Category Archives: World War II Letters

More on meat rationing (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
3-3-43

Dear Daddy – Just had a session with D. He had been asleep but woke up & cried. I went up and got him quieted again. I think his gums bother him some. Doesn’t bother his appetite which is very good. I gave him Gerbers cereal today and he took it better than he takes Pablum or Pabena. We have started to train him for his B. M.’s and if I can be in the room or hear him I usually get him up and save a diaper. I repainted the wheels & frame work on the buggy I bought. It is like the one we had for Mark. It is too cold now to take him out so I am getting the buggy ready for spring weather. I just figured a little on our financial status and have a bal. now of 172⁰⁰ – all bills paid except two (amt. $20⁰⁰) that includes my Mar first check. When I got all the first of the yr bills paid it cut our bal. down. However we have 14 – $25⁰⁰ & 6 – 50⁰⁰ bonds. If the uniform & travel money ever comes will pay off pol. Loan. All the boys Ins is paid for the year and June will end one of the premiums on yours. I am trying to hold expenses down and haven’t done any lavish spending but there are those monthly rent, light, water, telephone, Groc. – and the last is high. Meat is very high in the stores – hamburger .35 lb & steak .48 – I am glad we have our locker. Molters (Sam) are going to sell some hens and I think I’ll buy a dozen & put in the locker. The drawer is about half full now. Meat is to be rationed Apr 1 and probably butter & other shortenings. Have all the lard from the last pork I bought – Since Tom Murphy had his last severe attack they have decided to go to Fla & live. They had bought Vivian’s house but have it up for sale. Ellsworth had been trying to sell that place to Zell’s so Catty can buy Zell’s place but I hardly think Zell’s will sell. They want a larger house but the Murphy place isn’t any larger than this. – Parr’s are in Fla. at present & Ken Wood’s are in Calif. It has been too cold to get out much so haven’t any late news if there is any. We are all fine and hope we can keep from getting the measles.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/23/more-on-meat-rationing-gladys/

One can’t win (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: March 2, 1943 envelope

: March 2, 1943, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Mar 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

I missed writing yesterday due to the fact I was out most of the time – later I will write of some of the happenings of the day. And it hasn’t rained for 24 hours so things have dried but they are wet again with sweat. So one can’t win.

This will have to be short due to work conditions so will try to do better next time

Love Daddy

Lt. (jg) Yegerlehner MC USNR
A.P.O 43
% Postmaster
San Francisco Calif.

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/22/one-cant-win-roscoe/

Measles (Gladys)

4 Replies

Letter Transcription:

MRS. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
3-2-43

Dear Daddy – It is very cold today. It was about 10° above but felt more like 10° below. I told you in another letter about the measles in school. Dr. M. has been giving children who haven’t had measles 10 c.c. of blood (in the hip) from their parents that is if the parent has had measles – He says he did that several years ago when there was an epidemic and in cases where they took the disease they had it very light. He thought I shouldn’t give any since I am taking vitamins to build up myself – but since the blood is given in the muscle instead of the vein he said it didn’t have to be typed so Bud Hufty gave M. 10 c.c. – You might know John didn’t like the idea. I didn’t press the matter with him and there aren’t any of his class out yet. Mark was all in favor of having it done and couldn’t wait to have it done, so I am hoping it will help some. Several have had this done. I hope it helps check things. Needless to say I want to keep D. from taking anything contagious. I stopped to pay a coal bill and Bun Walkup came in. He wanted to know David’s weight. I said 16 lbs. He said their girl weighed 16 – ¾. I reminded him their girl weighed about 2 lbs more at birth. He said we must be giving D. dynamite. You know the two were born the same day, and at first their baby was quite ahead of D. Every time Bun would see me he would ask me D’s weight & then tell me now much more his girl weighed. Mark is having a little struggle with his arithmetic this evening. I have been trying to help him. John is studying the courtship of Myles Standish now. He says it’s interesting. I haven’t done anything more about a piano. The one I wrote about I decided wasn’t what we need for J. I am trying to figure out a garden – for this summer. Have to get some vegetables canned.

Love – Mother

©copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/21/measles-gladys/

Point rationing begins (Gladys)

4 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
IND
3-1-43

Dear Daddy – We have passed thru Jan & Feb with a lot of cold weather, snow, wind, blizzards etc. and today is Mar. one and still the same kind of weather. I was going to write a long letter yesterday but Floyd and Ruth were here and after they left Clarice & Bob came and I didn’t get around to writing so will try and write two today. We are allowed 3 V-mail daily. Ruth M. wants to go to C.C. with us if we get to go so may over and get her. Earl can’t get enough gas only for driving to work. The ration board over there checks on the mileage, but in an area like that I suppose they have to be pretty strict. Floyd & Ruth are to be in Blufton the first of this week. They don’t know yet about Georgia. They have never found out why he was rejected. Today we can start buying on point rationing. 48 points per person for March and we have 5 persons to buy for so I think we can manage. We were allowed 25 cans when we got our books – I didn’t have quite that many but have at least 15. Canned fruits, juices, vegetables and dried and dehydrated are the rationed foods so far. We are going to have a garden I think we can get a plot by Links. You know he had a place by Bill’s garden. Mark is to take care of the garden and John is to take care of the lawn. I think that will be a fair division of the work. If we have as much rain as last summer I know John will have plenty to do. They could hardly keep the grass cut with both working on it. With a little help I think we can get a garden planted and with a little supervision I think Mark can take care of it. I didn’t get a bond for Jan & Feb so will have to double up for Mar & Apr. Haven’t seen any of Statons to talk to them for some time but see them go to work every day. Mrs. James isn’t very well. Has a cold and coughs some. David is asleep since his bath & feeding. Ruth thought he had grown a lot. Weighs just about 16 lbs now.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/20/point-rationing-begins-gladys/

Secret location (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: February 28, 1943 envelope

: February 28, 1943, p. 1

: February 28, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Feb. 28, 1943
Lt (jg) R. S. Yegerlehner MC USNR
A.P.O. 43
% Postmaster
San Francisco Calif

Dear Mother,

When writing use the above address until further notice. The Navy 224 would be OK but this may be a little faster. I’ve been able to write almost every day this past week but before that several days there just wasn’t a chance.

Our location is very much a secret so we will just try to keep it that way. I still have the job of helping to censor the mail and we are more particular than before.

My pay accounts were left at the

[page 2] old place so no money will be drawn to be sent home by check or money order as before so pay day is just another day and most of the days are rainy days with sunshine in between.

This location will keep the guessers busy for some time – seems at first they had fun guessing so they can start all over again. When things do open up that was more can be told I can write more interesting letters but for the time being it’s just words to let you know we are able to write each day.

Hope these letters are getting thru OK
Lot of Love
Daddy

______________________________

History of APO 43

I had a little difficulty tracking down APO numbers but eventually I found them! APOs were traditionally the postal numbers used by the Army. If you need to find a World War II APO, here is a good place to find one:
http://www.7tharmddiv.org/docrep/Location%20of%20APOs%201942-1947.pdf

And thank you to the 7th Armored Division for posting this 1947 pamphlet from the Army Postal Service.

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/19/secret-location-roscoe/

Between sick bay and laundry (Roscoe)

4 Replies

: February 27, 1943 envelope

: February 27, 1943, p. 1

: February 27, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Feb. 27, 1943
Lt. (jg) Yegerlehner
Navy 224
% Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

News – It didn’t rain last night but it has been off and on this A.M. There doesn’t have to be many clouds but it just opens up and showers.

So far today I have had nothing on but shorts & shoes and have been busy between sick bay and laundry. All we have to do is get them good and soapy and then hang them on the line and the rain water washes out the soap – we hope.

So far I have been lucky about the lizards. One fellow put his shoe on and felt something squirm-

[page 2] ing inside and then realized there was a lizard present with his foot. Others have been awakened at night by them crawling on them. They are only about 6 in long and look like a sanke [snake] with legs. Thin tail are a bright green. The ants are the most abundant and can be found anyplace and any size. I suppose they are hungry and are doing only what nature intended for them to do – eat.

As I told you before – write the folks because my stamps are very few in number and I want to make them go as far as possible. I hope you are getting these letters for I doubt that our connections are too good, but here’s hoping.

Lots of Love
Daddy

P. S. Don’t worry we are doing fine – beard and everything.

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/18/between-sick-b…laundry-roscoe/

Much more like spring (Gladys)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-27-43

Dear Daddy – After the blizzard yesterday is rather warm and sunny today – much more like spring. Had the tires checked today. Have to have that done at regular intervals now and today was last day for this first period. Blanchard wouldn’t charge me for the service – said you had been good to them. I am expecting Floyd & Ruth tomorrow on their way home from Mutchler’s. They haven’t been here since Jan. 2 so will be able to see how much D. has grown. I have him sitting up in his buggy now. He got tired lying in his bed. Had peas & carrots & milk at 2 P.M. and has been pretty well satisfied till just now. Pauline Hiestand gave me a picture of Joe Robert. I will send when I send more of D. J. R. is 15 months old and Pauline can’t get his bottle away from him. He is so big. They had his curls cut off and it makes him look very boyish. I went to class meeting at Mullen’s last night. The first one I had attended since Christmas but I think I need to get out once in a while. The boys go to the show once in a while but not often. Mark went to see Arabian Nights last Fri. It is nice enough for him to skate today. John of course is listening to the Opera and I am too because he has it tuned in here in the living room. It is so nice I may take D. out for a little airing. The schools here are having a measles epidemic but so far they haven’t closed. Eleven are out of the 3^rd grade. If either J. or M. get to feeling bad I am going to shut them up in one room and keep D. as far away as possible. So far they both are feeling fine, so will hope they escape. Will write a long letter tomorrow and get in all the fine points of home life. We are all well and finances are OK but the uniform money hasn’t come.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/17/much-more-like-spring-gladys/

Hotter Than Blue Blazes (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: February 26, 1943 envelope

: February 26, 1943, p. 1

: February 26, 1943, p. 2

: February 26, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Feb. 26, 1943
Lt. (jg) Yegerlehner
Navy 224
% Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif

Dear Mother,

To begin with don’t forget to inform Mark that I remembered about his birthday and also you he should have the dollar I sent him some time ago. It really seems like ages ago – guess it’s because of the moving around.

Lately all I’ve been wearing is a pair of pants and shoes because of the hot rainy weather. Rains every night and gets hotter than blue blazes in the day time.

I haven’t written anyone but

[page 2] you since leaving Noumea because of stamp shortage. I brought about 2 doz. along but they all stuck together and so again stamps are scarce. We thought we had a rugged time where we were before at first but we were living in the lap of old Lady luxury and didn’t realize it.

The conditions in general here are good – Food OK but mostly out of cans. All out of cans I should say and we eat out of plates on our laps bathe in the ocean – write only in day time on our knees because boards are a thing only in past memories.

[page 3] I haven’t shaved for four days but I do brush my teeth and all in all feel fine and happy but I don’t care for this type of camping but in time thing will get better.

Don’t be too disappointed if the mail isn’t too regular but I’ll still try to do the best I can. Dr. W & Dr P are all alone as far as I know but I wouldn’t trade with them even at that.

Well, have work to do
So solong
Love Daddy

P.S. I’ve written every day the last 3 days

Yet another winter storm (Gladys)

5 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-26-43

Dear Daddy – Today is Mark’s big day – 10 years old. I gave him a dollar and his new finger-tip over coat. – John gave him 25¢ for stamp & Mother gave him a pr of mittens she knitted. I will bake a cake for him this morning. He wrote you a v-mail last night thanking you again for the dollar you sent and gave his grades. John also wrote. It is cold today and a small blizzard is on. The air is full of snow. Not much on the ground yet. Hope this finishes off winter weather. The tulips are up and I didn’t get them covered so they might get nipped. I told you in yesterdays I think the tax will be around 200⁰⁰ but the rate is higher this yr and exemptions lower. However I won’t have to pay it now and have enough bonds to cover it and last half of ’41. Didn’t get my (our) Jan bond bought so will have to get two before the end of this month (by tomorrow). So far have 14 – $25 and 6 – $50’s. Couldn’t rent a safety box – they are all taken. I think Ruth & Floyd will be here sometime Sunday. They are at Ruth M’s now. The papers just came but haven’t had time to read them – I hear the stork is going to fly over the Bartlett’s – don’t know when but probably be a few months yet. Soon be time to bathe David. He slept from his 6 P.M. bottle til 7:15 this morning. The pictures we took of he & Jimmy Ed were fair – will send them in next bunch of pictures. The storm has let up some but the wind still blows.

Love Mother