Letter transcription:

Jan 5, 1942 [1943]
Lt (JG) Yegerlehner
Receiving Station
U.S. Naval Advanced Base
Noumea New Caledonia
c/o Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

This is one time I didn’t forget to put the whole address at the top. It’s almost a letter in itself to put that much on and really it’s supposed to be on every page. That’s one reason why V-mail is harder – Two addressees on one page – but write V-mail because it will be faster this way I think. No mail today as yet. It’s very discusting [disgusting] but will just have to get used to waiting. Dec. 12 was the last letter from home.

Our show last night was “The Fleet’s In.” Was a pretty funny show and was really what the boys like and need. It gives them a chance to “whoop and holler” and mothering to restrain them. That show has been out some time, as well as most of ours here have been, but

[page 2] that doesn’t matter as far as I’m concerned because they are all new to me and but some fellows have seen the same show 2-3 times but and they still go.

I did some laundry again today. It was the first for some time – sent some out and had an enlisted man do some but it takes so long when they it is sent out and I didn’t get all my things back when the enlisted man did it. So I guess the best thing to do is – do it yourself. I don’t mind the washing but I don’t like ironing – we don’t have a regular board and a flat table or desk top isn’t so good.

When I get home I’ll have to reform in lots of ways or you’ll find me out in the back washing and another thing I’ve gotten very bad at is not cleaning up my plate at meal times. Just today we had Lamb – potatoes, corn and bean & carrot

[page 3]salad. All I ate was the lamb and the potatoes. And I don’t suppose I’ve eaten more than one doz slices of bread since leaving the U.S.A. The bread on ship was kept in the ice box frozen and none no fresh on the whole trip so that about turned me against the stuff. Ours looks good here but our meals are so top heavy with carbohydrates that I just pass it by.

This P.M. breeze has almost turned into a gale again this P.M. My laundry is whipped a lot but it’s been out about 2 hours and still not dry. The atmosphere here must be damper than at home. We have no clothes pins so have to tie them on with string and that takes time. It seems that I’ve said many of the things before that I said in this letter so please excuse it’s just because things to write about are few and far between.

[page 4] Haven’t taken any pictures yet because cameras are supposed to be taboo in most instances so I’ve kept this one pretty well hidden.

Today is pay day but there won’t be any to send home. I’ll let it pile up some and send it later. You had better get yours out or it will seem so much a part of the bank account that it will be hard to pry it loose. If you don’t want to buy your coat put it in bonds. I believe that is a little better interest than saving. Or better still split it. Or maybe you’ll have to use it to keep the wolf from the door. Do as you think best.

All for now love
Daddy

P.S. – no mail so no more to add.

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