Category Archives: Genealogy

There are so many good little tidbits in this letter that I don’t know where to start! My grandfather and Dr. Lentz are still together. I don’t know if Dr. Lentz was also assigned to CUB 13 but he and my grandfather did manage to stay in touch throughout their service. I may have mentioned earlier but I have several letters from Dr. Lentz in the World War II collection. Amongst the photographs, I have one picture of my grandfather with another officer. It was taken in New Zealand. I don’t know who the other officer was but part of me hopes that it was Dr. Lentz. Of course, I don’t have any proof or other means of verifying this.

I love my grandfather’s description of San Francisco. Since I have been to the city many times, it is great to have my own mental picture of what he is seeing. As he talks about seeing people wearing top coats and turning on the radiator in the hotel room, the famous misquote of Mark Twain’s comes to mind, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” A couple of years ago in June, my family and I went to Drake’s beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco. My children were bundled up in long sleeves and jackets as they played in the sand and water. A relative from Indiana did not understand why they were wearing so many clothes at the beach!

I became very excited as my grandfather described his role in establishing CUB 13. The CUBs were advanced bases which were set-up throughout the south Pacific. These self sustaining units supported everything required to fight the war, which sadly also included medical facilities. These bases were assembled by the Naval Construction Battalions, or SeaBees. So far, it has been difficult for me to find any meaningful information about these advanced bases.

: First allotment of $170

: Second allotment of $30

The letter also helped to confirm (or explain) two allotment documents that I found earlier in the week while sorting the documents in the military file. My grandmother’s initial allotment was $170 a month. I found a second stub for $30. It is hard to imagine living off of $200 a month. I wonder what the equivalent amount would be today.

This letter also makes another document appear contradictory. When my grandfather reported to Moffett Field, it was of course recorded that he arrived as required. The endorsement states “no public quarters available for you at this station”. Did bunk space become available or did he stay somewhere else?

_______________________________________

: July 31, 1942 Envelope

: July 31, 1942, p. 1

: July 31, 1942, p. 2

Letter transcription:

July 31, 6:15 here

Dear Mother,

Here we are after the first day of getting reattached again. This morning early Lentz called me at the hotel. He signed in at the Empire and asked them to page me at the airport but they didn’t page me so we missed each other and he went to bed early last night and didn’t call over until this A.M.

It is about 35 mile out to Moffett field but we didn’t take any bags along this AM so had to come back tonight to get them. After tonight we will stay out there in bunks.

As near as I can get it we are forming a hospital unit that will staff a hospital of approximately 250 beds as far as where or when we go I know nothing. We were issued pack with water container, part bedding, pistols, helmets and gas masks today and I have to buy more uniforms that is shoes and overshoes also a sweater and supposed to get more shirts and underware.

I increased your allotment $30.00 or rather made another so you should get 2 checks the first of Sept. One for 170 and another for 30. I think my pay will be increased 10 per cent base pay and I don’t believe I’ll need as much as I was getting.

We have a radiator turned on in the room now and it doesn’t feel bad. The breeze is so cool one sees lots of top coats and that wouldn’t feel bad either. This morning there was a fine mist-just a heavy dew I suppose they would say here. This is a pretty town with mountains about every direction you look. It seems there is a big flat area with mountains all around.

My address so far is Just C.U.B. 13 Moffett Field so you can write there until further notice.

I didn’t get paid yet but the transportation allowance is around $230.00 and I still haven’t heard from the uniform money. Hope it gets here in the next few days because I believe that will be important. Just

We haven’t had supper yet. Don’t know if we can find any good food or not. I ate breakfast at the St. Francis but it was high as you might expect, lunch at the Base and I suppose we will get some eastern Sea Food for supper.

We will have to get up early in the AM in order to get out to the base by 800 because the train and bus stops at every little town and there are lots of them all along the coast.

Well I’ll write more tomorrow Eve about the Whys & Wherefors,

Love Daddy

California here I come

4 Replies

On July 30, 1942, my grandfather flew to San Francisco from Chicago. I am betting that this is probably the first time he ever flew on a plane. In his later years, he wrote that he had never left the boundaries of his native county until after he graduated from high school. I don’t know how far from Clay County he actually traveled before 1942. He definitely traveled to neighboring Terre Haute and to the University of Indiana at Bloomington where he received his Bachelor’s Degree and his medical training. He had possibly traveled to Chicago to visit his Uncle Wes at some point as well. But I doubt he had ever left the Indiana and Illinois section of the country until he was assigned to Norfolk in 1942. And I seriously doubt he had ever ridden in an airplane until July 30, 1942.

St. Francis Hotel, Union Square, San Francisco

Since I have lived in California for almost 20 years at this point, and I consider San Francisco to be in my neighborhood, I am curious about the next chapter of the letters written while my grandfather was at Moffett Field. When he was ordered to report to California and Cub 13, the unit was still being assembled. Part of his orders included the direction “for duty in connection with the establishment of Cub 13”. Cub 13 was not planned by the Navy. Cubs 1-12 had been scheduled to be assembled throughout 1942 with 3 new cubs being established every quarter. My grandfather was stationed at Moffett for about two weeks before they finally shipped out to the Pacific. Moffett Field is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay near San Jose. Moffett was originally constructed by the Navy but in 1931 it was designated an Airbase. When World War II erupted, control of the base was returned to the Navy. Moffett Field has had many designations over the years. Today, Moffett is the home of the NASA Ames Research Center and goes by the name of Moffett Federal Airfield.

If you are familiar with San Francisco, you may recognize the name of the hotel my grandfather stayed in his first night in the city. For a former farm boy from rural Indiana, I am sure San Francisco was quite the experience. My grandparents traveled to San Francisco many times together in their later years. My uncle John eventually grew up and made his home there, where he died in 2011.

Oh, and guess who also ended up in California with my grandfather?

_________________________

: July 30, 1942 Envelope

: July 30, 1942, p. 1

: July 30, 1942, p. 2-3

: July 30, 1942, p. 4

Letter transcription:

July 30

Dear Mother-

It is not 9:00 P.M. here and I suppose and hope you are sleeping soundly. The plane was late leaving Chicago and they thought they might have to put me off at Omaha but they didn’t so as I said in the telegram we got here about 7:00 P.M. Then we came into town by air line bus and he had to deliver all over town and also when we got here my small bag was gone but now I have that

(page 2) all straightened out. Lentz was not to be found. He hadn’t been here so far as they were able to tell me at the desk.

And get this-The first thing I had to do was change into my blues. Just got them on and ready to get something to eat. There wasn’t a sailor whit who wasn’t in blue. Khaki was not no where to be seen on anyone but me so rather than be shot for a foreigner I thought I’d better change.

(page 3) I believe I like the train better. It was so rough I am jarred from head to toe I believe my womb[?] is down some (huh). I ate two meals on the plane but they didn’t fill very much.

Well when I come back from eating I may write more depending upon how tired and how far I have to go to eat.

Well ate and now about ready for bed-I’m plenty tired for some reason or other. Don’t know yet exactly what I do tomorrow about finding the place. I

(page 4) inquired and its about 30 miles out yet, but the bus goes past the past. I’ll probably have lots more to write you tomorrow eve.

I’m awful sleepy just now

So love Daddy

P.S. If you do write address it in care of Moffett field but you might hold off until you get tomorrow’s letter-Silly I guess the way I’m writing this but I’m sleepy.

Notes:

If you didn’t catch the name on the hotel stationary, my grandfather stayed at the historic St. Francis Hotel at Union Square his first night in San Francisco.

http://www.westinstfrancis.com/our-history