I was digging through the box of the letters, hoping desperately to find some letters written by my grandmother in May-June 1942. I had been transcribing another letter by my grandfather and was getting a little frustrated because I was only hearing his part of the story.  Sadly, I think the early letters by my grandmother are lost to the ages. I did, however, find two letters by my great uncle Jim, written the same weekend as the last couple of letters I transcribed from my grandfather.  These letters help add to the story.  All this week my grandfather was been wondering and waiting to hear from Jim. Even though Roscoe was not hearing from Jim, Gladys was receiving letters. You could almost say that Jake and Jim were like ships in the night, passing one another and not making contact. I am sure it will be a lot less frustrating in a couple months when I start posting both sides of the dialogue!

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First Letter from Jim Foster (postmarked May 29, 1942):

United States Naval Training Station,

Norfolk, Va.

Dear Sis-

We arrived in good order Tuesday night about 8:30, were taken to our barrack for the night, it was my good fortune to draw a 2 to 4 watch so very little sleep did I get.

Tried to call Jakie yesterday at the YMCA Hotel, said they knew of him as they had some mail for him but could not give me any further info about him as his is not registered there so when you write to him tell him my present address is: Battalion #7 Platoon #3 Barrack 30 N.C.T.C. – N.O.B. Camp Allen

I will keep trying to locate him and in the mean time you can give him that info. It is a little better here than Great Lakes, of course I was in “Boot camp” there and got no liberty, here we get liberty, but anyway, I don’t think you or Thelma would enjoy living here.

Let me hear from you.

Jim

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Second Letter from Jim Foster:

U.S.N.C.T.C. Ship’s Company

Camp Bradford

c/o Camp Allen, N.O.B.

Norfolk, VA.

Sunday May 31, 1931 1942

Dear Sis + Boys – That is it, my new address, Oh I am jumping around like a flee, here today gone tomorrow, you never can tell where you will find me and I have not located Jake, he left the YMCA Hotel, they have no forwarding address for him so if he is still here and has located a spot where he will be for a few hours like me, let me know and I will look him up also you can give him my address as I think it will be that for some time.

This is a short letter to let you know I am stationed with Ships’ Company for a spell.

Love Jim

Note:

My grandfather hated his name Roscoe, so all his family and friends called him Jake. I believe his mother was the only one who got away with calling him Roscoe.