Return to Sender - October 1951

The Saddest “ Return to Sender” letter 

Postmarked Flushing, NY Oct 5 9PM 1951 

Returned 18 Oct 51 

To: Lt. Joseph T. O’Donnell 0-1059578

       Army Unit 8069

       APO 301

       c/o San Francisco, Calif. 

From: 62 Interboro Parkway 

           Brooklyn 7 

                 NY 

Dear Joe, 

         Mother gave me your new address so I’ll write a few lines to you tonight to let you know we’re all thinking of you and praying for you every day.  I hope the going isn’t too tough. How is the food?  Would you like us to send you anything in that line? 

           Do you have any radios over there? 

If so, you’ve probably heard the Dodgers lost to the Giants yesterday.  The World Series started today and the Giants won the first game from the Yanks.  Charlie, Sr. came home very excited about yesterday’s game. It was the first time I ever saw him so aroused over a ball game.  I’m wondering if Junie and Joyce will be down.  They had planned to come for a week but I haven’t heard from them since we were up there. 

            I haven’t seen Marie or the children since Saturday.  Mother said they visited her last night.  I hope Marie gets a phone soon.  Then I can call her and get the news.  Last Thursday I spent the day at Maureen’s and in the evening the kids and I stopped up at your house.  Marie said she was busy from quarter of five till eight thirty doing homework with Sharon.  I had the same headache tonight with little Charlie.  Boy, it feels like I am back in school again.  I’ll be getting re-educated if it keeps up. 

           Mary Beth’s class went to the Bronx Zoo today.  She was very happy about the trip and had a wonderful time.  She has the same teacher Charlie had in the second grade. 

            We don’t get much war news on the radio lately.  Do you hear anything or know anything about how things are going?  I guess it will require a miracle to put an end to all the fighting.  Take care of yourself.  I’ll write soon again. 

                               Love

                                    Rita 

                          October 4, 1951 

You’re in the Army Now

Pvt. Jos. T. O’Donnell 

13th Battalion Battery A

1st Platoon B’ldg 1711

Fort Eustis Va. 

To: Mrs. Charles Fries 

58 Interboro P’kway

Brooklyn 

New York 

Instead of a stamp it says Free

Newport News Va

Dec 14 1942 

                     Thursday Dec. 10, 1942 

Dear Rita, 

          I guess by right I owe you a half a dozen letters, but I’ll be darned if I can ever catch up.  However I got your letter today so I’ll try to answer them in order starting now. 

           Gee you must have had some time at Prof. Kirkpatrick’s house.  Stanley Birnbasson the fellow sleeping on my right had him a year in school. He says he’s a great guy.  He’s color blind as anything though.  They had a great time kidding him. Have Charley ask the Prof. if he knows Stan.  He had him last June ending. He is the only one that got two A’s both semesters.  A real smart guy.  Only 19 and has graduated from college. 

           I don’t know now when I’ll be home again.  We are gigged this weekend and I don’t know if it carries on any further. Gosh I hope not, I’d love to get home again before Christmas. 

           I had my O.C.S. physical yesterday. I don’t know how I made out.  My eyes aren’t corrected to 20/20. I hope they give me a waiver. 

          We’re busy every moment now, work all day, after supper scrub floors and go to sleep.  Oh yes I left out Math class from 7 to 8.  Some fun this army. 

          I think I better close for now.  I’m writing this after noon chow and another class & lecture begins any minute. 

           Loads of Love to you & the boss. 

                      Your lovingly brother

                                             Joe.

Three Quarters of a Century

The Beginning

On March 9, 1945, at Midwood Hospital in Brooklyn the Nurse brought me into my mother’s room so we could meet face to face for the very first time.  Heavy sedation during childbirth was the norm back then, so she was pretty much in “ La La Land” when I emerged from the warmth of her body into the cold, glaring lights of the delivery room.    She had delivered her boy two years earlier, so the arrival of a female this time around was greeted with jubilation.  The joy passed quickly.  The nurse placed me in my mother’s waiting arms. One look at me and instantaneously my Mom screamed, “this isn’t my baby, this can’t be my baby!  “ Thinking she had committed a grievous mistake, the Nurse immediately grabbed me back from my mother’s arms.  Examining the name bracelets, she was relieved to see the mistake was not hers.  The way my mother tried to explain it to me years later is that my face was flaming red and discolored, crunched up and distorted in a hideous cry.   You’re heard of “ a face only a mother could love ❤️ “. Well this was a case of a face even a mother couldn’t love!  What a way to begin my life outside the womb.  My mother assured me she thought I looked a lot better the next time she saw me.