever wish for. Have I told you recently that you are without doubt the best little wife in all creation. If you think for one second that this little rabbit isn’t going to take some mighty large hops to get next to you as quickly as possible you need your head examined. There is no one more important to me in all the world. There is one thing I’m sure of and that is that God will never put this loyalty and faithfulness in me and not have my little pink ears deserve it. If I could only tell you without using the same old phrases how much I trust you and how much I have faith in you I know you would respond with all your soul. Never fear baby rabbit, this little kid is yours and only yours — forever and ever. I can’t imagine a God who would disappoint my faith and trust in you nor can I imagine a God who would be so cruel to you as to disappoint your faith and trust. If you feel as I feel I know we are safe and happiness will be ours.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 26

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Saturday
September 16, 1950

Dearest Little Baby,

I am making all 3 of the kids stay out on the back porch tonight because that mouse is still around. Today I opened the chest on the back porch to get some clean sheets & every drawer was filled with mouse tracks & as I opened the last drawer the little devil ran from the chest to a hole near where the vacuum is kept. I just finished washing my hair & as I was putting it up the mouse was knawing so loud I could plainly hear it — so I told Cinder it was up to her to lead the chase for the mouse inasmuch as she was an old hand at it. I told them all if they hadn’t caught it by morning they weren’t getting anymore food until they do catch it — so here’s hoping one fo them will be successful.

Today I received your Nos. 28 & 30. 25, 26, 27 & 29 are missing, but I surmised from these two that you had made some kind of a proposition that if I agreed to 5 children then you’d throw in an extra letter now & then & if I didn’t agree just one letter a day. Well, I agree heartily if we have enough money & a big enough house so we will not be crowded. God we couldn’t even have one baby in this little tiny house & I worry there will be another bad housing shortage with all this mobilization. Well, if you get us a big enough house & we don’t have to skimp along too much than I agree heartily. I am rabid against only children as you know & think 2 is quite liable to lead to a great deal of controversy, & five would really keep the place jumping & I’ve decided small families are the bunk. However, I think it is too bad if you can’t provide quite well for a large family — but, baby, I’m all for it if you bring in the dough.

Today, I took the car to Gilmore & Amicks to have a grease job & the tires rotated & also had them put in the Pennsylvania oil the kind they carry & drain out all the Quaker State so I can get everything at one place. He said Pennsylvania was a great deal like the Quaker State you had in. I hope that was all right in that I did not mix the oils. The whole bill was $5.89 which I thought was quite good. Oh yes, they also put a new piece of floor rubber in under the driver’s sear for free — not a whole piece but at least it helps.

For some reason I’ve been sort of tired all day & really didn’t make much progress on getting the house cleaned up for tomorrow so will have to try & get up early tomorrow & beaver. Saturday night alone & without you is worst of all because we nearly always did “something” on Saturday night. But now there is no baby rabbit to play with Saturday is just a big awful void.

Gosh, bunny I’ll never tire of telling you how much you mean to me, how much I love you & how you never need worry about my not being faithful to you alone — it is just not in me to be unfaithful & my only worry is that old Junior will become terribly eager & with a little alcohol will be “talked into” visiting someone other than his true & faith-ful friend Clit. It would break her heart if this ever should happen under any circumstances. Clit can wait & Junior should be able to also because Junior was truely Clit’s first & only friend, BELIEVE ME! That is the gospel truth.

Better go to sleep now so I can beaver tomorrow.

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

P.S. Bimatimaiwbiyatiy!

17 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Sunday
37

Dear Jane,

Found the picture I was to put in yesterday’s letter. So here it is.

Today there was no mail from my lovely, lovely pink ears. It is so very sad without reading about what you are doing and how you feel. I suppose it is the mail man’s fault.

I am still an Operations Duty Officer at Itami Air Base. I think I will get into a squadron soon. The chances seem good. It seems as though they are capturing some air fields in Korea. I have no news as to what is going on. You probably know more about how things are going than I do.

I’m still waiting for your picture. I hope it comes tomorrow. You know you are very beautiful and really the sweetest little rabbit in creation — so why shouldn’t I be eager for a picture. I want to see you again even in a picture. How is it I never had a picture of you? You know you are as cute as a little rabbit. How could we have failed to have a picture for me? I do have a little lock of your hair and that really does help a lot.

As usual today is very hot. All morning I have done nothing but this afternoon I fooled around on duty. Just talking to people and trying to tell them where places were. Baby is it monotonous.

Once thing, I can’t understand is this constant yearning to be with you. Remember how I always prefered to be alone with you, Just the two of us. Some how other people aren’t half as entertaining as you are. I just never can be close enough to you. I do believe you are a fixed part of me — so much so that I would pine away and die if anything ever happened to our marriage. You certainly have a hex on me because I don’t think the other fellows are as dippy over their wives as I am over you.

Has Cinder had her kittens yet? Has baby cat done anything wrong yet? Buster, I know is just as loving and boistrous as ever. Are you happy in your work? No strange boys are making a play for you — are they? I haven’t had a date and I don’t speak to the gals. I figure there is no point in even getting close to trouble. Some fellows think this is odd because they can’t see any harm in one dame or one drink but I see the beginning of the end in that. The farther away I am from a gal the less trouble I’ll have in being a good boy. So far this plan has worked out perfectly. What I wonder about is how you are making out. Some guys say they told their wife to have a date if she wanted one but that would scare me. A group of gals in a place where there are no tail hunting guys seems all right to me. I’m with a group of guys where there are no gals. I don’t know if whether you can follow that plan or not. At least, it works for me. I suppose if I didn’t love you so much I wouldn’t worry about you so much. It seems that every letter I write seems to harp on this subject. I suppose you are getting angry with me but please understand that these little outbursts are irrepressible and there is a lot I hold back. Perhaps your love makes you feel the same way about me. As I hold myself in line I wonder if you are also successful. Somehow, if you didn’t succeed there would hardly be any point in my continuing to being the saint. “Do unto others as they do unto you.’

I better cut this off before you really get mad.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 27

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Sunday
September 17, 1950

Dearest Little Baby,

Boy did I ever miss my helper rabbit today! I worked like a dog all day & at 4 p.m. when the guests were supposed to arrive I was just getting into the shower & hadn’t cleaned the bathroom. As a result, it just didn’t get cleaned — guess I’m just not used to not having my bathroom cleaning rabbit around. The kitchen floor didn’t get washed & waxed either, but after Kirk made a few old fashioneds’, I am sure no one noticed. It seemed everyone got along O.K. & I thought the party was quite successful — at least they all seemed to have a good time. I had a fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green peas, green salad, etc. & pineapple nabisco & coffee for dinner. They all seemed to think it was a real good dinner & at least I feel better about having the Griffins & McFarlands over as they had both been nice to us. But gosh bunny it was terribly lonesome without you & hard to entertain without my little bunny to keep me going, & prod me on to be a busy bunny, & it made me very sad to think I was having a party without you to spur me on. It was just sad to have a party without you.

Marian Griffin brought me a box of McFarlane‘s candy & knowing you like candy much better than I & it would just put pounds on me I will send it to you tomorrow. I know you can buy candy, but perhaps you will like to get some in the mail. I feel terribly guilty about not having made you any cookies, but as soon as things sort of settle down a little, I will. This mad activity of mine can’t last much longer as school will be starting, etc. But I find the busier I keep myself the less time I have to feel sad when I see all the other people going on as usual—buying houses, cars, & having babies, but I know some happy day we will have all those things — & each other too.

At that stage, I heard that g-d — mouse, knawing again — jumped up & opened the food cupboard to see a can move slightly so I put Baby-cat up on that shelf whereupon I put Mr. Mouse became terrified & jumped down into the sink & thence to the floor! About this time, I heard myself scream & fled into the bedroom. After I heard no more noises I presumed baby-cat had caught the darn mouse; went gingerly out to the kitchen, only to find Baby-cat feeling plaintively under the bathroom door. Hesitatingly I opened the door only to find Mr. Mouse, had evidently slipped down a hole in the back of the shower. You would have split your sides laughing had you been here as I was terrified to say the least. Boy, did I give B-c a bawling out for not catching the mouse. At any rate now I think I shall set a trap. I am petrified wondering where that mouse will pop out next.

After dinner, we went out to see the McFarland‘s house & it is really very nice & has a good plan altho it is too subdivisionish for me. I would rather have a smaller house you could build onto & eventually have a bigger house.

Better go to sleep now & dream of you, because if I can’t have you to snuggle with the next best thing, I can do is go to sleep & dream about you. Believe me that I will always love only you, always be loyal & faithful.

All my kisses,
Jane

18 September 1950
Itami, Japan
Monday
38

Dear Pink Ears,

It is only 1230 and I’ve finished lunch. As yet there is no mail but I have great hopes for this afternoon. Just felt warm and lonely for you inside so I figured I would drop a short note your way. Also, I’m enclosing another photo of me. Homer. Cornell took both of the pictures — one already sent.

Last night I stayed on the base and at the O’Club. I’ve finally resorted to drinking lemon aid and coca cola. All yesterday I had only four drinks so I feel real good today. I think I’ve solved sitting in a club and not getting drunk. It’s quite easy once you develope a technique.

Still I have no luck — I’m still in a flight pool. Why do these things always happen to me — 21 days in a pool.

I saw a picture of a naked gal and bang I sure thought of you. What makes me feel good and certain of myself for now and in the future is the fact that when I do get ideas they center around you. There just isn’t any satisfaction for me any place but with my soft warm affectionate rabbit. One of the big worries I had until now that I’m certain is whether or not I would be able to control Junior. There was never any doubt as to my love for you but would I be able to have any physical control. Well, now I know and some how I feel contented and self satisfied with myself. One thing has been established and that is that this thing called love can control a guys physical actions, you’ll never know how glad I am that I really love you with a passion because this has made the control problem much, much easier. I guess the first month apart is the hardest because a guy gets used to certain things and then to break off all of a sudden — why it is quite a change. I would sure suffer the torments of the damned if I couldn’t control myself. To avoid that kind of suffering is enough to make any guy happy. I thought I would tell you in so many words how well things are going with me. I want our marriage to last and to be perfect. I want our marriage more than anything I can think of. I’ll sure fight for it and I know I’m not going to be responsible for anything going wrong — so there!

It is now 1300 so I guess I’ll go to mail call. On the way I’m going to drop this in the mail box. Naturally, I’m more than eager to read that you love me, that you insist on 5 kids and that you want and need only me. You are all of these things to me.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 28

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Monday
September 18, 1950

Dearest Baby Bunny,

Gosh, this noon I came rushing home expecting to find Nos. 25, 26, 27 & 29 & maybe even the watch but instead there wasn’t even 1 letter from you, & I had a terrible, sinking feeling for fear maybe one of your letters was lost because I cherish each & everyone & even to loose one would be a calamity to me. However, perhaps they will come tomorrow. When I don’t get a letter from you it makes me very sad & depressed the rest of the day & that’s the way I’ve been today. I’ve been thinking of the good times just we too have had together. I used to like to go out alone with you so I could have you all to myself & I never wanted anyone else to go with us because then I had to share you with someone. Oh, what I wouldn’t do for just one night in Hal’s with you listening to that old guy play on the organ. Maybe we shouldn’t have gone to Hal’s so much on account of our financial condition but now I am glad we did because I for one always enjoyed it so much.

You know that mouse? Well, after the catastrophe last night I set a trap, put some pineapple nabisco to tempt the devil & Eddie Aced said he would take it out for me. I got up this morning with fear & trembling, expecting to see Mr. Mouse, a mass of blood & guts & — the Mouse must be real brainy. He ate all the pineapple nabisco up clean but didn’t spring the trap!

Tonight I went to the first rrr meeting at the most gorgeous mansion in Palo Alto you’ve ever seen in your whole life. Completely separate from the house is a building which has a huge room —at least 50’ long & 30’ wide with an inlaid hardwood floor & Empire furnishing for a sort of playroom, they call it. Off of it is a bedroom, gorgeous bath, a complete kitchen. Then there is also a building filled with the dressing rooms as they have a huge swimming pool with colored lights playing on it & beautiful landscaping. They said it was heated to about 80° & some gals went in swimming. At any rate it was a simply gorgeous spot, & I could feel myself turning green. At the next meeting I’m going to take charge of the refreshments & they expect about 75 people. I think we’ll have cider & sandwiches & coffee. All I have to do is get things organized & have the right people bringing the right stuff & it shouldn’t be too big a job & will keep me good & busy.

But gosh bunny it made me awfully blue to go to that meeting. All those gals have children & nice houses & they don’t even know there is a war going on & were genuinely shocked when I told them you were already in Japan. Gosh, I often think if I hadn’t been such a dead-head & stayed in this dumb, old job, & had gotten a good one that paid enough you wouldn’t be overseas now. I don’t see why this had to happen to us while everyone else goes blithly on & the god damn Army & Navy regulars are still in school. How come they let the regulars still stay in school? I can’t see it. Enough of this, morbid subject I suppose, but gosh I get mad at the world sometimes — it just doesn’t seem fair or right.

It is so lonesome without you & I am so sad to not have any little bunny rabbit around. It’s really gruesome & sometimes it seems that we will never be able to settle down, but I still love you more than anything in this world and think you are perfect in every way. You suit me to a tee & you’re all I could ever hope for.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

19 September 1950
Itami, Japan
39

Dear Pink Ears,

Well, little rabbit I received two letters yesterday; #18 and #20. Still no #15 and no #19. Today should be a big day for mail again

I note that you seem to talk of me as going to all these towns etc. Well, sweetheart after my allotments and ^$250 savings I have only ^$90 left to run me on a month. That is why your watch busted me but I think I’ll be able to save a little and get some of this stuff before I go home.

Also, I don’t want to send the stuff because if I bring it in myself as my own the duty is much less. So you just hold onto your hind feet and don’t go hopping off in all directions. now, if this won’t make you happy I’ll do the best I can if you let me know. Also, I have to save some money to make a phone call. You see — no matter how much money I have I never have enough.

You sure are going out to the parties. Just so you don’t go around with some fellow as a date I don’t object. Now, I’m not having any dates and I can assure you that at night the O’Club is usually pretty vacant. It isn’t any fun at all — believe me. If only little old you were with me I wouldn’t have a dull moment — I didn’t have one for three years. You know you are the only person that has every attracted my interest and held it for such a long time. I never got tired of being with you and I don’t expect I ever will. I wonder if most married couples can be so completely alone and enjoy each other as much as we do. Then, again the two of us may just be the marrying kind, in other words just by nature we want to settle down to a home a wife and a whole lot of kids. All I can say is that I sure am satisfied with you. I only hope you think of much of me as I do of you. If you do, we’ll be happy forever after as the in the fairy tales.

Nothing new on what I am to do. This operations job is very dull and actually there is absolutely nothing for me to do. Why I’m here I don’t know. All I can say is that I better get in a Squadron soon or I’ll be more P O’ed than I’ve ever been before. I’ll be damned if I’ll be occupying some place as I did for 14 months last time. It’s high time some one else got this dull duty.

What are you views on having five kids? You should be screaming at me for them. When I get home you should be attacking me every chance you get. I can hardly waite for that happy day.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

No. 29

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Tuesday
September 19, 1950

Dearest, darling baby pink-eared rabbit,

Boy, oh joy, oh boy – today the watch came & oh baby, if I’d looked a thousand years I never could have found a watch I would have liked as well. It is exactly what I would have chosen myself if I had looked a thousand years & the style is simple yet very good looking without any gingerbread. I love the silk cord chain too, & it is very becoming to my arm. No matter how long I might have looked I never could have chosen anything in better taste & I am extremely proud that you picked it out all by yourself & showed such excellent judgment. It is really all that I have ever dreamed about & will never be able to thank you enough for such a simply gorgeous present. But I feel like a crumb because you sent me such a simply magnificent present, & I sent you such a crumby one. However, I will try & make it up to you sometime soon. I am really overwhelmed with such a magnificent gift from my one, & only precious baby rabbit. It is really too exciting for words. Incidently, there was no duty on it inasmuch as they said it was an occupied country or some such thing, but at any rate I was very glad as my funds are running very low. I am really, very, very excited about the watch & think you were the nicest bunny in the whole world to buy it for me. I only hope that sometimes soon you get yourself a nice, good new one too. Don’t wait too long to get yourself one until watches are scarce. I really think you need one badly & no doubt you could do much better on getting one where you are than I could I here. Thanks a million, trillion, billion & all my big bear hugs & kisses.

Do you know that your Nos. 25, 26, 27 & 29 have still not arrived in which you must have given me a big outline of the 5 children Cameron dynasty & the dividend letters but I shall wait & hope they come. Also I wonder if they Rolex instructions etc. are in one as they were not in the package, but if they are lost I am sure that I can get them here. I am going to have a guard chain put on the band of my watch, because the clasps could easily become unhooked & that would be just terrible.

Tonight I had Peggy & Bud Dermody over for a steak dinner & they seem to thoroughly enjoy it & think the dinner was delicious. It was about time I had them & I feel better about at least having them over once. Bud is going with his brother to their ranch tomorrow so Peggy asked me to come over tomorrow night for dinner & she’d get up a Canasta game & of course I said, “yes“.

Well, baby I can’t tell you how simply beautiful my watch is & how much I love it & how wonderful you were to buy it for me. I honestly feel quite guilty that you spent all that money, but it is exactly the style I like & would have picked myself & I think your taste was superb.
You are the dearest, sweetest, pink-eared rabbit any girl could want & I love you more than anything in this whole world. I miss you so much & have a hard time to keep my eyes from dragging, but now, every time I look at my beautiful watch I can think of my sweetest bunny.

Love,
Jane

20 September 1950
Itami, Japan
40

Dear Pink Ears,

Here’s your little lover boy writing another letter to the sweetest, loveliest, kindest, most beautiful pink eared rabbit that ever lived. That is, I’m writing to a rabbit with ears in the up position — stretching right up to the bright warm sun.

The big news for today is that I have a new address though I’m in the same spot — odd I know, but that’s the way it goes. Write to me:

Capt M.K Cam.
— name
MAG 12 FMAW
% FPO — S.F.

Do you understand? The only change is that I’m now in MAG 12 thus, rather than saying M.K.C, MAG 33 etc you now use MAG 12 in place of MAG 33. Note the return address on this letter — on the envelope.

There is more news — I’m now flying. Today I flew four two hours in an F4U-4B — a corsair. Tomorrow I’m going to observe some field carrier landings and I hope to make some myself. Though I have no great hopes I think I may finally get on a carrier some time in the near future. What burned me up was, all the squadrons going went to Soul yesterday. Here I’ve been in this spot for 23 days and then a lot of planes fly in and out go all the pilots leaving me in MAG 12. Some one planned it this way but I may get on a carrier soon. It sounds like the stinking run around I got in the last war. This burns me up. I’m just about at the end of my rope with this outfit.

Anyway, no matter how mad I get about the shaft they're giving me I always turn and think about you and our five children to be. Some how the thought that you and some kids are the most important things in my life make all this other stuff seem insignificant. It sure is a comfort to think of you and a family in the face of all this activity. I wish I’d met and married you before the last war. Then I had nothing to think about and no one to turn to — nor anyone who loved me. You’d be surprised how much this marriage of ours has settled me down. I guess I’m kind of stupid but I’ve not talked to a single (or married) gal alone, not had a date, nor gone off the base except to buy you a watch. Some how I feel that is a badge of honor — I kind of pride myself in that. I feel as though I’m yours and yours alone — no one else can touch me. I’m proud to be your husband. I love it and it means everything to me. I just don’t understand other people who don’t think this way. To me, the only standard that will work is the single standard. I believe that if I keep myself clean and untainted God will keep you as pure as I am. I guess it is hard for you to understand all the funny emotions I have. I kind of hate to harp all the time on one subject but it just controls me and Jane, baby, I do love you. I worry about you all the time — and I mean all the time. I don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t love me and want me. Without you life would be terrible — without you pure and sweet it would terrible. Really, Jane I’ve only one question — do you love me? Are you true to me? Are you faithful? Do you have a terrible empty lost feeling when I’m not with you? I am and have all of these feelings for you. Baby, I’m worried about you — I want to know the truth. I could never stand a lie, but the truth I would understand. Is there anyone else? Have you been going out with some one else? I only want the truth. If you have to decide — remember this — a lie would hurt far more than the truth?

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

Jane's letter is missing. :(

21 September 1950
Itami, Japan
41

Dear Jane,

Well, I’m still here and the war goes right by me. Destiny is a funny thing.

I flew today, two hops of field carrier landings. I’m a little rusty but I should do ok in three or four hops. Flying sure makes me tired. It sure makes for a good nights sleep.

The mail is all screwed up. They are shifting MAG post offices and while the move is going on we don’t get any mail at all. For two days I’ve received none and I presume you have written.

So little is going on I have nothing to write about. But there still is the subject of love but I guess you’ve heard that line from me so many times of late you don’t want to read about it again. I guess you would just like to get one letter which isn’t full of a broken heart and lone some words.

The food is eatable and the quarters are good. There is no work so I guess I could say that was also good. I’m one of the lucky fellows who has flown and there are lots who haven’t. The club has a stock of good whiskey and beer. The base is full of jolly drinking companions some times. Every once in a while the club gets quite vacant which causes me to wonder. It seems people flow in and out of the club on sort of a tide schedule. So far I haven’t been off the base except to see Daigle and buy your watch. I see no reason to go off — I guess I’m not much of a tourist and since I bought your watch I don’t have any change to go shopping with. So, with only one complaint and that is not being with you I guess I’m happy and my ears are standing straight up. Oh yes, there have been no gals around who even looked like they would be worth talking to — so I’ve had no desire to talk to any gals and so I’ve had no dates, conversation or sex. I feel as though I’m leading a prisoners life. I suppose I just live for you and when your not around life is quite dull.

You now have caught up on the news.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert

Error 404: Letter Not Found

22 September 1950
Itami, Japan
42

Dear Jane,

This is going to be a real short letter. Tomorrow I’ll make up for it.

I’m still trying to get some flying in and so far all I’ve done is flown three hops. Why they decided to use us for carriers I’ll never know but that is the only way for me to get in on the show. Evans, Hughes, Garten have all left for Kimpo near Soul. Why do I always get side tracked? Those fellows are all land based but there are a group left to fly on carriers. By the time we get checked out it will be three weeks from now — by that time there may be no show to get to and I’ll be doing exactly what I did in China last time. How can one account for fate?

Letters 21, 22, 23, 24 all came in today. Tomorrow I’ll answer all of your questions. They were real nice letters and boy was I eager to get them.

You ask what I do in my time off — well, I stay on the base at the O’Club. Don’t drink much but there are a few people to talk to. Haven’t be ashore since I bought your watch. You should have it by now and I hope you like it. I think it is good looking but then may by you may think differently. As yet I’ve not saved enough for the telephone call but when I do I’ll call you.

Baby rabbit you’re all mine and all I have or ever want so I’ll be real good.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 32

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Friday
September 22, 1950

Dearest Baby Rabbit,

I wish you’d tell that love bug to do more talking & tell me what he says as I like to listen to him or rather read what he has to say — he must be a real friendly little fellow. Another day & I did not receive a letter from you which makes me very, very sad, but I suppose it is the U.S. Mail & not you.

I was busy as a bird dog today & am quite tired tonight, but when I finish writing you I will make some “Green Salad” as I told Isabelle I would bring salad & dessert this week-end. Monday is registration day & we’ll really be in a lather then as I don’t even know if Charys will be back on Monday or Tuesday & Jeanne spends all of her time in Philosophy. What would you think if I should quit my job & find another that pays more? Every day I hear of new people in lesser positions than mine who do not have nearly as much responsibility as I do who get anywhere from ^$25-^$50 more a month than I do. Some gal who we fired from working on the Lower Division Committee is now secy to the Dean in Mineral Sciences (a very small school) & she started at ^$250—. Spaeth’s secy makes ^$250—. Lee Bodine, secy of the Law Review makes ^$225 & is being raised to ^$250—. I honestly feel I am being “taken” & am getting real fed up. Every day I get madder & madder because just the other day C Faust told me how many people (dept heads) had told him how very helpful I was, but of course narry a mention of salary from the old goat. Of course, I’m just so damn sick of working I don’t know what to do — just the same, old monotonous grind day after day & year after year. For almost 10 years now I’ve been working at least 35 hours a week. Would you object very much if I could see if I could get a better job inasmuch as you don’t think my going to school is such a good idea? Please do not forget to tell me what you think of this idea. I’m real fed up with Stanford & their very unfair personnel policies & Faust who will always pay a secy as little as he can possibly get away with. Then there’s always the departmental secy in Biology who started at ^$275—. Sometimes nothing seems important enough to put in all this hard work on, but the only thing that keeps me going is the fact that some day you will be home again & we can snuggle & make love. Just think 3 years ago Sunday we were married & what a happy day that was, but who would ever think that we would be separated after only 3 short but wonderful years — believe me they are the best of my life. You were always such a happy, gay bunny & we two used to have such good times together. I could cry my eyes out because you are not here & your big, shoulder is not here for my to cry on. Gosh, I’ve never been so lonesome in all my life. You’re the only person in this whole world I love or think is any good at all. Instead of the hurt inside of me, cause you’re gone, getting better it just gets worser & worser. Please, please hurry & come back or I think I shall pine away to a mere nothing. I love you more than I’ll ever be able to tell you.

Cinder is lying right up close next to me & I think the kittens are very near coming as there seems to be a lot of activity in her stomach. I wonder what they will look like & how many there will be.

Guess I better make “Green Salad now & put a load in the washing machine.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

23 September 1950
Itami, Japan
43

Dear Jane,

Well, I’ve had the shaft again. The writing on the wall is too plain to be mistaken. It seems that the whole idea of this carrier augmentation was to set up a school to train people. I’m in another training program with a whole bunch of other people. Any stupid jerk who put on a questionnair that he had ever landed on a carrier is here — that is all of the group I came over with. Some fellows had landed on a carrier but they said nothing and now they have all gone to Kimpo in active squadrons. Why am I so stupid? Even marrying you hasn’t helped me or prevented me from being so stupid. I believe I’ve done more damn training than anybody I know. I’m as necessary here as a third tit on a woman. How can one guy be in an organization and always end up with the shaft sticking in him — this has gone on for eight years. Other people get strike after strike and I get not even one. I’m just a little skinny stupid sucker. Some day I’m going to have a lot of power and I’m going to repay twice as much as I’ve been given. All I know is that I’m not in a squadron and I won’t be in one for a long time because of this stupid training program. Why the hell I can’t be in a land based squadron I don’t know. Consider this: about 30 pilots who went to Kimpo as land based pilots are carrier qualified as late as 4 August 1950 — but are they carrier replacements? Why no — they have to train us — we who are adequately qualified for land based operations. I have never been so disappointed or angry about anything in my whole life — the stupidity of it all. I don’t think that a fellow who is reasonably intelligent should ever be in an organization like this. All an intelligent guy does is get bitter and P O’ed. This does neither him nor the organization any good. I could be doing more for the Marine Corps and the war effort by being in law school but that is inconceivable. I volunteered as the first group to go to a squadron — I was sent over but for what? — a training program when there are 50 or more already trained pilots for carriers that they are needed so little they are land based. How do these things happen to me and why? What have I done to deserve this destiny?

I am in no mood for love letters but remember the only bright spot in my life is you — that is some consulation.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert.

No. 33

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Saturday
Sept. 23, 1950

Dear Baby Rabbit,

After 2 terrible days without any letters from you today I finally got 3 today — Nos. 35, 36 & 37. In these letters you were very concerned for fear I would want a date with someone else — & gosh of all the foolish thoughts you’ve ever had those are the sillyest. I absolutely, positively, unrequalifiededly have no desire for a date with anyone but you & as a matter of fact the very thought of it is very revolting to me. I’m very content to just wait for my own true bunny. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted or will ever want, so please put all your fears aside & set your mind at ease. You’re the only one for my me & that’s all there is to it. All thoughts of going out with anyone else are very repulsive to me & I have absolutely no idea of doing it for any reason whatsoever.

Also, there is one other point I want to get straight & that is that you have said that no doubt your love letters are revolting to me. Well, they definitely aren’t — as a matter of fact I love every one of them & think they are the sweetest letters I’ve ever read & please don’t stop writing them because you think they might be repulsive to me, because they are anything but repulsive & I love each & every one of them dearly! I never in my wildest dreams thought anyone would write me such nice love letters. They are so very sweet & dear that I will always treasure them. Believe me, & don’t think they will ever be repulsive to me.

After making some cream puffs & getting things packed up I left some food out for Baby-cat & Cinder, put Buster in the car & came up to Isabelle’s & Roger’s for the week-end as you will remember they asked me when I was here two weeks ago. I decided to stop at a couple of stores in S.F. to get some low-heeled black shoes & a skirt to go with my lavender cashmere sweater & that blouse that goes with it. I thought I could find a parking lot where I could lock Buster in the car. But when I got to S.F. the only place I could find to park was Union Square Garage, so I put Buster on the leash & thought I would see how he acted in the shoe store first. Well, he just couldn’t have been better. He just lay right at my feet, didn’t bark, didn’t jump up or anything, but just acted perfectly. He was greatly admired & everyone on the street said what a beautiful dog & ohed & ahed. I bought some black kid low-heeled shoes — I. Miller’s at ^$15.⁹⁵ which are very comfortable. I tried to find a skirt at Magrie’s but they had nothing so I thought poor Buster had had enough & went back to the car & came over here.

Isabelle had a very good shrimp creole dinner & afterward we looked at some slides & now I am writing you.

Incidently they think my watch is simply terrific as does everyone else who has seen it. Roger really thought it was wonderful & Isabelle, I am sure, was green with jealousy as she has a real, big, old homely watch. Everyone says it is the kind of watch they have always wanted but never dared invest in because they were so very expensive.

By the way the picture of you in the rickshaw is a scream. How come you wear your hat at such a rackish angle? Boy, pulling those rickshaws must be hard work.

Since you said you might call me this week-end — I hope — I called the Telephone Co. operator & told her the Richmond number I could reached at this afternoon & tomorrow, so I hope if you do call me they’ll transfer the call. Gosh it’s going to be ghastly & lonesome & blue without you tomorrow.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

24 September 1950
Itami, Japan
44

Dear Jane,

This is an answer letter. Don’t get excited about being called a “Boss” rabbit. You’re a very special sweet and lovely kind of a “Boss” rabbit. You’re also a real sweet little baby pink-eared rabbit — you’re also a wonderful “yes” rabbit

Doc. Reinertsen has gone to Korea with the 1^st Wing. There are very few left overs with me. As usual I’m one of a very select group that gets the royal shaft. My teeth have been temporarily fixed. We’re waiting to get them fixed permanently when the facilities are better — which should be soon.

If you want to go to El Paso why go right ahead. I just am the worry bird type.

The phone call will come when I get ahead some cash. I believe when you get my letters and the watch you will understand why I didn’t have ^$12 - ^$16 for a phone call, the money was used for a permanent present. I’ll call you some time but don’t sit around and waite and pine for it — it will come — but when —, I don’t know.

I’m waiting for Buster’s papers so I can get some help on a home. There are lots of guys here who should have some ideas.

The travel pay will be applied for very soon. Thanks for reminding me.

Yes I’m getting flight pay.

Japan is quite typically Japanese. The Japanese are just like other Japanese.

There is no travel logue because I haven’t been off the base. When I do I’ll tell you all about it.

It is a good idea not to buy anything on credit. We will get all that stuff in time. By now you have the plan I suggested some time back. I’m interested in your reaction. (1) Pay debts (2) Pay cash for stuff each month out of your pay and the allotment. Keep on this plan until you have the necessary stuff so we won’t have to buy anything while I’m going to school and you’re having the 1^st of our five kids. If you need dresses — buy them and try to get enough to carry you two or three years.

Why don’t you hold Cinder’s paw since I’m not there to do the job?

Well, this sure turned out to be an answer letter all right — I’m still missing #15 and #19 but #19 is on the way I note. I’m most anxious to get your picture. Why is it taking so long? I just want to sit and look at it and remember all about you. #24 is the last letter and there was no mail for me today — Sunday — yesterday I got 4 letters all at once 21, 22, 23, 24. Boy, was it fun to read them and hear all about your love for me and how loyal and true old C— is. Junior hasn’t been a bad boy yet and he tells me he never will be one.

The article about the murder was pretty interesting — some people sure have problems thrown at them.

Enclosed is the Rolex Guarentee. Keep it — the names of the place to write in New York is in it

Baby — I love you so much nothing much else matters — even the shafting I’m getting is in the backsground. Love is a wonderful thing!

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 34

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

3RD ANNIVERSARY
Sunday
September 24, 1950

Dear Little Baby Rabbit Husband,

Today is our third wedding anniversary & here I am at Isabelle’s & Roger’s & there you are so very far away & I’m very sad because we are not together, but at least I can write to you & I can look down at my beautiful new watch & think how wonderful it was of you to buy me such a beautiful present. I really am just crazy about my watch & think it is the prettiest I have ever seen & think your taste in picking it out was excellent.

Isabelle gave me a wooden salad spoon & fork with carved quaint heads on top painted in bright colors. They are very, very cute & I am very glad to have them. My mother sent me a card & said she was making me something. What, I can’t imagine but it will be interesting to see what it is.

Pretty soon we are going to have a steak dinner in honor of our anniversary, & both Isabelle & Roger have said they wish you were here too to have it with us, & it was kind of lonesome without you around & baby no truer word was ever spoken!

I am inclosing my estimates of what it will cost to furnish our house even to a minimum. Although this is not an itemized list from a store like Robinson’s I think it is really pretty accurate as I have looked & shoped quite extensively & as you can plainly see in no time at all it got up to ^$1,000-. Of course, pieces of furniture for a living room are very expensive so if we get a few good basic pieces now & especially a sofa it will help a lot in the years to come. If you have any suggestions please do not hesitate to tell me.

Bunny, that letter I wrote Friday night was a very sad, little missile & I am sorry, but sometimes I just get so fed up with working & that damn Faust who supports his married children & thinks no one else who is a student lives without help from parents, makes me furious. Especially when he gives me all this guff on how well he likes me & couldn’t run the office without me, etc. However, if you only think you’ll be in a year why then, of course I will not go to school for it would be foolish for we should save as much as we can & buy furniture, etc. My only reason for wanting to go to school is so I could get more money with shorter hours & nice, long vacations instead of this rat race I’m in now. So, if you honestly think you won’t be in much longer than a year why then I will stop negotiations on getting into San Jose State. Tell me please what you think. I don’t really want to teach school but the advantages are great if I have to work many more years.

You keep saying in an off hand manner that you haven’t had any dates, gosh, bunny I hope you haven’t because I would be real mad if you did because I certainly will not have any & trust you will not either, because I certainly would be crushed.

Buster has had a wild time playing with Taffy & especially Dahlia & soon I will have to take him home again with no little dogs to play with. Sometimes I think he thinks Baby-cat is terribly boring to play with.

Gosh, baby, I’ve really been waiting all day & expecting you to call me, but as yet I haven’t heard your dear sweet voice & I surely thought you would call me today & am quite disappointed because I have not heard from you. However, patience is a virtue, they tell me.’

I can never thank you enough for the watch but it has been quite lonesome without my baby around today when we should always spend this day together, but I suppose it can’t be helped.

My whole heart & soul are with you & I send all my love & kisses,
Jane

25 September 1950
Itami, Japan
45

Dear Jane,

Today is our anniversary. You see I did remember! It is the 25th here but at the place we were married it was the 24^th. Three years have seemed very short but there will be many more.

As for the improvements around the house why what you did sounds good to me. Don’t go overboard but a couple of dollars a month is all that is necessary.

I went to Ashiya because I wanted to fly — fly it here. They said ok so I went. Very simple

On this letter writing I don’t think we have rocks in our heads but others may think so.

Oh, we will have five kids. As long as you agree in principle all the details can be worked out when they arise.

You can see I’m answering your questions as I get them.

I hope you have the watch by now. I also hope you understand why there has been no phone call — it is in your watch. So there!

So far I’ve not been off the base so there are no stories to tell. I’m still in a Carrier Augmentation Pool. What a racket! Today I flew. I now have 4.3 hours for this month. I did better in 141. This life is most futile. Can you imagine coming all this way, jerked out of school — not even to make one strike — at least it is clear to me that my chances are dim. So much for the bitching — the food is ok, the room is ok, the club is ok, the officers and men are good, the base is ok but I’m still a frustrated pilot. Remember always that I love you very much and that you are all I have or will ever need. You are so necessary to me that I know I could barely live without you. You are my pink eared rabbit with beautiful ears and a fluffy tail. There could never be another you and I want you all mine forever and ever. I’ll always be true and faithful under any and all circumstances — never fear.

B i m a t i m a I w B i y a t i y
Mert.

No 35

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Monday
September 25, 1950

Dear Baby,

Tonight when I got home there were Nos. 38, 39 & 40 waiting for me, & I’m writing you right away before I change my mind & really get mad — but in No. 40 you asked me if there were anyone else which is absolutely the stupidest, sillyest question I’ve ever heard & I’m mad to think you even asked me because it’s such a ridiculous question. There definitely is NOT anyone but my own pink eared rabbit & there never will be & you make me mad to think there ever could be. Do you remember when I used to ask me you if you loved me, & you’d say in a real disgusted tone “That’s such a silly question I won’t even answer it”. Well, that’s exactly the way I feel about your question. I thought, too, I’d been giving you a blow-by-blow account of my activities & you can see I’ve just been to people’s houses for dinner & most of the places it’s just been 3 people — a couple & me. At Peggy’s & Bud’s it’s been them, their 2 nieces & their husbands & that’s absolutely all. Gosh, how could you ask such a feeble question. NO one, absolutely NO one, even looks the least bit interesting to me, nor do I even notice most men — — because I’m completely satisfied with YOU! I have no desire for a date or anything else — PLEASE believe me! I feel so frustrated that you don’t believe this, I don’t know what to do. YOU & YOU alone are the only one I’m interested in — & besides that I love you dearly, selfishly & for all the world there is no one beside you! Boy, are you DUMB to think I’d even look at another man!

Also you said you didn’t have very much money to buy Japanese junk — well, I absolutely do NOT want a lot of Japanese junk, but the only reason I mentioned the jade ear rings was that IF you were going to buy anything (which is not necessary) I would like some droop jade ear rings. But don’t go out & spend a lot of money on any of that stuff — I’d much rather have an electric dishwasher or some household help. The earrings were just a suggestion, but not NECESSARY at all!

I think the picture of you & Hocking is extremely funny — a true “character” shot.

I’m very glad you & Junior have talked it over & have decided you will have no trouble curtailing his physical activities. Clit & I were sort of worried too & we would be sorely hurt & disappointed if you two could not control yourselves & as a matter of fact if we ever did find out you two cheated — EVEN once — we would have to call off all further negotiations with Merton & Junior even as dearly as we love them, because as you once said if it was once it would be again & again — & again. Clit & Jane have no trouble at all, they are just content to wait until you too come back for no one else even interests us & as a matter of fact the very thoughts of some one else are terribly repulsive!

By the way did I ever tell you I didn’t have to pay any duty on the watch. It seems there’s some sort of “occupation country” arrangement.

I’m all set for having 5 kids as soon as possible — you know me, I always did want to stay home & raise a family — I never did like or want to work & I definitely think small families are hooey. All I’ve got to say is — “Fer gosh sakes hurry up & come home so we can get started!” I’m all set & ready & waiting! Oh boy!

Why were you left behind when MAG 33 went out? — I don’t understand that at all & wish you would explain to me. Did Yorg & Daigle go? How is Daigle? Please explain this to me as I am baffled completely as to why & how this happened. Did Hocking go too? Did the other guys who were Operations Duty Officers go to? Please explain this peculiar maneuver to me.

NO I have not had any dates — nor will I ever — NO there is NOT anyone else! You are my one & only true lover!

All my love & kisses,
Jane

26 September 1950
Itami, Japan
46

Dear Jane,

It sure is hard to realize but since August 15th it has been 43 days. It seems like forever. My little Bunny is so far away! Time goes so very slowly — each day and night drags by on creeping feet. I’ve now gotten tired of the O’Club and drinking with the boys there. I’ve got no desire to go off the base, no desire to meet any girls, no desire to do anything. I guess I’ll just exist and waste time and more time; grow older and with that each goal I seek to achieve becomes more difficult. I’m beginning to feel as though I am a fool. Each individual has to look to his own individual survival. Each must do that which will profit him most. Here I spe sit spending the only capital I have, which is time. There is no glory for my effort here nor does the pay come close to compensating for my loss of capital. If I had no possibility of success nor any ambition I would be adequately compensated but for the destruction of my personal assets I see only a small possibility of military recognition which would be to some extent a small substitute for my losses. There are so many fools around here who only figure their losses in dollars and cents. Apparently they never had any plans, nor do they have any now. Dreams of power and wealth do not reside in them as they do in me. I wonder if I am wrong to pursue my dreams so tenaciously. Why does God give me these ideas if he knows I won’t fulfill them? Why does He make the road so difficult? Why does He punish me so with such utter frustration? Am I wrong?

I could go on with this depressed conversation but what good would it do?

I can only thank God that I love you so much. He makes me love you and He makes you love me. If this is so, what does He do this to us? The end must certainly compensate for the means used. But I wonder what the end will be?

Without you I wouldn’t have anything. You are everything I need. My love for you is a big stabilizer in my life. The only peace and quiet I get is when I read your letters, write to you or just sit and think about you. You sooth my nerves and ease my worries. You give me strength and hope, the only joy I feel. I guess that love is the strongest force there is because it rules us with an iron hand. There is no swerving, no doubt, no slipping where love controls. There is only absolute and blind obedience to the force of love.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 36

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Tuesday
September 26, 1950

Dearest Baby Bunny,

Today is a sad day because there was no letter from you & when there is no letter from you my poor, sick heart sinks way down to the bottom of me, my white ears droop & drag on the ground & get all dirty. But I know you write me every day & you are really a super, stupendous & wonderful letter-writer so it must be the mailman’s fault. Your letters are so wonderful that I can hardly believe it’s me your saying all this about. You are such a wonderful rabbit anyway. Boy, oh boy do I miss you — it’s really awful with no rabbit around to cuss & discuss with, but I will say that Baby-cat sure tried hard to be a good pal today. After I got home from work I took some dry cleaning over to Bullock’s & put Buster on the leash. I got almost down to our corner, turned around & saw Baby-cat following us, so I told her to go home, but she kept right on coming, so I tried to pick her up but she wouldn’t let me, so I continued on. I got to the r.r. tracks & she was still tagging alone, we crossed the tracks & got about half way down the dirt path on the other side of the tracks when she came running up real fast to us & went “Buurrupt” so I tried to catch her, but she was scared & ran off so we went on. When we got back home in a few minutes there she was sitting just outside the gate waiting for us. Now, isn’t that the most educated cat you’ve ever heard of? I think she’s really smart.

Today I went over to the Basketball Pavilion again, but we weren’t nearly as busy today as yesterday, so I am not nearly so bushed tonight — last night I was completely collapsed. Tonight I did a load of laundry, washed up several days dishes & washed my hair & that is the extent of a rather dull day. I saw Knowlton, etc., & they all said to say hello to you — also some complete stranger to me came up & asked me today where you were & what you were doing. I haven’t the least idea who he was.

Did I tell you that Isabelle gave me the loan of a pattern for the dress I am going to make in the Singer Sewing Class which begins on October 12? She made a dress from it which I tried on & was very flattering to me. I think I will make mine in gray, wool, jersey. If I get a Singer Sewing Machine I’ll get 10 more lessons free. This course I’m going to take cost ^$10. I am also defiantly going to do that UC Extension Course.

Incidently I think the picture of you & Hocking is classic & everyone I’ve showed it to has died laughing. As yet I have not received my finished photos, but should soon & will send them to you immediately. Please answer this question:
Have you applied for my travel pay between Los Altos & El Toro?

If not are you going to & if not, why not? That would buy a half a sewing machine or a filing cabinet. Also, I have never received the instructions, etc. for my watch. I would like to have them for future reference if you have them.

Boy, bunny if you only knew how much I love you you’d never ask such silly questions as — do you love me or is there anyone else? Why should I be interested in anyone else when I already have the dearest, sweetest pink-eared rabbit as my very own? There just isn’t anyone else for me so don’t ever fear as I think we are the most compatible couple I know of even if we do blow sometimes. For my money it’s much better to blow than to have it all bubbling inside like some people do. You’re just right for my money & you’re my own, dear, sweet bunny, & I know you’ll never be untrue because it would hurt me to the quick & I love you with all I’ve got. You’re my baby.

All my love & kisses & hugs,
Jane

27 September 1950
Itami, Japan
[47]

Dear Jane,

Another day another dollar. Please write and tell me what the balances are in all the accounts as of 1 October. Tell me if you got the ^$50 and the ^$200 allotment ok. Tell me if you have paid off all the debts because I think you should do that first of all and then use the ^$200 a month to buy what you need. Remember, pay off the debts first. If in doubt — don’t spend. Buy nothing on credit. It isn’t necessary because in a few months you will have enough cash for everything you need.

Nothing new has happened. I haven’t been off the base since I bought your watch. I’ve been able to hold my expenses down quite well. So far I’ve averaged ^$3.12 a day which I think is pretty good. This includes all expenses — O’Club included.

I’m going over to the paymaster and get a detailed report on my pay on the 1^st. I’ll send you the info so you will know where everything is going. Thus, you can see for yourself how our savings is coming along. Also, on the 1^st I’m going to send you ^$150 — now ^$50 is going into your savings — that will make $100 for you which should be there — the ^$50 already sent and then this ^$50 on the 1^st. The other ^$150 I want you to put in my checking account. I want to get the balance big enough so that there is no charge on it. There you see, in our permanent savings will be ^$100 in your savings and ^$150 in my checking account — the total of ^$250 for one month isn’t too bad. We have to start saving right away because we don’t know how long I’ll be on this duty. The more we have saved the happier we will be in the future.

Thus, this savings plus your purchases for the house should make us both happy. I figure that by now: you should be able to make some purchases and on Dec 1 you should be able to get ^$250 worth of stuff — no credit remember. Don’t get too excited and think you have to get everything right away. By next april you should have about ^$1000 worth of stuff. I’ll expect to see quite a house. Perhaps a dishwasher would be good but where would you put it? I like the idea of a dish washer.

As ever, I love you and only you. Junior is a very good boy and has caused no trouble at all, which is surprising. He’s a one girl fellow— mainly because you are such a God damned good woman for any fellow and I’m sure glad I’m the lucky fellow. You’ll never see me taking any kind of a chance of spoiling our marriage. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me and I now really know it. Don’t you worry Baby pink eared rabbit this loyal and faithful fellow is going to come home to you in exactly the same condition he left you. There hasn’t been another gal since we’ve been married and there never will be one as long as we are married. I’m real serious about this marriage of ours.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you.
Mert.

No. 37

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Wednesday
September 27, 1950

Dearest Little Baby Bunny,

Another day & no letter from my little baby & that makes me very, very sad. I suppose it is all the mailman’s fault so I can’t blame my faithful letter-writing rabbit. I did get a long letter from Edie in which she said they were nicely settled & that Kaye was already behind in school but Karen was doing famously. She cordially asked me to come down to live with them (which I won’t do) & certainly to visit them at Christmas. Don’t tell your folks this as she said Dad would blow a gasket but Ken’s mother might move down to El Paso as she thinks the winters in Idaho will probably be too cold. Edie said she’d really hustled to find Mrs. K. a room immediately if not sooner. I hope you don’t really mind if I go to visit them for a week or so at Christmastime or New Year’s as that will be the worst time of all without you. I do not intend to stay too long as that will be too expensive, but I wouldn’t mind a short little jaunt — it is only 3 days by auto, so by train ought to be much quicker.

For some reason I’m very tired tonight as we have been very busy at work today. As a matter of fact we’ve been busy as bird dogs all week & then I’ve been slaving with no raise or hope of one as far as I can see from that old bat Faust. Faulkner the old panty-waste probably has the attitude that you shouldn’t offer a mere secretary anything. You know Jeanne just asked for & got a ^$10 a month raise too.

Have I told you Jim & Bev Cox are coming up here to spend their vacation with me for a week beginning Sunday, Oct. 8. When I was south after you left they said they might come up & I extend them a cordial invitation as I said I would love the company & they could do just as they pleased. So I got a letter from Bev saying they had decided to come. I’m very glad as they are real good company & it will be fun to have someone around. I also will ask them (Jim especially) what he thinks about my ideas on furnishing the house. I think their apartment looks so nice I’d like to get their opinions.

I am enclosing an appeal from W.N.A. which you may or may not want to answer. Seems they have another Acting President. Wonder what all their mess is about?

Next Tuesday Ceilly McFarland & Charys Pinney & I are going to start our sewing circle again & I am real glad. Helen Yule who was with us last year has gone to Tacoma as her husband who was a Corporal in the Air Force was called. He is an air plane mechanic. He’s the one who, after 5 years of undergraduate work at Stanford flunked out of Engineering School.

Have I told you its turned quite chilly here at night? Guess winter is really coming now. Wish it would always stay sort of spring-summer-like. I don’t care for rain at all.

Gosh, baby you’ll never know how awful it is without you around — Buster just came up & nudged me & said it was awful lonesome for him too. He says somebody used to play with him sometimes in the afternoon, but now he always has to play with Baby-cat & sometimes she’s just terribly silly for a big grown-up dog like he is. Say, hasn’t that love bug been talking to you lately? The story you wrote me about how he’d worked his way into you I liked a whole lot. Remember the story you wrote me in Massachusetts about the little rabbit who liked to have her ears stroked & the carrot with the big bushy end that tickled? I will always keep that & read it to our dear five children. Boy, won’t we have fun with five kids? Hope all the boys are just like you — clever, ambitious, witty, smart & all real, real sweet lover rabbits like you.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

28 September 1950
Itami, Japan
48

Dear Jane,

The only thing new is that I am in SMS 12 — a service squadron and when I don’t fly I’m to help out on the legal problems — What a laugh! Now I’m working on Deck Courts — I guess I’m too soft hearted to punish anyone. I’d rather defend them. It is very sad. However, it is interesting.

No flight today. Other fellows are getting in their time. Perhaps I’ll fly tomorrow. I suppose I never will get a strike in at the North Koreans. Fate is unexplainable. I’ve tried every angle I know. I am writing this letter during the noon hour. I’ve got to get back to work — believe it or not. There are a lot of books to read on this subject.

Naturally, I love you more and more each day. Each day you should feel more and more secure. I am doing my best to buck you up and keep your ears straight up. Your letters do wonders for me. I never tire of reading the same words over again and again. I just live for your love and that’s no exaggeration either.

Will write tomorrow.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

No. 38

Mrs. Merton Kirk Cameron, Jr.
444 Palm Ave
Los Altos, California

Thursday
September 28, 1950

Dearest Baby Bunny,

Today I received your No. 44, but am missing 41, 42 & 43, & I can’t imagine what happened to my No. 15 as I am sure I sent it on schedule. I think if I hadn’t gotten a letter from you I would have popped as I am really quite, seriously burned up with Faust tonight. Yesterday Charys told me she was going to ask one him for a raise to ^$200, & she did via note. Today he called me in, asked me if I thought a ^$10 a month raise would do it, I said “I suppose so” & let it go at that, but I was so damn mad I nearly exploded. Why in the hell should she get a raise having been back less than a week & I don’t? Her reason was she made less than ^$1.⁰⁰ an hour, but even so I can’t see why she should & I shouldn’t when Faust keeps telling me how “valuable” & “helpful” & “well-liked” he thinks & hears I am. I think he has holes in his head when it comes to personal problems, & am convinced I’ll never get anywhere with the old goat & with your permission would at least like to look for another job where I won’t be stuck with some a-h’s like Faust & Faulkner who are completely out of this world as far as a secretary goes. Jeez they’re stupid — or smart — inasmuch as I’ve sure been “taken” for a long time, but I’m definitely about at the end of my rope — the dirty rats.

Today I received the Rolex Guarantee & instructions, so will statch it away for future reference — I was glad to know how to adjust it for slowness & fastness as that part is quite tricky.

I really wish you would try & explain to me why you are getting the “shaft” a you call it. Were there others like you? Is there an explanation or do you think or is it just a complete mystery? Seems quite odd to me. What has happened to Daigle & Yorg, Garten, Evans & Hughes? Hocking also.

Today Mrs. Jackson, the woman who teaches the Social Service class & asked us down to her beach house in June treated me to lunch at the Union Dining Room. It was very nice & she was her usual chattering self — O.K. as a luncheon companion occasionally but not too often.

Yes, I agree that first, I will pay off all the debts as fast as possible & in full; second, I will begin to buy furniture. I have held onto the ^$50 to see how I would come out on this month, but since we are paid tomorrow, & I have not needed it I will put it in my savings account in tact. One thing though, my clothes for work are really in awful condition inasmuch as I have a total of 3 outfits & only 2 skirts, so I really feel I must buy myself something a little better very soon. Needless to say all the people in the President’s Office dress extremely well & I feel like the back end of a rag bag & Charys dresses well too.

I’m glad you reminded me of the pedigree papers — I’ll type you a copy soon, as I do not think I ought to send an original as it might get lost.

Patty & Mac McEwen are coming over for dinner Saturday night as I have been over there several times. But it will be awfully lonesome & dull without my own little, dear baby rabbit around — nothing really seems very interesting or exciting without my own dear baby to do it with. I love my baby so much & you are so dear to me that neither Clit nor I could be untrue to either you or Jr. for even a minute or a second. We’re willing to wait as long as we have to for your quick return. Please do hurry back baby just as fast as you can, will you? It’s just terribly lonesome & blue without my own dear snuggley lover. Be a good with ears straight up.

All my love & kisses,
Jane

289 September 1950
Itami, Japan
49

Dear Jane,

You’ll never know how much I liked your letter or how good I felt to think that you really liked the watch. Just your liking the watch that much is all I want. I really feel happy and good inside when I’ve done something for you that you enjoy or want. There is so little I have done for you or can do now, that what little I do for you and you are happy by that little, makes me feel a little bit better but not much. Funny thing happened when I read your letter: two big warm salty tears came to my eyes and there was a very tense tight feeling in my tummy. The only other time that happened was one time when I wrote you, and I missed you so very much. You know I never used to have tears — I must be getting soft or something — or you’ve changed me — or maybe it hurts too much to be away from you. I really want to hold you close and love you and sleep with you. I also want a family, all ours. We’re going to start on that family the first minute I’m home. Never again will I tolerate birth control — so just resign yourself to 5 or more kids — I’ll take care of all of you.

Nothing new has happened here. The war is far away from me. I am as loyal and faithful as ever. As I view more of what goes on I begin to think you have an exceptional husband. You are quite lucky in that I believe in a single standard and love you so much I couldn’t hurt you even if you never found out. Sometimes I think I’m a pretty good kid that way. There are lots of girls who don’t fool around but there are fewer fellows — oh! lucky you!

Love you gal like I never loved anything else.

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

Another letter lost to time.

30 September 1950
Itami, Japan
50

Dear Jane,

This will be a short sweet love letter to a beautiful, sweet, white, pink-eared bunny — called Jane. Have I ever told you how completely wonderful you are and how you are the answer to all my dreams? Now that I have you I never dream of anyone except you. I’m sure I’ve told you that whenever I have a dream of the South Seas, or of luring continental cities of or fashionable American places the beautiful queen I end up with making love is strangely, even oddly — she looks like you every time in fact she is you in every detail. I think I’m very lucky to have married my dream girl.

I miss you like I’ve missed nothing ever before. I’m saving every ounce of me for just you and only you. I feel just terrible looking at any girl much less talking to one when you are not around to watch over me and direct me in the right manner. Without my little balance wheel, which you are, I find myself peculiarly unadjusted to life around me. You are my stabilizer, the one who keeps me going in the right direction, the one who says she loves me when I feel that no one cares, the one who wants my love — boy, you’re everything I need or will ever want. Never let it enter your head that you haven’t sold me completely on you. I only hope that you love me as much as I love you. If you even loved me a little of how much I love you, nothing would, or could, ever happen to us.

Tell me whether or not you like this kind of love letter? When you write your perfect love letters I just eat them up and sort of go off into a trance and Dream about you — it’s wonderful I tell you. Oh, just to hold you in my arms and love — boy wouldn’t that be good though?

Believe in me and trust in me and I will believe in you and trust in you
Mert

Unfortunately, this letter is missing, too.