May 5, 1919 – Postcard to Robert’s wife, Lenora (Elinore):

Dear Lenora,

We are getting clothing now + expect to leave for Des Moines in a few days.

Bob.

This one is really monumental to me, and for a few reasons. First, this is it: the last piece of Robert’s writing during this amazing period of his life. After more than 300 diary entries, letters and postcards, this is the last one. Fittingly, it’s a photo of the Nansemond, which carried Robert and the 140th Infantry safely home from France.

Second, this is the first and only piece I have that was written to Elinore. I know he wrote her a lot of letters – he was even keeping count for a while. But I don’t know where those letters are or even if they still exist.

So this little 100-year-old postcard, creased and missing some words, is the only thing I have that was sent from my grandfather, Robert, to my grandmother, Lenora. It’s the only one of his letters or postcards that wasn’t signed “Rob,” like all of his messages to his parents and sisters. To Lenora, he was “Bob.”

I do have some pictures left to post, of Robert, Lenora and Bob jr. after he got home. If you’ve been reading his letters from the last several months, you know that all he really wanted was to get home, see his new family, and spend some time at “the little green cottage” on Lake Rebecca. I think he got that wish.