Friends – A Letter From Nome, Alaska And A Post Card From Honolulu, Hawaii – July 9 and 11, 1944

Rusty Heurlin

Nome, Alaska

July 9, 1944

Dear Ced,

Stormy weather for about one week. Expect “Ada” (a ship transporting goods and people) down from Kotzebue any day now, then it will be a mad rush to get everything aboard her and pull stakes for Pt. Barrow where I finally decided to locate, if they’ll have me there.

Many, many thanks for green stuff. They arrived in O.K. condition same day boat brought first greens we’ve had here since fall, three more boats with more greens – then a tanker with whiskey and beer. But I went in for the milk on first boat – drank so much of it (40 cents a paper quart) that I quit when I noticed that my tits were growing.

Who am I to thank for the beautiful scarf? Hardly a chance of wearing such finery until I get back to Anchorage again.

As for the paintings you wrote about, will take care of the matter as soon as I get situated up north. Will write Byrl first chance I get. These are busy days.

Thanks for sending pictures. Swell to look at and letters to read from home. Will return slides to you in care of Fiske when he pops in this way again. If possible for him to handle frames you have and deliver them to Major Marston https://auntphilstrunk.com/human-dynamo-and-alaskan-hero/ — (Colcord (“Rusty” Heurlin, a family friend and sometime roommate with my Uncle Ced, went along with Gov. Gruening and Major Marston while they were recruiting for the Alaska Territorial Guard. He made sketches of Alaskan life along the way and these were the beginning of some famous paintings by Rusty.) – Wallace Hotel, Nome, for me, that would be swell. But if it runs into money for this, skip it, as I could not take care of that now. He may not be coming this way again for some time. He has been flying Mackenzie’s ship and with “Mac” back in Anchorage now, he may fly his own ship to Nome. I could get “Mac” to fly them through, however, if either of them coming here soon. I could not take them on first trip this way. I had better not have them sent here as I would not care to have them sent up to Pt. Barrow unless I took personal care of them.

Hell of a rush now. Will write you at greater length first chance I get.

Love to all,

As ever,

Rusty

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Gibby - Post card to Ced from Hawaii - front, 1944