Tag Archives: Medical Corp

The Above Address (Roscoe)

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: April 14, 1944 envelope (front)

: April 14, 1944 envelope (back)

April 14, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

USN Hospital
Great Lakes
Illinois

Dear Mother,

The above address is the correct one as I now have a mail box assigned and I’ll be able to get my mail there probably faster and more consistent than otherwise.

I think I’m about all settled now except the gas ration and that seems to be something. In the first place I need the tire certificate of registration and then that has to be sent into Chicago and Washington and then the card will be issued. By that time you will have the car back again. There is a possibility that I can get along without the tire business but I the may not even apply for the thing now. Chas. Largent gave me tickets for 10 gal. of gas and with what we have that would be enough to get the car back home and it seems there isn’t much trouble getting gas there. However, I’ll give it a

April 14, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] think. It isn’t hardly worth while asking you to send that registration because you can bring it when Joe comes up or I can get it if I come down. I’m going to start working on the coming down about tomorrow and after work tomorrow eve I’m planning on going house looking.

It was about 5 PM when I left the hospital this PM so thought I would see if I could find Socky. With his address I was able to get his Barrack number and I drove up in front and asked about where Wilson might be and was informed that he was at chow. I just sat in the car and along came Socky. When he saw me he yelled “Hi Doc.” The first part of his yell was very loud but it tapered off to a whisper and he walked up – stood at attention and saluted. Then when no one was looking we both laughed. His barrack is very near that first large building on the left as you approach the station. His hands were a bluish color from the dye in the clothes he had washed. He said they had to drill pretty hard today – running and sprinting around the drill field. He was very glad to see me – said he was homesick. All

April 14, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] in all he was very military. So much for Socky.

We got breakfast and lunch at the base – 25₵ per and it is checked from our pay. I guess we could get supper there but I haven’t tried as yet.

I’ll get paid some tomorrow but I won’t get the mileage until later. I’m not sure just how much I’ll be able to draw but will try to send some home.

Tomorrow is official day for white cap covers and I’m a little mixed up as to whether or not we can wear khaki. If not, I’ll have to buy another blue suit or grey whatever it might be but this I know I’m going slow on any buying of uniforms.

I think I’m in the whole house tonight by myself. I haven’t heard a sound and I’ve been here since 6:00 and it is now 9:00.

Since leaving home I’ve spent $1.17 – Two evening meals and 10₵ for a car badge – Haven’t even paid my room rent. She would not take it last night and she isn’t here tonight.

Well Dear – Love & goodnight
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/12/the-above-address-roscoe/ ‎

New Duty (Roscoe)

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April 13, 1944 envelope

April 13, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Naval Hospital
Great Lakes Illinois
Apr. 13, 1944

Dear Mother,

It is now 2030 and I’m about all set for the night. Had no trouble coming thru today and I’m pretty well signed in, etc. I’m not just certain what my duties will be but will find out definitely tomorrow. Needless to say I haven’t rented a house for the family as yet.

Someone had called the O.D. office about 15 minutes before I arrived inquiring if I had registered in and I’m at a loss to know who it was. I thought possibly it was Dr. Moran but he told me later he had not called – Maybe it was Socky but I doubt it very much. I may look him up tomorrow eve after I learn my way around a little better. My hours are from 0800 to 1630 so should have some time in the eve for things and

April 13, 1944, p, 2

[page 2] things. Dr. Moran says O.D. duty comes about once in every 15 days, and that requires staying on the base.

Mrs. Frence informed me the Col.’s wife moved in – Two girls, 3 guinea pigs and I believe she said a dog. Seems as if my 23 little men will have lots of competition and I was wrong we don’t use the same bath room. It’s two other men but at present there is only one so I have a semi private bath room.

I didn’t get to do anything with my pay accounts today because I have to have my orders and they had to be endorsed and it seems that couldn’t be done until tomorrow so I’ll see what can be done along that line and financially I’ll be at the end of the line if something isn’t done before too long. So far however I’ve only spent 51₵ since leaving home and that was for eve chow. Dr. Moran knew a little place between here and

April 13, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] the base where the food is good and the price reasonable.

I’m sorry I didn’t get this written early enough to mail tonite but I just don’t know my way around here well enough yet but will get on schedule in a day or two. The address at the beginning of the letter so far as I know is correct but that is one thing I’ll have to find out for sure tomorrow. You can address my mail that way until you hear differently from me.

It’s a little lonesome in here just now after the swell time of the past 3 weeks but maybe things will be better in the near full future.

I hope I can give you all the dope right out of the horse’s mouth tomorrow eve.
Solong
Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/10/new-duty-roscoe/

That Good Old Irish Stuff (Roscoe)

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March 17, 1944 envelope

March 17, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Hotel Bellevue
Geary at Taylor
San Francisco
Mar. 17, 1944

Dear Mother,

Nothing new to report this A.M. All we are doing now is just waiting and stewing. Jim & I. I mean. We went to see Red Skelton last night and had a beer or two. The food here is terrific. For breakfast I had a serving of Dry cereal and a cup of coffee 35₵. The way we eat you’d think we are on a diet, but it won’t be for long I hope. Today we are going to get around & see if we can get reservations for some sort of transportation but we are behind the eight ball because we don’t know when or whether it will be under orders, etc. We hope it will be under orders so that the price of the ticket won’t be on us but we just have to wait, but and maybe we can do but it is hard after 19 mo. to be this near and then just have to wait.

March 17, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] Jim is writing to Detroit and since his name is Delaney he probably is filling the whole thing with that good old Irish stuff (Mar. 17).

Well, Jim is through so we will be getting along
Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/07/that-good-old-irish-stuff-roscoe/

Waiting for word from Washington (Roscoe)

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March 16, 1944 envelope

March 16, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Hotel Bellevue
Geary at Taylor
San Francisco
Mar. 16, 1944

Dear Mother,

Thur. P.M. and everything seems to have gone very well – we have applied for leave and requested duty in the 9^th Naval district and now we have to wait for word to come from Washington – we were told it would take 5 day at least. Under those circumstance all we can do is keep cool and be as contented as possible which is hard to do. I’ll try to let you know by phone, etc., as I told you in the letter last night when and where.

The Red Cross picked us up at the pier and arranged for rooms and again provided us with means for getting our gear to the hotel. My gear is really a mess. The clothes are the same as when I left the states so you can imagine the condition they are now in and besides part of my ward

March 16, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] clothes had to be left in the laundry at the last station because I had only 2 hours to start from scratch and be underway but Ed promised to send them on to me. I had only three white shirts along. One is in the laundry, another is black instead of white and the one I’m wearing now was washed in the bathroom on ship, hung on a coat hanger and worn without blessing of an iron so you can imagine what I look like but somehow I care very little about those things.

I hardly think it will be necessary for you to write because your letter would hardly be here before I left I hope. I mean I hope I can get underway by that time.

Again lots of love
From Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/06/waiting-for-word-from-washington-roscoe/ ‎

USAT “WILLARD A. HOLBROOK” (Roscoe)

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FOURTH ENDORSEMENT USAT “WILLARD A. HOLBROOK”
Fort Mason,
San Francisco
California
1 March 1944
From: The Transport Commander
To: Lieutenant Roscoe S. YEGERLEHNER, MC-V (S), USNR
Subject: ORDERS

Reported for transportation this date.
Subsistance was furnished without cost to you.
Proceed and carry out basic orders.
Transportation completed 15 March 1944.

W.H. IRVINE
Lt. Col. TC
Transport Commander

USAT Willard A. Holbrook during WWII (Image courtesy of http://www.navsource.org)

There are no known surviving documents describing Roscoe’s return trip to the United States at this time. Since the trip originated in Auckland and concluded at Fort Mason, San Francisco, Roscoe crossed the equator and the international date line. One item which survived the journey was Roscoe’s membership card from the Domain of the Neptunus Rex. Roscoe described this ceremony in detail on his journey across the Pacific in 1942. While the card is undated, it bears the name of the ship USAT “WILLARD A. HOLBROOK.”

©2012-2016, copyright owned by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/04/usat-willard-a-holbrook-roscoe/ ‎

Third Endorsement (Roscoe)

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THIRD ENDORSEMENT U.S. NAVAL OPERATING BASE,
P16-4/00 AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

28 February 1944

From: The Commanding Officer.
To: Lieutenant Roscoe S. Yegerlehner, MC-V (S), USNR.
Subject: Orders

Reported 27 February 1944
On or about 1 March 1944 , you will report to the Commanding Officer of the vessel or plane verbally designated for further transportation in accordance with your basic orders.
Government quarters were furnished you.

H.E. TALMADGE,
By direction.

© 2012-2016, copyright owned by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/01/03/third-endorsement-roscoe/

All Progressing Satisfactory (Roscoe)

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February 27, 1944 v-mail

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA

Lt. R.S. YEGERLEHNER (MC) USN
RECEIVING BARRICKS
NAVY 132
℅ F.P.O. SAN FRANCISCO CALIF.
2-27-44

Dear Mother,

Just a line to let you know all is progressing satisfactory. Hope you received the cable a few days ago.

I think I wouldn’t write anymore until I send you an address because this one might cause my mail to be delayed.

You will be hearing from me as soon as I can get word to you

Love Daddy

[Editor’s note: This is Roscoe’s last letter on foreign soil. He did not write any further letters until he arrived in the United States two and a half weeks later.]

Change of Duty (Roscoe)

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Change of Duty orders, dated February 26, 1944

Roscoe received his orders to return to the United States on February 26, 1944. The journey would take a few weeks. Before he left Wellington, he presumably sent a cable home to Indiana as he makes reference to one in a v-mail written on February 27th. The cable has not currently been located, if it still exists. The first stop on the way home was to the north, in Auckland, New Zealand.

V-mail Number One (Roscoe)

1 Reply

February 25, 1944 V-mail

Letter transcription:

LT R.S. YEGERLEHNER (MC) USNR
NAVY 133 BASE HOSP #4
F.P.O. SAN FRANCISCO CALIF
2-25-44

MRS R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA USA

Dear Mother,

This is V-mail number one conforming with the wishes of the postal department. It seems to be a good idea if everyone will oblige. I’m just as anxious to receive your v-mail or air mail but I do hate writing them. Possibly after I’ve written a few it won’t be so bad. Your v-mail dated 2-11 came today and it really was a treat to be informed of snow and snow drifts, but I do hope it won’t keep up too long.

I’m looking forward to the picture Bart put in the paper for it must be a wow. I’ve seen the pictures he has printed of the Beagley boys and the Rowe boy and I can’t say so much for the artistic work of the Newton Co. E.

Maybe tomorrow I can write another air mail so solong
Love Daddy

O’Shaunnessy (Roscoe)

1 Reply

February 23, 1944 envelope

February 23, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Feb. 23, 1944

Dear Mother,

After having a battle lasting a good five minutes with some huge flies maybe I can write. These flies are the super bomber type, very much like the ones we see around home in the early spring and since screens are unheard of in New Zealand we just have to swat them with newspapers, etc. One can’t rest unless they are downed because they buzz peck on the window, ceiling or bulkhead – well you know how it is.

I didn’t say anything about the pictures by way of explanation but I guess there wasn’t much to say. The overseas cap I had one was borrowed and

February 23, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] my blue suit looked as if I had slept in it but I hadn’t. It really hadn’t been pressed in a long while. The one picture of myself I thought best was the one when I was sitting in the doorway. Really I think that one flatters me and it doesn’t look too good at that.

I’ve forgotten the name of our show tonite but someone told me it was a story with a setting in a South Sea Isle. That should really be good. I believe it was Rosie. Said he had seen it before he left the states. Possibly I should have explained or maybe I did – Rosie is short for Rosenberg and the latter name speaks for itself but we get along OK, strange as it seems. There are so many Irish people around here that instead of calling me by my real name I have been dubbed O’Shaunnessy and when someone calls out that name I know who they mean,

February 23, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] some fun wouldn’t you say? I think Bob’s wife started that in the first place with a name like McReynold and O’Donnell she thought that would be more proper. She comes out rather frequently for evening chow but he goes to town of course more frequently.

Later after the show – It was a leak out. Had its beginning in England, its middle in a South Sea Isle. A very beautiful girl on the South Sea Island and that is a downright falsehood. Maybe for those who don’t know it makes good entertainment but I’ve been around some and I know where of I speak, and I might add New Zealand with the Isles. However, I haven’t probed into the inner sanctum sanctorum for beauties but seeing the rank and file of the streets I have seen no prize winners. In fact not none that would even equal you. Is that flattery or what?

February 23, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] Anyone here over I’d say 25-30 has false choppers. These people are very notorious for their poor teeth and of course they all say it’s due to a lack of minerals but I think it’s the age old custom of tea 4-5 times each day. Always, along with the tea, they have cakes, so you see sweets play a very prominent part and I have a feeling that that starts at a very early age. And of course it is a prenatal habit which must have some bearing on the child.

Just think only 6 more days in Feb. Surely something will come thru before long but several of us have been thinking that for so long now that it has become almost an obsession with us.

Well Dear we will just keep the chin up and know that love will find the way.
Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. There was no mail today.