Tag Archives: World War II

Vaccination Certificate

4 Replies

: August 21, 1945 envelope front

: August 21, 1945 envelope back

Letter transcription:

August 21, 1945, p. 1

Aug. 21, 1945

Dr. Yegerlehner,

Would you be kind enough to write a note or a vaccination certificate for Madelyne and Francis Jr. as Madelyne is entering school Sept. 6^th and it is imperative I have some notification that she has been vaccinated. If possible would you make out separate notes. I hate to bother you for this. The date was sometime last Aug.

How is Gladys and all the children?

I sure miss Missouri and would love to be back there. Mont is stationed on Guam and is anxious to get home and see his new little daughter. She’ll be 3 months old tomorrow and just as sweet as can be.

Would love to hear from you

August 21, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] people, we did have some very nice times together.

Hope to hear from you soon
Thanking you Sincerely
Madelyne Moynihan
19 Mr. Vernon St.
Somerville Mass.

P.S. If you do get a chance drop a note to Mont he would love to hear from you. His address is:

Lt. Francis C. Moynihan U.S.N.R.
Staff Air Pac – Sub Com Fwd
℅ F.P.O.
San Francisco,
California Box 24

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/09/vaccination-certificate/

Cleaning up the yard (Gladys)

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August 21, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 21, 1945, p. 1

8-21-45

Dear Daddy –

We worked in the yard yesterday afternoon – I wanted to be in the house after 6 PM in case your call came thru early we wouldn’t miss it – however we figured it wouldn’t come before 8 PM. I weeded the large flower bed on the west side of the back yard. I got two or three bu. of weeds. Mark mowed the back yard and we got it raked – John & I cleaned off the terrace – so the back yard is looking much better. Mark kept at the east side until he got it conquered. John helped me weed and we got the evergreens and iris cleaned out. We got the yard all raked where it was overgrown and it looks pretty good all over now. There is just a little more weeding to do around in spots, but the biggest jobs are done. My arms ached so last night, but I feel pretty good this a.m. Got a bu. Of peaches yesterday but couldn’t put them all in the locker (4 qts.) because they weren’t ripe enough. I will prepare today what has ripened since yesterday. It won’t be so hard this way. I ordered a bu. of green beans for today but that isn’t hard work. Since the yard is under control I can now work in the house with undivided attention.

August 21, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I asked Link about this strip of ground east of our lawn and told him we wanted to put a hedge along our east side – he said we could put it out as far as we liked because there will be 60 ft. between our lot and the new highway if it goes thru. However I won’t do anything about that until later in the fall – hoping I’ll have “good help” by then.

I called Loughridge yesterday and I think they wanted to see what they could get before giving an estimate and promised it by Wed. I went down to the Lbr. Co. yesterday to see about coal and Chet promised to send out 500 lbs. but must have forgotten it. We had enough coal to keep the fire going. John has been very good about firing. J. & M. went over to school yesterday & registered. They didn’t see Smith but the office girl was there. They didn’t know her (not Mary McCray) and John wasn’t at all pleased about the changes Smith has made. He can write you all about it.

There was no mail this morning so didn’t hear from the niece. Maybe we will soon.

I got David three pr. sox in Laf. Fri. Yesterday in emptying the den waste basket I found them. I think David had put them there. He is really having a grand time. So far hasn’t left the yards – is usually where I can see him. He likes to play in Zell’s sand box.

After talking to you last night, I thought I might have sounded a little odd, but I had dropped off to sleep waiting and wasn’t as alert as I should have been. We miss you.

Love Mother

August 21, 1945, p. 3

P.S. Harold Portteus called just a few minutes ago – He said the letter Dr. Horton wrote for Jim had been lost and he needs a new letter. They can’t locate Horton can wonder if you can write one for Jim. I told Harold to send you a night letter and he said the Draft Bd. Here would write you he thought, but he wanted to let you know in advance what it is all about. The man who brought the green beans is Mr. Illingsworth (Mrs. McG.’s dad). He also gave us enough corn for today. He had tomatoes to sell, but I am afraid to work with them.

August 21, 1945, p. 4

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/08/cleaning-up-the-yard-gladys/

Navy Receiving Hospital (Roscoe)

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August 20, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 20, 1945, p. 1

Navy Receiving Hosp.
San Francisco (12) Calif.
Aug. 20

Dear Mother,

I’m here but can’t give any further word than that at the moment. It is now approximately 6 PM, and I’m about ready to make my phone call. I haven’t signed in as yet because I didn’t get my bags with my orders, etc., until a short time ago, and of course, couldn’t do that until I had all those.

The hospital is within San Francisco itself, I would say about 50 blocks from downtown. There are several

August 20, 1945. p. 2

[page 2] fellows here just like me and all wondering what is going on. Many of them have been out of the country and I understand the point system don’t apply to medical men. That last isn’t official but I’ll find out in the AM.

Francis Kenney is here waiting also. Right at present he is gone on temporary duty with a draft of men to Virginia but will be back in a few days.

I met an officer whose

August 20, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] wife lives in Springfield, Ill., and we more or less “palled” on the train. He knew some body in the main office here and he called and found where the hospital was so all I had to do was hop a street car and come out.

This is just a new place and they are providing quarters for the officers so it looks as if all I have to pay is .25 per meal per day and rent free – but I imagine there will be some sort of a laundry charge later on.

The fog of the bay is now

August 20, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] drifting in and it seems the cool of the evening is upon us, but there is a gas burner in the room and things should be OK.

I don’t know where I’ll find a phone nor do I know where to mail this and I don’t have any air mail stamps. You know all my troubles now so I’ll try to mail this and find a phone and write more tomorrow –

Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/07/navy-receiving-hospital-roscoe/

Birthday greeting from Ogden, Utah

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Letter transcription:

August 19, 1945

Aug. 19

Dear John,

Just a note for your birthday – It is now about 0700 and before breakfast just out of Ogden Utah. It is raining and a little cool.

I’m going to send Mother a telegram at O. So again Happy Birthday.

Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/06/birthday-greeting-from-ogden-utah/

Silvester Schiele

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Letter transcription:

August 16, 1945

Aug. 16 45

Dear Folks – Vine wrote me some days ago that Roscoe was leaving for the west coast Aug. 17^th. We hope now as Japan has surrendered you will be able to return to private life. It would be a shame if you had to return again to the overseas territory.

We leave for home, Chicago, the 23^rd, next Thursday, so don’t write us here, but our home address. It’s beautiful here this time of the year – but we have been away from Chicago 2 months, so we go about one week earlier than usual.

Is John through at Evanston for this year? If he is still there next Friday it would be fine if he would stay with us over Sunday. We would love to have him. Jessie & I are both fine, I am much better, thank the Lord. Jessie’s sister is not so well, arthritis in her back – very painful, we hope to go to Clay City early in September – Hope you will be at Kentland. Our mail is terrible slow here this year. Drop us, even just a line or postal card.

Our love and best wishes

Sincerely,
Silvester

Home address 2028 W. 110^th St. – Chicago

[Editor’s note: Silvester Schiele was Roscoe’s uncle. Vine, a nickname for Lovina, was Roscoe’s mother.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/05/silvester-schiele-2/

H. I. Hester

2 Replies

August 3, 1945

Letter transcripton:

August 3, 1945
Dr. R. S. Yegerlehner
324 West Kansas St.
Liberty, Missouri

Dear Dr. Yegerlehner:

It is with sincere regret that I have learned of your being transferred from our Navy school to another service. I should like for you to know how much we appreciate the exceptionally fine service you have rendered here on the campus. You have done your work quietly and pleasantly. I think it has been an exceptional contribution you have made. You have been so cooperative and helpful in your contacts with us.

I have heard from many people expressions of regret that you are leaving the community. You and your family have made a fine place in the life of Liberty and all of us regret to lose you.

I regret that it will not be possible for me to be at the picnic given in your honor tomorrow. An engagement made some weeks ago makes it necessary for me to be in Springfield at that time. Mrs. Hester will be there and will be happy to greet you.

With warmest regards,
Sincerely yours,
H. I. Hester

HIH:MRB

[Editor’s note: H. I. (Hubert Inman) Hester was a Baptist minister. He was a professor of religion at William Jewell College. During Roscoe’s time in Liberty, Rev. Hester was the vice chancellor of the college. For more information on H. I. Hester, click here for his obituary. An excerpt of “the Tatler” with Dr. Hester’s photograph, click here. ]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/04/h-i-hester/

Guest of Honor

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Lt. R. S. Yegerlehner
324 W. Kansas
Liberty, Missouri

Dear Lt. Yegerlehner,

You and your family are invited to be the guest of the Navy faculty, officers, and ship company at a picnic held at Lake Mauer, Saturday afternoon, 4 August. Supper will be served at 1830 but many are going in time to have a swim before that time.

Sincerely yours
Charles E. McClard

R.S.V.P.

_________________________________________________
NEW MEDICAL OFFICER
AT NAVY SCHOOL
Lt. Roscoe S. Yegerlehner Re-
ceives Assignment To Fleet
Lt. Comdr. Wright Here.

Lieut. Roscoe S. Yegerlehner, medical officer at the V-5 Naval Academic Refresher Unit at William Jewell college the past 14 months, expects soon to be reassigned to the Pacific fleet and will leave next Wednesday for San Francisco, it was reported today by Lt. John B. Moore, commanding officer of the school.
He will be replaced by Lt. Comdr. Claude B. Wright, who is scheduled to arrive in Liberty sometime this week from Jacksonville, Fla., where he has been in a naval hospital.
Dr. Yegerlehner came to Liberty after twenty months with land-based hospitals in the South Pacific. During his service there he had charge of sanitation and helped establish new naval hospitals in New Caledonia and in the Solomon Islands and elsewhere in the Pacific area. He was also at the Great Lakes naval training center for a time.
During his assigment here he has also had the supervision of the ‘sick bay’ at the Parkville college navy unit.
Mrs. Yegerlehner and two sons, Mark 12, and David 3, expect to go to the family home at Kentland, Ind. A third son, John, is a music student at Northwestern university. The Yegerlehners lived at 324 West Kansas street while in Liberty and during their residence made many friends.

Automobile Insurance

2 Replies

Letter Transcription:

Dr. Roscoe L. Yegerlehner
324 W. Kansas St.
Liberty, Missouri

Dear Doctor:

The insurance on your 1942 Ford Sedan comes up for renewal on August 11^th, 1945. We have issued a renewal policy, being No. CA 40173 of the St. Paul Fire and St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company covering public liability, property damage, comprehensive and collision insurance. The renewal preium is $34.16 and we inclose statement for that amount. We also inclose the renewal policy. We trust this meets with your approval.

Yours truly,
PRAIRIE REALTY COMPANY
By
Alvin C. Cast

[Editor’s note: For a little history on the 1942 Ford Sedan, click here.]

USS Sylvania

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

July 27, 1945, p. 1

27 July 1945

Dear Sis & Co.,

We just hit a port long enough to take on supplies and the mail, I had several letters and among them one from you which I now have before me to answer. I need not be in any hurry to answer as it will be three or four weeks before we hit another port but I like to keep my correspondence up to date as I do get lots of letters and I try to write a line or two to Thelma every day or so. Was sure glad to learn that you got John in Northwestern University, bet he is one of their youngest boys. I am going to drop him a line and also send him a birthday card but I seem to have either lost the card I had to send him or else I mailed it already, I believe I wrote and asked you about it so if I did not mail it I will explain it all to him when I write. My, my Sis you do have your troubles now and then, hope David is completely recovered from the pox by now.

Have two letters from Pauline, one from Lovelock and one from Penn. She has left Glenn and says he has made no attempt to get in touch with her or to learn how the boys are. I am going to try to help such as it is from away over the high seas. I just can’t understand why Glenn is acting up so. (James L. Foster CSF)

July 27, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Things are going along fine on board the Sylvania. While I would much rather be back in civilian life as long as there is a war on I am going to make the best of whatever my lot is. I am enjoying this duty, have plenty of work, keeps me busy all day and sometimes part of the night. I am the plumber, my work is looking after the fresh and salt water lines and the drainage. Also have had quite a bit of piping to do, changing this line and that line and running new pipe lines, I enjoy it tho. Last week a fire main in Officer’s Country broke, flooding several rooms before we got it secured.

Thelma is now in Washington working, she returned to T.H. in June and soon was signed up for a job. I got five letters from her in the mail today, one written on the 19^th stated she was getting ready to leave for Washington the next day so by the time I hear from her again she will be all squared away. I hope Harvey has my car in N.Y. and will keep it until I return. Notice my new address. You should have no trouble guessing about where I am.

Love Jim

[Editor’s note: For more information about the history of the USS Sylvania, click here.]

According to the very last entry in the baby book, David broke out with the chicken pox on June 29th. From a letter which Gladys wrote to her brother Jim in 1983, she recalled the chicken pox adventure, “Well, we got to thinking about during the war, I had gone to Kentland with the children and David broke out with chicken-pox and I could not return on the train, so Jake drove 500 miles to get us, then headed back to Liberty, Mo., without any sleep. He drove 1,000 miles without any rest. We couldn’t even go into a restaurant, so Mark and I went to a grocery store and bought food and we ate in the car.”

USS Sylvania (Photograph in the Public domain, available via Wikipedia)

Monthly Update – March 2016

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It is hard to believe that March is almost over. I have so much I am trying to accomplish right now. I am currently on spring break from school, and I am hoping to get a long list of things done by the end of the week. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I get through the top few items on my list.

The WWII Project

The Letters

During last month I have published many letters that were not written by Roscoe and Gladys. These letters were written between June 1944 and August 1945. Over this fourteenth month period, Roscoe, Gladys and the boys were living together in Liberty, Missouri. Roscoe was attached to William Jewell College’s Naval Flight Preparatory School. His responsibilities included treating the officers and their families, as well as the soldiers attending the flight school. In August 1945, he was given orders to report to a new assignment on the west coast. To put this change of duty into historical perspective, Roscoe traveled to San Francisco days after the bombs were dropped on Japan and their inevitable surrender. Look for the letters between Roscoe and Gladys to resume the first week in April.

I have taken the next step in my preservation process. I have purchased some Hollinger boxes and heavy weight archival folders. Once I knock a few things off the top of my to-do list, I plan on moving the letters out of their plastic sheets and three ring binders. While working on the blog and books, it was definitely easier to store the letters in binders. However, this is not necessarily the best method for conserving them. I will start with the letters already published in Dear Mother, Love Daddy. I already have a basic finding aid prepared for cataloging the letters.

Dear Mother, Love Daddy

Unfortunately, I was not chosen as one of the local authors to participate in the Local Author Festival at the Sacramento library in April. I am definitely disappointed but not discouraged. If you have read the book, please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon. The more reviews the book gets, the higher ranking it gets (and more likely it is to be highlighted by Amazon’s algorithms).

Lots of Love, Daddy

This month has been a huge push for me to get the manuscript prepared to turn over to my copy editor. I finally finished the index, and am currently working on the glossary of people. Then all that I have left is to write my author’s notes and acknowledgements, a list of illustrations and my biography. My father FINALLY found a envelope with many of the original photographs that I intend to use in this volume. Just in the nick of time! I need to sort through the envelope and re-scan some of these photographs as well as add some new unseen pictures to the book.

This month the preliminary cover for the book was designed! Many, many thanks to Dan Young for doing a stellar job. And so, dear readers, you get the first look!

Sacramento Library

Last weekend I enjoyed meeting with more patrons to assist them with their genealogy puzzles. Although a couple of my appointments were cancelled (we think because people did not realize it was Easter weekend), there were some walk-ins who filled up the empty spots in my schedule. I love exploring other people’s ancestry and seeing what we can find. If you are interested in booking an appointment, contact the Franklin branch.

My next lecture is scheduled for May 7th. I will be talking about some of my favorite free genealogy sites that are available on the Internet. One of those sites is Chronicling America on the Library of Congress’ website. This is a wonderful site for finding free digitized newspapers as well as an awesome finding aid for locating newspapers in repositories around the country.

Certification

I haven’t necessarily done much towards certification this month. However, I did discover that the Holmes County Library has digitized some of the local newspapers, including the Holmes County Farmer. Within minutes of discovering this resource, I located the obituary of an ancestor I am hoping to highlight in my KDP (Kinship-Determination Project). The KDP is usually one of the more extensive requirements of the certification portfolio. The requirement is to “submit a narrative genealogy, narrative lineage, or narrative pedigree that documents and explains linkages among three ancestral generations.”

I have also been thinking a lot about what sources I have and what sources I need to locate. One of my next tasks is to list and analyze the sources I have already accumulated so I can see where some of my gaps might be. Writing up a research plan for locating the missing documents is also on part of this step.

Alfred M. Dicks and Achilles Dicks affidavit

Alfred M. Dicks affidavit (Image courtesy of FamilySearch.org)

I have been thinking about what a “reasonably exhaustive search” may be for this project, and the other elements of the portfolio. This last month I have made some amazing discoveries in my own research. I have unearthed two documents related to my ancestor Alfred M. Dicks. The main reason I have found these documents now (after 20 years!) is that the collections have recently become available online. Neither document was in an indexed database. I had to search for hours in order to find them. I wonder what other documents I could find, if only, I could make it to the courthouse or local library myself. I have been unable to find a reliable researcher willing to take on this research for me, nor would my bank account be able to support the hourly fees. This rural county has a population of less than 20,000 people. My own small city has more than 7 times that amount. So when is a “reasonably exhaustive search” complete? I don’t have a good answer to this question. I worry that I won’t have done enough when it is time to submit my portfolio. The converse is, if you don’t stop at some point to write down what you have found, no one will know what you have discovered, and it may be lost again.

Jamboree

It is a little over two months before Jamboree. I was really hoping to see one of the sample BCG portfolios last year in the exhibition hall. There wasn’t even BCG booth! Because I am so much closer to wanting to start the certification process, I emailed the BCG this week. I received confirmation that the sample portfolios will be there. Have you checked out a BCG portfolio at a genealogy conference? I can’t wait to see one (to see whether my work is at that level or not).

Until next month! Happy hunting!