Lake Michigan | Genealogy Lady

[There are no further letters during the month of May since Gladys and the boys moved to Lake Forest on May 8th. Their stay by the Lake was short-lived however.]

Baby book – May 23, 1944

May 23 – 1944

David’s 20th month. 26 1/2 lbs. – 34″ tall

On May 8 we went to Lake Forest to live. There were chickens in the back yard and David put his finger thru the fence and a hen pecked it – He cried but went back and tried to entice the hen again. We took David to the beach and he had lots of fun playing in the sand and throwing rocks in the lake. We had a cottage on the lake near Zion but Daddy was ordered to Liberty, Mo., so we had just one day to play on the beach. David is getting a good coat of tan. He tries to say anything but doesn’t say everything correctly. He acts like he is playing the piano, can point to his nose, ears, eyes, hair, mouth, tummy, feet and where he gets spanked when we ask him to.

Roscoe’s new orders were written on May 26th and delivered on May 30th. He had five days to report to Liberty, Missouri. His new duties were at the Naval Flight Preparatory School at William Jewell College.

: Change of orders, p. 1

: Change of orders, p. 2

: Change of orders, p. 3

: Compliance of Orders

April 16, 1944 envelope

April 16, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

USN Hospital
Great Lakes
Illinois
Apr. 16, 1944

Dear Mother,

Sunday almost gone and it was a long day for somehow things just seemed dull and my intern had O.D. duty so he wasn’t around after 1000 so I had to amuse myself.

Maybe I haven’t told you what my duties are – well it’s like this – I have two wards, one composed of about 30-40 German measles and 10 chicken pox cases and the other about that many mumps. Seems a little drab on the face of the whole thing but there are always ears becoming infected – pneumonia with the measles and many complications just like in private practice so it’s really more like medicine than anything I’ve had since coming into the Navy. I hope I’ve had both of the above diseases because I’ve had many exposures. There are also a few cases of regular measles so I should know what those look like after a

April 16, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] time.

In your today’s letter I had three money orders. I guess I can’t get away from repeating but I thought I’d just let you know in case the letter should get lost.

This Eve. The Frenches invited us to sandwiches, salad, etc., so I didn’t have to go out for an evening meal. They seem to be very nice people and are willing to make one as comfortable as possible. They have three huge cats and one has two kittens but I don’t cross their path too often. I mean the cats.

The sun finally broke thru today after a light rain this AM and a snow about noon but it still wasn’t very warm. In fact much too cold to think of wearing khaki uniforms, and the top coat really feels good. The breeze off the lake is very cold. I don’t know if you noticed but where we parked the car that day we were here

April 16, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] is only a very short distance from the lake. When one is on the other side of that building he can almost spit in the lake.

As I told you we have no shower so it’s tub bath and I do hate to draw the water, etc., but I feel I just have to tonight for I’ve missed the past two and since there is only the one other fellow I feel I don’t have to be as peculiar as you said you would be.

Maybe I’ll be able to spend next weekend at home but I’m not banking too much until I ask all the ones concerned. At least maybe a short time Sat. night and Sun. AM depending upon what time Joe wants to come back.

Well, I must take that bath and get to bed –
Love Daddy