Tag Archives: Noumea

November 22, 1942 (Roscoe)

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In this letter, Roscoe mentioned that he wrote a letter to Ruth M. (his sister) and sent a V-mail to each of the boys. Only one of the V-mails appears to have survived, the one to John. These were special V-mail Christmas greetings, and I believe they cost a pretty penny. I have included the card further down within in the letter.

Letter tanscription:

Nov. 22, 1942

Dear Mother,

I’ll have to say I received your most interesting and longest letter to date. This was written on Nov. so you see it wasn’t so old. And you had it full of things that seemed to hit the spot. Maybe it was because I haven’t received any mail for some time. I also got one from Ruth M. which was written on the same day so I really had a big day – as Eleanor – The President’s wife would say – My day. The pen and pencil set will certainly be fine because one would be lost without one and in case these should become lost or broken it would be bad. Many of the boys brought two sets along. Some even brought two watches – so far mine has been OK but one of the boys dropped his while we were on board ship and now he goes by the bugle.

There is just one question I’d like to ask about the baby’s milk. Isn’t it apt to sour after it is warmed? Maybe it won’t. I’m not saying that just so you’ll have to be up longer but I just wonder.

I wrote Ruth M. and one V-mail Christmas greeting to each of the older boys and also my usual letter to the Folks today. I should write Ruth & Floyd in answer to the birthday greeting but haven’t gotten to it yet. If I have room and can find a copy of our Sunday paper I’ll send it. Which we are allowed to do now since our address is announced. That is one reason why I’m writing so small. If you have written all the letters like the one today I’m sure you must take lots of time but I sure do enjoy that kind. So far I haven’t received the Enterprise and have received only one copy of the Clay City News.

If a bill comes for my lodge dues you might pay if you have enough money and send me the receipt or have them send it direct. I don’t think I’ll pay my medical dues until I get back unless I get the bill here. I don’t believe they will throw me out of the organization. I haven’t heard from Dr. Mathews since I last wrote maybe he is peeved – have you heard anything to that affect? Guess he’ll just have to be

[page 2] is all I can say.

At church tonight the crowd was so big the foundation gave way under the tent floor and are all dropped. It was only a foot or two so no one was injured but it was a surprise. It is one of those long narrow tents about 16 feet wide and 40 feet long. Some probably was there who hadn’t been for some time and the floor fell instead of the roof.

We had roast duck, peas, mashed potatoes, asparagus tips, cake and soup for dinner today – Really was good. For the most part our meals have been very good lately even though there are more here than when we first came. For supper we had cold cuts and a few things like that.

I’m glad to hear the boys are still working on their music it will be good for them later on if they can just stick with it. As yet we haven’t had any shows.

I think Agnes Molter must be wrong about the State Tax but maybe you didn’t mean that – And I don’t believe there will be much federal to pay you might have her go over it and if it isn’t to much get it off now because I don’t want to come back with obligations because I’d like to take things easy – a vacation in a tent. I don’t even want to see a tent but I do want to not start right back to the grind – a few weeks at least and you can bank on that.

I’m going to see if I can find the paper now and I don’t think it will be too much for the regular air mail. We may get more mail now that it has started again and I’ll be looking for those packages.

And just in case – I’ve sent you and David a check for $110 and John & Mark a money order for $10 each.  Just repeating so you can let me know if they don’t arrive.

Hope I get more letters like the one today but I realize you can’t do that every day, but even a line is appreciated – With lots of love

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/15/november-22-1942-roscoe/

November 21, 1942 (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 21, 1942

Dear Mother,

I can’t see much difference in today from yesterday. Same weather, same work and no mail. There are a few letters but for the most part most of them are old letters and some are V-mail. In other words the whole situation stinks. We did go to the ball game this P.M. Saw the last half – two arms teams. It was a relaxation.

I was in town this morning but didn’t go to the Leper Colony this P.M. because the other fellow didn’t want to go and I don’t believe there would be anything gained only morbid curiosity and I’m not that curious. I would like to get out and see more of the country roundabout and maybe will be able to do that some of these days we hope.

I’m surprised I don’t see more fellows from home but it’s only occasionally that I see anyone from Indiana. Lots

[page 2] of fellows see others they know but other than Dr. Ash I don’t see anyone.

I’m beginning to be able to tell where fellows are from by their characteristic talk. Even to the states they came from. Mississippi I’ve learned has a distinct difference from Alabama and Texas is in a class all of its own. I often wonder if other can tell I’m from Ind. Of course the middle west has a distinctive talk but not so much as in the South.

We haven’t heard anything about movies now so don’t know when they will get things fixed up. Seems as if a coil burned out and after all we can’t just order one from Sears etc. I suppose when we do get the picture they will be old.

I’m writing before chow because one never can tell how busy he might be after chow and after 10:00 P.M. nothing doing. I’ll reserve the

[page 3] remainder for late developments. Not much extra to report. Three of us played two games of Dominoes. I won one game. The way we play it one game lasts about 2 hours so you see it kills the greater part of one whole eve.

Fred & I found some Detective story magazines to read tomorrow. They are those very juicy kind that rank along with True Love and True Confessions. We’ll probably get hopped up on them. So I’ll write you a letter full of it – don’t think anything of it –

Well, So Solong

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/22/november-21-1942-roscoe/

November 19, 1942 (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 19, 1942

Dear Mother,

This to me seemed to be the hottest day we have had so far with not too much breeze and still very dry and dusty. It just seems to fog over when a car or truck goes fast. Wasn’t very busy this P.M. and after trying to nap a short time got up and took a bath washed my head. I’ve been using Fitch’s Shampoo the last few times. Can’t say so far it’s any better than other soap etc. but it is easy to use. You should see the shirt I put on. It wouldn’t stay on the line the day I washed it so I took string and tied it on and one place I tied the string was in the front under the pocket and there were plenty of wrinkles but in a day or two those will all be gone. A shirt just begins to looks good when it has to be washed.

Got your birthday greetings today

[page 2] all three of them and I wonder why you didn’t write something on them. Here I haven’t had any mail for several days and the greetings and only your name. Of course I was glad to get them but a few lines on them would have helped. I’ve gotten letters much later than those – 4 days to be exact. Those were mailed on Oct. 23 and my latest letter is Oct. 27. Our mail as I’ve said is stagnant again.

Last night there was plenty of lightning all around thru the East but no rain or storm showed up. I even put the tent flaps down and nothing happened. If one of those tropical storms ever came along – the ones we see in the movies – I’m afraid we’ll be without a roof but I guess that wouldn’t even be too bad because water won’t bother anyone only our sleep might be disturbed.

[page 3] Tell the boys thanks for their greetings. I’ll try to write them again one of these days but I just wrote when I mailed the money orders. So I’ll wait a few days yet.

It’s time for chow so I’ll finish later – About 4 hours later – The new fad is now dominoes – Four big men playing and strange as it seems they seem to enjoy it. I played last night. I think that is the second stage of Island happiness if you get what I mean, probably next will be whirling a stri button on a string. If we can find a button.

Saw another Dr. from Indianapolis. I didn’t know him before – he was just passing thru. We seem to hang on here maybe for long may [maybe] shorter we have no idea.

Well, I ashamed of these letters for the past few weeks but there is no news on –

So Solong
Love Daddy

© 2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/09/november-19-1942-roscoe/

November 18, 1942 (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Nov. 18, 1942

Dear Mother,

I’m writing before chow because we have work to do afterwards and there is a movie here tonite and of course will have to go. Not have to but we might want to although I’m not too much excited about them.

Now that you know our location I suppose you will be using maps in getting the location etc. As I’ve said before it’s a more or less modernized town but the standard of living doesn’t seem as high as ours. Of course, we don’t have any of the conveniences that they have in town. There are plenty of coconut trees here and there are always green ones on them but I’ve never found a ripe one only in the stores. In our particular area there are no coconut trees but we can see plenty not more than a half mile away in several directions. The nuts are supposed to be good from tiny green ones up to the large ripe ones.

[page 2] There are also supposed to be some bananas growing here but I haven’t been far enough away to see them as yet.

I suppose the boys will get their maps and look the situation over again. I finally got a map of the south west but would still like one of Europe as well as any you might send.

It’s hard to believe this is Nov. since it is so warm and things are so different than from the States. In this type climate the seasons seem so much alike. That is so far only the rain is different and we haven’t had any of that for so long. The dust is very thick on my stand beside the bed. And our our table in the mess tent/hall seems like sand paper when one rubs his hand over it. So maybe all that stuff that looks like pepper in the food isn’t.

[page 3] No mail again today and our news is mostly local. The radio news and newspapers are quite some behind times so we only know our local stuff and it isn’t so bad. There just hasn’t been any mail come in with the exception of a few V-mail letters. Those are old but one of my tent mate got one today dated Nov. 2, which wasn’t so bad, but regular air mail came in about 4-5 days ago  addressed dated Nov. 2.

I’ll save the rest of the space until after the show or morning. Maybe mail will come. No mail, no show.

Don’t know why the no mail but something broke on the sound affect to the whole thing was called off. Maybe better next time. I’ve heard there is lots of mail around here but just hasn’t been sorted etc.

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/20/november-18-1942-roscoe/

The Big Reveal (Roscoe)

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Postcard of Noumea, New Caledonia

Postcard of Noumea, New Caledonia

The big secret has been revealed. Where was Roscoe exactly? The Navy finally allowed the men in New Caledonia to give their specific addresses to loved ones at home. Since the beginning of September 1942, Roscoe was stationed at the U.S. Naval Advance Base in Nouméa, New Caledonia. For the first time, Roscoe used his specific address on the return envelope as well as including it inside the letter for all to use. I can’t imagine it was much of a security breach at this point. The Japanese surely knew there was an American base on New Caledonia. Roscoe had provided many clues for the family at home. The islanders spoke French. They had a distinctive red hair color. He included references to a certain National Geographic Magazine article about New Caledonia from July 1942. And of course, he gave his location to Gladys in code, right from the very beginning. The above postcard was mixed in with the letters. There is no writing on the back so it was most likely sent as a visual reference for Gladys and the boys, tucked into one of the letters.

In one of many internet searches of New Caledonia and the surrounding region, I came across a 1943 United States Army handbook for military troops serving in New Caledonia. I love the section in the back for speaking French and the basic phrase book.  Pocket Guide to New Caledonia

Note from Roscoe with change of address

Note from Roscoe with change of address

I am not exactly sure which letter the following slip of paper belonged to originally. I found it with the letter Roscoe wrote on November 19th. However, the context did not make sense. On the 19th, Roscoe was already correctly addressing his envelopes with the new address. The last letter in which Roscoe used the White Poppy format was November 16th. Based on today’s letter, it is apparent that he had already sent the new address at least once. I am therefore deducing that this paper probably belonged with a letter prior to the 17th. If Gladys received a group of letters in a bunch, it is likely that this slip may have ended up in the wrong envelope.

Letter transcription:

Nov. 17, 1942

Dear Mother,

Just a little time between chow and work. It being 5:45 P.M. and the weather cloudy. Needless to say I want you to write me when the check and money orders get there. It might have been foolish to send them when mail is heavy but maybe it won’t be so heavy they there by the time those arrive. We didn’t receive any mail again today. Seems like at first when we came – but maybe that new address will help. That is the third one now so all in all we should fare better. Just in case you didn’t get it

Receiving Station
U.S. Naval Advance Base
Noumea, New Caledonia

There is no doubt now about our location but I suppose you had a pretty definite idea where

[page 2] it was. If you see anybody who cares to write tell them of the new address and I’ll write to some of them also.

We are still pretty busy but it runs in streaks like it used to at home. Out of our original bunch there is very near half at other locations even my old friend Lentz. That makes ones address very uncertain but the mail will always be sent on, so use that new address and in case I leave it will be alright.

I haven’t seen Dr. Ash in so long, guess he is still where he was but I haven’t had time to go swimming so miss our meetings. Swimming was OK at first but anymore the new is worn off so I don’t care so much anymore and along with being busy I don’t care.

Had some sardines yesterday – some fellow go [got] some and with crackers and

[page 3] a little beer we had a fine mid afternoon snack. Of course I wasn’t very hungry when evening chow came along but the meat was corned beef and the cook didn’t use any spoon he just threw all the pepper in he had so I didn’t care for much. We had lamb again today. That seems to show up often and I don’t care so much for it but it’s better than canned meats.

It’s time to think before long about that state gross income tax for the whole year and if there is any questions see Lamb or Agnes Molter and also about the federal. Guess you have done that or will before long. David should come in for his share of tax reduction.

Well, I’ll have to confess there isn’t much in this but there just isn’t much to write.

So Solong
Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/05/the-big-reveal-roscoe/