Tag Archives: Navy 60

Suez to Singapore (Roscoe)

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: May 14, 1943 envelope

: May 14, 1943, p. 1

: May 14, 1943, p. 2

: May 14, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 14, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

Just finished my morning chores and about to start reading my latest – Cecil Brown’s “Suez to Singapore.” It’s a very interesting story and I can understand some of the physical and mental reactions he went thru while away from home in various travels. It’s a rather long book but worth anyone’s time if interested.

You will notice that I’ve switches paper again.

[page 2] some how I like this better maybe it’s because I don’t have to write so much, but I believe I write just as much. The air mail paper is so flimsy and hard to handle.

I’ve sent both the uniform check home – The 150⁰⁰ on May 7 [written on top of a 6] and the 100⁰⁰ on May 13 so you can let me know when and if they arrive.

Got a letter from Boonie yesterday and he seems to be guessing again but his guess this time was wrong. I imagine that people can guess now. However, they still have no business of

[page 3] knowing.

We had cuttin meat last night for chow – roast beef. If we just had some chewin vegetables now everything would be on the up and up. We still have lots of spagiti and dehydrated potatoes all of which aren’t any better than powdered eggs but other people seem to like some of those things.

Well, I’m run down and myst must get on with my reading

Love Daddy

[Editor’s note: Here is a link to a 1943 review of Suez to Singapore published in Foreign Affairs magazine. The book is still in print today.]

Russell Islands
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© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/10/suez-to-singapore-roscoe/

Rat Trap (Roscoe)

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: May 13, 1943, envelope

: May 13, 1943, p. 1

: May 13, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

May 13, 1943
Lietu R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

It seems as if my mail is what the little boy shot at. I have a feeling it’s the v-mail and regardless of what the radio campaigns say write air mail – all the other fellows are getting air mail and all I get is the Newton Co. E. Issues back in Feb. Maybe I’ll get some later today but it seems most of the mail has been delivered – Yesterday it was the same way but none got v-mail and I feel certain that is where mine is – being printed some place along the line. So much for that.

Geo. decided to make a rat trap a few days ago to catch the critters in our tent and he had the thing secretly built and was going to put it under my bunk and when the rat entered a big noise would be made and I of course was to be excited – well when the carpenter brought it Geo was out and I was in on the whole thing. So we put the trap in our mess hall and this A.M. we had a big rat – Sill still alive – so the question was how to kill Mr. rat – when I left for sick Bay they were in the process of Drowning him but

[page 2] as yet the results haven’t been released.

Had a bad taste in my mouth and just started a cake of Gum. Some of that you sent for Christmas. That was one thing brought along from Noumea.

One of the fellows got a clipping thru the mail that to the affect that the naval uniform was to be changed from khakis to slate blue. I think by the time I get back I’ll need new ones especially pants. My coats are in Noumea I hope, most of them as good as new.

As I said in several leters – The 150⁰⁰ check is one the way and I’ll enclose the 100⁰⁰ in this letter so hope you repeat several times in your letters whether or not they arrive.

My last letter from home is now one month old and it’s about time since more arrived – I’m not writing as many letters now as before – hope the people understand but it just isn’t possible to do so now. I’ll try to get one out now and then to others –

Well, here’s hopin’ – I get some mail some of these days –

Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally owned: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/08/rat-trap-roscoe/

Sunrise (Roscoe)

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: May 12, 1943 envelope

: May 12, 1943, p. 1

: May 12, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

May 12, 1943.
Lieut RS Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

I’m a little disappointed about the mail situation because many of the fellows got mail and I did not. I think it’s because of the changeover from V-mail at least I hope you are writing some air mail rather than v-mail.

The way my bunk is located the sun shines right into my face each A.M. and of course wakes me but I often awaken before it is up and the various stages are a sight to see. The first knowledge I had this morn of the sunrise was a sort of a brownish color just as it was getting light – That then changed to a lighter color and finally just before the sun appears the whole area was a blood red color. (That is the way it looks every morn) The sun drives that color away when it begans to appear – after that it looks just like it does in Indiana.

A letter came yesterday from Bob H. but it was written way back in Mar. He seemed to think Dr. Openshaw was pretty much settled somewhere in Penn. – seems like some people have all the tough luck – who would want to be stationed in a place like that with all the trains, autos and cold weather are apt to be hard on one’s health – I’m telling you it’s dangerous to have those handicaps. Take the above as you wish.

Imagine me wearing shoes now for the past

[page 2] several months. Really my ankles will probably be so weak I won’t be able to wear slippers again and another thing – lately I haven’t been wearing any underware and since I have no P.J. you know how that means I sleep at night. That will also be a hard habit to break when back in the States.

I saw in the Newton Co. E. that John had won $2.50. Of course I showed it around and most of the boys asked if I had sent for the $2.50 or if I would let him keep it. My answer was varied. Of course, you had told me of the whole thing in letters but I just happened to find it in the paper. Two issues of the paper came yesterday Mar 11 & 18. In the Mar 18 issue there is a synopsis of the article – “They Were Expendable.” I’d almost forgotten about that and it has so much more meaning now than when I read it before.

I don’t know if I told you or not but our Chaplin left Japan in June of 1942. Yes the date is correct – he has some pretty good experiences to tell.

Well, I’ve beaten my gums enough for the time being –
So solong until Tomorrow
Love Daddy.

P.S. Sent 150⁰⁰ of the uniform money home – The 100⁰⁰ will follow in a few days – Just a repeat.

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

African Front (Roscoe)

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: May 11, 1943 envelope

: May 11, 1943, p. 1

: May 11, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

May 11, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR.
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran

Dear Mother,

I’ve been up or rather awake for some time because our roommate had to get up early to hold services and his moving around awakened me and I was unable to go back to sleep but that doesn’t matter because we are getting plenty of sleep so I was able to watch the sun rise.

I was able to listen to a radio last night and got some more news on the Africian front and that sure sounds good – hope it can be kept going right on up thru the European countries. We don’t hear much over the radio about our own situation but I guess we can learn about that first hand.

There are rumors of mail around but as yet none has arrived so we just set and wait and that sorta seems the way yours comes because you told me once that you received 12 letters in one day.

We were talking about Florescent lights last night and I just happened to think. I believe you asked me about the one in the office – Why don’t you have it placed in the kitchen at home? Of course it may be

[page 2] worn out by now. If you want to put it there I think it would be swell or even in the basement around the laundry. It probably would be of as much value there as far as lights go as the big ones you have, but do as you please.

Our laundry seems to be drying rather rapidly and I’m going to watch for sprinkles so that it won’t be like last week. I noticed one of my sheets had some mold, but that isn’t unusual. Even ones tobacco molds very rapidly and all leather goods have a constant film of mold.

I finished another story yesterday – another mystery – “Death at Bratton Grange” just another story written in a different manner but something to occupy the leisure time.

Well, I’ve run down so
Solong
Love Daddy.

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/04/african-front-roscoe/

A Rat In Our Tent (Roscoe)

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: May 10, 1943 envelope

: May 10, 1943, p. 1

: May 10, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

May 10, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.

Dear Mother,

Today is wash day as any good household would have it but instead of doing it ourselves we have a laundry now and all we have to do is take the wet wash and hang it up to dry. Last week it was a little hard to get dry but today there shouldn’t be much trouble. I had an unusual big wash because I had just changed sheets last week when my bunk got saturated so I had two extra sheets. So much for the good old housekeeping difficulties.

We were able to have a movie in camp last night but I didn’t go due to the fact that I had seen it before so I’m not interested the second time. Commander Fredricks and I just sat and shot the breeze for the duration of the show.

We had “cutting” meat twice yesterday. Roast beef for dinner and liver for supper. The meat is a little tough we get here but it has a good flavor and it gives something to chew on. Spam and all its derivities [derivatives] are not cuttable – just plain gumming food.

Geo. said he saw a rat in our tent the other night but I’ve been unable to find any but we are planning on a trap to see if we can

[page 2] trap the critter – I don’t like rats for tent mates although we call each other that once in a while. That is all but the chaplin, and he probably thinks we are all rats and he might be correct.

I’ve been trying to figure some way in which I can make a pillow – so far all I’ve been able to use is an extra blanket folded but it gets pretty hard during the night. In an area like this it’s pretty hard to manufacture anything suitable. Of course our bunks for that matter are not too good – Just plain cots with a mattress about 2 inches thick and after a few months in certain places the canvass has bulges at the places of most stress so at night one has to get into the grove in order to be comfortable.

Our news here the past few days has been very good – I mean what little news we are able to pick up over the radio. We do have a one page mimeographed news paper that keeps us informed to a slight degree.

Well guess I’m at the bottom of the well,

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/2014/06/03/a-rat-in-our-tent-roscoe/

Sardines and Onions (Roscoe)

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: May 9, 1943 envelope

: May 9, 1943, p. 1

: May 9, 1943, p. 2

: May 9, 1943, p. 3

: May 9, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

May 9, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran

Dear Mother,

I’ve been going around this A.M. with a bran new pair of boots and really enjoying slopping – just like a kid with a new pair. We’ve had some rain and the need for something of that sort is terrific.

You have heard lots of stories about the “back house” and the clothes line – we had that happen last night only the fellow was returning from the “back house” and no harmful affects except a little “beefing”

[page 2] this morn. He says it was my line but he was way off the beam if that was the case and he readily admitted that he was a poor navigator.

For the past week we have by hook or something gotten some onions and sardines and here’s how we have been eating them. Take out the sardines place them on a plate – Then chop onions into the oil remaining in the can. Cover with vinegar and let set 5 min and then take one fork and pass both sardines and onions – each taking his mouthful in turn – you’d be surprised without even bread

[page 3] or crackers how good the mixture really does taste. Of course that is a between meal snack. The smell of our surroundings must be something because that has gone on for several days. I feel very sorry for the sick boys when go around to see how they are getting along.

Our mail has been very muchly absent for some time now but in due time it will come along and as I’ve told you before I know your mail will be spotty so don’t worry.

The one uniform check for 150⁰⁰ is in the mail and the other

[page 4] 100⁰⁰ will be coming along in a few days. If you need this money use it otherwise pay off the Ins loan – as we had planned.

This being Mother’s day I hope it will find everything very good for you and also may I wish you a happy wedding ann. as I think I’ve done before.

I’ve written quite a bit but said nothing so maybe I’d better stop while these pages are free of injected bits of local unrefined phrases.

Love Daddy

Russell Islands
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©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/01/sardines-and-onions-roscoe/

Another month has passed (Roscoe)

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: May 8, 1943 envelope

: May 8, 1943, p. 1

: May 8, 1943, p. 2

: May 8, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 8, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco

Dear Mother,

Another month has passed by since leaving the good old U.S.A. We have no way of knowing what our tour of duty will be – I mean how long but as I’ve said before another month in the past rather than the future. Time has passed much more rapidly than at the last place we’ve spent just half as much time here as there and it sure doesn’t seem that way.

The coconut trees here do become monotonous where

[page 2] back there they were an added feature to the landscape and if conditions were right could have been romatic [romantic] but here without much effort they could become rheumatic – meaning painful but they aren’t the whole show here so that is why I like being here.

I think I wrote you about one week ago that I had met a Dr. from Logansport. Since I have seen him and I wrote you that letter he has been ordered to Great Lakes for duty – what a break. So I still have faith that maybe I’ll get something of the same treatment as time

[page 3] goes along.

Got slowed down due to some conversation not the type which would be injurious but enjoyous.

Was invited out to a spagiti [spaghetti] supper last night. I knew before what it was going to be and tried my best to get out of it but no soap – so I went and acted as if it was very good – you know how over Joyed I must have acted. Anyway no one got made and invited as back but I’m going to try to evade the thing next time.

I’ll repeat – I have sent 150⁰⁰ of the uniform money and will send more the rest later – I want you to repeat on that also –

Love Daddy.

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

Our tent leaked (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 7, 1943 envelope

: May 7, 1943, p. 1

: May 7, 1943, p. 2

: May 7, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

May 7, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

Just got in from another trip and this I’m sorry to say will have to be short as I’ve had no time to think but must get this off so that the mail clerk will take it along. I noticed by your letters that my mail to you is rather spotty and I’ve told you before that you can expect it to be that way. I know why but can’t tell you the reason.

It has rained almost continuously

[page 2] since I’ve planted my potatoes so I imagine they will rot before they have a chance to grow.

Our tent leaked over my bunk and night before last when I came to go to bed I found a pool of water in the middle of my mattress. Luckily I had two mattresses so I just took the top one off and that was OK. Needless to say I moved my bunk out from under that drip.

In yesterday’s letter I told you I received the

[page 3] uniform money and send 150⁰⁰ home and the other 100⁰⁰ I’ll send in a few days – I’ll just scatter them out a little in case some should get lost .

It’s just chow time so must get going –

Love Daddy

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

Uniform money (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 6, 1943 envelope

: May 6, 1943, p. 1

Letter transcription:

May 6, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F. P. O. San Francisco

Dear Mother,

Ten v-mails came yesterday from you and two from others – Your latest letter was Apr. 13, but air mail is still faster but I’ve given you the word on that before.

Now – at least the uniform money came. This in two checks – I’ll send one in today’s letter and one in a later one. I’ll endorse them like I did before. So you should have no difficulty with them.

I’m more or less in a hurry this A.M. so won’t have time to get everything written I’d like but will try to reread the letters again and write more fully next time.

The $150 check I’ll send today and a few days later the $100 will follow.

The taxable salary that I receive now since Mar. is 220⁰⁰ per mo. before that time was 183³³ but that was included in the figure I sent at the beginning of the year.

Well, I must get going –

Love Daddy.

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

A few more potatoes (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: May 5, 1943 envelope

: May 5, 1943, p. 1

Letter transcription:

May 5, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F. P. O. San Francisco Calif.

Dear Mother,

Sometime today I’ll be able [to] plant a few more potatoes – for a fellow came in and gave me two good sized ones the center of which I ate and the outside I’ll plant but I still have my fingers crossed – Yesterday my little garden was under water and potatoes rot pretty fast in warm damp soil – So much for a lesson in horticulture.

There were rumors that some mail arrived but as yet none has appeared but maybe it will gradually be sifted out and get to us we hope.

I’ve been sitting and listening and talking so I’m not sure of what might get into this letter – Nothing bad because our conversation isn’t on a low level today.

Just had a little eye to eye battle with a lizard but he left. He ran under my chair. They don’t look good but they do catch lots of flies.

Well, I’m all written dry –
Love Daddy