I have been going through some of FDR’s speeches and World War II government films to add some more World War II historical context to the blog. Since the television was not an appliance found in American homes during this time, people went to the cinema to see their motion picture entertainment. Or perhaps such films were shown to children during the school day. The following film was one made by the Department of Defense in 1942 as part of a series. Titled “War Comes to America,” it is quite the masterpiece of American propaganda.

Part way through this letter Roscoe mentions President Roosevelt’s speech that he made from Arlington National Cemetery on Armistice Day. I was unable to find an audio recording of the speech. However, if you follow the hyperlink in the letter, you will find yourself at the FDR library’s website and the digital images of Roosevelt’s typewritten copies of the speech he made that day.

Letter transcription:

Nov. 12, 1942

Dear Mother,

Got two letters today one a V-mail dated Sept 25 and one an ordinary letter dated Sept. 9. Both were rather stale and why couldn’t I have gotten the Sept 25 before the Oct. 6. The first that I knew about David. Anyway that’s the way they came and still the latest news is Oct 27 which came several days ago. Maybe things will happen tomorrow. We always keep thinking that. And once in a while it really hits.

WPA Censorship Poster

I’ve been officially appointed on the censor board. I’ve censored lots before but not officially. It’s a job that isn’t very desirable but still has to be done. I’ve heard some of the enlisted men say they just put things in to see if the censor will catch them. So you see why it has to be done.

I started just a little late to finish this by daylight. So I may have

[page 2] to stop any time now. Due to the fact that I had night duty and didn’t have a flashlight I was given one of Navy issue today. So if you have granted my desire I’ll have two which won’t be too many because one never knows when one will go bad.

Our mosquitoes are truly viscous at night if we aren’t in the hall. We have to be under our nets as they really carry on. Even bite thru shirt & pants, but we can really thumb our noses at them when inside the net.

I’ll have to stop – have been listening to news broadcast from both sides and strange as it may seem both sides think they are going to win. Things do look pretty good. We heard the president’s speech as it was rebroadcast. We heard it at about 4:00 AM this morning.

At 8:00 tonite
This is my night off so I hope I can go to bed and not be disturbed by mosquitoes also if you could get some of the ointment that

[page 3] that we had when we were in Wis. last year I think that would help. It would keep them off while we got undressed for bed.

Had very good chow this P.M. – Hamburger balls, a cabbage pineapple salad and peach cobbler that’s all I can remember but it was good. Our chow is much better now than it was a few weeks ago. We don’t seem to be rationed on anything but love & kisses and we just don’t have those at all only in our dreams – which don’t help much.

You had better buy all the gas you can and preserve the supply so if you have to make any trip to Lafayette you’ll have enough to make the trip.

I started this letter about 6:00 PM and it is now about 9:20 PM almost bed time and soon time for taps when all lights have to be out.

Well, I’m all run down So Solong

-Lots of Love

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/22/november-12-1942-roscoe/