December 14, 1968
Saturday
Dec. 14, 1968
10:25 A.M.
Dear Larry,
How are you? I haven’t written to you in such a long time and I thought I’d better get to it before you send me a spanking. (HA HA) I can write you more than I usually do because I haven’t written to you in a long time and because there’s more to tell you since 2 birthdays have already passed. I haven’t written you in about 2 months. Guess what? I’m a freshman, in my first year of high school, because I got a 93 on my 50 word spelling test. That means I’m just a 9th grade speller. I’m really only in fifth grade. Hey Larry, I can do a flip. Mommy would have burned your cake but I reminded her to take it out of the oven. Oh yea, today’s your birthday. It probably was yesterday for you. Did you go to a beer joint since you’re 21? I just got through reading your letters you wrote to me July 29, 1968 and August 20, 1968. Them were the only two letters you wrote me and that was a long time ago. We didn’t get our tree but Orlicks already did.
National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal
In honor of Veteran’s Day, we are posting a photo of Larry’s National Defense Service Medal and his Vietnam Service Medal.
From Wikipedia:
The National Defense Service Medal was intended to be a “blanket campaign medal” awarded to any member of the United States military who served honorably during a designated time period of which a “national emergency” had been declared.
The [Vietnam Service] medal is issued to recognize military service during the Vietnam War and is authorized to service members in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
To Wish You a Merry Christmas – 1968
Dec. 11, 1968
Hi Larry,
Gosh, long time no see, but trust you’re being good and very cautious. Hoping you get a chance to see Bob Hope, guess he puts on a wonderful show. Lana said she wrote you. She’s got a cute apt. and loves her job. All’s well at your home and in the Sac. [Sacilowski] family. Ray bowled tonight, he really likes golf better. I’m slow getting with Xmas but I will get the lead out soon. Well, Larry, everyone holds good thoughts for you and until we see you, remember to pray and have a wonderful year. One of these days you’ll be home with it all in back of you.
Love ya,
Genevieve
Story of the Haunted House
We were looking through some of Larry’s things recently, and we discovered an old English paper that Larry had written when he was 11 (almost 12). Since the story is of haunted nature, and since today is Halloween, we thought it would be a nice treat (trick or?) to post it for you all to see. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!
Larry Rudolf
Nov. 19, 1959
English
Story of the [Haunted] House
One day I was walking home from school, and it was getting dark. I wanted to get home fast, so I took a shortcut through the woods. About in the middle of the woods I saw a weird two story house When I saw the house, I forgot about getting home, so I went in. When I went in something got on my face. I did not know what it was, but I found out it was only a cobweb. When I was upstairs I heard a weird sound, so I started running. When I reached the door, I stopped, and it was only a bat. After that I thought I spent too much time there, so I ran home, and I never went there again.
December 10, 1968 (Joanna)
12/10/68
Dear Larry,
Hi! How’s everything goin’? I hope you’re getting along alright.
By the way, Happy Birthday.
I guess that’s a hell of a place to be celebrating your 21st birthday. Ah well, you can make up for it when you get home.
I was just thinking that in less than a month it will be one year since you’ve been in the service. It’s gone by pretty fast it seems. You’ll be out of Nam pretty soon, too — so just be careful for about six more months and you can come home on leave and go swimming in our pool, ok?
December 12, 1968
Dec. 12, 1968
Thursday 10:30 AM
Dear Larry:
Well, here it is two days before your birthday, so I had thought I had better write a few lines to let you know we are all ok and just hoping that you are the same. By the time you get this letter, you will be 21 years old. I will probably bake a cake and even though you are not here, we will be thinking of you and wonder what you will be doing. Let us know.
It is cloudy and windy here today. The weather man said that it is supposed to rain and get colder and then the rain is supposed to change to snow tomorrow.
I haven’t been writing to you as much as I did, but that is because I have been busy trying to get caught up on some of the work around home. I am making some new curtains for my kitchen as the ones up there now are about shot. I want to finish the new ones, so I can put them up before Christmas.
December 10, 1968
Thursday, Dec. 10, 1968
Dear Larry:
A few lines to let you know that I didn’t forget you. I have been pretty busy the last few days and that is why I haven’t written. I am trying to get some Christmas shopping done, so I won’t be doing it at the last minute.
We are still looking for a letter from you. The last letter you wrote was dated the 18th of November. Are they keeping you that busy?
I am not giving you the devil, I am just wondering.
Yesterday was Dad’s day off so we went shopping. The stores are really crowded with shoppers and they say the weekends are even worse.
