When my father, Tim Timberlake, graduated from the University of Maryland’s Engineering School and entered the Army as a brand new 2nd Lieutenant, he had no idea what lay in store for him. The year was 1941…
Marking time at his first duty station he found his thoughts turning to a young lady he knew from his years in 4-H, and he wrote her a letter.
Somewhat awkwardly, he informed Buzz (Helen) that he wanted a date…
The ‘date’ happened and then some more dates… And he sent a lot more letters. After Pearl Harbor he found himself posted to Camp Livingston, Louisiana. In April of 1942 he transferred to the 93rd Engineering Regiment just in time to accompany them to the Yukon. And he sent more ALCAN love letters.
Buzz’s birthday was July 20 and in 1942 she received an engagement ring—from Tim’s mother!
When the 93rd left Yukon Territory and repaired to Chilkoot Barracks in Haines, Tim got leave, travelled to Fort Lewis, Washington, met Helen there—and married her. This event, in February of 1943, was the climax, if not the end, of what he called the “three cent love affair”—referring to the cost of postage in 1942.
When my mother passed away we found among her possessions Tim’s half of the ‘three cent love affair’. I had heard stories all of my life and I knew Dad had been part of the highway project, but reading those letters—wow! An obsession was born.
My computer and my sewing room have filled with photos and documents. I’ve spent hours in the National Archives, the Corps of Engineers History Museum, the Military Records Center in St Louis, and in 2013 my husband and I travelled 13,000 miles to see the road and especially the Yukon portion.
You are looking at one of the results of my effort—and of the ‘three cent love affair’.
The beginning…
Second Lt. Timberlake’s first set of orders to active duty, directed him to report to Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia. But the army was expanding rapidly and confusion was the order of the day. Tim’s second set of orders, dated just two days after the first set, redirected him to Camp Lee, VA and to report on August 15, 1941.
At Camp Lee the brand new ‘shavetail’, Lt. Timberlake, found life as a soldier exciting and fascinating and had begun devoting an increasing share of his attention to a young lady named Helen Bryan, back in Maryland.
Tim had met Helen in 1939 during 4-H club week at the University, but she hadn’t really captured his attention until shortly before he left for active duty. On his third day at Camp Lee he wrote her the first of letter of the three cent love affair.
August 18, 1941
Dear Helen,
I’ll bet you’ll die when you receive this letter, but really something tells me I should have done it long ago.
Well I am really doing Army work now. I just bought about 100 bucks worth of uniforms and let me tell you they sure look nice… What I am writing about is something I’ve been wanting to do and never have, even though I have promised to a couple of times. I want a couple, not one, dates over the Labor Day Holiday…
I got a million things I want to tell you and etc. about something you’ll never guess. Am planning to come home Saturday afternoon and Saturday night what say we do something and also on Sunday.
But first write a letter in your spare time, if any, and, well, just, I don’t know, give me a break. Bye, Turner.
P.S. Please Helen, I really want a date with you something terrible. I promise, cross my heart, to keep it and everything.
Helen’s half of this letter exchange hasn’t survived, but we know she responded—in green ink on very fancy paper. And she accepted the date. But she is curious about Roberta Ritchie, the young lady she knows Tim has been dating for some time. Hadn’t he already arranged to be in Cumberland with Roberta and her family?
August 22, 1941
Dear Helen,
Thanks for the letter. Oh, yes about the Cumberland trip falling through. No it hasn’t, I just haven’t considered it much. I don’t know Helen, but Roberta just don’t want to give me a break. I have been wondering about her for a long time and I finally think there isn’t any use.
I don’t want you to think I am after you as a second bit (for Gosh sakes no) it’s just the fact that for a period of a couple of years you always impressed me as being a swell gal for any fellow and by golly I sure would like to be considered as one of the fellows. Yeah, I know you think I am ‘cracked’ but by golly I bet if a guy could have a gal like you sorta’ steady like it sure would be grand.
No kidding every time I looked or talked to you during the All Star Weekend (4-H) or the time you came over during school, I have often wondered and thought how swell a gal you were. And D__n it, I mean that…
I don’t guess I’ll be a spoiled brat Helen, I don’t believe the Army could ever make me anything but the same sloppy looking, don’t give a damn type of that I am…
This is the longest letter I have ever written in my life and I just read it over and it sure sounds screwy but really if you can believe what I said. I just want some gal, that is mine than a gal to a guy (oh not a wife), a gal that means something to you.
Yeah I know I ran around at school with some gals, but it wasn’t the way I like to, just for what you can get. You know what I mean.
Well, Bye, Helen and I am hoping when I can see you. Turner.
And, then, oops!
August 25, 1941
Dear Helen,
Kinda looks like I made a mistake and I really want to mend things. Sunday I rode to Norfolk to the old boarding house and there were two or three letters from Bobbie that explained about the Cumberland trip.
Well “old top” try and be ready to go up for the weekend on this Saturday and I’ll call for you about 10:30 in the morning, that is Saturday morning and you and I will go to Lonoconing, Md, get Bobbie and Bill Schumaker and have a wonderful time and on the way up I’ll explain a couple of things.
I have written Bobbie and she’ll contact Bill, so for gosh sakes I hope you can go…
Love, Turner
P.S. If anything happens I’ll send a wire.
As a social director, Tim made a hell of an engineer.
His arrangements for the weekend left everybody confused and unhappy. Bill Schumaker thought Helen was his date. Bobbie thought Tim was hers. The foursome spent the uncomfortable weekend at the Ritchie family home in Cumberland, Maryland. Helen remembered this ‘messed up’ first date for years and never allowed Tim to forget it.
Tim decided to push the reset button…
September 2, 1941
Dear Helen,
…Really I don’t know how to write this letter, but I would like to tell you a couple of things and then you can write and tell me just what you think, no matter what it is, please!
First of all I believe that it would be better to forget Bobbie, in fact, I have made up my mind to do just that. Now hold your hat, I would like to start all over again at 505 Cumberland [Helen’s street address in Chevy Chase], if the lady there is interested at all. Think it over Helen, for when I left you standing on those steps Monday night, I didn’t do what I wanted to, nor did I feel that I had thanked you for being around during the holiday. I really believe we could have some wonderful times together.
Bobbie isn’t dependable as you say, nor would she be faithful, you know what I mean, why any guy can kiss and hug her it’s not a privilege at all.
Write and tell me what you think. I am planning to come to the Homecoming game on Oct 18 between Maryland and Florida and I would like you to come along.
Love, and that ain’t ink either, Turner.
In her reply Helen granted absolution and offered options regarding Bobbie.
September 5, 1941
Dearest Helen,
Gee I was glad to get your letter and also that you did enjoy yourself over the weekend. Wasn’t anyone else than you ‘Doodle Bug’.
I am Battalion Officer of the Day today and I can’t go out tonight. Really Helen I believe you are right about Bobbie and I’ll surely agree she isn’t like you in a lot of ways…
Your green ink is surely the stuff on that bordered paper. I surely want to say lots of things to you. My only hope is that you’ll understand for you are in a funny and difficult position. I may be in Washington some weekend this month and I’ll come out. I’ll write first with information.
Oh, about the foreign duty, I’ll get it ok, but not before December 15, 1941. I have read your letter twenty times today and each time it sounds better…
Bye, Timber.
The evening of September 8, 1941 was clearly pivotal for the 3 cent love affair. In the margin of the next letter, Helen penciled “big night”.
September 8, 1941
Dearest Helen,
Arrived here about three in the morning from your house. I whistled all the way from you house to Camp Lee and that darn moon almost drove me crazy. I feel like I found a pot of gold or something. All I could think of was that hour or so parked in front of your home. I didn’t even get sleepy today.
Say I may be up next weekend, not this one coming- that Homecoming date is too far away, couldn’t wait that long. I was reading a column in the Richmond Times-dispatch and he had a good term that fits you to a ‘T’ – ‘True Blue’…
I am a lucky guy and for once in my life I have met a gal that I believe and stick to, to the last ditch.
Love and tons of it, Timber
Clearly neither Tim nor Helen had any attention to spare for the ominous war clouds gathering that summer.