Letters: March 5 1951

        I wish there were some other way to start out writing a letter than just to start out writing. But for the life of me I can’t figure out how. And that seems to have taken care of the start anyway. If you, by this time, think I’m psycho you are very close to right. Actually, starting a letter is the hardest part of the whole letter for me. Maybe I should have majored in letter writing. Come to think of it, you should have also. At least in the number of letters needed to keep our boys overseas happy. Me. At first it was a steady stream and now it’s a trickle. Maybe you have written lots lately--I haven’t been back to Yokohama for some time to see if there is any mail for me. I did get one letter from you in the last two weeks. I’ve been socked in at an airfield in South Japan because of bad weather. It’s the one where you told me all about your trip through the northern part of Calif. And I agree completely that No. Calif is wonderful and I believe I told you once before that I want to teach in No. Calif somewhere. Preferably around Sonoma. [Tim's note: My god, I'm living in Sonoma County!]

        Before I forget--the pictures were wonderful but I thought I had said something before. Guess not. They are swell Hon and I would like some more whenever you will send them. -- -- Incidentally there is a time lapse of two days between the last paragraph and where the ink looks different. As I said earlier in the letter I was writing from an airbase in So Japan. Well, I ran out of ink and then flew to Korea. Now I’m back to Yokohama and ink in the pen--and no letter from you as yet and goddammit why haven’t you written lately oh hell you have probably written and I will get a letter real soon I hope and just where do you want to honeymoon at if it’s still on I men about us and are you willing to wait for a couple of years when I get out of the goddam army of course I’ll be a little older than you those gray hairs are more and more evident tough I don’t mind and I have another flight to Korea day after tomorrow is there anything special you would like from Japan some silk maybe or what you name it.

        Okay Baby--all for now. Every day is duller than the last and I wish I were back in San Fran for good instead of stinking Japan. Please write real often and be good once in awhile anyway.

Letters: Feb 15, 1951

         Received your latest letter in just six days from the time it was mailed--practically a record and it’s almost like a telephone call. But your letters--what a conglomeration of confusion and egotism plus some rather interesting points. But I love you and I don’t go to Stockton just to get a ride or what the hell do you mean. You also said you read (while home) some old love letters you received in 1943, which would put you in the 14 years old bracket then--you being 22 and your birthday Feb 5--which reminds me--today I sent you a small gift from your birthday. Hope you like it love. I don’t know if you wear things like that or not. Reason for telling you this is that I didn’t send a card or message with the gift-I did send it airmail and you may receive it before this letter…

        Congrats on your remarkable recovery to the A & B class in grades. Beneath that good looking exterior lies a PhD. But I would hate like hell to try to make love to a walking classroom with Plato’s principles and Freudian philosophy, with an offshoot of Euclid--wow, I didn’t think that would come out of me. -- -- I just reread your letter and the last part sticks with me. Ha! Where do these delusions start? But with a certain sharpness of mind at this particular moment I offer you a sort of payment--with the dough I’m saving each month (it’s going into a savings account) I’ll present you with three choices...when I return…-- A honeymoon in France (I’m not kidding) or the same in Bermuda--where I’ve always wanted to go--or three nights in a motel and no marriage. Take your choice.

        Nice that your folks are moving to Pomona--I think it’s one of the prettier towns in So Calif. In fact, I’ve thought of finishing my graduate work there--when I return to living.

        So Baby--all for now I guess. As you so aptly put it in your letters, I’m going to hit ye olde sack. A very happy birthday, belatedly, to you and please write real soon and real often.

Letters: February 1, 1951

            I guess I’m sort of a meathead for not writing for so long but I have a real good excuse so don’t blow your redtop. I have a feeling you’re irked at me and I’m truly sorry. 

Yes, I’ll marry you, but I was going to ask you first. Now to my excuse--I have, for the last month, been from one end of Japan to the other with a trip to Korea thrown in. I’ve really been on the go--and working too. Definitely not a pleasure trip. But now I’m settled in a way.

I’m no longer in Northern Japan--I have left that wonderful setup and am now stationed in Yokohama. As far as I know I’ll be here indefinitely. I’m ferrying planes all over Japan and that’s about all I do. Even layed off the drinking because I was drinking too much, which reminds me--I don’t want to go Stateside and find one each redhead the town lush. According to your letters I don’t believe there is any more liquor left in San Fran. And damn little in So Calif.

Received a real nice letter from Virge [Barbara’s sister] and I’ll write to her in the next few days. Also received your pictures and not bad hon, not bad. Incidentally I received a whole bunch of letters from you in one group--my mail finally caught up with me. That must have been a rough evening when you lost your school papers and couldn’t remember where--wow!

Glad to hear you will finally graduate within the next five or six years. Congrats, and what would you like for a graduation present?

Well honey--I have a flight coming up in about ten minutes so I had better get my clothes (flight) on. Keep on writing like you have been ‘cause it’s swell. Now that I’m settled I’ll write more regularly. Promise.

Give my love to--!! Hell, might as well keep it yourself. We don’t know anybody in San Fran except bartenders and bar girls. And I don’t think they want my love. Bye for now.

Letters: Dec 16, 1950

            Today I received your letter written Dec 3 but it, like the other one I’ve received, had to go through two APDs to reach me. But I got it. And, as you aptly put it, mail does mean a lot. I wrote you a few days ago, I think--liquor is beginning to fog my brain somewhat, or maybe I’ve been taking it too easy--I dunno.

Incidentally, your pointing out that I have a failing for losing redheads’ addresses proves a point for me--that all redheads are cute but wacky. I never forgot a redhead’s address. Some may have slipped my mind but I eventually remembered. And also, I wrote yours down and have it safely in my wallet. Including the card you sent me--neat for the beach place. Can we use it for a week when I get back? Okay, you make the arrangements.

Went to the show this evening. Saw “Saddle Tramp.” Not good, not bad. But it was a western and that’s good. All the movies we get here, plus mail, plus supplies, plus everything, comes from Tokyo by rail and it takes two days plus a six hour ferry ride from the island of Honshu to Hokkaido. I am really out in the wilderness--no kidding.

So sweetheart, guess I’ll close and write a little later--and you keep on writing--your letters and wackiness are terrific--bye now.

Letters: Dec 11, 1950

        Received your swell letter today that was mailed on Nov. 29 and which has followed me quite a ways in Japan. I have moved to a new location and new APO and just received your letter now. Ordinarily it takes six or seven days for a letter from San Francisco to me so you should receive this on the 18th or 19th. 

As I said I have moved and am now in or rather on the island of Hokkaido which is some thousand-odd miles north of Tokyo. It is called the Northern Command and has charge of all Japan from two hundred miles north of Tokyo and on up. In fact we are just thirty-two miles from the Russians and right now it’s snowing like hell (about three feet so far) and the temperature is around twenty degrees. Wish you were here to warm me. The liquor doesn’t quite do the job. And I don’t have a Japanese girl lined up as yet. All the good ones seem to be taken. Oh well…

Gee Baby, I would like to be in San Fran just as soon as I possibly could but I’m afraid it will be some time. But I’ll get there so stick around until I do.

Where I am is one of the best deals anybody could have. I am flying a General and I have a place to live that would do justice to Nob Hill. I share a six room apartment with a pal and we each have a bedroom and a Japanese boy to do all the work including mixing the drinks. Liquor is so damn cheap it’s pitiful. Less than two dollars a fifth and any kind you want. In fact I can’t afford to stay sober. Oh well again.

So Baby, until I hear from you--goodbye for now. I’ll write a longer letter as soon as I’m organized here and I hope I hear from you real often. I’ll write just as often--be goddamn good or else.

Ps. Merry Xmas

The War Letters: My Father's Correspondence to My Mother Before their Marriage, 1950-1952, During the Korean War

Introduction: 

Dear Redhead -- I hope you’ve written lately but I don’t know. I’m at a different place now begins the writing on a blank postcard without photograph, 1 cent stamp a green profile of Thomas Jefferson, dirty beige color like wet straw, dated Jan 6, and U.S. ARMY POST in circular gray stamped 1951, addressed to Miss Tommy Lowery, 99 Divisadero St., San Francisco, Calif--in careful, elegant cursive handwriting; the return address in the left corner is Lt. John J. Corrigan 0.1184184, Jq. Northern Command, APO 309 ℅ PM. San Francisco. The writer, who is my father, is stationed at a “different place” in Japan, but expects to return to his former address near Yokohama, and encourages the recipient, Miss Tommy Lowery, my mother Barbara (her nickname "Tommy"), to keep writing there, and he hopes to have “a bunch of mail” awaiting him. Your letters have been swell Baby--real swell he ends, and closes, as he does with most of his letters from overseas, with All my love, John.

***

Nov 18, 1950. I will reiterate--I am really glad you called last night and I had a wonderful time on Wednesday eve. But you sounded as believing as an atheist in church. I meant all I said and if you don’t believe me--tough. 

Possibly you didn’t, things being as they are, believe I’d write but I’ll leave that up to conjecture--mine. As for loving you--remember baby what the good book says (I’m not sure myself)--we only had one date. But I do find the idea interesting. Possibly you weren’t serious over the phone but I was. And I’ll see you when I return.

Enough of the serious side--I have been issued so goddamn much equipment I need a pack horse. How I’ll ever fit it all into a small plane defeats me. What I would like to fit into the plane is a bed and you. Put the plane on automatic pilot and make love at nine thousand feet. Ingenious, huh?

My only excuse for making this a short letter is that I am leaving in just ten minutes. A Sgt. will (I hope) mail this letter for me. I’ll write next from Japan but in the interim, you write--my address is below. Bye for now--and be damn good.