Tag Archives: Dr. Edmund T. Lentz

Last from Lentz

Letter transcription:

May 6, 1945
Sunday

Yegie – Such a quick response deserves a prompt reply. You are doing much better – are you striking for the ½ stripe?

Not much news – but it is my weekend on duty with no one but the maintenance crew – dammit and the C.O. is not very gracious about giving us the PM or evening on Sundays when there is no work. Hell and damnation – you know the old Regular J.I. Navy. Can you imagine a Chief and 2 Ph. Mates on dates & a Med. Officer.

Only news I have is that Bob O’Donnell is now in Recruiting Duty in Jacksonville, Fla. Tues. to Sat. they leave Jax for Fort or Camp Blanning 40 miles away at 0800, back at 1600. Sat. 1300. Nothing to do until Tuesday. (Three M.D.’s & 3 corpsmen). Howard Witter is exec. after being on similar duty at Jackson, Miss. They have 1 night of duty every 5 or 6 weeks – shove patras. What do you think of that for duty.

MacClatchie is still in Brazil – John is still in USNH Phila.

[page 2] Looks like there will be a break up or a lessening of activities everywhere since the collapse in Europe. Perhaps you will be going to China with me. Looks like V-12s, etc., will not be called anymore – will there? What do you think they will do with you? Have you applied for any P.G. work or do you “wanta go ho-o-o-me!)

Met Mr. Beard – remember the transportation officer at Base 4. He is on duty at the Navy yard.

Heard from New Zealand today – all is well. The “old lady” still carrying on at B/casting.

Listen, bub, if I am encouraging you to write too often or too much, let me know or just procrastinate but don’t fail to tell me when you get orders.

May go to Wash. D.C. any day – waiting for Truman to call me. – No kidding, I mean to go soon as arrangements here can be made. We can’t get a relief so it would mean one man has to stay on all the time (26 hrs. a day).

Regards to family – don’t work too hard (Kia Ora) –
Ed.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/30/last-from-lentz/

Death of Roosevelt

1 Reply

April 16, 1945 envelope

Letter Transcription:

April 16, 1945, p. 1

April 16, 45

Dear “Junior” – It is about time you wrote, wondered what was wrong, whether you were transferred, or had another son.

No news from anyone except I see John Willard occasionally, and talk to him about some of officer patients. He is still SOQ. He did get orders to Key West, Fla., but the C.O. went to Wash., D.C., and had them cancelled because John is the only Dr. who knows how to go gastroscopies there. Wally Reese, if you remember, our cribbage partner, is still in Phila. Naval, but doesn’t like it, too many superior Regulars. Had a letter from MacClatchie who is in Brazil – C.O. of Dispensary 150 beds. A letter from Bob O’Donnell, too, but he owes me one from way back. Has Cat Fever Ward – about 20 admissions daily, etc. On every 4^th night also.

April 16, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Haven’t heard any more from anyone. All are poor writers – but never did expect one from Ralph (Help me) Criss. No news about poor Paul Beard. Heard Buster Hyman was at Portsmouth. One [of] the Marines here was at Bonika.

Had a change of corpsmen – past 4 months, now another [?] picked for X Ray course, 5 mos., he is a chiropractor – big boy 230 lbs and I give him all my colored backaches, pounds hell out of them and they don’t come back. A couple officers – one Hebrew gets it, too. I have a good staff and that makes work more pleasant.

Just finished my ¼ San. Report, and the history of med. activities since war started – Comm. 4 Directive Na Sec Nov. Did you have to do that for your D.M.O.?

April 16, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] Soon will be a year since you reported for duty – isn’t it? Mine will be Aug. 1. I wonder where we go next. Have a good notion to go to Wash., D.C., visit my sister and get some dope about billets. Our C.O. of Colored Ordnance Batt. left today for Ad. Base (Colored Personnel) today, goes to Guam, I suppose, understand the officer pool is there instead of Pearl Harbor.

Heard from my bro-in-law – Kunming, China; and my nephew, you met him in Norfolk, has been in Burma since last July – he made paratrooper, was injured, now is in Air Cargo something.

Am happy to hear your family is getting along fine and I am sure you are very proud of them all. You know David is my favorite name, and intended to have one someday.

April 16, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] We had a little bad luck in January, otherwise there would have been one this coming June.

Have been golfing several times, the weather was unusually good. Today it is raining, foggy and miserable, have the heat turned on.

Well, a good man was buried yesterday in spite of the political differences. Comes a time for all of us to be laid away – whether king, middleman or pauper.

Let me hear from you soon, even if a short line.
Regards to Mrs. Y. and family,
Sincerely,
Ed

My Buick is going fine (32,000 miles).

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/28/death-of-roosevelt/

Further News from Lentz

2 Replies

January 14, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

January 14, 1945, p. 1

Sunday Jan. 14, 1945

Dear Yeggie – Just one year ago last nite we made the rounds of the shopping district in Wellington. You took me down because you knew your way around the streets. I remember meeting Billie there and then seeing Howard Witter later – I don’t know whether you remember seeing Howard or not, do you? We stayed with George – didn’t we?

Enjoyed your letter very much and I am glad you had plenty of time to write because it has been so long since I heard from you. Your duties are not so good but there are some worse and some better. When I hear from others I feel that I am not doing so badly here in spite of being on duty every other nite. In fact, you are on call all day & every day, I wouldn’t like the idea of travelling back

January 14, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] and forth, especially supplying my own transportation. Here, I am my own boss and my – ahem! – assistant as Lt. Cdr. Arrange our hours, as long as one is on duty, daren’t leave the station exposed. I usually let him go home about 9 or 9:30 a.m. or whenever he chooses. He takes over for me on occasional evenings – we seem to be a pair as far as our domestic problems go, implying that we are in the dog houses; I never confided in you but all has not been well for a number of years. So – it could be worse.

“The Shadow” is on while I am writing, so I may get scared, if you see any incoherence then you will know why. I have one of my radios here. In fact, I practically live here – my corpsmen are well trained, the chief had 30 yrs and does all the paper work and is very conscientious. Two Ph. M. had combat duty and one had hosp. training, have 2 colored Ph. Mates or the OB Battalion

January 14, 194,5 p. 3

[page 3] All are trustworthy and I find no difficulty – we are like one happy family. We have set up a small galley and the Marines supply us with coffee, etc., so we have occasional meals every day.

Am finishing up that damned annual San. Report – had a lot of new construction, – Battalion barracks, etc., to describe. Must submit it in rough to C.O. of station – he is an old fusspot as I do the monthly reports. Can you beat that? No more monthly reports but the quarterlies will be headaches.

Heard from Frank Olrich a number of times and from Bob O’Donnell recently. He has an average of 23 admissions daily, 125 in ward, duty every 3^rd nite. Not so good – all car [?] fevers & pneumonias.

Had a H.R. from Detroit Grosse Point with signed by J.R. Delaney. So he is near home.

Frank said he is on full duty and all are slated to go again – scuttlebutts – His hearing is the same. His boy was operated on for hernia – less than 2 yrs old.

January 14, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] You know he is at Shoemaker Calif. Ted Anderson is at Parris Island S.C. I haven’t heard from tohers.

My brother is still at Charleston S.C. Asst. Dist. Med Officer – soft job, no nite work or Sundays either. My kid brother – is ferrying planes now, has been all over U.S.A. and Canada & Mexico. Is being shipped to Florida for some short intensive course on Bombers – he was a P-47 pilot 81 missions. My nephew is in Burma – you remember him visiting me when I had the typhoid chill – he was a paratrooper, was injured, fracture leg, int. injuries, etc. – but now is in “air dropping,” cargo plane work in China Burma India area. A brother-in-law, Lt. Col., is Dep. Provost Marshall of some area. Got a letter from him yesterday.

I hear from W. and [?] as good and as well as the mail service goes.
My Xmas was quiet – had a few drinks; spent New Yrs weekend on station.

Well – write when you can – Regards to all the family – Don’t work too hard-
Sincerely,
Ed

[Editor’s Note: To read more about Dr. Lentz, his brothers, and nephew from a contemporary newspaper report, click here.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/21/further-news-from-lentz/

News from Lentz

1 Reply

December 20, 1944 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 20, 1944, p. 1

Dec. 20, 1944
MERRY XMAS

Dear Yeggie

Well – about time I wrote you a few lines. Really haven’t had anything new to tell you, everything is quiet, still 24 on & off, every other weekend.

No word from anyone recently – not even Bob O’Donnell. Did get several letters from N.Z.

Just think – you were down in N.Z. a year ago, perhaps in South Island over the Glazeeewr. Just about a year ago I was ComServPac and boarded the ship Xmas eve with “Want any help Criss” and MacClatchie. In a few weeks, I’ll be celebrating my first trip to Majestic & St. George.

I hear that all is quiet in N.Z. – all the Americans are practically out, a few stragglers as O.W.I., J.P.B., A.R.C.

December 20, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] get in occasionally. Dammit it would be nice to get down there to do some inventorying.

Our weather is cold & snowy and it was down to 15° last nite. I am not used to it and my feet get cold.

Saw my Brother the other day (Lt. Cd. MC USNR) Ass’t Dist Med Officer, Charleston D.C., lucky son of a gun; he was on a 10 day leave. Won’t get holidays at home, due back in S.C. Thursday this week. The Kid Brother is up near Detroit in a ferrying command now.

My cruise box (Bokis) & sea bag arrived 2 weeks ago, all intact. Lucky! Did you get yours?

Am sorry I didn’t write sooner –
Regards to all the family –
Merry Xmas –
Ed Lentz

WRITE I hear from Frank Olrich occasionally & see John Willard also

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/20/news-from-lentz/

Update from Julius Rosenberg

1 Reply

November 27, 1944 envelope

Letter transcription:

November 27, 1944, p. 1

U.S. Naval Hospital
Chelsea, Mass.,
November 27, 1944

Dear Yeger,

Been meaning to write you for a long time, but I’ve been busier than hell. I took the N-P course at Philadelphia and really enjoyed it immensely. Red Dryer and Bob Walker were there while I was there and we had a swell time. The course was very interesting and I’m now an N-P man.

I was assigned to the above hospital and met Joe McGinn & Perry Snyder who are here too. Recently Stan Myers, who is on duty at Longson [?], came here as a patient to have a herniated nucleus pulposus removed – remember how we laughed at his back ache? He’s OK now. Bob Walker is on duty at Newport, R.I., only 1½ hours from here and I should be seeing him soon. From him I learned that Jerry Goodman was still overseas and crying like hell. I hope I’ve given you all the news.

It’s pretty nice duty here, although I work very hard – this N-P service is really kept stepping, but I’m enjoying it. We had a hot and uncomfortable summer at Philly – did I tell you I met Ed Lentz there? But it’s nice here. We have an apartment in a 2 family house out in the suburbs of Boston and it’s very comfortable. I have a car now and we get around quite a bit.

November 27, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] By the way, I have hopes of having a Junior soon – at least we’re expecting his (or her) debut late in March. Everything is OK, so far.

Enough of me – how are you doing? How is the wife and how are the boys? I hope you are enjoying your duty – I know you like it better than being overseas – I know I do, even though I work much harder. I lost your address so I’m addressing this to your home address, and I’m hoping you get it finally.

Don’t be like me – please drop me a line soon and let me know all about yourself. By the way, when are we getting our promotions?

Best regards to you family. My wife sends her best
Sincerely,
Rosey

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/19/update-from-julius-rosenberg/

Update from Robert P. O’Donnell

1 Reply

October 20, 1944 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 20, 1944, p. 1

Saturday Oct. 20, 1944

Dear Yeggy

I am really ashamed to have not got a line off to you sooner. You might think that the old O’Donnells had forgot you completely. The first day I arrived in here I looked you up in the phone directory for the base and then I found out you had been shifted. You letter was forwarded to us by way of the folks.

We got a letter from Lentz the other day he is still organizing things so he won’t have so many watches. Something tells me that you have the bes set up that way. It seems that I have a night watch every other night. Duty here could be a lot worse than it is, but it’s not like old Silverstream.

Pat is working here on the compound with me. She’s in the recreation building over on the Naval Hospital Side which makes it very convenient for us. We still haven’t got a car – somehow I just can’t pay out to your “landsman” the price they want. You haven’t seen anything good down where you are have you? If you see anything that looks like it’s a buy let me know. Most of these people up here just dust out the car they get from an individual and then charge $250 more than they paid for it.

We have a 3 room kitchenette apartment here in Waukegan that we got with the usual luck of the Irish, the first night in town. I sure hope that regardless of how interesting my job here is, we may be able to stay here, for I could never get anything like this anywhere else for 2X the price.

Since both of us are working we don’t gad about much.

October 20, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] We play a lot of acey ducie at night and see some shows. We’ve only been in Chicago three times. Getting home to Rockford takes so long via Greyhound bus that we’ve only been out there twice.

Right now I am listening to Dufy’s tavern here at the station. As usual I have the duty. Dotty LaMour is giving the low down on the beautiful tropical islands. I think even Sniveling Jacks in the Tribune has changed the inhabitants of the S.S. isles to scroungy looking natives instead of beauties.

Roberts is still here. Which reminds me. When are you going to be a Lt. Comdr. Not that Robert’s has made it, but you have been a “real” Lt. for 19 months – What next? Also are you planning another south seas trip before this conflict is over? I wish I could give you some word on it. All seem to have got rid of all the Medical officers around here who have never been overseas. Now they are weeding out all those guys who have been overseas less than 18. There seems to be a lot of guys who had a split time over there. 9 months, 12, 10, 6 etc. They were returned for sickness, deaths in the family, or for some other screwy reason.

It’s apparently only a matter of time before they start in to send out men with a full overseas tour. The only thing that will influence this is a very sudden change in the war. We picked up a lot of MOs who had been in some sort of a pool in England. They were there for about 6 months. 5 before the D day and one month after. As soon as the beach head was successful they quickly sent them back to the States with 15 days leave and then sent them to the South Pacific. I imagine there are a lot of guys in Europe with less than 18 months duty. They will all be eligible if things fold in Europe.

October 20, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] Incidently what do you think of the work they’ve done in the Pacific since you left. If they do as much in the next year as they’ve done in the last we’ll be getting som where.

What have you learned from our great student Lentz? I sure would like to have the 3 of us get together again. Pat talks about it a lot too. But I suppose that someday we’ll be free and able to move around. What kind of post war plans do you have? How about Indiana? I don’t know what I’m going to do for sure. Nevada looks awfully good. I may go out there and try and mine some gold before the depression which is a sure thing for my money.

I cast my ballot for Dewey the other day as a member of the armed services. Sidney H. for my money should be number one man on some beach raid.

Before I forget it I want to thank your better half for that swell letter she wrote the folks saying that Pat and I were coming soon. That’s a long way back and I realize now that you don’t much about our trip.

I came back in a tanker from Wellington leaving there on May 6^th and reaching here May 23^rd. Pat followed me on the 12^th of May and reached San Francisco on June 1^st. I landed in San Pedro with Mason, Rutter, and Sherrovk from Silverstream. It took them 5 days to get my orders fixed. On the 6^th day I left Pedro and went to S.F. on just a hunch although through a cable sent me by Ed Lentz I knew Pat had left N.Z. by way of Auckland.

October 20, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] I met Pat’s ship in S.F. and took her off. Criss, Witter and Cathcart were all with her which made the trip a lot of easier for her. Hudgins helped her out a lot to with food as she acts like her husband does when the ground swells start in.

We had a honeymoon in S.F. staying at the Mark Hopkins then came on to Rockford for about 10 days. I had a total leave of 15 days plus travel time. I will always be glad that I talked you into that trip to the South Island.

Well bud, I’m going out and get a coke. Wish I could just run down to your room and have one with you.

Let’s hear from you and not the way I usually do.
Lt. R.P. O’Donnell
414 South Jackson St.
Waukegan,
Illinois

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/17/update-from-robert-p-odonnell/

Postcard #2 (Lentz)

2 Replies

Postmark: July 26, 1944, Wyalusing, Pennsylvania

Addressed to:
Lt. R.S. Yegerlehner
~~Kentland~~
~~Indiana~~
324 W. Kansas St.
Liberty Mo.

Dear Yegie –
Rec’d your letter. Will write when I go to duty at Nav. Amm. Dep. Fort Mifflin, Pa., July 29-44
Regards to all Ed.

Postcard #1 (Lentz)

2 Replies

Postmark: July 11, 1944 Great Lakes, Ill.

Addressed to:
Lt. R.S. Yegerlehner
MSUSNR
~~Naval Training Station~~
~~Great Lakes, Ill.~~
Nav. Flight Prep School
Wm Jewell College
Liberty, Mo.

Hi Ya – Write me and I’ll write you soon as I get 15 day leave or sooner. Am resting a few hours – leave at 2:30 PM. My new address is
U.S. Naval Amm Depot
Fort Mifflin, Pa.
near Phila 20 min. drive from house
Ed Lentz

At Last I landed (Lentz)

1 Reply

[Editor’s Note: Dr. Edmund T. Lentz was one of Roscoe’s oldest Naval acquaintances. They both arrived together in Norfolk, Virginia, and shared a room during the early summer of 1942 at Mrs. Evans boarding house. They were shipped out to Noumea, New Caledonia, in August 1942 as part of the CUB 13 unit. During the fall of 1942, Dr. Lentz and Roscoe parted ways when Dr. Lentz was shipped to another location. They were reunited in Wellington, New Zealand, at Base Hospital #4, for a few months before Roscoe was shipped out first.]

: July 2, 1944 envelope front

: July 2, 1944 envelope back

Letter transcription:

July 2 44

Dear Roscoe – Well, at last I landed in U.S.A. – Thursday nite – an am quartered in this hut until notified of my assignment which I expect to be in a few days.

Was out to dinner with Frank Olrich last

[page 2] nite and today when I called Jim Graeser of Cub 1 Hosp. – he notified me that they are having a Cub 1 shindig or reunion tonite so I will be off to the Races in an hour or so.

Frank gave me your address – why the hell didn’t you write?

Had quite a time at the Pool les Bateaux

: July 2, 1944, p. 1

: July 2, 1944, p. 2

[page 3] then drove up from there to Auck. – in the meantime had 7 days leave, spent at Rotarua.

Hope to see you if I can – I expect to go by train, don’t like flying; flew part way up, got stuck for 12 days in N., waited for ship.

[page 4] I can wire you when I get to Chicago – how about it?

Quite a place – this country – but hell to be a stranger or a serviceman I can see that.

Well – cheers
Regards to the family
Ed

946 Duncan Ave
Yeadon, Pa.

: July 2, 1944, p. 3

: July 2, 1944, p. 4

Invasion (Gladys)

4 Replies

: June 6, 1944 envelope front

: June 6, 1944 envelope back

Letter transcription:

June 6, 1944, p. 1

Kentland Ind.
6-6-44

Dear Daddy –

Well about all we have heard today has been invasion. Mr. Zell went to Delphi to a Rotary meeting and was going to find out about the train from Laf. and reservations but he didn’t have time when he came home to give us the info but will when he comes home this evening. In case we can’t get train reservation we can get bus connections from here to Chenoa, Ill., and change there. That bus goes thru Quincy and into Kansas City but the bus trip all the way would require 18 hours. I thought

June 6, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] You could possibly meet us in Quincy if we have to go by bus, but we will come by train if we can get seats.

It is so cold today, the heat kicked on, but I turned the therm. down so it wouldn’t get so hot.

Mildred Morton’s mother died yesterday. She was in St. E. and was recovering, satisfactorily they thought, and her death seemed to be rather unexpected.

We had a dust storm yesterday and it was warm enough to have all the doors open and the house is very dusty throughout today. I washed some things today. The water got hot enough – the hottest it has been for a long time.

June 6, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] I went to the dentist & took Mark along. He said there was nothing to do about Mark’s teeth in front, but he did put some filling in. My tooth was just sensitive and nothing to be done now.

Lucile said they couldn’t get lumber enough to build Jimmy a play sand box so I told her to come out & see if they could find enough here. They came, but while we were looking Lucile thought about the supper she left cooking on high so they left before we found anything.

I waited to talk to Mr. Zell before finishing this and didn’t get it mailed Tues. He found that we could

June 6, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] get a train out of Laf. at 1:30 a.m. that would get us into Kansas City sometime around 11:30 or 12. I called Chicago and there are no day trains out of Chicago to K.C. or Liberty, so I think we will go from Laf.

It is some warmer today but was very chilly yesterday. The sun is shining today again.

I am forwarding a letter from Geo. Wingfield – why don’t you write him and ask him to stop off in Liberty and see us while he is on his way to Chicago? Here is another v-mail from Lentz – am trying to sew, so will sign off.

Love Mother

Your first letter came today –