Tag Archives: Guadalcanal

New Washing Machine (Roscoe)

: April 29, 1943 envelope

: April 29, 1943, p. 1

: April 29, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Apr. 29, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet Post Office
San Fran. Calif.

Dear Mother,

Yesterday I had to forgo the washing because the machine was new and had to be adjusted but we got things going today. One of the fellows from Reno used to sell this machine so he knew what to do and we pooled our washing. His shirts are all 15 ½ and his pants are accordingly large so we had no trouble separating the finished product. Of course we took our work very serious and did the whole thing very thorough. Even to rinsing the thing twice and using the agitator to get the soap out and wringing the final twice. Now if

[page 2] just had an iron we’d be all set and maybe in time we will have those things.

We had a little party last night to celebrate the departure of one of our gang – sang songs and drank a little beer. And everyone was sober when the thing was over. We really needed some onion sandwitches to make things more complete but there was none to be had. Wish I had about one pound of onion sets but they would spoil before getting here.

Yesterday P.M. got a v-mail letter from Uncle W. saying he had sent some writing papers. His letter came thru without being photo – because he put his address in both places on the inside and left mine off. So it had to come that way.

Well must get going – 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/2014/05/12/new-washing-machine-roscoe/

Big Wigs (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: April 28, 1943 envelope

: April 28, 1943, p. 1

: April 28, 1943, p. 2

: April 28, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Apr 28, 1943
Lieut RS Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother

This will include the letter of Apr. 27 also. For the past few days I’ve been out with some of the big wigs of the Profession who have been looking the situation over in general and as a result my writing in the daylight hour whas was impossible but now that that is over I think things can be carried on in the usual manner.

Last night late I received

[page 2] your v-mail letters of Mar 31 and Apr 1. Other fellows have gotten regular air mail later than that but I have given you that word before and I think my mail will be better when you switch back to air mail.

We have a nice new washing machine and if I don’t get tropical lead in my pants before I’m going to wash my laundry which has been piling up in anticipation of the washing machine.

I haven’t received any seeds as yet but am very anxious because I believe I can do

[page 3] OK and would surely like to sink my fangs into a nice crisp carrot or radish. We had fresh liver for chow last night but on onion for those few we had the other day have long gone the way of all strong onions.

I Don’t remember whether I mentioned it before or not but I have run on to a man here from Marion Ind. and a Dr. from Logansport and also a Dr. from Evansville Ind. so maybe the old State is kicking thru.

Well, I still feel like doing laundry so here goes –
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/2014/05/10/big-wigs-roscoe/

Easter Sunday (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: April 25, 1943 envelope

: April 25, 1943, p. 1

: April 25, 1943, p. 2

: April 25, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Apr. 25, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

I’m starting this letter before breakfast. Just happened to be up a little early and time on hand. The talked of furniture is finished and I’m using it as a writing table at present – chow time

It is now 24 hours later hence your letter of 26^th now beginning. Things came up that I just couldn’t get to writing again yesterday and I really feel badly but it just couldn’t be helped.

[page 2] I didn’t even have a chance to get my weekly letter out to the folk. It of course being Easter Sunday.

We had fresh meat yesterday and ice cream. I mean those were the unusual things and of course we enjoyed them very much.

I heard indirectly from Dr. P. & W. and everything back there seems to be as tough as it used to be. We just can’ help but feel sorry for them and

[page 3] really mean it.

It is now chow time again I had better get this thing wound up and into the mail before it lays for another day.

So solong
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/2014/05/06/easter-sunday-roscoe/

Good Friday and Easter (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: April 24, 1943 envelope

: April 24, 1943, p. 1

: April 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Apr. 24, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet Post Office
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

I’m still in the midst of my furniture building but I’m progressing and think I can finish today if not bothered to much.

Good Friday came and went and Easter tomorrow – Really I wish I could find a nest of bunny eggs. There isn’t any fun in finding a can of powdered eggs. Just isn’t the proper atmosphere for our present tropical abode.

I’m wondering what the Easter parade will be like this

[page 2] year at home – coming as late as it does I imagine it will be warm enough to allow people to don their finery. Here the predominate color and preferable design will no doubt be Khaki with a dash of olive drab now and then.

Last night a commander and I sat and talked until about 1 A.M. Just plain talky talk neither of us realizing that the time was as late, but the moon was out and if we forget our personal grudges of the tropic it really was beautiful.

Must get going,
Love Daddy.

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

©2014 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/05/04/good-friday-and-easter-roscoe/ ‎

Furniture Builder (Roscoe)

3 Replies

: April 23, 1943 envelope

: April 23, 1943, p. 1

: April 23, 1943, p. 2

: April 23, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Apr. 22, 1943 [April 23, 1943]
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
%Fleet Postoffice San Fran

Dear Mother,

Yesterday when I wrote I said I was going to build some furniture but just didn’t get started so my intentions today are the same. So if I can find a hammer, saw etc I’ll be in the furniture business. We have an oil stove in the galley but it don’t seem to work – seems as if they have had all the engineering brains present to work on it and still no go. I told them at breakfast I could do the job, but

[page 2] that was out – guess they were afraid I could – I’ve fixed many of the things around the house and could have at least tried.
Just had discussion about a nudist colony in Nevada. Had to stop and listen – These boys insist I’ll have to come to Reno after the war but I say for only a visit. These officers here are all line officers and it’s a little different environment than I’ve been in before, but we all get along – However, we do have verbal fights but in the next few minutes things quiet down to a loud roar.

[page 3] we are going to have fish for dinner – one of the fellows went fishing yesterday and had pretty good luck. These fish are all strange to me no bass, blue gills or cat fish all tropical, but fish are fish – really I think the sea fish make one more thirsty afterwards due to the salt.
Well, guess I must get going –
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/2014/05/02/furniture-builder-roscoe/

Calf Liver and Onions (Roscoe)

8 Replies

: April 22, 1943 envelope

: April 22, 1943, p. 1

: April 22, 1943, p. 2

: April 22, 1943, p. 3

: April 22, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Apr. 22, 1943

Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR

Navy 60

Fleet Post office

San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

Got three letters yesterday all v-mail dated the latter part of Mar. Mar 27 was the latest – Mark’s letter (air mail) of Mar 30 was the last received in it came 2-3 days ago.

Several things have happened which are of interest and also surprise. I was hit in the ear with a snowball the other evening – no I’m OK. The snow was made artificially and a bucket full was brought in and it was such a thrill

[page 2] that a commander picked up a handful made a snow ball and said, “Look out Jake here is comes” and wham he hit me in the ear – Really it felt good.

The other thing was fresh calf liver smothered in onions for ~~nord~~ noon day chow yesterday when I was invited out and fresh steak at our own mess for supper last night. And that wasn’t all we looked at and were able to bum some onions. We sliced them and ate them just as was. That was the first raw onion since leaving the U.S.A. I’m now yearning for a raw potato because

[page 3] the dehydrated have that well known something taken away. I’m not griping about the food but am elated at the addition.

I saw Helen Kline’s husband the day I left but could tell him nothing since I knew nothing at that time. He may have learned later – I’m sure Dr. P & W. are informed by now but you probably know as much by now as they.

Heindel, Dan & Helen (Kline) - Cambridge, MA 1942

Dan and Helen (Kline) Heindel, 1942 (Photograph courtesy of Judith Heindel Bowen)

Our length of stay is only a conjecture and I don’t think about it because if my thoughts were incorrect then I might be disappointed so we will just be patient

[page 4] and look forward and I believe the more content the quicker the time will pass.

If I can get the tools and material today I’m going to try to build a shelf to store my clothes so things won’t be so mussed up as they are most of the time.

Your vegetable garden idea sounds good but don’t overdo because after all that is hard work and the little extra that you might get won’t compensate for your overworking –

Love Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/04/30/calf-liver-and-onions-roscoe/

Chicken bones (Roscoe)

3 Replies

: April 21, 1943 envelope

: April 21, 1943, p. 1

: April 21, 1943, p. 2

: April 21, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Apr. 20, 1943 [April 21, 1943]
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet P.O. San Fran

Dear Mother,

Maybe I can do a little better today than yesterday but I’m a little pressed for time because I’m going out for dinner. I forgot to mention that a package came today yesterday. The chicken bones and its contents. The candy in the packages was very soft but and the ants beat me to it so unless things are in cans it is just no go. Anyway thanks. The end was out of the box so don’t know how much

[page 2] might have been lost. There were was the bone, two tubes of insect repellent, 3 other small packages of candy and some funnies. No sardines.

Got a letter from Ruth Y today telling me that Glenn Hofman was coming out but she hadn’t gotten the word of my change when she wrote and I’m afraid we won’t come in contact with each other.

Next Sunday being Easter I’ll wish you a happy one. Of course this is late but I did mention it before

[page 3] and while I’m on the subject the same for a happy mother’s day – which I guess is coming along sometime next month.

It’s about time for me to be shoving off to the dinner date so solong

Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. The chicken bones are good but not crisp as at home – make a good slow chewing candy.

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

This will have to be short (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: April 20, 1943 envelope

: April 20, 1943, p. 1

: April 20, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Apr. 20, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
% F.P.O.
San Fran

Dear Mother,

This will have to be short and sweet because we are very busy with and have some censoring to do.

There was mail this morn. but I didn’t get much due to the fact that most of it was old. I did get one from you date Feb 19 and you asked in that for suggestions on the lawn and I did do that some time

[page 2] ago. Hope you have all the particulars.

The other letter was from Ruth M. but it was also old although all of that mail is still appreciated.

You will certainly have to excuse this but I wat want you to get the usual daily letter

So solong
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

Alaska would be appreciated (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: April 19, 1943 envelope

: April 19, 1943, p. 1

: April 19, 1943, p. 2

: April 19, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Apr. 19, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

Have been buzzing around this A.M. as much as the tropic will allow but as a whole I’ve felt good since coming to this area, although Alaska would be appreciated along about now.

Glad to hear in your letter that finances are coming along OK but I’ll try to send a little home if there is any way to get some of that on the book. What I’d

[page 2] like to do is increase the allotment when and if I get to a place where that is possible. Sometimes when that is done the old ones have to be dropped for a month before the new starts and if that be the case I’d have to send some in order to tide you over. And the much talked of uniform money has not arrived also I think your transportation will be paid only one way to Norfolk. Even that is more than I expected but

[page 3] I’m beginning to wonder if any of that will arrive.

We didn’t have the steak for dinner yesterday but on the whole our chow is better than a few weeks ago with prospects of continual increase in “goodness.”

Well that’s all for this time –
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

All the mail came in (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: April 18, 1943 envelope

: April 18, 1943, p. 1

: April 18, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
Fleet Postoffice
San Francisco Calif

Dear Mother,

Since all the mail came in a day or two ago I hardly expected any to come today or for a few days yet but one never can tell. And we always hope.

The officers gave a sort of a party last night for the men – having a picnic lunch and some beer – I think everyone had a good time with maybe a few headaches this A.M. but not many because there wasn’t enough.

As yet I haven’t gotten to re-read your letters to the fullest extent and yesterday

[page 2] that letter I wrote was done so in the midst of much conversation so I’m not sure what all the content was. I can explain the whys and wherefores of these things later on.

Right now have a task to do – so solong

Love Daddy

Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)