May 13, 1943
Lietu R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.
Dear Mother,
It seems as if my mail is what the little boy shot at. I have a feeling it’s the v-mail and regardless of what the radio campaigns say write air mail – all the other fellows are getting air mail and all I get is the Newton Co. E. Issues back in Feb. Maybe I’ll get some later today but it seems most of the mail has been delivered – Yesterday it was the same way but none got v-mail and I feel certain that is where mine is – being printed some place along the line. So much for that.
Geo. decided to make a rat trap a few days ago to catch the critters in our tent and he had the thing secretly built and was going to put it under my bunk and when the rat entered a big noise would be made and I of course was to be excited – well when the carpenter brought it Geo was out and I was in on the whole thing. So we put the trap in our mess hall and this A.M. we had a big rat – Sill still alive – so the question was how to kill Mr. rat – when I left for sick Bay they were in the process of Drowning him but
[page 2] as yet the results haven’t been released.
Had a bad taste in my mouth and just started a cake of Gum. Some of that you sent for Christmas. That was one thing brought along from Noumea.
One of the fellows got a clipping thru the mail that to the affect that the naval uniform was to be changed from khakis to slate blue. I think by the time I get back I’ll need new ones especially pants. My coats are in Noumea I hope, most of them as good as new.
As I said in several leters – The 150⁰⁰ check is one the way and I’ll enclose the 100⁰⁰ in this letter so hope you repeat several times in your letters whether or not they arrive.
My last letter from home is now one month old and it’s about time since more arrived – I’m not writing as many letters now as before – hope the people understand but it just isn’t possible to do so now. I’ll try to get one out now and then to others –
Well, here’s hopin’ – I get some mail some of these days –
Love Daddy
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Yours of Apr 28-29 & 30 came today – That brings letters pretty well to date – Yesterday I went to Laf. and was crowded for time when I got back so dashed off a v-mail – but will try today to go into detail about events. Hospital day ceremony was to begin at 12 o’clock. We left here, (John Arlene & I) about 10 a.m. when we got as far as Dr. Cole’s home we stopped – I wanted to see if Mrs. Cole was going – and if so go with her – also I called Dr. Ade from there to get an appointment for John – the day before I called his office and the girl said she couldn’t give us an appointment for an eye exam until May 21 – but when I talked to Dr. Ade he said to bring him right in so we hurried over to town and went directly up to Ade’s office. He was busy but
[page 2] gave John the once over – He said he couldn’t possibly do a refraction on him but looked at his nose & throat and sprayed –(if you could call it that) – his nose & throat, but frankly he didn’t get too close – and I need not explain why – I said to Dr. Ade “There is at least one in every family “ – so he prescribed sufadiazine treatment to clear up any possible infection. We have an appointment for a refraction next week. John hasn’t been doing any reading the least three days and hasn’t had headaches. He didn’t have to go to school after Mon. because he was exempted from all examd. John doesn’t seem to have any cold and feels fine, but Dr. Ade said his throat was red. He is taking sulfa today and going to take it tomorrow.
As soon as Dr. Ade finished with us I dashed out to St. E. – There ceremony was in progress but I located Mrs. Ash and sat by her & Mrs. Rommel. After the ceremony I saw Mrs. Cole then Dr. Cole
[page 3] joined us and we went into the college auditorium for a lunch that was prepared for invited guests. I met several doctors, but can’t remember their names, met Mrs. McKinney – her husband is across but can’t remember just where. Dr. Rommel is in Calif. Mrs. Ash seemed worried when I told her you had been sent away from New Caledonia. I think she is afraid Dr. A. may be sent on too. Dr. Holliday spoke at the ceremony – The comments you wrote about him seem to be the general opinion around Lafayette. Mrs. Peyton also spoke. Dr. P. is in N. Africa and was with Gen. McNair when he was wounded. They gave a list of all the Doctors from St. E. in service and their locations but I can’t remember all of them. Mrs. Ash said Dr. Loop is back in Laf. on leave. She wanted to know if I had seen him – of course I hadn’t – didn’t know he was back. After the luncheon Mrs. Rommel & I went back to town. I had some shopping
[page 4] to do and meet John & Arlene. It has been raining so much but it was such a grand day yesterday – just made to order for the ceremony to be held on the campus, but about 4:30 it began clouding up and today the sun isn’t shining and it has sprinkled some.
I took David down for his second shot this morning. He didn’t take it as good as the first one but didn’t cry long. Dr. Matthews got such an electric shock yesterday it knocked him out. He touched something when he had his head band on and out he went. D. had to work with him to bring him around. He said this morning he was just beginning to limber up.
We haven’t been keeping a scrap book, due to the fact I have had so much to do I hardly see the paper some days, but decided we had better – so I saved back over a week’s supply of newspapers & John went through
[page 5] them today for items and pictures. Any items or pictures about activities in the South West Pacific of course are our chief concern and in May 8th paper was a picture showing supplies being landed on Russel Island. Another picture of three soldiers at a Pacific base and their gun “Dorothy.” I should show that picture to D. K. There are several other pictures but from other areas. I found a picture the other day of some men on Guadacanal having some fresh fish they had caught – They were frying it camp style – over an open fire. I will try now to clip any pictures out about the S. W. Pacific and might find one some time you can identify. I keep watching pictures hoping to see you in one sometime. Valley Wright declares she saw you in a news reel. Said she stayed thru two shows to be sure it was you. Do you remember a movie camera being around any time when you were working? Said news reel was seen in Hammond. Valley is
[page 6] in Kentland now, working at the factory – living with Wrights. Gob is in the Army.
David is cross this afternoon but I think it is due to his shot this a.m. Mark has to go to the library so is going to mail this. John has been baking – made a white cake – Mark was helping him but quit & went outside – when Mark came back in I asked him why he left – he said, “all I got to do was sift flour.” I told them if they wanted to bake to go ahead but I wasn’t going to help any – I didn’t do much but help clear up the mess a little. John got his prize last night at commencement for the essay he wrote (1.50) – I didn’t go – I was too tired and didn’t want to leave the baby after being away most of the day. I have about run out of things to write about and feel like I have had a go session so better quit and rest a while. I am knitting a suit for D. and want to get a few stitches put on it. You mentioned sardines & shrimp – There is another box on its way to you with several cans of sardines & crackers.
Love – Mother –
[Editor’s Note: This is an undated clipping so it may or may not be referring to the actual events in May 1943.]
May 12, 1943.
Lieut RS Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dear Mother,
I’m a little disappointed about the mail situation because many of the fellows got mail and I did not. I think it’s because of the changeover from V-mail at least I hope you are writing some air mail rather than v-mail.
The way my bunk is located the sun shines right into my face each A.M. and of course wakes me but I often awaken before it is up and the various stages are a sight to see. The first knowledge I had this morn of the sunrise was a sort of a brownish color just as it was getting light – That then changed to a lighter color and finally just before the sun appears the whole area was a blood red color. (That is the way it looks every morn) The sun drives that color away when it begans to appear – after that it looks just like it does in Indiana.
A letter came yesterday from Bob H. but it was written way back in Mar. He seemed to think Dr. Openshaw was pretty much settled somewhere in Penn. – seems like some people have all the tough luck – who would want to be stationed in a place like that with all the trains, autos and cold weather are apt to be hard on one’s health – I’m telling you it’s dangerous to have those handicaps. Take the above as you wish.
Imagine me wearing shoes now for the past
[page 2] several months. Really my ankles will probably be so weak I won’t be able to wear slippers again and another thing – lately I haven’t been wearing any underware and since I have no P.J. you know how that means I sleep at night. That will also be a hard habit to break when back in the States.
I saw in the Newton Co. E. that John had won $2.50. Of course I showed it around and most of the boys asked if I had sent for the $2.50 or if I would let him keep it. My answer was varied. Of course, you had told me of the whole thing in letters but I just happened to find it in the paper. Two issues of the paper came yesterday Mar 11 & 18. In the Mar 18 issue there is a synopsis of the article – “They Were Expendable.” I’d almost forgotten about that and it has so much more meaning now than when I read it before.
I don’t know if I told you or not but our Chaplin left Japan in June of 1942. Yes the date is correct – he has some pretty good experiences to tell.
Well, I’ve beaten my gums enough for the time being –
So solong until Tomorrow
Love Daddy.
P.S. Sent 150⁰⁰ of the uniform money home – The 100⁰⁰ will follow in a few days – Just a repeat.
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Dear Daddy – Two letters came this a.m. Posted Apr. 18 & 19. Took John to see Dr. Ade then went out to St. E. to Hospital day ceremony. Dr. Holliday was there and gave a talk – Mrs. Ash sat by me and said he was discharged because of nervous instability. Mrs. Payton talked – Dr. P. is in N. Africa. I saw Dr. & Mrs. Cole. Mrs. C. was having a club meeting at home and left so Dr. C. & I ate lunch along with Mrs. Ash & Mrs. Rommel – Lunch was served in the auditorium at the college. Dr. Cole is going to see Don – Don is in the air corps, stationed in Oklahoma & Dr. C. has plane reservations – if they aren’t cancelled when he gets ready to go – Dr Ade looked John over and gave him a little spraying – said his throat looked a little red – I am to take him back next week for refraction – I am to give him sulfadiozine, two days – said his headaches may be from his cold condition – I think it’s his eyes – because his cold is hardly noticeable and when he reads he gets headache. We’ll find out next week. I hope. This was Mark’s last day in school – Clara M. came and stayed with David, got dinner & ironed, so I feel like I accomplished a lot even tho I was gone most of the day. Mother is coming Sunday so next week won’t have to get anyone to keep David. Clara said he was the “best” baby. Said he didn’t cry all day. He is good most of the time.
May 11, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR.
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran
Dear Mother,
I’ve been up or rather awake for some time because our roommate had to get up early to hold services and his moving around awakened me and I was unable to go back to sleep but that doesn’t matter because we are getting plenty of sleep so I was able to watch the sun rise.
I was able to listen to a radio last night and got some more news on the Africian front and that sure sounds good – hope it can be kept going right on up thru the European countries. We don’t hear much over the radio about our own situation but I guess we can learn about that first hand.
There are rumors of mail around but as yet none has arrived so we just set and wait and that sorta seems the way yours comes because you told me once that you received 12 letters in one day.
We were talking about Florescent lights last night and I just happened to think. I believe you asked me about the one in the office – Why don’t you have it placed in the kitchen at home? Of course it may be
[page 2] worn out by now. If you want to put it there I think it would be swell or even in the basement around the laundry. It probably would be of as much value there as far as lights go as the big ones you have, but do as you please.
Our laundry seems to be drying rather rapidly and I’m going to watch for sprinkles so that it won’t be like last week. I noticed one of my sheets had some mold, but that isn’t unusual. Even ones tobacco molds very rapidly and all leather goods have a constant film of mold.
I finished another story yesterday – another mystery – “Death at Bratton Grange” just another story written in a different manner but something to occupy the leisure time.
Well, I’ve run down so
Solong
Love Daddy.
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
May 9, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran
Dear Mother,
I’ve been going around this A.M. with a bran new pair of boots and really enjoying slopping – just like a kid with a new pair. We’ve had some rain and the need for something of that sort is terrific.
You have heard lots of stories about the “back house” and the clothes line – we had that happen last night only the fellow was returning from the “back house” and no harmful affects except a little “beefing”
[page 2] this morn. He says it was my line but he was way off the beam if that was the case and he readily admitted that he was a poor navigator.
For the past week we have by hook or something gotten some onions and sardines and here’s how we have been eating them. Take out the sardines place them on a plate – Then chop onions into the oil remaining in the can. Cover with vinegar and let set 5 min and then take one fork and pass both sardines and onions – each taking his mouthful in turn – you’d be surprised without even bread
[page 3] or crackers how good the mixture really does taste. Of course that is a between meal snack. The smell of our surroundings must be something because that has gone on for several days. I feel very sorry for the sick boys when go around to see how they are getting along.
Our mail has been very muchly absent for some time now but in due time it will come along and as I’ve told you before I know your mail will be spotty so don’t worry.
The one uniform check for 150⁰⁰ is in the mail and the other
[page 4] 100⁰⁰ will be coming along in a few days. If you need this money use it otherwise pay off the Ins loan – as we had planned.
This being Mother’s day I hope it will find everything very good for you and also may I wish you a happy wedding ann. as I think I’ve done before.
I’ve written quite a bit but said nothing so maybe I’d better stop while these pages are free of injected bits of local unrefined phrases.
Love Daddy
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Sunday afternoon – It is cloudy and a little cool so we are all in the house. John is listening to musical programs. We all listened to the Quintuplets – they were in Superior, Wis., at a ship launching ceremony – they spoke and sang in French & English. There were five Merchant ships launched and the quints christened them.
I wrote you yesterday and if you get my letter will think I am a little mixed up – well I read your letter in a hurry and wrote to you before I re-read it – It was about the box you got & the chicken bones – It sounded like the bones had been taken out of the tin can, until I read it again and it was the candy in wrappers you meant the ants got into – so much for the chicken bones. I had four letters from you to read – hence the hurry –
[page 2] David seemed to have quite a cold yesterday and didn’t sleep so good last night – I’ll have to put that down against him – the first night he was disturbed me in the wee hours of the morning, but I think his gums are bothering him – He feels fine today and very little evidence of a cold. I think he had what John had earlier in the week. John seems to be alright now except for headaches, so I am going to take him to Dr. Ade this week and have his eyes checked. Mark had a slight cold too but didn’t lose any of his pep. There are a lot of colds around, but these didn’t last long so can’t complain. It has been raining or cloudy since Thurs. so David hasn’t had a sunning since last Wed. He was getting so tan – and it was very becoming. I think he will tan like Mark does & you. I don’t know whether Donnie Funk gets in the sun as much but he is very fair and maybe doesn’t tan as readily as David.
The dandelions are in full bloom now. Our lawn looks very yellow as well as all the lawn around here.
[page 3]Tonight is the Baccalaurate service at the high school. If I had someone to go with and someone to stay with the boys I would go – so I think I’ll save the trouble and stay home.
I see in the paper that Ira Dixon is home from the hospital. He has been sick for about two months. Gretchen lives here now since her husband is in the Army. Her baby is about 3 mo. old now. He was a little fellow – smaller than D. when he was born, but is coming along nicely.
Bethel Wilson is in Florida – you know she is in the W.A.A.C. – Ethel went to see her and had to stay longer than she had planned – couldn’t get reservations on the train to come home when she planned. Travel has been curtailed a lot – Mrs. P. said they had to stand part of the way back from Fla. They came back and both got sick from the change in weather. Mrs. Dixon & Nettie said they had noticed the chilly weather a lot this time. They went down last fall & spent the winter. People shouldn’t come back so soon – when we have this kind of a spring. Every time it gets warm for a day or two we think cold weather is over, then we have a cold snap – so much for weather.
[page 4] Of course you remember Roscoe Kenoyer – they have a baby girl – they live near Otterbein now. Tommy Thompson’s have stored their furniture and rented their house – He is going to work on his Dad’s farm this summer. At present Mary is living with her mother. Fuells have moved out of town & Chas. Dienhart bought the Fuell house. Ellsworth bought Dienhart’s house for a rental. I haven’t heard anything about Eddie Ray in the past few days so he evidently is getting better.
I stopped to see Jimmy Ed Fri eve and it is almost too soon to tell whether the S.M.A. is going to help his skin condition. Dr. M. is using light treatments on him too. Besides the white flakes, there is a little seepage. – like my hands get when I eat something I shoudn’t.
David has had a nap and is making a noise so better go see what he needs – without looking I know – The same story – dry pants.
I have Mark reading a book – he brought 3 home from the library and I told him he had to read them.
Love, Mother
P.S. Your last letter was of Apr 21 – so that is pretty good time – I got it May 8 –
P.S. no. 2.
Had two “sets” of callers this afternoon – You remember the Luce man, who had the smashed arm – he stopped in – thought you might be home on week-end leave – but I told him you were on foreign duty – well he wanted to show you his arm – he has fairly good use of it now and is going to marry one of the nurses he met while in the hospital so long. The arm is not straight – and is bumpy in places but from the shape it was in when you got to him – I would say it’s a pretty good arm. He still gives you credit for saving it –
The other callers were Forrest & Gertrude, Chas (the sailor at Pern) and his wife, which I think must be recently acquired, Helen & her two children. Helen said Dan is still in Noumea but she thinks he wno’t be long. Mrs. R. called me this evening. She had a letter from Joe & he said he thought he might possibly see you before long.
Charles Kline & his wife Rita (Photograph courtesy of Karen Kline Brand
Helen (Kline) and her husband Dan Heindel (Photograph courtesy of Judith Bowen)
Forrest “Bud” Kline, Jr, Helen and Charles Kline (Photograph courtesy of Judith Bowen)
Forrest S. Kline, Sr. with his wife Gertrude and their children Helen (Kline) Heindel and Charles Kline, c. 1948 (Photograph courtesy of Karen Kline Brand)
I feel like I did a lot of work this week, and I didn’t get to work on things as much as I wanted to.
I read a great article from Vita Brevis (one of the blogs of AmericanAncestors.org and the New England Historical and Genealogical Society). Author Penny Stratton wrote about preparing your genealogical project for publication. Her two bits of advice this week were on the importance of writing a table of contents and coming up with a title. I already came up with a working title last week but had not written a table of contents. I also noticed this week that my father has a title of contents for his book which he uses as a checklist to track his progress. So I got to work and came up with a basic working table of contents for my book. I may have to change the subtitle of my book at some point since I do not intend to write about ALL of David’s descendants in this book. Perhaps I should just add a Volume 1 to the title….
The manuscript has now increased to 38 pages. I haven’t really begun writing any of the individual biographies yet. It is hard when I keep feeling like I can still find more information. It seems so final to write a person’s biography. At some point, I will just have to do it. Instead, this week, I began adding burial information to each individual’s biographical section, as well as writing the footnotes for those facts. I am a little tired of writing Find A Grave, database and images…. but it needs to be done. The gaps in my research are more apparent this way. Overall, I do know where most of the descendants are buried, but I am missing a few. So more research to add to my to-do list…. I have not quite finished this task but will hopefully be done next week.
I received the four obituaries that I ordered last week and ordered another set. I discovered that one of the female descendants had a marriage I was not aware of. She is also one of the descendants with missing burial information. Another obituary gave me a death location. Even though this person lived most of his life in Fort Wayne, and was buried there, he actually died at the home of one of his children in New Jersey. Who knew?!? Well, now I do. One of my death certificate requests came up as a bust. One of my great grandfather’s brothers lived most of his adult life in Indianapolis. He was also buried there but apparently he did not die in the state of Indiana. The Department of Health cannot find a record of his death. This just proves how important off-line research is. Not everything is available on-line, and if you want to really to discover the details of ancestors’ lives, libraries and archives are still our most valuable asset for research. So now, I have to figure out where Uncle George actually died.
I also need to write up a generic questionnaire to give to various family members to help them tell stories about their parents or grandparents: for everything from, where did your parents get married, did they have an obituary, where did they go to school, and what did they do for a living. Most people freeze when you just ask them…so just tell me about this person. Having actual questions can help narrow down and focus the memories.
May 8, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco
Dear Mother,
Another month has passed by since leaving the good old U.S.A. We have no way of knowing what our tour of duty will be – I mean how long but as I’ve said before another month in the past rather than the future. Time has passed much more rapidly than at the last place we’ve spent just half as much time here as there and it sure doesn’t seem that way.
The coconut trees here do become monotonous where
[page 2] back there they were an added feature to the landscape and if conditions were right could have been romatic [romantic] but here without much effort they could become rheumatic – meaning painful but they aren’t the whole show here so that is why I like being here.
I think I wrote you about one week ago that I had met a Dr. from Logansport. Since I have seen him and I wrote you that letter he has been ordered to Great Lakes for duty – what a break. So I still have faith that maybe I’ll get something of the same treatment as time
[page 3] goes along.
Got slowed down due to some conversation not the type which would be injurious but enjoyous.
Was invited out to a spagiti [spaghetti] supper last night. I knew before what it was going to be and tried my best to get out of it but no soap – so I went and acted as if it was very good – you know how over Joyed I must have acted. Anyway no one got made and invited as back but I’m going to try to evade the thing next time.
I’ll repeat – I have sent 150⁰⁰ of the uniform money and will send more the rest later – I want you to repeat on that also –
Love Daddy.
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
As Mark would say – I hit the jackpot this a.m. – 4 letters Apr 16 – 19 & 2 dated the 20th – The box with the chicken bones – I sent those in the original tin box so they would be intact when you received them. You should get another box soon because I sent one a few days after sending the chicken bones. There is a 5 lb limit so had to divide the original box I packed.
Our weather has changed rather drastically. Wed. it was hot and windy, Thurs it began to cloud up then started to rain – rained most of Fri and today is still wet and raining and pretty cool, so it is just as well we haven’t taken the storm windows down yet. All three boys have colds, but I think it is due to weather conditions. John didn’t take measles after all, tho I had to keep him home from school Wed – Thurs & Fri. He didn’t go to take his music lesson today either.
[page 2] Some time later – heard a special radio weather broadcast – frost is predicted – as cool as it is now it wouldn’t surprise me. It seems to be clearing off now and if it does by night time I am sure it will be cold enough to freeze. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day – I got your letter mentioning it – came right when it should. I told J. & M. not to spend anything for me for Easter & Mother’s Day and I would just add that much to a set of dishes. Not expensive ones – but you know how dishes go around here and it’s about time for a new set. I sent your Mother a pr of hose & a hanky & card. I got myself a pr of shoes and after walking around in them decided they weren’t comfortable for walking (what I bought them for) so Mother tried them on and said she could wear them – I gave them to her so I told her that was her Mother’s Day gift.
In re-reading the letters that came today. The v-mail hasn’t come yet and I have been sending v-mail & air mail both – The past week I have alternated – The reason I stopped sending air mail
[page 3] when I did – I was told they wouldn’t go by air at all – but will try again and you can let me know which does the best. I’ll keep sending v-m every other day & air mail on the alternate day.
Mark is taking 4-H this summer – Gardening & baking – imagine our Mark wanting to bake – I helped him stir up a syrup cake this morning. He really enjoys it. What I think he likes most is licking the bowls and then eating the cake when it’s baked.
When I sent your Christmas box I didn’t have room to pack the box of chicken bones – and that was the reason I took them out the tin and wrapped them in a wax paper bag – I told Nick & Dorothy what happened to them – Nick was rather sarcastic about “leave it to a woman to do something like that” – So when I got your letter this morning in which you mentioned the bones I presumed they weren’t in the tin box I sent them in – so I called D. and told her to tell Nick his sarcasm was unnecessary.
Nick took one exam for a commission in the Navy but he didn’t go back for
[page 4] a final – and I doubt if he does. John got a letter from Dwane written on their way to see Kenneth at Camp Robinson in Ark. I suppose Mom wrote you that K. is in Medical Div.
I was to go to T.H. today to get Mother but thought maybe I had better call her to be ready – well when I called she said she thought she would stay another week then Mayroses would bring her up – so that saves me the trip down and I don’t care. I wasn’t anticipating the trip. I want to go to Laf. Wed. to the Hospital Day Ceremony honoring the Doctors in Service.
As I have told you in previous letters, I haven’t bought any bonds this year but have been waiting for the uniform money to come thru. By the time I got all the first of the year bills paid and bought the 6- 50 bonds I haven’t much of a balance – at present it will be under $100 when I get everything pd – Just wrote a ck for $44 for coal, etc. In spite of all the ceiling – the price of food is much higher and it costs just to keep the grocery bills paid. David is singing – about time for him to eat – and – he has a coming appetite today, in spite of a slight cold.
Love Mother
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
Genealogy Lady 