Category Archives: World War II Letters

Sixteen Beautiful Roses (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
9-28-43

Dear Daddy – No letters today but had 5 yesterday up to Sept. 18 – rec’d check & pictures. 16 beautiful roses were wired from San Francisco – so someone remembered. I was in Laf. when they came. They are almost the same color as the ones in the flower bed you set out in ’42. They came as a surprise. It had been so long I didn’t think anyone was going to remember you had asked them to send flowers. Glen & I went with Mrs. Zell today to Laf. Mother seemed a little better today but Dr. Cole said it was only temporary because she won’t eat. All he is giving her now is calcium and sleeping medicine. He was not a bit hopeful about her – just said “it isn’t good.” We left the hospital about 4:45 – she was tired and had had enough company. I went to see Dr. Ade again today – my throat keeps bothering me. He said if it doesn’t clear up the best thing to do would be have the tonsils out – I told him I didn’t see how I could now. He knows about Mother & agreed with me that it would be better to wait – so if it doesn’t get better or keeps getting sore I will just go back for more treatments. I spit up mucos all the way home. Seems my throat & sinus were full. – It was a beautiful Indiana Summer day – so warm & sunny. Pauline stayed home with the babies and kept them out in the sun. Zells got 300 baby chicks today – so we can have frys in two months. Chicken raising is their way to help supplement the meat shortage.

Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/10/sixteen-beautiful-roses-gladys/

Native Day (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: September 27, 1943 envelope

: September 27, 1943, p. 1

: September 27, 1943, p. 2

: September 27, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Sept. 27, 1943

Dear Mother,

No mail yesterday but we hardly expected any since a good bunch came Sat.

This is native day again and it’s getting near the time to go, but I’ll try to get something sensible in this. If I wait until after I’m afraid of missing the mail.

You wrote of Mrs. Dye and her husband’s return and how glad it made you feel. Well, recently I gave an officer a goodly on his return to the USA. Maybe

[page 2] you think that didn’t make me feel good. I should save this as a surprise but I won’t – He is supposed to send you some flowers in time for your birthday. That is the 4^th try so let me know if anything comes thru. I’m really testing my friends and if they don’t respond I’ll strike them off as friends. Of course they have my money and I do hope you will get some pleasure from them contacting you.

I wrote Jim yesterday P.M. in answer to the letter I

[page 3] received from him Sat. There are lots of other letters I’m going to try to answer soon. Namely Ruth M., Uncle W., Ruth Y. and others. I get behind so much anymore but I guess it doesn’t make so much difference so long as I’m able to get yours out each day. To me that is the important thing for it still gives me a lot of satisfaction to write you. That last statement isn’t very clear but I hope you understand what I mean.

I’ll promise more and better tomorrow –
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/2015/03/09/native-day-roscoe/

Pictures Received (Gladys)

1 Reply

: September 27, 1943 envelope

: September 27, 1943, p. 1

: September 27, 1943, p. 2

: September 27, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I really got the mail this a.m. Yours of Sept. 15, 16, 16, 17 & 18 came today with 9 pictures & one check. I deposited the ck. and have had lots of enjoyment looking at the pictures. Now if you had been turned just a little more toward the camera in one picture I could have seen more of your face, but nevertheless all pictures of you were easily spotted. You looked much more natural than if you had posed in any you were working in. They were all good clear pictures I thought except on had a little light place, but I can still see you very plainly. That must be your personality showing thru – I am enclosing some of David’s birthday pictures. I took one picture from the back so you could see his curls, but they don’t show very plainly. I must give him a hair cut but do hate to cut the curls off. I would rather leave them on for a while but if the pressure gets too strong around me I suppose I will cut the curls off. David is as limber as Mark used to be. Much more so than James L. There is so much difference between the two. David is a much more

[page 2] active child than James L. Pauline puts J. out in the buggy nearly all day or in the Taylor Tot & he stays put – at 8 ½ mo. David was climbing out of his buggy. He is getting a little better about staying put in the Taylor Tot. He fell out on his face the other day & I think it made an impression on him. He started to climb up the handle & over went cart and David. The grass was soft so he wasn’t hurt. I put him out today so he could be in the sun & he stayed put.

Glen is getting ready to start home. He has been waiting because of Mother but feels he must get back to work. He got special C tickets to make this trip so had to go to the ration board here to get tickets for the return trip. He is really miserable most of the time the way he fills up. He was going pretty good until last Thurs. I think the medicine Dr. Cole prescribed helped him because he didn’t feel like being up and now he is up tho chocked up most of the time. I wish you could do something for him. He does pretty good in Nev. but has an attack now & then.

I had to go to town to the bank this afternoon – I don’t get up town very often. I saw that Henderson woman (the last baby you delivered – not pd. For yet) up town. I wanted to talk to her about their baby. The last time I saw him was early in the summer and he didn’t look very healthy – had a unhealthy color and wasn’t very heavy – was too thin for his age. She was in a hurry & so was I so didn’t get a chance to talk to her. I might have been sticking my neck out but I hate to see a baby not properly fed. When I saw the baby the mother seemed apologetic about his weight & looks. I should have asked her

[page 3] then what she was feeding him. She said then she was going to finish paying her bill.

I enjoyed the comment you made about the furniture. Except for changing the desk from one end of the room to the other & moving the piano out of the den – the living room was the same as when you were here. The change I made recently was the first time I had rearranged the entire room.

I was trying to figure out a little financial statement to give you & if I haven’t made a mistake our bal. at present in $283⁰⁰ – out of that I’ll have $133⁰⁰ Ins. to pay (Hancock 2 pol. – Laf. Life one). Rent $45⁰⁰ – Light $6.30, tele ? – groc ? – etc. Jim gave me $100⁰⁰ to pay hospital bills but I have used most of that – Mother had abo $100⁰⁰ and gave that to me but I have used most of it too – It doesn’t take long. I still have $40⁰⁰ from what Jim gave me for next week. So far I have just pd. a night nurse ($15⁵⁰ for 2 nights) but as you advised I am not buying bonds so will have money on hand if & when I will need it. The room at the hospital is $35⁰⁰ a wk., but that was all I could get when I took Mother in, and she wanted a private room. The x-rays & medicine have been high and make each weekly bill more. – I will have the regular monthly ck. to add to the above bal. ($283⁰⁰). I usually dep. $170⁰⁰ & keep $30⁰⁰ for current expenses. These trips to the hospital sure take the gas. We didn’t go today but plan to go tomorrow. We were there yesterday all afternoon. It is getting late and will have lots to do tomorrow morning so must get to bed.

Love – Mother

David with cake on his first birthday, September 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/08/pictures-received-gladys/

“These Hear Parts” (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: September 26, 1943 envelope

: September 26, 1943, p. 1

: September 26, 1943, p. 2

: September 26, 1943, p. 3

: September 26, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Sept. 26, 1943

Dear Mother,

3 v-mail letters from you, one from Jim, an air mail from the folks and an air mail from the Walkup’s. Your latest v-mail was dated Sept. 13 and was the latest received. It seems it’s nip and tuck with air & v-mail but the air mail is best.

Glad Jim could come home again to see his mother and also see Glenn. I also In Jim’s letter he told me of his foot & leg trouble and that should be corrected before he gets out because lame fellows don’t have much business in “these hear parts.” However when one makes Chief in the Navy he is as good as retired. Maybe Jim hasn’t found that out yet. A Chief never

[page 2] works. Maybe I’m a little hard on that branch.

You were part of the tropic in both mom’s letter and Jim’s. They were both praising you very much. Sure did sound good to hear read what they had to say. Of course I agree with them more than somewhat and can then add lots more to what they wrote.

I’m not much surprised at John’s allergy since it is in the family on both sides. That is one of the things we will have to work on as time goes along. And I guess Mark has a little at times also – Maybe D. will be free but that remains to be seen.

Repeating – I sent $250 on Sept. 16. That should help pay the extra expenses you are having but as I said before let the bills run and pay them as we go along for

[page 3] I don’t believe the Hospital will be too hard if you try to pay a little each month.

We had eggs sunny side up this A.M. The first time in about 6 wks. Sure makes one appreciate them more when they are served so infrequently.

I changed procedure this time and wrote the folks first. I thought maybe I’d have more ideas when I finished theirs. Their letter today was more to Dad because his birthday is coming up, and I wished him a “happy birthday.” Mom in her letter was telling me what she received – hose [?] Towels, etc., and she also mentioned the letter in which I wished her a happy birthday – From her letter I believed she appreciated my letter as much as she did the

[page 4] gifts. Maybe that is not so out of line but it did seem funny when she put it the way she did.

I’m going to air my bunk today, because something smells in this tent. Smells like Garbage but we can’t locate it so we are going to do some airing to see if that will help. The blankets we have under the mattress may be a little moldy and that might be where the smell is coming from. It couldn’t be my feet but it sure makes one wonder at times.

Well, I’ll be writing again tomorrow –
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/2015/03/07/these-hear-parts-roscoe/

Waiting For Coal (Gladys)

1 Reply

: September 26, 1943 envelope

: September 26, 1943, p. 1

: September 26, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 26 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Sun. afternoon & spending it at the hospital. Glen & I came down this morning. Yesterday when I was here Mother seemed so low I thought we had better be here as much as possible today. I stayed last night until nearly 10 o’clock. She gets weaker all the time. It doesn’t seem possible for her to get any weaker and last. The dietitian came up this afternoon to see would like for supper but she said she didn’t want anything at all. She seems less drowsy today than she did yesterday. If you have the letter I wrote yesterday I told you how awful she looked then. I haven’t talked to Dr. Cole today but think he isn’t giving much medicine now except for sleep.

Glen is some better – at least able to come with me today. I had Dr. Cole give me two prescriptions for him yesterday & it seems to be helping some. They are still waiting on Mother’s condition to go home. Think they should go now but hate to leave.

The old home town isn’t what it used to be. Last night when we got back to town I thought I would stop at the groc. store & pick up a few things – well, it was only a little past – well not quite 11 – and you remember how the crowds used to mill around the streets till about midnight. The only store I found open was

[page 2] the Morgan place and they were sold out of bread – what I wanted most. The streets were deserted and everything closed. Nick’s were still open but Sat. night is about the only time they stay that late. I don’t know what those people do who used to hang around town so late.

I saw Sister Amelia yesterday & she said to tell you hello for her. Also saw Sister Juventia and she was asking about you & said she missed “you boys” – (who doesn’t). Alma W. said Reed was wishing “that little devil” was back. He needs to see a Dr. & won’t go see anyone – guess he is waiting for you to come back. Mrs. Plummer came out on David’s birthday & brought him a gift. She goes to Dr. M. for shots and she said he asked her about us. I haven’t seen him since I brought Mother down here to Dr. Cole. Dr. M. was out of town when David was hurt and out of town when Mark cut his hand so I can’t help it if he doesn’t have the latest on us.

It is nice & sunny out today but chilly. This fall came without delay. It was summer one week then fall the next & it’s been cool ever since. It has been hard on our coal supply because with a baby (now two) in the house we had to have heat. I told J. & M. if we couldn’t get any coal we would have to go someplace else to live. I am just doing what everyone else around Kent is doing about coal – waiting for it to come. I suppose it will be winter (I hope).

Well, I have rambled on & on without saying much. I told you in yesterday’s [letter] the trouble with the powder room plumbing & Geo. Monroe finding it – the pipe leading from the house was broken – he fixed it.

Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/06/waiting-for-coal-gladys/

Don’t Know What to Make of Your Mother (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: September 25, 1943 envelope

: September 25, 1943, p. 1

: September 25, 1943, p. 2

: September 25, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Sept. 25, 1943

Dear Mother,

Your air mail of Sept. 10 & Sept. 11 came yesterday both of course earlier than the one of day before yesterday which was Sept. 12.

I guess Jim crossed me up when he sent my letter on to you – I’ve sorta forgotten what I wrote him. I mean the words I used but I know whatever it was I meant it.

From your letters, etc., I really don’t know what to make of your Mother but I guess that isn’t so unusual since the Drs. there seem to be having a little trouble and they have the x-rays, etc., to work with. The gallstones shouldn’t be

[page 2] causing too much difficulty – by that I mean her condition doesn’t seem to be a gallstone case out and out from your descriptions – maybe your next few letters will be more informative – That is the Drs. may have something more definite to tell you.

I keep wondering if you will get the flowers I’ve sent via a friend. He promised me very faithfully that he would do that and since I gave him money I believe he will. He seemed a little more sincere than some of the others by whom I sent word to you.

Sorry about the coal situation. You will have to order from

[page 3] both telling them the first one to get coal in will be the one that gets the job. You will have time yet in the next few weeks because while it may be getting a little cool it won’t be too cold for some weeks. That is if the winters are as they used to be. It seems last winter was a freak so one hardly knows what to expect this winter.

Well this is inspection day so must get ready for the event.
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/2015/03/05/dont-know-what-to-make-of-your-mother-roscoe/

Tea Drinkers (Gladys)

1 Reply

: September 25, 1943 envelope

: September 25, 1943, p. 1

: September 25, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
(St. E. Hosp.)
Sept. 25 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Mark, David & I came to Laf. with Alma Walker. She was on an errand for Les Ford & I had the chance to come with her. We stopped at the Hospital then she took me to Dr. Cole’s office. He gave David his smallpox vaccination and me an examination. Said my trouble was digestive and thought the pressure at present is the cause. After I got thru there Alma brought me back to the hospital & Mother seemed so low I thought I had better stay so Mark & I stayed & Alma & Juanita (Toole) Parr took David home. (Juanita was along too.) Alma is going to bring our car down this evening to get Mark & I. I thought Mother was about as weak as she could be before but today she dozes off every few minutes and sleeps then when she wakes up thinks it has been a long time. When I left to go to Dr. Cole’s I told her I was going to get something from Dr. Cole for Glenn. He gave me two prescriptions, ephedrine & amatol. When I came back, she thought it was the next day & wanted to know if the medicine helped Glen. Her eyes are beginning to look queer & protruding. Glen is feeling rather bad – He is so chocked up – I hope this medicine will help. He seemed to be pretty good until Thurs. eve. He went out into the garden & dug potatoes and there were a lot of weeds around – That may have made him get this attack. Alma was telling me what you gave Billy & said you had him inhale tincture Benzine. Glen smokes a powder – I am going to ask him if he ever tried inhaling steam.

[page 2] Mark has gone to the café down the street to get his supper. Alma got a sandwich for me to eat but when Mark comes back I am going to go get something more substantial. I need something hot.

I don’t feel very newsy but just happened to think about something – Alma told me Reed is going with Dorothy Kindig (You know Jack died some time ago). I think it’s really serious & Jimmy can’t get used to the idea of Reed having any interest in anyone else. He is so used to Reed taking him places he wants to go when Reed go calling on Dorothy. I said I thought Dorothy deserved a break & Alma says there are glad R. is going with her.

Sister Celerita just stopped in to say goodbye – she is being sent someplace else but doesn’t know where. She has been on this floor a week. I was hoping she could stay – She wants me to write to her. I don’t know whether you remember her but she is very young & friendly. She was in O.B. three years ago.

I must get this finished so I can get a bite to eat & something hot to drink. You know how well I like hot tea – or do you remember – We are quite tea drinkers in the evening – The boys still have their milk at mealtimes however so the tea habit isn’t too bad.

Love Mother

Jeep Waiting (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: September 24, 1943 envelope

: September 24, 1943, p. 1

: September 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Sept. 24, 1943

Dear Mother,

Your v-mail of Sept. 1, Sept. 7 and air mail of Sept. 11 came yesterday. You wrote the air mail while in the hospital and said you would call Dr. Cole before you left and I thought you would give me a report on what you found out but you mailed it before you called. I guess you will explain to me in the next mail.

It sure was great hearing you tell of someone returning. Mr. Dye as I remember was over there before I left the States. Of course duty at a place like he had would be great as compared to what I’ve had but

[page 2] other people could say the same about the duty I’ve had. I guess everyone thinks his work is the hardest and his task is the greatest and there will always be a chance for an argument on both sides. I’ve been in this place now for over going on 8 months and it does get a little old in spots but it’s interesting. I’ve been all over the place on land all around on the water and even in the air above so it’s almost as well known to me as Newton o. but it’s not nearly as beautiful from some standpoints.

I have a jeep waiting for another trip so must get going in order to cover the territory today –

Love Daddy

The Tension (Gladys)

4 Replies

: September 24, 1943 envelope

: September 24, 1943, p. 1

: September 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 24 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Sept. 13 came today. You said you wanted to know something about me – well I weigh 100 ever. I broke my glasses, or rather David did and I am going without them just to see if I can. So far no bad results but I may get a headache and have to have an eye exam & get new lenses. My hands got over the bad attack and pealed off and now are sore in spots again, but more of a weather irritation this time. Pauline has been doing all the soap & water work & hanging up clothes to keep me from exposing my hands but they will get sore when the weather turns cool in spite of precautions. Yesterday was a better day for a birthday party than today would have been – However Wed. was warm & we could have entertained in the yard but it was cool enough to stay in the house yesterday after taking pictures. I had been taking shots every month, then I started ahead of time the last three or four times and didn’t get shots so haven’t had Theelin or anything for several months but get along without it. I am going to see Dr. Cole tomorrow. I have been having some indigestion and have so much has all the time I really don’t think it is anything but thought he might give me some suggestions on diet. I really think it is the tension – you know what I mean – Mother so ill – trips to Laf. – etc. Too much hurrying around. I really feel

[page 2] pretty good but think I will have to be careful of my diet! David is getting so he doesn’t wake up so early and I don’t know why, but if I can sleep a little longer in the a.m. I feel better – now maybe if I would go to bed earlier that would help, but seems like my pep always raises in the afternoon and I feel more like doing thing later in the day & that usually runs into the night. When your mother was here she said she like to work in day but not in the evening. I suppose if I got up as early as she does I would be ready to quit by evening.

Mark has gone to the football game – It was raining some & I wasn’t going to allow him to go, but told him he would have to wear rain coat, hat & rubbers and in order to go he agreed. John decided he would rather stay home & practice his music lesson than go out in the rain. I was glad he did because it doesn’t help his allergy any to get cold. He doesn’t cough much anymore. His headaches come & go – Dr. V. said his glasses are correct so I think the headaches must be due to maybe his age. His voice sounds so funny at times when it gets off the “sound track.” He says he doesn’t notice that it’s any different.

It’s about time for Mark to get home – here he is – Kentland won 48 to 12 – Knox lost. He (Mark) is all out of breath telling about it.

David is due for smallpox vaccination but has a little head cold so don’t know whether the Dr. will want to give it to him or not. He acts like he is going to cut more teeth. Still has just 6.

Love Mother

Book Preview

1 Reply

Two more days until the book giveaway! While everyone is waiting here is another preview from Dear Mother, Love Daddy from the first chapter – Introduction:

During World War II, Roscoe Yegerlehner and his wife, Gladys, began and continued an incredible daily correspondence. Gladys was meticulous about saving every letter that Roscoe wrote. She even managed to save several of the letters that he wrote to their boys. It is somewhat amazing that any of those letters survived, considering that the recipients were 10 and 12 years old in 1942. At the beginning of Roscoe’s service, when he was stationed at the Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia, Roscoe did not save Gladys’ letters. He threw them away after he read them. After he was shipped out to the Pacific, the letters meant much more to him; they became his lifeline home. He kept them and brought them home to Kentland.

Some of the letters were lost. For example, some of letters that Gladys wrote during the month of September 1942 were never delivered. Roscoe had just been assigned to a new post. Those letters were probably lost by the Post Office, misdirected by the Navy, or destroyed while traveling on a transport vessel. Luckily, the vast majority of the letters did survive. In fact, about one thousand letters written between May 1942 and May 1944 still exist today.

After the war, Gladys organized the letters. She sorted them into piles, tied up each bundle with string, and labeled each with the writer’s initials, RSY and GRY. She also included the month in which the letters were written. She packed them away in a box, and stored them in a closet. Many years later, she was cleaning house when her youngest son, David, was visiting. She told him to just put those silly old letters in the trash. Thankfully, David disregarded her instructions and took the letters home with him. Again, the letters were stowed away in a closet, until one day, when David’s daughter became obsessed with genealogy. The letters were packed up in box and shipped across the country. For the next decade, they remained in another closet. And then, finally, the letters came out of their box for the last time. Some of the letters were lost. For example, some of letters that Gladys wrote during the month of September 1942 were never delivered. Roscoe had just been assigned to a new post. Those letters were probably lost by the Post Office, misdirected by the Navy, or destroyed while traveling on a transport vessel. Luckily, the vast majority of the letters did survive. In fact, about one thousand letters written between May 1942 and May 1944 still exist today.

Don’t miss out! Enter the book giveaway here!