Cold Beer (Roscoe)

: September 22, 1943 envelope

: September 22, 1943, p. 1

: September 22, 1943, p. 2

Sept. 22, 1943

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran C.

Dear Mother,

Your letter written Sept. 7 came yesterday. In it you told of Funk’s return and the difficulty you had of buying meat at Bair’s grocery with Fords’ being closed. It must be a problem to buy all those things with ration cards, etc. We often see gags in the magazine relative to rationing but we just can’t appreciate the jokes but maybe you can’t either but we don’t have the basis for understanding them.

Yesterday P.M. when everything was hot and I was as dry as powder one of my tent mates came in with a case of cold beer. I can tell you it was the biggest treat we have had in ages. Even turkey or fried chicken would not have been more appreciated. That is best understood if you can imagine drinking

[page 2] only warm water with ice water or cold water at a premium. So you see what the cold beer meant.

I have to go out and do a little inspecting again this A.M. It seems that job keeps me on the run most of the time and it does help pass the time rather rapid but it’s a little hard on the rear system since these jeeps don’t ride to easy. They may go places OK but one is bruised in places often getting there.

The trip is over and I’m not too bruised, and while at the General’s place another beer (cold) was offered and received.

Seems as if beer is about all I’ve written about but I do do other things as well as thing of other things.

Space is all used up so solong until tomorrow –
Love Daddy

P.S. Here is one more picture I forgot to mail.

Office of Emergency Management. c1943-1945. National Archives.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/26/cold-beer-roscoe/

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LXXVII

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Smallpox Patient in a Dog Pound.

CHICAGO, April 24, – The Tribune says: “Penned in with four dogs and three horses in a small pound behind the Englewood police station, and suffering from smallpox in a malignant form, James Harris, of Spring Valley., Ill., shivered and moaned for three hours last night while he waited for the health authorities to remove him. Meanwhile, before the authorities had taken him in charge, he had entered a dozen stores on different streets, where the disease is dreaded.

“Smallpox patient in a Dog Pound,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 25 April 1900, p. 4, col. 5; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 3 February 2015).

Book Update – It’s Almost Here!

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Yesterday, I approved the proof and the book was sent to all the various channels. Amazon has generated the page for the book, but it is not available for purchase yet. You can sign up for an email alert for the moment the book is for sale.

I am still having a book release “party” and book giveaway contest on March 3rd. Sign up to win a free, autographed copy of the book.

Book Giveaway

Here’s a little teaser from the Acknowledgements page:

I have been posting one letter a day on my blog for over two years now. During that time, several hundreds of people have stopped by. A handful of people have stuck around and followed the story (and my occasional ramblings). A faithful few have made comments, and I have had some great conversations as a result. I would like to thank Koji Kanemoto from Masako and Spam Musubi, Kassie Ritman from Maybe someone should write that down…, Amberly Beck from TheGenealogyGirl, Luanne Castle from The Family Klamazoo, Linda Arthur Tejera from Living With My Ancestors, Amy B. Cohen from the Brotmanblog: A Family Journey and EmilyAnn Frances May from Child Out Of Time for some wonderful conversations over the last two years. I want to remember Catherine Crout-Habel from Seeking Susan – Meeting Marie who died last spring. She was one of my most faithful followers in the beginning. I miss her enthusiasm. Other consistent followers are: Jim Harbin, Steven Braman, Aquila Herus, Lenore from Explore Newness, gpcox from PacificParatrooper and NikiMarie Barra from Copper Leaf Genealogy. Day after day they come back and continue to read about Roscoe and Gladys. Thank you!

There are so many people to thank and those listed above are just the tip of the iceberg!

A Little Party (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
9-22-43

Dear Daddy – It was warm again today so we had David & James L. out in the yard quite a lot. I tried to get a picture of David’s curls but won’t know how they show up until I get the film developed. We didn’t go to the hospital today but Glen plans to go tomorrow. I want to have a little party of neighborhood children tomorrow after school so am not planning to go down. Dorothy has a movie film she is going to take. I have just one roll of film and can’t get any more so I am saving the rest of the roll (took one today) for later. David didn’t have a bottle today. Drinks his milk out of a cup now. I thought I would try him one day to see how he would get along and he didn’t seem to miss anything. I saw Irene this evening and said Mrs. J. has the flu. There seem to be a lot of colds, sore throats, etc., around now, but I believe it is due to the early cool weather. My throat feels good today but I am hoarse. After Dr. Ade treated me yesterday my throat hurt but I knew it would feel better today (I hoped it would). Your Mother sent David a dollar for his birthday. He should fare pretty well from all indications. I will bake him a cake for the rest of us to eat with ice cream. A new Reader’s Digest came and John is devouring it as usual. Mark is not doing much of anything. Glen has been painting the Taylor Tot & he is looking on. Glens are planning to go home the last of the week. I hate to see them go, but they must.

Love Mother

© 2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/25/a-little-party-gladys/

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LXXVI

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City News Notes

Elmer Wright, living on Sherman drive, whose children were some days ago found to be afflicted with smallpox, now has the disease. Dr. Ridpath said his attack was very severe and he things the other three members of the family will also have the disease.

“City News Notes,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 24 April 1900, p. 3, col. 7; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 3 February 2015).

Native Patients (Roscoe)

3 Replies

: September 21, 1943 envelope

: September 21, 1943, p. 1

: September 21, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Sept. 21, 1943

Dear Mother,

8:30 A.M. and good and hot. We can noticeably tell that summer is arriving for the past 2 weeks have been definitely warmer and with much less rain than a month or two ago but I imagine the rain will begin again before long but that is only imagination.

Our native patients are responding real well to treatment and they seem to appreciate what we are doing for them but they are never in a hurry when we go there. We ask them to be there so it won’t take so long but each time it is the same. We treat one or two then have to wait for the others to appear. Many of the officers buy grass skirts and other articles of junk paying from 25¢ to $1.00 but to me it is all junk and dirty at that. I don’t think I’d want to send any of that stuff home after it had been fly specked from the sores and dirt of the villager. I guess you know me well enough

[page 2] to appreciate what I’ve been saying. In one of the pictures I sent you, you will note one white baby – It isn’t as bad as you are thinking. I know the story back of that but can’t reveal it at present.

So much for the natives – I mentioned something about imagination earlier in this letter and mine has been over worked in the past few weeks or months as to how you are getting along with your mother’s illness and with all the worry of the boys. I do feel that you are doing a good job as only you can do, and I look forward to getting the pictures of you as much as those of the boys because I want to keep check on how you are retaining your appearance and up to now I’ll say according to the pictures it has been pleasing. Keep it up Dear.

It’s considerable later now than when I started this letter so must get going
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

© 2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/24/native-patients-roscoe/

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LXXV

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In Doubt About Disease.

A suspected case of smallpox in a family living on Nelson street was reported to the Board of Health yesterday. Dr. C. E. Ferguson visited the patient and will make a thorough diagnosis of the case this morning, as he was unable to determine yesterday whether it was smallpox or measles.

“In Doubt About Disease,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 19 April 1900, p. 6, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 3 February 2015).

Soup & Ice Cream (Gladys)

2 Replies

: September 21, 1943 envelope

: September 21, 1943, p. 1

: September 21, 1943, p. 2

: September 21, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 21 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Back from Laf. today. I talked to Dr. Cole. He said he quite giving Mother the Betalin shots because she wasn’t responding any. He talked to Baylee and B thought the ammonium nitrate would take that fluid down in her abdomen but Cole said he didn’t think it would help much. Baylee said to give insulin to make her eat so they are going that now. She gets weaker every day. So weak she can hardly feed herself, and today complained of pain in her bowels. The Dietitian came up to her room and asked her what she would like to eat – she had a nice supper tray and did eat some soup & ice cream but as soon as she started to eat complained of the gas bothering her. Glen & Pauline are talking of going home the end of the week. He has to get back to work and hates to leave here with Mother so bad. He got all the storm windows hung. There was a pane broken in the French doors & a basement window & he is going to fix them tomorrow. Also going to paint the

[page 2] Taylor Tot for David and do a few other odd jobs around. Pauline has cleaned all the upstairs, stairway & Nursery. She really cleans & never seems to know when to quit working. We have to wash at least one tub of clothes everyday and she hangs the thing out if it’s chilly because of my hands. I told them to take that old washing machine & the rug I had rolled up in the attic. Glen is going to see about shipping the washing machine & if the freight isn’t too much will send it. I think Bun Loughridge has forgotten he was supposed to take it because it has been here almost two years now or is it three? No guess two is correct. Bun hasn’t changed. I took the sweeper down and after two weeks or more went down and got it still not fixed. The band broke but I can still use it for suction.

My throat has been sore so went in to Dr. Ade today & had a treatment. I have been hacking & spitting all evening. Will go in for another treatment the next time I go down if it persists in being sore. I told him I didn’t like starting in the fall with a sore throat but I believe the strep I had last winter left my throat in a weakened condition. Dr. Ade wanted me to take sulfa but I told him I am allergic to it and having had such a severe attack of allergy so recently am afraid to try sulfa now. Maybe when you come home & if necessary I can have tonsils out but

[page 3] will try to get by without that little “ectomy.”

I mailed a letter in Laf. today I wrote last night, with two pictures. I am enclosing two more in this letter.

Dorothy couldn’t go shopping for David’s birthday gift so had me buy something for him. I got him a pr. of red corduroy overalls and a red & white t-shirt. He has his red snow suit jacket so will be a red bird with all those things on. He trys to say John. He really attracts attention wherever I take him. He turns on the personality and has everyone looking at him – or is his Mother just imagining things? Yesterday Glen went to town with me & we took D. along. We went into Nick’s and David got a lot of attention. Glen said something about the fuss everyone made over David.

John & Mark went to a football game tonite & Mt. Ayre won. John is still having headaches & Van Buskirk says his glasses are correct. I wonder if his age hasn’t something to do with his headaches. His face is a sight – worse with pimples & blackheads than ever.

It’s past 10:30 so I must get to bed. David has a habit of waking around 7 so if I don’t get to bed in time to get my sleep out by 7 a.m. I just miss it.

Love Mother

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LXXIV

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Mayor’s Cabinet To-Day

The mayor’s cabinet will meet this morning in Mayor Taggart’s office. It is expected the Board of Health will give some information on the smallpox situation. It was also said yesterday the mayor will discuss the elevated track question before the members of the cabinet.

“Mayor’s Cabinet To-Day,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 19 April 1900, p. 3, col. 5-6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 3 February 2015).

Flower Blossoms (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: September 20, 1043 envelope

: September 20, 1943, p. 1

: September 20, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Sept. 20, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60, F.P.O. S.F.C.

Dear Mother,

This is our regular native day so the practice is what you might say black.

Yesterday being Sunday we took a little trip and a swim. When we returned we stopped at an old orchard and collected some limes, mango and some flowers. I’m sending one of the flowers. I know it will be all crushed, etc. but the perfume may still be present. These flowers sell for $1.00 per blossom in New Zealand and Australia, and they can’t be bought in the U.S.A. I know when it arrives you won’t be able to tell anything about it but I’m going to send it anyway. The Island has lots of them and when you are near one of those brushes the perfume in the air is really wonderful. I’ve tried to press flowers to send but the colors seem to fade in the pressing procedure.

There hasn’t been any mail now for

[page 2] two days and of course we get impatient but we used to wait weeks on end.

If I remember correctly I got the news of D. arrival on Sept. 23 the day he was one month old. Of course I could be incorrect – you said Oct. 20 and that may be right.

A Dr. just came in the other day who had left the States Aug. 23. I’m really glad I came out when I did because I feel that I have a good chance of returning in the not too distant future. By that I mean months yet, but months don’t seems so long when one has been out years already. I say years and it is now going on two –

Loves of Love
Daddy