A Love Story for the Ages

Great love stories have often been told, written and lost like fleeting memories. But every once and a while one comes along that steals the breath straight from the depths of your cynical lungs. That such a story can be found and has been found in the depths of my grandmother, Helen's old boxes. Tucked away amongst browning receipts, bills, pictures and books: a love story for the ages, a love one is lucky to come along once in their lifetime, the story of 'Pinky' and 'Pop.' Helen and Carter meet in a peculiar manner, as Helen's sister Jackie had met the handsome military man first. Jackie had brought him home to meet the family not knowing, a more perfect match for him existed within the bloodline. Helen and Carter soon fell in love and the woman who was 'never short of beaus' had finally settled on just one. Unfortunately, as many things are, World War Two had begun and Carter, the former college professor, was soon off to war to fight Nazi Germany. Carter flew B-26 planes under the call name Nighthawk, but among the most important things he did while in WW2, Carter took the time to write heaps of in-depth love letters, those of which were found in the box mentioned prior.

Helen and Carter wrote hundreds of letters back
and forth over Carter's time in both WW2 and Korea

Carter always addressed Helen's letters with "Dearest Sprout," 

and signed his letters with, "I love you, Sprout, Pop."

"Your picture on the shelf makes my quarters much brighter. Wish I could take it along to sit on my desk in class, but then I would get nothing done. The boys mobbed around my bunk to get a look at the girl they'd been hearing so much about. They approved."- Carter

"I dreamt about you last night- I was saying goodnight
 to you and dashing away, just as it seems I am always doing." - Carter

While in WW2, Carter and Helen decided to get married.

"I hope to beat this letter in tomorrow, and if I do I will have the ring for you. In case you do get this first, here are your "instructions." If you leave the shop before I get there leave word where you are going. If I can't come, of course, I'll phone. I love you, Sprout, Pop."

Helen and Carter were married on October 16, 1943

By that time, Korea was just around the corner and soon Carter was back flying planes for the U.S. Air Force.

Helen yearned for the day Carter would return home and they could press play on their lives. She took photos like these to send overseas:

Less than a year after this last picture was taken, Helen received the news every military wife dreads: Carter's plane had been shot down over Korea. Carter's plane was never found.

She lost him that day. His tender words and black and white face in grainy photos were all that remained of the man she had loved so dearly, a man the sun rose and set for in her eyes. Recently, in October 2011, Helen passed if only to be united with Carter once more. Though Carter's body was never found, she is buried beneath a marble stone with Carter's name and rank etched above hers. 

As it should be.