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- April 22, 1943 envelope
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- April 22, 1943, p. 1
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- April 22, 1943, p. 2
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- April 22, 1943, p. 3
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- April 22, 1943, p. 4
Letter transcription:
Apr. 22, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet Post office
San Francisco Calif.
Dear Mother,
Got three letters yesterday all v-mail dated the latter part of Mar. Mar 27 was the latest – Mark’s letter (air mail) of Mar 30 was the last received in it came 2-3 days ago.
Several things have happened which are of interest and also surprise. I was hit in the ear with a snowball the other evening – no I’m OK. The snow was made artificially and a bucket full was brought in and it was such a thrill
[page 2] that a commander picked up a handful made a snow ball and said, “Look out Jake here is comes” and wham he hit me in the ear – Really it felt good.
The other thing was fresh calf liver smothered in onions for nord noon day chow yesterday when I was invited out and fresh steak at our own mess for supper last night. And that wasn’t all we looked at and were able to bum some onions. We sliced them and ate them just as was. That was the first raw onion since leaving the U.S.A. I’m now yearning for a raw potato because
[page 3] the dehydrated have that well known something taken away. I’m not griping about the food but am elated at the addition.
I saw Helen Kline’s husband the day I left but could tell him nothing since I knew nothing at that time. He may have learned later – I’m sure Dr. P & W. are informed by now but you probably know as much by now as they.
Dan and Helen (Kline) Heindel, 1942 (Photograph courtesy of Judith Heindel Bowen)
Our length of stay is only a conjecture and I don’t think about it because if my thoughts were incorrect then I might be disappointed so we will just be patient
[page 4] and look forward and I believe the more content the quicker the time will pass.
If I can get the tools and material today I’m going to try to build a shelf to store my clothes so things won’t be so mussed up as they are most of the time.
Your vegetable garden idea sounds good but don’t overdo because after all that is hard work and the little extra that you might get won’t compensate for your overworking –
Love Daddy
Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/04/30/calf-liver-and-onions-roscoe/
Genealogy Lady 
So here is confirmation that he was called Jake most of the time by family and friends. He did NOT like Roscoe.
I think I can remember him eating onions raw, and we definitely liked to eat raw potatoes…which we did when French fries were being prepared. Liver was sometimes on the menu when i was growing up, but I never much cared for it.
Re the safety issue. He had had to patch together so many people, so he was well aware of how people could get hurt. He hated to see kids putting their arms and hands our of car windows, and he lectured people about using rotary movers around kids or other people. The blades could sling a stone into another yard. And he HATED fireworks. He’d seen too many fingers blown off. His doctor’s office was the town emergency room….so he saw a lot of grim stuff.
I like raw potatoes too. 🙂 But never had much experience with eating liver growing up. I don’t like the arms and legs out car windows either or lawn mowers.
Hi attitude about his length of stay is really great. Was he always that positive?
I always remember him as being rather good-natured (until he wasn’t). I remember one visit to their house in West Lafayette when a florescent light tube was broken. He was pretty mad, although I think it was mostly out of concern that we might have gotten hurt from either the glass or chemicals.
Understandable on the broken light. I find myself getting mad when really I’m concerned for safety. It seems like a common adult problem.
I agree. I probably get my maddest when safety is at the core of the issue.
I think the combination of being a teacher for 10-15 years, and then being a general practitioner, set him apart. He was good with kids. They also lived through the depression so they were prepared to live frugally and very practically. Also coming from a large, loving family (by all accounts) set him up with a great sense of humor.
I think he is referring to the day he left New Caledonia. He didn’t know where he was going (Russell Isalands) and he wouldn’t have been able to say anything at that point anyway. The operation was top secret. Even the transport ship’s manifest doesn’t say where the troops were being taken to.
What was it that Dad wasn’t able to tell Mr. Kline? Sorry, I don’t get a chance to read up every day.