Tag Archives: World War II

The General’s Pencil (Roscoe)

2 Replies

: July 14, 1943 envelope

: July 14, 1943, p. 1

: July 14, 1943, p. 2

: July 14, 1943, p. 3

: July 14, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. S.F.C.
July 14, 1943

Dear Mother,

Received a regular air mail yesterday Dated 25^th of June. I think that was the last. I put the them letters all together and I’m not sure which came last. I’ve have one each day for the last three days.

It’s very hot and sticky here this A.M. but that isn’t news. You stated in your letter that it was that way there and I suppose you can expect that for another month or two but we can expect that here longer than that or at least until our tour of duty is over in this area.

[page 2] You remember me telling you sometime ago about playing Dorothea Dix to a doctor – well he got orders for a change of duty and yesterday wrote me a very fine letter thanking me for all that I had done for him. He lived in the tent with me and after we had our talk – he somehow got some drink and proceeded to get “stinko” – which was very bad for me. In his letter he was much ashamed and apologized etc. It makes me feel more than ever like Dorothea D. Guess I’ll save the letter and have it run as a special feature for the love tangled boys of the Island.

[page 3] Somehow an egg sunny side up got into our breakfast this A.M. It was a total surprise and I might say a pleasant on at that. I think I must be gaining back all the weight I lost due to better eats and less exercise.

I don’t believe I ever told you about fixing the General’s pencil – If I did just disregard this part. Our skipper and I just went over for a social call and during the conversation something came up that the General wanted to write and his pencil a gold Everharp was out of order so I loaned him mine. Then he asked if I thought I could fix his and I of course polishing apples at my best said “yes sir.”

[page 4] It was one of those push on the end and the lead comes out kind. I brought it back took it all apart and found it was out of lead. So all it needed was a stick of my lead. I’m not sure whether he knew that or whether it was his way of bumming. Anyway it cost him 3 bottles of beer – or rather six. 3 for me and three for the Skipper. I gave the pencil back to him about 3 days later and he seemed a little taken back because he had failed to think of the possibility of being out of lead. He told me if I couldn’t fix it just to keep it. I sure would have liked to – had his name etc. but I didn’t have the heart to be that dishonest. The above has no point only I was just bragging. It’s a true story – ever bit of it.

Well, I’ve shot my wad for today.
Love Daddy

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

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/09/the-generals-pencil-roscoe/

Have David For A Brother (Gladys)

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: July 14, 1943 envelope

: July 14, 1943, p. 1

: July 14, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 14, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 14 1943

Dear Daddy,

No mail today but I didn’t expect any since I had rec’d up to July 3. Had a letter from Marie Mace – Said David has been having rheumatism again. Marie said if he didn’t write to you she would and his reply was that, when he finished a letter to you and read it over it seemed toobe to be so “ped-dling” in the face of things you must be seeing and going through with, he felt it shouldn’t take up the space it would in going to you. He lost 26 lbs. then gained back 6. Marie says his clothes are so loose they hang on him.

Sometimes I feel

[page 2] that way about my letters to you but I go ahead and mail them anyway. I wish every day I could write volumes of interesting thing but hardly do that.

It is cloudy today and has rained a tiny bit and looks like all the time will rain hard. It is cooler than yesterday and I am glad because of Mother feeling so weak. I brought her home yesterday. She is upstairs in bed. Dr. Cole has her taking acidolphilus broth in milk after each meal and a tonic before meals. He said the after meal medicine is to help heal her bowels. She says all the soreness is gone. Is eating a little but not much. If you can imagine her being thinner than she was. Her clothes are too large too.

David’s eyes got red looking – the whites were blood shot so I took him to Dr. Ade – he

[page 3] said it was an infection that was going around and gave us a prescription for drop to put in three times a day. He said it should clear up in a few days. David doesn’t like the drops but I manage to get them in. He has had them three times and I think his eyes are better.

Mark is working on airplanes today. John is practicing. There is a plane going over & Mark has run out to see it. This must be a regular route now because planes go over almost daily. I am writing with an old pen and I keep making mistakes.

The Thompsons are visiting the Foulkes. Tommy is still helping his father farm. I haven’t seen them only from a distance. Mark saw Mary and asked her how much Davey weighed. She said 22 ½ & he is 16 mo old – can’t walk alone yet. Mark

[page 4] thought their Davey is a little slow in every way. Of course I haven’t seen him and can’t say. Yesterday Dr. Ade said he had two girls who would be glad to have David for a brother. John was with me and he said there were 3 girls next door who would like to have him too. It seems almost everyone things he would be pretty nice to have.

When I paid Mother’s bill I had 41⁰⁰ bal. in the bank. Her bill for a week was 47⁰⁰ – that included medicine & lab fee. I had put 52⁰⁰ of her money in our acc’t and you can see there wasn’t much of hers left.

Irene is home this week keeping Jimmy. Said she didn’t know what she would do next week and thereafter – Her mother isn’t coming back yet and she has to find someone to take care of J. when she goes back to work.

I have to make a trip to town.
Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/08/have-david-for-a-brother-gladys/

First President of the Rotary (Roscoe)

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: July 13, 1943 envelope

: July 13, 1943, p. 1

: July 13, 1943, p. 2

: July 13, 1943, p. 3

: July 13, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran
July 13, 1943

Dear Mother,
Yesterday your letter of June 24 came and one from Ruth Y. of June 22. I thought possibly the pictures of D. would be in this one but then I remembered that you said you would send them next week. It has been a week since I received that letter from you but this letter was only 2 days older than the one in which you told of the pictures.

I don’t know if I told you that Uncle Wess had sent a Rotary news week of their own club in Chicago. Well, it had an

[page 2] item in it about the first president of Rotary and it gave a short account of his life. Well I “sorta” get a kick out of having my friends read it and then claiming him as my uncle. I’ll have to write him and give him the low down.

My ambition got the better of me yesterday and I constructed that long talked of rat trap and we have a rat this A.M. to prove the merits of the trap. It’s a type of gang plank where the rat walks out to get a piece of cheese held by a wire beyond the balance point. So Mr. Rat walks out and takes a dip in

[page 3] a 5 gallon can filled about half full of water. We heard it trip two other times but I guess the rat was too nimble. With a little rearranging I believe I can make it 100% instead of 33⅓% as it now is.

I wrote some time ago about changing the allotment but I think I’ll just leave it as is and send what extra money I have home ever so often. As far as I can see it’s just as good one way as the other and if it is left as is you will always get your $200 but if the mail would get crossed as it did with the uniform, your 200 might stop and

[page 4] the new fail to start. If one of the checks I send home gets lost we can always get the numbers and check it that way. I think I’ll continue that way for a while at least and in the next week or 10 days will be able to send a check. That is as soon as a pay day arrives. The amount of the check I can’t say because I don’t know how much there is there. I’ve written all that before but just a little alteration in plan.

You said something about the hot weather in your letter. At Noumea the wind would blow but here it’s always calm and that makes the heat a little more severe. Yes I’ve had practically 14 month of hot weather now beginning at Norfolk Va.

Well, must be on the move
Love Daddy

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

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/07/first-president-of-the-rotary-roscoe/

A Grand For 300 (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 13, 1943 envelope

: July 13, 1943, p. 1

: July 13, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 13, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 13 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Rec’d yours of July 3 and you had rec’d more pictures. I am always glad when you get them. The pictures never do justice to David but you can get a good idea how he looks. He is so full of pep and does so many cute things (we think). I may be wrong but he acts like he will talk very young. He jabbers so much. It was hot when John took him up to bed last nite so he went to bed with just a diaper on and slept that way all night. I covered him with his spread and when I woke up this morning he was up playing with the spread. His bed downstairs is in front of

[page 2] the window and if left alone will watch the traffic & trains at long periods. He will play in his bed or pen with a toy or just a blanket or pillow. He loves to pound a pillow and take the slip off. After his bath & meal at 11: Mark usually takes him out in his buggy for a sunbath.

John is up making an Angel Food Cake – we have egg whites left from David’s formula and when enough accumulates John makes a cake. Mark is still in bed. He seemed to be all over his nervous habits after his tonsil operation and then he went to Ruth’s a week. I think he was too excited all the time about things because when I went to get him he was about as bad as ever. I have been trying to keep him from doing so much and let him sleep as long as he wants too – He still jerks his head and bats his eyes, but maybe I

[page 3] can get him quieted down with plenty of rest. I have noticed any excitement or hard play makes him worse. Betty Nesbitt is taking a group of youngsters to Battle Ground, the Methodist vacation school, and she wants him to go. I don’t think I’ll let him go because I am afraid it will be too much excitement.

I am going to the hospital today and if Dr. Cole thinks it’s the thing to do will bring Mother home. She has had sulfaquanodine since she has been down (1 week) and the infection should be cleared up by now and I think she will get along as good here now as there. Jim talks like he will be home soon for a leave before being sent out and I think that should help Mother some. Of course I know it will take food to give her strength and she hasn’t been eating so good. I sent Jim an air mail a week ago but haven’t had any reply from him. Sometimes it takes about

[page 4] as long for him to get my letters as it does for you to.

I have been looking at a piano again. A tuner who worked on ours last fall had a grand for $300⁰⁰. That sounds like a fortune just now and I don’t know what to do. If I could only get your opinion in tme. I told him I didn’t have the cash because I had bought bonds. He said he would arrange the payment for me but I haven’t decided yet what I should do. By the time I get an answer the issue will probably be past history.

I have been quoting our bank bal. several times lately. When I pay the hospital bill today I will be pretty low. Will give you definite figures tomorrow. This everyday living without trimmings is so high – I haven’t spent for anything but necessities and it seems to take a lot. Just so we can get by I am nor worrying about savings – of course I would like to have a nest egg saved up when you come home, but I am not going to worry about it. I’ll feel good about the whole things if we get along –

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/06/a-grand-for-300-gladys/

Lettuce (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: July 12, 1943 envelope

: July 12, 1943, p. 1

: July 12, 1943, p. 2

: July 12, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
July 12, 1943

Dear Mother,

Another Monday rolling along. Yesterday an air mail letter came from the folks. It was dated June 23. The latest from you was June 22. I believe there will be more mail in the next few days. It seems to run like that.

I’m completely floored as to anything to write as I have often been before and a few words like this might serve as a starter offer.

Some officers came in yesterday who had left the

[page 2] States in early June and they were giving us the low down on rationing, prices and conditions in general. Things must have changed back there and we would probably notice it more that others who have been there and accepted the changes gradually.

I haven’t heard from Joe R. since he was here nor have I written to him. There really isn’t much to write about for he knows as well as I what goes on in the area.

My lettuce was growing a little and then one morning it was all gone – evidently the rats

[page 3] or worms or something liked the green because it was all mowed down and gone. I guess cocoanuts and jungles are all that can survive here unless something is added in the way of fertilizer.

The boy is here cleaning and throwing things around and that doesn’t add much to the ability to concentrate. The only good feature about that is the clean sheets that are added to the bunk on Monday.

Well, that’s all for today.
Love Daddy

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

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/05/lettuce-roscoe/

A Logical Explanation (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 12, 1943 envelope

: July 12, 1943, p. 1

: July 12, 1943, p. 2

: July 12, 1943, p. 3

Letter Transcription:

Kentland Ind
7 – 12 – 43

Dear Daddy,

Yours of July 1 and 2 came today. This is Monday and had a little washing to do. It is hot & sunny so things are drying well. I want to get the ironing done to because I promised to go to Laf. tomorrow. I’ll bring Mother home if Dr. Cole thinks she should come. She wasn’t eating any better yesterday but maybe she will in a few days. Dr. Cole is giving her something to help stimulate her appetite.

I have to fill in a form for a new gas ration book. They should be issued by July 21 – that is the expiration of the present book.

Margaret Kruman came out and asked me to order three catheters for Bud. Seems

[page 2] Dr. M. has had a little misunderstanding with Aloe & won’t order so she asked me to. I am going to send a C.O.D. order.

Bud Krull is here today. He & Mark went fishing & caught 2 little fish they threw back in. I caught Mark in time to keep him from going back so he can mail this for me. You need not worry about him studying too hard. He hasn’t done any since he had his tonsils out, and I am so busy with things now I can’t keep him at anything, so the studying will have to wait until school begins. I started him on the piano again but he won’t practice unless I sit with him. I think he could soon get it if he had the urge. John thinks he could soon play by ear if he tried.

John is over at Zell’s helping them break beans to can. They brought a girl about his age back with them for a week’s visit. John has a bad case of pimples & black heads on his nose and around it but he won’t let me get near him so I can’t do much about it. I told him good scrubbing would help a lot. I suppose you know by now we didn’t get the horn for Mark. He wouldn’t practice any more on it than on the old one and when the bike came along he said he would rather have it.

David is taking a nap at present. It is so hot today he is dressed in a diaper only. We didn’t get back last nite until 8 P.M. and he didn’t mind at all going an hour past his supper. I have been putting him to bed at 7 so he won’t wake so early in the a.m. – even with going to bed an hour late he was awake at 7 this morning. He is jabbering a lot, say Da Da very

[page 4] plainly – anyone could understand it – but that’s about all except sometimes he says mom- mom. He reminds me of John the way he make sounds like words. John can’t understand how he would know to say da da – John has to have a logical explanation for things. He gets more like you every day. He says so many things that makes me think of the things you would say. Mark is so anxious to look like you. I tell him I would be more pleased if he acted like Daddy. He just grins and goes on as usual. Mark & Buddy just came in with a yard stick discussing the length bass & bluegill should be to keep & Mark said 6 & 10 ft. & meant inches. When I called his attention to his error he had a good laugh.

He is waiting to mail this so will get it finished. There is a swallow’s nest in our fireplace chimney – I can hear the baby birds.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/04/a-logical-explanation-gladys/

A Paradise of the Southwest Pacific (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: July 11, 1943 envelope

: July 11, 1943, p. 1

: July 11, 1943, p. 2

: July 11, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Calif.
July 11, 1943

Dear Mother,

A bright sunny Sunday morning on a paradise of the south W. Pacific. The above statement might be true or I should say might have been more true to me had I been allowed to spend such before the war or if after the war but as it is now I’m afraid the glamour of the Isles is wasted. I think I’ve gone into that more times before but I

[page 2] just had that feeling at the moment.

It’s funny the things one thinks of at times – maybe before we didn’t have time to think or perhaps didn’t take time – but now the long evenings are used largely for thinking. For example I often wonder where and under what circumstances our reunion will be – at home, California – N.Y., Norfolk, etc. Then maybe a more important item – when – There too as a good matter for thought and/or should I say mental projection.

[page 3] The above is entirely pointless as far as news are concerned but the only news we’ve heard is via radio of on Italy and New Georgia. We hope both are true and not the imagination of news reporters.

Both tent mates are very busy reading so conversation is at a low ebb, but even that doesn’t seem to help me write any more

Love Daddy

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

At the Hospital (Gladys)

3 Replies

: July 11, 1943 envelope

: July 11, 1943, p. 1

: July 11, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 11, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Sunday July 11 1943

Dear Daddy –

Seems my Sat. letter didn’t get mailed so will make up for that by mailing this & Sat. letter from Laf. We are at the hospital. I haven’t talked to Dr. Cole but Mother is still taking Sulfaquanodine. However, I think today is the last day. Mother says she doesn’t feel much better but it has turned hot again and that always makes her feel worse. I’ll try & call Dr. Cole before we leave. I hate to bother him on Sun. He has been so busy. When Rosemary Funk was in the hospital for her operation Dr. Cole said something about mass production, he had delivered 5 babies in 5 ½ hrs.: 3 here and two at the Home. The day I brought Mother down we went out to his office first and he was just leaving to come here to do a section, so we came on and saw him here –

[page 2] We went out to see Ruthie Parttens yesterday. She has to stay in bed 7 wks., but doesn’t have any kind of binding cast or anything on. They kept her in a hammock in the hospital, or swing, whatever it’s called. Speaking of broken bones Sammy Washburn has a broken collar bone and one arm in a sling. The Washburns have more bones breaks than anyone I know of.

I called Mrs. Roberts and she had a letter from Joe dated June 28 and he had told her about your visit. He said where you are is the prettiest or most beautiful (er somethin’) he had seen yet.

Statons came home today from Monticello from their vacation. Irene saw us leaving and talked a few minutes. She hadn’t heard from her mother so Mary doesn’t have her baby yet. Irene is going to stay home a week then I don’t know what they will do about Jimmy – Mrs. James told Mother she didn’t know when she would come back. There is a nursery school this summer in the grade building for workers at the factory – you will see the Dean Davis ad in the paper if you get it. It seems there are a number on women with children working there –

[page 3] I spent 80 meat points yesterday – in the form of 2 ½ lbs. hamburger, 3 ¼ lb. roast, 1 lb steak, 1 lb. sandwich meat and 2 lb. boiling meat – and it cost me about $3.50 – The steak was the most expensive (50¢). The points were changed recently. Steak used to be 8 pts. a lb., now it’s 12 & 13. So far we haven’t used all our red points, but I always use the blue ones and buy canned goods. Harold P. told the boys yesterday he was going to butcher next month and if he does we are to get a quarter. There is a meat shortage now and at times even in Kentland we can’t get much meat, but yesterday Ford’s had a good supply. Sometimes it’s the case of the early bird. It was so late when I got to the store last nite I thought I wouldn’t find much but they must have had a fresh supply.

The way the visitors go up & down the halls there isn’t much quiet. The boys are keeping David in the car. He is asleep now and John & Mark are taking turns coming up here. They tried to get a paper but the little place down the street is closed.

[page 4] The boys said next Sunday the church is having a dinner for Rev. Servies in the basement. I remember last year we attended but don’t suppose we will this time. Even if Mother weren’t sick that isn’t a very good place to take a baby David’s size. He is so lively he needs plenty of space to move around in. He has a seat Mrs. Roberts gave me that fits on the car seat and he enjoys riding in it. He can see all the sights and doesn’t wear anyone out when riding.

I am trying to write in competition with the noises in the hall, John & Mark taking turns running in & out so will try and do better next time.

Love Mother

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana (Image via cardcow.com)

Like Brothers (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: July 10, 1943 envelope

: July 10, 1943, p. 1

: July 10, 1943, p. 2

: July 10, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran.
July 10, 1943

Dear Mother,

This is one of those days when writing seems a hard job to do but as time goes along maybe I’ll think of something.

Another one of our friends was transferred – left this A.M. That seems to be the way things go just like I’ve written before – make friends and then part. This friend I’m writing about this time is Commander Fredricks who was the boss man around here for some time. We spent many hours together and talked lots about the facts of live.

[page 2] There really are only a few of the pioneers left here – I mean of those that came to this place, and part of that bunch was from our original group so we almost feel like brothers.

When one fellow leaves we often wonder who the next will be and then we also wonder who will be the last. I don’t think any of us will have a chance to go back to the States together.

Up to now this letter has sounded like a last will or something so better get off of that line.

This is the regular day for inspection – in the Navy one

[page 3] can always be sure of Sat. because that means beans for breakfast and inspection. Don’t know if the combination is necessary or whether it’s a custom. I’d think either one or the other should be put off a day.

Another Newton Co. E. came yesterday but there didn’t seem to be much startling news. Just the regular fellows home on leave and others leaving. I noticed a few issues ago that Geo. Dye left. Is that the Geo. of the Lumber co. or same is there another Geo.?

Well, I’m all run down.
Love Daddy

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

Okra & Kohlrabi (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 10, 1943, p. 1

: July 10, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 10, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 10 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

It was late when I got to bed last nite and I was so tired from yesterday’s goings. I fed David about 6:30 – he would want to wake early – then we both went back to sleep and I was just up getting dressed when the mail main came and brought 4 letters, June 26-27-28 & 29. Now I must call Mrs. R. and tell her you & Joe have been together but she probably has the word from Joe. I promised her I would come over & see her when I visited Ruthie P. in the hospital but

[page 2] with Mother being down and the boys gone last week I didn’t get over to see Ruthie and now she is home so I’ll just call Mrs. R. until some later date when I can go over.

Mrs. Zell just came over and said we could have green beans – ours aren’t quite ready yet. They have kolorabies [kohlrabi] in their garden. Also are raising okra – if I remember correctly you didn’t care for okra.

When we got home last night David’s evys eyes were red and looked like he was getting something but I bathed his eyes with warm boric acid solution before putting him to bed and this morning they are about normal

[page 3] again – but I remember when I was powdering him yesterday after his bath. I accidently got some in his eyes – so I think that must be the cause. Now don’t worry about it he is OK now. At present he is trying to get hold of a rocking chair beside his bed – He is always trying to reach something. Betty Lou took some pictures and if I can get them will send them today. I think Nick has given up the enlisting idea. Haven’t heard anything about it lately and they are doing some work on their house – putting in a bathroom downstairs and

[page 4] remodeling their kitchen. They are still driving their car. It looks about like it did when you left. He gets more gasoline than we get (a card) because of his business. He has a locker in Sheldon and has to make several trips a week to get meat.

I sent you a financial statement the first of the month but will tell you again – I at present have $91 – but that includes 52⁰⁰ Mother gave me and the 52⁰⁰ will probably go to the hospital when I pay her bill down there – but the Hancock Ins. is paid for this time (3 policies) and all bills except 10⁰⁰ at Loebs and a small bill at Bairs are paid – So I really have a bal. of about 39⁰⁰ – I have to write Jim & Glen, your Folks & Ruth about Mother –

Love Mother