Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Oct. 7, 1943

Dear Mother,

No mail today and you will note the date – The same as the letter I wrote this A.M. I have some work to do early in the A.M. so I’ll write now and add a finishing touch before work tomorrow. Since there was no mail and since I’ve been wanting to describe to you what I claim my favorite drive I see no better time. I’ll try not [to] give away any military information and that may keep some of the important facts from appearing but here goes.

We will start from a certain point – first as one looks around there are the cocoanut trees. These trees are planted in rows. Somewhat like the cornfields back home. So from this point I write of I feel somewhat like I imagine a field mouse must feel in the middle of a full grown corn

[page 2] field. Now a look around on all sides – the trees – under the trees the fallen cocoanuts. These practically cover the ground on the hillsides there are fewer because as they fall they roll into the lower spots.

Now to proceed – The road between rows of trees runs straight for a distance then winds a little to miss a low spot and this continues for some distance. Then as the land becomes more uneven the road winds in and out of these rows. We are now gradually going downhill and the cocoanut trees are getting smaller and smaller. Up over a little nob and down again and no more cocoanut trees but right smack into the jungle road. The relief at leaving those even spaced

[page 3] monotonous cocoanut trees is unbelievable – now in the cool of the jungle and the sigh of relief over we proceed down a rather sharp hill and on either side huge banyan trees 10-to-15 feet in diameter and 2-3 times as tall as our own maples at home. The top branches come together above the road and with the sun excluded it is cool and shady. Huge vines are everywhere suspended from these branching trees and sight penetrates only about 5-60 feet beyond the highway – on down the hill banana plants, bread fruit trees and numerous other smaller under growth can be seen. At the very lowest point – yes you guessed it a small stream just winding out of the jungles and as suddenly winding back again

[page 4] on the other side. Up the hill and a few more S curves and what have we? – cocoanut trees – rows & rows of them and the road between a couple of rows. I like that drive because its different – nothing fancy but it’s the only one of its kind in the locality – I’ll add a line in the A.M.

Oct. 8, 1943
Today marks another month – so that is another in the back ground. We hear lots about 18 months of duty so you can figure as well as I. I mean of course the number of months left but the 18 month story might not be correct in either way. It might be longer but I doubt if it’s any shorter. Anyway I must be going now so solong until tomorrow

Love Daddy

A new runway, Russell Islands, with rows of coconut trees, 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
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