This sweet and affectionate letter from Dart is peppered with details of his daily life and with intermittent attempts to answer her Christmas Day letter.

As he begins to write, he has her letter on one knee and this letter on the other. “How I wish your letter were you. When I think of you saying the things you write and doing the things you talk about, I imagine you saying them right here and it seems as if you really are here with me. It seems as though I should be able to put my arms around you and rest my head on your pretty brown hair. Dottie, this war can’t last forever, and when it’s over we’ll never have to tell each other what we did on Christmas Day.”

He got a big kick out of her description of Christmas at the Chamberlain house, but he needs clarification of one mysterious point. He begs her to tell him what a “puff” is. The one she got for Christmas was light green. (I’m glad he asked because I’m not sure myself. From the context of her letter, I guessed it must be some kind of fluffy bed covering, but I’d like to have that confirmed or corrected.)

He likes the work details he’s had lately. They’re not too hard, but better still, the folks here seem to know what they’re doing and they treat everyone well. Both of those factors make any work more enjoyable, in Dart’s opinion. How different that experience is from the work details at Shoemaker.

He assures Dot not to worry about the Aussie girls, even if he does manage to get a liberty there. He explains that the only reason guys like them is that they are there and they are girls. But he already has the prettiest and sweetest girl all to himself and he’s not interested in any others. He has her right where he wants her – namely, safe and sound in the good old USA.

With mailing problems persisting, he suggests she keep his birthday gift until the next time she sees him. But he says if she ever has another picture taken, he’d like her to send him a copy. Apparently she will need to show this letter at the post office and it will serve as the “official request” required to be able to mail the photo. That’s a strange regulation. I wonder if the Navy was trying to keep the weight of mail to a minimum or if it was trying to discourage unsolicited pictures from boy-crazy girls. I’ll have to see if Dot knows the answer.

The last paragraph is so endearing. “Gee, but I love you, Dot. I feel radiant every time I think of you. It’s good for a fellow, to be in love.”

There are no letters tomorrow or the next day but Dart returns on the 4th. See you then!