Tag Archives: Noumea

A tooth filled (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

2/9/43

Dear Mother,

To begin with I had my tooth filled today and after all that has to be done now is to polish it and then all will be OK again. The thing the dentist put in the other day was a shock absorber. It didn’t hurt very much when he drilled because it was fixed so soon after the damage was done.

Just got to wondering today if you ever got a sugar ration card for D. and if you ever turned mine back. Then too I was wondering how the meat rationing was taken care of. The coffee and our today’s news said shoes were on the list – Maybe you have written those things but I haven’t received the

[page 2] complete dope as yet. Really doesn’t make any difference only those are things we wonder about. I suppose you often would like to know about things here that we don’t even think of writing – if so ask. If your questions can’t be answered I’ll let you know. I don’t believe you ever did acknowledge the picture (airplane view) I sent – possibly you have but the letter hasn’t arrived as yet.

Last night I wrote the Plummers and Ira Dixon – I’m trying to catch up a little. I was about half asleep when writing Ira’s so if he should mention that I was writing sorta funny – That was the reason.

On the show last night there was a Donald D. and a Feature Speciality

[page 3] both were short but rather amusing.

I suppose you have read lots and hear lots over the radio of Flinn the movie actor and his troubles. We get little sketches of the proceeding – Rather a musty affair if you get what I mean. We have had several of his pictures here and I wonder how they will go over at home. Anything will go over out here although the show “They Won’t Forget” was a flop with a Double P. even though it was rated a 4.0 picture.

After the show and mail – show not much good – mail better. You v-mail letters of Jan 20 (2), 21, 23 and 25 came today and Mark’s of Jan 19. I suppose you have my word on the taxes. Don’t pay them only

[page 4] enough to keep out of jail – I’m afraid you won’t get all the deductions. I can deduct for the office equipment depreciation the same as last year as I understand it. Probably you have my letters about that by now anyway drop the whole thing.

Your last letter by ordinary air mail was Jan 14. So the v-mail is faster but keep writing air mail. I wouldn’t take D. out in the cold weather – leave him in until Spring – would be better for both of you to stay inside most of the time.

Got a box from Bill & Jewell today – smoking tobacco and the several Indianapolis Stars. Will have Sunday Star for Jan

[page 5] to write them in a day or two.

Baby D. must be some boy weighing that much in his 4 months. I don’t even want to offer any suggestions to his feeing schedule because I might be extremely incorrect now. However, it should not make the slightest difference in the canned milk used. Just so it is a standard brand.

Well, keep writing both kinds of letters and I surely will be glad to get the pictures. I wish I would have had you had yours tinted – etc. Anyway it will be better than any I have of you. Hope to get more mail tomorrow but it probably will be another 10-12 days now

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/21/a-tooth-filled-roscoe/

Six month anniversary (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

2/8/43

Dear Mother,

Just six months ago today we were leaving Moffitt Field. We sorta call it an anniversary of a type which means just that many months behind as far as foreign service is concerned. What the total length of time for that kind of service will be isn’t definitely known but this much is certain it’s that many months behind.

Yesterday one of the officers had a birthday and we had a little celebration with turkey and birthday cake for supper. That was only the officers in Ships Co. Just a little celebration in our own family. It make it pretty nice to have a small group like that. Seems more friendly etc.

[page 2]I told them my birthday was past and there was no celebration but if they wanted to it would be OK. There hasn’t been any advances in that direction as yet.

Our mail seems to be a little on the sluggish order again it being several days since any of value has drifted in. We have high hopes but after the mail times we are generally pretty much on the low order but hopes pop up by the time of the next delivery and then flop down again. I’ve almost gotten myself to the place where I don’t get my hopes built up.

We sure do look forward to the show, however, and are as anxious as, and in fact we remind me of

[page 3] how the sisters at the hospital used to look forward to and talk about the shows they would have while I interned there.

Helen Kline’s husband has been with me at several shows I take him in our section as a guest. We have a little better seats than the others and I’m allowed a guest. So why not?

Today’s letter is like pulling teeth – nothing to write about and not too much energy to write even if there was something.

Later – Show over. “Beyond the Blue Horizon” Dorothy S. & Jack Haley. South Sea Island picture. “puey” mothering like that around here although one of the mountain scenes with the red dust etc did look something

[page 4] like one of the mountains we saw yesterday. This picture was all in color hence the similarity.

Your letter of Jan 9. Came today. In it you told of not being able to send packages. That of course we knew but it that letter would have come thru I think it would have been our first knowledge of such. That letter didn’t help much since your letter of Jan. 19 came several days ago (v-mail). Hope you continue to write v-mail because it will be the fastest I’m sure, but write air mail also if you are allowed to. Well, hope this mail today was a forerunner of more to come anyway

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/20/six-month-anniversary-roscoe/

Looking for shells (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

2/7/43
Lt (jg) Yegerlehner MC USNR
Receiving Station (Hospital) omit
U.S. Naval Advanced Base
Noumea, New Caledonia
% Fleet P.O.
San Francisco, Calif.

Dear Mother,

Didn’t get at writing this until late because Dr. P. and I went for a ride to another beach in order to find new shells but had no luck with shells however we did see some of the more beautiful and rougher country. I’d say we drove all total about 50 miles and when you ride in a modified truck (command car) you know you been some place.

To begin with we, it being Sunday, saw some of the native Javenese and Tonkinese in their Sunday best. For skirts these women wear a type of dress that looks just like a wrap

[page 2] around. Of course I’ve never been able to look at one any more closely than a stare, but it seems to be a rectangular piece of cloth which is wrapped around them with plenty to overlap. These come down almost to the ankles and there must be plenty overlapped because no matter how much the wind blows one never sees a knee or even a portion of the leg. Pardon me for staring but I’d like to find out. We have tried to buy those things in town but they shrug the shoulder and say “sorry no ration card no goods.” Those I saw today were or look like very good grade of silk and most of them rather brightly colored. They wear a

[page 3] shirt with them and one woman in particular had a huge butter fly embroidered in the back of the shirt. It cover fully one half of her back. The front was just plain. The Tonkinese wear only one stule dress. The mother hubbard. I saw on today which was of the, or seemed to be, finest white silk – It really glistened. This wrap around I was describing looks just like a skirt only it isn’t sewed in front. Just wrapped. Maybe that gives you the idea. I wasn’t looking at the women all the time. That was while we were going thru town and there were lots of hitch hikers on the road. Not hitching rides. That is the only way they have of going places.

[page 4] Now something about the trip. To begin with we are in French territory but as you drive along you will see – signs which say – Do not pass on curves, private keep out, speed limit 20 miles per hour etc. Does that mean anything? Then other sign say 20 kilometers to so % so. And I also wondered as we drove along if they had R. F. D. because I saw no mailboxes. The houses remind one or rather one gets the impression that he is back in the rough in the States and a shack some farmer uses for tools and horses as being passed rather than a dwelling. Then after one gets about past the thing he looks back to see if any of the inhabitants are sitting in the front yard. There never is.

The next description was not all in one area but could well have been. I’ll try to picture it as such. We were

[page 5] on the side of a mountain about 4000 feet high. The road hardly wide enough for two cars to pass. The soil red – just about the color of the brick in our house of course on both sides of the road the vegetation was covered with red dust. Looking down one could see the tops of small vegetation but it is patchy, large spots of the bare red showing. Much of the vegetation is a fern like growth but more coarse and the dead plants of last year aren’t black as around home but a very pale lavender. This extends into the valley and up the side of another mountain miles away and by the time one reaches the level of the mountain on the other side all that can be seen is splotches of pale green and red.

Now to the right or up – The other was left and down the terrain wasn’t steep but moderately inclined and among the red bare areas there are streaks of yellowish soil which appears reminds one of sulfur deposits. The vegetation

[page 6] is much the same as down but here and there streams of water come trickling down and by the time they come to the road these streams are a foot or more in width and the water crystal clear. It runs along the side of the road for some distance then thru a sewer and on down into the valley.

Here and there straight ahead along the beach cocoanut trees can be seen and on past them the blue of the pacific with the white caps jumping up every square foot or two make a proper back ground for the setting.

I’d like to have a colored picture of the whole thing for description is so meager as compared to the real thing.

Well, if I think of anything I missed I’ll write it tomorrow.
Lots of love
Daddy

P.S. No mail

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/18/looking-for-shells-roscoe/

Can’t get any ideas from censoring (Roscoe)

1 Reply

2/6/43
Lt (jg) Yegerlehner
Receiving Sta. U.S.N.A.B.
Noumea N.C.
% Fleet P.O. San Fran. Calif

Dear Mother,

Not much to write about but the rules say yes so I’ll try to get something down. Can’t even get any ideas from censoring mail. I’ll take that back. Some of the letters are very very mushy and we are censoring only officers mail so all the “lovey dovie” stuff isn’t put out by the enlisted men nor is all the secret information slipped from the tongue or pens of the enlisted men. Sometimes officers slip, but as a rule very little has to be removed. My greatest trouble is not putting full name and address on each page as you

[page 2] will note. Your letters to me have never been censored but occasionally mail comes thru that has been opened.

We had eggs sunny side up and also bacon for breakfast. This whole thing of better food and service has raised the price of the mess bill. It was 19⁰⁰ but is now 25⁰⁰ but the extra 6⁰⁰ is well worth the spending in order that our food is better served and cooked. After all eating is our only pleasure and pastime.

You never mention Statons. Don’t they live there anymore or have you had words or what? Guess you haven’t talked much of any of the neighbors but you have mentioned Zells several times and I believe I have never seen any of them.

[page 3] Repeating – I sent some films home in yesterday’s letter see what you can do with them. If any are good send them back. The home in the background of those pictures is ours. We though maybe some of the inside would show up but I don’t believe we had much luck.

Show is over not good. The mail is over not too good. Dr. M. sent a v-mail. It was written Jan 18 so yours was later and it came 3-4 days ago.

This P.M. while chewing gum I felt a little pebble in the gum and knew that couldn’t be – so a filling came out of a tooth. In record time I had another back. However it

[page 4] is only temporary. The dentist has to put in a cushion etc very close to the nerve. It hasn’t hurt much but I sure don’t want it to. There was decay under the filling and it just gave way.

We are going to have another egg fry tonite as quick as we finish the letters. So it looks as if I’ll have to stop now so

Lots of Love

Daddy

Lt (jg) Yegerlehner MC USNR
Receiving Station (Hospital) – add this next line it is not official so don’t tell other people to use it
Noumea New Caledonia
% Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif.

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/16/cant-get-any-i…nsoring-roscoe/

It is too nice (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

2/5/43

Dear Mother,

I wanted to start this letter some hours ago but Dr. Loop was in so didn’t get started. Finally I decided to take a bath and maybe that would do the trick – It did. If you get what I mean. In fact I was going to write several letters this P.M. but didn’t get started.

Dr. Loop was telling me of a Dr. near Lafayette who had been sent to Greencastle to do duty there. Some people seem to get all the breaks. That guy is only about 60 miles from home. Of course he has to battle thru the snowdrifts and over the slick roads. And after all that is something to fight the battle

[page 2] of the Indiana snow. I meant that to be sadistic – did it sound that way?

We have a pretty good mess hall and galley now for only officers of ship co. and our food is prepared separately. And we had steaks – good steaks for dinner. Not as good as those we used to get from the lockers but they weren’t bad. Our first course was sliced oranges. These were stood on edge. Three around the cocktail container and the inside was filled with mixed fruit. The second course was steak smothered in onions – with dried diced potatoes, and diced turnips. The potatoes were well prepared and could hardly be told from fresh. The last course was fruit jello. I ate it. We also had iced tea with considerable lemon. Not bad would you say?

[page 3] If that keeps up and our exercise doesn’t get any better I’ll probably weigh 200 in a short time. Won’t that be funny? Or will it? We also have a bath house with hot and cold running water. The three of us decided it was time we should probably begin to get our things ready to go places because it is too nice. We didn’t pack yet however. There are some things I might send home – like white suits, heavy rain coats etc. One of these days because those aren’t being featured in New Caledonia this year. I’ll let you know when and if I get ready to send them. Dr. P. has sent home several boxes of extra things and lots of the others have but I tried to travel light. Some brought 3-4 suits of blues overcoats etc. but I was wise never did buy an overcoat, and only one suit of blues. Will finish later.

[page 4] Later – Show good mail not good. Got a letter from Lentz – he has had malaria but is better now. As yet he hasn’t received the pictures I sent but I send them the next day or so after I received them from you. Funny how much ground or I should say ground & water those pictures have covered. Starting in Penna – to Norfolk – to Calif and you know the rest as far as I do. Maybe by this time he has them I hope.

I’m sending some films home I took – have them enlarged a little and if any are good send them back. Two are shots I took of Dr. P. & W. on the hill – not obscene but maybe not

[page 5] too publishable. I won’t take anymore until I get some word back as to whether those are good or not. I’m sending all but one – it might not be censorable. I’ve tried to print some but they are too small to make know if good and maybe I don’t know how to print anymore. Just turn them over to be developed – maybe they won’t have to be enlarged.

I sent Mark one dollar for his birthday – repeating.

The show tonight was Harold Lloyd in something – and you know what his pictures are like –

Well, lots of Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/14/it-is-too-nice-roscoe/

A Valentine’s present (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

2/4/43

Dear Mother,
Just after noon day chow and will write while relaxing from work and heat – we have been having some blistering hot sticky days but today it seems the breeze is beginning to become a little more noticeable. So much for the weather – The usual topic.
Last night’s show was on the sad order. One written or played of one of Jack London’s stories. It was the first night I went to the show without a wind breaker, always before the breeze was so cool but last night it just stayed hot. Although I did need sheet blanket and spread before morning.
We have been watching the moon

[page 2] and according to the calendar sent by you the moon raises about the same time here as there. Don’t know how it does it what with skipping a day at the international date line and everything but it does. We never checked to the exact minute but it can’t be far off.
We have procured another doz. eggs and will have a fry again when it cools off a little. It’s just to hot to bother and of course eating isn’t so much fun when it’s hot.
I’ve been getting gipped by the locals for some of their home made goods. I’m buying a few things now and then to send home. We have a corpsman

[page 3] here who claims to have cousins here. They may be – The same name etc. and it seems one branch of the family came here from Canada while the other bunch went to the U.S.A. – from Canada – Anyway he brought some native handiwork to sell and as I said I got gipped and knew it all the time. So if you get gipped with eyes open it isn’t so bad – paid one dollar for a handkerchief and $2.15 for a pot holder – or knitting bag or what have you. I’ll send them home when I have an accumulation. And you can agree with me very fully. Those will be your valentine present but they will be very late because I’ll probably not even get them sent by then. I’m just telling you that so you will know I haven’t forgotten. Will finish after the P.M. mail –

[page 4] The mail was no good. The show better. It was the Strange Case of Dr. Rx sort of a weird story but never the less intertaining. Saw Helen Kline’s husband again. We here in ships co. have received seats and he came a little late and I had him as my guest. He works at a different place but eats and sleeps here. I also saw another Dr. from Indianapolis, Ind. Today. He graduated a year before I did but we didn’t remember each other only we knew lots of boys in common. He was in Art’s class (Art Barnett).

Well, I’m all run down for I’ve written to Uncle W. and Dave so
Solong Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/12/a-valentines-present-roscoe/

David’s arrival (Roscoe)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

2/3/43

Dear Mother,

The only letter so far today was Dorothy K. letter of Sept 23 telling me of D. arrival. A little late but as innocent looking as any other letter that comes along. I answered it and told her I hope that you and Nick would excuse the correspondence between the two of us. I never did know if you went in a car or ambulance but she remarked the screaming siren so it must have been the ambulance. It’s funny why those letters never came. The one I really wanted at that time and then doesn’t get here until today. If there was long distant telephone service D. could almost have told me himself quicker than the letter. Well I’m

[page 2] glad things got along so well then and hope that you both are better now. Our weather is still very hot and I suppose yours is very cold and as I said before the weather sure takes a beating when there isn’t anything else to write about. I heard this A.M. that only v-mail could be written from there – hope that isn’t true because that would rule out pictures and they mean lots.

Guess Floyd can settle down for some time now and take his trip to Georgia for the spring as planned – but how will he get around? Ruth didn’t say how much gas etc they were allowed. As far as pleasure driving is concerned that could be curbed 100% because after all this is an al out war and goodness only knows we don’t get 3 gal. (that is short for gallon) per week for pleasure. Our pleasures are fe very simple indeed and it won’t

[page 3] bother people at home with jobs and families to do without some of the pleasures here to fore enjoyed. Well, I got that off my chest.

Ruth mentioned Floyd sending me another box – hope it isn’t soft candy because that sure is a mess around here – one of the fellows who works in the ships store gave us a box of candy bars yesterday. Really I think it was because they were all soft and sticky. He said it was because we had been so good to him. I think we have eaten one box so far – candy just doesn’t seem to go so good in hot weather.

Later – shows over – got your letter of Sept. 22 – with 4 air mail stamps – Uncle W. letter of Sept 23 telling of D arrival and a letter from Ruth M. dated Sept. 22 with 12 three cent stamps Uncle W. letter had 4 stamps so

[page 4] after all I didn’t fare so badly – also got a letter from mom dated Jan 7 and a Christmas greeting from Geo Sondergrath.

We hear – that only v-mail will come air mail – and ordinary mail will come by ship – however still write your letters air mail for they will come to the coast quicker, and I don’t know what to tell you to write – Just write for a while write both each day if possible and when they get here I’ll tell you which to stop – Just give me the high point in the v-mail and the others can be more complete – That’s all for now

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/09/davids-arrival-roscoe/

Helen Kline’s husband (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:
2/2/43
Dear Mother,
It seems my prophecy about v-mail has come true because Today I received your letters of Jan 17, 18 & 19 that is v-mail. Now I don’t know whether you are writing regular air mail or not but don’t discontinue it altogether. I said last night to write it at least once each week but with it coming the way it does maybe once each week won’t be enough. I know it’s asking a lot to write so much so often but you’ll never know how much those letters mean and I can’t see why you should say my letters are interesting because about all I do is fill up space while yours are very interesting to me as well as being filled with things I want to know.
This surely has been a

[page 2] winter for you and I’m sorry I missed it for I would have enjoyed it so much.
This is ground hog day and if there are any of those animals here they could have seen their shadows OK, but it has started raining again so don’t know what the remainder of the day will be like. Hope it doesn’t rain out our show tonite.
All morning long there was a haze hanging around over the mountains and the atmosphere seemed very sticky so we more or less expected rain. Even our view of the ocean wasn’t clear – seemed to remind one a little of Indian summer at home.
I ran into a navy man yesterday and we got to talking about eggs and informed me he could get us a doz. cold storage eggs for nothing so we had a

[page 3] little egg fry after the show we got a hot plate some butter and the bottom of a mess container and were those egg sandwitches with sunny side up good. They were even good to look at. Don’t misunderstand me we have enough to eat etc but it’s the way it’s cooked.
I hope by now you got the word I sent about the taxes. Just pay enough to keep me out of Jail and keep the property in our name.
I’m going to send Mark a letter and one dollar for his birthday – I wrote that yesterday so just repeating. I have had no word on the uniform money so let me know once in a while if you have heard from it.

Later – no show it is raining. This eve after chow Helen Kline’s husband came to see me of course I didn’t know him because as near as I

[page 4] can remember I had only seen him once and that was when we were living in Elmer D. property. We had quite a long conflab. He can’t disclose where he is but he is pretty sure his wife knows. In case you go to Lafayette you might call the folk and tell them he was here. Of course he probably will write them tonight also.
Got a letter from Ruth Y. and from Mom, both dated Jan 15. They gave me the low down on things around C.C.
Well, hope your sinus is better – Lots of Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/06/helen-klines-husband-roscoe/

Summer is passing rapidly (Roscoe)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

2/1/43

Dear Mother,

First day of Feb. and our summer is passing rapidly of which I am more than pleased somewhat, and at the same time your winter is passing of which you are more than somewhat pleased. I’ve been reading some more of Daymon R. books and he uses those more than somewhat – more than somewhat.

I forgot to tell you that the house payments will be different this year. Not the 39.01 but the extra that is put on for tax. I wish you would let me know what the payments are – just for fun. And what did you do about that insurance. I mean those dividends that we have words and letters about each year. Maybe you have written those things but haven’t gotten here

[page 2] as yet. As I have it figured the June payment on the old Hancock policy will be the last – and while we are on that subject – How much is borrowed on that. That only way you have of telling that is by the interest you just paid or should have paid sometime in Dec. or Jan. So if it isn’t too much trouble I’d like to know those 3 things.

1. House payments 2. What about the dividends and 2. How much is borrowed. And also the number of bonds up to a certain date and whether or not you got a safety deposit box. Guess I’m jumping the gun but just in case you forgot to write those things. And I never did get the uniform money nor your travel money. Well so much for those things.

I’m going to send Mark one dollar for his birthday just like I did John when I was at Moffett field – I’ll try to send that

[page 3] out tomorrow. You don’t need to tell him unless you want to. I’m just telling you in order that you will know and should it get lost explain to him I didn’t forget.

I’m hardly expecting any mail today since I’m pretty well up to date. I mean new mail. We always expect some of that old to catch up with us sooner or later – possibly later.

Today is pay day and none too soon – for I have 2 cents. I have a little money on the book and in time will send more home, but it doesn’t build up very fast when we have to pay .60 per day for food. About one dollar per wk. for laundry. Same for cigarettes. Coke, beer and a few luxuries like that and send $200⁰⁰ home. I want a little on hand so that I’ll have car fare from San. Fran to Kentland in the dim distant future – what I don’t

[page 4] need I just leave on the books and in case of transfer can be drawn at any time. If too much accumulates I’ll send it home again. Your first birthday present was part of my travel money to Calif. and we also got some travel money from San Francisco to Ventura. I guess Helen Washburn told you about that trip we took. Our ticket costs 3.60 and we were paid 18⁰⁰ travel expenses. Had a pulman and everything. Got on the train at about 9 P.M. and off at 6:45 AM. It was one swell ride. Walsh had the upper berth and I the lower. He got tight and I had to help him in and out, but we made it OK. So far I haven’t been tight and don’t worry I can take care of R.S. Y.

After the show and after main [mail] – the show was good – The mail wasn’t.

Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/04/summer-is-pass…rapidly-roscoe/

I’m not scolding (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

1/31/43

Dear Mother,

I’ve re-read and I believe most of the things are answered so maybe just some comments here and there. In the first place instead of getting only your letter of Jan. 14, I got both 13 & 14 in the same envelope. Maybe that is something only what if the 14th hadn’t gotten here. I’m not scolding just kidding. Your writing every day either hits the mail as it comes or my box where ever it is gets so full the postal clerk has to get rid of some any way that was about the latest yet of any around here. Even the V-mail was later than most other mail.

If Agnes M. hasn’t written about the tax I wish she would because I didn’t know she had written in about the 1941, but I guess you have that all fixed by now. I’m sorry if I asked the 1941 to be paid after she wrote in

[page 2] and everything. You probably had written me of hat in some of those letters which haven’t arrived. And if you have any surplus buy bonds because after all that is the best and maybe it will help in a small way also.

Was your mother just coming for a visit or to stay permanently? She just as well plan on leaving Terre Haute for good for she would have it so much nicer in Kentland I would think.

All the boxes you sent have arrived, and I now have lots of chewing gum. It is OK but even inside the wrapper etc. it is just a soft mass and has to be “walled and lolled” quite somewhat before it gets into a chewable mass. We can occasionally get peanuts here that are canned and if eaten right away they are still fresh but it they stand overnight they get tough and moist.

Sorry Bart got the address twisted

[page 3] because other people might write also. Taylor’s greeting had only the Naval Base and New Caledonia but it got here OK. No San Fran. or anything.

The Chaplin hasn’t reported on the progress of John’s song as yet because after all we don’t have many piano players along since playing pianos isn’t our main purpose for being here.

Got my watch back and it does pretty good – gains only about a minute in 24 hrs. Didn’t cost anything – That isn’t this fellows work but I treated a bunch of boils for him and got him a hundred Vit – B tablets so he returned the favor. He told me however the watch had seen better days but don’t send one because there really isn’t any need for a watch here and this hot damp weather is hard on watches.

Don’t know what the show is tonite yet but the weather looks favorable.

[page 4] The show is over and so is the last mail delivery. Scored big – got each of the Christmas letters the boys wrote and a letter from Dr. M. and a V-mail letter from you dated Jan. 16. That is the latest by two days. So my idea of the V-mail was correct only you didn’t say a word about how you were and since you didn’t mention yourself I assume you are better at least l hope that is the case.

I can’t understand your mother but I do think it will be fine for both and really she don’t need to figure on going back when I come home unless she wishes because I know we can get along. She and Mrs. James should be able to hit it off in pretty good style – by the way I don’t believe you have mentioned her since I left home – how is she? I haven’t had any word from home so am

[page 5] very much in the dark about Duane, but I guess I’ll hear from there sooner or later I hope. The latest letter I had from there was from Sam & E. and it was written Jan. 4. Mom’s letter was Dec. 30 I believe, but I guess I will be hearing soon. I’m just 15 days behind now.

If you can get any dope on the new victory tax I wish you would send it. Just so I could read it over. And maybe – worry you with it. No I’ve washed my hands now of all taxes for I believe I’ve made a mess of things – so I’ll keep out. Unless the exemptions are cut way down I don’t believe we will have much to pay next year because my base pay is only $2000 per year and that is all that is taxable so we probably won’t have to worry with that.

Well, it’s good to get even a V-mail letter. Thank the boys for me – and give each a kiss for me and lots of love from me to you. Daddy

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Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/02/im-not-scolding-roscoe/