James Fortune ~Vietnam

11 Aug. 69 (Mon)

Dear Chris,

Not doing anything tonight except thinking of you. You have been on my mind all day. I guess maybe you are a little shocked over the letter I wrote last night but I wrote what is true. I guess maybe I shoun't have written it but I did. I hope that you don't stop writing because of it. That is the last thing that I want. I sure do wish that we could be together. I said "last night that I loved you". But really I do. I guess maybe you wonder how I can when we only write and haven't seen each other in over a year. Maybe I am in love with your letters. I don't know. But I do know that there is something about you that makes me feel the way I do about you.

Everyone is gone out on pass or else gone to the movie. It is 7:30 PM. Myself I just feel like taking it easy tonight. I guess after I get done writing this letter I will take a shower and just lay around for the rest of the night.. I sure do wish that I was home with you and  my family. My family and you are the only things in the world that really mean anything to me. I have pictures of them to look at but of you all I have are old memories of good Times. like the one last year when you and I washed my car over at your house. Remember? I do. We have never did  very much together. But what we have done I will never forget and they weren't much but I really enjoyed them and wish that we could have many more. But with me still in the service and me going to Vietnam will all of our letters and thoughts of each other be in vain? It is really very hard to say. I am very young and are also very young to. Will we change so much as not to think of each other anymore?

I didn't do a whole lot today. I tuned up three trucks put a new stater in another and just goofed off the rest of the time. My finger hurt me all day. It really looks ugly. It has turned all black puffed up and the doctor said that it may be crooked once it heals and if so that they will have to break it to make it straight once again.

Before long I will be home for thirty days and then gone once again for another year and this year seems to have gone by pretty well. I have changed and life itself has changed also. I just hope that the year ahead goes by at least as well as the year behind me. Because in the year that I am about to start I will be in Vietnam and then after that we can spend lots of really groovy times together. I wish that I could explain how I feel in this letter but it looks as thought I am not doing very well right now. Before long I can be with you and really explain things to you. Some things may really shock you. But when I explain everything I feel inside I know that you will really understand.

I didn't do a whole lot today. I tuned up three trucks put a new stater in another and just goofed off the rest of the time. My finger hurt me all day. It really looks ugly. It has turned all black puffed up and the doctor said that it may be crooked once it heals and if so that they will have to break it to make it straight once again. Well Chris I will close for now. Remember that I am always thinking of you. So pray once in a while for me and maybe I will be home before long. Write soon and remember that I love you Christine and want to be with so very much.

Love,
Jim
P.S. My only thoughts are of you and my coming home.

August 12, 1969 - Viet Cong begins attacking 150 targets in South Vietnam.

Jim plans to go back to school

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