21 May 1952

"Well we leave here tomorrow so from this letter on, don't expect to get any mail for some time. Because we will be underway for a long time....I have no way of getting the mail to you any faster when the Navy can't."

 

19 May 1952

"Thanks for the picture, all of the fellows said that I did not deserve such a good looking wife. But I know better, cause I deserve the best and that is what I have."

Ruth Gerdes

 

16 May 1952

"Well I [was] really commended for having such a fine set of books and having a good office....It was one of the finest ships that ever pulled in here for an inspection....The Supply Officer brought the inspector in the office and told him these words, "This is Gerdes, one of the best Storekeepers in the Navy."

Clark "Buss" Gerdes SK1

 

14 May 1952

"Boy if anyone else got a hold of these letters wouldn't their faces get red."

 

13 May 1952

"Won't it be nice when we have our own little home near San Diego. I guess that is as good as a place as anywhere to settle down, and raise KIDS. I thought I would go ahead and construct some plans for a house in my leisure time. What do you think of a ranch type house with a big window in the front of it."

769 Del Mar Avenue, Chula Vista, CA Circa 1968

 

12 May 1952

"Well I am not going to say much about a certain thing this time as the room is full of people and you know how ones eyes wander around a room. But you can bet your bottom dollar that I am going to do everything in my power to get you fixed up."

 

11 May 1952

"I went to bed early last nite and after I got to bed I just laid there a thinking of you and what you used to do. I just can't help but talk about the times we used to have when we were together. I sure don't realize what kind of a wife I have."

 

11 May 1952

"ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH? You know to carry a baby around you will have to have a good stomach on you....I sure feel sorry for you there. All by yourself, I'll be glad when I am out of this outfit or have shore duty again so I can be with you and the little girl every nite."

 

9 May 1952

"I just wish that I made more money than I do so you could spend some more on yourself,...Maybe someday I'll make chief and then I'll have a few more dollars to live on. Boy won't it be nice when we have our own little home somewhere near San Diego. I would like to have enough money to pay cash for it when we get it."

 

5 May 1952

"Ruth I am telling you now, I am really going to get you pregnant when I get home. I have made up my mind and nothing in this world can stop me....I have decided that I want a little girl, I know, you want a boy. Well we will take anything won't we."

 

5 May 1952

"I sent the money off to the folks in today's mail, now I have less than one dollar to my name."

 Note: He continued with the ruse of 'only having' X amount of money 'to my name' later on in life. As we would walk around running errands, he would reach into his pocket, pull out a handful of change, and say, 'This is all we have to live on til my next paycheck'. Yeah, riiiight Dad.

4 May 1952

"I just came from church with Bennett and another fellow. We stopped at Olberg's Drug Store and had something to eat. I am now sitting in the YMCA across the table from Bennett. He is writing to his wife."

Olberg's Drug Store in Bremerton, WA circa 1950

2 May 1952

"I sent a nice birthday card to Mom. I bought it in the YMCA for a buck. I hated to spend that much on a card for her, as I know what she would say if she knew how much I paid for it."

 

30 April 1952

"I checked in the Benson Bank and found out that I had about $6000. in bonds in Benson....As soon as I get $10,000 I think that I will buy or build a house in or around San Diego....Naturally it will take about 5 more years in this outfit."

 

29 April 1952

 

27 April 1952

"I hitch hiked to Chicago from home. The folks took me about 30 miles to Route 66 so I could have smooth sailing....I caught a train...from Chicago to Seattle...rode with a couple of 2nd LTs from the Army. They were on the way to Korea."

26 April 1952

SPECIAL DELIVERY

22 April 1952

"I hated to let you there all by yourself with no way to go into town. Maybe you can find a few people that will drive you to where you want to go."

 

11 January 1952

"I was stopped for a search of the car yesterday when I went out the gate. Those blankeyty-blankty marines, I'll never do them another favor as long as I live."

Note: This is the last letter written to Ruth at 2310 Hancock Avenue, San Diego. Buss had reported for duty on the USS Quincy in January at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, and by April , Ruth was living in their trailer at the Princess Anne Trailer Park at 3300 Shore Drive, Norfolk, Virginia. In the next letter, Buss is on his way back to the Quincy to begin a 9-month tour of duty which will take him to Europe and back. They will see one another in late July for a bit and then in September, the Quincy will be off to Europe until February 1953.

Buss and Ruth's trailer home circa 1951

10 January 1952

"Last nite I was really down in the dumps. I could not keep the tears away when I was writing to you....I stopped at the housing office again today. She had something for about $75.00 but that is way out of our range of paying."

 

9 January 1952

"Gosh, I have tears in my eyes again. I guess I am just a big baby....As you can see, I am at this Serviceman's Center again tonite. I like it here as it has such a home-like atmosphere."

Bremerton Servicemen's Center circa 1968

 

9 January 1952

"Well I have been house hunting again. I ran down a couple of leads, but came up with nothing....I just left the "Y" and came down here. I was watching Milton Berle on TV."

Korean War Years
During the Korean War (1950-1953), Puget Sound Naval Shipyard engaged in the activation of the reserve fleet, mostly landing ships and smaller vessels. But there were also six small aircraft carriers, called “baby flat-tops” and three large carriers activated for the Korean “police action”: the U.S.S. Princeton (CV-37), U.S.S. Essex (CV-9), and the U. S. S. Bon Homme Richard (CV-34). The workforce increased from 7,800 in 1950 to 15,300 in June 1952.