S.S. Alcoa Pennant
Well, that’s it. This is the last time we will hear from Lt. (jg) R. S. Yegerlehner for the next three weeks. Presumably on Sunday August 9th, 1942, he set sail on the S.S. Alcoa Pennant for the south Pacific. For the rest of August 1942, we will hear Mrs. R. S. Yegerlehner’s side of the story. There are also a couple of new guest letter writers in the coming week. By mid August, my grandmother was close to 8 months pregnant. My uncle John was about to have his 12th birthday on August 22nd. We are about to get a view of the home front in small town America 1942. So hold on, it’s going to be one heck of a ride!
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- August 8, 1942 Envelope
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- August 8, 1942, p. 1
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- August 8, 1942, p. 2
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- August 8, 1942, p. 3
Letter transcription:
Sat. nite
Dear Mother,
Riding on a Pullman I wish I could explain the whole details. Helen Washburn is going to write you soon of the details as much as we think fit. This is definitely the last for some time. Our plans have been changed some lately. That is just minor changes.
By chance I ran into Henry Reinhart Jr. today. He has been in the lower part of our barrack since Wed. and by chance I happen to see him today. He was walking along and I thought I recognized him and looked
(page 2) at him pretty straight and he sorta bowed his head and saluted and I kept looking at him and not quite sure it was him then he said “Why Hello Doc”. He took me to Helen’s this P.M. before I had to catch my train. Sure was swell seeing someone from home. But we had such a short time and to think he was downstairs since Wed. Call his Dad if you want and tell him I saw him.
We will ride all night on the train-only 9 of us. I can’t say to where. I thought this A.M. letter would be the last for some time
(page 3) but last minute changes were made.
We are supposed to have good mail connections but don’t know what is meant by good.
Some of the boys had their wives here and it seemed harder that way. Than the way it was for us.
I’ll be think[ing] of you lots.
Love
Daddy
Fascinating!!! … thanks so much for sharing.
You are very welcome!
Wow… the date… Our Marines just hit the beaches at Guadalcanal. Mr. Johnson is already on board the USS Enterprise going in the same general direction as your grandfather – towards the Solomon Islands and harm’s way…
Yup, August 7th is the day that the US marines landed on the beach at Guadalcanal. I wonder how much of my grandfather’s orders were impacted by the events on the other side of the world.
My dad had never even seen the ocean….and now off he goes across the Pacific.
I was assuming he had never seen the ocean before he ended up in Norfolk. So within a three month period he saw both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans for the first time.
Pardon me, sir. You are his son? If you are, I thank him personally for all that we have today.
Yes, Mustang.Koji, I am his son. Thank you for your kind words.