Category Archives: World War II Letters

A Little Childish (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
8-25-43

Dear Daddy – It cooled off and rained after the intense heat yesterday – We put some clothes in the Bendix to show Juanita how it operated. She didn’t know about that type machine. It looked like the sun was going to shine when John started the Bendix and now it is cloudy again. Can’t tell what our weather will do next. Had a letter from Jim and he is all upset about Mother – says he can’t believe such a thing could happen to her – His attitude is a little childish I think. I don’t like to think of it either but know if she has carcinoma it didn’t get there in a few days. Maybe I have been around you long enough to look for a logical answer. Of course I can’t say how it started but something caused it. – The heat yesterday was so hard on her. A week from today school starts. David is going to miss J. & M. for a few days. They are both with him in the yard encouraging him to make noises. He got somewhat spoiled while in the cast. He has always had more attention than J. & M. had at his age. He has enough toys to amuse him and a play pen, play chair, etc. – but gets tired of everything but attention. He will no doubt learn to amuse himself when left alone. No letters today but two yesterday (Aug. 9 & 12). I want to take more pictures – but haven’t any film and can’t get any here. Have to take Mark to Dr. Altier to have his hand dressed Fri.

Love – Mother

©2012-2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/01/a-little-childish-gladys/

A Poem Writer (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 24, 1943 envelope

: August 24, 1943, p. 1

: August 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Aug. 24, 1943

Dear Mother,

You remember the letter from the Ind. State medical assoc. that you forwarded to me. I don’t know if I mentioned it or not but I got one direct from them earlier – Well in one of my off moments I decided to answer them and I am enclosing a copy of that letter – don’t think me too bold or evil for I just had to answer them.

I’ve had a hard time so far – a telephone call, gathering in yesterday’s laundry because of a sprinkle, and then a call from sick bay – some fellow sawed on a couple of fingers and needed some repair. The telephone call was relative to sanitation of which I’m the appointed or condemned one to look after the naval sanitation of the area. It’s a kind of thankless job and of course one gets in someone’s hair more than somewhat when he tells the guy he’s dirty. Maybe it isn’t so bad as all that but it could be.

The mail is a little slowed down again and I do hope it comes again in a day or two because those letters mean so much – I’ve told you that so often it’s becoming trite now anyway they really do.

I’ll stop on one page today because I want to send that other letter. You probably won’t approve of the letter but I didn’t want to keep anything from you so lots of love

Daddy

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner, USNR.
Navy 60
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California
August 23, 1943.

Indiana State Medical Ass’n.
1021 Hume Mansur Building.
Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dear Medsoc:

Doctors – you may rest assured that we worry more than somewhat about you OLD medics, and we know that your ever present dangers back there even surpass our wildest imagination. Our dangers here have been covered and completely summarized by Dr. Carleton & McCullough as written in your July letter, a copy of which I recently received. It’s not dangers that we worry about, but another problem. I written a little poem to get the idea over to you – Title.

“The Tropical Heat Has Me”

I’m at a South sea Naval Base
And oh! Doctor what a H___ of a place.
You can imagine the moonlight nights
When one can step out and enjoy the sights.
But what are the sights that one usually sees?
A multitude of coconut trees.
These isles are shown in movies freely,
And you sit back there and look on gleely,
But time spent here with only men in khaki
Is enough to drive the romantic whacky.
So what we need here the moistest
Is a right good looking bunch of hostesses.
So get together you OLD birds back there
And send us each a divinely pair.
I’m not much of a poem writer as you can see
Hoping you are the same 10 derly.

Yegerlehner

A new runway, Russell Islands, 1943

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/31/a-poem-writer-roscoe/

Juanita (Gladys)

2 Replies

: August 24, 1943 envelope

: August 24, 1943, p. 1

: August 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug 24 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Rec’d yours of Aug. 9 & 12 today. John went to Laf. with Walkers so he took his 2⁰⁰ from m.o. & with his birthday money had enough to buy an album of records he wanted. Walker were taking Jimmy to Van Buskirk so John “sneaked” in on their appointment and got an eye exam. Dr. V. is writing me a letter about the situation. Said John’s lenses were correct but something about the muscle – I’ll tell you what else he has to say after I get the letter. I had Alma call Dr. Cole and tell him about Mother throwing up and the bitter taste that came last. He sent a prescription for that and said to give Mother an enema every day. He seemed rather worried Alma said about the throwing up and the bitterness. He told me when I had David down last Fri. he would come up soon. I know he will as soon as he can. Dr. Matthews is gone, Pip is gone & Rumkorf is gone – all taking vacations. I shouldn’t criticize but looks like they would get together doesn’t it – on such things.

[page 2] I met the 4:25 a.m. train – Juanita came this morning – It goes thru Robinson (7 mi. from where she lives) into Chicago. I’ll have to confess, I didn’t know about it until she came on it but it goes at such an hour and not touching towns we are interested in, I suppose that was the reason I didn’t know about it before.

Clara Molter picked lima beans from her garden and we shelled enough to fill 16 pts. To put in the locker – she gave us half to put them in. Not bad – all I did was hull a little while, blanch and take then to the Locker. I stopped at Parttens to see Ruthie – and talk about beef. They are going to butcher in 3 weeks and we are to get a quarter. It will take 800 points – or 2 ½ months meat tickets (stamps) from all our books. That shouldn’t bother us because we haven’t yet used a full month’s supply of stamps. – Ruthie is able to sit up now but hasn’t walked yet. The last x-ray looked pretty good Mary said.

It is a proverbial hot Aug. day and night – There isn’t any breeze stirring and it’s hot everywhere except out in the yard. The heat is awfully hard on Mother.

David was so hot today – his hair was in ringlets all over his head. Mark said David said “Daddy” – not da-da once today.

Love – Mother

Emma Foster with her granddaughter Juanita, circa 1940s

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/30/juanita-gladys/

V-mail From Jim (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: August 23, 1943 envelope

: August 23, 1943, p. 1

: August 23, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.
Aug. 23, 1943

Dear Mother,

A v-mail came from Jim yesterday. It was written Aug. 1. That was the first letter from Jim in anything like good time as I answered it immediately in the hope that he gets it before he changes his address. I suppose he is really anxious to get out of the States and go places as most of those fellows back there are or at least they say they are that way. In fact I think I had the same feeling but that was probably due to the place where my first tour of duty was endured – Norfolk!!!? I was afraid I’d have to stay there for the duration – I didn’t.

Some time ago I read an article in the Newton Co. E. relative to mosquitoes – That really is a problem to consider there for it some of these malaria cases get up north it sure will spread. We use a big spray can and a good mosquito dope at night to kill the critters out before going to bed and that wouldn’t be a bad idea there because I

[page 2] remember how numerous they were especially this time of the year – Maybe I’m a little late but it is something to think about.

I don’t believe I wrote you anything about Geo. leaving – He went back to where Dr. Ash is located to have some work done on his teeth and also for a general physical check-up. I don’t believe he will come back – not because of his health primarily but I believe he will get a new assignment. Maybe back to the U.S.A. Out of our original gang that came here that leaves only two of us. That’s not Drs. That includes all the officers – So you see we have quite a turnover. Dr. Gardiner (dentist) came out with our gang but didn’t come here until a month or so ago.

At this point it seems I’ve been wordless – just simply blank for I’ve been sitting 10 min. just sitting and nothing comes to write. But So I just decided to fill up the space with telling you I could think of nothing further. Anyway.

Lots of Love
Daddy

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

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/29/v-mail-from-jim-roscoe/

Eleventh Month (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
8-23-43

Dear Daddy – Today is David’s 11^th month. He has 6 teeth, gets around as good as ever. Traces of cast almost gone. He got a few blisters around edge but they have healed. I was feeding him and he hit the cup & spilled milk. He knew he was a naughty boy – when we scold him he will try to cry but can’t quite make it. – John has been having headaches and I am sending him to Van Buskirk tomorrow. Alma W. is taking Jimmy down and has an appointment – said she would take John in with her. I haven’t been satisfied with his last two eye examinations and he keeps having head aches and is dizzy – Mother isn’t so good today – threw up her dinner and the last to come up was bile – (or bitter). I called Juanita and she is coming tomorrow. I haven’t heard any more from Glen – have been waiting for word. Jim is going to try and come home again on a 72 hr leave. Said he would get a plane to Indpls. and come in his car from there – will have the auto club get his car to Indpls. It is getting hot again. We have had some rather cool days. It rained early this a.m. and now it is hot and steaming. No letters today but had Aug. 10 & 11^th Sat. so didn’t look for any today. David is in his pen making a fuss. He is a little spoiled from so much attention when he was in the cast.

Love Mother

Gladys and David, August 1943

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/28/eleventh-month-gladys/

Armistice Day 1918 (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 22, 1943 envelope

: August 22, 1943, p. 1

: August 22, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 22, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.

Dear Mother,

Sunday A.M. a little cool and cloudy, otherwise just the same as any other morning. I’m just stalling for want of something better to say – in other words just waiting for thoughts to become collected. At least to begin with I’m not in that blue Monday stage such as I was yesterday. Maybe the letter I wrote yesterday kept me going.

Last night’s show was Bob Hope in “They Got Me Covered.” Not much to the show but he did pull some pretty good gags – and a Walt. D. short in color was also very good in the beginning. It was a slap at Hitler and some his friends. That is both of the pictures. It seems that practically all the shows now deal with some phase of the war. Either a spy picture or a war correspondence or some such. I don’t suppose you go to shows very often or do you? I’m still not in the habit but for want of

[page 2] something better I go but sure do squirm and fuss in my seat while the plot is developing.

I suppose you are having a little celebration today for John’s birthday. I sent him 2 dollars and wrote he and Mark a day or so ago so will not write him today. He is just about the age now that I was in the last war. I don’t remember my 13^th birthday but I do remember that just before I was 14 the Armistice was signed and on that Nov. 11 school was dismissed and I had to go home and shuck corn. What a celebration!! I hope this thing will wind up while John is in his 13^th year.

This is the usual day for the letter to the folks and since one came from them this week it seems more like answering a letter but there is very seldom and questions anything to answer only the formality of exchange.

Well, Mother Dear I hope everything is OK with you and the family –
Love Daddy

[Editor’s note: While I do not know which Disney short Roscoe watched, this is an example of one of the many propaganda shorts made by Disney during the 1940s]

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/27/armistice-day-1918-roscoe/

Thirteenth Birthday (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 22, 1943 envelope

: August 22, 1943, p. 1

: August 22, 1943, p. 2

: August 22, 1943, p. 3

: August 22, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug. 22 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Another birthday for our John – 13 – He looks the part – voice changing – growing fast – face full of pimples and blackheads. At present he is listening to Radio Readers’ Digest. He likes to get it every Sunday evening. I baked & decorated a cake, made ice cream & had the Zell girls & Jimmy come to help eat them – they ate almost all the cake and so far no tummy aches. I gave John a dollar, your Mother gave him 25¢ – he rec’d the $2⁰⁰ you sent, the Zells gave him sox & a hankie, so he fared pretty well. Bobby is gone and so are the Krull children so they didn’t get in on the refreshments. I was feeding David his 3 P.M. meal, Mark was working on a block of balsa wood and his knife slipped and cut his hand around the base of his thumb. It bled so much I couldn’t tell at first the cut was so extensive but after trying to wash

[page 2] the blood away I saw it wasn’t just a stab – so thought I had better get him to a Dr. and see if it would be necessary to have stitches taken – I called Matthews, he was out of town for the day, called Hungess at Sheldon, he was out of town, called Brook & Pip was gone on a trip, called Goodland, Rumkorf had left for his vacation, but finally and at last contacted Altier – I took Mark down. He cleaned the wound and found it wasn’t so deep but required one clamp. He gave me sulfathiazole power to dress it with and I am to go back Fri. to have the clamp taken out. I had filed it with sulfanilamide powder as soon as I discovered how long & deep the cut – however would have put sulfa on it anyway. I would have pulled it together myself with tape had it been on the arm but since it was at the base of the thumb thought a Dr. should see it. I washed Mark’s hands & face and put him to bed about 8 P.M. He insisted he wasn’t sleepy but I imagine he is asleep now. He got sick after his hand bled so much, but was very brave and didn’t cry – you know it hurt to have it cleaned and a clamp put in. He kept insisting he is like Daddy and can take punishment without making a fuss.

[page 2] David is getting a “little” spoiled – he has had so much attention he doesn’t want to stay put in his bed or pen. He is always reaching for something he shouldn’t have and climbing out of things. The play chair he is in in one of the pictures I sent – with the table around it is just an invitation for him to climb out on. John said if he were an ordinary baby he would be satisfied to sit & play in the chair. I just got the taylor tot out for him to ride in and today he was turned around in it trying to climb out on the handle. He got fussy so I put him on the floor and he walked around his bed & pen enclosures. He has another tooth today – making 6 altogether and 4 since he was 10 mo. old – He will be 11 mo. tomorrow. He hasn’t gained any the past month but I didn’t expect him to.

Mother wouldn’t eat any supper today – She ate a little broth at noon & drank a little milk. I bathed her yesterday – she doesn’t feel like being bathed every day – and I was feeling her abdomen – There is a definite mass in the middle of her bowels. I am no Dr. but I could feel it. I didn’t tell her, of course, what Dr. Cole told me, but I think she is very despondent about her recovery. I do wish I could

[page 3] do more for her – but I feel so helpless about the whole thing – Dr. Cole says she is definitely too weak for surgery. I asked him if her condition would become painful, but he said it shouldn’t. She has a lot of gas at times and so far her bowels have moved freely. He said she might get a bowel obstruction. The past week the weather has been cool and she hasn’t suffered from the heat.

Mary Parttens called today and said they were going to kill a beef in about 3 wks. And we can have a quarter or more. Clara M. is giving us lima beans to put some in our locker – we are to have half of what she puts in. She is moving to the south side of town – has bought her a house – Henry Molter & family are going to move over here where she lived.

Mary P. said Ruthie hasn’t stood on her feet yet but 2 wks. Ago Dr. M. took another x-ray and her break seems to be in fairly good shape – I saw the first x-ray and both sides of the pelvic bone were broken. I wish I could draw a picture & show you how it looked. Mary said every Dr. & nurse who looked at it said it was the only one like it they had ever seen.

Enough about such things – John is waiting for me to finish so we can go to bed and I am ready to turn in – Have to run the car in first.

Love Mother

P.S. I pd. Your Masonic dues

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/26/thirteenth-birthday-gladys/

On Top of the World (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: August 21, 1943 envelope

: August 21, 1943, p. 1

: August 21, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

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

Dear Mother,

This is one of those days when it seems like blue Monday but it’s Sat. Just one of those days that will brighten as the day wears on. They always do so I’m expecting this one to be that way. In fact I’m feeling better already – It’s the writing time to you which is giving me the uplift so you can consider yourself the cause of my morale being raised and while on that subject I think or rather I know that your letters, your pictures and just you have been the uplifting influence for me in this area but I can’t just limit it to this time for that has been going on now for well “neigh” on to 15-16 years. Now I’m feeling lots better – and you?

I hope my writing these feelings of mine toward you don’t in any way have a depressing feeling affect. If that happens to be the case let me know and I’ll surely stop – but when news are so scarce other things creep into the letters just natural like but sometimes I can understand how they might have a different

[page 2] affect than if they were told to you in person. So if you are depressed let me know and I’ll try to keep all these things and tell them to you in person when that day arrives. I’d like to be able to write my feelings a little more – shall I say not so bluntly but you know how I am more on the practical side and less on the – I can’t think of the word or words to express that other side which goes to prove my practical point of view.

So far I’ve used lots of words and tried to say lots but you may have to read between the lines to get my full meaning. Maybe I should write other things but I just don’t like to break the spell or maybe not the spell but my thoughts are about you and I don’t like to have them broken.

Well Dear – I’m not nutty or mentally affected as you might gather from what I’ve written but I’m really sitting on top of the world because I have someone like you back there pulling my way and causing me to be raised out the dumps just by writing to you so I’ll continue my thoughts until tomorrow with

Lots of love Daddy

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

Blowing Horns (Roscoe)

4 Replies

: August 20, 1943 envelope

: August 20, 1943, p. 1

: August 20, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 20, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.

Dear Mother,

You have heard and know what those old thunder storms are in the summer time there at home – well we had one of those last night. There really was a lot of electricity and a considerable amount of rain, but it’s fairly hot again this A.M.

I received a letter from Dr. Porterfield yesterday and Dr. Williams was sent out from there recently – not back home but on a different duty. I’m glad I began my duty when I did because I think my chances are better of returning sooner than if I had had duty there so long. That may be just a lot of wishful thinking on my part, but that remains to be seen.

I went to the show last night and got so disgusted with the thing. First they finished a show which had been started some days previous. Then two musical shorts and if those were musical – things have changed. To me it was a bunch of fellows blowing horns etc. without any regards for each other or the audience. Then the real feature of the evening

[page 2] but by that time the coconut logs had made such an impression that no matter how good I wouldn’t have like it, and besides that we missed all our radio programs which all in all makes me more than somewhat unhappy.

I received a box of sardines from Ruth M. yesterday but anymore we don’t go for things like that because our food is so much better. So as I told you before don’t send anything – no use to use your ration cards for us. We’ll probably eat what we have on hand but we won’t get near the pleasure we once did. There is more to that than just the eats. The old gang that arrived here at the same time are all gone except on fellow and myself so we don’t have the parties. Many of that gang were of our original cub – not Drs. – and when a bunch has been together that long we “sorts” feel like relatives. And when the same bunch goes thru a few hardships that has a tendency to increase friendship. So this one fellow and I sometimes sit and go over older times. Of course Dr. Gardiner is here but he missed lots of the times our original bunch had. New faces have arrived and it’s just not the same as in the olden times – That’s what all old people say.

Well, lot of love Daddy

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

Flower (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 20, 1943 envelope

: August 20, 1943, p. 1

: August 20, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Aug. 20 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I have been writing v-mail every other day and this should be a v-mail day but decided I would use reg. air mail again. Your mother, David & I went to Laf. today. Dr. Cole cut the cast off David’s leg. He was dreading the job but the case was pretty well soaked so wasn’t hard to cut off. He said he found that something else besides vinegar & peroxide would dissolve plaster. I had told him we called David “Flower” (the little skunk character in Walt Disney’s movie Bambi). He said is may smell like a flower but he didn’t know what kind. I was afraid David’s leg would be very touchy, and his knee would hurt when he tried to bend it but by the time we got home he was getting around pretty good. I put him down in his bed on his back and he pulled right up. In a day or two I doubt if we can tell he ever had it in a cast. I believe he was very happy to get out, he was so happy all evening – tho he is usually that way. Your mother says we should have named him David Roscoe. She says he looks so much like you. Now my dear, as much as I think of you, I still wouldn’t want to do that. We might compromise and call him Jake, or little Jake. Don’t mind me – just running off.

[page 2] I asked Dr. C. if he had written you about Mother – he said he hadn’t had time to even address a letter since he has been back – (Took Sun., Mon. & Tues. off). I said I didn’t suppose he would have since he came back. I asked him if he got to rest any while away & he said he slept the clock around. I don’t know when you will hear from him. After he told me Sunday I wrote Jim & Glenn and Jim called me last night. He wanted to know if anything could be done. Dr. Cole said Mother couldn’t stand surgery. I haven’t had any more word from Glen – Had an air mail from them Mon. & answered with a night letter & told them to come on – they wanted to know if Mother would be able to have them come for a visit, or wait until later. Since they haven’t answered I wouldn’t be surprised to see them come in any time.

Mark has gone to bed. He is still tired from his 4-H camping trip but I sent him to bed so he will feel rested by tomorrow. John is playing with a toy I got to give Bobby Funk for his birthday (Sept. 6). Also got a gift for Donnie – his birthday comes Aug. 29. I got a wedding gift for Earl & Imogene – they will be here tomorrow to get your mother – Ruth M. had me to get her gift at Loebs – so I got mine (ours) there too – a set of glasses & sherberts to match. Your mother said the shower will be next week & she is saving her gift till then but I will give them ours tomorrow. I had the store clerk wrap them ready to give in white tissue & ribbon – Well I am tired & John is going to take this to the hotel to mail so must sign off – with Love – Mother