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Be sure and check out the latest news about what can be done for Terri Schiavo. Late yesterday this was reported on USA Today:

USAToday – In a last-ditch effort to save Terri Schiavo’s life, a House committee plans to issue subpoenas Friday to stop doctors from removing the severely brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube.

The extraordinary legislative maneuver comes after the House and Senate failed to agree on legislation to keep the woman alive before leaving Washington for their spring break. House officials hope that the subpoenas will stop doctors from removing Schiavo’s feeding tube at 1 p.m. ET Friday.

Like Shaun Hannity said on Hannity & Colmes tonight, I cannot believe that the House of Representatives adjourned without taking a vote on the legislation for Terri Schiavo that was rushed through today. I guess steroid use in baseball is more important to our esteemed representatives in Congress than the imminent “euthanasia” of a woman that has never been properly diagnosed. We should all remember that on election day, ‘06!

[Vol. 1: Number 6 — A continuing Friday Blog Series]

I’ve been blogging about Terri Schiavo a good part of today, and as I put together this post of my Dad’s letters, Terri and my Mom, the Anna Mae that “Duke” is writing to, have been heavy on my mind. The day after Christmas, 2002, Mom, who was in cardiac critical care at Northwestern Hospital in Tulsa, shocked us all by refusing any further treatment for her congestive heart failure. It’s 5 am, and the nurse comes in to the CICU waiting room, where about 20 of us are sleeping, and tells me that Mom has had a bad run of V-tack and has refused to take a potassium supplement that could help keep this from happening again.

I’m not going to go through the entire chronology of that day, that will be another post sometime in the future, but suffice it to say, Mom made it clear to all of us that she was ready to go and be with her beloved “Duke” in Heaven, so she would not allow any further treatment or extraordinary measures to be taken on her behalf. This we understood, and I helped her as she worked out her DNR (do not resuscitate) document that would allow her to die the next time something happened with her heart, an event which was certain to come soon.

What my sister and I would not allow was for her to starve to death. We made it very plain to our mother that God could take her whenever he wanted, but if she refused, at the very least, intravenous nutrition, we would have a psych consult come in and have her declared incompetent and do it anyway, so she did agree to allow this minimal step to be taken to prolong her existence. Starving her to death was not conceivable, we are not savages!

I cannot imagine what is going on in the mind of Michael Schiavo in his desire to have his wife Terri starve to death, but I am praying that the Florida legislature and or our Congress will act tomorrow to at least allow Terri to have the proper testing of an MRI and PET scans to determine if she is really in PVS (permanent vegetative state), but as of tonight it is not looking good. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied the request of Terri’s parents to block the removal of Terri’s feeding tube. President Bush weighed in with this:

“The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues,” he said. “Yet in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern.”

I didn’t intend to get into this in such detail with this introduction to this week’s posting of Dad’s letters, but just as he wrote them in the environment of his own time, I am reading and commenting on them in the environment of mine. Today, the life of one lone soul in Florida is in the balance, with the outcome having serious ramifications for our entire society. In my Dad’s time, the decisions he and other brave souls made created the future that we are living today. The decisions we are making today, are creating the future that our children, and theirs, will live in, tomorrow. God, please guide us, and help us. You know we need it.

Without further ado, my father’s letters, continued. (db)

[Postmark: August 23, 1942]
[Click image for larger view]

[Camp Allen — Norfolk, VA]

August 22, 1942

Hell-o My Darling,

I am sorry I missed writing you One day and I will try and not let it happen again. I am now sitting at my desk ###, which won’t be mine very long. I am being moved next Monday. I think I told you that I am to return to my old and first job here , In the Inoculation Hut,.

No wonder I am loosing my job, just look at the mess I am making of this letter, I hope that is not the reason I would hate to think I couldn’t handle any job they have here for PhM2c. The is really the easiest money I have ever made in my life.

I am really happy to hear about your new Job. It isn’t surprising to me but you can bet your life it is pleasing. So write and tell me all about it when you get time, I mean as soon as possible. What I would like to know is what you told them when they asked if you planned on being married any time soon. You told me what you said when they asked if you had a steady boy friend, but there you quit.

You know something? It’s hard to tell just how much you need a person until they are gone. I knew I would miss you something terrible but I didn’t now it would be like this, I can’t seem to get you off my mind, I think about it night and day. I guess that is the reason I am writing you so often, I have never done so much writing before.

So much for my troubles. The real thing in mind now is this new job of yours, I know you will make it OK, so I am not worrying about that, the thing is, what will you do in your spare time. Say, are the WHITEHEADs still living there in Tulsa? It is Tulsa that you are going to, isn’t it? Well, if they do, it won’t be so bad and you can go home on weekends. Well, at least there are other people living there that you know, and by the way, don’t let some of those smart girls over there talk you into any thing foolish. They will you know, if they can. They use the old story about maybe he won’t come back, and look at the time you have wasted. I know, they have one here too, only it is maybe you won’t get back, and look at the fun you have missed. You understand what I mean, don’t you? I am sure you do, maybe you have already had such problems.

WELL LISTEN! I AM COM-BACK AND WHAT’S MORE, IN BETTER SHAPE THAT I LEFT.
-MING
I must ha ##### been excited when I wrote the line above I didn’t complete the word comming.

I haven’t heard from J.T. and I have written him, I didn’t know his address so I just took it from the clipping you sent to me. As a matter of fact I haven’t heard from any one for a long time, not since I have been in N.C.T.C. and I have written to most all of them, but no responce (misspelled).

I have never been aboard a ship, I am a dry land sailor. It looks as though I will go all through this war and never set foot on a ship. I would at least like to look one over. Wouldn’t that be something to tell our children, “That their Paw was a sailor and had never been on a ship.”

Boy, do I rave? Maybe I am only dreaming, but it is fun.

Well, I have another hour to spend here and nothing to do but answer the phone if it rings. The Doctor has already gone home, but I am supposed to stay and keep the office open just in case somebody wants to know something. Yes, I carry a key to the office, I am his secretary. But I don’t sit on his knee. [Thanks, Dad! Glad to hear it! (db)]

Boy, I sure am fast, the hour is up and look what I have accomplished. Practically nothing. Well, I did answer about a dozen phone calls and answered a few questions from several Officers who dropped in to see the Doctor.

So long till tomorrow
WITH ALL MY LOVE.
“DUKE”

[Handwritten]
P.S. I just got back to Camp Allen & on the way I saw an airplane that had just crashed. I don’t think anyone was hurt seriously but the plane was sure smashed.

[Postmark: August 25, 1942]
[Click image for larger view]

[Camp Allen — Norfolk, VA]

Aug 24, 1942

My Darling,

Well, what do you know, two letters today & I got one from Ted yesterday. I must be coming up in this old world.

Say, it sure must take a long time for a letter to reach Oklahoma from here because I answered most all of these questions you have asked here, two or three letters ago. I went to town yesterday & saw “The In??ders”, it was a swell show. If you haven’t seen it, don’t miss it. & guess what? While I was standing in front of the show waiting to get in, guess who I saw? B.H Alexander. Remember, I told you he lived up here. Well, I have been looking for him ever since I have been here, but couldn’t find him so I just gave up, & there I stood & he walked by. He didn’t know me but I hollered at him, & was he surprised, his eyes popped out a foot, well, maybe not quite that far, but he was surprised. He is working in a ship yard & was just starting to work. I am going down & visit with him soon. I think I’ll take him & his wife out to dinner just for old times sake. I haven’t met his wife. If you were only here we would have a real nice party. Oh. Boy.

I am still secretary to the Lt. Commander, was driving his big Buick around today. I think he likes me. I can’t imagine why.

It doesn’t matter about anyone else, just so you are still on my side, that’s what keeps things going smooth.

Bill was O.K. two weeks ago. I haven’t seen him since then, he is Master at Arms at the corpsman quarters, her is supposed to see that the boys keep them clean. I guess we are just lucky.

I won’t get PhM1/e until I have been here in the Navy 4 months.

Well, I have just about told all I know. All the luck in the world to you on your new job. Answer soon.

Love
Duke

[Postmark: August 27, 1942]
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[Camp Allen — Norfolk, VA]

August 26,

Hello Darling,

I can’t understand why you haven’t heard from me in three days. I only missed one day writing to you & I probably won’t miss another day. Today we got the afternoon off, so I have been reading. I just now got your letter so I decided to answer. I don’t have anything to say except I Love you, & always will.

I got a letter from Ted & he is taking the money I am sending & is going to try & make more money for me. I sent it in a payment on what I owe him & Ophard [Dad's Brother] & they both refuse to accept any of it. Boy! There is nothing so swell as true friends, just as you said. I guess we are just lucky. I hope nothing ever happens to separate us. I wouldn’t know how to act without you. You seem to be a part of my life. I am glad to hear from Grandmother. I hadn’t heard from her since I left.

Tell her Hello for me if you see her before you leave for Tulsa. Tell everyone hello.

I Love You.
Duke.

P.S. This may be short, but it has a long meaning. I would give anything to see you.

[Postmark: August 29, 1942]
[Click image for larger view]

[Norfolk, VA]

August 28, 1942

Hell-o Darling,

I received another nice letter to-day, sure was glad to hear from you. Hasn’t anything exciting happened around here lately just work and sleep. I sure get tired of the same old thing every day, but I guess it could be worse.

I received a card from Mother to-day, she says they are going to Indiana. I don’t know who all are going, but I bet it would sure be fun. It is going to be a Casada family reunion, boy what a mess. I hope Grandmother gets to go.

I wish I could have been able to attend your nice birthday party, that chicken sure sounds good, but most of all, I would like to see you. I won’t lie about it, I forgot all about your birthday. I guess I would make an average husband, most of them forget such things.

I had no idea about the things you told me about what you thought when I was going with Margaret Haley, but what gets me most is how I hadn’t found you long before I did. The first thing I remember about you is when you started working at Burnie’s. I said then that I couldn’t figure out how I had missed you, and I still say it. I remember as if it was yesterday, the night I finally got up enough nerve to ask if I could take you home, you seemed so distant that it seemed useless, and besides that, J.T. told me it was useless because you was a man hater. You weren’t though, you was just scared, almost as scared as I was that you wouldn’t go with me.

Well, just as I thought, I have another job now. I am now in the record office, that is where they keep the health records for all the men who are here. I work at the survey desk. When a man is surveyed, he is discharged from service because he is physically unfit for service. I have to see that everything is in order for the survey to go through. They are determined to make a yeoman out of me. They gave no reason for the last mover, but of course, they don’t have to give a reason. They just tell you and you do it.

I think I’ll go over and see Bill next week-end. I hope he is still over there. My best friend here is now pressing his suit, I just finished pressing mine. Bob is this boy’s name, he sure is a swell guy, he is from Ohio, nice looking too.

With Love
“Duke”

Dad’s WWII Letters to Mom™
A celebration of love and discovery by Duke’s son.
Copyright © 2005 — Arthur Dale Baker — All Rights Reserved

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