Category Archives: Foster

Dear Mother (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 3, 1943

Dear Mother,

I’ve almost gotten writ cramps from writing letters. One to each of the boys with their money orders and one to Boonie. Those were earlier this P.M. so maybe I’ll be able to write you without too much difficulty. It might seem it’s a task to write you but don’t feel that way because it isn’t and I might say it’s the only highlight of the day – for somehow it seems like a real visit topped only by getting and reading one of your letters.

Writing the Christmas letters to the boys seems to bring to reality the time of the year and actually it is only about 22 days until Christmas time. Last year when we left it seemed a long time when one spoke of Christmas – I mean of ’42 but here it is of ’43 and the time has gone someplace or somewhere. Much of the past seems only like a dream – or may I add a “nightmare” with the bad man on the march and very near or on the edge of the cliff ready to be pushed off into space. There is a certain something about that feeling which appeals to the adventurous side but there is also a relief in a good non anticipated

[page 2] disturbance of the sandman’s best. True experience is a wonderful thing – usually one would take nothing in a financial way for those experiences but would pay very little to be able to take the same trips and the same adventures a second time. Really I’m writing a lot of trash so just don’t pay too much attention. May it’s something I “et.”

To the more serious side – You haven’t written anything of finances for ages. Is it so bad you don’t like to write? Or have you written and the letters just haven’t arrived? Later I’ll give the figures on which income tax have to be paid for 1943 and you can figure it out with the legal brains at home to see how we stand. I’ll have some extra money to send home sometime this month – either the 15th or the last of the month so if you will let me know I’ll make an added effort to send it as soon as possible.

It’s hard to tell how the mail will go thru around Christmas and in case it is slow let me say now that I hope you and the boys enjoy yourselves lots because really we have more reason to feel elated this year than last. I’ll write more of Christmas later but for now

Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/14/dear-mother-roscoe/

Dear David (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.

Dear David,

I just know you will get a big kick out of this little present I’m sending you. You will have to consult Mother about how to spend it but and I’m sure she won’t go too far wrong.

I’m sorry you can’t have too much candy but you can have an extra pull on your thumb unless Mother should decide to buy a guard to keep that from happening.

John & Mark probably will see to it that you have a good time and I know Mother will do likewise – Just between you & I she is a very capable woman – Don’t you think?

Love Daddy.
P.S. give Mother an extra kiss for me.

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/13/dear-david-roscoe/

Dear Mark (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 3, 1943

Dear Mark,

This is about the best Christmas present I can send you at present so you will have to make the best of it. I know you will need no help in spending it but just in case you do have trouble your mother will be glad to help you.

David and John are getting the same but if theirs should happen to become lost in the mail I know you would be glad to share yours with them.

No doubt but what you will have a big tree and everything that goes with it. You probably will get a kick out of helping Mother do the “fixing” of those things. Do have a good time – I’ll be thinking of you

Love Daddy
P.S. Give Mother my regards.

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/12/dear-mark-roscoe-3/

Dear John (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 3, 1943

Dear John,

This is just a little present for you. I hope it isn’t too late for you to make good use of it for Christmas – Buy what you want but if you feel you need some advice consult your mother for I’m sure she will be glad to give you suggestions.

I’m also sending Mark & David the same but in case something happens that theirs don’t come thru I’m sure you would like to divide with them.

Mother, I’m sure, will see to it that you boys will have a fine Christmas and I do hope you will enjoy yourselves very much and I’ll be thinking of you.

Love Daddy
P.S. My regards to Mother.

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/11/dear-john-roscoe-3/

The Finances (Gladys)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Dec. 3 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters for four days but maybe a bunch will come tomorrow or Mon. It is a typical grey wintry day – however not very cold. The checks just came today so must go to the bank and make a dep. I am running low, but will try to give you some idea about the status of our finances when I get thru writing. At least we won’t have to pay int. on Ins. loans this Dec. I paid the balance on the piano today. Had it tuned and that cost $5⁰⁰. I will pay all the groc. bills, etc., while downtown this afternoon. I am keeping all bills paid – that is why I am so short of cash on hand but I would rather not allow bills to accumulate. I am not going to spend much on Christmas gifts this year. There isn’t much use to go shopping – the stores just haven’t the stock for the Christmas trade they had last year. Had a letter from Ruth M. and she wants to either come here or us go there for Christmas. I wasn’t planning to go to C.C. I think it isn’t best to take David away during the cold weather to stay so long. There too would have to get the neighbors to look after the furnace and that is too much trouble to ask of anyone. I think I am going to suggest the Mutchlers coming here, if they can manage their gas situation. I would much rather stay home. Dorothy has asked us to come there for the day, but family comes first and if we can arrange with Ruth will spend the day with them here or there.

[page 2] Leo Sondgerath had a ruptured appendix. He is in St. E. and seems to be getting along, according to the Newton Co. E. Bluford Healy had pneumonia and was quite serious, but is better now. His wife went to Ft. Bliss, Texas, to be with him last week.

David woke up a little grouchy from his nap. It isn’t sunny today so won’t take him out in his buggy. Will go in the car so I can get groceries. I am buying homogenized milk for him at Bair’s now and today is when the fresh supply comes in (Tues. & Fri.). He tries to say some words when we talk. So far we have to guess at most of his words or expressions. Mark is pretty good at interpreting his talk. He is trying to feed himself and I think will soon be able to manipulate spoon from bowl to mouth without too much loss of food on the way. John and Mark played Monopoly last night and had Virginia come over and play with them. I told them no arguments or I wouldn’t allow them to play. They do pretty good.

I saw “Ma” out chasing Jimmy. He wants to stay out and she wants him to go in. He runs and she can’t catch him. She hadn’t been so well, but now that we aren’t out in the yard much I don’t see her much. I think Irene goes to Chi. for thyroid treatment quite often. She isn’t to have an operation but takes iodine. The Factory is building an addition and intend to move the Chi. Plant here. I think the new addition will be almost as large as the original.

I must do some figuring so I can go to town and give you an idea about finances. I hear a plane going over – sounded so low – might have touched the tree tops. Every time I hear one go over I think it might be bringing you home.

Love – Mother

(over)
By the time all current bills are paid there won’t be much balance if any – but maybe next month it won’t be so bad – or will it?

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/10/the-finances-gladys/

Cigarettes and Chewing Gum (Roscoe)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

Just by way of repeat – In yesterday’s letter I had a check for your Christmas and I’ll get some money orders for the boys tomorrow. Maybe I’m a little late with this Christmas business but with any kind of connections the letters should get there in good time.

Your V-mail letters of Nov. 16 – 19 & 20 came today – Those were the latest I’ve received here. It seems v-mail is faster than air mail but keep both coming. I don’t mind v-mail in the least but many of the fellows don’t like them – they do seem a little like canned mail but it keeps one up to date.

In case I didn’t mention it before – Ruth M. sent me some cigarettes and chewing gum. The latter was quite a treat since that stuff is really hard to get. I don’t like to mention things like that because I have a feeling gum is hard to get there and I wouldn’t like to deprive anyone from their supply. Mother sent some a few months ago and I had some of that until just lately.

Your greeting also came and the little insert where you inserted the word “one” for “folk” was

[page 2] really something. I’d say rather cute and with much meaning and of course the thing applies both ways.

I’m still feeling badly about not writing for such a long stretch of time because just about now you are in that period when you are reaping the benefits of me not writing. I surely hope you won’t think to me too terrible but it was an opportunity I hated to miss. I’d like to write you all about the trip but that isn’t al the way the censorship is here so things like that will have to keep until later. It was such a delitful delightful experience after the past few months that it’s hard for me to even describe or realize just how much it really did mean. Here I am writing you all this when you really haven’t had a vacation or a change for some time and no prospects of one so I’m more than somewhat ashamed of myself.

Other letters to the folk, the Ruths, etc., have to be written and if I stop now maybe I can write one or two tonight so

Solong –
Love Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/09/cigarettes-and-chewing-gum-roscoe/

Mrs. Plummer (Gladys)

1 Reply

1943-12-02 (GRY)Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
12-2-43

Dear Daddy – No letters the last three days. This being Mrs. Plummer’s wedding anniversary I baked & decorated a cake and took David and spent the afternoon with her. She gave me our Christmas gifts today. I will just keep the boys until Christmas then put them on the tree. I have the dining table decorated with Santa & reindeers and the little table trees. It was so warm today it didn’t seem like Dec. I hung clothes out but the humidity was high and the heavier things didn’t dry. This time last year we couldn’t hang anything out of doors. We are all pretty well over colds now. I still have sinus drainage every morning but that is better than having it stopped. The piano tuner is coming tomorrow. He had tuned the piano before it was moved but it needs it again. John really takes a piano thru a lot of hard practicing. J. & M. get their homework as soon as they get home from school so they can play monopoly on John’s board he got for his Christmas gift. I thought if I allowed them to play on it a lot they would soon tire of it and not be so anxious to play all the time. I wasn’t in town today so didn’t gather any news. Lucile was out with Jimmy Ed early this afternoon before I went to Plummers. David & J.E. have a good time toddling around together. I loaned J.E. a pr. of shoes David outgrew. Baby shoes are hard to find now.

Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/08/mrs-plummer-gladys/

Yesterday’s Letters (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 1, 1943

Dear Mother,

In one of your letters yesterday you gave me the full details of the flowers arriving for your birthday. He (Palmer) had the exact date so maybe he planned the whole thing that way and there is also a possibility that he arrived just in time. Too bad something like that couldn’t happen so I could send you a real nice Christmas present but so far I see no hope of that.

This little check is for that purpose – (Christmas present) but it really isn’t like flowers, etc. One could buy some things presents here but I am a little afraid of sending things since that box I sent last year didn’t come thru and it was also late when I arrived here. So use the check for something you wouldn’t otherwise wouldn’t buy, like the Pjs you told me you bought for your birthday. I got more than somewhat of a kick out of your description of that affair.

When you wrote that I would have a good picture – better picture rather of D. growing up than some “Daddies” at home you were very correct because there has been very few letters in which he didn’t come in for his share from

[page 2] his proud Mother and of course I was as eager to hear read those things as you were to write them. I often as you can. What you write but send them as often as you can. What you write but send them as often as you can. What you write but send them as often as you can.

Tomorrow I’ll get some money orders for the boys so they can get a few things for themselves, as they did last year. Seems as if they got a big kick out of that last year. All this Christmas writing by me I suppose was brought on by the date for it just doesn’t seem that that time is around again and of course we know now that we won’t have snow but you have possibilities there. I know you will not be disappointed if snow doesn’t come but as I’ve often written a little bit of snow under my feet would sure feel fine especially if it were in certain parts of Indiana.

I do hope this gets to you by Christmas time but I have a feeling that the mail will be slow again this year because of the regular Christmas rush which is hard to control.

I’ve rambled lost lots but any way.
Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/07/yesterdays-letters-roscoe/

Report Cards (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Dec. 1 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

The first day of Dec. – no mail today but probably will get some tomorrow. It was a little sunny today and I took David out for fresh air. He hadn’t been out this week (Mon. or Tues.) due to a slight cold which was not present today, so I thought fresh air would do us both good. We walked over to Johnsons but they weren’t home so went on over to Krulls. I hadn’t seen their kitchen since they had remodeled. They now eat their noon meal at home every day & Thurs. & Sun. are home since those days the restaurant is closed. They closed up the door that went into the pantry and made another at the south end of the dining room. They now have a bathroom with a shower off their kitchen. It is very nice with built in cupboards, new sink, etc. If you were home I think I would want to finish the room over the garage for the boys, but under the present circumstances I think it is best that we get along as is, but it’s something to plan for. Even with a new house there is always something to do (like finish the basement).

J. & M. brought home report cards today. John had Gen. Science A – English A+ – History & Arith. A – Ag. B+ – Physical Ed. S (Satisfactory) – Band A and Citizenship S. Mark’s grades went down, but

[page 2] I am not surprised. He isn’t quite up to par. I didn’t get him started on vitamins quite soon enough and I think he played too hard thru “their” football season. I set a new bed time for him which is 8:30 and am trying to get him rested some. He and Bobby are upstairs now working on a plane for Bobby. Mark is having trouble with arithmetic now – long division seems awfully hard for him. I have to help him every evening and he isn’t grasping it like he should. I think that is one cause for his present nervousness – he gets impatient about not getting his work rapidly. David is walking around the house playing with a muffin pan and a lid. He went to the stove and got them out of the drawer. We are slapping his hands now to teach him to leave things alone that sit around where he can reach. In the morning when I get up, I have sinus drainage and do some clearing, hacking and spitting. He imitates me. He is at the age where he tries to do a lot of things we do. Of course we think he is advanced for his age, but that’s our privilege.

Dorothy told me today that Ellsworth got a 3 month deferment – that Al is going to quit teaching next year ( he will be retired then) and run Ellsworth’s business while E. is in service. Now that is as told to me and things may change by then, but those are present plans.

I tried to do some Christmas shopping today but didn’t get much done. Got a box to send to Jim. Have a gift for Thelma – an English coin purse Bud K. made.

The weather is turning to the wet order. It is raining some now. Theresa Ann Tubberty just came to get Bobby – she helps Arlene after school. Louise is back but she isn’t able to work like she used to – I don’t know when she will have her baby – She probably won’t stay after Arlene gets back from the hospital and can get along. Bobby said his Mother was addressing Christmas greetings today – She has to get her things done early.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/06/report-cards-gladys-2/

Ten Days (Roscoe)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Nov. 30, 1943

Dear Mother,

You mentioned in one of your letters I received today about forgetting to mail a letter for one day and was sorry – well, I haven’t written for 10 days as you probably know by now but I wasn’t supposed to say too much about a leave I was taking – So I’m sorry for not having written. It had to be that way – The only thing I did write was that my mail would be off schedule. There was 18 letters and a package from Ruth M. waiting when I got back.

About the vacation – I have a word picture of the whole thing but that can’t be written for reasons you already known by you. It was a chance I couldn’t afford to miss and maybe I had it coming because it has been some time since I’ve had a day off from duty. Not being able to write was the thing I hated the most.

There are so many things in your letters about which I’d like to write but three more just came so I’ll have to have some time to digest all of them. Most of the letters were old having gone to the old address the latest being Nov. 15, and the worry you had about leaving off the 133 was useless because it really isn’t too necessary although

[page 2] it does help.

The most vivid thing running thru all your letters was D. walking. I believe you stressed that the most. Maybe that was the thing that was most interesting to me. At least I enjoyed it lots, and I know he must enjoy walking from your word pictures of his actions while he is toddling along.

I hope Art Kenney was correct about the tour of duty. Of course one don’t expect things like that to happen on the exact day. What he told you about the contingent of Marines has proven correct in so far as I am concerned. He has been promoted rather rapidly to have reached the rate he has in such a short time but I think Art is a pretty bright boy.

So far the home town paper sent by Boonie hasn’t arrived but things like that are slow. I hope the pictures of D. are good you had taken under the sponsorship of the paper.

Maybe tomorrow I can write a little better letter after I’ve had a chance to think about yours and re read the ones I might have skipped over lightly –

Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/05/ten-days-roscoe/