Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains correspondence from Howard McCormick to his wife Peggy McCormick (nee Griffin). The earliest letters
are from 1943, before they are married; the last are from the 1950s. McCormick writes frequently, while overseas as much as
three times a day beginning in 1944.
From August 1944 through August 1945 most letters are typewritten. He signs his letters "Mac." -- In April 1943 1st Lt. McCormick
is writing from the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, FL to Peggy in Meridian, MS. He writes mostly of
his love for her - "Strange - this disease called love. Fear that I have an incurable case ..."
May 9 - Regarding his phone call to her: "In effect, Peggy, I asked you to marry me last night. I hadn't intended to, but
my heart sort of took control of my tongue." He writes he may not be worthy of her as he's never had a job, doesn't know how
to save money and doesn't know what he'd do if the war ended immediately. However, his next letter, dated July 18, is addressed
to her as Mrs. Howard McCormick. He writes of missing her as his training takes him to Alachua Air Base near Gainsville, then
to Birmingham, AL and to Congaree Army Air Field in Columbia, SC. He writes of his regret over their difference of religion
"Darling, I do wish this religion situation was all settled amicably for all concerned, bothers me for you to be in such a
quandrum with no possible out that won't hurt somebody." In March 1944 he becomes part of the 406th Fighter Bomber Group.
He writes how important her letters are to him - he tells her how to write, what to write, how often to write. He wants to
hear details of her days although he is not allowed to write about his. He expresses concern about her health and that of
their unborn child. In early April he is writing from England. He writes of his lonliness and missing her in every letter.
On July 30, 1944 he writes he is "safely ensconced in France." He writes often of how much he relies on her letters for his
happiness and well-being. August 1944 - he writes he expects the war will be over by the end of the year or sooner.
Aug. 2 - "See where the Jerries claim Rommel is not dead. Frankly, it makes little difference. They will need more than brilliant
generals to stave off the defeat which is slowly, but surely, coming their way.... Our boys are half way across the Brest
peninsula."
August 3 - "One thing you must never do is worry about my personal health or safety, though, Darling. Just being in the sort
of outfit I am takes care of that... I am living a life of Reilly compared to the boys at the front." About other soldiers'
interest in war equipment left behind by Germans "Souvenirs of this bloody mess don't seem right to me .. not unless they
are useful. I'd just as soon forget all about the damn thing when it is over."... "I don't like the slightest thing about
being a soldier over here. Nothing but a bloody mess ... no matter how you look at it. Then, when it is all over, and six
million men come home to look for jobs ... we'll have another mess."
August 9, 1944 - he writes of his opinion on "inter-marriage between any two differently colored races." He writes often of
his distaste for alcohol.
August 23, 1944 - writes "Hurray! Just heard the announcement that Paris fell to our troops thirty minutes ago." He writes
about the weather, food, living arrangements, other soldiers' wives having babies, progress of the war, possibility of having
to go to the Pacific theater to fight the Japanese, his impending fatherhood, his concern for her health, popular songs, movies
he sees, "All my life is repetition ... I eat, sleep, work ..."
Sept. 7 - he outlines the policy and procedure for determining when soldiers will return after the war. Notes he will not
be among the first.
Sept. 10, 1944 - he writes of his first visit to Paris "Darling, it is the most beautiful city I have ever seen! Positively
out of this world!" He writes of anxiety about upcoming childbirth and not receiving word as mail is slow and unpredictable
and of saving money for when he gets home as job prospects unpredictable. In some letters he is reminiscing about dates, friends,
movies and meals they had before he went overseas.
Sept. 26 - "One thing that annoys me is to be called a "liberator." Technically, we might all be called such, but I have done
nothing of a direct nature, personally, to liberate France. Don't know the first thing about combat and never will." ...re:
making love with her for the first time.
Oct. 11 - "Incidentally, if there is anything that makes me mad, it is to see a negro with a couple of attractive French girls
around here! My blood just boils and boils! I blame it on the girls too ... surely they must know better."
October 14 - On insisting his wife hire a maid or cook when she has the baby "Trying to do too much is what makes so many
women old before their time .."
Oct. 16, 1944 - "I hit the jackpot on mail today! Five wonderful, adorable letters from you! I'm in the completest ecstacy
of happiness that I have felt since leaving you. Don't know whether I'm coming, going or gone!" He often remarks on the unreliability
and delays in receiving mail. He writes about his concerns regarding the baptism of their baby, difficluty in pleasing family
and finding suitable godparents. On his lonliness "It is as though I have been deprived of the privilege of breathing by some
omnipotent force."
Oct. 20, 1944 - he writes of prospects on the current weather affecting the war and it's end and the end of the war in Europe
and its effect on the war with Japan.
October 21, 1944 - Cigarette rations.
Oct. 22 - description of his living quarters.
Oct. 26, 1944 he writes of his excitement and pleasure of finally receiving a letter announcing his daughter's birth. "Golly!
I have been a father seventeen whole days now!.. Oh Jeepers! I'm just bubbling over! I don't know what to do!.. I feel like
singing with joy and...yet I want to cry! Thank you...thank you, my wonderful Sweetheart!" Tells of drinking with buddies
in celebration and getting very drunk. Swears he will never do it again. He speculates on the end of the war in Europe and
whether he will serve in the Army of Occupation or in the Pacific. He complains about cigarette rationing - that the Army
is not supplying enough to suit him "A pack and a half is my (daily) smoking minimum."
Nov. 16, 1944 he writes of receiving the Bronze Star medal.
Nov. 20, 1944 - he writes about male friendship.
Nov.22, 1944 - describes house plans for their "dream house" and includes drawing of floor plan. Learning to play cribbage,
reading "The Robe." Regarding his future military service he writes he would accept only a "Reserve Commisssion" writing "I
just can't see myself in the peace time Army ...There is far too much class distinction and social involvement .. my main
interest is to go home and live a strictly non-military existence in accordance with nobodies (sic) rulings but our own."
Dec. 1944 - worried because he doen't get mail. Dec 14 - "I'm half crazy with fear!"
Dec. 17, 1944 - "My patriotic spirits are at an extremely low ebb these days. They can take this nice little war of theirs
and ...!" he writes of the progress of the war in Germany, China. Dec 19 - "Woe is me! I'm so damnably lonely!" His only
entertainment is writing to her. Says he wouldn't care if they took away all the movies and officers clubs. Most important
things in his life are letters and cigarettes. Writes of serving on military court occasionally. --
Dec. 22 - "I love beautiful and untainted things, Precious. I love clarity and despise guile in any form. I don't like crowded
masses of reaking (sic), rotten, immoral people .....all covered up with a thin coating of society that is nothing more than
an ironical farce....Trouble is that it is all to (sic) easy in this world to let sensuality and personal covetness .. rule
a persons (sic) practical thoughts and actions.. Desires that were meant to be normal and beautiful have been twisted and
torn ..."
Jan. 1945 - He starts referring to their baby, Cheryl, by her nickname "Sunny."
Jan. 8, 1945 - he writes about his time in England the previous summer and watching "literally hundreds" of buzz bombs shot
down near his base. Jan. 9 - he writes explaining provisions of the GI Bill and his interest in returning to college although
he doesn't know what occupation interests him. Of his job in commmunications for the Army "Once we are set up and everything
functions smoothly, there really can't be a hell of a lot to do. It is when things break down or go wrong that I become busy
then,"
Jan. 11, 1945 - "So far, they have sentenced four men to something like fifty years imprisonment as a result of the black
marketing of our cigarettes over here. Trials are still being held, as something like one hundred eighty-four men were involved
in the deal. Thirty or forty million packs of cigarettes a month certainly put their crime on a grand scale... not to mention
the harm done to the average GIs morale."
Jan. 12, 1945 - he explains his personality and preferences as what he calls "an individualist." He writes about how he doesn't
like to socialize with the other men, doesn't have and doesn't want a close friend or buddy. "I try to keep out of other peoples
business, etc., and expect them to do the same with mine... I don't have any friend that you could consider friends. I don't
want any. However, it has been brought to my attention in many far from delicate ways that my attitude is not at all appreciated
or held in any sort of esteem. To be perfectly honest, Darling, your husband is becoming something of an outcast among the
officers he normally has associated with. ... This situation came to something of a head last night. Whitney and I had a bit
of a run in... I'm stubborn and hard headed. I'm proud as a peacock. Perhaps too damn proud. I don't know how it is going
to work out and when I think of it too much, I get so damn mad that I don't give a hoot!" He asks her advice on what he should
do. January 16 - he complains of the monotony of his job - "just a little more bored and disgusted each day."
Jan. 18, 1945 - he writes of five soldiers sentenced to death for desertion, stealing gasoline and selling it on black market.
Feb. 1, 1945 - has moved camp. Now in an apartment house "only slightly ravaged by the passing of war."
Feb. 12 writes he is living in a tent with "more holes than canvas" in a "mud hole of an airfield" in Belgium, and is using
Belgian francs.
Feb. 15, 1945 - he writes of his concern for her safety as he's read news of a tornado in their home town, Meridian, MS killing
seven and injuring fifty.
Feb. 1945 - he writes about the Binnemans family with whom he is staying in Belgium, describing their "adoption" of him.
Feb. - Mar., 1945 - He continues to write about everyday events, the weather, meals, movies, playing cards and ping-pong,
some work, progress of the war, plans and daydreams about their future, his lonliness and low morale, and especially the lack
of mail. He visits Cologne after it falls and shares his thoughts on how he thinks Germans and Germany should be treated.
He writes of the project he's been assigned to bring electricity to his camp/air base working with Belgian electric and construction
companies.
April 15 - writes his company has moved into Germany, taken over "a lovely little town, having kicked all the civilians out."
Finds himself at first unable to loot although other soldiers have, then finds somethings he wants to send her. Wishes her
a happy 21st birthday.
May 2, 1945 he writes of getting word of his promotion to rank of Major and writes he will increase his allotment $50/month
to $300.00.
May 7 - "I'm expecting to hear the announcement that the war is over anytime now ... You could cut the tension around here
with a knife right now... People are finished worrying about the war and strictly concentrating on what is going to happen
to themselves."
May 9 - he writes about a trip to Belgium and VE celebrations there.
May 11 - He shares information he couldn't previously about this location and responsibilities. He writes in detail about
his trans-Atlantic crossing to England in March April 1944, his station in Ashford, Kent, crossing the English Channel and
station near Bayeux, France and subsequent moves across France, into Belgium and then Germany.
May 14 - he writes of a trip across part of Germany; "I'm convinced now that Germany is easily the loveliest country in Europe.
I'll neever be able to fully understand why these people ever wanted war. They simply had everything. Now...they have next
to nothing." He goes on to describe German people and his unsympathetic feelings about them. Letters from May through June
are often speculation about next assignments and when and if he will be coming home, and as always, about his lonliness. He
describes the base and living quarters near Cuxhaven on the north coast of Germany. He write frequently of social mores and
finds great fault with soldiers' extramarital affairs, the unfaithfulness of wives "back home" and the morality of the world
in general.
August 8 and 9 - remarks on the atomic bomb dropped on Japan and its significance.
August 9 -"I'm glad to learn the Army has released DDT for civilian usage now."
The last letter from the war is Aug. 10, 1945 - "Still sweating out further news on a possible Japanese surrender."