Tag Archives: World War II

Senior O.D. (Roscoe)

October 17, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

17 Oct. 45

Dear Mother,

Just about to finish the Senior O.D. watch and it has been a little crammed up, but now at 2030 things had slowed down but I’ve got my fingers crossed. You see since I made Lt. Cdr. I have the Senior O.D. instead of the Junior and it is a little more responsibility but not bad.

Your letter which you thought I’d get Monday night which I was to call or wire you about came today – so proceed as you are – I know you can tell more about how things are working out so go ahead and use your own judgment, only have things fixed pretty nice, even though it does cost a little more. It doesn’t seem as if the oil burner would take up much space where you had it in the diagram.

We still haven’t heard anything about the

October 17, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] discharges but of course they are not effective until Nov. 1 but there surely is going to be plenty of stuff raised between now and then and much more after that.

I don’t know what happened to the mail again that it is so slow, but maybe it will pick up in a day or two. Hope so.

The weather has been terrible all day today – a heavy mist – more than a fog but hardly enough to cause one to wear a rain coat.

You remember the (jg) I used to write about – Well, he took a plane to Pearl Harbor – got a ship and came back to San Francisco. He came out for a short visit – He is Tokyo bound today. He used to write to a girlfriend every day in Canada but she wrote him that she couldn’t wait – so his affair must have been rather one-sided. He didn’t seem to be too much disturbed.

Well, I do hope I can get some good word to you in a few days –
Love Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/08/senior-o-d-roscoe/

Arvilla (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 17, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 17, 1945, p. 1

10-17-45

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Sun. came today. It has been a grand day and I am glad we could let the fire go this afternoon. I talked to Chet Van S. and they have no coal – only Indiana stoker. Anyway the stoker coal isn’t so good to use for hand firing. I will try Harlan and see what he has. If he has any stoker coal I may have Monroe take this auger out and see if he can get it welded. He said they did that to the school furnace but it didn’t work. Loughridge is so indefinite about the oil burners now. When I talked to them in August they were sure they could have the furnace changed over by Nov. 1 and now they can’t give any date. Chet said they were to get a load of coke soon and I have a notion to try that, if we can’t get any coal.

Vincent is going to start on the office tonight. Nick still has his “stuff” stored there but I think Vincent can work around it for a while. I thought if we get something started Nick would get the place cleared.

I worked a little while in the attic getting the office things together. I want to gather up the sheets and towels and get them laundered.

Had a letter from your mother and she said Kenneth is home. He has a 45 day furlough, then goes back to N.C. and he thinks then he will be discharged. Dolores & Steve are home. Steve is out of the Army & Dolores has quit her job. I thought she would stay for a while but now that she is married I suppose they want to get

October 17, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] settled near the relatives. Mom said she didn’t know what they intend to do.

Irene was talking to me and said Link is losing weight. She says he is worried about his job. She is still talking about starting a Baby Shop out here in their home. I take it from the trend of her conversation their finances aren’t so good. She said she told Link if he wanted to sell their place she would be willing. However, I doubt if they will do that.

David just came in with a mask on. Virginia had given it to him and he was so tickled about it. I acted like he frightened me and that made him laugh.

I saw Dr. Mathews in the drug store and told him you were to be discharged Nov. 1 – He said for you to hurry home.

I also [saw] Arvilla Wright yesterday. She has been working in a hospital in Illinois but had to come home. She had an impacted wisdom tooth and was to go today to have it taken out. Alma told me Arvilla would rather work in a doctor’s office here than in a hospital. She figures she could take less and stay home. I have an idea you can get her if you want her.

Dorothy took Bobby over to Hungess for another cold shot this afternoon – the third one.

John is late this evening – he is quite busy getting the school paper ready to edit. The grade cards came – he got A on everything but Band & Cole gave him a B – he was very disgusted about that. He also got a B on citizenship – but they grade themselves on that and he was too modest to himself an A. Mark’s grades were B-C-& D – I told him to get busy & get an A or two next time.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/07/arvilla-gladys/

Treasure Island (Roscoe)

2 Replies

October 16, 1945 envelope

October 16, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Oct. 16, 1945

Dear Mother,

I am now totally converted. I mean almost into a full Lt. Cdr. Total cost $7.80; one fifty for the collar device – only I think I’ll sell one for $0.75 and $2.30 for the gray shoulder boards and $4.00 for the gold, and installation, on the sleeve of the blue. So if I make the sale it will be $7.05, but I don’t feel that you are too interested in that. I’m not either but I can’t give you any further information on the discharge.

I haven’t received any letters from you since Sat. I’m hoping for a few tomorrow. I’m just wondering if Schuster has taken on the job, etc.

I took my blue shirt down to have the gold changed this p.m. and tomorrow morn they decide to have a picture taken. I don’t know just what I’ll do as yet – I have the duty also so maybe I can get out of the picture on those grounds.

Stanich came past and took me downtown. He took me first to Treasure Island

October 16, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] but I couldn’t do any good there so we stopped in one of the downtown stores. The one where I bought my cap before going out in ’42.

I tried to get some shirts this p.m. but no white and possibly some gray tomorrow but I can’t get there then. That place is on the other side of San Francisco and my means of transportation are not good. When you go to Treasure Island you just cross half of the bay bridge. Then turn off to the right and cut back over the top of the bridge. It is a nice island and has the big sign for the Fleet – “Hi mate, etc.” We passed right in front of that sign. I doubt if any of the sailors on the ships saw it since it was so foggy.

Well, I’m going to mail this so it will go out early in the a.m. I missed the p.m. mail because of going to town and some new patients came in also –

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/06/treasure-island-roscoe/

Saving Coal (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 16, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 16, 1945, p. 1

Oct. 16 – 1945

Dear Daddy –

We are enjoying another glorious day and to be practical about it – saves coal – etc., etc. – since we are still not permanently fixed about our heating arrangement.

Vincent is to begin work tomorrow evening on the office. I hope I am doing what you want in having the partition moved up 3’. I just wish I could talk to you over the phone but maybe I’ll get things done right (I hope). In talking to the Loughridges about an oil burner for the office, Chet said the present set-up Nick has wouldn’t carry the office unless he changed something. He says the system Nick has at present is heating all it can. I still think it will be better just to use the heating plant even with coal until you can get an oil burner put in. It won’t take up enough space in the back room to bother you and it will furnish heat for that room.

Yesterday I went with Arlene to see Dr. Ade about Bobby. Dr. A. says his hearing is just about 50% in both ears. He says it is because of enlarged adenoids and advised Arlene to have them out at once. I think they are going to take him down this week. Dr. Ade has (of course) a machine to test hearing (ears) and said both ears were about the same.

I bought a new pair brown shoes yesterday and stretched my shoe budget to $10.95 and when I got home with them discovered they had been slightly used so I writing Loebs. I wouldn’t complain

October 16, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] on a pair costing $5 or $6 but $10.95 is too much to pay for even slightly used shoes. I suppose you will say “lady stuff.” I took back that sweater and tried to get one a little more my style but couldn’t find the right color so came back without a sweater.

So far no letters from you, but I am going to inquire at the P.O. when I mail this. Maybe one will have come in during the day.

My throat condition seems to be a little better. I think it’s sleeping in a cold room that is keeping it a little irritated.

Irene told me they were thinking about opening a baby shop out here in their home. I think a baby shop would have been a paying thing in the past few years, but wouldn’t predict either way on it in the future. However, according to the latest information a lot of babies are on the way.

David is out in the yard, so I must look out and see what he is doing.
Love Mother

P.S. We tried two of our T-bones Suri [?] and they are so large two was more than three (I mean four) of us wanted. Two covers the broiler pan.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/05/saving-coal-gladys/

Lt. Cdr. (Roscoe)

1 Reply

October 15, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 15, 1945, p. 1

15 Oct. 45

Dear Mother,

I think now that my mail can be addressed as Lt. Cdr. Because I had the examination this a.m. As near as I can figure it will cost me about 6-8 dollars to convert so that isn’t so bad. Of course it all depends on how soon I’ll get those discharge papers. I still don’t know if the 1^st of Nov. means out of the 12^th district by then or out of the 9^th. No one seems to know and somehow can’t find out. I guess we will just have to wait. There is a Cdr. Here from Kokomo, Ind., and he has been griping no little but it seems to do no good. At least we do have a more or less of a limit, I suppose, the middle of Nov. as I stated before will just about catch it.

October 15, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] This being the 15^th was payday so I withdrew some money and left the remainder. I’ll just bring it along to Great Lakes on the pay account and collect it as I’m discharged – if it is too long I’ll withdraw it and send it along but I don’t believe you will need it unless the oil burner is installed or some carpentering is done. There was no mail yesterday nor today so I don’t know what progress you have made and but I’m not expecting too much since you have had only a few days.

As I said this is the 15^th and it sure seems as if the end of the month is ages away. I guess it won’t be any longer than any

October 15, 194,5 p. 3

[page 3] other month but just seems that way.

Stanich is coming past for me tomorrow and we are going out to a ship’s service to see if I can get some shirts and also to take my blues to have the sleeve gold changed.

I find it a little hard to write since all that I’m thinking about is the office repair and the discharge date and all that has been gone into so often it now becomes trite – or does it?? Anyway we got the storm windows up before I knew what the reductions in points would be. That might be classed as a “frame up.” That is

October 15, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] right frame up – frames on the storm windows – a pun. Get it? It stinks.

Well, it is time I got this off to the P.O. so
Lots of Love,
Daddy

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

To the Show or Not to the Show (Roscoe)

1 Reply

October 14, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 14, 1945, p. 1

Oct. 14

Dear Mother,

Sunday eve and I haven’t decided whether to go to the show or just stay home. The show is “River Gang.” Doesn’t sound very good.

After I finished your letter last night, the Staniches called me and I went out to their place for chow and then we came back to the show here. They came up to our lounge and sat a spell. Just he & her – Jeff stayed at one of the neighbors.

I’ve been thinking over the heating problem, etc., and as yet can’t seem to make much of a decision. Maybe if I had some figures it would be different. It really shouldn’t cost much to have that heat piped over and I guess we could make the change over at a later date. All the radiators and the heating unit itself will have to be removed for the carpentering so maybe it won’t be a problem until I get home.

I have to get my physical exam tomorrow for my promotion and then have to buy a new set of shoulder boards for my gray. Those shouldn’t cost so much but I’ll have to get some gold put on this one suit of blues.

October 14, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I think the whole thing for the blues will cost $4.00. I’m also going to try to find out a little more definite about the Nov. 1 date for the discharge. Yes, I haven’t forgotten that that is your birthday, but I’m practically certain I won’t be home by that date.

I think we discussed this before but just in case – I don’t believe I’d have a thing done to the back room on the other side until I get home. Those rooms we have there if finished properly will be sufficient for the time being, but again don’t fuss and stew, because it won’t take long when I get there and a couple of weeks won’t make much difference in years.

Tomorrow is pay day but I’m not certain how much I’ll draw since I should have some draft money coming. I’ll draw it before I come home however.

Well, I didn’t go to the show, played a game or two of Acey Ducy after starting this letter.

Lots of Love,
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/03/to-the-show-or-not-to-the-show-roscoe/

Going Ahead (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 14, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 14, 1945, p. 1

Oct. 14-1945

Dear Daddy –

I didn’t write yesterday – I was waiting for your wire and it didn’t come until after mailing time. At any rate I am going ahead with the office as we planned. Vincent called me and said his estimate for labor and material would be $113.00. That he said would include everything he would do. Of course Mr. Monroe would (will) have another bill. Mr. Monroe came out to the house Sat. and asked me what we wanted – I told him and he said he would look it over and see what would have to be done. I am going ahead with our heating plant – because I am afraid it would cost more to pipe the heat across the alley than to use our own heating plant. Mr. Monroe asked me how we were getting along with the furnace. I said we were hand firing and since you were coming home we may just have the auger fixed. Mr. M. said he couldn’t get any burners yet. They didn’t have anything yet last week.

We are enjoying a lively fire in the fireplace. We bought some coal up and it lasts so much longer than logs. David is in bed – he was so tired this evening he was cross and cried at everything. John is up in the attic looking for Reader’s Digests – he wants

October 14, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] an old number for something. He took his first organ lesson yesterday ($1.50 hr.) and I went to the church with him for one hour practice this afternoon. He can only use the church when it’s warm and now that is only Sat. & Sun. He also took a piano lesson yesterday afternoon. Miss Smith is discouraged with Mark and told John he was wasting his money & her time – however I think when you get back and can help him he will improve. We got all the storm windows on yesterday – all but the doors, but they won’t be much of a job.

Jim called me from Great Lakes yesterday. He is getting his discharge in a day or two, then he is going to N.Y. to get his car – Washington to get Thelma – back to Terra Haute then up here to see us. Maybe you will get back about the same time.

I am wondering if you will be sent back to G.L. for discharge – but maybe your first letter will answer some of my inquiries. I wish now we had arranged for you to call – then I could have given you the estimate on the office, but I am assuming you want me to get it done.

Emmett Miller is home. I called Lila and she doesn’t know about Joe – but now that he has enough points he will surely be home soon.

It is cooler today. Rained a little and stays chilly. I looked out a few minutes ago and saw a bright moon, so it must be clear. Just hope is doesn’t get too chilly before we get this furnace fixed one way or another.

Love Mother

P.S. Kenneth is on his way home.

October 14, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] Mon. morn – Arlene called me last night and asked me to see if I could get her an appointment with Dr. Ade (first she asked if you were home). It seems Bobby is losing his hearing. He has been having some ear trouble and Arlene is quite alarmed over his condition. I called Dr. Ade this morning & he said to bring him down this afternoon. I called Loughridge this morning but Bun didn’t know much. I am afraid we will have to get this furnace fixed or I will get a bad cold. I am bordering on a throat condition now and it’s so much cooler

October 14, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] and takes the house so long to heat up in the morning. I went down and burned a lot of trash to build the temp up and I finally have it up to 66. (10:45) I have to go to the store to get a few things. Maybe it will be up by the time I get back.

It is nice and sunny today so maybe the temp will get up before the day is over.

Will try to have more info about everything this evening.

Possibly Home by Mid November (Roscoe)

1 Reply

October 13, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 13, 1945, p. 1

Oct. 13, 1945

Dear Mother,

Just sent out the telegram and also collected six letters – including the one you wrote Thurs. eve.

I just don’t know hardly what to say about the heat in the office. I guess if Nick thinks his furnace is big enough to take care of all the rooms with the extra in the back of Mildred’s he just as well go ahead but on the other hand if we could get an oil burner for the present system I’d just as soon do it that way. It would be just as automatic and no bother. You might check to see if Sears could put an oil burner in it, but with all and everything we will have to have another radiator or some heating element in the back room. If you can’t decide what to do just wait on the heat until I get home.

The discharges are not effective until after Nov. 1. That is that when

October 13, 194,5 p. 2

[page 2] our applications are supposed to go in to the district here. Then we will be sent to our own home district. I made mine our this p.m. In other words we are not clear yet whether we can’t send them to the 12^th Naval District until Nov. 1, or if we can send them in now and they work on them after Nov. 1 and we be ready to leave Nov. 1. The Yeoman is going to find out this p.m. I think I’m the 4^th one here to make application. The others were here on the ground floor when the word came thru.

Don’t worry or fret too much about getting things fixed up. I mean the heating, etc. It might take a couple of weeks after I get there but that won’t be too much time lost considering the 3 years and some.

I’m going to try to get this in the Sun. a.m. mail so you will get it early.

Again don’t worry or fret. If Vincent can do the carpenter work – swell – we’ll get some heat somehow. I’d like to have a pretty definite figure as to the amount per mo. and the cost across the alley before we give Nick the word. That’s all for now,

Love Daddy

P.S. If anyone asks you when I’m coming home I think it would be safe to say possibly about the middle of Nov.

Construction Plans (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 12, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 12, 1945, p. 1

10-12-45

Dear Daddy –

I haven’t any figures to submit but Vincent looked the office over and said he would do the work next week. I called Geo. Monroe but he was out – however he is to call me. Now I think the thing for us to do is forget about piping the heat over from Nick’s, and go ahead with the heating plant we have. I called Loughridge and Bun said they have a burner he thinks will work in the boiler and if so we could get a set up that would be our own and with automatic oil we would be better off than if we hooked on to the other plant. I measured the space necessary to locate the boiler in the back room and it would take up such a small space it wouldn’t really be in the way. I am afraid it would cost more to get a pipeline put across the alley than to put in an oil burner. At any rate I am going to proceed with the above plans as soon as I can get the men started, unless you wire me to stop when you get this. Vincent said he could move the wall up 3’ so I am having that done too. There is a radiator 3’ from the wall so that is as far up as we can move it unless we would move the radiator and I don’t think it would be worth the work to move that large radiator. I’ll draw a little plan on the back to show you how much space the boiler will take.

October 12, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] It is another grand fall day. I intend to sit out in the yard and knit – I want to get my knitting out of the way as much as possible this week. I am so glad for this weather since we haven’t such a good furnace arrangement. Just hope it’s this warm next week for the carpenter. Vincent said he would work at night on the office. I stopped to see Mrs. Krull yesterday. She said she is going to have Mr. Lontz go down and clean out that backroom and white wash it. She said something about putting in a new stool if necessary. I told her it probably needed to be changed because when they aren’t kept clean they get beyond cleaning. I think she is glad to get the back end cleaned up.

I just went out to see about David. He was clomping around in a pr. of my good shoes. I put them on the back porch so I would remember to take them to the repair shop. I thought it would be warm out of doors but the wind is chilly.

Irene is out washing their front windows. She is using a cleaner like Bon Ami and says it is grand stuff. It comes in liquid form but works just like my favorite cleaner. ——- As you can see you would have a little more space in all three back rooms. How do you like the way I re-spaced the rooms – the ex[am] room can be 5 X 10 since you will have the extra length on the consultation room. As you can see the boiler wouldn’t be in the way. I you don’t want me to proceed with this just wire me or call Mon. eve.

Love Mother

While You Wait (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 11, 1945 envelope

October 11, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

10-11-45

Dear Daddy –

Thurs. morning. Just thought I would write and give you a letter “while you wait.” This should get to you by the time you get back to San. F. I gathered up the clothes and washed this morning. It’s clear but a little cool. A good day to get out of doors.

Last night when you called the boys kept saying tell him about the garage door – I drove a little too close before I stopped last night and I pushed the door in a little. After driving all the way home from Great Lakes without a bit of trouble I would do something like that. I never liked that door anyway and if we do to garage what we plan, it will have to be changed anyway. However, the door isn’t ruined.

I called Vincent Schuster and he is going to the office with me this evening to see what has to be done. I asked him how much work he had ahead and he said he would have to see what you wanted before he would say if he can do it. I’ll write tomorrow and tell you what he will do. I have been thinking about the heat business and I think if we could get an oil burner put in our heating plant it might

October 11, 1945 , p. 2

[page 2] be better to be independent than to be hooked on to Nick’s. However, that can wait until you get back.

I just “drifted” my hair and waiting for it to dry a little so I can roll it. It has warmed up out of doors and is going to be a grand day to be out. One of Indiana’s glorious fall days.

David is playing in the den at the present time but played out a lot this morning. He got an old pair of galoshes and put them on and tramped around a good part of this morning. He is still playing with that old car seat. I’ll be glad when he gets tired of it so I can put it away.

It took a long time to get the house warm last night, but there was a good fire this a.m. We finally lit a fire in the fire place and toasted our toes a while. I was so tired I took a bath and went to bed about 9 p.m. I got up a little past 7 this a.m. to get the fire started but I didn’t have to do much. The temp on the gauge was over 200° so it didn’t take so long to throw a little heat around.

I think I’ll try to get some knitting done and out of the way, so I will have time to see about other things.

Love Mother