Tag Archives: Dr. Edmund T. Lentz

One Year Ago (Roscoe)

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: July 30, 1943 envelope

: July 30, 1943, p. 1

: July 30, 1943, p. 2

: July 30, 1943, p. 3

: July 30 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.
July 30, 1943

Dear Mother,

I remember one year ago today early in the morning, but I’d rather pass that scene rather rapidly because it is a little shall I say saddening – I remember also the hard tiresome ride that day – The longest hardest ride I’ve ever had. I remember the disappointment at not finding Lentz that night. The meeting of he and I next morning & our reporting next day. The the furious next several days – getting this and that etc. And then on the last day meeting Hicky and going to Helen W. and then the long train ride and finally getting aboard ship. The long interesting, tiresome and exciting sea voyage – often talking with Walsh and wondering how long it would be before our letters would get back home and our speculation as to our destination was something to marvel at = for we didn’t know.

[page 2] I remember how when land was sighted we added finishing touches to letters and went ashore. How good the terra firma felt under foot again. The stamp shortage – finally after a few days we were permanently located in a goat pasture. The wild scramble to see as much as could be seen of the Island – Swimming and shell collecting – where was our mail finally after about 1 ½ months our first letters came – but no word of babies arrival. Our first letters came the day he was born, but the news reached me much later. I remember getting settled to the humdrum of routine again – Then the slicing off of our personnel. Friends leaving for different areas – The final disbanding of our unit. Then the drab months with no change in the daily schedule – day after day. Drs. P & W and I trying to amuse ourselves to keep from getting on each other’s nerves and possibly not doing so well at times – but in general doing a good job of it. Then I remember while doing the regular routine one morning a big shot coming in and motioning to me and informing me I had been selected – you can take just enough clothes for a change or two – draw field packs – field rations – first aid kits and numerous first aid bandages and emergency medical

[page 3] supplies – That was something – reactions – excitement, anticipation, responsibility, importance and possibly some fear. I remember as long as the preparations were being made everything was swell but I also remember that letters were hard to write – to crowd out the million and one non writable things and include only the things that would not cause alarm. Those I repeat were hard to write. Finally aboard another ship – maybe the atmosphere a little more tense than then the last ship. We landed a much more interesting historical place this time. Now more days of preparation, and again to sea – another new land – my memory is still good but I’m not at liberty to reveal the entire extent of it. I remember the days spent in the channels around our new home – the jungle trips – The fishing trips – the call it exploring trips. I remember the indescribably non light nights – beautiful tropical moons, and the black nights when one has to push the darkness aside manually

[page 4] in order to get thru. I remember the work to get set up again – The usual long wait for mail – the anticipation and anxiousness as to whether our mail was getting home. I remember the taste of cold spam, cold meat & vegetable hash. The taste of rain water chlorinated. The fun we had with our own laundry our bucket bathes and ofen of necessity our ocean dips. Then I remember our first locally killed fresh beef. The rank taste because of lack of refrigeration and freshness – then one day a fresh onion – Then a fresh egg – not many of them – fresh potatoes fresh apples, oranges and the most exotic thing fresh celery. Never a time when I don’t remember appreciating mail and an equal appreciation of pictures – Then I remember writing a kidding note relative to a picture of my wife in comparison to another officer’s wife and I remember her answer and I hope she didn’t mean it for I was only kidding, and then I remember last night thinking of the wife and of and the mother of R.S. Yegerlehner’s boys – Love Daddy

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/10/one-year-ago-roscoe/

Nothing of Importance (Roscoe)

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: July 16, 1943 envelope

: July 16, 1943, p. 1

: July 16, 1943, p. 2

: July 16, 1943, p. 3

: July 16, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San FranC.
July 16, 1943

Dear Mother,

Nothing of importance has happened since yesterday so this will be a continuation of nothing so to speak.

In one way I was very pessimistic this A.M. We had oranges for breakfast and I planted 4 seeds. I don’t know how long it will take to grow an orange tree but that is one planting of fruit of which I hope not to be here long enough to enjoy. I just wonder if when they grow to be big oranges if the word “Sunkist” will be on the outside of each orange.

[page 2] Somehow last night before evening show we had a little party each man and officer were given a couple bottles of beer. It wasn’t much but it raised the morale a little and maybe helped pass the time a little more rapidly. We also had some tidbits to go along with the beer – some salted peanuts and small pieces of toast with a sort of deviled ham spread. It may have been spam all ground into a mess.

I baited my rat trap with a piece of spam and a piece of cheese. It was suspended on a wire far enough so the rats couldn’t get to it but the ants

[page 3] did. They ate the cheese and left the spam. I’ve also seen dogs just snif at it and pass on and eat a dried bread crust, however, if one was hungry enough I think a good slab of spam wouldn’t be so bad.

In passing I didn’t get paid yesterday so obviously I can’t send the check but will in tomorrow’s letter if we are paid today. At least these notes will serve to notify that the thing will be forth coming.

I have another huge job thrown into my lap – it deals with the sanitation of the Island. It will

[page 4] be my job to see that each area is kept clean etc. What a job! I can say this as far as I’m concerned I don’t think much of the job but in the Navy one doesn’t think too much. Lentz had the same type job at Norfolk.

Ruth Y. wrote the other day that Herschel Steiner and a Hofman boy were headed this way but my chances of seeing them are a little slim I think but one never can tell. Joe Roberts is the only person I’ve seen that I knew before leaving home.

Well I guess I’m again at the end of that well know rope so will say
Lots of 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/2014/10/14/nothing-of-importance-roscoe/

Finally Got Some Mail (Roscoe)

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: June 8, 1943 envelope

: June 8, 1943, p. 1

: June 8, 1943, p. 2

: June 8, 1943, p. 3

: June 8, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

June 8, 1943
Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

Finally got some mail from you – your air mail letters of May 15-16 and May 17, and v-mail of May 12, 21 and 22. The v-mail was latest but Geo and another fellow got air mail dated May 28 – somehow it just doesn’t seem I score as well as I used to, but I won’t complain as long as they keep coming, but as I advised write each every other time if possible to do so. Mark’s letter was in with yours of

[page 2] May 15 but John’s v-mail hasn’t arrived as yet.

The garden seen you sent is still on the way someplace and it might be like the package I sent you from Noumea. The seeds I did sow don’t seem to be doing to well. I think it’s too shady. That might be hard for you to understand but have you ever been in a cocoanut area? There is pretty much of an umbrella growth over head and try as you may there aren’t any areas but what are like that only on the beach and that

[page 3] is hardly the place for a garden. Your letters came late yesterday and I had a hard time getting them read. The interference I had wasn’t the same as yours but I believe more annoying but that’s the way things go, so what?

I don’t believe I would make Mark work any arithmetic out of his L. pad. Encourage him to read for pleasure and a good little problem once in a while involving some of the principles concerned would be OK, but don’t make

[page 4] it a burden for him in the summer time. The cornet idea is good and should be purchased for him if the money is there and maybe a few private lessons if the cash is available. That might help keep him in line as much as hard & cold arithmetic problems.

Lentz and a few of my former friends have been sent to New Zealand for a rest. That was some months ago. Hope they don’t do that to me. I’d rather go thru here and serve my time and then head for U.S.A.

Well, that about takes care of the present –

Love Daddy

A new runway, Russell Islands, 1943

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/07/29/finally-got-some-mail-roscoe/

It is too nice (Roscoe)

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: February 5, 1943 Envelope

: February 5, 1943, p. 1

: February 5, 1943, p. 2

: February 5, 1943, p. 3

: February 5, 1943, p. 4

: February 5, 1943, p. 5

Letter transcription:

2/5/43

Dear Mother,

I wanted to start this letter some hours ago but Dr. Loop was in so didn’t get started. Finally I decided to take a bath and maybe that would do the trick – It did. If you get what I mean. In fact I was going to write several letters this P.M. but didn’t get started.

Dr. Loop was telling me of a Dr. near Lafayette who had been sent to Greencastle to do duty there. Some people seem to get all the breaks. That guy is only about 60 miles from home. Of course he has to battle thru the snowdrifts and over the slick roads. And after all that is something to fight the battle

[page 2] of the Indiana snow. I meant that to be sadistic – did it sound that way?

We have a pretty good mess hall and galley now for only officers of ship co. and our food is prepared separately. And we had steaks – good steaks for dinner. Not as good as those we used to get from the lockers but they weren’t bad. Our first course was sliced oranges. These were stood on edge. Three around the cocktail container and the inside was filled with mixed fruit. The second course was steak smothered in onions – with dried diced potatoes, and diced turnips. The potatoes were well prepared and could hardly be told from fresh. The last course was fruit jello. I ate it. We also had iced tea with considerable lemon. Not bad would you say?

[page 3] If that keeps up and our exercise doesn’t get any better I’ll probably weigh 200 in a short time. Won’t that be funny? Or will it? We also have a bath house with hot and cold running water. The three of us decided it was time we should probably begin to get our things ready to go places because it is too nice. We didn’t pack yet however. There are some things I might send home – like white suits, heavy rain coats etc. One of these days because those aren’t being featured in New Caledonia this year. I’ll let you know when and if I get ready to send them. Dr. P. has sent home several boxes of extra things and lots of the others have but I tried to travel light. Some brought 3-4 suits of blues overcoats etc. but I was wise never did buy an overcoat, and only one suit of blues. Will finish later.

[page 4] Later – Show good mail not good. Got a letter from Lentz – he has had malaria but is better now. As yet he hasn’t received the pictures I sent but I send them the next day or so after I received them from you. Funny how much ground or I should say ground & water those pictures have covered. Starting in Penna – to Norfolk – to Calif and you know the rest as far as I do. Maybe by this time he has them I hope.

I’m sending some films home I took – have them enlarged a little and if any are good send them back. Two are shots I took of Dr. P. & W. on the hill – not obscene but maybe not

[page 5] too publishable. I won’t take anymore until I get some word back as to whether those are good or not. I’m sending all but one – it might not be censorable. I’ve tried to print some but they are too small to make know if good and maybe I don’t know how to print anymore. Just turn them over to be developed – maybe they won’t have to be enlarged.

I sent Mark one dollar for his birthday – repeating.

The show tonight was Harold Lloyd in something – and you know what his pictures are like –

Well, lots of Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/14/it-is-too-nice-roscoe/

John is listening to the opera (Gladys)

5 Replies

: January 9, 1943 Envelope

: January 9, 1943, p. 1

: January 9, 1943, p. 2

: January 9, 1943, p. 3

: January 9, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Jan 9 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Your letters of Dec 30 & 31 received today – I think I have all the letters you have written and again I will tell you the first letter you wrote came Sept. 22. However I had rec’d six later ones before it came. There is one more box for you to get and that will be all I have sent and by the time you get this you will probably know there has been a restriction put on sending boxes to men abroad, so that settles that. Even if you hadn’t decided you didn’t want me to send anymore. I may send one more before the 15^th if I can get some suitable things together.

This being Sat. afternoon John is listening to the Opera so there isn’t much work to be gotten from him till the opera is over, but he will make up for it after it is over and since he enjoys it so much I would feel like an old meanie not to let him listen without interruption. He sent you his arrangement of Star Spangled Banner this week. He went with me to Lafayette yesterday and got a book on Opera he saw while in Loebs. It’s a good thing we went yesterday – if you haven’t the letter I wrote yesterday you won’t understand. It was clear yesterday but we are having weather again today. It has been snowing and blowing and I can’t see very far north or south – there is just a white haze.

[page 2] Driving would be difficult today because the snow drifts so much. Of course the snow plows keep busy. You can look at the Lentz pictures and get a good idea what it has been like here most of the winter. It has been very scenic much of the time but I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I would had I been able to get out more but before Christmas it was too cold to take the baby out then I got the throat & sinus infection which hasn’t entirely cleared up yet – however it is, much better. Just having sinus drainage now – which may last some time.

Again – The uniform money hasn’t come yet. Your ins. policy hasn’t either. I received a notice that it would be sent but to date is hasn’t arrived. Our bank bal to date is around 500⁰⁰ but I have to pay your John H. ins, taxes and all those first of the year things – and I mentioned this before but will tell you again I got a new coat – at Loebs which I put on the acc’t and that will have to be paid next month ($108⁰⁰). It is plain black seal but I like that kind and to get one of different fur would run well into 200⁰⁰ and I didn’t see anything I would pay the difference for. I asked you in two previous what you think about getting a used piano for

[page 3] $100⁰⁰. It has been out 3 years and is like the one Ruth Mutchler has. I mean in size. I didn’t know until it was sold, but I missed getting a good piano last fall. Seems I missed two good buys but I can get this one now if I want to take it. In case you have the other letters don’t think I am “harping” on the subject but since you haven’t rec’d all letters in the past I just repeated for that reason.

I rec’d a long letter from Marie Mace this morning. They probably have written to you about their cows & calves. I can manage two sheets of paper to daily to you but when I try to write as much to anyone else I seem to run out before I get thru. I should write Marie a long letter in return for her’s but I doubt if I will. I owe several letters but with going to Laf. every other day the past week I manage only to get yours out. I did get one to my Mother this week. After I finish this I am going to write to your folks & maybe Ruth M. Haven’t had any word from Floyd & Ruth since they were here last week-end.

– – – Steve McKinley came this afternoon and paid their bill $5⁰⁰ – It was her OB checks. He said to tell you hello for them. They has a boy – born last July – I don’t know whether he had been born before you left or not – Somehow I don’t remember much about it.

[page 4] but in July last summer a lot of things could have slipped my attention.

I am sitting in the den (nursery) and saw Red Foulkes shoveling snow off their driveway – Wish he would come up this way and clean off our walks but after it quits blowing maybe we can get it done. There isn’t much use to try to clean the walks as long as the snow drifts the way it has today. The last snow we had we didn’t get our walks cleaned off good – I mean the first snow way back around Thanksgiving, then it is kept snowing more all the time & freezing and our front sidewalk wasn’t very easy to walk on.

John is getting ready to take this & other mail to the P.O. so must get it finished (Mark went yesterday). I was going to scan over the papers & give some local news but won’t have time now. Will try to do that tomorrow – Maybe I’ll have more time. If there is anything of interest (which I doubt) Will try & get some pictures in next week’s letters.

Love Mother

P.S. David weighed 12 lbs 15 oz today.

It’s 1943! (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: January 1, 1943 Envelope

: January 1, 1943, p. 1

: January 1, 1943, p. 2

: January 1, 1943, p. 3

: January 1, 1943, p. 4

: January 1, 1943, p. 5

Letter transcription:

Receiving Station
U.S. Naval Advanced Base
Noumea New Caledonia
c/o Fleet P.O.
San Fran Calif

Dear Mother,

After finishing your letter last night I received 8 letters. One from Ruth Y., one from John (a greeting) and 6 from you but those were all back of the ones that came earlier this week. I hope the next ones come pretty soon because in that last one Mark wasn’t feeling so well. Your note you added in the A.M. was better, however.

Now if you haven’t done anything about the tax (I’m quoting your letter of Dec. 7). Here is what I’d like for you to do. Pay all of last year’s – I mean 1941 – In other words complete the installments. That was made before I joined the Navy and of course would never be cancelled. Then after you get that done

[page 2] if you have enough money to do that. I’m not so much interested in paying 1942, because I don’t believe it will be much, but send me the figures and I’ll tell you what I want to do and if it doesn’t meet with yours & Agnes’ approval OK. But the 1941 will have to be paid sooner or later anyway. You’ll probably have some explaining to do or pay a penalty or interest on those last two installments. So that’s about all about taxes. The total taxable amount that I have made since May 20 had been $1,317.79. And that to be added to the first part of the year less deductions. I wrote that once before but thought best to repeat.

Glad you got that last box of shells. I’m not sure how long that string in the shells will last but it was the best I had and there is a knack to stringing those things. That thing is exclusive because I don’t believe there is another like it anywhere. Couldn’t be.

[page 3] I got the idea from one Lentz bought at another Island. I thought it rather unique but as far as fancy it isn’t. I’m anxious to get your reaction to the Cat’s Eyes I sent a few weeks ago and the boys’ reaction to the 20 millimeter and the 50 caliber shells I sent them. The bath mat was for D. So so far all have gotten something.

I got a kick out of the Krug boys idea of a comeback. After all he did have something. I’ve got some metal money of Noumea I want to send but will wait until I get other things to send along.

Yesterday when I got the eight letters (you remember I got 14 a day or so ago). Well Fred seemed a little jealous said the only reason I got that many was because I wrote every day and that was useless because there wasn’t that much news. I was reading one of your letters and it was the two page variety

[page 4] but he said there couldn’t be much in it. All I said was that I like to read them just the same. It all reads good even if there is no news – but I’ll say most all of them as far as I’m concerned are jammed full of interesting things. Lots better I think than many of the letters I censor every day. Of course those are most or less scanned very rapidly and aren’t in the least interesting. One day I got one of your letters just after finishing censoring and I found myself reading it just like when I censor. Then I happened to think. So the first part of the letter was reread.

This being New Year’s day we had creamed turkey – mashed potatoes, peas bean & carrot salad and apple pie, good enough but I haven’t been eating very heavy – don’t get enough exercise.

The picture of the house with the snow was swell. That snow. Of course the house was O.K. also. I’m putting all

[page 5] of D. pictures in order of the age. And I can see that he is growing.

You remember the purse and picture folder you sent me. Now I’d like a picture of each of you about that size. Not a snap shot. D. might be a little hard to catch – I mentioned that before, but you haven’t had time for that yet so if you haven’t started had them taken I wish you would. You an buy folders just like that. Several of the fellows have them.

Don’t know if there will be any mail today or not. I’ve written Joe R. but have had no word and I also sent a personal note but haven’t heard from him on either count.

Well if anything further develops I’ll add a line.

Lots of Love

Daddy

P.S. I forgot – a happy New Year again.

P.S. 2 Write a V-mail letter now and then I believe they will be faster than air mail in the near future.