Tag Archives: Navy Base Hospital #4

Just Plain Gossip (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlener USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 18, 1944

Dear Mother,

Three v-mails from you and two air mail letters from the folks. Yours were dated Jan. 2-4-7. The air mails from home were dated Dec. 26 and Jan. 3.

The folks seem to be doing OK this winter since Mother got over her cold, flu or whatever it was.

It was a little amusing to me for you to say that you read in the paper Irene was in a hospital in Chicago. In other words, you don’t see much of them. She probably would be better off if she would work at home and skip the job because

[page 2] that type of work is a little too exciting for one of her make up, and I doubt very much if all her medical attention will correct her condition but of course this is more or less a long distant diagnosis and opinion – That darn accordion is going again and I can’t just function at writing like I should. The music wouldn’t be so bad if it was good but my diagnosis of that is correct. (I stopped for a while) and right now it is a little more on the soft order.

I’ve really had lots of fun over that financial statement. As I told you before I still can’t figure what $6.60 tax you paid and the dividends on the Hancock policies is a little out of my

[page 3] line but it’s been a good 18 mo. since I came in contact with the domestic problems. I’ve more or less forgotten because I know you would take care of things as they should be taken care of and there wasn’t much I could have done otherwise.

Just for a change we had some rain today – the first in some time – It really was good to see a little rain to settle the dust but it will take a lot to revive the grass for it is as brown as our lawn gets in the good old summer time.

Last night I did the craziest thing. Several of us sat around

[page 4] here and chewed the fat until nearly 1200 and then a fellow came into my room and we talked until almost 3 AM and the most of it was just plain gossip. I was ready for bed but he just seemed to want to continue to talk. I was a little sleepy at 0700 this AM when it came time to get up. It is nearly always 1200 before I get to bed. Seems as if there is always someone to talk to or something going on in the lounge which is next door to me, but that seems to make the time pass more rapidly.

Well Dear, I’m about reached capacity so solong
Lots of Love
Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/15/just-plain-gossip-roscoe/ ‎

Slap Happy (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 17, 1944

Dear Mother,

I’m starting early today and hope I can add a P.S. on the end saying letters have arrived – How many time now have I started with that same sentence? When I write early I always think of that the first thing – hence its always written.

Later – Had some work to do and then some mail came – four letters from you – written Dec. 29, Dec. 31, Jan. 1 & Jan. 3. The one written Dec. 29 had the pictures, I may not say too much about the pictures when I get them but you know I appreciate

[page 2] then just the same.

I’ll say the financial statement was really a complete one – I didn’t expect anything like that but it was OK. I’ll keep it for study now & then when I have nothing to do and get to thinking about things.

I sure wish the birthday present Mark mentioned would be a fact instead of a fancy. These days do seem to roll around and now it is only 22 days until that certain time comes I mean the anticipated time comes. I think I told you the other day that Bob, the Dr. who was with me on vacation, is past due now almost 2 mo. so that is why I’m thinking of the thing as not

[page 3] coming due on the exact date but one can always expect and the expectation will always be greater after the time period.

I guess I mentioned writing to Joe R. He as you know is only a short time behind me, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he got there first but that remains to be seen. Anyway don’t have Mark plan on that birthday present too strongly. I’ll send him his present in due time just like I did D. and John.

I’ve received a letter or two from Geo. Wingfield and I think I owe him one now but he is in that group who I owe letters and don’t get them written. To write letters now it seems just like starting out the old trite

[page 4] saying of “Once Upon a Time.” All I can say is I’m in the S.W. Pacific or New Zealand and the weather is fine hot & dry and the food is better – What am I doing? Repeating. Guess I’ve been talking to myself and got confused. I can talk to other people and get them confused but I thought I was pretty resistant to my own ideas. In other words I’ve built up an immunity to my own disorganization – Does the above make sense? No, alright that just pass the butter and don’t bother with the two that remain.

I’m OK. Dear I’ve just been around too many slap happy people –
Lots of Love

Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/13/slap-happy-roscoe/

Two Day Letter (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 15, 1943

Dear Mother,

This is one of these started on Sat. finished later letters. If you would rather I’d write each day even though they don’t go out let me know but I know this one or rather Sat. mail is held over so that is how it stands.

To begin with there was no mail today so that topic for subject matter can be dropped without further ado.

This being Sat. you remember how I used to talk about inspection and beans. Well, we didn’t have inspection nor did we have beans. Since I’ve arrived here I think I haven’t missed a morning or at

[page 2] least very few when I didn’t have eggs. Or rather egg. At first I ate two but usually now it is only one and a slice of toast. Sometimes just some dry cereal. Milk is the only thing we have for on the cereal but due to the fact that I don’t use cream anymore for my coffee I slip a little of the coffee cream into my cereal. Now you might think I use sugar in my coffee but that is out also. It’s peculiar how this black coffee came about or maybe not so peculiar. You see at first we had no screens around out mess halls and the cream & sugar was placed on the table ahead of schedule and the flies would

[page 3] be thick on both and I decided to just drink it black and now neither taste good hence the black coffee. Is that good reason? Anyway that is the way it is. Maybe I’ve told you that before. Just between you & I that is a lot of “crap” to be writing in a letter but it is all I can think of and that just happened to somehow pop into my mind. So much for Sat –

SUN JAN. 16, 1943

Just finished writing to the folks and will try to pick p yesterday’s but after re-reading I don’t know if it is worthwhile to pick up the topic of Sat.’s.

The weather here is unusually dry – according to the natives. They say it is dryer than it has been for several years. The grass is all burned brown and the

[page 4] dust is pretty bad. Most of the time the wind blows and that really brings the dust into the room. It gets a little thick on things but that doesn’t matter. Sometimes one wonders if the Japs and Germans bother about dust and also if they fret and stew about things like we do. I have an idea they have their ups & downs only I hope they have more downs than ups.

Well Dear for two days this isn’t much of a letter but that doesn’t mean that for the two days I haven’t thought of you often because you really come in and claim lots of thoughts – more than you will ever know –

Lots of Love
Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/10/two-day-letter-roscoe/

Lots of Questions Answered (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 14, 1943

Dear Mother,

Lots of questions were answered today because there was a bunch of Oct. mail. A letter from Dr. Cole, two air mail from you and a letter from Wayne W., a v-mail from The Brewers, a v-mail each from John & Mark and a birthday greeting from the boys. That particular bunch of mail must have been on the wandering order. It, of course, went to the old address and was then sent to Mob. 4 and then on to here.

I can understand why you didn’t mention anything about

[page 2] expenses of your mother’s funeral. I knew you had some policies but I thought those were turned over to someone or something when she got that pension. I guess if the insurance wasn’t enough Bob will hold off until we can pay. Hope I don’t worry you too much about expenses.

Right at the end of one of your letters you said something again about me writing a book. That has been so long ago I, of course, have no idea about what I wrote. You will of course note that my letters from here are different. Which is very easily explained. There are too many Drs. around. Where I was before I was the only one and the other officers had work to do

[page 3] and there was hours on end when I was alone but here someone is barging in most of the time or I’m barging on to someone else so without thought you can see the difference in ideas formulated, and anyway I don’t remember anything I wrote that was worthy of note. Maybe I was a little off that day.

Writing a book would be something but having someone else read it is another thing. You see you read my letters not for the same reason that most people read books and just incidentally pick up here and there a little something that might be catchy but that

[page 4] wouldn’t interest many people. Anyway I haven’t written one as yet and I doubt it very much if I ever will because my thinker doesn’t work that good.

The envelopes I’m using now are the ones Dave Mace sent me last Christmas. I mean Christmas a year ago. They were stored with my stuff when I went you know where.

Well, I guess I’ve about run down again so for now, Solong until tomorrow

Love Daddy

P.S. Ed Johnson’s v-mail letter also came today.

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/08/lots-of-questions-answered-roscoe/ ‎

Laundry Hanging Around (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 133
USN Base Hosp. #4
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
1-13-44

Dear Mother,

After I finished writing yesterday I thought there would be a P.S. to add regarding more mail but there was none for me. It was all mail for persons who had been transferred from other islands and most of my mail in that class is now thru those areas.

I still have some of my laundry hanging around the room from yesterday. It would have been dry if I’d left the radiator on all night but that makes it a little too warm and there is no particular hurry. We should have a line outside but with reconstruction going on in the yard I’m afraid the dust would be pretty thick on the laundry before it could dry because

[page 2] this wind sure whips around the corners and over the knobs. This AM there was a slight sprinkle but not enough to make any impression on the dust.

I’ve read that double talk over that you wrote from the radio program but can’t seem to make much headway. If I had the tune and could hear the words it would probably make sense. Or would it?

Just stopped to read the Newton Co. E. – Sept. 9 issue that came day before yesterday. I must have been lost in the Christmas rush plus the change of address rush. It’s surprising how much real news there isn’t in the paper. I don’t mean to be an old meanie, but, for example, the personal & society – a visit here, a vacation

[page 3] there – well alright then it is news – I’m having a terrific argument with myself and I’m not sure who is winning, anyway there still isn’t much news in those papers. You always give me the cream of the news but maybe yours is the first edition and this paper is the full account.

Tue. night I heard parts of a Jack Benny program which was pretty good. It had been a long time since I’d heard him so maybe that was why I liked it.

This is before mail time so I’ll stop and maybe be able to add more – I hope.

Later. No mail so
Solong until tomorrow
Love Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/06/laundry-hanging-around-roscoe/ ‎

Getting Forgetful (Roscoe)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 12, 1944

Dear Mother,

I’m getting forgetful. I forgot whether or not I added a P.S. to my letter yesterday telling you your Christmas package came – It did. This time it was in pretty good condition but the contents could be seen without opening the box. In other words the ends were very ragged. The chicken bones are all melted into one huge chunk but still within the paper. And why the alcohol and tobacco chasers? I haven’t opened much of it yet. The chewing gum is the best article. The wafers are good – really surprisingly crisp but I’ve lost practically all my taste

[page 2] for sweets. Just the very smallest bit of sweet is enough so I’ll have candy enough to last all year long. One of the officers who was ordered from here gave me a pound box of candy weeks before Christmas and most of it is still in the box and Floyd & Ruth sent some and it is practically intact. I’ll wait a few weeks and put it out in the ward room and it won’t last long but I know I’ll never eat it, unless I get more of a sweet tooth than at present. I hope I don’t sound ungrateful about the gift. The hankies were fine. I am a little short on those and they will fix me up about right.

I wrote Joe Roberts a letter last  night and will try to answer

[page 3] another of those long unanswered letters today. I have an awful time now trying to figure which one I should answer.

I did some laundry this P.M. Last Thurs. I sent my khaki shirts & pants to the laundry as well as 5 pairs of underware trunks, and today I washed 9 pairs of trunks and 16 pair of socks – don’t ask me where all the things came from. I still have 5 clean pair of trunks and one pair on so that makes a total of 20 pair and approx. 2 doz. pair of socks. I still don’t wear any undershirts so don’t have to worry about that part of the laundry. White shirts are no problem because they are not worn enough. Just to weddings or special things which

[page 4] are far and few between for me. And one shirt will last thru several engagements.

Before I forget it I don’t think it’s necessary to file an income tax return this year but again Agnes M. knows more about the laws and if she thinks necessary go ahead. All we get for sure on the tax problem is scuttlebutt, but there is something about this year & last year or something so let me know what you do.

Don’t run yourself too short on buying bonds as I won’t be able to send too much money extra on account of saving it for travel. Maybe I’m being optimistic but it never is wrong to plan ahead – For now Dear that is all –

Love Daddy

P.S. Thanks for the Christmas present.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/04/getting-forgetful-roscoe/

The Letters That Came Yesterday (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
1-11-44

Dear Mother,

I’ll try to say a few words about your letters that came yesterday. First of all it seems your air mail stamps on D’s pictures didn’t work because as yet those pictures haven’t arrived but the snaps of D. & Jimmie did arrive. It always seems when you write of an emergency that letter is delayed. The one telling about your mother just arrived yesterday.

I’m afraid I can’t make out much of that song you sent which you said was going around. In other word it doesn’t make sense to me but maybe it’s not supposed to.

Now about finances. What I

[page 2] really wanted was the final bank balance. I’m glad to get those other figures as they do give me, as you said, food for thought, but you need not go to all the trouble sending too many figures. I don’t quite understand what the $6.60 for tax was for. I just don’t seem to be able to figure that one out. The tax we pay to the county locally are or were taken care of in the house payments – so that really does give me food for thought.

I guess you got the word about those shoes you loaned. I really got a kick out of your answer – very cleverly put I’d say, but we will talk that over in due time.

Your community letter. I mean the one written at

[page 3] Christmas time with all the signatures was interesting. It brought me greeting more or less from the entire gang. I sure was glad to hear that you could all be together.

Just got a letter from John v-mail – thanking me for the Christmas present.

It has been so cool here lately – I’ve been wearing a sweater – gotten from the Red Cross – under my jacket. The wind must be directly off those mountains with snow that you were trying to locate while you were at Mutch’s. I’ll agree with you – most of our maps of this place are small so you probably couldn’t find too much, but even now, I can’t

[page 4] write much about all the surroundings. Not as much as I’d like to. In fact the mountains are fine but give me some level prairie for a change. I think I’d appreciate that lots. But I’ve said all that before so why bring it up again. However as I’ve said before it’s interesting writing & talking material.

Well, I’ll possibly read reread those letters again and make more comments later –

Love Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/02/the-letters-that-came-yesterday-roscoe/

Auditing Board (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.
Jan. 10, 1943

Dear Mother,

I’m writing today before mail time and hope I can add a foot note saying mail has arrived. The rumors have it that there is mail at the P.O. but rumors are not always true as you know.

Just got a call that the auditing board is to meet and since I’m a member must go and put in my two bits worth, by that time we’ll know if there is any mail.

The books are audited but still no mail and it’s getting well on toward 5 P.M. so I’m beginning to think there is no mail today. Seems as if

[page 2] that whole front page was used in discussing the no mail status, so let’s let it rest.

Lentz is out playing golf this P.M. and wanted me to go along and carry his clubs but I refused in a big way. I used to do that once in a while at Norfolk but I’ve changed since then. I have walked lots since coming here but not on the golf course. There are several pretty walks around the hills and valleys and over the river which some of us take ever so often in the P.M. I like to watch the fish in the water. Haven’t fished as yet because I have no gear and don’t want to buy a license. The license is something we didn’t have

[page 3] to have before – Just another draw back of civilization.

In Faye’s letter she said Dolores thought I’d be home in 18 months but knowing fellows here who have been out a little longer than myself I’m beginning to doubt that just a little. In fact I have all along. I think there is an effort being made but one can’t come home on efforts alone. We will just have to wait and see, but we have been thru all that in numerous letters before. However, that is still a very good topic of conversation and it isn’t hard to get things started from the newest member to the oldest. I mean

[page 4] in length of time spent out of U.S.A.

We have an accordion player in our midst now and he does the squeeze very frequently. There is also a “uke” player and they sometimes get in the rumpus room next to mine and make pretty much noise but I can take it. It’s only been in the day time so far. In fact yesterday P.M. was the first but it didn’t bother much.

Well, there still isn’t any mail – so Solong
Love Daddy

P.S. Mail did come after all – Yours of Dec. 8, 17, 24, 27, 27, 28 and Oct. 15 came. The 8 & 17 were v-mail. The Oct. 15th one was the one you wrote at Lafayette when your mother passed away.

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/30/auditing-board-roscoe/ ‎

This Being Saturday (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 8, 1944

Dear Mother,

This being Sat. I’ll start and wind up tomorrow because no mail goes out on Sun. as I’ve told you before so I just put them both in the same envelope. Maybe that is just being lazy or scotch or what have you?

Your letters of 14, 15 & 16 came and some Christmas greetings. One from Ralph & Faye, one from Schlegels, one from John & Inez and one from Helen Coan or whatever her name is now.

Faye wrote a note along with their greeting – Seems as

[page 2] if Faye & Ruth have to do most of the writing in their families.

I still haven’t lived up to that New Year’s resolution of writing everyone those letters but will start one of these days.

I’ll be glad when those pictures of D. arrive. It seems so many times when you are going to send pictures you write about them and the letter with the pictures are is delayed.

You also “sorta” left me in the air about the $49.00 you wrote that Brands had you charged. You didn’t say whether you got out of the thing gracefully. I believe

[page 3] you did say they couldn’t find where it came from. Anyway I guess you got thinks all squared away, I hope.

Sun. Dec. 10 [sic], 1944

Your v-mail of Dec. 29 came today. I believe it must have arrived yesterday but just wasn’t delivered because that is the first time I’ve known mail to come on Sun.

I just came back from the movie – I stayed only long enough to see the News. The news are always old but they save 3-4 for Sun. Eve and it makes about a ½ hour program. I have

[page 4] seen the main feature and it wasn’t so good the first time so I didn’t care to sit thru it again.

Sorry D. has a cold and I hope he is over it by now and also hope that you don’t catch it from him!

I don’t know as yet where you went Christmas. In this letter you wrote that D. caught the cold either from Mark or Earl so I presumed you were either at Wilmington or they were over there.

So Funks finally got a girl. I’ll bet they are both

[page 5] well pleased and I suppose Bobby will really have something to talk about now.

In these last letters I finally got the story of Virginia Zell. In the letters before you had said she was in bed due to an injury. I guess that was in yesterday’s letter but I just happened to think. I’m not being critical of your letter writing but just telling you how they come and how I’m left in the dark on some things for days until the missing letters finally arrive.

Well, I guess I’d better wind this up with
Love Daddy

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©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/27/this-being-saturday-roscoe/

Sweater Girl (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 7, 1943

Dear Mother,

Writing in the P.M. this time and before mail time. So I hope I can add a foot note that some mail has arrived. There is a show tonite and sometimes if it’s late I don’t feel much like writing but I will tell you whether or not the show is rotten or good.

They are doing a little landscaping outside my window and the wind blows the fine dust into my room so everything seems pretty gritty in here, but what is a little dust under circumstances like these?

We have a Kelvinator in a room now just across from mine – For ice cubes and storage space for cold food & drink – mostly drink, but with nothing in particular to drink it may be a waste of refrigeration. However, we always live in hope of some liquid refreshments.

Later. In fact, very much later and there was no mail and the show was a very poor one. The title “The Sweater Girl” and for the life of me I couldn’t see why it was named that and I couldn’t tell whether it

[page 2] was supposed to be a mystery story or just a common story. Anyway I got the jitters before the show was over but had to stay until the end.

There was some mail but it was old mail and nothing for me. Only a few got letters and most of the letters were 2nd or 3rd class so I wasn’t too much disappointed.

I hope you can read my writing because after there is no mail I “sorta” fall down and leave the writing on a limb. It really takes the wind out of things and makes it hard to think. Really I think the next time I’ll write and forget when the next mail is supposed to come so that no influence will be had.

This whole letter is sorta disjointed but I mean well and hope things are OK.

Tomorrow starts our 18th month of foreign duty – I surely hope it means something –
Love Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/25/sweater-girl-roscoe/ ‎