Tag Archives: Russell Islands

A New Policy (Roscoe)

: September 1, 1943 envelope

: September 1, 1943, p. 1

: September 1, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Sept. 1, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner
Navy 60 San. Fran. Cal.

Dear Mother,

I’m not under so much pressure this A.M. so maybe I won’t write so erratic. Yesterday I received a letter from Mom and one from Ruby & Red Brewer. Mom told all about Earl’s wedding and also said she was planning on coming up your way again. I hope she can be helpful to you while she is there.

This being the month of Sept. it will start to be cool again at least you will have some cool spells which should be of some help to you. It at least makes us feel good to think that the weather may be cool again some place.

I don’t believe I mentioned it but I had a letter from Dolores 2 days ago – she had to work on a Sun. just more or less be there so she wrote a real nice long letter. She still seems to like her work real well. Said her boyfriend had been away about 1 year in Cuba and she sure wished he could get a furlough – who else would like something like that? I believe there is going to be a policy adopted relative to

[page 2] tour of duty out here and I’m very tickled that I got out as early as I did, but don’t build too high hopes for too soon a return, this I believe is true. That I can expect to spend as much time in the USA as out here so that is something to look forward to.

As soon as I’m able I’ll send you all the excess money I can – always keeping on hand enough for travel – but I think on the next pay day I’ll be able to send some of course that will not be until about the middle of this month. If you need money you can cash in a few bonds or let bills run until I can send extra money home – don’t let it worry you because they can’t be too tough if we can’t meet expenses right on the dot.

I guess by now D. is out of the cast and as active as ever and that probably is a relief for you.

Well, I’ve written about all I can think of for the moment and I’ve also exhausted the space so
Lots of Love –
Daddy

Earl and Imogene Yegerlehner, 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/16/a-new-policy-roscoe/

Don’t Blame Yourself (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 31, 1943 envelope

: August 31, 1943, p. 1

: August 31, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 31, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.P.

Dear Mother,

Your letter of Aug. 16 came today and in it you stated what Dr. Cole had said about your Mother. As I told you before that was my first thought from the case as you wrote about it. Don’t blame yourself because there was no operation etc. – because that would have been more rapid and much more suffering from the dressing stand point etc. It’s just one of those things and nothing would have changed the course of the thing. I wish it were possible for you to get help but I suppose that is out of the question – so for goodness sake don’t worry and fume too much. Get a graduate nurse if you can. You know from experience what and how the termination will be so that will prepare you. It seems a shame I can’t be there to help you but as I said before this war is bigger than families and we just have to make the best of it. You know I’m back of you 100% but I also realize

[page 2] that I’m sitting out here writing and telling you what to do but Dear Dear you know I’m thinking of you and if thoughts will help your problems won’t be so hard.

Call Ruth M. if you need help for she has told me that in case you need help to let her know. Good old Ruth we can always depend on her.

This letter is a little jumbled up because it’s hard for me to say what I really feel in a case of this kind and there is also some pressure here for a3 striper is waiting on me and a two striper can’t do that too long – but when I get out of this uniform I sure can.

Well Dear I’ll try to get collected before tomorrow –
Lots of Love
Daddy

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

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/14/dont-blame-yourself-roscoe/

Highest Praise (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: August 30, 1943 envelope

: August 30, 1943, p. 1

: August 30, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 30, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.C.

Dear Mother,

Some further comments on the last mail, I did get a kick out of John’s subtitle remark about “Uncle Roscoe.” More so because I’ve probably been called that more in the last year than any other period in my life – why I do not know?? It seems they find from the official list what my first handle is and then they keep it up. It doesn’t do any good to protest and since our last name is so butchered I don’t mind – used to it.

I’m glad Miss Smith thought the piano was OK for I feel that you didn’t get laced if she put the OK and John also seemed to think it had good sound qualities and I believe his judgment in such thing can be pretty well depended upon. You said he was practicing on the oboe – That was the first mention of that in some time. I didn’t know he was still interested in that. I believe it is good training for him because it brings him in contact with more people in a musical way. In other words Kenny Wood was right so long as the oboe remains secondary.

[page 2] Still another comment and that saying you appreciated one or two of my letters in particular, That made me feel real good because it sure is difficult to get things written that would be of the slightest interest to you. Your letters to me are different because everything you write is of concern to both. The only trouble with yours is they don’t come often enough. In other words it’s too long between deliveries.

The first reference you made about what I said about your picture was stated I thought a little short and I just didn’t know if you took it in the spirit in which it was intended – I felt better when I received the picture of you and still better when I read that you had seen the joke and had not been offended. Of course from the beginning I felt that you were not offended but even the slightest doubt gave me a little uneasy feeling for I’d rather do anything else than offend you because the mother of those three boys back there doesn’t deserve anything but the highest praise and least of all no she doesn’t deserve any offense from anyone more especially from me.

Love Daddy

P.S. I reread and I didn’t mean your judgment on the piano wasn’t good but I think that is out of your as well as my line and we could easily be taken in –

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

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Originally posted: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/12/highest-praise-roscoe/

Brand of Perfume (Roscoe)

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: August 29, 1943 envelope

: August 29, 1943, p. 1

: August 29, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 29, 1943
Lt. R.S.Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.C.

Dear Mother,

Now I can start writing because I have finished reading your letters or rather rereading. Those of Aug. 3, 8 & 9, 11 Aug. 13 came as well as three v-mails of Aug. 7, 12 & 14. And John’s letter with Mark’s of Apr. The v-mails did not arrive until this morn. The P.O. always separates them last. You can see how each travels so I’d suggest you keep writing just like you have been in about the same ratio I mean. There is one thing you can’t put in a v-mail that was in two or three of the others. What brand of perfume are you using now? I said steak smell but you explained why that could not be done so I understand. That perfume did bring back some of civilization because it wa is something very much omitted at a place like this. So Thanks.

Shall I repeat, after you again told me, how good looking D. is that he must and does take after his mother – I know. I can see by his pictures that he is a good looker and also that he is growing. The last pictures I have had are those taken just before his accident and I believe that is the last you sent.

In one of your letters you gave a short financial report but In a letter I received earlier you had given me a more detailed report but

[page 2] I don’t mind the letters coming later because there is always something that wasn’t in the others. I’m surprised that your mother hadn’t been taking Vitamin B shots long ago as well as liver. I do believe they will help her lots. She I believe is doing as well as can be expect and as I told you before her recovery will be slow. I hope she didn’t take offense at the suggestion I made that she had been drinking too much bad beer. She knew of course I knew that wasn’t the cause.

I like the coy way in which you informed me of the coming blackout and you may rest assured I didn’t tell anyone. They all got a big kick out of that part of your letter. I’m not one of the birds who says “listen to this” and then expects you to sit and listen to his wife’s letter but occasionally I do read or tell some of the things.

I’m glad the boys were able to get a short vacation and I’d like very much for you to be able to do the same and maybe you will if plans work as you stated about Juanita. I think a little relaxation would be a great help to you. And something else you wrote – “I will keep from eating tomatoes if I can” my my and in a later letter you again wrote that you had eaten them again. They are good, aren’t they? How would I know because it’s been well over a year since I’ve tasted anything like that.

I do hope you are getting along with the allergy and also keeping your health in general –
Love Daddy

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

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/10/brand-of-perfume-roscoe/

No Hedy Lamarrs (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 28, 1943 envelope

: August 28, 1943, p. 1

: August 28, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 28, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.C.

Dear Mother,

I wish I knew what I would have in this letter because just now I have no idea what to write – paron me I believe I’ve said that before. So far the word or letter “I” has appeared 6 times so you can see my ego is still present. So far fives lines have been used and nothing said.

The show last night was rather a comparison of our own conditions – “White Cargo.” Of course there was are no Heddy Lamar’s at this place so the comparison is not complete. It really is a scream to hear these enlisted men and some officers react to characters and places. A jungle scene or a tropical setting brings loud boos while an actress or a thick steak sends cheers indescribable. Even a picture of a street in Chicago, New York or San Francisco brings loud cheering. It really is a wonderful place to study character in its unadulterated form, and since one has plenty of time for study it is an escape mechanism for me to entertain myself. That whole thing sounds like I’m a psychologist or something but a train of thought will often times make hours pass as minutes and if I

[page 2] were clever and verbose I could write some of those thoughts to you but when I try to put them into words the whole thought system crumbles just as if termites or damp rot had taken the upper hand. Termites of course you have heard lots about – but damp rot is something else. The term itself is self explanatory but living back in Indiana it isn’t a reality as it is here – just a few common examples – tin if not properly painted rusts very rapidly – screen for screen doors will last only a few months. Wood unless it is hard wood seems to soften and crumble – The whole process seems as if nature is rapidly destroying so that she can rebuild and exploit her achievements, but only for a short time because it isn’t long until those flowers, coconut frauns [fronds] etc. began to die and there goes the dam[ rot again. It’s only the huge banyan trees of the jungles that are able [to] break or slow that round robin down, but again maybe nature is just using another way to show her ego when one of those trees is started.

Well, I’m sure no I in the beginning of this letter I had no idea these words would form themselves into such nonsensical arrangements. So I’ll try to finish this with a little more intelligence and the best way that I can express this is by saying

Lots of Love
Daddy

Hedy Lamarr, 1938

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/08/no-hedy-lamarrs-roscoe/

Calendars and Watches (Roscoe)

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: August 27, 1943 envelope

: August 27, 1943, p. 1

: August 27, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Aug. 27, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 San Fran. Cal.

Dear Mother,

Your v-mail of Aug. 10 came yesterday – That was the latest but your air mail of Aug. 8 came a week or more ago. I suppose the Burgess are about the same as ever – when I remember how I used to put up with her I wonder – I guess she was OK but the world just didn’t understand. I was glad to hear what Miss said about the piano and also what she said about John. I imagine her suggestions about him being a composer will spur him on to more of it and he probably keeps the neighborhood well pianoed most of the time, but the houses are far enough apart so that the neighbors shouldn’t have to suffer too much.

Some time ago I read in the Newton Co. E. that the telephone rates were raised – How much does that affect our rate? Maybe it’s a little hard for you to tell since for you told me during your mother’s sickness and D. accident you had so many long distant call – I hope with that increase in rate the service was increased but I’ll just wager the service is just as poor and probably worse because of the help situation.

You know a calendar is a wonderful thing but after all it’s not so useful out here – this one I have

[page 2] hangs just over my bunk and of course I look at the date quite frequently – Seems to me all that one would need would just be a ’42, ’43, etc. and a watch that is something else, I haven’t worn mine in 6 months. It went on the bum in Noumea and I had a fellow fix it but the regulator spring was rusted and he couldn’t slow it down enough. It wasn’t bad if I just kept it off my arm – my speed made it run faster – Then all of a sudden one day the minute hand dropped off so it doesn’t run and I’m none the worse because there is a bell for each chow time and our ships bell sounds the bell every half hour and one can’t go far wrong under those circumstances. This climate is very hard on watches – sweat and moisture soon causes them to corrode and rust.

I’m hoping for additional mail in a few days because that one v-mail wasn’t very much. There was a considerable amount of mail but most of it was from neighboring areas – I got a letter from a fellow who had been transferred and others got letters from those areas – but mail like that doesn’t count.

Well, here’s hoping –
Lots of Love
Daddy

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

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/06/calendars-and-watches-roscoe/

Double-Crossed (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 26, 1943 envelope

: August 26, 1943, p. 1

: August 26, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Aug. 26, 1943

Dear Mother,

Yesterday the Clay City News of May 28 came – That just about adds insult to injury because there has been no good mail for some time and then that comes along – yes I read it OK, but I noticed the subscription ran out in July of ’43. I hope Mom didn’t renew it because it always comes so late and no more than half of them come. The Newton Co. E. comes a little more often and I like it a little better but it’s generally pretty old when it gets here. I probably have written all this before but it just happened to be foremost at the moment I started writing.

The show last night was Jack Benny in “The Meanest Man in Town.” I went to see Rochester and he was I thought very good.

Either I’ve missed some of your letters or I’ve been doubled-crossed – for I have given money for telephone calls and flowers to you to fellows going back to the States and so far you haven’t mentioned them and there has been plenty of time. I suppose when a fellow gets back he doesn’t usually think of other people’s wives or messages they were

[page 2] supposed to deliver. One fellow was from Marion Ind. and I gave him 5⁰⁰ to call you and if he couldn’t to send you the flowers that was around June 1^st so since you haven’t mentioned it I suppose he used the 5⁰⁰ to buy his girlfriend something for he wasn’t married. I’ve tried since but I haven’t had time to hear as yet.

We got word yesterday that Dr. Porterfield was sent to Virginia for duty – His wife was very ill with Tuberculosis. I just had a letter from him a few days ago and he knew nothing of going home then but he did tell me his wife was ill. I’d like to come home as well as anybody but I hope & pray it isn’t illness on the part of the family or myself that takes me back there.

Did I ever tell you about our rooster in Camp? He starts crowing early and keeps it up most of the day. I don’t know where he came from but he should have a mate in order to go ahead and be of value to us but the thing runs true to form having only the male species present just like the rest of us.

It seems that I’ve written about all that. I can think of and maybe some of the thing I didn’t think of anyway

Lots of Love
Daddy

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

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/04/double-crossed-roscoe/

Peculiarities (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 25, 1943 envelope

: August 25, 1943, p. 1

: August 25, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran Cal.
Aug. 25, 1943

Dear Mother,

Not having anything in particular to write about I might describe some of the what I would call the peculiarities of people round about – of course no names will be mentioned.

To begin with we have several who laugh at the slightest bit of humor in what I would say the 15 year old girl age. That is OK but I’m just not built that way. Then there is the fellow at the table who spreads the entire slab of bread with Jam etc. and with both hand feeds his face with gruesome furry [fury]. Also the fellow at the table who takes uses finger for pushes – not just tip of finger but a good 1/3 of the distal end. And a few who lick knives. Then the fellow who sits across from me often who chews with his mouth open. I haven’t been splattered yet but I’m waiting because he is one of the fellows who laughs at little things and I’m afraid something funny will happen at the wrong time sometime. Finger “lickers” are very numerous.

There is one in particular who thinks smoking and drinking are very unbecoming of a naval officer but since he arrived here about 6 wks. ago his waist line has increased considerable because he asks for seconds on most everything and uses butter on everything. Then

[page 2] we have a few who talk of not much of anything but going home and they have been away from the USA about 7 mo. Then there is the single fellow who when he saw Lana Turner in the movie decided to see the show at all the places it was showing on the island. I don’t know if he figured it was a builder upper or a tearer downer. Then there is the fellow who in the wash room takes out his partial and stands over the one and only wash bowl and brushes and scrubs for many minutes while others line up behind.

Of course there is at least one in every group – the fellow who laughs at his own jokes and his own clever saying which if he didn’t laugh no one else would. The wild tall stories teller who to hear him is a one many army and navy all rolled up in one snug package – The stories when checked are always miniature.

This letter as you can see has no point and if some other officer wrote it he would in all probability have a different slant. The officers are a swell bunch and have probably slipped from the ways of society and maybe I’m a little critical.

There is one other fellow who receives lots of letters from his wife when the mail comes in – enjoys them very much – writes her every day – some very no good letters. He adores her very much and knows how she carries on back there while he is gone and admires her for it and thinks she is tops – I wonder who??

Love Daddy

A Poem Writer (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: August 24, 1943 envelope

: August 24, 1943, p. 1

: August 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Aug. 24, 1943

Dear Mother,

You remember the letter from the Ind. State medical assoc. that you forwarded to me. I don’t know if I mentioned it or not but I got one direct from them earlier – Well in one of my off moments I decided to answer them and I am enclosing a copy of that letter – don’t think me too bold or evil for I just had to answer them.

I’ve had a hard time so far – a telephone call, gathering in yesterday’s laundry because of a sprinkle, and then a call from sick bay – some fellow sawed on a couple of fingers and needed some repair. The telephone call was relative to sanitation of which I’m the appointed or condemned one to look after the naval sanitation of the area. It’s a kind of thankless job and of course one gets in someone’s hair more than somewhat when he tells the guy he’s dirty. Maybe it isn’t so bad as all that but it could be.

The mail is a little slowed down again and I do hope it comes again in a day or two because those letters mean so much – I’ve told you that so often it’s becoming trite now anyway they really do.

I’ll stop on one page today because I want to send that other letter. You probably won’t approve of the letter but I didn’t want to keep anything from you so lots of love

Daddy

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner, USNR.
Navy 60
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California
August 23, 1943.

Indiana State Medical Ass’n.
1021 Hume Mansur Building.
Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dear Medsoc:

Doctors – you may rest assured that we worry more than somewhat about you OLD medics, and we know that your ever present dangers back there even surpass our wildest imagination. Our dangers here have been covered and completely summarized by Dr. Carleton & McCullough as written in your July letter, a copy of which I recently received. It’s not dangers that we worry about, but another problem. I written a little poem to get the idea over to you – Title.

“The Tropical Heat Has Me”

I’m at a South sea Naval Base
And oh! Doctor what a H___ of a place.
You can imagine the moonlight nights
When one can step out and enjoy the sights.
But what are the sights that one usually sees?
A multitude of coconut trees.
These isles are shown in movies freely,
And you sit back there and look on gleely,
But time spent here with only men in khaki
Is enough to drive the romantic whacky.
So what we need here the moistest
Is a right good looking bunch of hostesses.
So get together you OLD birds back there
And send us each a divinely pair.
I’m not much of a poem writer as you can see
Hoping you are the same 10 derly.

Yegerlehner

A new runway, Russell Islands, 1943

V-mail From Jim (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: August 23, 1943 envelope

: August 23, 1943, p. 1

: August 23, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.
Aug. 23, 1943

Dear Mother,

A v-mail came from Jim yesterday. It was written Aug. 1. That was the first letter from Jim in anything like good time as I answered it immediately in the hope that he gets it before he changes his address. I suppose he is really anxious to get out of the States and go places as most of those fellows back there are or at least they say they are that way. In fact I think I had the same feeling but that was probably due to the place where my first tour of duty was endured – Norfolk!!!? I was afraid I’d have to stay there for the duration – I didn’t.

Some time ago I read an article in the Newton Co. E. relative to mosquitoes – That really is a problem to consider there for it some of these malaria cases get up north it sure will spread. We use a big spray can and a good mosquito dope at night to kill the critters out before going to bed and that wouldn’t be a bad idea there because I

[page 2] remember how numerous they were especially this time of the year – Maybe I’m a little late but it is something to think about.

I don’t believe I wrote you anything about Geo. leaving – He went back to where Dr. Ash is located to have some work done on his teeth and also for a general physical check-up. I don’t believe he will come back – not because of his health primarily but I believe he will get a new assignment. Maybe back to the U.S.A. Out of our original gang that came here that leaves only two of us. That’s not Drs. That includes all the officers – So you see we have quite a turnover. Dr. Gardiner (dentist) came out with our gang but didn’t come here until a month or so ago.

At this point it seems I’ve been wordless – just simply blank for I’ve been sitting 10 min. just sitting and nothing comes to write. But So I just decided to fill up the space with telling you I could think of nothing further. Anyway.

Lots of Love
Daddy