Getting Closer to You

The final days apart were passing for Frank and me, but each day seemed to go too slowly.

We were so ready and anxious to be together again then start our new adventure in life. Frank and I didn’t care what we had to do to survive our future, we just wanted to do it holding each other’s hand and looking into each other’s eyes.

Frank had asked me not to write to him after November 17th because he would have already left Phu Bai for Da Nang and he would not receive letters from me.

It was so hard to break the habit of writing to him every day, but it helped that I was still receiving mail from him. I received the next letter from Frank written on November 14th about the 20th of November of 1971.

November 14, 1971

Dear Nancy,

Hello, my love. How is your day? I hope it’s a beautiful day and you’re happy and feeling well. Because when you get this letter you’ll only have about one more week to yourself. After that hang it up. That husband of yours will be back and you won’t have a moment to yourself.

You’ll have to go back to the old slave labor routine again. Washing his dirty socks, feeding him, picking up after him, and complying to his every wish. The old tedious task of being a wife. It’s tedious alright but also has its advantages.

You will be loved as no woman has ever been loved before. You will be treated like a queen. Though probably not in material things, such as lots of money, beautiful clothes, or expensive jewelry. You will be treated like a queen because of my love for you. You’ll never want for love, devotion, and respect.

You’ll not find a better father for the children you bear me. I’ll work fourteen hours a day to give them the things a child should have. But I’ll always find plenty of time to give them all the love and affection they need and deserve.

You asked if I would be okay with us having a child right away. Nancy, I would be so proud to father a child. It would make me so proud to give a child. It’s something I have wanted to give you for almost four years now. For you to want me to share the parenthood of a child with you fills my heart with so much pride and love. I love you so much, Nancy.

Our time apart is closely drawing to an end. It seems like an eternity since we were together. Our own private hell is ending, at last. Needless to say, it’s about time. I think if I had to go another month without you, I wouldn’t make it. I guess I could but I don’t see how.

My love for you, Nancy is so real and wonderful. I can’t wait til you can see just how much I do love you. I’ll never let you forget how much I love you.

Honey, I’d better close. Please take care of yourself for me. God bless you and take care of you for me. I love you.

All My Love Forever,

Frank

P.S. I love you and miss you so much, “shorty”

I am enclosing a brochure given to me for you to read to encourage me to re-up. I thought you would get a kick out of this. I love you even though you hate the Army. HA!

Love, Frank

I laughed when I saw the re-up brochure that Frank sent me. He had circled promises that we knew were not true and he made funny comments by them. There was absolutely no way Frank was going to re-up and I knew it.

Although we had lived in some beautiful places, Frank and I were done with the Army. Being separated was not for us. We just wanted to be side by side for whatever the future held for us.

The next letter Frank brought home with him. It is the last letter that I wrote to him while he was in Vietnam and one of the two that he saved. The other letter from me was the one I typed to him about the kisses he owed the Credit Bureau which is in another chapter in Book Two.

Seeing my writing in this letter, I can tell how excited I was that Frank was coming home. Also, I can read in my words the fear and concern for Frank’s safety in his final days.

November 17, 1971

Dearest Darling,

I Love You! Honey, I wish so much that this was the 27th instead of the 17th. I miss you so much.

Honey, you told me not to write after today, so I won’t, but remember my Love is with you till my love and I both can be with you. Please, take care of yourself and hurry home to me. I Love You With All of My Heart.

Gosh, I wish these last ten days would hurry up and pass by. The thought of holding you tightly and lying beside you makes me feel so warm and content. I Love You With All of My Heart Frank and I Miss You So Much.

I made a cake for your Mom’s birthday tonight and I’m going to get her a punch bowl set.

Oh, Frank, I Love You So Very, Very Much, please take care of yourself and God keep you safe. I Live For You and I Can’t Live Without You. I Love You too much to go through life without you by my side. I Love You, Frank!

Honey, call me as soon as you get to the states. If our phone messes up, call my folk’s house and they’ll come to get me. Okay? Okay! I Love You.

Honey, I’ll close for now. I Love You and I pray that God will please, please take care of you and keep you safe till I can help Him. I Love You With All of My Heart. God Bless You, Darling.

All of My Love Is Yours Forever Frank.

I Love You,

Nancy

P.S. 10 DLITA

SHORTER THAN SHORT!!

10>9>8>7>6>5>4>3>2>1>Together Again Forever!!

I was not the only one who was feeling the overwhelming excitement in those final ten days. Frank’s last letter to me was written one day after I wrote the above letter and he was having a very hard time thinking and writing.

It had been a long year for us with so many emotions. I honestly can’t tell you what I did those last few days. I am sure I was anxious, worried and in a daze. Frank was worried too. He was so afraid that something would happen to me even though I was in a safe place.

Thanksgiving was on November 25th of 1971, so that was a little of a distraction for me and Frank was busy processing out of Phu Bai then traveling to Da Nang for more processing, so he had distractions too.

The following letter is the last letter I received from Frank while he was in Vietnam.

November 18, 1971

Dearesnt Nancy,

Golly, I can’t even spell Dearest any more. I guess I’m just too excited over coming home.

Today was my last working day in the Army. It didn’t really seem possible. I’ve gotten until the 22nd to clear post and then on the 23rd, I’ll leave here for Da Nang.

Good grief, we’re really short. It’s finally going to happen. I’m so happy! By the time you get this letter, I’ll be in Da Nang.

I hope you have a very nice Thanksgiving. Eat plenty for me too. Save me some black olives. OK? OK!

Nancy, I love you so much. I can’t think of anything to say except, I love you so.

Forgive me for quitting but all I can think of is in just a short time I’ll be looking at you. So, goodnight my Darling and please take care and I’ll see you soon. God bless you and watch over you, my love.

All My Love for You,

Frank

P.S. How about a kiss? I expect a really good one when I first see you. So be prepared

The letter above arrived on the 24th of November after I read it, I would not hear from Frank until the phone would ring.

In the evening of November 28th, 1971, our phone rang and I quickly answered it. I heard Frank say with his voice breaking into tears, “Nancy, I love you so much! I made it Nancy. I am nearly home.”

Frank’s voice was so full of emotion that I started crying and he told me, “Nancy, please don’t cry. I promise you I will never leave you again.”

All I could say was, “I love you, Frank. I love you, Frank.” over and over.

We finally got our emotions in check then Frank told me when he would arrive in Houston from Washington. We talked until his flight number was called then counted to three together before we hung up the phone.

After hanging up the phone, I called both our families to let them know that Frank was stateside and I would be picking him up in Houston.

God had answered our prayers and we were so thankful.