To: Mr. Jim Henry From: Private Shorty Martin, 1942
Taken in the big city of Chicago. We would like to have sleepy here. I am having the time of my life with all the trimmings. Just got here, budies are waiting , tell all hello, will see you all later.
Pvt. Shorty Martin
By November of 1942, the United States had entered into World War II with fists swinging. Although the US had instituted a peacetime draft in 1940 — which required all able bodied men ages 18-45 to register, many of the enlistees were volunteers. Chicago, a city bustling with industry, was a vital crossroads for war preparation.
Not only was Chicago a major industrial city, producing parachutes, bombs, metal sheeting, and airplane engines (among many other things), but was also within easy reach of various military training facilities like Fort Sheridan, Glenview Naval Air Station, and Great Lakes Naval Training Station. It’s no wonder, then that Pvt. Shorty Martin tripped the light fantastic in the bustling streets of Chicago.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Jim or Shorty. There were a few decent contenders, but none that I could link to Waco definitively. Though, there were more than two “Shorty’s” running around Texas before and after the war. Although I couldn’t find our sender or recipient, it’s fairly easy to imagine a young soldier experiencing a big city for the (maybe) first time in his life.
I do love that he’s meeting up with some of his buddies. I wonder if these are military friends, or simply connections he has in Chicago. It’s feasible that Shorty was African American. As industrialization boomed in the United States — and racism spread after the fall of Reconstruction — Black men and women left the south in waves and traveled north, many of them landing in cities like Chicago. Perhaps Shorty had friends or connections already who had made the move?
I also puzzled over the “would like to have sleepy here.” I couldn’t figure out if he wanted to spend the night, but couldn’t, or if it was a misspelled word (or a mistake in transcription). But, after a minute, I came to the conclusion that I think “sleepy” is a person. He would have “liked to have sleepy here” seems like it’s too bad another friend couldn’t join. I assume Jim knew who sleepy was but nothing is certain in the postcard game.
The card itself is a linen postcard published by Curteich with a vibrant and stunning image of the Chicago skyline. While the scan did bring out many of the colors — it’s even prettier in person.
I do hope Shorty had a fabulous time exploring Chicago. Cheers to him and Jim.
Curteich Postcard: Michigan Avenue North from River, Chicago
Hipstory 