Jumping back in the sequence of Frank Stevens’ World War II letters with this newly-discovered stash, there are still missing parts to the story. Even including these new letters, I have a gap of exactly a year and two days between Frank’s last letter home to Will and Agnes Tully Stevens and the one posted below.
Best I can tell, Frank is still stationed at the Naval Operating Base on Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands, still working at the base hospital as a Pharmacist’s Mate, Third Class. With such a lull in his duties as he awaits orders, the routine surely is becoming monotonous.
Except for a few surprises…
March 27, 1944
Dear Mom Dad + All:
I guess I’ve been rather tardy with this letter and I hope that You will overlook it and not be sore about it. I’ve been turned in and had a slight operation. By having this I have also joined the jewish church so I guess You know what kind of an operation I had. I’m just as fat + sassy as ever and I’m still waiting for orders. A month ago the 1st sgt told me that I would be out of here inside of two weeks and I expected to be home by now but in the service I guess that You can’t count on anything. I’m the oldest man at the hospital now and I’ve been doing all right. I’ve been told that I could pick my own detail from now on and I’ve decided to go into the record office and brush up on my typing as I’ve gone rather stale its been so long since I’ve touched on. Say I’ve got a little news for You. Mrs. Roosvelt was down here and I had dinner with her of course there wer 4 other fellows at the table but we had a swell time. She is a very interesting person and has a charming personality and Pat “She signed my short snorter bill.” so be jealous and see if I care.
I wonder if Frank's parents always (or ever) knew when Frank was pulling their legs and when he wasn't?
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