Tag Archives: Dr. Huth

Another Red Letter Day (Roscoe)

6 Replies

Letter transcription:

Dec. 19, 1942

Dear Mother,

Just got back from the show. It was one of those fast moving mystery stories which kept one out on the edge of the seat most of the time. I mean that box I have to sit on. Didn’t rain one bit but the dust sure flew in our eyes. It’s right here in the middle of the summer and at night it gets so cold that even with a windbreaker on one nearly freezes before the show is over. Not that bad but it is real chilly.

Edward J. Funk & sons, c1960s

Edward J. Funk & sons, c1960s

Today was a red letter day in some respects. No late mail and I really don’t expect much until after the Christmas rush is over for you know how things are always jammed up this time of the year. What I meant was I got greetings from John Ley – Junior and Sr. No got Sr. yesterday. Well, I got one from Ed. J. Funk and Sons. One from Carl Funks. One from Sam Yegerlehner and a greeting and

[page 2] box from Dave and Marie. That was a real surprise – Maybe they have told you what they sent. I’ll just enumerate them in case – There were several Brazil papers – 26 air mail stamps two packages of air mail stationary. 3 cans of smoking tobacco one Kaywoodie pipe. Lots of pipe cleaners. Two suits of underware and a sack of candy. The candy was soft but each piece was individually wrapped. These toffie bars etc. Even though it was soft it wasn’t mixed. I was really surprised and very much tickled. That will do me a long time on the underware and tobacco also. I really was glad to get it because I’ve been smoking too many cigarettes with them being given out the way they are. Maybe that will help me slow down. The tendency to smoke too much is really great because one gets to thinking that is about the only mode of enjoyment and away goes another cigarette.

I’ll repeat the figure I gave you last nite

[page 3] about the taxes. The amount that I am taxable on since I joined the Navy is $1317.79. Now I can’t take any travel expenses from that. I mean since I joined the Navy. The $110 to Calif. it cost me to cross the country is not deductible because I didn’t add what I got for travel. And the same goes for food and rent because that amount is not added. This is only on base pay plus 10% which is added for foreign services so there isn’t much that can be deducted from that but deduction before May 10, can be made pretty high. I wrote most of that in last night’s letter but our mail as I’ve told you before may be slow in getting there so I’ll repeat things in several letters.

We had a little surprise here tonite also had a table cloth and plates to eat out of. The first in ever so long. We had been eating out of tin trays up until now didn’t hardly know how to act. Our of our original 42 there are now 5 left. Two dentists. Dr. Huth & Gardnier and Fred, Porterfield and Myself. I believe if we can keep certain ones from snoring and others from

[page 4] waking them up we will get along swell. Four of us – Huth Gardinier Fred and I live together while Dr. Porterfield lives by himself.

Oh yes. I almost forgot. Dave’s box also had in it a comic book a cigarette lighter and the story White Christmas by Fanny Hurst. Some of the things I haven’t read as yet. I hope I haven’t bragged Dave & M. box up to highly after what I said about yours. Especially the candy was funny. And how did you know that the weather was damp and warm down here, and as yet my laundry hasn’t arrived. Maybe it will come in time I hope.

We have had to censor mail lately. I’ve been on the board for some time but didn’t do much work as long as other Dr’s were here but it was thrown into our laps. Most of the letters, of course, now regret not being able to be home for Christmas and some are just plain mushy with the girl friends. Well, I must answer some of these Christmas greetings and write Dave & Marie a letter –

So Solong
Lots of Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/09/05/another-red-letter-day-roscoe

The mail was better today (Roscoe)

4 Replies

Letter transcription:

Dec. 13, 1942

Dear Mother,

Nick Krull, circa 1960

Nick Krull, circa 1960

The mail was better today. Got two letters dated Nov. 25 from you, and one dated Oct. 14 from you – a package from Boonie – (a box of candy) a letter from John – V-mail and two birthday greetings from Nick & Dorothy. One of the greetings wasn’t very nice and Dorothy wouldn’t have her name to it so she sent another with both their names. I guess all of our mail will finally get here. John said he was down in the dumps because didn’t have meat for dinner. After all if a fellow is hungry he isn’t very happy.

I’ve written the folks their usual weekly letter today. Wrote it just before chow and it is after church now. We had a visiting Chaplin give the sermon tonite a change now and then is pretty good.

Today has really been hot. I believe it’s the hottest day we have had even in our hut it was hot. We’ll have to get us an electric fan now – maybe – again it seems pretty definite that we probably will stay here for some time – and now that you

[page 2]know where we are it won’t be so bad. Today’s letters were the first with the new address and I suppose the next ones will have the addition that were attached a day or two after the first address came out. Fred got a package from his wife – Had – candy – nuts a pipe – cigarettes etc. The peanuts were very tough but still good. I’ll have to write the Krulls and the Boones and I almost forgot – Otto Paul. His letter would come thru. I’ve already wrote you about that so you tell Boonie and he can send him the stuff and I won’t have to write.

I wrote Joe Roberts the other day but didn’t have to use all the address left off the San Francisco part. The P.M. told me here it wasn’t necessary to send it back to San F. If Mrs. R. don’t know where he is you should tell her because I wrote it to you. Wish I could go over from Christmas but it’s to[o] far to paddle a row boat. He should get my letter in pretty short order, but it would be as hard for him to get over here

[page 3] as me there.

Dr. Huth took some pictures the other day and we developed them in the Xray tank and today we tried printing some of them. I’d almost forgotten how it was done but we got a few out. Our fixer solution isn’t quite right for pictures because they turn yellow around the edges. It seemed I was the only one who knew anything about printing and that wasn’t much because it‘s been years & years since. I had the carpenter make the frame. I think I told you something of that last night – well we had no glass so we just had two boards one with a hole slightly smaller than the film. In time we should get pretty good – especially if we can get the Corpsman to do the work. I’m going to have to have a Corpsman when I get home to do the work for me. It’s just like having a colored maid. Maybe I’ll get over being lazy. I hope.

Have a boy in the hospital now with hands just like yours used to be. Of course, we have no zimocol but I’m giving him Hcl just the same. He got his washing his hands

[page 4] in some kind of soap he thinks. Or maybe he had to wash dishes. Could be the same as yours and maybe not.

The original four members of the Rotary Club: Paul Harris is on the far right, while Silvester Schiele (Roscoe’s uncle) is second from the left.

Guess you were somewhat honored to have Paul Harris as your guest even though it wasn’t but a little time. Wish I could have been – there- It’s a little late now but you must get that in the paper. I mean it – call Bart and tell him Uncle was along and Paul H. The founder of Rotary was with him. Make a nice little story. Things like that don’t happen every day. Maybe you have already done so – if not do it. I can read it too if and when the paper gets here.

Well, must stop and rest – work or write another letter – don’t know which –

With lots of Love

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/08/25/the-mail-was-b…r-today-roscoe/

Keep the home fires burning (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Nov. [Dec.] 11, 1942

Dear Mother,

Esquire magazine cover - 1940s

Esquire magazine cover – 1940s

Up to now there is no mail but we still have the P.M. delivery as this is now early afternoon chow. I’m writing this just prior to a slight nap I think. Have to be like the natives – take a nap in the heat of the day. I was just reading in Esquire magazine where all great men seemed to become greater with the coming of snow – Washington at Valley Forge, Lincoln in the last winter of the war and I can’t see where one would get much “pazaz” in this kind of weather. That wasn’t all I read in Esquire. Really is a good magazine for tired worn out sailors. There was another article but I can’t seem to remember it – guess it wasn’t really worth while coming from the Esquire as it did.

It’s really fun to look at some of our magazines – Some 1927 etc. The adv. are funny. Especially women’s hats and automobiles. There is some similarity between those and our today’s models.

[page 2] and too they generally tell what is being advertised. Don’t know what got me on to this line. Just the heat I suppose.

I wrote Ruth M. last nite in answer to her greeting and letter combined. I think I answered her last letter but couldn’t think of a thing I had written but I remember addressing an envelope. It would be real funny if they got an empty envelope. It’s almost time for some new mail from you because now it has been 7 days since getting late mail. And still no packages. It will probably be that way until after Christmas.

Two weeks from today is Christmas and I hope you have the money and things by then. You told me the boys had their bonds before the money I sent had a chance to get there but I suppose they will have other things in mind and if they are saving stamps they will no doubt buy a few out of the ten. V-mail must be slow going in the direction. I haven’t written much but it

[page 3] seems ages in going. I sent each of the brothers and sister a V-mail greeting but haven’t had a chance to hear from them as yet. Guess I told you that before.

Dr. Huth (Dentist) as taken some pictures and we are trying to get some printing paper to have so that we can print them ourselves. We can use the Xray solutions. We don’t have a printing frame fixed up yet because of lack of glass. I suppose we could get some in town but that would cost us, and glass is something you don’t need in tents or huts, so we can’t even break a window to get a piece.

Our beer is now extinct except for some isolated cases – like the one I have hidden under my bunk. There was quite a bit here but it didn’t last long. There are still some cokes left but I don’t care for warm coke. Just about as some have warm water. Occ – we get a glass of cold water but as a rule it’s warm. Even in the showers it isn’t cold. Seems the water mains are so near the surface and the sun so warm it warms the water. And why

[page 4] put the pipes deep in the ground because it never freezes.

Last nite just about Sun down Dr. Porterfield and I walked up over a little hill and off in a distance we could see a heavy blanket of clouds. We were looking down on it – out of this cloud comes a mountain top. Was real pretty but I can’t describe it.

I suppose I’d better take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas because the mail may be a little slow even this may not get there. I’ll miss being there you’ll know but I’m thankful I can still write you and you me. So keep the chin up and the home fires burning as I know you can do.

Lots of love and best wishes
Daddy

P.S. no mail today – Some got old mail but I already have that.

Camera 616

Please send me a roll of films 2 ½ x 4 ¼ The camera 616 – 8 exposures. Those will fit Dr. Huth’s camera and maybe I can get some good pictures for you. Thanks.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/08/22/keep-the-home-…burning-roscoe/