Issue 1639
Presents
ERB: The War Years Series
Letters to Caryl Lee Burroughs Chase
Folder 2
All letters are copyright 2006 by Lee Chase
and appear courtesy of Lee Chase.

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Caryl Lee and Ebby
Correspondence 1943-1944

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Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Tarzana, California
Telephone Reseda 222
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42  Hawaii

July 13, 1943

Caryl Lee dear:

I have your letter of June 20th.  You say on the first page that you are not ill, and on the last page you say you have flu. You must have contracted it very suddenly. I hope you do not have it badly. There seems to be a great deal here, but in a mild form.

Am enclosing two of the Jingle Books you asked for. I think of you whenever I open a Burma Shave package, and have wondered if you remembered them. Do you remember all the things we used to do together?

Yes, we have Dogs of War. A great many have been donated by their owners, and have been trained. Mrs Pflueger gave them the younger of her two police dogs. He ran away once and was AWOL for several days.

So you will be in Junior High this fall. You are getting to be a big girl. Wish that I might see you. Did you go to camp this summer?

There isn't much here to write about, and if I ask you questions you never answer them; so what's the use? Anyway, I still love you and hope that you love me.

Do you ever see David Speyer? He must  be a big fellow by now.

Aloha nui nui!
Ed (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Tarzana, California
Telephone Reseda 222
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42  Hawaii

August 13  1943

Caryl Lee dear:

Your letter of July 28, received yesterday, was the nicest letter you have written me. You write very much better with pen and ink than you do with pencil. And the envelope was neatly and properly addressed and stamped. I'll have to give you and "E".

And you really wrote a letter! It acknowledged mine and answered my questions. I am very proud of you. Thanks for your expressions of love. One likes to hear those things. And don't forget that I love you.

No, I am not in the army. I am an accredited correspondent. I have to wear my uniform only when I am on assignment with the troops. As I am not on assignment now, I don't wear it, for which I am glad for two reasons. ONe is that in this hot weather my slack suits are much more comfortable. And the other, that after I sit down once in a clean uniform it is so wrinkled that I look like something the cat dragged in and didn't want.

No, there is nothing new over here that I know of. Guns fire and bombers dive, and occasionally the air raid alarm sounds; but it is all for training and practice. As far as I know there hasn't been an enemy ship or plane around here for more than a year. General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey are keeping the Japs too busy in the South and Southwest Pacific, and the Army and Navy in the Aleutians, to permit them to waste men and ships in what would be a futile venture in this direction. Notwithstanding this, however, the Army and Navy seem constantly on the alert here, just as though they were expecting an attack.

Which is good business.

You say you don't remember all the things we used to do. What do you remember best? Let's see how good your memory is. Now I don't remember making a donkey for you out of a coconut. Hold everything! I do now. It had a large coconut for the body and a little baby one for the head. Is that right? I don't know what became of it. "So fleet the works of men, back to their earth again ancient and holy things fade like a dream."  (Charles Kingsley).

No I never ride a horse here. I don't like livery stable horses. When I can have my own again, maybe I'll ride -- and take you along on another.

I didn't know that anyone else was reading my letters to you. But I really can't see that makes any difference, as they certainly contain no military secrets. I hope that you can find the time from all your other correspondence to write me other nice letters occasionally.

Lots of love, Sweetheart!

E (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Tarzana, California
Telephone Reseda 222
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42  Hawaii

August 17  1943

Caryl Lee dear:

Your letter of the 4th came yesterday.  It was nice to have two letters from you within a week.

So you are going to Marlborough! That will be fine. It has the reputation of being a fine school. It used also to have the reputation of being a little bit snobbish. Don't let it change you any. There are lots of fine girls whose parents cannot afford to send them to private schools. Because ou will be going to one, don't let it give you the idea that you are better than they.  There are few more contemptible people than a snob. Are you going to be a day scholar or a boarder.

You should have a nice time at the weekly dances. What boys come to them? Black Foxe? What will the thirty boy friends with whom you have been corresponding think of that?

There is nothing much of interest going on here to write you about. It is very dull. I play a little tennis, and get into a card game several times a week. Hulbert comes in to see me whenever he can, but right now the Waikiki district is off limits for service personnel; so he cannot come to the hotel.

Did I write you that Byron De Mott is over here? He's a private in the army. You remember him, I'm sure. He was tennis pro at The Sunset Plaza. Do ou ever go there to swim?  We had a lot of fun there.  We had fun in the pool at the Kailua Racquet Club, too. Do you remember?

Lots of love, sweetheart.

E (sig)
 

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California

September 13  1943

Mr. H. M. Robertson,
7030 Hollywood Boulevard,
Hollywood, California.

Dear Sir:

Sometime during 1936 I gave you money for the purchase of a dog. You were unable to furnish a satisfactory animal, and therefore still have my money.

This will authorize you to apply this credit on the purchase of a dog by Miss Caryl Lee Burroughs.

Yours truly,
Edgar Rice Burroughs (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California

1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42  Hawaii
December 14  1943

Caryl Lee dear:

Enclosed is a little Christmas remembrance. With it so much love and the wish that you may have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Aloha nui nui!
E (sig)

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EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS. INC.
TARZANA, CALIFORNIA
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42 Hawaii

January 15 1944

Caryl Lee dear:

Thank you for your Christmas greetings and your letter. I hope that you had a good time in the snow. I have not seen any snow for more than five years, and that suits me to a T.

You seem to have a bad time trying to remember to sign your letters to me, Caryl Lee Burroughs. You don't have to use my name if you don't want to. You said that you did. My feelings won't be hurt either way. Just keep loving me, as I do you.

Visited a jungle training camp the other day -- tremendously interesting and tremendously rugged. Rifles, machine guns, dynamite, and TNT going off all over the place. Walked right under machine gun fire coming from both sides of a village street. They let me fire a light machine gun from the hip; and, believe it or not, I put my bursts right through the target.

When you write again, please give me the zone number of your address. I sometimes wonder if you ever read my letters; because you never answer any of my questions.

Laddie Halliday is going to Punahou. Mr. Halliday says he is 6 feet tall. Do you remember Karen Cassard? I had a note from them the other day. They live in New York City. Karen's father is now a captain. But maybe you hear from them and know all about them.

Lots of love,
E (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc.
Tarzana, California
Telephone Reseda 222
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42 Hawaii

February 18, 1944

Caryl Lee dear:

I received your letter of February 1 yesterday. It is a real letter. Wish I could have gone to see Junior Miss with you. When I come home we'll have to go to some shows together and to dinner. I wonder if Barclay Kitchen is still running. Do you know? They used to have wonderful food there.

Should like to have seen you in your new dress. If you ever have any snap shots of  yourself, send me some. You must be quite a young lady now. Just think, it will be three years next month since I last saw you.

So you can cook! Fine! I shall need a good cook when I come home.

*   *   *

I just to stop there and go to lunch. I had four very interesting luncheon guests at the Outrigger Canoe Club. One is a colonel who is chief of Military Intelligence for this area. There was also a captain who is on his staff. Another, a colonel who is Provost Marshall here. The fourth is Assistant Chief of Police. They are all old friends, and we had a good time.

You ask what my zone number is. It is always at the top of my letters -- 42. I am glad you want to keep my name, but I think you should learn how to spell it. It is not Bourroughs. You should know that.

I liked all the hugs and kisses you sent me, and I send you a lot. I wish they could be real ones. Maybe some day, eh? How would you like to come over and visit me? I am afraid that you wouldn't have a very good time, though, as I don't know any young people.

We have a lot of parties at the Niumalu. The other evening five Marine officers gave a party. There were twelve of us. Some of the Marines had just come from action in the Marshalls. One of them gave me a piece of Jap money he ot on Kwajalein. Another Marine officer whom I had met in New Caledonia  spent a couple of weeks at the hotel recently He had come from Tarawa, where he had killed his Jap. It is all very interesting.

Did I tell you that I have become an autograph hound? I started in November '42, and now have more than 575 autographs in four books. They range from seamen to admirals and from privates to generals. There are four governors or former governors. Australians, New Zealanders, Chinese, Koreans, two Netherland East Indies flying officers, a dancer from Java, a girl from Malaya, a lot of pretty Army nurses. It has really been a lot of fun. I started it after I became a War Correspondent, because I have such a poor memory for names. I thought that would be a good way to be sure of the names of people I interviewed. But I found it so interesting that I just went to town with it. When I come home, I'll let you see my books.

Lots of love, darling. I miss you very much.

E (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California

1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42 Hawaii
 June 1  1944

Caryl Lee dear:

Your letter of May 24 came today. I still think that after the novelty wore off you'd be only to glad to get back to Los Angeles. You could have fun at the Outrigger Canoe Club, and we could go to picture shows. But hat is about all of that sort of fun. Maybe you and I could think of something else if you were here.

Yes, I use a portable typewriter every time I go out on an assignment and also in my room at the hotel.

You are certainly getting to be a big girl. I shall look forward to having a new picture of you. The one I have now is greatly admired by my friends. It is the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning, and I wish it would come alive.

I thought everybody knew what C.Y.K. meant: Consider Yourself Kissed.

What are you going to do when you grow up? I hope that you will study something that will make you independent. If you thoroughly learned English grammar, spelling, and punctuation now, and later took up stenography and typing, you would always be able to have a good job. And no one can look into the future and be sure what is going to happen. Maybe you could be my private secretary some day. Would you like that?

On my last trip a couple of weeks ago I spent five days on the Big Island (Hawaii). I was the guest of the District Commander and had his cottage at the Kilauea Military Camp at the edge of the crater. I nearly froze to death. Slept under five blankets and wore my leather jacket over my pajamas. I was given the suite reserved for visiting generals and had an orderly. Talk about class! But tat is about the way the Army always treats me. Army officers have certainly been swell to me.

Lots of love, darling; and C.Y.K.
E (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California
1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42 Hawaii

August 22  1944

Caryl Lee dear:

The last letter I received from you was dated May 24. I answered it June 1st. I wonder if you received my letter, or if you have written me since May 24th.  I am curious to know, because I do know that some of my mail has gone astray.

I hope that you are all right, and have been having a good time during your vacation.

Love,
E (sig)
 

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California       1298 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu 42 Hawaii

September 15  1944

Caryl Lee dear:

I was very happy to get your letter of the 8th, as I thought that you were not going to write me any more. I can't understand why I did not receive the other two letters. I certainly missed hearing from you. I thought you had stopped loving me.

How do you like Marlborough? Do you board there, or are you a day pupil? I hope you like school better than I ever did and that you will study a lot harder than I.

Jack Benny was just here with his troupe. I gave a luncheon for him at the Outrigger Canoe Club. Larry Adler, the harmonica player, was also there. The girls couldn't come. But I met Carole Landis the next day (that was yesterday). Jack invited me and some of my friends who were at the luncheon to come to his show at one of the recreation camps. I rode to and from it with Carole. She is very pretty and very sweet. We had a motorcycle escort of MPs. There were between 18 and 20,000 service men in the audience at the show, which lasted an hour and a half. I wish that you could have been there with me.

It is still quite interesting here, but I shall be glad when I can come home. The other evening a girl friend and I went to dinner at the home of a Japanese-American couple. It was quite a party - about sixteen of us, all but four Japanese-Americans. There was a lieutenant colonel and a major of the famous 7th Infantry Division that killed so many Japs on Attu and Kwajalein. They are good friends of these Japanese-Americans, all of whom I found very nice and quite as American as any of my other friends.

Sunday, I am going over to the Hallidays with sarah Wilder and some Army officer. I haven't seen the Hallidays for some time, so I was glad when Eleanor phoned and asked me to her party.

There are a number of children at the Niumlu again - too many not too well brought up. Some of the Filipino servants have their children, and there are some Japanese children. They yell and scream and fight most of the time.

Lots of love, darling; and c.y.k.

Always, Ed (sig)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzana, California

October 14, 1944

Darling:

Your nice long letter postmarked October 6 came through in five days. Too bad about your allowance. I mailed you a little check on September 15, but you didn't mention it. didn't you receive it?

You are certainly taking a lot of studies. They must keep you pretty busy. I am thinking of studying United States history. I have been thinking of it for the past twenty years. Maybe sometime I'll get around to it. One should never stop studying.

You didn't tell me if you had a boy friend, or if you still love me. I was over at the Kailua Racquet Club yesterday, and the pool made me think of the times we went swimming there. Do you remember, and the fun we had?

Captain Phil Bird took me over. Then we went to the Officers Club at the Kaneohe Naval Base. It is a beautiful club. I met a number of officers. I met over two thousand officers and men in all branches of the armed forces during the past two years.

Thursday evening I was at a party given by Army flight nurses at Hickam Field. It was a very nice party. I spent most of the evening writing my name on things, mostly Short Snorter bills. I have quite a collection myself, although I have never tried very hard to get signatures unless I was asked for mine. My Short Snorter collection is now 4 feet, 4 1/2 inches long.

You asked me why I went to the doctor's. Just for  check-up. I am quite well. And as I have a nice tan, I look healthy. I go out on the pier every morning  that the sun is shining and take a sun bath for half an hour.

Did I tell you that there is a cocktail lounge in the Niumalu now. I call it a saloon. I never go there, but my table in the dining room is right beside it.

After I got your horse in the crate, he kicked the sides out of it and ran away. If you can catch him, I'm going to put water wings on him and let him swim over to you. The air mail postage on him costs too much.  I'll enclose a horse for your collection. He may not look like a horse, but he has a sweet disposition and doesn't eat much. Which is a fine thing in a horse these days with the cost of hay what it is.

Lots of love and kisses, Sweetheart.
E (sig)

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Born Carol Lee Dearholt ~ then Caryl Lee Burroughs --
and then her professional name as an animal handler and trainer: Cindy Lee James.