May 11, 1919

May 18 1919

U.S.S. New Jersey

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Michigan Ave;

Manitowoc,

Wisc.

(On side of envelope: “D-Martin. 4^th Div. U.S.S. New Jersey, c/o Post M. Fortress Monroe, Va.”)

May-11-1919

At Sea.

Dearest Rose,

I am just going to write you a few lines. I would like to write too you all the time but there isn’t any news. And don’t think you are much interested in what little I do write.

Today is Mother’s day we sure had a fine time. chicken dinner, oranges, and candy. you should have seen the shape the dinner was in and how we ate it.

The sea sure was rough all day, The water was washing over the top decks. lots of it was comming through the ports and hatches. all the decks were wet, muddy, most places was a couple inches deep. The ship rolled so much we could not hardly walk, one thing sure we had to eat off the deck, hold our plates in our one hand and hang on with the other hand. some fellows sat there, plates down of course they stayed there a long time. They slid across the deck, smashed all to pieces and good-bye chicken dinner. Easter Sunday was a nice day the sea was fine, I went to church, had a good dinner, but was many miles from land.

We left Boston on May the 6^th eight-o-clock at night, it is now ten-thirty night on 11^th and are one thousand seventy four miles from Boston.

They sure keep us buisy most all the time. the time goes much faster when we are keep buisy than when we have nothing to do.

The in side of this ship is all painted white. it has to be keep white it would cost to much to paint it every time it gets dirty so we have to wash every think with soap and a rag. That’s all I done for the last few day’s is scrub paint work, and stand about four hours watch every other night.

I sure am proud of that picture you sent me if it was small. every time I get the blues. I just look at that picture, it reminds me of the old place. and the nights we used to be together. I sure would give most anything is I were back there this evening.

Here I am in the navy can’t get out, don’t know when I will. I suppose I will be the last one back. do not expect to be home until the soldiers are all out of France, we are only going to make two more trips, than will go back to Boston for nearly a year. I expect I will be discharged than or sent on some other ship. I do not expect to come home until I am discharged unless they keep me for a long time. One good think they send us back to the same place we enlisted, pay our fair for our meals on the way there, and give us sixty dollars. I am only getting small wages now. thirty-five a month. I used to get that much in a week. one good thing I subsribed for a hundred dollar bond last October, with have the last payment made July 20^th. Did you take a bond this time? Have you made up your mind to stay in Manitowoc yet? I’ll bet you sure were supprised to hear from Ida? She seems to be getting along fine, although I havn’t gotten a letter from her for a long time. she must be lazy or is keep to buisy.

I got a nice big box of candy from home just befour I’ve left. you bet it was fine it tastes all the better when one is at sea so much.

I got a big box of candy from my Aunt in Chicago about three months ago. But I havn’t heard from her for so long I have almost forgoten I have an Aunt. Most every one has stopped writing to me lately. My mother writes real often. My sister writes once in a while. but you and my mother are the only ones I can append (?) on (?). I sure like to get letters from you. hope you don’t forget as I would miss yours more than any of the rest.

The sea is much smother than it was a few hours ago. but is still rolling some. so please excuse my mistakes and extra scratches. I only have a pencil, I lost my fountain pen some time ago. And a straight pen is hard to get. so this is going to be a charm (?) letter. you are lucky if you can make it out.

I suppose the frogs are croaking and the robbins are singing, a lots of the other birds must be back by now?

We are a long way from France but this letter will be mailed as soon as we get there. you may get it a little sooner than if I did not mail it until we got back to the states.

Well dear Rose this is about all I can think of for now, so will close, I hope that you will write as often as possible.

We expect to be back in Newport News, Va. About June 6^th so you can send the mail same old way c/o Post master Fortress, Monroe.

Wishing you good luck and happyness

Will close for now with the best of love, hopping that you are getting along fine.

Hoping to remain you,

Friend forever,

Dan.

May 6, 1919

May 7 1919

U.S. Navy

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Michigan Ave;

Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

May-6-1919

Dearest Friend,-

Just a line to let you know that we are leaving tonight For France.

I don’t care much about leaving here because it is a fine place. We do not have much work to do when we are in yards. Most of the shipyard men do the work.

We get Liberty nearly every night. Boston is a big city, there is lots of shows here. Dances and lots of parks, there sure is lots of sailors here. Most half of the people are soldiers and sailors. so one doesn’t see much of any one else. Maybe I won’t be glad when I get home for good. so I can keep out sight of this uniform. All I saw for a year was Gobs-Gobs and some more Gobs. once in a while a soldier. how I see thousands of soldiers a month. one sure gets tired of the same old thing.

There was a big oil ship caught fire here the other night. our crew was the first over there to the rescue. The fire burnt nearly all night in the morning was nearly tipped over. A few day’s befour a destroyer had two boilers blow up. hurt two men and were taken too the hospital.

We sure had some good luck sence I was on here. until we began transport duty. Than two soldiers died on the first trip, and two sailors on this last trip. But no one has ben hurt very bad sence I can remember.

We have ben coaling ship sence yesterday morning at 5-oclock. Are still working. in two day’s they took on two thousand tons. And when we get in Brest there wasn’t hardly enough to cook supper with. We take on about as much in Brest on our way back we always stop off in the Azores there we take on about eight hundred tons. you can just immagine how much work that is for some of u.

This is all for now we are leaving. Good-Bye. With Best of Love.

As Ever yours.

Friend Dan.

c/o Fortress Monroe Va.

May 2, 1919

May 2 1919

Boston, Mass.

Charlestown Station

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Michigan Ave;

Manitowoc, Wisconsin

May-2-1919

My Dear, Rose,-

I am going to write a few lines to you. I got your letter this morning. I sure was glad to hear from you. Thanks very much for the picture. it wasn’t very big but I was sure glad to get it. I havn’t very many pictures any more. I sent them all home when I first came on this ship. because I didn’t have any place to keep them. it sure was good to see your face again but made me lonesome because I am so far away. But will hope to be home by August.

Have you made up your mind to stay in Manitowoc yet? I sure hope you have.

You think it is a long time to wait for a letter. when I am on my way to France and back. I sure will write as often as I can when I am on this side, and hope you will do the same because I like to get letters too. You told me you had a lonely time Easter. You can just bet I did too. I was in the middle of the Ocean. We were just two day’s run this side of the Azore Islands. We have church every Sunday on our ship I go every time I get a chance.

I got a letter from my sister this morning the one that stays at home. they seem to be having a fine time. I sure would like to be there now.

We are only going to make two more trips to France. than will be back here in yards for seven or eight months. than I am going to try and get fifteen day’s to go home. I couldn’t hardly go home in much less time.

Our old ship is in the dry dock now has ben for two day’s. They are scrapping the bottom and painting it. one good thing I don’t have to help. there is lots of things I don’t have to do bu nearly every one else has to help paint, take on supplies, and coal. They have most all of the stores on now. Are about through painting. they expect to go out of the dry dock to-morrow noon ancor out in the bay. They are going to take on 2100 tons of coal Monday. Than Tuesday 6^th we are leaving for France again. They expect to be back in Newport News about the 6^th of June. I expect the weather will be a little warmer when we get back there. I expect we will be waiting our white suits about that time. I sure like to see warm weather come but I don’t like to wair the white uniform. for only one reason, because they are to hard to keep clean. and I have to wash all my own clothes.

The weather is nice here. we had a warm rain last night. it cleared off this morning and sure is fine to-day.

Well Rose I think I have written about all I can this time. Will try and write a few lines befour I leave.

Hope you wont forgit me. or go home to stay. You can not amagine how it would make me feel. You sure look good picture. I would know that smile any place. Thanks very much for the picture.

This will be all for now, So Good Bye. With best of Love. wishing you Good Luck.

--I am as ever your Friend--

Dan.

add.

c/o

Fortress Monroe.

Va.

(On back of envelope: “From.—D.D. Martin, 4^th Div U-S-S New Jersey, Charlestown Navy Yards; Boston, Mass.”)