Category Archives: World War II Letters

Something to write about (Roscoe)

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: May 20, 1943 envelope

: May 20, 1943, p. 1

: May 20, 1943, p. 2

: May 20, 1943, p. 3

: May 20, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

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

Dear Mother,

I feel I really have something to write today before I got your v-mails of 5-1, 4-26, 4-29 and your air mail of 5-3 and 5-5 – so you see our mail is better and the air mail is best. However, write a v-mail now and then because there is always a chance that that will be good. In your letter of May 3 – there was a picture of D. It of course wasn’t as good as others but I appreciated it just the same. I’d like to have a good picture of the house. Those I left behind were good but I left them as you know.

It seems to me a $100 bank balance isn’t too much and I don’t believe I’d buy too many bonds unless the balance is larger. I’m going to send a $32 check for your travel

[page 2] expenses to Norfolk. They wouldn’t allow the trip home because you came before I had orders and I didn’t know that. I could have storied [?] about the date but I didn’t so that is $32 we don’t have to worry about. The first check I sent I forgot to indorse or rather sign but since you have power of attorney you shouldn’t have any trouble.

I received an announcement of the arrival of Carl Funks baby and can think of nothing to send unless it would be a cocoanut and I’m afraid it would spoil before arrival. I may think of something as time goes along.

While talking of babies – you have mentioned several times about Johnson’s baby having eczema. I would be all for trying some of the deproteinated milk which

[page 3]several companies 3 put out. Really I believe the little fellow is sensitive to milk and then I’d have them use only olive oil on his skin with a good application of sulfathiazole ointment 5% about every 2 days. I mean the olive oil every day instead of soap and water – No advertised baby oil will do. If olive oil is not obtainable, I’d use a good grade of mineral oil but the olive oil is better. The thing for them to do however is to see their Dr. because long distant treatment and diagnosis isn’t so good and this is really long distant.

Too bad about Eddy Ray but things like that do happen. I’m just wondering if Mr. Steinbaugh had cancer of the lungs.

It seems your mail is slow and spotty like mine – really mine has been faster than yours – It took only 14 days for your last letter to come and that is really good considering.

I’d try to buy a bond now and then

[page 4] but pay off the note on my insurance if possible and that will cut down that interest. If I could get my back pay that would help but at present I see no hope for that.

You probably have thought of it but just to remind – The next winter’s coal supply should be thought of now, and too the furnace has to be cleaned during the summer because if there are too many ashes the feeder pin will break in the hopper as it did once when I was taking care of the thing.

Well, I think I’ve said my say for today and tried to answer questions and give advice but it’s funny how one forgets things in a year’s time and it’s a year today since I joined up. You sometimes write out a person first name and give only the last initial and I have a deuce of a time figuring who you are talking about –

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/2014/06/23/something-to-w…e-about-roscoe/

No sunshine this week (Gladys)

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: May 20, 1943 envelope

: May 20, 1943, p. 1

: May 20, 1943, p. 2

: May 20, 1943, p. 3

: May 20, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
May 20 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

It is still cloudy today – No sunshine this week except some Tues (This is Thurs). It has rained so much the water is higher than it has been in years – I think this is supposed to be equal to the 1913 flood. All the towns the floods always effect are under water. I am glad we are living here now. I haven’t had a letter from your Mother for a few days but I know the water must be out all around them. The field north of us was plowed just before these rains started, and it has lakes all over it. John had to mow wet grass this morning but it gets so tall it has to be mowed wet or dry. Your letter of May 9 came this a.m. and that is the first this week – all from May 1 have to

[page 2] come yet because the last I had last week was dated Apr 30.

We are to go to Mutch’s tomorrow to take plants, but I am going to call Ruth tonight and see if they still want the plants now – If it doesn’t clear up they wouldn’t be able to set them out. I hate to think what our garden is going to be like if Mark doesn’t get some weeds out soon – and he can’t get into the garden without getting stuck in the mud – so it seems to be a vicious circle. I wanted to get some more flowers put in this week but I can’t until there is a little less mud.

I see in the paper an account of Dr. M’s accident last week. He had his electric spot light band on his head and touched the water faucet – and got a jolt that knocked him out. Dorothy had to work with him several minutes before she brought him to. The wiring in the spot light was evidently defective. I saw him the next day after it happened and he

[page 3] was still feeling the effects.

I saw Pinky Carlson in town. He is stationed at Pope Field N.C. – Margaret has been here since she came home after the death of her father. I see that Lucile Jones has gone to New Lond, Conn to stay with Kenneth while he is in Sub. training school.

Yesterday we stopped at Funks, and Bobby came to the door – Said his mother and Louise were upstairs working on Louise’s wedding dress – then as an afterthought he said, “oh ho, She’s going to be married next week.” When he is up here playing he invents new works. John asked him what the lights on either side of the front door were and he answered “mistiders.” I suppose that is the way to spell the word – because that was the first time I had heard it. I was making a new flower bed (one day before the rains started) and he was helping haul away the pieces

[page 4] of sod – and he called them “magloshies.”

John is practicing for the recital and Mark wants to practice too – so that I suppose will be the case all summer if Mark continues to take piano lessons. Now Mark has decided to practice on his cornet.

As yet the $150 check hasn’t arrived but will be looking for it and will pay off that Ins loan when it comes. I just can’t seem to buy bonds any more but will try to get a few after we pay off the loan and I get all the uniform money & travel money. The way groceries cost and the monthly house payment etc, etc, etc, there isn’t much left out of the allotment. I bought material for new dresses this spring. Ready made dresses are much too high I think so will see what I can do with making my own. IT’s almost like dressing grownups now to buy clothes for J. & M. – We are getting along OK but there isn’t much surplus. It is time to feed David so must get the apple sauce, etc. ready.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/22/no-sunshine-this-week-gladys/

The Book: Progress Report – June 21, 2014

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I know I haven’t written about my book progress for the last two weeks. Two major events precluded my writing a post about my progress.

During the first week, I was chaperoning my Girl Scout troop to Disneyland. The girls had saved their cookie money from several seasons, and were able to make the trip with minimal expense from the families. So even though you might think twice about buying cookies, they really do mean a lot for the girls. We were gone five days (2 for driving, 3 in the parks). The girls enjoyed two Youth Education programs – one on Animation and another on Leadership. Our presenters were both excellent educators. If you ever get the chance to participate in the Youth Education programs, it is worth it (plus you get to go in the Fast Track line for several rides while taking the class).

The second major event occurred this week, and was less fun than the previous week’s distraction – the DDoS attack of Ancestry and many of its subsidiary companies. After spending last weekend recovering from the excesses of Disneyland, I sat down ready to work on Monday morning but was unable to access my data file or any records. I worked on a couple other small projects but was feeling dejected. My father had recently shared one of my WWII letter blog posts on his Facebook page. One of his friends was excited about the future possibility of turning the letters into a book. This has been one of my long term goals, and I had already started cutting and pasting the letter transcriptions together. So instead of working on the David Jegerlehner book, I found myself working most of this week on preparing the letters for book publication. Perhaps they might even be ready this fall or early next year.

The first volume will only contain the letters from 1942. There are over 300 letters from that year alone. With the annotations and short biographies I plan to write about some of the individuals in the letters, I think this will make a good sized book (200-300 pages). Three more volumes will likely follow. There are over 600 letters for 1943, so this year will be split in half. The remaining letters from 1944-1945 will be the last volume. I already have a table of contents and a cover designed for this book. Currently I have organized 70 pages of letters (May-August) with the remaining months of the year still to go (September-December). Over the last two days, I have written first drafts of an Introduction and the first chapter explaining who Roscoe and Gladys were.

As for the Descendants of David Jegerlehner book, I received three awesome envelopes in the mail this week: two from the National Archives and one from the Indiana Department of Health. From the National Archives, I received the Civil War Pension files for David’s son John Yagerlehner and his son-in-law Thomas H. McCormick. The Indiana Department of Health envelope contained the death certificate for Rosina (Yegerlehner) Wolfe, one of my great grandfather’s sisters. They were unable to find a death record for Rosina’s brother Charles who supposedly died in Indianapolis in 1922.

The book progress updates will be going on hiatus for the next month. I have numerous other commitments that will take me away from my computer and my research, including a little vacation time. Because although Disneyland was fun, it wasn’t truly a vacation while chaperoning eleven 13-15 old teenage girls. That’s hard work!

Didn’t Get Much Sleep (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 19, 1943 envelope

: May 19, 1943, p. 1

: May 19, 1943, p. 2

: May 19, 1943, p. 3

: May 19, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 19, 1943
Lieut R.S.Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother –

Up and going but didn’t get too much sleep for one reason or another, but it’s no more than some nights I used to have when Marshal Dyer or Tom Murphy etc used to call or when someone decided to have a babe.

We have wild rumors of more mail but none has filtered into camp as yet. The day being young we still have hopes.

Geo. by some turn of

[page 2] fate got two of these large hunting knives that are carried on ones belt in a large leather case – So he gave me one. The blade is about 8 inches long and is sharpened on both edges. Really I don’t know why I carry it but he gave it to me and so I wear it. We can always use it to open cans of sardines if we have the sardines.

Geo & Vince went shell hunting yesterday P.M. and are planning on going again

[page 3] today or tomorrow and I’ll try to go along and see if I can add some to my collection. I have a few but the “pickin” here isn’t so good as at Noumea.

You said something about me sending my blues and extra clothes home. If I did that and we arrived home in cold weather I’d have to buy new ones. I wouldn’t be one bit surprised however that if those things would be sent anyway because in time the storage where they are may become a burden so if

[page 3] they should come rolling in you will know the reason.

We have a lot of pseudo-farmers here who have wild ideas concerning farm products. I just sit back and laugh – It sounds like the city farmer to me. Some feel that if they had one chicken that would mean one egg per day the year around.

Well, I’ve some work to do so will proceed –
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/2014/06/21/didnt-get-much-sleep-roscoe/

Brown Street Bridge (Gladys)

A Navigation Argument (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 18, 1943 envelope

: May 18, 1943, p. 1

: May 18, 1943, p. 2

: May 18, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 18, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.

Dear Mother,

Yesterday P.M. we planted some more potatoes but another heavy rain came so I’m afraid. Seems as if every time I make garden it rains – That rally wouldn’t bother other smaller seed but as yet I haven’t received any seeds.

We are in the midst of a navigation argument or rather a lesson so I may have things in here on sextants – starts etc.

[page 2] I haven’t mentioned it now for a couple of days but I sent the uniform money in two separate letters one on about May 6 and one May 13.

Yesterday was laundry day and by getting my clothes in early I got them back early and had them dry before dark. I just wonder what it would be like to wear a shirt that has been ironed and pants that are pressed. We heard that the uniform are to be

[page 3] changed to a slate blue which will be OK by me because I’ll have to buy new ones anyway by the time I get back.

I’ve been getting the raze for the last page due to a fellow losing a toe and the fellows here said I was cutting his toe nails and my knife slipped – but that wasn’t the way at all.

Well I’m run down and the complications are to [too] great.

Love Daddy

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

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: http://genealogylady.net/2014/06/19/a-navigation-argument-roscoe/ ‎

Tuesday and partly cloudy (Gladys)

1 Reply

: May 18, 1943 envelope

: May 18, 1943, p. 1

: May 18, 1943, p. 2

: May 18, 1943, p. 3

: May 18, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
May 18 – 1943

Dear Daddy – Tues and partly cloudy. Had another hard rain last nite. Had a clear sun set and thought it would be dry today – It hasn’t rained so far and I hung clothes out that are about dry but it may rain any minute. We have a lot of garden stuff up but haven’t been able to get any beans or corn planted. Mark will have a good job getting weeds out when it gets dry enough to work. Mark is planning a big summer. He decided he wanted to take piano lessons again so went with John this morning to get started again. I do hope I can keep him at it this summer. He needs a lot of supervision and I should be able to give him more

[page 2] now. John is still taking his lesson. Mark came back home when he finished. I am to dialate John’s eyes today – have an appointment with Dr. Ade 9:45 tomorrow. This isn’t such a good time – with the recital the 28^th of this month but he had to have his eyes checked – due to the recurring headaches – – I see John coming and I waited to eat lunch with him. Mark & Mother were too hungry to wait – so will finish this later. – – Some hours later –

After lunch I went out and took clothes down. Took David out withme in his buggy so he could get a good sun bath. I then went to the green house and got snaps, asters & daisies to set out. I was getting tired and Mrs. Foulkes (Harold’s mother) came along, and visited a while – After she left I went back to work and just got three packages of seeds sown when it started to rain – but it was time to feed David so after getting him fed

[page 3] and put to bed we had supper, so you can see I missed the mail today but maybe it will catch the midnight train from the hotel.

The summer kintergardens have started and Statons are sending Jimmy. That gives Mrs. James some relief – She had to do police duty about all day long during fair weather – because Bobby would usually be around and when he & Jimmy play together they have to be watched. Last summer they would quarrel but it has developed to actual fighting this summer. Link is putting up two rose trellises. They keep putting more flower beds in their back yard. Their backyard grass is like ours so they are trying to eliminate it with flower beds.

I see Mark is out in the driveway so the rain must have stopped. He is doing some running and jumping so I must do put a stop to that (too hard on shoes)

[page 4] So far this week no letters but I always look for something tomorrow. Last week had letters as late as Apr. 30. – now getting behind again. Got the pictures today we took last week. I am enclosing two – the one with John standing on the step, I am standing on the flag stones and makes him look taller than me but I still stand half a head above him. He has a very sober expression and Mark has on the uniform that I bought for a Navy Officers uniform but about the only thing that looks like it is the color – After you wrote what you did he quit wearing the strap across his shoulder.

I saw Ira Dixon driving his car today so he must be getting along OK. Dr. M. said Eddie Ray is going to be alright. They brought him home from the hospital.

Haven’t much news from about town – Haven’t had David in his buggy for a walk for it seems like weeks – but can’t take him walking in the rain. Maybe some of the Rotarians are writing and giving you the low down on things around.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/18/tuesday-and-pa…-cloudy-gladys/

Hearts of Cocoanuts (Roscoe)

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: May 17, 1943 envelope

: May 17, 1943, p. 1

: May 17, 1943, p. 2

: May 17, 1943, p. 3

: May 17, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 17, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran

Dear Mother,

It seems that something always interfers with letter writing but that is only natural when writing in the day time. At night time when one has time of his own it’s impossible to write so that is that.

Yesterday’s letter should come thru sooner than others because of the way it was mailed but if the fellow keeps them in his jacket you may never get it – You know how men are about letters.

After I had written yesterday I got a letter from the folks and

[page 2] one from Harry Storm. He is making a collection of A.P.O. addresses and asked Mother for one and since he then had my address he wrote. He made a guess of my location and missed also. Really it doesn’t make any difference as far as I can see whether people know where I am or not. If I thought it would help it would be different.

Last night several of the officers got together and we had a song fest. Wasn’t very good music but it was something. We do that every once in a while.

[page 3] Have had some stoppage but will try and go ahead even though there is still some conversation but maybe I can overcome the pitfalls.

I believe I have never told you of our one delicate dish – Hearts of Cocoanuts – It’s a brittle while substance that is in the heart of the tree. It’s something like celery when cut in strips. The only trouble is it takes a whole tree when that is served and that is the end of that tree. I think it is sewed in the states at a very high price.

I’m still reading the book

[page 4] written by Cecil Brown and I know have him in Australia. In another few hours of reading I’ll be able to get him back home.

Well, I’ve racked my brain for something more but it just won’t come.

So solong
Love Daddy

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

Raining Again, Buckets Full (Gladys)

1 Reply

: May 17, 1943 envelope

: May 17, 1943, p. 1

: May 17, 1943, p. 2

: May 17, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
May 17 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Raining again, buckets full. The Music Dept had their annual May breakfast this morning and since Mother was here to oversee thing I went to the meeting. Cocoa & I were going to walk but it was pouring down when we were ready to start – so I drove. Harold’s Mother is here so she went with us. It was still raining when we came home and now at 12:15 there is a slow drizzle. Zells went to Laf. today so John Mark went over and fed their chickens. They are big enough now to fry, so we will probably have one soon.

[page 2] I thought the way the weather was yesterday e would be able to work outside today but not so. It is so wet in the flower beds I am afraid I would mire down. Well I have to get Mother’s things put away – (the back porch is full) so maybe it’s just as well to have rain today.

Mark wrote you about getting a bike – I haven’t mentioned it because I wasn’t sure about it and the ration board won’t let him get it because he doesn’t have a paper route. He was awfully disappointed because he didn’t get it but I think he is getting over it. The band teacher has a good cornet to sell and he brought it over this morning for Mark to try. He wants $75⁰⁰ for it. The old trumpet is so hard to do anything

[page 3] with. He really can play the pieces much better on the cornet. I told Mr. Webster to leave it here a few days and we would consider it. I was going to pay 31⁰⁰ for the bike but since he is reconciled over that I think it would be better to put that much toward a horn.

We need to go to town to mail this and get David some food for his next feeding. He is much better about his eating. Eats his vegetables & cereal now without a fuss. He got such a good tan yesterday but can’t go out today. I saw Pauline Dennis this a.m. and asked her about Jimmy Ed. She said he is getting better. Dr. M. gave them a salve to put on him and it soothes so he isn’t so cross.

I thought I would get to write this in a little quiet, but John is playing for Mark and he is blowing the cornet.

Love – Mother

Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943

13 v-mail letters (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 16, 1943 envelope

: May 16, 1943, p. 1

: May 16, 1943, p. 2

: May 16, 1943, p. 3

: May 16, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 16, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother –

Received 13 v-mail letters from you and 5 from other people. John & Mark – Ruth M, Sykes & Dave Burns. Got them late last night and had time to read only one before dark and luckily I picked your latest (Apr 22). The remainder I read before breakfast. Your garden must be getting on pretty well by now but you didn’t say if the suggestions I made about the yard were clear enough. However I guess if you get grass to grow that will be OK.

Really I’ll have to read the letters over to get the full benefit

[page 2] of all of them. I didn’t realize that Staton’s were trying to sell their house – Maybe they weren’t but other people thought they were.

You haven’t given me any figures on the bank account lately – not that I could do anything about it for I haven’t had a regular pay since the last of Jan. I was able to draw some for a few necessities but can’t even figure how much I have on the books. I sent the uniform money and if you need it use it rather than paying off the loan.

No garden seeds have arrived as yet but I suppose those things will be coming along in due time. It seems the boys are taking their music seriously.

[page 3] Glad to hear my letters are coming to you as well as they are and I sure wish mine would come as often. The latest I have now came in 23 days so you see yours go about twice as fast as mine. There is a reason for that however and I doubt if ours will ever be much better – but switch back to air mail with only an occasional v-mail as I told you before.

You said potatoes were high but eat them because you have no idea how good fresh ones are after eating dehydrated – I’ve only had a few to eat raw so don’t know how a good cooked one would taste. I’m not starving but have lost about 10 pounds since leaving

[page 4] Noumea, but that might not all be due to food.

This being Sun. I’ll have to write the folks but will probably do that later in the day. Its only 9:00 A.M. now. I can’t seem to write in the daytime as well as at night but there isn’t much to do about that.

It now looks up if we will have a new home for Chappie and we can revert back to our old ways again. However, I don’t think he has had much influence on the gang. Well must get going –

Love Daddy –

P.S. I haven’t heard from Joe Roberts since long before I left Noumea.