Correspondence, World War, 1939-1945., World War, 1939-1945--Women.
214 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) F.P.O. San Francisco Saturday 5 May 9 pm Wow! (Now that I've caught my breath, I might resume in a normal conversational tone-) Just got back from a CB theater when a USO show of four - including Gertie Lawrence - played. She was wonderful: intelligent (or bright would be the better word here, for cleverly light and gay), awfully good to look at, chassis and dialog both loaded with sex (and in Gertie's case you don't qualify it by saying ‘considering that she's over forty’) - but never a dirty word or even a damn (“the USO spanks us before we go out”) Really, she was charming, and the sexiness was completely frank and good humored. I can't remember much of what she sang - “Jenny” (from Lady in the Dark), of course, and something about a tree that grows in Brooklyn, and a song about a guy named Joe (after which some dumb lout from the audience who qualified because he was the nearest one named [pg 2] Joe was beckoned - but fetchingly - up to the stage and got himself kissed on the cheek - it was a letdown, because he registered no emotion at all, not even embarrassment) - mainly it was sprightly talking and makings with the body. Just the sight of first a white gown with bare midriff and then a more abbreviated scarlet one “” [with bare midriff] was enough to set the boys going to begin with. And she answered every catcall - started out by howling like a wolf and saying in a Mae Westish voice - “All right, boys - get it out of your system - Come on, let's have it.” So she got a chorus of wolf howls. The three others were likewise excellent in their respective arts. One, a guy named Hoysradt, mimicked Gram Swing, Kaltenborn, a guy with his wife at a football game, a radio-announced boxing match and such stuff. I'm not crazy about that, but he did it well. Then their was a simply dressed, very attractive girl of the sweet and merry (and just very slightly wicked) type named Nancy Barnes who played an accordion as I've seldom heard it played. Just the motions of her hand [pg 3] on the keys and an innocent little rhythmic motion of her body in time with the music got reactions from the men - she was a wise choice for a show of this kind, the ultimate in the general sort of girl a lot of these man - and officers-will be going home to, as contrasted with Gertrude Lawrence, who's more or less in a class by herself. Lastly, a dancer named Georgie something - he must have had a lot on the ball, because I'm not crazy about tap-dancing, either - danced to Dinah, Ida, the St. Louis Blues, a Chopin Minuet (tap dancing within a ballet routine) and other numbers. Outside right now it's pouring rain, McGinty is feeding me beer and talking to John Kelly, an enlisted man (hospital corpsman) and gradually involving me in the conversation; so I guess I'll have to quit. Goodnight, sweetie In spite of Gertie Lawrence, I love only you! (and our looking to the time when you will make likewise with the body, only more so) Warren