Dear Mrs. Vincenzo,
I’m going to Hawaii! Well, I’m going to California and then to Hawaii. It’s mostly the yeomen (clerical gals) who get to travel, but when the lieutenant found out I had kitchen experience, she decided to send me to work in the Officers’ Club. Doesn’t that just float your boat! Ha! Another girl, Maxine, grew up in her granddad’s diner. She’s going, too. We get along all right, so I have high hopes.
Maxine says pineapples grow everywhere on the islands. If that’s the case, I’ll have to learn to cook with them real fast. I’ve never had one, have you? I bet they’re sweet. It’ll be nice to eat something sweet all the time. I thought about sending one to Little Sal if they’ll let me, but I don’t think I’ll do that. I don’t want his teeth to rot before giving them a fair chance.
Basic training hasn’t been too tough. Lots of marching, cleaning and even marksmanship! You know, when I joined up the officers said I could free up a stateside navy boy so he could go help Toby fight in the Pacific. I am doing that, but I feel I’m doing much more. The officers keep telling us we’re “vital” to the war effort, in so many ways. I like that word—vital. It makes me feel better about leaving you and Little Sal. I had some dark days after you dropped me at the camp. I’ll tell you about it sometime, but let’s say I was just about ready to go AWOL again. I made it to the fence and turned around.
I don’t know what brought me back. I did think about what Charlie said when you sent me off. I also think about how puffed up with pride you get when people ask you about Toby. I want Little Sal to think about me that way someday, when he gets older and can understand things.
So thank you, Mrs. Vincenzo, for everything you’ve done for me. I won’t ever let it slip my mind. Please give my sweet boy a kiss from his mama, and know that this letter is a hug for you.
Love,
Roylene Vincenzo (I like to write it) Officer’s Cook, SC, U.S. Navy
P.S. I’ve enclosed a letter for Roy. I know we left things real bad, but he’s still my pop and I’m going far away. You can just slip it under the alley-side door of the tavern, so you don’t have to see him. Thank you in advance.