Tag Archives: Noumea

The Country Side is Pretty Fine (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Dec. 2, 1942
Dear Mother,

Just after evening chow – so maybe I can get this off before work because I can’t miss a show. Don’t know what it will be but as I’ve said before that doesn’t matter.

Red bottlebrush tree (Photograph from http://www.new-caledonia-photos.com)

I was out two directions from town today. On business this time and the country side is pretty fine. There are some large widly [wildly?] spreading trees which have a bright red flower and they are real pretty – just a mass of red. Every once in a while the odor of Gardenias can be smelled and that’s pretty fine only it’s sorta spoiled by the bust because it’s been ever so long since we’ve had rain. People don’t seem to suffer from lack of rain however. They have a crude system of irrigation. Most of the gardens rather fields are small and on hillsides and about the middle of these there is a series of barrels one set lower than the next in line. Ech Each is connected by a trough and it seems the top barrel is filled until it runs into the next and so on. From each of these pipes lead sideways or they carry water in buckets. Where the water comes from at the top I’m not sure. When you drive past these the odor of human manure is pretty strong, so I have a suspicion they don’t buy fertilizer. And I

[page 2] also don’t want any of the green vegetables. In fact I’ll take the dried food from the U.S.A. It may be worse but I don’t know that.

Our breeze has been good again today but the sun hot. I’ve said that so much you are probably tired of hearing it but it still is true and fills up space. No mail today – none came into camp – just one of those no letter days. Of course we are always expecting and when we get mail regularity for a few days it seems very hard when it doesn’t come.

The coffee rationing must be hard on your mother. She won’t have enough to go more than 2-3 days out of the week. We have plenty of coffee here – In fact the Navy lives on coffee.  A pot is brewed in some divisions both morning and afternoon. I haven’t gotten the habit that bad yet.

It’s almost show time so I’ll try to add the remainder after that. Thur. morn – put my laundry to soak last night and didn’t get back to finish this letter. Not much to add. The name of the show was “Topper Returns.” It was about like some of the Shadows programs over the radio. Fantastic but entertaining.

So Solong

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/08/04/the-country-si…ty-fine-roscoe/

Topics for conversation (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Dec 1, 1942

Dear mother,

I’m starting this early after noon day chow – Don’t know why – just didn’t have anything else to do. Our weather contrary to the past few days has been very cool. In fact last night we almost had to go to bed to get warm. Of course the sun is still hot but there is a much better breeze than the past few days. Weather always makes good conversation and since there isn’t much to write about it sure takes a beating.

Number two topic is mail but so far today that is a blank – but we never give up with that until after 1700. So I’ll save space near the end to give the latest report on that. Comparing my mail with many of the others around here I’m far ahead of them.

We have most of our rearranging done and now we have a room 16’ x 16’ with only three of us. There is a small dormer on each side about 4 feet wide which gives us a pretty good cross breeze.

Govt Got paid yesterday and had to pay my months mess bill. My pay for the half month was 46 – and the mess bill was 16.50 so I should have enough left for beer, tobacco, etc. In a few months I can send a little more home again but it takes time to build up much of a reserve. My share now amounts to about 92-3 $ per month and mess etc comes out of that not to forget stamps and writing paper which you’d be surprised how it counts up. So you see you are getting the lion’s share of the salary. But then you have everything to keep up so why not.

[page 2] We really can get along financially better than when I was at Norfolk because expenses are much less here.

We have a loud speaker here now for announcements. Something like in a hospital and it seems to be going most of the time. Even the bugle was blown over it this A.M. and there was no doubt about it being heard.

I suppose by now the stores are all getting ready for Christmas and are they putting up the town decorations this year as of old? I haven’t been to town for some time so don’t know what it being done here. It will be interesting to see what they do do during this time of year.

If I don’t get too lazy I’m going to write Floyd & R. this P.M. but I feel like first of all I should have a little relaxation. I’ll finish later.

The show is over – “The Magnificent Fraud” was pretty good. The winds blew pretty hard in our open air show house but the stars are pretty over head and since there is no moon now they stand out very pretty.

There was no mail in camp today so that was easily settled – maybe we’ll have better luck next time.

Well so long until next time
Lots of love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/08/01/topics-for-conversation-roscoe/

Missing letters (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 30, 1942

Dear Mother,

Another Monday almost gone and it’s about the same as usual other than I got 4 letters one from each of the older boys and 2 from you. These today were all dated Nov. The latest being either the 15th or 16th the other the 8th. V-mail is now about one week behind the ordinary air mail. You or the boys or both might send a V-mail now and then because they’re not bad. So far I’ve saved all my letters or rather yours – all but those first few, and I’ll give you the dates of which I have as yet not received mail. All in Aug I’ve received not received in Sept. 9, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 – Oct. 1-10-22-26-29-30-31 – Nov. 5, 6, 7, 14. Sundays of course I didn’t expect any mail so I crossed those dates off. I got your pictures. The one of the boys and you. All that you have sent. When the Christmas rush is over I wish you would get a picture taken say about 4 in square of yourself and send it. Something about the size of the one I had in the office. It would be nice to have but not too large to handle.

The watch situation is Ok. If I need one I’ll send but nothing expensive. Many have sent good watches home and have inexpensive ones sent out. Mine is doing fine so I don’t have to think of that at present at least.

I suppose we will have another show tonight but as usual we don’t know what it will be. Guess don’t make any difference.

We are getting an extension on our living quarters today so have been bothered with lots of flies, but

[page 2] it is about closed up now.

Still don’t have any of the packages you talked about. Those seem to be very slow in coming in but maybe it hasn’t been long enough yet. I guess I’ll have to send the pictures on to Lentz. Too bad they couldn’t get here before he left.

I want to write to Uncle Wes but I’m not sure of his address guess it would come back. I keep thinking his letters will come but you will note that during the time when he wrote the mail wasn’t coming. Again about that tax. I believe the last payment was to be Jan. 1. Maybe you can make them both at that time. I know expenses are heavy around about that time but that was last year’s tax. I’m afraid they will come and get me and put me in jail. What do you think? I really believe there would be a penalty on last years. Well, I’ve said all that before etc.

You can tell Mark his letters are coming along and I do really appreciate them. And if they write at different times my chances of receiving mail more often will be increased. They don’t need to wait for me to write each time for often it’s all I can do to get one letter per day written and too I have several others to write to.

Well, I’ll try to add more later but in case I forget –

Solong

Love Daddy

P.S. Got another V-mail from you dated Nov. 9 and you said you had sent stamps – I haven’t received them nor the commission.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/30/missing-letters-roscoe/ ‎

I still think of you folks lots (Roscoe)

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Back in June, I alluded to my upcoming vacation. I generally do not like to publish when I am going to be away from home after my in-laws suffered from identify fraud several years ago while they were away on vacation. I have been back for a little while and now I am ready to share.

The trip’s two main purposes were to see my Dad and to visit many of the places I lived in my youth. My children had never been to New York or New England. Overall I think the trip was a great success. The only negative memory was the car rental agency. We disembarked from the train in Boston only to be told that no cars were available. Luckily, the problem was quickly solved by taking a taxi to another location.

Me with my ancestor Capt. Finney Leach at Burial Hill, Plymouth.

Me with my ancestor Capt. Finney Leach at Burial Hill, Plymouth.

The trip was not intended to be a genealogical journey. I had promised my children that we were not going to spend lots of time trudging through cemeteries. As it ended up, we spent one Sunday in two cemeteries, Old Burial Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Wendell Cemetery in Holbrook, Massachusetts. It was a somewhat miserable day to begin with due to the extremely high humidity. My children whom I love dearly do not like spiders or bugs. In New England, there were many new species of insects that they had previously not been introduced to. They accompanied me through Burial Hill but the bugs quickly became too much for my son to handle. In Holbrook, they just stayed in the car.  I was able to take new pictures of many of the stones I had photographed 15 years previously. Wendell Cemetery is where my great grandparents are buried. We took many annual trips there when I was a child to plant flowers on their graves for Memorial Day. As I have delved deeper into my family genealogy, I have discovered the many other generations of the family buried there including dozens of cousins. I specifically wanted to photograph the grave of one of my Revolutionary War ancestors who is buried there.

Future projectsWhile visiting my Dad, I packed up seven boxes of family photographs and documents. He was the keeper of his parents’ vacation slides from many of their trips around the world in the 1960s-1970s. Now it is my task to view and scan them as well as decide which ones  should be preserved. Another treasure that my Dad had recently discovered was the Kentland Newton County Centennial book which was published in 1960. The book has pictures of many of the people mentioned in the letters as well as all sorts of information about Kentland. We will seeing some of these pictures soon in future blog posts.

Letter transcription:

Nov. 29, 1942

Dear Mother,

To begin with I’m pretty sure I forgot to finish yesterday’s letter. I thought about it after it was sealed and sent out. Maybe I didn’t anyway if I did I hope you understand.

There is another ball game this P.M. but it was too hot to walk down and I can see it a little from our front porch. We watched the boxing bouts from the porch last night. It’s a little far but I don’t think much farther that one would be from the ringside in a big bout in the states, and we could hear the band pretty well here also. Didn’t have a movie last night – nor none tonite. Guess none tonite on account of church.

We had chicken again today but it isn’t nearly as good now as it was at first. It is probably just as good but after having it once each week and turkey in between time it isn’t such a novelty. Once in a while we draw a poor meal but for the most part we have been fed very good. In fact we get much more than we need.

[page 2] This seems to be a typical lazy Sunday afternoon but I don’t know why because every day is very much the same except church and chicken but it’s just something that makes one want to take a nap. I’ve already written to the folks and want to write C.J. yet before sleep over comes me.

I’ve told you about many of our Drs. leaving to other locations and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see others do likewise and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if I wasn’t one of them. I’ll write you if I am – but won’t be able to tell you when or where. I think we I will know before long if I’m to be transferred. It seems as if the whole bunch will be broken up. Must have been a rotten bunch.

Again if you have the papers I’d like for you to pay the Federal Tax for last year. That we know will always have to be paid and I think will cause less trouble if taken care of now. I’m going to write on the back

[page 3]  because I want to send a copy of our paper on Thanksgiving Day. You can see the whole menu we had that day. I tried to get one on Thanksgiving Day but they seemed to be too few, but I did find one later.

I’m going to finish this and leave a little space in case things develop – because I don’t like to leave them unfinished. I can also add a line if mail comes which it didn’t this A.M.

I th still think of you folks lots and love you more and put in a little prayer each night for your welfare –

I love you

Daddy

P.S. I didn’t mean to be a softie at the end. It’s just the way it happens.

P.S. Got 2 letters from you dated Nov. 12 & 13. Got lots of stuff – some repeat – but that’s the first I knew of your hospital trip etc –

© 2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at:  https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/29/i-still-think-…ks-lots-roscoe/

The first package arrives (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 28, 1942

Dear Mother,

I’m hanging around on duty tonite and maybe will have time to write a letter all at once – went to a baseball game this P.M. between the army and navy so have to hang around. The Navy won.

You can tell Mark I got a letter from him today Nov. 8 and was glad to get it. If the boys keep writing at different times it will increase my chances of getting mail. The last latest mail I have received from you was Nov 2 and that was several days ago. So there is lots yet to be gotten. In fact I have never received those that were written when David arrived.

I received a Christmas birthday box from Mom today. She had some stick candy and some various other kinds and the whole mess was sticky. This hot damp weather seems to simply melt candy but it’s pretty good. She also sent some butterscotch rolls and 5-6 packages of chewing gum and one box of menthol cough drops. C. J. Easley included 2 Indianapolis Stars and a package of V-mail envelopes. Do you have to pay for those things? We have plenty of

[page 2] those can get all we want at the P.O. Maybe I can use them – I’ll write him and thank him for them. The box was open at one corner and if the candy hadn’t been sticky one sack would have leaked out. I sorta shudder to think what the candy will be like you sent because I believe you said it was a little soft. And boxes must be tied very good because the best of them look bad when they arrive.

I’m rooming with two dentists and our quarters are in back of the dental office. And I’m writing at a desk in the back of their office and just now one of them is in the process of pulling a fellow’s tooth and I think it broke off and he is scraping it out from the sound of things. Sorta makes my teeth feel on edge to hear that scrape. I ran the above all together with ands because he was scraping pretty fast.

A Lt. Commd that used to be our big boss was promoted to Commander today and he treated the officers to cold beer at evening chow. It went pretty good the weather being as hot as it was today. As long as there is a breeze and one can find shade it’s OK.

[page 3] but just get in the sun without the breeze and it is hot.

I’ll have to write C.J. and Mom tomorrow and thank them for the package and hope to get yours in the next few days. I believe she sent hers before you did. I’m really more interested as much in packages as letters because news from home are most important but don’t mistake me I appreciate the packages also.

Fred got a package yesterday and carried it all around showing it to everyone and he also asks you to listen to parts of his letters etc. I don’t care anything about those things and I don’t read any of mine to him. He is a fine fellow to get along with but he does have peculiar ideas. He is an only child so I suppose he gets some of his peculiarities from that.

I’ll add a line in the A.M.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/26/the-first-pack…arrives-roscoe/

A case of cold beer (Roscoe)

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Destry Rides Again is a movie staring Jimmie Stewart and Marlene Dietrich. The movie has a rather infamous fight scene between Marlene Dietrich and Una Merkel and Jimmie Stewart. Although I have never seen the movie, here’s a clip of the big fight from the movie.

Letter transcription:

Nov. 27, 1942

Dear Mother,

The dates on my letters are a little confusing since I write in the P.M. The letter goes thru the censorship routine the next morning and to the P.O. about noon then to the main P.O. in the P.M. and then leave the next day so you see a letter is about 3 days off old before it really leaves the island but I guess that doesn’t make much difference in the long run because of the length of time it takes them to get there. I never seal the envelope until it is ready for censorship so if anything important comes up I can add it and that takes off one day. There is no point to the above whatever only just telling you the procedure.

I’ve been very lazy in the letter writing business the past few days. It seemed that when I wanted to write there was something else that had to be done and when I had time I wasn’t in the mood. The nightly shows cut into my writing schedule but they are pretty good past time. Last night’s show was a little odd. I guess. The name “Destry Rides Again.” Don’t know what the one is tonite we always have pretty good house even if the title isn’t

[page 2] known ahead. Most everyone goes even if they have seen it before. And many persons who go to the movies often have seen them, but as for me they will have to hunt pretty hard if they find one I have seen, as you are well aware.

Our living quarters are pretty good now. We – Three of us – have a space 12 feet by 16 feet. Have Iron bunks with springs. And electric lights. I’ve told you that before but I’m so pleased. We were up last night until 11:00 P.M. We seem to be in a part of the outfit where lights out don’t affect. So we can read write etc. And too the mosquitoes aren’t so bad but we still use our nets at night because the little bugs slip in some way.

Today outside the heat is very oppressive and the sun really burns. Inside the hut it is rather comfortable and there is a slight breeze, but standing perfectly still in the sun is almost unbearable.

So far today I received a copy of the Newton County Enterprise dated Oct. 22 and two V-mail letters one from you and one from John – Yours was dated Nov. 5 and John’s Nov. 3. That’s two V-mails from John and none from Mark. The one I got from John on Nov. 1 sounded more like Mark but it had John’s name.

I haven’t written Bart yet about the paper

[page 3] but I intend to in the very near future and I also intend to write Boonie again. I got his letter 3 days ago but wasn’t in the mood to write and have been a little busy what with moving etc.

Was interrupted for a time – Have just been to the P.O. but no mail or packages. I brought two packages for another Dr. but none for myself. Guess mine will be along sooner or later. It is now 1700 and still the sun is very hot. It’s supposed to be the dead of summer or very near it and by 1915 it is dark enough to start the movies so that proves the period of twilight is shorter here than there because it still very light there at 1915 in the Eve. As I remember it.

Just got a case of cold beer and is it good. Most of the time it is warm but once in a while we are able to get a cold one. Our beer supply is running low and I’ll be sorta glad because it put on too much weight.

Well, I’ll save the rest of the space until morning. It isn’t morning yet but the show was short. The name “Gold Rush Mazie”. It was about as good as it sounds. I’ll add more in the morning.

Nothing new. Very warm at 7:30 A.M. – will start another letter today

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/24/a-case-of-cold-beer-roscoe/

Thanksgiving in the South Pacific, 1942 (Roscoe)

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On November 26, 1942, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her “My Day” column her thoughts about celebrating Thanksgiving during wartime. A transcription of her thoughts are found at the FDR Library’s website. Transcriptions of all her “My Day” thoughts can be found at the The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project.

Letter transcription:

Nov. 26, 1942

Dear Mother,

I’m going to write this early in the P.M. because we have a pretty full evening ahead – chow then hospital rounds then another show and then we plan on putting up some shelves in our new home. We are now living in the back end of a q. hut have electric lights and everything – bed with springs but no water. I took a shower bath this A.M. and had to go about ½ mile so here after I’m going to take a bath out the back in a bucket at night, by the time I walked back from the bath I was as sweaty as before. The toilet is still about as far away as it was and the mess hall is farther but the electric lights are a great improvement and a good smooth deck is really something.

I mailed out Christmas greetings last night to Mrs. Plummer and to the folks and to all the brothers & sister. So I suppose I’ve done all the Christmas shopping I’m going to do. I’ll probably be wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year in several letters to come and will

[page 2] send you some new greetings if another type comes out.

I was at Dr. Ash’s place today – had a long talk with him. Their mail hasn’t been coming in so good lately it’s really been like ours. I’ve gotten mail about 2 wks later than his.

I don’t know if I got all our new address on last night but I’ll get it on tonite for sure.

It rained hard last nite but today has been clear and hot and our very welcome wind has slowed down lots and we are suffering some from the heat and it isn’t so cool in the hut as it is in a tent with all the sides up.

Well I’m going to the P.O. now and I suppose it will be after the show before I get back again.

Got one letter dated Oct. 13 and it was mailed regular mail rather than air mail. I just wondered if you gave up writing air mail for a spell. There is more in but we’ll have to wait until morning.

I suppose there was a big to do made about the men in the armed

[page 3] forces getting turkey etc for dinner – we did – really was a swell feed. Had fruit cocktail in the beginning, Turkey soup then the main course of turkey sage dressing but the sage was very very light – mashed sweet potatoes asparagus tips, pear sweet pickle and pumpkin pie. So you see it was really worth talking about.

I’ve slipped this last in between chow & hospital time.

I wish you would have paid the remainder of that federal tax. If you still have the papers and have the money I wish you would pay it for I’m afraid that might cause trouble, but you can do as you like about next years. That will make too much to pile up. So do that if you can see clear.

Lots of Love Daddy

Receiving Station
U.S. Naval Advanced Base
Noumea New Caledonia
c/o Fleet P.O. San Francisco Calif.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at:https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/22/thanksgiving-i…ic-1942-roscoe/

It’s My Birthday (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Wed Nov. 25, 1942

Dear Mother,

Today being my birthday I didn’t receive any mail other than 3 copies of the Newton County Enterprise Dated Oct. 1, 8 & 15. They were pretty good reading and my roommate said he wanted to read the want adds and farm notices.

Our trip yesterday was something different – Fred, another Dr and myself climed [climbed] into a peep [jeep]. Me in the back seat and the other two ahead. Around town the roads were rather smooth and the going was good but a little farther out the roads became very very rough and my rear end took a lot of slapping. Those in the front seat didn’t fare so badly.

Along the route we saw lots of banana orchards with the green bananas hanging in bunches. There were a few orange trees but the oranges looked small hardly larger than a good sized plum. There seemed to be growing wild and not much

[page 2] cultivated.

Niaouli trees

Some of the roads run along on the side of the mountains and at times one could see the road we just came over winding back and right along side almost but of course over on the edge of the other hill. Some of the peaks are about I would judge 5000 feet. Some are sloping while others seem to go almost straight up. The trees are not large either in the valleys on on the mountains and occasionally there were a few tall pines but the nailoa [niaouli] tree is very much in the majority.

On our journey back we picked up a trooper from Australia and got some interesting sidelights from the other side. He rode in the back seat with me and took the bottom slapping the same as I did. When we got back we had traveled about 70 miles. It was interesting but the scenery around here is not

[page 3] the prettiest in the world. Not even as good as the flat lands of Indiana. I saw corn growing in all stages from 3-4 inches up to 4-5 feet, beans about one foot high and other vegetables such as cabbage, onions, etc.

Howards of VirginiaThere is another show tonite and I think I’ll go. It is right here in camp the name “The Howards of Virginia.”

The show is over and it was pretty good. It was a story of the Revolutionary War. Lots of things are similar even in this one today.

Postcard of Noumea, New Caledonia

Postcard of Noumea, New Caledonia

I’m sending you a picture post card & save it for there are some interesting things I can point out. It would be telling if I marked them out now.

I’m sending out some Christmas greetings tonite. We have two kinds one is the V-mail and the other is one made here in camp. I sent another kind to Mark & John the other day. I’ll send one of each to you. That is these last two kinds.

We have another little change in address- just an addition. See envelope.

Well, this letter is more jumbled but maybe you can make head & tales of it I hope.

Lots of Love

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at:https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/20/its-my-birthday-roscoe/ ‎

November 24, 1942 (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 24, 1942

Dear Mother,

This will have to be a little fast because we have a show which starts in a few minutes and it will be too late afterwards and since we took a pleasure ride this P.M. I didn’t have time then. I want to tell you about the trip but not when I’m in a hurry. Sure saw lots of interesting things. And on top of all else I didn’t get back in time to go to the P.O. so don’t know if any mail came. I had another fellow to pick it up but he forgot so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if any came.

I intended to write you of the trip and also write Boonie but the time is too short. I finally did get Bob H. & Ed J.’s letter off – seems as if things always happen when I want to write.

[page 2] I’m writing this on a road map of the U.S. right smack on Indiana. Why I don’t know – it just started that way. I’ll write more after the show. It’s over. The name of it was Maryland – was a pretty good show but our sound isn’t so good and the fellows who run them don’t know what it’s all about.

Tomorrow being my birthday it just missed Thanksgiving by one day and I hear we have turkey for that day so it’s to bad it couldn’t be my birthday it really will be at home with the time fussed up the way it is. Or maybe it 2 days off I just can’t figure it all out.

There are several guy here trying to talk business and I can’t think straight so I’ll just cut off until later.

This is the third time but it’s morning – the morning of my birthday and it’s sprinkling and it looks as if we are maybe in for some wet weather

[page 3] but it could be just a small rain as we have had some in the past.

The show last night was pretty good but things are not adjusted as yet and that makes it bad but you can’t walk up and demand your money back because none was paid in the first place. We don’t get any news shorts nor do we have to watch previews. We just have one show and that’s all period.

Well, I’ll write a longer letter tonight and I hope then won’t be so many pauses.

Lots of love,

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/25/november-24-1942-roscoe/

November 23, 1942 (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 23, 1942

Dear Mother,

This was really a red letter day got 4 V-mail letters and 4 regular air mail letters. 3 of the V-mail letters were from you one from John. One letter each from Boonie, Bob Hufty, Ed Johnson and Mom. So with the 2 letters yesterday and the 8 today that makes pretty good mail. Your letters of course five news of home but the others give me news of the town and the country in general. The road change seems to be serious as far as the town of Kentland is concerned but I suppose it is all settled by now so no use for me to worry about it now. The letters I got today were dated Nov. 11. Except the V-mail which were dated along the first of Nov. So the V-mail are slower.

I’m afraid lots of the fun and sport of the folks will be spoiled by the fact that they can no longer guess where I am for the new address will clear that situation completely, but if we should move on then the guessing would start all over again. I wrote 5 letters yesterday – and will have to write more

[page 2] again tonite to answer what I got today. Of course I wrote the folks yesterday and won’t write them again until next Sun, but will have to write Bob, Ed and Boonie. I suppose I should write one letter and have carbon copies made but they are very close and would compare them. Ed said he read my letter to Rotary – wish I could remember what I wrote in that letter but it’s been so long I just don’t know and I’ve written him two so don’t know which it was. Bob said I didn’t answer his letter but I did each time the day after he wrote so it either got lost or else there was a mix up in the going & coming.

One of those V-mails was from John but I didn’t get one from Mark. I thought you said Mark wrote also. It probably got lost and will be coming along later. I still have that blank space from Sept 20 to Sept 26 with no mail and now it will be from Oct 27 and Nov 10. With no packages as yet, but some according to the way you wrote haven’t [?] been sent long enough. You said you got the box of shells and there is still the other box containing the bath mat and that wonderful necklace I made. I haven’t been to the sea

[page 3] for so long – maybe we’ll go out for an outing tomorrow P.M. The boss promised Fred and I the P.M. off. I never have told you about Fred. He is very much the opposite of Knoby Walsh. He is tall – very much excitable and not one bit true to his love – his wife at least not while in the States here of course he hasn’t had a chance to be untrue. He argues much on politics and religion and get drunk when he gets a chance of course around here on duty he is very tender hearted etc. He is a Lt (jg) and he and I work and are the only two (jg) left. He as I said is tall 6 ft. 2 in. and around the camp we are together all time because we have the work to do. He’s not as bad as I say – only a great big boy who strays very easy. He’s perfectly OK until someone offers him a drink or asks him to go someplace and it doesn’t take the second invitation. Don’t be alarmed at my association because you know me.

So much for my friend. The last mail is in today so I don’t expect anymore. So I’ll close this letter and won’t forget it. I sometimes don’t close until late and then get busy and forget. So Solong until tomorrow. I love you

Daddy

P.S. I happen to know the address you gave for Dr. Joe is New Zealand – So you might tell Mrs. R

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