Category Archives: World War II

Another Draft (Roscoe)

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September 27, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 27, 1945, p. 1

27 Sept. 45

Dear Mother,

Your long letter written on Sunday and the note of Monday came today. I’ll have to re-read it before doing much answering but right now I must get this in because between now and mail time there is a medical meeting and Cmdr. Jack Howell is coming out to see me so I must do this right now.

I’m not going to Klamath as planned but to San Diego on Tue. At least that is the way it looks right now. Things could change I suppose but that is the way it stands now and that puts my name on the Great Lakes draft.

The papers were all full of the opera on Wed. They had pictures of all the upper 400 with all their eve gowns, etc. It would have been quite a treat to have been there just to see all the big Wigs.

There was a stage show here last night and everybody wanted to go. After some pushing and squibbling I was able to get a chair only about 4 feet from the corner of the stage. We soon found it was an amateur

September 27, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] show – (Right here the phone rang.) Short notice to Klamath Falls this p.m. and a good promise of Great Lakes possibly next week. The show was a leak out and I stayed only a short time. I started this letter in the room and I’m now in the O.D.’s office. I’ll probably write you another letter tonight on the way and mail it someplace along the way.

I’ll have to get going so
Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/13/another-draft-roscoe/

New Laundry (Gladys)

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September 26, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 26, 1945, p. 1

Wed. Eve 9-26-45

Dear Daddy –

This has been our third rainy day – It was cloudy most of the day and finally rained just before 6 o’clock. I braved the weather and hung out clothes. Had to bring them in and hang them in the basement. I went to town to get groceries and the paper this evening. I stopped at the filling station and had oil changed so now that has been taken care of (for awhile). Tho’ it was cloudy most of the day David could play out of doors and he was much happier. He helps me hang out clothes. There is one line he can reach and he insists on hanging things on that line.

I saw Eloise Shuster this evening and asked her if Frank could fix our linoleum. She said he had so much work ahead she didn’t know when he could do it.

September 26, 1945, p. 2-3

[page 2] I wonder if that will be a job for you to do when you get back. I know you could do it – think I could even do it myself if I could find something sharp enough to cut the linoleum with – however I won’t try it. I have enough to keep the house clean – that is I have some house cleaning I want to get done. I was amused at John the other day – he said we should have gotten you to put the storm windows on. Some of these storm windows have been on two years. I would like to get them taken off so I can wash them and the windows. Dorothy said some of theirs hadn’t been off for two years. It’s early yet for storm windows. That is to put on the ones that are not already on. I was thinking about the roof guttering – but no use to clean them out until the leaves stop falling

[page 3] and the trees are still full.

I have been thinking about the space on our “back porch.” It can be used for a laundry. There is enough room there for the Bendix and ironer. If we had a partition thru the garage that half could be heated. I am gong to figure on what it would take to do that. The basement is the wrong place to have a Bendix – because of the way it operates. Even if clothes have to be carried to the basement from upstairs to be hung up there are not as many steps to the basement, and clothes are hung out of doors about 9 months out of the 12. I think the ideal place for us is that space I mentioned. That way we could take the ironer out of the kitchen and put the refrigerator where the ironer now stands. Now I think I have a good idea here – maybe you won’t agree. How’s the office plans coming along? I trust by now you have my suggestions.

John says they are ready to start in their second yr. Latin book

September 26, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] and no books. He says he has got enough to take second year. I don’t know when they will get their books, but he wants me to try in Lafayette as soon as possible.

Mark has gone to bed. Since the weather has been rainy he was until today getting to Staton’s lawn but he said he finished it. John started on ours but just got the front done. They have stretched it out so they will just about miss one mowing. I know they will be glad when frost nips things so the mowing season will be over.

Thurs. a.m. No letter but I have rec’d up to Sept. 24 and this is just the 27^th so will probably get one or two tomorrow. The sun is trying to get thru the fog but it isn’t very strong yet. In spite of the damp weather I got clothes dry and ironed this a.m. David is playing out of doors and very happy about it.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/12/new-laundry-gladys/

Then Everything Broke Loose (Roscoe)

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September 26, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 26, 1945, p. 1

26 Sept. 45

Dear Mother,

I’m writing this in the AM this morning just because there isn’t anything else in particular to do and I’ve heard there is to be a show of some sort this PM. I got just this much written and then everything broke loose so I’ll see how much can be done now.

I think by tomorrow I’ll be able to send some plans home for you to approve or disapprove. I don’t plan on having everything done now. Just do part and then wait until we see how things develop.

Stanich called me this AM and wanted me to take a trip with him but I didn’t care about going so I told him I was too busy. He was going to San Bruno and I could think of no reason for going.

I can’t give any more dope on the Great Lakes draft. I think possibly I was a little premature in saying anything about the trip because there are several ahead of me, but it doesn’t hurt to be thinking, but I’ll always let you know either by call or telegraph. That reminds me

September 26, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] the telegraph I sent you from Ogden when I came out cost me $1.30 and the one I sent from here just this last time was only 80₵ – something was a little twisted up one time or another.

I see by the paper that all enlisted men with 3 children are to be granted discharge if they wish. That will let Socky out but of course it doesn’t affect me. That is one where he will have to admit the enlisted men got the best deal. You remember he was a little sore at all officers in general when he came to Nick’s that night. I wish sometimes they would get around to giving some credit to length of service. Sure ½ points per mo. but that isn’t enough and the ¼ is just a joke. Well, I still feel something will come along in the next mo. to six weeks.

Well, after several stops and starts I’ve about gotten the page full so I’ll say,

Lots of Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/11/then-everything-broke-loose-roscoe/

Women’s Club 50th Anniversary Year (Gladys)

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September 25, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 25, 1945, p. 1

Tues. Eve Sept. 25

Dear Daddy –

As I noted on the last letter I mailed, I went to the P.O. to mail that letter and was handed the one you wrote the 22^nd while you were listening to the football game – We listened too – or rather Mark listened and I heard it only as background, because I was busy otherwise. I attended club opening with Arlene, Norma, Pauline Dennis and Mrs. Egan. There was quite a crowd, this being opening. There was a guest speaker from Chicago who reviewed the book “Anything Can Happen.” This is the club’s 50^th year. The usual opening luncheon wasn’t held because of the lack of eating places, but that is planned for sometime in the spring – a luncheon to observe the 50^th anniversary. I left David with Lucile. She let Jimmy skip his nap so he could play all afternoon with David. They were having a good time when I stopped to get David. When Lucile wrapped the telephone to bring to the party, Jimmy said he didn’t have a telephone like that, so I had David take it along so Jimmy could play with it. I stopped at Loughridge and paid the radio bill while I was uptown this evening. I think the gas & oil business will be settled before we get our burner. So far the strike, which was in the process of being settled, has not bothered Kentland – at least I was able to get the tank filled yesterday.

I saw Bertha Smith at club today. I asked about her husband and she said he was fine. I knew he was back in school.

September 25, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] She said he walked out of the bathroom and must have fainted because he passed out and fell down the stairway. Their bathroom is at the head of the stairway.

My thumb is gradually getting back to normal. The skin on the underside has to peel and it is a little slow in coming off – I think that is what is keeping it stiff. (I hope.)

So far this has been a cloudy week. It looked for a little while this afternoon like it was clearing but that didn’t last long. I hope it is clear tomorrow so David can go out and pay. He gets so tired staying in the house. I wasn’t in a very happy mood this morning – due to the gloomy weather and no letter in the morning delivery and with him getting unhappy quite often because he couldn’t go out – well let’s hope for sunshine tomorrow (I want to wash some clothes, too.)

I wish I could tell people when you are coming back – you know every time I go to town or attend a meeting, like today, that seems to be the stock question, “When is your husband coming back?” Of course, I know you would like to answer that one too. I heard over the radio that the 3^rd Fleet is leaving Pearl Harbor today (I think.) I understand it is to be here, I mean in, for Navy Day – that is, it will be in before that but will be in for the occasion. This pen doesn’t do so well on this paper. I feel like I have been pushing a heavy load to get this written. Mark has gone up for his bath. John is at a school party and David has been in bed for some time.

Love Mother

September 25, 1945, p. 3

(over) a Courier Journal was left on our step and I looked at the wishing well – for my name it read “Your aim nears.” Of course, I took that to mean your home coming.

September 25, 1945, p. 4

Wed. a.m. I turned David out this morning, tho’ it is still cloudy & foggy – it isn’t raining. He just came in and handed me the mail. Yours of 23 & 24 and a letter from your mother. Also a digest – I’ll mail it on to you. It gives a little “light” to think of the points being lowered. If you can get a draft to bring to the Lakes, I’ll meet you at the gate as before, gladly. I think you are right in your opinion about the “power throwing” & “backfiring on you later.” I felt rather low Mon. & Tues. about our situation but I still didn’t feel like we should seek aid from the aforementioned party. I really think he is a little “punch drunk” from associating with political big wigs. I don’t say I wouldn’t ask others but I haven’t done that yet. After all it’s best to wait a little while and not have any strings attached. Let’s hope you get another trip home soon, if just for the weekend.

I am hoping it will clear today so I can wash the clothes accumulated.

My thumb is almost normal this morning. I can bend it almost as far as the other one.

It’s 9:30 and I was on the hunt of a roach when the mail came. I saw one yesterday but had my hands in dough at the time. I am afraid they will get started so I am going looking for it now.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/10/womens-club-50th-anniversary-year-gladys/

Office Plans (Roscoe)

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September 25, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 25, 1945, p. 1

25 Sept. 45

Dear Mother,

Yours of Sept. 22 came this AM. It was the one with the plans. Yours seem OK and I again think the Hall should come along the west side but I want a few more rooms than either of your plans show. However, maybe you didn’t know that and too there is the other room to be divided. I don’t seem to be able to get anything on paper but have thought lots about the whole things. What I wish you would do is try to figure, if you can, what our heat bills amounted to and make a pass at Nick to get his reaction about furnishing heat. So much for that and I will try to get some plans on paper.

Now – I may have to go to Klamath Falls again this weekend in order to get my bid in to the Lakes. There is nothing certain as yet about the Lakes so no plans can be made at present, but I’ll try to let you know in plenty of time. If you do meet me I believe if you came up 45 you could do your own driving unless you particularly wanted someone. It is always nice to have someone in case of a flat tire, etc.

Our weather here has been very pleasant the past few days. Not even fog. Yesterday pm Mrs. Stanich brought Jeff over to have his eyes tested.

September 25, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I met them and helped them thru the process. They seemed to be very pleased. Jeff’s eyes were OK. He is an only child and is a little spoiled and I think tried to pull a fast one a time or two on his parents. They want another child pretty bad but can’t seem to get going. At least they claim they have tried since Jeff came and he is past 7 now.

Another Dr. and I tried to get tickets to Carmen tonight but all seats are sold. In the future there are several now that aren’t sold out but we can’t take chances on buying ahead.

My friend (Jr.) got his orders this AM so he will be leaving in the next few days. From here he goes to San Bruno and then outside, but he is a (jg) just one month in the service. I’m holding my breath for another month or two and then maybe I’ll have too many points or something. There is always hope so long as the orders aren’t here.

All my 132 beds are filled now but they will start leaving in a day or two.
Well, so long for now –
Lots of Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/09/office-plans-roscoe/

Mrs. Jane Van Syoc

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September 25, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 25, 1945, p. 1

September 25, 1945

Dear Gladys,

The last two days have been cloudy ones with occasional showers – good ones to be indoors catching up on letter-writing and packing. Yes, we’re packing and hoping to return home by the middle of October.

All the officers here have enough points for discharge with the exception of Captain. The school is to be decommissioned in December so all of them should be civilians by the beginning of next year. Van, however, has applied for discharge since he’d like to enroll the first semester at college. How soon does Dr. expect to be discharged; he surely has accumulated enough points?

For the last few Sundays the officers and wives have eaten their Sunday dinners at school. It seems pretty fine not to have to prepare food on such hot days. You are fortunate to have boys who are interested in cooking. Having good cooking

September 25, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] equipment makes it more enticing too. I’ll certainly be glad to bake again with an oven with a thermometer.

John is surely active in school – there aren’t many musical functions in which he isn’t taking part, are there? It looks as if Mark might be following in his footsteps. Did David miss them when they started school? He has his little friends probably to keep him occupied though.

Van and I went in to K.C. Saturday to see the football game between Kansas U. and Texas Christian. Kansas U. didn’t have much of a show – they didn’t even score so it was rather one-sided. The weather was much more suited to baseball. Most of the men were in shirt sleeves and the women who wore coats soon took them off.

In the last two weeks I’ve done a bit of sewing. I have a light weight wool jumper and cotton dress made. There are several “little things” which are on the way to completion. I have a set including a sacque, kimono, gown and Gertrude which

September 25, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] I’m embroidering and making a crocheted border on each.

Van says to say “hello” and would like to hear about Dr. so write when you can. Perhaps our next letter should be sent to: 441 Balch St., Kalamazoo 33, Mich.

Sincerely,

Jane

Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/08/mrs-jane-van-syoc/

The Most Cheerful Letter (Gladys)

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September 24, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 24, 1945, p. 1

Monday Evening

Dear Daddy –

I just went down and started a fire. It was so warm yesterday we let the fire go out. I cleaned out the ashes so it’s ready for another week, unless we have a cold snap and have to have more fire – in that case it will need cleaning oftener. Hope they get that burner soon. I won’t look for it for two or three weeks yet.

Coco told me that Nate Baer is on the Nevada – that is if it hasn’t arrived yet. Her sister is here now. I don’t know when she is expecting to see him, but soon. Maybe you will get to see him while he is in San F.

Dorothy came out this afternoon to see David’s birthday things. They had to go to Chicago yesterday afternoon so they couldn’t be here for the party. Dorothy says she is going up to visit her mother next week. She is going to take Bobby and stay a week. I told her if I could get someone to stay with J. & M. I would take David and go to San F.,

September 24, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] but I suppose you would get orders if I did. However if you should get orders to go out I think I would want to. Let’s just hope something is done soon so you will get to come home.

It has been cloudy and rainy all day – not exactly the kind of weather to boost one’s morale – if it happens not to be so high. I suppose it’s the letdown after last week-end and working a little too hard on David’s party.

Tomorrow is club opening at Mrs. Washburn’s. Just hope the weather is a little more on the sunny side. Nelly wanted to sell me a brown hat to wear but I didn’t get brown purse & gloves to go with my suit so I decided to wear my black hat & “things.” I washed my hair this evening and have it pinned down. I think I’ll have to get another perm. This one seems to have lost its pep.

David had a spill this evening and hurt the inside of his mouth. He keeps hitting his teeth. Just hope he doesn’t know them loose. He was up early this morning and wound up like a clock. He told John a wild tale. Today he was playing and talked

September 24, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] about an imaginary person. It made me think of the way John used to make up names of people he played with. David had to stay in today because of the rain. I tried to take a nap but every time I would drop off to sleep he would bounce up on the couch by me and awaken me. He said he would take a nap too but that didn’t last long.

John said Smith was back in school today but not feeling too chipper. John says he mispronounces so many words. He said some word in particular today and John said he had a notion to correct him (but he didn’t). John is working on Latin tonight. He is really having to dig to catch up with this class, but I think he will make it OK. Mark has been going to bed for the past 20 minutes, but I don’t believe he is in bed yet.

I don’t know what to tell you about the purse. Alligator is very good, but I hate to pay that for a purse. I would like to have a smart looking one, but that is a little high. However, those do run high. Bill brought Arlene a new bag from Chicago. I don’t know what he paid for it but he said

September 24, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] the one he wanted to get was $35.00. She said she would have had a “fit” if he had paid that much for a purse. I said Mrs. Swarts showed me one for $12.50 she claimed was genuine leather. I said I didn’t believe it at that price, but Arlene argued that we used to buy real leather purses for $2.95 – adding that it was usually the dollar ones we bought. So much for that.

I saw the Mullen bride & groom in town this evening when I went to buy groc. I haven’t seen anything about Joe Bill being discharged, so he must still be in.

Marg Carlson says Eddie is coming back to run the paper so she is retiring. She doesn’t seem to know when Pinkie will be home.

John mailed some letters for me today and Tony said he heard you were coming back. I said he should have asked where he got his information, but John said he told him you would more likely be sent out again.

I am afraid this hasn’t been exactly the most cheerful letter, but I’ll try to do better.
Love Mother

Tues. eve – Just back from club & yours of the 22^nd handed to me at the P.O.

Incoming Patients (Roscoe)

1 Reply

September 24, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 24, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 24

Dear Mother,

You will note both Sun. & Mon. letters. It seems a number of events kept me from mailing the Sun. letter as I planned. In the first I found that the only mail out on Sun. is 0830 and then I thought I could mail it the first thing this AM but I was rudely called at 0645 to meet a ship bringing in patients. I really wasn’t on that duty but it seems there were several ships so I was called and hence the two letters in one.

I got patients from 2 ships. They always have a band at the pier to play and of course there is lots of yelling – cat calls, etc. The boys are all pretty glad to be back – strange but true.

Since we had several ships in this AM we are a little busy this PM in fact there are several coming in and out as I’m writing but Junior is taking care of them so I can get this finished.

Mrs. Stanich is bringing Jeff over to have his eyes examined. I’m supposed to meet them at the gate and show them where to go.

September 24, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Your letter of the 20^th came this AM and one from Mom. She said they would have driven up had they known but as it stands I guess we didn’t know. I’m wondering if you’d like me [to] come home again on one of those drafts. With our increase in patients we will have more drafts and there has been two since I came so maybe in a week or two I’ll be coming that way again. I’ll try to let you know ahead of time and plan on meeting you at the gate just like we did before – we can write of that later however.

Well, I think I’d better help a little and then get this to the P.O.
Love Daddy

Slow Morning (Gladys)

1 Reply

September 24, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Mon. morning –

Dear Daddy –

I haven’t done much so far this morning but make the beds and wash dishes. I was eating breakfast when yours of the 20 & 21 came. David also rec’d a birthday card from Karen Burgee, with a dollar. When Lucile B. was here I had her out one afternoon and said I was going to have a party for David’s birthday and invited Karen if they would still be here, so she wrote a note and enclosed it with the card & dollar. She said it was so cold where she is in Wis., they have had a freeze already. It was so warm here yesterday it was like mid-summer instead of Sept. 23, but it’s raining this morning and it will probably turn cold.

September 24, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] David was up early this morning before anyone else was up. John got up and got his & David’s breakfast. He said David was very windy and kept making up tall tales. With all his new toys he has snitched a bowl from the rack on the drain board and says he is making chocolate. I used paper plates, cups & wooden forks to serve yesterday and I washed the forks and gave them to him to play with. He calls them “boons.”

Here’s hoping that Fleet won’t go out again before you can get a discharge.
Love Mother

Listening to the Radio and Reading (Roscoe)

1 Reply

September 23, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Sept. 23

Dear Mother,

There was no mail today but I did receive the three yesterday so that isn’t so bad. I forgot to say anything about the work on the davenport – Really that sounds like a pretty good high price to pay for a remodeling job and I believe if you could get it into the Den and then see what will happen in the next few months, we maybe can use $100 at a pretty good advantage in places other than on it. That is my feelings right now but you do as you think best.

I’ve spent the entire afternoon listening to the radio and reading. Most of the fellows here went to a football game so I took the convoy duty for a (jg) so he could go. I’d rather just sit and listen. The crowd was about 60,000 and the only way we had of getting there would be street car and I don’t like that way of getting around.

I’m hoping that something will come thru this week – I mean in the way of orders. This is really getting monotonous. I heard a little scuttlebutt that on the 15 of Oct. the points would be dropped to 55, and that would be a big help,

September 23, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] and that reminds me about what you wrote about Bill F. and what he could do. I still don’t believe I’d like that kind of help right now because they sometimes like to throw too much power around and it might back fire.

The show last night was “I Love a Band Leader” with Phil Harris. That was the first time I had seen him and I was rather disappointed in his looks. He should be on some tooth paste program because of that pseudo smile or rather it appeared to be pseudo. The show wasn’t bad, however, Rochester was good. I suppose I’ll go tonite for lack of something more exciting to do.

You must have made pretty good time getting home last Monday. I was just about getting to Liberty, Mo., when you got home but I guess I wrote that before. It just didn’t seem possible we could have gotten there that fast. The Dr. that was with me and went on to Maryland isn’t back yet. Commercial air is most difficult to obtain and naval air probably doesn’t do in the area he went to. He probably will get by OK but if many more do that it will cause all these leaves to be cut short.

Well, Dear, I’ll have to get to the office so solong,
Love Daddy