A Letter Home, November 1943

This is part two of an ongoing series by Lucy Albright. about her grandfather, Major Paul H Price, a WVU geology professor who went back into the military.  – Ed.

Following his commission in June of 1943, my grandfather was briefly stationed at several sites around the US prior to going overseas.  One of his longest stays was at Stanford University in California, where he studied German and Civil Affairs.  This is one of his letters to my mom, his second daughter, who was 12 years old.  It is poignant to see my grandfather’s efforts to care for his young children from such a distance, trying to provide encouragement and direction they are missing due to both his absence and the death of their mother and his wife, Helen, just 3 years earlier.

Major Paul H. Price
Stanford University, California
November 1943

My dear “Joannie”
I have missed not getting letters from you.  You last letter was interesting and very well written.  I know you have grown much and are now a big girl.  The first thing I know the boys will be wanting dates with you.

I hope you walk straight, breathe deeply with chest out.  You should take deep breathing exercises regularly-each of you.  I make it a practice while I am walking.  You will be surprised how it helps you to walk erect.  And too it makes your lungs resistant to germs.

Do you get any music in school?  Are you in any choir?  Do you have any memory work or acting in little plays-these are all good training as Honey (my mom’s older sister) can tell you since she is taking public speaking.  Your mother could do all of those.  I really love good music and think it would be wonderful if my children could play or sing and dance for me when I got back home again.

Did Marian tell you she (the Tapps) got my letter?   (Marian is my mom’s great aunt who lived a block away from the Price kids.  She was somewhat of a grandmother to them, as she helped raise their mother, Helen, from birth, when she also lost her mother.)

I still haven’t any orders, but someday they will come.  In this meantime we are still studying German and working up reports on our problems, (in an earlier letter he describes this activity as Civil Affairs team members working up a solution for governing a foreign area.)
Living here with a large number of other men is alright for a while but it’s not like home with each of you wanting to be on my bed while we are listening to “Inner Sanctum.”  I hope you don’t listen to it anymore.  It will make you have bad dreams.   (Mom has said how all 4 kids loved to pile on their dad’s bed before he went overseas and he would read the comics to them or listen to radio programs together.)

Do you know where my spurs are?  I might want to take them with me, although I believe the leather straps are lost.

Well Joann I want to write the others also, so I had better stop.

Wish I could be with you all – But it will make us appreciate it all the more when we do.

Write me the news-I like to know about all the things you do-that is the best letter.

With Love,
Daddy

Were you sick in bed-once I heard you came home with an upset stomach

Next week: A letter from France
England.
Related Posts:

• A Letter Home, June 7, 1944