Pen-Pal Romance
The Story of Love over Letters during World War II
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
August 17, 1942
Dear ______,
First of all Id better introduce myself. My name is Clayton Ronsberg (Rons for short). About five feet nine inches tall, maybe about one hundred and sixty pounds, brown hair, blue eyes and not very handsome. I guess that's as good a description that I can give of myself. Buddie Potter asked me if I cared to write to a very pretty girl so naturally I accepted the offer. I hope you won't object to this bold introduction but I didn't really know how else I would write a first letter to someone I didn't know. Tell Lexie that Buddie left this morning for somewhere, probably to sea. He left me a package and a letter that I'm going to mail with this. He said as soon as he comes into port he would phone her. He told me to be sure and give Lexie his love. It's going to seem kind of dull here without Buddie. There is another boy coming in soon. The two of us that are left are trying to keep the room to ourselves.
This city (Chicago) is really a poor place to be stuck in to go to school. At first I thought it would be quite nice, but after the first liberty you've seen it all. Two weeks after this weekend I get a forty-eight hour leave. We really won't know what to do with ourselves that long. I've planned a little on going home, but I live a good fifteen hundred miles from here. I couldn't easily make it home and back. In case you're inquisitive as to where I live, I come from Fargo, North Dakota (he really came from Lisbon, a small country town outside of Fargo).
Time is flying and it's soon time for taps so I'll have to close for now. Please write as I'd like to hear from you very much. You'll find my address on the envelope or if you can't read it, it's about the same as Buddie's.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
A friend,
Rons
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
First of all, I’d better introduce myself. My name is Clayton Ronsberg. Buddie Potter asked me if I cared to write to a very pretty girl, so naturally, I accepted the offer. I hope you won’t object to this bold introduction, but I didn’t really know how else I would write a first letter to someone I didn’t know. Hoping to hear from you soon…
In 1942, 16-year-old Margaret Alexander began writing letters to Clayton Ronsberg, better known as “Rons,” a U.S. Navy sailor. About two years into their correspondence, Rons visited the small town of Old Tappan, New Jersey, to propose to Margaret. They remained engaged while Rons was at sea and married after World War II ended. They were married for sixty years.
Pen-Pal Romance is a true story that details the persistent love that developed over the course of two young adults’ written correspondence during the Second World War. The book shows not only Rons’ developing fondness for Margaret but also his love of country. Shared now by the woman who fell for Rons, and misses him dearly, this is a collection of letters that proves true love does exist—and thrives even in the darkest of times.
About the Author
Margaret Alexander Ronsberg was born in 1926. She grew up—and still lives—in Old Tappan, New Jersey. As a young girl, she spent one year in a children’s hospital due to a tumor of the spine. Margaret managed to graduate from school at the age of seventeen. She found a job at Lederle Laboratories where she remained for forty-six years until her retirement. She met her husband, Rons, by writing him letters in World War II.