Tag Archives: California

George Wingfield Jr. Gets A Discharge (Roscoe)

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September 20, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 20, 1945, p. 1

20 Sept. 45

Dear Mother,

Well I spend last eve with the Stanichs and I was afraid I’ll wear out the welcome but now they insisted I come out for dinner Fri. eve. He is coming after me again. They are perfect strangers to this town and I think have no social life so they appreciate someone even me. I found out last night that Geo. Wingfield is now a civilian and is back in Reno. Got out on the points. It seems Geo. was in some time and of course has a daughter so all in all he had enough points. Stanish has enough points but his C.O. claims he is too valuable to release just now so he is waiting – just like the Drs.

Drew Pearson had another article in his comments again today – more power to him. Maybe something will get stirred up.

Back to the Stanich people – we just sit and talk and the time seems to fly. Vince and I have a couple of drinks and then about midnight Mrs. fixes some coffee, cheese, etc., and then he brings me home. Not too exciting by but it does get one off the hill for a few hours. They never mention playing bridge, poker, etc., so I don’t [know] whether they do those things or not.

One (jg) got orders yesterday but that seems the entire extent of the pack. The scuttlebutt is

September 20, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] now that the third fleet is coming in and we are to be used as replacements. That may or may not be true but if things hold off for a few weeks or months maybe I can talk them out of sending me out.

No mail so far but I hardly expected any this early – I believe there should be a letter tomorrow, at least I hope so.

Our patients are very few again – Right now we have just about as many as Drs. I won’t even be able to take a draft if more don’t come because there won’t be enough to make up one car load.

Kenney left Monday for some place near Japan. I talked with a friend of his who is leaving for the same place tomorrow. I imagine he will enjoy that kind of work. They are going to set up a small dispensary for a recreational center.

Well, with all this monotony there is darn little to write about. But one thing is sure, orders of some kind will have to come thru in time. They can’t just let us sit here indefinitely, or at least I think they can’t.

Lots of Love,
Daddy

[Editor’s Note: George Wingfield, Jr., was an important enough person in the Reno community that his discharge made the local papers. Follow the link to read one article.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/28/george-wingfield-jr-gets-a-discharge-roscoe/

Birthday Greetings (Roscoe)

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September 19, 1945

Letter transcription:

19 Sept. 45

Dear David,

I’m sending you a little birthday present. Hope you can find some use for it. It is not as much as I give the older boys but maybe you don’t need as much. I’d like to be there and help you celebrate but it doesn’t seem possible just now but maybe you and John & Mark & Mother and some of the kids in the neighborhood can celebrate. Hope I can be with you on your next birthday.

Lots of Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/26/birthday-greetings-roscoe-2/

Making Plans (Roscoe)

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September 19, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 19, 1945, p. 1

19 Sept. 45

Dear Mother,

Wed. PM and no orders or further word on anything. The only thing that makes me feel good at the moment is the fact that the commander who wrote the long telegram it seems will have to go out. He has never been out and then to put up such a “squak” made me mad.

I called Vince this AM and he wants me to come out a while this eve. He is coming after me at 1900. I’m afraid he is just being nice and don’t mean for me to accept all of his invitations but I’ll have that out with him tonite.

I really don’t know when I enjoyed myself as much as the short time I was home. It was dulled only by the fact that I had to

September 19, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] leave again so soon. I’m glad now that I didn’t try to go to town and see a lot of people, etc. Maybe if I’m here a month or so I can get another such leave, at least I’ll try. I may have to take a more or less uninteresting one just to get the Great Lakes again. At least that is one thing to look forward to.

We have a new chief nurse – came while I was gone and in order to give her a send off they are having a cocktail party for her tomorrow night in the lounge of our quarters. I know it will be a grand success. Just about like some of the ones Mrs. P. used to throw. It being here on the base most people will be in a stuffy mood. I can always go to my room and shut the door.

September 19, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] I sure had a good night last night since I hadn’t sleep but very little the night before. I think when I hit the bed I was asleep and didn’t awaken until 715 this AM. In all probability I snored pretty much but no one said anything this AM. I do remember turning once and bumping my elbow on one of those buttons on the mattress. I didn’t look to see if there was blood this AM but at the time it felt something like an amputation.

The radio seems to work pretty good but Bun told me to get a long areal which I haven’t done yet but if I hold on to the short one that is there it does pretty

September 19, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] good. I’m going over to the shops in a little while and see if I can talk them out of several feet. There was a note on the repair bill which said we owed Bun $2.00 so you might drop in and pay him and that will give you another excuse to ask him about the burner.

I haven’t done much with the office plans yet, but I’m beginning to believe a hallway down thru the middle of the front room might be better than along the west side. If it were along the west side the rooms would be much longer than wide. I’ll have to get down to work on

September 19, 1945, p. 5

[page 5] the thing and maybe get something definite settled. If you see Nick you might ask him about the heat situation again. If that were settled one wouldn’t have to plan on a space for the heater nor for the oil tanks, it might be simpler to plan.

I don’t know when to expect the first letter from you. I suppose you wrote first on Tue. so I should get a letter by the end of the week.

Well, I’m almost run down and I guess I’d better write David a little note for his birthday –

Lots of Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/25/making-plans-roscoe/

Back in San Francisco (Roscoe)

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September 8, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 8, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 8, 1945

Dear Mother,

I’m all back in San Fran. We arrived in Klamath Falls at about 0800 this AM and I was told there were no planes going back to San Francisco so I got all my train reservations and then at chow time a Commodore Peale was coming down. In fact a plane came up after him so he let me come with him. It would have taken me 12 hours on the train but by plane it was only a 2 hour trip. It was really a swell ride – very clear and there was one high mountain with snow all over its top. It’s about 400 miles to Klamath so I did pretty well to make the round trip 800 miles in 24 hours and get all the other things done, I mean, the patients on the train and off, etc., (and $7.00 extra).

Now – about the Chicago draft. So far as I know now it is a go. My name is right on the paper. So be thinking the plans out and I’ll let you know a little more definite about when we leave, etc. I imagine we will leave here on Wed.

September 8, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] night about 8 PM, and we should be in Great Lakes sometime Sat. I haven’t the slightest idea how much time I’ll be able to get off and won’t know until I get there. I think the safest bet if you could arrange is to meet me there and then if I have time we can go on down to K. If not, we will have some time together in Chicago. I mean you can come to Chicago and I’ll meet you there. I’ll either wire or call later in the week so just stand by but be planning just what you think is best. Maybe Dorothy or Lucille will keep D. and the other boys can shift for themselves. Stand by then Dear for word from me. I really want to see you.

Either Geo. W. or Vince Stanich came out to see me this PM but that was before I got back so don’t know which it was – they didn’t leave name nor address.

I’ll mail this so it will go out on the only mail tomorrow and then if anything develops after that I’ll write later in the day.

Yours written Sept. 4 came today – glad D. is better, and hope John is better satisfied and Mark also – I mean about the plane – I want him to ride a plane but to make a real trip and not with just any pilot who may come along. It really isn’t safe. Well, Dear I’m really looking forward to next week this time,

Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/17/back-in-san-francisco-roscoe/

Four Nurses (Roscoe)

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September 7, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 7, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 7, 1945
USNRH
S.F. (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

I’m writing this in the AM in order to be sure it gets done because not having taken a draft out before I don’t know how much last minute work there might be.

Last night the Drs. & nurses had a Cock. T. party from 5 to 7:30 – Just the usual Yap-a-Yap. It was quite harmless thing and no one as far as I could see got too much & everyone seems to be aboard this AM. It was paid for and sponsored by the Welfare. I guess it was

September 7, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] supposed to be a Morale builder. The Drs. change so rapidly I suppose they figure that is a good way to have people meet in a sort of informal way.

The package came in yesterday after I mailed your letter so that takes care of everything except those several letters on the way. I do hope I get one or two today because by being gone it will be several days that I know I won’t get mail.

I never did tell you but a Dr. and several nurses always take these drafts – I mean male nurses. I thought I’d better clear that up a bit.

September 7, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] I’ll have four corpsmen – 2 for each car. Really the male nurses I mentioned are only corpsmen but I had to writes nurses in order to get the joke – some joke.

Drs. get orders out of here practically every day – It seems to be the Lt. Cdrs. and the jgs. I’m not sure what they are saving the Lts. for.

When I first came I called Geo. Wingfield and he was gone but I left a message and he called me yesterday. He had just gotten back and had lots to do so I didn’t get to see him. He told me

September 7, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] on the phone that he and Stanich would probably be out in 60 days. That sounds good because they won’t leave only Med. off. to run the Navy. I saw an enlisted man leave here yesterday with his discharge. That was a real one and not a medical. I wanted to look to see if maybe my name was on the thing but I guess it wasn’t.

Well, I’ll try to get a line off tomorrow someplace –
Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/13/four-nurses-roscoe/

Klamath Falls (Roscoe)

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September 6, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 6, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 6, 1945
USNRH
San Francisco (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

Another day and no mail. Your last was Aug. 31. Just about as bad as overseas.

Yesterday I mailed you a check and a money order & I know you will let me know as soon as you get them. I’ll hold on to the M.O. stub and the data off the check until I do hear from you.

I’m going to Klamath Falls, O., tomorrow with a draft. It is only a one day trip. This was not by choice but by order. I have 47 marines. Seems as if no one wanted to go there so the

September 6, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Capt. put the bee on me. We leave here about 6 PM – get there around 6 AM and then turn around and come home. Well it will be a trip. I’ve put in for a Great Lakes draft but so have numerous others but maybe my turn will come.

This has been the warmest day so far. No fog and just like Ind. or Mo. but I suppose by night the wind will start blowing, etc.

I don’t know how to get the mail thru any faster. Most of the Drs. seem to be in the same boat but a few seem to be getting along a little better.

September 6, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] We finally got orders to move into our new quarters. They sure are swell – built for two officers but so far only one has been assigned to each room. There is a big lounge – Ice box, a small galley, etc. My stuff has just been thrown in but I’m going to arrange as soon as I get off this eve.

There were about eighty new admissions on my ward today so all has been more or less confusion but they settle down a little after a few hours.

I’ll try to get you a letter out before I go to Klamath tomorrow but I’ll be pretty busy and it may not be much

September 6, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] the next day maybe I can write from there – the next day I may be back – depends upon the transportation schedule. I get $7.00 per day extra but I have to pay for my own pulman so I won’t make much on the trip. If I break even I’ll be well satisfied.

Well, I must get going to get this into the mail today.

Love Daddy

P.S. Have one of the boys write me a letter with a 3₵ stamp and mail his & yours at the same time to see how much difference. The package has not arrived. The pictures did.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/11/klamath-falls-roscoe/

Travel Money (Roscoe)

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September 5, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 5, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 5, 45
USNRH
S.F. (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

Your letter dated Aug. 31 and mailed Sept. 1 came this AM. The pictures came yesterday PM but the other package has not arrived as yet. I expect it this PM.

I finally got my watch this AM and I’m real pleased with it – shock proof – water proof, etc. Cost $34.50. I was a little late on alarm clocks but maybe we don’t need one badly now, but they did have some good ones for $3.50. I tried to get a steam iron but it seems those have been off the market for some time.

In yesterday’s letter I wrote that this Dr. and I had gone to San Mateo looking for a house and that he had permanent orders here, etc. Well he got his orders. He is to be medical officer on a transport. He has been in the Navy since 1941 so it’s hard to figure. However, he being on a transport can be discharged anytime the ship comes into port after the Drs. start to be discharged.

I never did ask him how many points he

September 5, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] had but I know he must have plenty for he has dependents, about one year more service than I, and he can’t be much younger. So all we do is sit and wait and wonder. I do believe there are steps being taken to discharge but it takes lots of time with such a large organization.

There is a staff meeting this PM at 1330 and it is now 1305 – so I must get this ready to mail as soon as the meeting is over. Then too I must go down and see if I can get this long looked for travel money. They promised me I could get it this PM. If they do I may send it home in a later letter today. I don’t like to have too much money around and I don’t need much unless I’d happen to get orders somewhere back east. I hope I hope I hope.

Well Dearie I’ll stop and promise more for next time. Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. The check was all ready and I thought maybe you could use the extra $50. That should about install the furnace – Let me know as soon as you get these.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/09/travel-money-roscoe/

Day Trip On A Street Car (Roscoe)

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September 4, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 4, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 4, 1945
USNRH
S.F. (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

Your letter written Thur. night and Fri. arrived today but still no pictures nor any other package. I suppose over the weekend – what with V-J and Labor day, etc., things got messed up a bit.

I forgot to tell you about the car. I just had a new distributor put on the day before we left Mo. but the cable leading to it was bad – That is what was wrong with the car when we had the trouble before the welcoming party at the new Ex. Remember – Of course it is too late for me to tell you this now, but in case they didn’t catch the cable trouble you might have it checked.

As I told you before we don’t hear much radio news but as yet there is nothing official on any point systems for the navy. Plenty of men around here are burned up but most of them are just like me waiting a few weeks. So I guess

September 4, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] the only thing to do is stand put for a few weeks yet. Then I think I’ll write a letter to you that will make the paper ‘sizzle” and I want you to give the content to Ira D. You see it would hardly be proper for me to write directly to him but I could write to you and you could pass it along and no harm would be done.

Yesterday being a holiday another Dr. asked me if I’d like to go down to San Mateo. Just for the ride. The ride was on the trolley. I found that he was out more or less house looking. He lives in Mass. Has three children but his orders read for duty here and not temporary like mine. It would cost us almost $350.00 to get you and the boys here and then about the time you arrived my orders would come thru back to some place near home. And then $350.00 more. Sure I’d like the family to be together but I think we’d better wait a while yet. What am I arguing about? You didn’t ask to come out. If I knew I’d be here a while I’d like to have you and D. come if the other boys could get along. Maybe I can get

September 4, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] those orders changed to read permanent instead of temporary.

More about our trip. We got on the street car just a few blocks from the hospital. We almost froze walking to the car line and then out of town and past the mountains and very hot sunshine. It really felt good to be in the hot sun. We walked around for a spell then took the bus back to town – Total cost 50₵ – 25₵ each way. The housing situation doesn’t look good – Every place is filled – Trailers & Trailer camps all along the highway.

The Dr. I went with joined the navy in May 1941. Spent about 2 yrs in Cuba and is here for further assignment even though his orders do read permanent. So you can see others are in the same boat we are in. Hope we get out of that boat before long – possibly being an old salt I should say ship, but what ship are we in, hard ship, under slip – no that isn’t right it’s ship and not slip – Don’t pay any attention to the last few remarks. I didn’t

September 4, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] get them either.

I’m supposed to get my travel money tomorrow PM. That too was slowed down due to the elongated weekend.

You mentioned some time ago in a letter about John going to Chicago on Sat. to take lessons. I’m not too much in favor of that – School all week long and 160 miles on Sat. is a little too much. I’d rather save the money and let him go someplace next summer. I believe he would like it better and possibly get more out of it or just as much. He seemed to think Miss Smith could still teach him and I’m sure he could do something to keep improving himself.

Well, I must get this to the P.O. So Solong –
Lots of love
Daddy

No Radio (Roscoe)

2 Replies

September 3, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 3, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 3, 1945

Dear Mother,

I’m on the ward but wouldn’t have to be since it is Labor Day but in order to get breakfast one has to be there by 0830. It is now about 1000 but I want this to be sure and get off in the mail which I suppose leaves around 12 as it does on Sun.

In one of your letters you mentioned the fact that I heard all of the discharge stuff over the radio. I haven’t heard a radio since I left home. They have them on the wards but my room is too far from it and anyway they don’t listen to much news.

I see by this AM paper the army is cutting down on the points and lowering the age. I just don’t know how or when the navy is going to start but they will have to before long if they intend to get rid of all they plan on in the

September 3, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] next few months. I do get very discouraged at times but it just can’t last indefinitely since the “shootin’” has stopped and these new boys just coming in certainly will have a tour of duty. We have right here at this station about 8-10 brand new. There are also several fellows just like me who have been out before and are wondering what is coming next.

The show last night was “Bedside Manners” – pretty good. Tonight – “Ten Men from Westpoint.” I saw it on the Islands – again in N.Z. so I hardly think I’ll see it again because in the first place it wasn’t good. I didn’t recognize the name the second time in N.Z. so just stayed thru for lack of something else to do.

September 3, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] So far today there has been no mail but I’m hoping it arrives by 1030 as it does on other days.

I think in a few days I’ll be able to send some dough home but I’m not sure when the travel money will come and I still don’t have that watch. The ship store officer is a Jewish Dr. and I’m not certain. Their watches are two prices – one around $30.00 and the next up to $77.00. That seems a little high. I think before I pay that I’ll use the old N.Z. one I now have.

I wrote the folks yesterday – wishing Mom a happy birthday also. I haven’t been off the place to buy a card. It seems that

September 3, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] was about all the letters I could scrape up in one PM.

I’d keep reminding Chet once in a while about that burner. He should know all about that type furnace since it is practically the same as Nick’s down to the controls, etc. He claims he is going to reduce the heat bill for Nick. I believe I’d try to get the fuel oil from either Standard of Schub – unless you could work out a 3 way deal. I’ve thought of the burner because it is so cold here, seems like the dead of winter only without snow.

Well, lots of love
Daddy

483 Patients (Roscoe)

1 Reply

September 2, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 2, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 2

Dear Mother,

This will be short – I just found the mail goes out at 12 and it is about that now. I had to get up at 0600 this AM to meet 483 patients and we just now got sorta squared away.

Your letters of Sept. [sic August] 27 & 30 came today and I have a couple of certificates to the Moynihans for their kids – hope they get there in time but if their mail is as slow as ours I’m afraid. However that letter of Sept. [sic August] 30 didn’t do bad.

September 2, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I may do some letter writing this PM but that is not too certain. It all depends on my feelings. I didn’t get too much sleep last night because I was on watch – didn’t have to get up but slept in a room where the phone rang several times trying or rather waking the O.D.

Since the mail is leaving soon I’ll simply say
Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. and promise to do better next time and by the way the gold braid did come but no other packages as yet –
What Ink?? This is a borrowed pen. I haven’t been to the room to get mine.