Category Archives: World War II Letters

Such A Climber (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
6-15-43

Dear Daddy –

No mail today – but 8 letters came yesterday – The $100⁰⁰ ck hasn’t come yet. The 150 & 32⁶⁰ came some time ago. It is a warm humid day – we are still having so much rain – It hasn’t rained yet today but we had hard rains Sun. & Mon. Mother is out in the yard with David. After he has his bath & 10 – feeding if the weather permits he goes out in his buggy. He is such a climber – stands up in his buggy & hold to the top. Dorothy is going to get some film for their movie camera & take some pictures of D. Floyd has taken him at 3 & 6 months. John is taking a piano lesson this morning. Mark and I are going to Laf. this afternoon with Arlene & Rosemary. I think Dr. C. should see Mark after his tonsillectomy and this is almost two weeks after. John is going to stay home and help take care of David. John baked an angel food cake yesterday. He is getting to be quite a baker. He does a good job – He is very exacting. Had a note from Aunt J. They got your letter of May – June 12. Uncle W. isn’t very well – they haven’t gone north yet but intend to. Glad you got the seed from your Mother. I sent mine some time before she sent – Maybe you will get them some time. It is getting late so I must get ready to go.

Love Mother

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/11/such-a-climber-gladys/

Beg, Borrow, or Steal (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: June 14, 1943 envelope

: June 14, 1943, p. 1

: June 14, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran Calif.
June 14

Dear Mother,

Mail again yesterday – Yours of May 31 and June 1, also one from the folks of May 27. Seems as if we must have the mail carrier on our side but I still have my fingers crossed because I don’t believe it can last that way.

I’m completely out of stamps and unless I’ll be able to borrow one will have to send this free but I believe I can get one some how. It seems we were promised stamps but they just never arrived. I believe however in the next few days some will come thru.

Just stopped to re read the letters that came yesterday and I find there are no important questions to answer. From the pictures – as I remember I believe Mark was a little better looking than D. Don’t tell D. that, but of course pictures are not as reliable as the real thing.

Heard Jack Benny last night – came in about the same time it does at home on Sun. Eve. Of course it was a recording and Judy Garland was on and I believe it was Lawrence T. sang. It sounded like him but I didn’t hear the name mentioned.

Sent my laundry out early this A.M. and it should be coming back almost any time now and it looks as if it should be a pretty good day for drying. Didn’t send any sheets this week because

[page 2] the burden on the laundry seems to be pretty heavy and we were asked to cut down. One fellow had 7 shirts and 5 pair of pants last week. He must think he is some place where he ‘aint.’ Either very dirty or very clean I’d say.

The second uniform check should be drifting in before long I think it was May 13 when it was mailed and the other was a few days later.

I answered the Rotarian letter yesterday – Just another letter I couldn’t think of anything of interest to write so just put a few word together to show them I appreciated their letters. I suppose they will read it at their next meeting after receiving it.

A letter came from Barry the Mass. Salesman and that was the second but I didn’t answer the first because it came just at our moving time. I don’t like to use too much stationary etc in writing to people like that and after all it is a burden to write so many with so little which is writable.

Well I must get out and try to beg, borrow or steal some stamps –

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/2014/08/10/beg-borrow-or-steal-roscoe/

The Book: Progress Report – August 9, 2014

10 Replies

Since last week I feel like I have done a huge amount of work on the book. I had already been thinking of using CreateSpace, Amazon’s printing company, to publish the book. This is a print on demand service, with sales through Amazon. Eventually, I can format the book for the eBook format. I finished setting up my account last weekend, downloaded the instructional booklet, and started studying. My book is now registered and officially has an ISBN number assigned to it. Things are beginning to feel very real! At this point, it would be great if I could have everything ready for the end of Thanksgiving when the blog celebrates its second anniversary. However, I have to be realistic and look at my heavy work schedule for the next few months. Best case scenario, the book will be ready by Thanksgiving; if not, probably early in 2015.

I finally finished organizing the chapter of November letters, and am more than halfway through December’s chapter. After reading the preparing your manuscript guide from CreateSpace, I know that my pictures should already be in the manuscript when I upload it. I have added 12 photographs/documents at this point with many more to go. Any images I use have to be a minimum of 300 dpi. While most of the photographs I have already scanned are at a higher dpi, some of the documents I want to use were scanned at a lower resolution. I am not using any color images so everything also has to be in black/white or grayscale.

I ordered a sample book from CreateSpace so I can see and feel what the paper I plan on using is like. It currently has not arrived, but I am anxiously waiting! For size, I have chosen on a 6 x 9 paperbook. This is one of the standard publishing sizes so it gives me more options for advertising the book in outlets besides Amazon. I believe my book will be about the same size and shape as my large paperback editions of the Game of Thrones. I have a feeling that the book is going to be about as thick at this point, too. As of last night, the manuscript numbered 426 pages. I think it might hit 500 before I am done.

While doing some preparation of my title page and the reverse side, I did some research on CIP, or Catalogue-in-Publishing information. This data is found on the reverse side of a book’s title page. The data is generated by the Library of Congress and it helps libraries to catalogue their books. It also aids in purchasing so libraries have a general idea of what a book is about before they buy it for their collections. Unfortunately for me, this service is only available for books that are printed by publishing houses. Print on demand and self-publishers are considered too small to warrant inclusion at this time. I had hoped to classify my book under World War II Letters, or Indiana correspondence, which would have aided in my sales marketing.

I learned some new formatting tricks this week with Microsoft Word as well. I figured out how to put title headings on every page, but have the first page of the Chapters be different (without a header). I played around with different styles of page numbering so now my title pages and the beginning pages of the book aren’t numbered. The numbering starts at the beginning of the first chapter. If you have never done this before, let me tell you, it was very frustrating to figure out! And of course, rather easy once the trick is mastered.

Goals for this week:

Finish assembling December’s letters
Begin writing Biographies
Continue to add photographs
Work on re-writing and expanding the chapter titled Who Were Roscoe and Gladys?

Question for readers: Do you think I should spell out words that were abbreviated, specifically if they improve comprehension and readability? Bear in mind I already have a ton of footnotes, so I really don’t want to make the reader look around and lose concentration to find what the word means/is.

Deborah Sweeney, © 2014.
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/09/the-book-progress-report-august-9-2014/

Jack Pot (Gladys)

1 Reply

: June 14, 1943 envelope

: June 14, 1943, p. 1

: June 14, 1943, p. 2

: June 14, 1943, p. 3

: June 14, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 14 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I hit the jack pot this morning – 8 letters – May 23 to June 5 – Still some missing – and the one with the 100⁰⁰ ck among those – the 150⁰⁰ & 32⁶⁰ came in good time. I suppose the 100⁰⁰ will come if not you should notify the correct Dept. so in case it fell into other hands it can’t be cashed. Glad you got the seeds your Mother sent – I sent some Apr. 13. You should have rec’d them long ago. I hardly think I will send any canned chicken – I wouldn’t know where to find such. Unless we could get Marie to can some with their canner – if they still have it – You know they used

[page 2] to can ducks when they would go duck hunting in Ark. I sent several cans of sardines in that last box I sent. Jack Byrnes said he had some things he wants to send you, so will try to get another box ready this week. I don’t know whether I can get sardines. We can get Salmon again but it takes points and is very expensive – Some brands are as high as .50¢ for what we used to get for 25. The limit on boxes is 5 lbs. so can’t put many cans in one box.

It was so hot & sultry yesterday – then in the afternoon it rained and cooled things off, but it is the same way today and is thundering now and looks like we will have a shower any time.

We have 6 qts. of strawberries to can – or make into preserves. I am going to use half rhubarb to stretch the berries. They are so high this year.

[page 3] Judge Barce called about some books Ed had loaned you. I didn’t think they were here, but looked & found them. He is coming this afternoon to get one. I got out all four volumes. He said there was just one he wanted. I told you before Hilda moved back to Fowler. She & Mary were working at the factory. Irene said both were making a total of 40⁰⁰ a week – Hilda said they couldn’t get along. They moved in with her mother. I heard that she & Ed were separated – He gets home quite often – is still stationed at Kokomo. I don’t care to write such things – I would rather write about more pleasant things.

I haven’t paid the ins. loan yet – I was waiting for the 100⁰⁰ ck. to come thru – I am afraid it would run our balance too low to pay it now – the loan is some over 200⁰⁰ because the int. is 14⁰⁰ or more.

[page 4] The rain came and what a soaker. I was going to cut off the spinach & lettuce and have the boys plant more corn & beans, but with the rain yesterday & now today again it will be a day or two before more planting can be done. I did want to get more tomatoe plants put out – The points on tomatoes are as high as peaches. However I am getting a little reserve on canned goods. I buy all our point will allow every month and find we still have enough to save back. Canned milk now takes a pt. a can but David has a ration book so we have plenty of points. I want to keep him on canned milk this summer yet. He turns around in his buggy & pulls up to his feet, holding on to the top. He pops up to his feet now when we put him down in the pen, like a jack in-the-box. Hope you get the pictures I mailed June 13 – They were good of all three boys.

Love Mother

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/09/jack-pot-gladys/

“Foreign Service” (Roscoe)

3 Replies

: June 13, 1943 envelope

: June 13, 1943, p. 1

: June 13, 1943, p. 2

: June 13, 1943, p. 3

: June 13, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

June 13, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.C.

Dear Mother,

You will note that I cut the address down considerable on the inside – just lazy.

Yesterday your letter of May 25 came. It was the one with the hospital programs etc. The part that was most amusing was Dr. Holliday’s “Foreign service.” He was out of the States possibly 2 mo., maybe less, and then only on a ship which touched lightly at several islands. He of course doesn’t look healthy and never

[page 2] was much of an athlete. Played professional base ball only a few years ago. So much for that. I think that gives a cross section of the feeling the rest of us have about things like that.

A letter from the folks came yesterday also. It was written May 27. The most news it gave was the fact that they might be great-grandparents – which just goes to prove – well whatever you want it to prove – but if you’re not interested just drop the subject. The above was merely diarrhea of words and constipation of thought, which one gets afflicted with at times.

[page 3] I haven’t answered the Rotary letters yet but will get in the mood one of these days.

You have mentioned several times about my clothes being stored. Don’t worry about them because I doubt very much if they will be any good and I’m not going to buy as much as I did before because those whites and that blue top coat were a waste of money and next time I’ll buy only what I need for where I need it.

I’ll have to leave those things there however because I might get sent to a colder climate

[page 4] before going home. I think I’ll be able to go back there and pick them up when I’m thru here.

You told me one time what that loan amounted to but I forgot so if you think of it write it again. As an investment the paying of the loan on your policy would be as good as any since that costs 6% also, but I don’t suppose there is enough money for that. You might consider that if there is any spare –

Well, I’ve jumped from here to there etc.

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/2014/08/08/foreign-service-roscoe/

Rainy Sundays (Gladys)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
6-13-43

Dear Daddy –

Another Sunday and more rain. It rained on Easter Sunday and John as been checking on the rain for seven Sundays. This is the 7^th and it has rained every Sunday since Easter. I still can’t say whether that proves anything. It was so hot and close when I got up this morning – Mother said she didn’t feel like going to church so I went. The boys didn’t know I was there and I sat about two rows back of them – They acted good enough, but as soon as the service was over, darted out the side door and got home without knowing I was there. That is the first time I had been to church since the Easter Services but I would rather have the boys keep their church habits – when D. gets a little older I might try to take him. He is having a time now in his pen. He is playing with a pillow. His third shot seemed to bother him a little, but it was so hot after he had it. The spot is about gone now and he is as happy as every today. We can’t sit out in the yard now – We just had a hard shower and it keeps thundering like more is coming. The wind blew hard for a few minutes like something was going to happen, but soon quit. I saw the Henderson baby – I think the last one you delivered before you left – It doesn’t look well. He is 13 mo. old and weighs not a pound more than D. He looks like he needs vitamins. I took J. & M. to the band concert last night – there was the usual Sat. nite mob in town.

Love Mother

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/07/rainy-sundays-gladys/

Vacation in Cleveland? (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: June 12, 1943 envelope

: June 12, 1943, p. 1

: June 12, 1943, p. 2

: June 12, 1943, p. 3

: June 12, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F. Calif.

Dear Mother,

Received your air mail letters of May 26, 27, 28 & 29 so you see things are really picking up. Two days on straight with late mail is really something.

Hope Mark got along OK with the tonsil business. He probably won’t be so keen about medical goings on after taking ether. There was one thing you wrote which I didn’t like and that was both boys riding on the bike at the

[page 2] same time. I think that should be discouraged very firmly.

It doesn’t sound as if you have too much of a bank balance but I believe those figures were just before the monthly deposit. At least I don’t believe I would buy any bonds each month unless you can see your way pretty definite.

You mentioned receiving the 150 and said the others hadn’t come yet but surely those have arrived by now.

Of all things there was a USO show here yesterday. All male

[page 3] actors however. It was a short distance from here and I didn’t feel it necessary to attend but a number of the men did and seemed to enjoy same.

I received a letter from Hicky. Yesterday and fully 2/3 of it was censored so I don’t know much of what he wrote – Mostly was “Hello Doc,” and Hicky at the end. I’m going to send it back to him and tell him to be more careful of the details.

Your garden seed never did

[page 4] arrive but maybe it’s just as well since gardening doesn’t seem so profitable. However, I’m going to keep on trying with what I have.

I showed the commanding officer your pictures the other day and he drew out his wife’s picture and said “Doc I believe they would pass for as sisters” and I think he is correct. Poor woman. We plan a vacation for us in Cleveland when we get home. Not Kentland because we are afraid of being bothered by patients – So it’s Cleveland. Spend some time on Lake Erie etc. Then to Reno. No not divorce but a visit there,

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/2014/08/06/vacation-in-cleveland-roscoe/

Photographs (Gladys)

2 Replies

: June 12, 1943 envelope

: June 12, 1943, p. 1

: June 12, 1943, p. 2

: June 12, 1943, p. 3

: June 12, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 12 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No mail today but had four letters this week. The travel check came but as yet the $100⁰⁰ hasn’t. It is cloudy, windy, sunny, sultry today. It looks like rain then the sun shines again. I got the roll of pictures developed and am enclosing a few. I was in only one and John moved the camera when he took it but I am enclosing it anyway. I will take another roll when D. is 9 mo. old. These were taken at 8 & 8 ½ months. The one taken on the terrace shows the grass as needing a hair cut – John has gone out now to take care of the job. He took the lawn mower to get it oiled & sharpened before he finished his moving last time. This continued rain keeps him busy with the lawn and since

[page 2] Mark’s tonsillectomy John has done most of the garden work – plowed the potatoes with a garden plow this morning. We had spinach, lettuce, onions & radishes today. Wish you could enjoy some of the green onions.

Mrs. Roberts was here this morning. She had taken Earl’s girl to Sheldon. Earl is still in the States, but I think he is out on Maneuvers now. His wife is with him or was but their children are with the family here. Mrs. R. brought a weaning cup for David she had used for her children. She had some recent mail from Joe & his add. is Navy 609. I haven’t rec’d all your letters so don’t know what your latest word from Joe is.

David had his third shot yesterday – and it made him restless all night – He has been slightly cross today – but I think he is trying to get the third tooth – and as hot

[page 3] and sultry as it is today is enough to irritate him. He is asleep in his buggy. Mother is sitting out in the yard with him. This heat is almost too much for Mother. She hasn’t been feeling very well since she came back, and it’s about all she can do to keep going. I try to keep her from doing anything because I know she doesn’t feel well enough to exert herself much. She is so thin and doesn’t have much of an appetite.

I had a letter from your Mother. She said they didn’t have all the corn planted yet. Some have here and others haven’t. I think they will get “our” cornfield done today. John and I were so hoping they would put something else there this year.

Speaking of the pictures – I took the pictures with the spirea in the background when it was in full bloom so you could get a fair idea how much it

[page 4] has grown and how pretty it was in bloom. I told you before “I,” meaning me, separated some of the fuller bushes and transplanted to the thin spots – so now it is pretty well evened up. I filled up the N.E. corner with large bushes so it looks like it should.

Dean Davis is having a picnic for the factory workers today. Statons have all gone for the afternoon. It is quiet in the neighborhood now with Jimmy gone, Bobby & Zell girls taking naps. Bobby was watching me hoe a flower bed and remarked “my mother isn’t a planter.” I told him his daddy took care of their planting. Bobby is always saying something to give us a laugh. We think he has a very high I.Q. for his age – and his vocabulary is amazing at times.

Not much news around town that I know of just now.

Love Mother

Rotary Club (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: June 11, 1943 envelope

: June 11, 1943, p. 1

: June 11, 1943, p. 2

: June 11, 1943, p. 3

: June 11, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lt. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F. Calif.

Dear Mother,

Yesterday was a big letter day – 5 from you – V-mail of 5-14 & 19, air mail of 5-7, 5-19 & 5-20. And then 15 V-mail from members of Rotary. I began reading the V-mail and noted one or two from fellows and then someone explained what they were doing so I saw the pint. It sure was a surprise and I might say a pleasant one.

You might check with Al C. to see about my dues. I believe I’m paid up until July 1^stMaybe they won’t charge anything but

[page 2] if they do, pay it and get the receipt and send it to me.

In one of your letters there were pictures. D by himself, with John, and then the one with you and the boys. I looked at the pictures before reading the letter and it surely looked as if John had grown lots, but you explained how you were standing so that indicated he hadn’t grown so much.

There is another Dr. living in the tent with me now and I showed him the pictures. I asked him about his children and he said “I hang my head” – He has

[page 3] three girls. I tried to console him as best I could. Don’t you think I was correct in doing that little thing?

Since I’ve been writing four cocoanuts have fallen just outside and last night one smacked the tent top. In the middle of the night a direct hit on the tent gives one a thrill for a few seconds as you might imagine.

From the looks of D. I’ll have to hurry home or he will be sent out to release me because he is getting to be some boy. Tell Mark the uniform in OK. Because

[page 4] there has been a change and his is probably the later Navy design – one that I haven’t seen as yet.

Never did get to that rat trap for Chappie. He informed me this morning at Chow that one was on his table and knocked off a bunch of things – so I’ll have to make an added effort today.

I’ll write the Rotarians a letter one of these days. Can’t answer each letter individually but will for the group.

Well, wish I would get letters like that every day. Especially the ones from you –

Love Daddy

A new runway, Russell Islands, 1943

Piano Recital (Gladys)

1 Reply

: June 11, 1943 envelope

: June 10th Piano Recital Program

: June 11, 1943, p. 1

: June 11, 1943, p. 2

: June 11, 1943, p. 3

: June 11, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 11 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Rec’d yours of May 26 – the $32.⁶⁰ ck. came yesterday, but as yet the $100⁰⁰ is still en route. I am enclosing a program of the Piano Recital given last night. You will note John’s three numbers. If you want to show it to anyone you might casually mention that John is playing the same grade music the three high-school girls play – (Helen Hoover, Barbara McCartney & Mary E. Arnold). John has decided to discontinue in the swing band. I am glad he decided that for himself because I was afraid I would have to. They want to practice too late at night – and they will probably go some places to play I wouldn’t approve of. Buddy just arrived – he has been here every day except Sunday for a week. John and Mark are

[page 2] washing dishes and Mark is giving a demonstration of what the different kinds of machine guns, etc., sound like. Mark went to baking class today. He said they are having a farewell party for Mrs. Rupp – she is getting married – so that means another teacher for next year – there will be several changes.

The mosquitoes have been bad already and we are warned in the paper this week they are to be worse – There has been so much rain and it keeps raining. According to today’s Newton Co. E. the farmers around here haven’t all their corn planted. This field directly north of us has had so much water standing on it they haven’t got it ready yet for planting. They had two tractors going on it yesterday but the rain started before noon so they had to stop, but were at work again this morning. John and I are of the opinion they are ruining

[page 3] the ground by repeating corn crops there (as if it’s any our business) and were hoping they would either change crops or put nothing in. We have to turn in the front license plates for scrap. We now have last year’s rear with the small plate issued this year fastened on. Mother had a letter from Jim – He is in Primary Training now, which will end July 1 – then advanced training, then a 10 day leave – when he intends coming home – Then I suppose Thelma will go back to T. H. to live because he thinks he will be shipped out. He has all new uniforms now – C.P.O.

I am trying to concentrate on writing and all the family are here in the living room plus Buddy – so it’s a little hard to think and keep my mind off what is going on.

David is in his buggy. Took a nap out in buggy but we had to bring him in when we had lunch. He woke up just a few minutes ago. Mark is playing with him now and D. is pulling his hair –

[page 4] He thinks it’s funny now but I tell him it won’t be when David gets older. It is getting near D.’s 2 P.M. feeding – which will be of potatoes, peas, carrots & apple sauce & milk. He doesn’t care for potatoes alone so I mix them with anything else I have. I still give him Vit. C. Tablets – the last time I gave him orange juice it bounced right back up. As old as he is (8 ½ mo.), I should think he could keep orange juice down. I give him apple sauce or peaches or apricot & apple sauce combined and he keeps any of them down. He likes either peas or carrots or asparagus but gags at beets. I can’t feed him spinach or prunes. His bowels are inclined to be loose so have to be careful what I feed him. Cream of Wheat also has a tendency to make his bowels too loose, so he gets Gerbers wheat cereal, Pablum or Pabena (Mead’s oatmeal cereal).

Mark and Buddy have taken D. out for a ride – until time for him to eat. Raymond Bower is home but I haven’t seen him – Dorothy was telling me he has been around a lot – his ship was in a battle.

Love – Mother