Tag Archives: Navy 60

The School Teaching Game (Roscoe)

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: May 24, 1943 envelope

: May 24, 1943, p. 1

: May 24, 1943, p. 2

: May 24, 1943, p. 3

: May 24, 1943, p. 4

: May 24, 1943, p. 5

Letter transcription:

May 24, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

This will probably have to be a little short due to the fact that I’m – you might say in the school teaching game – That is I have to give an examination to boy to be passed on to a higher rating. It means $10-$15 per month more for the kid and the honor that goes with it.

A lapse of about 1 ½ hours – The exam is over and that is that. He passed.

Went shelling yesterday P.M. again and had pretty good luck but I think I’ll stop for a while

[page 2] because the stink of the shells around don’t never end if a few are brought in each day, and I’m also getting scared because practically every rock has a sea serpent or crab or numerous other forms of marine life – some slick and slimy looking and some just plain repulsive. The way we get the shells is to wade in the water about one foot deep and turn the rocks over. So you see if one of these animals swim against my legs I do lots of splashing and spattering.

Had a real treat yesterday. Real French fried potatoes.

[page 3] some how some one brought in about one peck of good old Idahoes and what a treat. We also had cutting meat but the potatoes were the real prize. I think you can gather from my letters what we consider the most important food. And you would be surprised at the number of conversation that are dominated by food.

Received a letter from Wayne Watson today it was written back in Mar. If I remember correctly I haven’t answered his last one but I just can’t keep the letters going like I used to do.

[page 4]so you will have to set lots of people right and also give them the news from here which is poor news as far as news is concerned not much.

You may get a letter from a lady in Reno N. some day – Mr. Howell said he would have his wife send you some copies of newspapers she has.

Well, I’m all written out again – Love Daddy.

P.S. got a letter from H. W. Reinhart (Hicky) yesterday – I think he is following me just like Dr. Joe is doing.

P.S. again – My full name on this envelope is a mistake OVER
I just slipped.

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/30/the-school-teaching-game-roscoe/

Dr. Joe Roberts (Roscoe)

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: May 23, 1943 envelope

: May 23, 1943, p. 1

: May 23, 1943, p. 2

: May 23, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 23, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

Just finished my morning chores and trying to settle down to writing.

Yesterday out of a clear sky from some source I got a letter from Dr. Joe Roberts and from his address I don’t believe he is very far from me but that is more or less a guess but I think I’m correct – I sure wish we could get together for a visit which is not impossible if my guessing is correct. The above seems to be

[page 2] a little mixed up but maybe you can get it straight.

Just by way of repeat I’ve sent two uniform check – one for 150 & one for 100 and later a check for 32.60 for you travel. All were in separate letters and mailed about one wk apart. When you get them give me the dope in several letters at intervals.

Went shelling again yesterday and had pretty good success but not as good as before but we didn’t stay as long. These are a little more stinky than

[page 3] those we had in Noumea because the live animal is there and has to be gotten out.

This being Sunday I’ll have to write the folks to keep up my weekly schedule. Then too I’ll have to drop Dr. J. a letter and compare notes but censorship is just as strict between here and there as it is between here and you.

Well, there are rumors of mail – hope they aren’t false.

Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/28/dr-joe-roberts-roscoe/ ‎

Beach combing (Roscoe)

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: May 22, 1943 envelope

: May 22, 1943, p. 1

: May 22, 1943, p. 2

: May 22, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 22, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

I’ve been sitting here for 5 full minutes with pen ready but nothing came so in order to get started I thought I’d give you the setting.

Went shelling again yesterday and had pretty good luck but not as good as day before. It must sound funny that I tell you about beach combing when I’m supposed to be fighting but anyway we still like to pick up shells.

I’m having a little “dohinky”

[page 2] made for Carl Funks baby. I’ll send it to you and you can present it. I don’t know why I’m so worked up about their baby but that is the only announcement I’ve received just like that. Hope David doesn’t feel badly about what I’ve said.

The shells I got are still alive so the inside has to be cleaned out. First we put them in fresh water – That kills the inside then we set them out or bury them and the ants eat the inside. We have to bury them to avoid the stink. All

[page 3] those shells from Noumea where dead and cleaned out when picked up.

The letter I mailed yesterday will probably get there in better time than others because of the circumstances under which it was mailed.

My very good friend whose the initials you note on the letters is now our big boss – was elevated only recently.

Well I did get some written at that so my first 5 minutes weren’t wasted after all.

Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/27/beach-combing-roscoe/

No cream or sugar (Roscoe)

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: May 21, 1943 envelope

: May 21, 1943, p. 1

: May 21, 1943, p. 2

: May 21, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 21, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco

Dear Mother,

Yesterday after your letters came or rather day before – another v-mail came but it was dated earlier than the latest – but on the whole the mail is coming thru pretty good.

Went shelling yesterday and got quite a few pretty nice ones so some of these days I’ll be able to send home some again. These in a way are prettier than those at Noumea, but they are not nearly so numerous.

I’ll have to tell you one habit that I’ve gotten into – No

[page 2] cream or sugar in my coffee – sure came in handy this A.M. It seems the colored mess boy sprayed the sugar with fly spray and everyone was going on about the coffee but mine tasted OK. Really I thought it was my tastes on the brew but found it was fly spray.

Just got thru giving a fellow a dose of Epsom Salts and did he smack his lips. That is not my idea of what a person should smack their lips about.

Saw some baby pictures yesterday of an officer – His

[page 3] is about 4 mo old but it was only a snap shot and not much could be seen but bundles of clothes.

In you [sic] last letter you told of John’s having a temperature hope he is getting along OK. It seems hardly possible that he would have the measles at that late date but you never can tell.

Well, must get going
Love
Daddy

Russell Islands
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Something to write about (Roscoe)

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: May 20, 1943 envelope

: May 20, 1943, p. 1

: May 20, 1943, p. 2

: May 20, 1943, p. 3

: May 20, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

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

Dear Mother,

I feel I really have something to write today before I got your v-mails of 5-1, 4-26, 4-29 and your air mail of 5-3 and 5-5 – so you see our mail is better and the air mail is best. However, write a v-mail now and then because there is always a chance that that will be good. In your letter of May 3 – there was a picture of D. It of course wasn’t as good as others but I appreciated it just the same. I’d like to have a good picture of the house. Those I left behind were good but I left them as you know.

It seems to me a $100 bank balance isn’t too much and I don’t believe I’d buy too many bonds unless the balance is larger. I’m going to send a $32 check for your travel

[page 2] expenses to Norfolk. They wouldn’t allow the trip home because you came before I had orders and I didn’t know that. I could have storied [?] about the date but I didn’t so that is $32 we don’t have to worry about. The first check I sent I forgot to indorse or rather sign but since you have power of attorney you shouldn’t have any trouble.

I received an announcement of the arrival of Carl Funks baby and can think of nothing to send unless it would be a cocoanut and I’m afraid it would spoil before arrival. I may think of something as time goes along.

While talking of babies – you have mentioned several times about Johnson’s baby having eczema. I would be all for trying some of the deproteinated milk which

[page 3]several companies 3 put out. Really I believe the little fellow is sensitive to milk and then I’d have them use only olive oil on his skin with a good application of sulfathiazole ointment 5% about every 2 days. I mean the olive oil every day instead of soap and water – No advertised baby oil will do. If olive oil is not obtainable, I’d use a good grade of mineral oil but the olive oil is better. The thing for them to do however is to see their Dr. because long distant treatment and diagnosis isn’t so good and this is really long distant.

Too bad about Eddy Ray but things like that do happen. I’m just wondering if Mr. Steinbaugh had cancer of the lungs.

It seems your mail is slow and spotty like mine – really mine has been faster than yours – It took only 14 days for your last letter to come and that is really good considering.

I’d try to buy a bond now and then

[page 4] but pay off the note on my insurance if possible and that will cut down that interest. If I could get my back pay that would help but at present I see no hope for that.

You probably have thought of it but just to remind – The next winter’s coal supply should be thought of now, and too the furnace has to be cleaned during the summer because if there are too many ashes the feeder pin will break in the hopper as it did once when I was taking care of the thing.

Well, I think I’ve said my say for today and tried to answer questions and give advice but it’s funny how one forgets things in a year’s time and it’s a year today since I joined up. You sometimes write out a person first name and give only the last initial and I have a deuce of a time figuring who you are talking about –

Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/23/something-to-w…e-about-roscoe/

Didn’t Get Much Sleep (Roscoe)

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: May 19, 1943 envelope

: May 19, 1943, p. 1

: May 19, 1943, p. 2

: May 19, 1943, p. 3

: May 19, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 19, 1943
Lieut R.S.Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother –

Up and going but didn’t get too much sleep for one reason or another, but it’s no more than some nights I used to have when Marshal Dyer or Tom Murphy etc used to call or when someone decided to have a babe.

We have wild rumors of more mail but none has filtered into camp as yet. The day being young we still have hopes.

Geo. by some turn of

[page 2] fate got two of these large hunting knives that are carried on ones belt in a large leather case – So he gave me one. The blade is about 8 inches long and is sharpened on both edges. Really I don’t know why I carry it but he gave it to me and so I wear it. We can always use it to open cans of sardines if we have the sardines.

Geo & Vince went shell hunting yesterday P.M. and are planning on going again

[page 3] today or tomorrow and I’ll try to go along and see if I can add some to my collection. I have a few but the “pickin” here isn’t so good as at Noumea.

You said something about me sending my blues and extra clothes home. If I did that and we arrived home in cold weather I’d have to buy new ones. I wouldn’t be one bit surprised however that if those things would be sent anyway because in time the storage where they are may become a burden so if

[page 3] they should come rolling in you will know the reason.

We have a lot of pseudo-farmers here who have wild ideas concerning farm products. I just sit back and laugh – It sounds like the city farmer to me. Some feel that if they had one chicken that would mean one egg per day the year around.

Well, I’ve some work to do so will proceed –
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/21/didnt-get-much-sleep-roscoe/

A Navigation Argument (Roscoe)

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: May 18, 1943 envelope

: May 18, 1943, p. 1

: May 18, 1943, p. 2

: May 18, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 18, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.

Dear Mother,

Yesterday P.M. we planted some more potatoes but another heavy rain came so I’m afraid. Seems as if every time I make garden it rains – That rally wouldn’t bother other smaller seed but as yet I haven’t received any seeds.

We are in the midst of a navigation argument or rather a lesson so I may have things in here on sextants – starts etc.

[page 2] I haven’t mentioned it now for a couple of days but I sent the uniform money in two separate letters one on about May 6 and one May 13.

Yesterday was laundry day and by getting my clothes in early I got them back early and had them dry before dark. I just wonder what it would be like to wear a shirt that has been ironed and pants that are pressed. We heard that the uniform are to be

[page 3] changed to a slate blue which will be OK by me because I’ll have to buy new ones anyway by the time I get back.

I’ve been getting the raze for the last page due to a fellow losing a toe and the fellows here said I was cutting his toe nails and my knife slipped – but that wasn’t the way at all.

Well I’m run down and the complications are to [too] great.

Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: http://genealogylady.net/2014/06/19/a-navigation-argument-roscoe/ ‎

Hearts of Cocoanuts (Roscoe)

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: May 17, 1943 envelope

: May 17, 1943, p. 1

: May 17, 1943, p. 2

: May 17, 1943, p. 3

: May 17, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 17, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran

Dear Mother,

It seems that something always interfers with letter writing but that is only natural when writing in the day time. At night time when one has time of his own it’s impossible to write so that is that.

Yesterday’s letter should come thru sooner than others because of the way it was mailed but if the fellow keeps them in his jacket you may never get it – You know how men are about letters.

After I had written yesterday I got a letter from the folks and

[page 2] one from Harry Storm. He is making a collection of A.P.O. addresses and asked Mother for one and since he then had my address he wrote. He made a guess of my location and missed also. Really it doesn’t make any difference as far as I can see whether people know where I am or not. If I thought it would help it would be different.

Last night several of the officers got together and we had a song fest. Wasn’t very good music but it was something. We do that every once in a while.

[page 3] Have had some stoppage but will try and go ahead even though there is still some conversation but maybe I can overcome the pitfalls.

I believe I have never told you of our one delicate dish – Hearts of Cocoanuts – It’s a brittle while substance that is in the heart of the tree. It’s something like celery when cut in strips. The only trouble is it takes a whole tree when that is served and that is the end of that tree. I think it is sewed in the states at a very high price.

I’m still reading the book

[page 4] written by Cecil Brown and I know have him in Australia. In another few hours of reading I’ll be able to get him back home.

Well, I’ve racked my brain for something more but it just won’t come.

So solong
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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13 v-mail letters (Roscoe)

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: May 16, 1943 envelope

: May 16, 1943, p. 1

: May 16, 1943, p. 2

: May 16, 1943, p. 3

: May 16, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 16, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother –

Received 13 v-mail letters from you and 5 from other people. John & Mark – Ruth M, Sykes & Dave Burns. Got them late last night and had time to read only one before dark and luckily I picked your latest (Apr 22). The remainder I read before breakfast. Your garden must be getting on pretty well by now but you didn’t say if the suggestions I made about the yard were clear enough. However I guess if you get grass to grow that will be OK.

Really I’ll have to read the letters over to get the full benefit

[page 2] of all of them. I didn’t realize that Staton’s were trying to sell their house – Maybe they weren’t but other people thought they were.

You haven’t given me any figures on the bank account lately – not that I could do anything about it for I haven’t had a regular pay since the last of Jan. I was able to draw some for a few necessities but can’t even figure how much I have on the books. I sent the uniform money and if you need it use it rather than paying off the loan.

No garden seeds have arrived as yet but I suppose those things will be coming along in due time. It seems the boys are taking their music seriously.

[page 3] Glad to hear my letters are coming to you as well as they are and I sure wish mine would come as often. The latest I have now came in 23 days so you see yours go about twice as fast as mine. There is a reason for that however and I doubt if ours will ever be much better – but switch back to air mail with only an occasional v-mail as I told you before.

You said potatoes were high but eat them because you have no idea how good fresh ones are after eating dehydrated – I’ve only had a few to eat raw so don’t know how a good cooked one would taste. I’m not starving but have lost about 10 pounds since leaving

[page 4] Noumea, but that might not all be due to food.

This being Sun. I’ll have to write the folks but will probably do that later in the day. Its only 9:00 A.M. now. I can’t seem to write in the daytime as well as at night but there isn’t much to do about that.

It now looks up if we will have a new home for Chappie and we can revert back to our old ways again. However, I don’t think he has had much influence on the gang. Well must get going –

Love Daddy –

P.S. I haven’t heard from Joe Roberts since long before I left Noumea.

Russell Islands
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Something about a kingdom (Roscoe)

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: May 15, 1943 envelope

: May 15, 1943, p. 1

: May 15, 1943, p. 2

: May 15, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 15, 1943.
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco

Dear Mother,

Got 3 letters today from people other than you – One from Ruth M. One from Geo. Sondergrath and one about the uniform check. Saying they had been sent, but no mail from you – Maybe later in the day some will stray in – at least I hope so.

Just had two interruptions but both were easily disposed of – however, those always break the train of thought – Even now in comes Chappie – (Chaplin) and said something about a kingdom of which

[page 2] I didn’t pay any attention. Not getting on so well because there is some conversation and writing and talking and listening don’t work out so well. Chappie just now had me all worried said he had lost his watch and after looking all around He found it in his pocket just where he left it.

For the past few days we have had very fine weather but the only indication we have of winter is the early setting of the sun.

I am enclosing a picture we had taken a few days ago and that’s all I can say about it other than some of the fellows as well as myself took very rotten pictures.

[page 3] By now your garden should be coming along in good condition – Don’t know if I told you or not but my potatoes are rotted before even getting a chance to sprout. I have a few more to try so I may yet raise potatoes but the garden seed you sent are still someplace in transit.

Have to make two trips today – one an inspection and another to give some shots so will be rather busy and besides will take a beating in a jeep because those things ride hard.

Lots of Love
Daddy