Commissioned Officers’ Mess, Norfolk, Virginia
Postcard from the 1940s
This is the second letter in which my grandfather refers to going to Pearl Harbor to eat. I can only assume that it is one of the naval mess halls since it appears to be walking distance from the dispensary. Perhaps it was even the Commissioned Officers’ Mess pictured at the left. I tried finding some reference to this nickname via google but to no avail. I did find a dictionary of Navy slang published at www.goatlocker.org. I will keep this link for future reference in case my grandfather slips in some other unknown naval terms. Some of the terms in the dictionary are quite humorous and definitely not for polite company.
This letter posed some other interesting questions:
What is oxathelien? A search on google resulted in nothing as did a search for Kendall Co. I found a Kendall Company that sold bandages and other medical supplies during this time period but they don’t appear to have actually sold medicines.
Who is Art? My grandfather has mentioned him several times now. I am assuming he is the local pharmacist.
What type of shot did my grandfather get?
Who was Harold Foulks’ brother-in-law?
Are John and Lovina, Roscoe’s parents, receiving any of his letters?
I may never find the answers to these questions. I think I might be able to figure out some of them eventually: such as who are Art and Harold Foulks’s brother-in-law? I might even find out if my great grandparents were receiving Roscoe’s letters. Oh the joys of family research! The questions never seem to end. It’s all part of being the family researcher and genealogist.
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- July 1, 1942 Envelope
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- July 1, 1942, p. 1
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- July 1, 1942, p. 2
Letter transcription:
Wed
Dear Mother,
Just got home from a heavy days work shots + exam. I don’t believe it is as warm here as it was when you were down.
Guess by this time you have my letters explaining the latest move and are standing by on same.
Don’t get too much worked up about this but I’m going to try to get a leave sometime within the next few days. I’ll either call or telegraph you before I leave so that you will know for sure-but don’t bank too much for they are moving into the new dispensary and don’t know what that will mean. If I can get over to see the boss tomorrow I’ll find out. Don’t say anything about it at home until I know more definite.
Lentz is going golfing so I’ll have to walk to supper and that means Pearl Harbor. Guess I can stand it for one meal.
I got a letter from Mrs. Wm Unger today and she asked about a tablet – I think she was taking (oxathalien –purple of Kendall Co.)+ Hy-Val-flora of WM Warren Warren Feed. The purple tablet she has but I don’t believe Art has any of the others. She will have to call him Call both she and Art and
(page 2) see if he has them. If not, she will have to go elsewhere.
Got my last shot today. So far my arm doesn’t seem to be very sore. Maybe it won’t this time.
I’ve written two letters home. Or rather you wrote one and I’ve written one since and haven’t heard. I’m just wondering if they got my letters. Have you gotten any letters which indicated whether they have gotten them or not?
Has Harold Foulks’ brother in law been transferred or do you know?
Well, guess I’ll get over toward Pearl Harbor and get back and do some reading-
Love Daddy
Genealogy Lady 
Art Kenny was the local pharmacist, who owned Kenny’s Drug Store on the main street. I remember his drug store pretty well, e.g., the soda fountain where I sat after school, the magazine area just inside the plate glass window in the front, AND the area behind the pharmacy counter. My dad would go there before he went to his office every morning, just to hang out with Art and others before he went to his office. There was the back entrance–accessed via an alley that ran behind all the stores–and my dad parked his car near the alley entrance. I have a vivid memory of my dad’s car parked there. I also have a vivid memory of the smell of the alley and the back area of the drug store…I don’t think I’ve ever encountered that odor anywhere else, I say “odor” but it wasn’t bad. It was strangely sweet…maybe it had something to do with the cleaner that might have been used. Overall, Kenny’s drug store is a pleasant memory.
Aren’t the memories fun! 🙂
Very interesting. It seems like I have a lot more questions reading my fathers letters than I do answers. I know Dad got shots too. He talks about them in his letters. It seems like they were tetanus and smallpox, but darn it if my I don’t remember now. I do remember him talking about how sore his arm got.
Looking forward to the next letter!
I also forgot to pose the question…What was my grandfather planning on reading when he got home? Medical journals, mail, a novel. I don’t really know what types of things he liked to read.
I am glad you are enjoying the letters and looking forward to the next one.