May 9, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran
Dear Mother,
I’ve been going around this A.M. with a bran new pair of boots and really enjoying slopping – just like a kid with a new pair. We’ve had some rain and the need for something of that sort is terrific.
You have heard lots of stories about the “back house” and the clothes line – we had that happen last night only the fellow was returning from the “back house” and no harmful affects except a little “beefing”
[page 2] this morn. He says it was my line but he was way off the beam if that was the case and he readily admitted that he was a poor navigator.
For the past week we have by hook or something gotten some onions and sardines and here’s how we have been eating them. Take out the sardines place them on a plate – Then chop onions into the oil remaining in the can. Cover with vinegar and let set 5 min and then take one fork and pass both sardines and onions – each taking his mouthful in turn – you’d be surprised without even bread
[page 3] or crackers how good the mixture really does taste. Of course that is a between meal snack. The smell of our surroundings must be something because that has gone on for several days. I feel very sorry for the sick boys when go around to see how they are getting along.
Our mail has been very muchly absent for some time now but in due time it will come along and as I’ve told you before I know your mail will be spotty so don’t worry.
The one uniform check for 150⁰⁰ is in the mail and the other
[page 4] 100⁰⁰ will be coming along in a few days. If you need this money use it otherwise pay off the Ins loan – as we had planned.
This being Mother’s day I hope it will find everything very good for you and also may I wish you a happy wedding ann. as I think I’ve done before.
I’ve written quite a bit but said nothing so maybe I’d better stop while these pages are free of injected bits of local unrefined phrases.
Love Daddy
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Sunday afternoon – It is cloudy and a little cool so we are all in the house. John is listening to musical programs. We all listened to the Quintuplets – they were in Superior, Wis., at a ship launching ceremony – they spoke and sang in French & English. There were five Merchant ships launched and the quints christened them.
I wrote you yesterday and if you get my letter will think I am a little mixed up – well I read your letter in a hurry and wrote to you before I re-read it – It was about the box you got & the chicken bones – It sounded like the bones had been taken out of the tin can, until I read it again and it was the candy in wrappers you meant the ants got into – so much for the chicken bones. I had four letters from you to read – hence the hurry –
[page 2] David seemed to have quite a cold yesterday and didn’t sleep so good last night – I’ll have to put that down against him – the first night he was disturbed me in the wee hours of the morning, but I think his gums are bothering him – He feels fine today and very little evidence of a cold. I think he had what John had earlier in the week. John seems to be alright now except for headaches, so I am going to take him to Dr. Ade this week and have his eyes checked. Mark had a slight cold too but didn’t lose any of his pep. There are a lot of colds around, but these didn’t last long so can’t complain. It has been raining or cloudy since Thurs. so David hasn’t had a sunning since last Wed. He was getting so tan – and it was very becoming. I think he will tan like Mark does & you. I don’t know whether Donnie Funk gets in the sun as much but he is very fair and maybe doesn’t tan as readily as David.
The dandelions are in full bloom now. Our lawn looks very yellow as well as all the lawn around here.
[page 3]Tonight is the Baccalaurate service at the high school. If I had someone to go with and someone to stay with the boys I would go – so I think I’ll save the trouble and stay home.
I see in the paper that Ira Dixon is home from the hospital. He has been sick for about two months. Gretchen lives here now since her husband is in the Army. Her baby is about 3 mo. old now. He was a little fellow – smaller than D. when he was born, but is coming along nicely.
Bethel Wilson is in Florida – you know she is in the W.A.A.C. – Ethel went to see her and had to stay longer than she had planned – couldn’t get reservations on the train to come home when she planned. Travel has been curtailed a lot – Mrs. P. said they had to stand part of the way back from Fla. They came back and both got sick from the change in weather. Mrs. Dixon & Nettie said they had noticed the chilly weather a lot this time. They went down last fall & spent the winter. People shouldn’t come back so soon – when we have this kind of a spring. Every time it gets warm for a day or two we think cold weather is over, then we have a cold snap – so much for weather.
[page 4] Of course you remember Roscoe Kenoyer – they have a baby girl – they live near Otterbein now. Tommy Thompson’s have stored their furniture and rented their house – He is going to work on his Dad’s farm this summer. At present Mary is living with her mother. Fuells have moved out of town & Chas. Dienhart bought the Fuell house. Ellsworth bought Dienhart’s house for a rental. I haven’t heard anything about Eddie Ray in the past few days so he evidently is getting better.
I stopped to see Jimmy Ed Fri eve and it is almost too soon to tell whether the S.M.A. is going to help his skin condition. Dr. M. is using light treatments on him too. Besides the white flakes, there is a little seepage. – like my hands get when I eat something I shoudn’t.
David has had a nap and is making a noise so better go see what he needs – without looking I know – The same story – dry pants.
I have Mark reading a book – he brought 3 home from the library and I told him he had to read them.
Love, Mother
P.S. Your last letter was of Apr 21 – so that is pretty good time – I got it May 8 –
P.S. no. 2.
Had two “sets” of callers this afternoon – You remember the Luce man, who had the smashed arm – he stopped in – thought you might be home on week-end leave – but I told him you were on foreign duty – well he wanted to show you his arm – he has fairly good use of it now and is going to marry one of the nurses he met while in the hospital so long. The arm is not straight – and is bumpy in places but from the shape it was in when you got to him – I would say it’s a pretty good arm. He still gives you credit for saving it –
The other callers were Forrest & Gertrude, Chas (the sailor at Pern) and his wife, which I think must be recently acquired, Helen & her two children. Helen said Dan is still in Noumea but she thinks he wno’t be long. Mrs. R. called me this evening. She had a letter from Joe & he said he thought he might possibly see you before long.
Charles Kline & his wife Rita (Photograph courtesy of Karen Kline Brand
Helen (Kline) and her husband Dan Heindel (Photograph courtesy of Judith Bowen)
Forrest “Bud” Kline, Jr, Helen and Charles Kline (Photograph courtesy of Judith Bowen)
Forrest S. Kline, Sr. with his wife Gertrude and their children Helen (Kline) Heindel and Charles Kline, c. 1948 (Photograph courtesy of Karen Kline Brand)
May 8, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco
Dear Mother,
Another month has passed by since leaving the good old U.S.A. We have no way of knowing what our tour of duty will be – I mean how long but as I’ve said before another month in the past rather than the future. Time has passed much more rapidly than at the last place we’ve spent just half as much time here as there and it sure doesn’t seem that way.
The coconut trees here do become monotonous where
[page 2] back there they were an added feature to the landscape and if conditions were right could have been romatic [romantic] but here without much effort they could become rheumatic – meaning painful but they aren’t the whole show here so that is why I like being here.
I think I wrote you about one week ago that I had met a Dr. from Logansport. Since I have seen him and I wrote you that letter he has been ordered to Great Lakes for duty – what a break. So I still have faith that maybe I’ll get something of the same treatment as time
[page 3] goes along.
Got slowed down due to some conversation not the type which would be injurious but enjoyous.
Was invited out to a spagiti [spaghetti] supper last night. I knew before what it was going to be and tried my best to get out of it but no soap – so I went and acted as if it was very good – you know how over Joyed I must have acted. Anyway no one got made and invited as back but I’m going to try to evade the thing next time.
I’ll repeat – I have sent 150⁰⁰ of the uniform money and will send more the rest later – I want you to repeat on that also –
Love Daddy.
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
As Mark would say – I hit the jackpot this a.m. – 4 letters Apr 16 – 19 & 2 dated the 20th – The box with the chicken bones – I sent those in the original tin box so they would be intact when you received them. You should get another box soon because I sent one a few days after sending the chicken bones. There is a 5 lb limit so had to divide the original box I packed.
Our weather has changed rather drastically. Wed. it was hot and windy, Thurs it began to cloud up then started to rain – rained most of Fri and today is still wet and raining and pretty cool, so it is just as well we haven’t taken the storm windows down yet. All three boys have colds, but I think it is due to weather conditions. John didn’t take measles after all, tho I had to keep him home from school Wed – Thurs & Fri. He didn’t go to take his music lesson today either.
[page 2] Some time later – heard a special radio weather broadcast – frost is predicted – as cool as it is now it wouldn’t surprise me. It seems to be clearing off now and if it does by night time I am sure it will be cold enough to freeze. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day – I got your letter mentioning it – came right when it should. I told J. & M. not to spend anything for me for Easter & Mother’s Day and I would just add that much to a set of dishes. Not expensive ones – but you know how dishes go around here and it’s about time for a new set. I sent your Mother a pr of hose & a hanky & card. I got myself a pr of shoes and after walking around in them decided they weren’t comfortable for walking (what I bought them for) so Mother tried them on and said she could wear them – I gave them to her so I told her that was her Mother’s Day gift.
In re-reading the letters that came today. The v-mail hasn’t come yet and I have been sending v-mail & air mail both – The past week I have alternated – The reason I stopped sending air mail
[page 3] when I did – I was told they wouldn’t go by air at all – but will try again and you can let me know which does the best. I’ll keep sending v-m every other day & air mail on the alternate day.
Mark is taking 4-H this summer – Gardening & baking – imagine our Mark wanting to bake – I helped him stir up a syrup cake this morning. He really enjoys it. What I think he likes most is licking the bowls and then eating the cake when it’s baked.
When I sent your Christmas box I didn’t have room to pack the box of chicken bones – and that was the reason I took them out the tin and wrapped them in a wax paper bag – I told Nick & Dorothy what happened to them – Nick was rather sarcastic about “leave it to a woman to do something like that” – So when I got your letter this morning in which you mentioned the bones I presumed they weren’t in the tin box I sent them in – so I called D. and told her to tell Nick his sarcasm was unnecessary.
Nick took one exam for a commission in the Navy but he didn’t go back for
[page 4] a final – and I doubt if he does. John got a letter from Dwane written on their way to see Kenneth at Camp Robinson in Ark. I suppose Mom wrote you that K. is in Medical Div.
I was to go to T.H. today to get Mother but thought maybe I had better call her to be ready – well when I called she said she thought she would stay another week then Mayroses would bring her up – so that saves me the trip down and I don’t care. I wasn’t anticipating the trip. I want to go to Laf. Wed. to the Hospital Day Ceremony honoring the Doctors in Service.
As I have told you in previous letters, I haven’t bought any bonds this year but have been waiting for the uniform money to come thru. By the time I got all the first of the year bills paid and bought the 6- 50 bonds I haven’t much of a balance – at present it will be under $100 when I get everything pd – Just wrote a ck for $44 for coal, etc. In spite of all the ceiling – the price of food is much higher and it costs just to keep the grocery bills paid. David is singing – about time for him to eat – and – he has a coming appetite today, in spite of a slight cold.
Love Mother
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
May 7, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dear Mother,
Just got in from another trip and this I’m sorry to say will have to be short as I’ve had no time to think but must get this off so that the mail clerk will take it along. I noticed by your letters that my mail to you is rather spotty and I’ve told you before that you can expect it to be that way. I know why but can’t tell you the reason.
It has rained almost continuously
[page 2] since I’ve planted my potatoes so I imagine they will rot before they have a chance to grow.
Our tent leaked over my bunk and night before last when I came to go to bed I found a pool of water in the middle of my mattress. Luckily I had two mattresses so I just took the top one off and that was OK. Needless to say I moved my bunk out from under that drip.
In yesterday’s letter I told you I received the
[page 3] uniform money and send 150⁰⁰ home and the other 100⁰⁰ I’ll send in a few days – I’ll just scatter them out a little in case some should get lost .
It’s just chow time so must get going –
Love Daddy
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Yours of Apr 3 & 4 came today – but had up to Apr 15th earlier this week – you mentioned the seed again – which I sent out some time ago – also the lawn – and I had an earlier letter about that and gave you a reply which you should have by now. So much for answers. It is wet today. Had a hard rain yesterday & last nite. I was thinking of going to T. H. to get Mother but since it was raining so hard and didn’t clear away I put off going till tomorrow. John is till home from school and feels “O.K.” but I was afraid he might break out with measles any day. In case you have missed earlier letters – He came home Tues. from school having a chill & with a temp of 102. He hasn’t had any temp. since Tues except Wed he had 2/5 degree.) and has felt pretty good – had headache yesterday. Miss Kitsmiller called
[page 2] this morning to find out why he wasn’t in school. I said I hadn’ let him study any in case he was taking measles – she assured me I didn’t need to worry about that. I think he will make all exemptions again because he has an a average.
I wrote a v-mail yesterday and told you about David’s new toy – the “Cradle Gym” – it is a cute trick – just like a trapeze – cross-bar – hand rings, etc. He tries to pull up on it but hasn’t made the grade yet. He sounded a new low note this morning – John and I were watching him and with an appreciable audience he can really perform. He says Da-da all the time. Maybe he will do like John did before he talked.
Jackie Lamb came out this morning and borrowed the shadow box to use in court to show some x-ray’s. She promised to return it as soon as they are thru with it. I think I told you Newell didn’t get into the Navy. They bought the place Shirly Baze had. Baze’s went to Calif. to live. Shirley was ready to have another baby when they left here.
[page 3] The papers came today but I haven’t looked thru them. I didn’t get up very early and put a new top on David’s bath table so didn’t get much else done, except bathe & feed D, read your letters, and get lunch ready. I hope it clears away today so I can get some washing done this afternoon. You know these babies have to have clean clothes whether it rains or not.
Haven’t talked to Lucile since Wed. so haven’t any word about how Jimmy Ed is doing on D. M. A. – just hope it helps him.
Arlene told me they put Bobby in his play yard and saw him get ready to climb out. He found some boards and was fixing them so he could get over the fence. Her brother’s baby has glaucoma – (I think that is right) and they think they might be able to save one eye – They operated on the bad eye first and in 3 weeks will operate on the good eye. He is just 15 mo. old.
[page 4] John has been reading funnies this a-m. – He couldn’t read them while under suspicion of measles, so he is catching up. He has been listening to a lot of radio programs while he has been home.
Mark just started back to school and then came dashing back in for something – I don’t know what – never a dull moment around here.
The lilacs across the street on Kent are getting ready to bloom. They are very slow this year. The trees have just put out leaves the past week. If it stays warm everything will grow fast now.
I haven’t seen Helen Kline for some time but if I get to go to Laf. next week to attend Hospital Day will try to contact her. I tried the last time I was there to call her but couldn’t get the number. I suppose you haven’t seen Dan since you left the last place.
I must get dishes washed so will be ready to feed D. at 2 P.M.
Love Mother
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
May 6, 1943
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F. P. O. San Francisco
Dear Mother,
Ten v-mails came yesterday from you and two from others – Your latest letter was Apr. 13, but air mail is still faster but I’ve given you the word on that before.
Now – at least the uniform money came. This in two checks – I’ll send one in today’s letter and one in a later one. I’ll endorse them like I did before. So you should have no difficulty with them.
I’m more or less in a hurry this A.M. so won’t have time to get everything written I’d like but will try to reread the letters again and write more fully next time.
The $150 check I’ll send today and a few days later the $100 will follow.
The taxable salary that I receive now since Mar. is 220⁰⁰ per mo. before that time was 183³³ but that was included in the figure I sent at the beginning of the year.
Well, I must get going –
Love Daddy.
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
Dear Daddy – No letters the past two days but had yours up to Apr 15 Mon & Tues this week (This is Thurs). It is much warmer here but the wind has been acting like March. It looks like rain any time now. I have some pansies to set out if the rain doesn’t come before I get out – stopped to set the “little” plants out – and just in time before it rained. David seems to be a little out of sorts – I think it is because I can’t take him out – had him outside nearly all afternoon yesterday. He has a new toy – it is called Cradle-Gym and it is a baby trapeze – it fastens across the bed and has several things on it. He likes it very much – tries to pull himself up on it but hasn’t quite made the grade yet. John is still home today but is feeling quite god, but if he has three day measles he won’t break out till tomorrow, so have to keep him home just in vase. He has a head ache and I think he needs his glasses changed but I don’t want to take him to Dr. Ade until I find out whether or not he has aforesaid measles. I sent your Mother a gift for Mother’s day today – am sending my mother a card – May get down there to get her before Sunday. John has the ballgame from Chicago turned on – there is a lot of noise due to the rainy weather – The Cardinals & Cubs are playing – Cubs won yesterday. Just had a hard rain and hail. It is time for Mark to be home from school – hope he didn’t get wet. He never takes his slicker unless I tell him too and he got away without it at noon. Our hero just arrived – he stopped in the P.O. while it rained so hard so all he has is wet shoes and I made him take them off. Strawberries are on the market now, but .39¢ a box and that is too much, I think.
Love – Mother
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
May 5, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F. P. O. San Francisco Calif.
Dear Mother,
Sometime today I’ll be able [to] plant a few more potatoes – for a fellow came in and gave me two good sized ones the center of which I ate and the outside I’ll plant but I still have my fingers crossed – Yesterday my little garden was under water and potatoes rot pretty fast in warm damp soil – So much for a lesson in horticulture.
There were rumors that some mail arrived but as yet none has appeared but maybe it will gradually be sifted out and get to us we hope.
I’ve been sitting and listening and talking so I’m not sure of what might get into this letter – Nothing bad because our conversation isn’t on a low level today.
Just had a little eye to eye battle with a lizard but he left. He ran under my chair. They don’t look good but they do catch lots of flies.
Well, I’m all written dry –
Love Daddy
Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
No letters today but two yesterday of Apr 9 & 10 and I hardly expected any today. We are having a high wind today – not cold but sounds like it. John Barce & a Walkup boy are to take storm windows down today but if this wind continues they won’t be able to. – I went to club yesterday afternoon with Arlene – Louise kept the baby – I took him there as I went to club and when I came back to get him he was just waking up. Louise said he & Donnie had slept all afternoon. I got home just a little while after school was out and John was having a chill and running a temp, so I put him right to bed. I called Dr. M. and he said to give him a cathartic and let him know this morning – well I didn’t give him anything but orange juice because I didn’t think it was necessary. His temp. got up to 102 ½ last night but was normal this morning. I don’t know what was the matter.
[page 2] He says he feels pretty good but he may be having measles – one of those delayed cases. He is in bed with the blinds drawn in case it is the measles, listening to the radio. He said after he attended the band contest he didn’t care if he did get measles. I went to town to get some oranges and took the baby with me. Saw Massengill salesman, Berry – He was always showing his twins pictures so I got to show him our baby. He told me they had another baby boy but it died – it was a 7 ½ mo. – lived a day. – While I was talking to him Dorothy came along and took D. She told me Betty Lou was sick so maybe she and John are just having a touch of flue. At any rate John isn’t sick today but has to stay in bed just in case of measles. There were both kinds going around so he may be having the 3 day king. I heard more yesterday about Eddie Ray. He was injured rather severely. Doctors told Wilson’s he had a 50-50 chance. Ellsworth said he thought he would make it now – He was injured last Sat. and this is Wed. I think that may stop some of the children around town from climbing trees for a while. Mark says he isn’t going to climb up on anything.
[page 3] I wanted to work out in the yard but this wind is so strong I am afraid it would be difficult to do much. I worked after supper last night till it got too dark to see. It is time for the lawn to be mowed again but John can’t do it today and the mowing is his job this summer. Our garden needs hoeing and that is Mark’s job so he will have to do that after school today. I wish I could get a Technicolor picture of the shrubbery & tulips – The tulips are in bloom – all colors – and the evergreens are looking good. We are to get a replacement for the west tree – I don’t know when but soon. – – Had callers, Lucile & Jimmy Ed. She had taken him to Dr. M. His skin is in a terrible shape. She has to keep long stockings on him to keep him from scratching his legs and mitts on his hands. His skin peels off in large white flakes. Dr. M. put him on lactic acid a long time ago but it hasn’t helped so now they are to give him S.M.A and start him on vegetables. He is such a nice big boy and has gotten along so well but for this skin condition. It has Lucile so worried Dr. gave her a nerve tonic to quiet her down some. I do hope they get him straightened out. They have tried to take such good care of him. She thinks it
[page 4] strange that D. has such a nice soft skin and me with my allergies. I do hope he doesn’t develop any such trouble but that is hardly to be expected as old as he is. Lucile had talked to Ellsworth today and he said six Drs. had seen Eddie Ray & said he would get along. However they haven’t been able yet to do anything about his left arm – The Drs. say it will be a slow process – his recovery – and they can’t move him yet for x-ray etc.
I went up a little while ago to take John temp and it was just 2/5 of a degree. He feel pretty good so maybe he will be up tomorrow, or broken out if he has measles.
Mark is home from school and is watching D. – He is in his buggy taking a nap. – Mark is pushing him on the walk in front of the house. Mark heard him say “Da-da” – He can hear more works that David says. So far it has just been so much jabber but both J. & M. hear words – if you get what I mean. – Mark just reported in that he got D. to go to sleep. – I must go out and see if he has him in the right position so the wind won’t blow directly on him.
Love – Mother
In case you missed my previous letters about Eddy R. – he fell out of a tree & fractured his skull & broke his arm.
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
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