23 August 1953
"I took a short ride down the main highway to charge the battery. I stopped in one of these places where they have these chenille robes and bed spreads out on a line. They certainly are pretty. I just listened to Billy Graham on the radio. Fuller is on now. I have to do some more studying tonite. I want to get all I possible can out of this school...This pen is sure doing OK for me. I just hope it holds out till I leave here."

Billy Graham

 

21 August 1953
"Well school officially started today for me. I have plenty of homework to do now. I just finished the evening meal. Had roast beef, watermelon, raddishes, onions, soup. No potatoes as they are fattening...I think I will go over later and have some hash marks sewed on my white jumper. I have to have everything up to snuff by the time I leave here...Most of the fellows are gone for the weekend but I have to go back to school tomorrow morning to learn about teletype machines. All this work is very interesting to me. It may help me make chief someday...P.S. Can you read my writing?"

 

19 August 1953
"Received your letter this afternoon. So you got a cat, well more power to you. I guess I was a meany for not taking you out to get one...I am going to go to school at night too while I am here as I have a lot to learn..."

 

17 August 1953
"I had some schooling today. The instructor showed us the way to run a movie projector. So I had some fun doing that...Well how have you been feeling lately? I hope you are feeling like yourself again. I guess we both need to settle down. I have not received any mail from you as yet...take care of yourself. Write when you can. Your Old Man Buss."

 

"Guess Who?"

15 August 1953
"I tried to sleep but the flies are giving me a bad time...Did I tell you that I have a little room all to myself. Gee, I feel like a "big shot"...Lee and Joyce are going to have another young one before long. That will make three for them...Lee might get a new Buick. I guess we have to keep what we have for a long time to come. She still runs good...Remember me in your prayers so I can pass the test they give me at the end of the course. I am going to do a lot of studying...Take care of yourself and don't get upset over anything. Buss"

Buss and his buddy, Lee. circa 1946

Note: Twenty-six years later, August 15, 1976, Buss and Ruth's daughter wrote to Ruth and encouraged Ruth "don't worry" just as her father did in 1953. 

 

14 August 1953
"Well you won't believe me. But I actually did some work today. We don't start the real school till next Friday...I am really going to study for this one...Have they done anything about the trailer as yet. Don't get so shook up over it. Everything always turns out for the best. Can you read my writing? I don't think that I ever did write you very much in long hand. They are very strict on inspections here. We have a personnel inspection every day. So I have to wash a suit of whites nearly every nite. We have an iron to press them with. I just finished holding "Field Day" in my room. Yes, I have a room all to myself. I swabbed the deck a while ago...Well take life easy and write when you can."

Note: This seems to be the first time that Ruth's lifelong problem with anxiety and worrisome nature has come up in one of Buss's letters.

Buss and Ruth's trailer in Blue Island, Illinois where Ruth is living now.

 

13 August 1953
"Well I reported in today...I have been walking my feet off around here. My new shoes don't fit, and my feet are killing me. I am due to graduate the 11th of September...I met one fellow who was on the Quincy with me. I think everything will be OK here...Write when you can."

Note: Today, the 27th of October 2013, would have been Buss and Ruth's 67th wedding anniversary. 
 

12 August 1953
"I drove 700 miles the first day. Cookies "went down". I had a cup of coffee and a bowl of soup till I got to Si's...Sorta missed having you with me. Are you still mad at me."

 

17 May 1954
"Gosh, I can't think of anything else except getting transferred. Oh yes, I think of you too...I sure hope that no one else reads these letters. Did I ever tell you about the fellow on here that got a letter from his wife, which was intended for another man which she had been seeing while he was over in the Med. You see she had gotten her letters mixed when she put them in the envelope. I wrote a letter to a lawyer for him asking for a divorce...I'm sure glad that I have a wife like you. You sure treat me good. You don't drink or smoke or run around like many of the others do. Like I say, when we get settled down in Chicago, we will get a television set. I know that you will like to have one, won't you...Take it easy "Chief". By the way, I did not make chief this time. Better luck next time."

Buss and Ruth's trailer in Blue Island, Illinois where they are stationed next.

 

"...finally got my orders to shore duty."

13 May 1953
"Darling: First of all, I am going to call you when I get back into port again. Yes, I finally got my orders to shore duty. I will go to Bainbridge, Md for school for about six weeks then I will be stationed in Chicago for Recruiting Duty...I am certainly glad that it is around home, that way we can get a free meal every once in a while. Only kidding of course...I really did miss you when I was in Hollywood last week end. I know that you always did like to see the things that I saw while there. But maybe some day we will be able to go there to live together for always...Mr. Holt told me that he sure hated to see me leave for his sake but for my sake he was very glad. So I guess that I still have friends in the Navy somewhere...It won't be long till I will be with you for about two whole years. Maybe we can have a baby in that time...I could hardly sleep last nite. I was thinking of you most of the nite."

 

11 May 1953
"I want to come back there and pick you up...and let you live out here till I get my shore duty orders. That way we can be together a little longer...I think that we can find some sort of a place to stay while staying here. I was over the other week end and I felt too lonesome so I decided to come and get you."

 

10 May 1953
"I sure do miss you...this weekend I took off and went to Hollywood and places around there. I hitchhiked all the way up and stayed at a hotel...I had to pay three dollars for the room but I figured I could do that as I never spent one no not one red cent for anything to eat all the whole week end. You see I spent most of my time at the USO and they fed me quite well...I took in a television show, "Meet Millie"...Then at nite I had a ticket to a Radio Broadcast..."Hollywood Barn Dance" featuring Jimmie Wakely. I really enjoyed that...I stood on the corner of Hollywood and Vine streets and walked to Graumann's Chinese Theater and seen all the foot and hand prints in the sidewalk. I even seen Betty Grable's leg prints in the concrete...The next morning I started to hitchhike back to Long Beach...a fellow picked me up and actually gave me a tour of the big places in Hollywood, the street that Jack Benny lives on...then he took me to the Farmer's Market for breakfast and paid for it himself...I had dinner at another USO in Long Beach and then I went to hear Charles E. Fuller and the Old Fashioned Revival Hour...I sure wish that you were here. I see all the other couples together and that makes me feel very very lonesome...I had tears in my eyes again while at the Fuller broadcast..."

Betty Grable's leg prints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood

7 May 1953
"Well here we are in San Diego again...The old SPERRY is still setting out there where it has been for the past few years...Boy seeing this place again sure recall some fond memories that we had together when we were here...I am going to see Harry at the Skyline Trailer Park. Then if I get the chance I may drop over to see Swede Larson and his family. Well I only wish that I could have seen you on the dock when I cane in to this place today...I tried to write you several times but I just could not find the words to say...Mr. Reeder came aboard when we first came in today. You see he left the ship on the East coast. I am sure glad to see him back again...I am going to call up Downings. You remember the chief that I worked for on the SPERRY...I hope that you are taking care of yourself while I am away. Eat plenty and don't skimp on your breakfast."

San Diego Naval Station

3 May 1953
"Well we are on the way up the coast to San Diego now...I have been sleeping topside and the in the office. The compartment is so stuffy with all the people sleeping down there and then there isn't much air to breathe...Say, answer me this, if I have to go to school in San Diego for about six weeks before going to Recruiting Duty, will you want to come to San Diego without the trailer?...Did you get your period as yet? I suppose that you think that I did not think about that, did you? Well I do once in a while. I know how bad that you want a little baby...I honestly believe that I may be getting too old for anything like that..."

 

26 April 1953
"Here I am writing letters to you. That time in the States sure did go fast didn't it? Thanks a lot for coming on down to the dock and seeing me off for the west coast. I sure did get a lot of compliments on that dress and hat of yours...That was certainly nice of you to take care of that little girl on the dock when we pulled out. You should have heard all the people telling me about that. The husband of the girl that you were taking care of on the dock came up to me and wanted me to personally thank you...I understand that we will arrive in Panama on the morning of the 28th. Then we will take all day to pass through the canal and stop on the other side for two days liberty. I don't think that I will go ashore as I never lost anything over there when we were here the last time..."

 

"THIS IS THE LAST LETTER FROM HERE"

24  January 1953
"I sure hope that we have smooth seas on the way back to the States. I hear that the Roanoke had about one whole week of rough seas. Well I'll take anything on this trip as I know that I will be home when I get to where I am going. Won't that be wonderful when we get together again...Then we can really smooch...I'll be home soon and I will try and be a very good husband to you. I mean if you want to look at some hats or dresses, I'll stay right with you...You be sure and dress warm enough to stand the cold that you will have to stand waiting there on the dock. Well Babe, I'll be looking for you when we come in, so long babe...Your Loving Husband, Buss"

 

Oran, Algeria

22 January 1953
"I received a letter from you today with the advertisement of the New CHEVY in it. I have it hanging up here in the office so that everybody can look at it. All the fellows are saying that I have to buy one now...I want to get the house first, then we can think about buying a new car. Well this is certainly some place. I have not gone ashore here as I don't really like the idea of having my throat cut for the few cents that I carry on me. Actually it isn't that bad but I have heard that the people over here don't look any too good..."

 

Oran, French Morocco

20 January 1953
"Dearest: Well, darling the time is really getting short now. In fact, we only have about 16 days till I'll be in the arms of my darling. Boy that will certainly be swell won't it?...Say I bought you some of that Habinata perfume that you were telling me about. I was going to wait till later, but the fellows talked me into buying it right now. I paid $3.00 for it. I sure hope that you like it...Did you know that Dorothy's dad died suddenly in Illinois. You know, Ike's wife's dad. He was putting on chains and his son found him laying down in the snow...Well when you get that age, you can expect it. Now you take us young chickens, we still have a long time to go, that is if the Lord lets us live that long...I was listening to President Ike's inaugural address tonite. We had it on the radio. It came in very plain all that distance. I sure hope that things start to look up from now on. I guess they all do their best...Well I have to close now But I'll be looking forward to seeing you. Good bye you little doll. Your Old Man, Clark Buss Gerdes"

Ruth (Buss), Dorothy (Ike) , Ellen (Tub), and Marilyn (Dorothy's daughter) Gerdes

 

18 January 1953
"We are going to get into Oran tomorrow morning...I understand that there will be around 36 ships in there. That is quite a few in one place...I got up before reveille this morning as usual. By doing that I can beat the crowd that is lined up for the wash rooms...I have a couple of kids that want to help me simonize the car and trailer some week end...I want to get the trailer all fixed up so when I get my orders, it will be ready to roll...there isn't a soul up here in the office except me. And I can say what I want to in this letter, and nobody will read it....I suppose that you think that I don't think of nothing else but that, but I think of how I am going to love you when I get home too. That is sure going to be nice when I see you come running up to me when I get off the ship...I think that you had better tear up this letter instead of keeping it like you do all the rest. Because if you put this one in the drawer, it may cause a fire in there, it being so hot."

Buss and the trailer and car.