This letter contains some nice trivia about camp life including more about the daily menu and the living conditions. I was surprised to learn about the garden that was planted. Apparently, the fellow must have known they were going to be there for quite awhile. I wonder where he got the seeds.
Gladys must have received the instructions about including “white poppy” as part of the address fairly quickly. Within a week or so, she started addressing the letters that way.
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- October 24, 1942 Envelope
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- October 24, 1942, p. 1
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- October 24, 1942, p. 2
Letter transcription:
Oct 24, 1942
Dear Mother,
I’m not going to clutter this up with the no mail story only to say that we have none and to again call your attention to the address. Just insert the words “white poppy” in between the SSA & the c/o and if anyone acts as if they want to write also call attention of that to them.
As I was writing last night it was raining and it rained most all night and hard so this morning everything was a sea of mud and no fooling period. It thundered and lightning just like a good old Indiana storm. It was the first thunder we had heard since leaving there. Our tent leaked some just finally seeped thru. It’s an old tent and doesn’t seem to be able to take it anymore but we’ll have to take it unless it gets too bad. This rainy weather will probably bring on droves and more droves of mosquitoes but the nets should take care of them, at least while we sleep.
I suppose I should take this time to wish you a happy birthday, maybe I should have done it several days ago but not knowing how long it takes to get there I’m a little confused as to time. You did tell me you received the money orders I sent long ago so I’m relieved to know it they got thru. Don’t try to send anything for my birthday unless it you stick to what I have already suggested for Christmas. Things to eat would be out and things to wear would be in the way other than as I suggested a few suits of underware, but do send me sometime a good flashlight and a couple of extra batteries.
[page 2] Just after we came one of the fellows planted a small garden and has it pretty well along now. The radishes are about the size of an ordinary marble and the lettuce and tomato plants are coming along. They have to be watered each day that is up until today. The effort seems more than the benefits derived. Now if there was a way to grow a good steak I think I’d be interested for about 2 wks ago we had our last fresh meat. Span, corned beef etc seem to be the main bill of fare. So let me give you warning now. If you want any of that stuff have your fill before I get home because I can see now that I’m going to be well past my fill by then. Some fried chicken wouldn’t be bad either – guess it won’t be too much to dream of those things. The hot dogs are canned and they aren’t even as good as those at home – but we won’t starve as long as we keep getting our meals as often and as plentiful as we have in the past. We aren’t so bad off but we like “self pitty.”
You probably are beginning to have some pretty frosty nights there and the coal pile probably is going down – when it gets down low enough for 2 or 3 tons (have one of the dealers come out and see if it will hold that much) and keep it filled because I imagine it will be hard to get.
Well, I’ll try to add a line on late developments later this eve or in the A.M. Later no new development won at bridge this Eve. Had pretty good cards. Will write this P.M. or after church
Loves of Love
Daddy
Lt. (jg) Yegerlehner MC
Navy SSA (White poppy)
c/0 postmaster
San Francisco Calif
Genealogy Lady 
I once saw a menu offering pizza with Spam in a small town in the west of Ireland. This was a long time ago. I hope they’re not doing it anymore.
Actually I believe it is quite popular in Hawaiian and Japanese cuisine. I think I have seen it on a pizza menu before. 🙂
“It thundered and lightning just like a good old Indiana storm” I can identify with that. I’ve never anywhere else seen storms like we had in northern Indiana.
LOL 🙂 🙂 🙂 “So let me give you warning now. If you want any of that stuff have your fill before I get home because I can see now that I’m going to be well past my fill by then.”
He went to church far more often there than he ever did at home!! 🙂
I think going to church there was easier plus there were always other doctors around. He wasn’t “alone” and required to be on call like he was at home.
When I visited Hawaii, I was surprised to discover that Spam is very popular there. You can even get Spam at McDonalds.
I’m pretty sure I ate spam as a kid. I can still see the can. Awful! I’ve never bothered to look at the ingredients — that is, if they still make it. :q
I am pretty sure they still make it. 🙂
Now, that’s scary! 🙂
LOL 🙂
SPAM? …yukkie 🙂
It’s funny about Spam. I remember eating it as a kid. When I worked at a camp during my college years, all the hiking trips would pack the Spam. It was an old tradition. I don’t really know anyone who likes eating it these days, but I’m pretty sure they still sell it.
Well, I finally figured out a way to get to your wonderful site. The problem appears to be with the settings on my home computer. Wonky, stinking thing!
I’ve been reading your posts on my smart phone, but no matter what I do, I can’t load your site (I have this problem with about 3 others- how weird is that?). I can hit the “like” button from my reader bar so you know I’ve read it – but can’t leave a comment. I hate doing that though, because it looks so lazy.
Ah well, I’m reading, I’m enjoying. I’m waiting for the next installment!
cheers,
Sue
Yay! I am glad you got something to work. And don’t feel lazy hitting the like button! I love getting all the likes, too.
I’m so glad. Hopefully, we’ll get this figured out. WordPress has always worked kind of wonky at home. Combination of an old laptop and sloooooooww internet.
I can’t (but really can) believe how much this letter is like some my dad wrote. There is so much the same. Writing letters saying everything but what is going on around them. It is like I have read this letters several times in Dad’s letter.