Tag Archives: World War II

Travel Money (Roscoe)

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September 5, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 5, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 5, 45
USNRH
S.F. (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

Your letter dated Aug. 31 and mailed Sept. 1 came this AM. The pictures came yesterday PM but the other package has not arrived as yet. I expect it this PM.

I finally got my watch this AM and I’m real pleased with it – shock proof – water proof, etc. Cost $34.50. I was a little late on alarm clocks but maybe we don’t need one badly now, but they did have some good ones for $3.50. I tried to get a steam iron but it seems those have been off the market for some time.

In yesterday’s letter I wrote that this Dr. and I had gone to San Mateo looking for a house and that he had permanent orders here, etc. Well he got his orders. He is to be medical officer on a transport. He has been in the Navy since 1941 so it’s hard to figure. However, he being on a transport can be discharged anytime the ship comes into port after the Drs. start to be discharged.

I never did ask him how many points he

September 5, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] had but I know he must have plenty for he has dependents, about one year more service than I, and he can’t be much younger. So all we do is sit and wait and wonder. I do believe there are steps being taken to discharge but it takes lots of time with such a large organization.

There is a staff meeting this PM at 1330 and it is now 1305 – so I must get this ready to mail as soon as the meeting is over. Then too I must go down and see if I can get this long looked for travel money. They promised me I could get it this PM. If they do I may send it home in a later letter today. I don’t like to have too much money around and I don’t need much unless I’d happen to get orders somewhere back east. I hope I hope I hope.

Well Dearie I’ll stop and promise more for next time. Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. The check was all ready and I thought maybe you could use the extra $50. That should about install the furnace – Let me know as soon as you get these.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/09/travel-money-roscoe/

Pictures from Missouri (Gladys)

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September 5, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 5, 1945, p. 1

9-5-45

Dear Daddy –

This being fair week the stores will be closed today, Thurs. & Fri. PM’s. School will be closed Fri. Mark wants to go out for the day with Buddy – but what they can find to do out there a while day is a mystery to me. Mark went yest Monday evening with Statons so he may have changed his mind by now. The mail hasn’t been delivered yet, it being just past 9 o’clock. I finished the dishes and put dough to raise in the sun by the piano – the only place I could find. I promised the boys hot rolls for lunch.

I went to Brook with Norma yesterday – their locker here is full and she had corn to put in, so took it to their Brook locker. I took your brown suit to the tailor at Brook. Lucile said Ed took an overcoat to have a hole repaired and that he did good work. I also stopped at the upholstery place. T seems hard to find the man but I talked to his wife. She said he had enough tapestry material to cover a davenport – someone ordered it and then didn’t take it. It is turquoise (a greenish blue) flecked with a rose flower. I thought if perhaps he would make me a good price on the job I might go ahead with hit. Since he doesn’t have much other material to work with he should be able to get this job done. She (his wife) says he restyles furniture, and from the looks of things I don’t think he is very high in his prices – but I have heard he does good work.

The roll of film I took in Mo. turned out about 50%. There was one miss – I forgot to turn the camera

September 5, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] and lost one picture. I’ll enclose what I think you will care to see. My picture was not good, so I am not sending it. I hope by now you have received the first pictures I sent – David’s & our group.

Yours of Aug. 30 just came – had been misspent to La Fontaine, Ind. I was glad you could get out for a while. We haven’t had much social life since coming back, but that isn’t exactly necessary see we see people we know every day and the boys are in school. I go to town every day or so in the afternoon and visit a little while with the crowd in at Krulls. Lucile called me this morning to give me a bit of news. Arlene had bridge club last night and announced that she is having a baby in 3 months. I don’t believe anyone knew it – however I thought Arlene was looking unusually good and “plump.” She must be different this time because she usually gets very large. She says she is going to have 6. Mark wondered if we could have a little baby girl – not adopted – but one of our own. I said “why” and he said he thought it would be nice. I said “is it because of Karen,” and he grinned and said “yes.” He thinks Karen is tops. I told him to take the matter up with you when you come home.

Uncle W. & J. stopped on their way to C.C. They are to be here for dinner the day they return home – sometime next week. They wanted to know if there was anything they could bring back and I said some evergreens.

Mrs. Capes called me about something and she said Doris is in San F. Her husband, a Dr. in the Navy has ship duty and is out now in the Pacific. Mrs. C. thought you might call Doris (Mrs. Wm. Douglas) W.9718.

David is trying (not too hard) to take a nap. He is on one of his tears today and I doubt if he goes to sleep. If he doesn’t take a nap he will go to bed earlier tonite. It has been very cool, but is getting warm today – the temp. is supposed to get up to 90°.

I’ll try to get a camera and take this other roll and send you some brand new ones – (Hope you get back by then.)

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/08/pictures-from-missouri-gladys/

Day Trip On A Street Car (Roscoe)

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September 4, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 4, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 4, 1945
USNRH
S.F. (12)
Calif.

Dear Mother,

Your letter written Thur. night and Fri. arrived today but still no pictures nor any other package. I suppose over the weekend – what with V-J and Labor day, etc., things got messed up a bit.

I forgot to tell you about the car. I just had a new distributor put on the day before we left Mo. but the cable leading to it was bad – That is what was wrong with the car when we had the trouble before the welcoming party at the new Ex. Remember – Of course it is too late for me to tell you this now, but in case they didn’t catch the cable trouble you might have it checked.

As I told you before we don’t hear much radio news but as yet there is nothing official on any point systems for the navy. Plenty of men around here are burned up but most of them are just like me waiting a few weeks. So I guess

September 4, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] the only thing to do is stand put for a few weeks yet. Then I think I’ll write a letter to you that will make the paper ‘sizzle” and I want you to give the content to Ira D. You see it would hardly be proper for me to write directly to him but I could write to you and you could pass it along and no harm would be done.

Yesterday being a holiday another Dr. asked me if I’d like to go down to San Mateo. Just for the ride. The ride was on the trolley. I found that he was out more or less house looking. He lives in Mass. Has three children but his orders read for duty here and not temporary like mine. It would cost us almost $350.00 to get you and the boys here and then about the time you arrived my orders would come thru back to some place near home. And then $350.00 more. Sure I’d like the family to be together but I think we’d better wait a while yet. What am I arguing about? You didn’t ask to come out. If I knew I’d be here a while I’d like to have you and D. come if the other boys could get along. Maybe I can get

September 4, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] those orders changed to read permanent instead of temporary.

More about our trip. We got on the street car just a few blocks from the hospital. We almost froze walking to the car line and then out of town and past the mountains and very hot sunshine. It really felt good to be in the hot sun. We walked around for a spell then took the bus back to town – Total cost 50₵ – 25₵ each way. The housing situation doesn’t look good – Every place is filled – Trailers & Trailer camps all along the highway.

The Dr. I went with joined the navy in May 1941. Spent about 2 yrs in Cuba and is here for further assignment even though his orders do read permanent. So you can see others are in the same boat we are in. Hope we get out of that boat before long – possibly being an old salt I should say ship, but what ship are we in, hard ship, under slip – no that isn’t right it’s ship and not slip – Don’t pay any attention to the last few remarks. I didn’t

September 4, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] get them either.

I’m supposed to get my travel money tomorrow PM. That too was slowed down due to the elongated weekend.

You mentioned some time ago in a letter about John going to Chicago on Sat. to take lessons. I’m not too much in favor of that – School all week long and 160 miles on Sat. is a little too much. I’d rather save the money and let him go someplace next summer. I believe he would like it better and possibly get more out of it or just as much. He seemed to think Miss Smith could still teach him and I’m sure he could do something to keep improving himself.

Well, I must get this to the P.O. So Solong –
Lots of love
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/07/day-trip-on-a-street-car-roscoe/

Plane Crash (Gladys)

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September 4, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 4, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 4 – 1945

Dear Daddy –

It’s nearly 10 o’clock and I have an ironing to do and cabbage to cut for kraut, but the mail just came with yours of 8-31 & 9-1 so I am going to write now and work later. Also had a letter from the Moores. I wrote them and sent the baby’s pants. B. said J.B. had a letter from you. She said 8 of the boys went out on points (and very happy). David seems normal this morning. He didn’t run any temp. yesterday, but this morning he called me at about 7:30 and wanted a glass of drink – I had been up with him at 4 too for same. It was so chilly this morning I thought he must have a temp. to be wanting a drink so early, but he doesn’t have and is playing around here very happily. It is too cool for him to go out – that is, there is no sunshine and it is damp & chilly so I am keeping him in. Last night John was going upstairs with him to put him to bed and somehow he fell down the stairs. John said he just sort of slid down on his “bottom end.” He was scared some and John had to carry him back up and then David refused to even walk from the bathroom to his bed. He told John “I might fall.” However he seems to have forgotten – has been back upstairs by himself this morning.

Statons took Mark with them to the fair last night. Jimmy wanted someone along with him. Mark saw a piper cub crash out there and was quite impressed. I don’t believe he will be so

September 4, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] anxious to take plane rides now. It really quieted him down on the subject.

John got his course straightened out finally. He is taking speech this year instead of English, and Smith is his teacher. He takes Latin and has Kitsmiller. Smith told him if he takes speech it won’t be necessary to take English. He is much happier about school now. He mowed the back yard after school yesterday. I paid Mark $2.00 to clean up the yard the first time because it was such a job, but I am putting them back on a monthly basis and told then it was both their job now.

– – The sun has come out and it’s nearly noon. I stopped to get a few things done. I had promised an upside down cake for today so had to get it baked for lunch.

I am sending your mother one of David’s pictures today for her birthday the 6^th. I hope you remembered to send her a card or letter.

– – had to stop again – the boys came in for lunch. John was rattling off something from speech class. He is really enjoying it. Mark had a piece of fabric from the plane that crashed last night. Someone had it at school and you know how he likes souvenirs. David is taking a nap. He would not go to sleep yesterday but today he dropped right off without any fuss. I was feeling somewhat guilty about his mosquito bites – however I try to kill them every night before I go to bed – but it seems everyone has some. Statons’ baby & Jimmy, Joy Funk had so many but so far she hasn’t had any reaction from them. I think they get them in the daytime while they are out playing as well as at night.

I suppose you have all the low-down on discharges, that is, what has come out in the papers & over the radio – Let’s hope they soon get to you.

I love you – Mother

[Editor’s Note: An article about the plane crash made the front page of the Brook Reporter on September 6, 1945.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/06/plane-crash-gladys/

No Radio (Roscoe)

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September 3, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 3, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 3, 1945

Dear Mother,

I’m on the ward but wouldn’t have to be since it is Labor Day but in order to get breakfast one has to be there by 0830. It is now about 1000 but I want this to be sure and get off in the mail which I suppose leaves around 12 as it does on Sun.

In one of your letters you mentioned the fact that I heard all of the discharge stuff over the radio. I haven’t heard a radio since I left home. They have them on the wards but my room is too far from it and anyway they don’t listen to much news.

I see by this AM paper the army is cutting down on the points and lowering the age. I just don’t know how or when the navy is going to start but they will have to before long if they intend to get rid of all they plan on in the

September 3, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] next few months. I do get very discouraged at times but it just can’t last indefinitely since the “shootin’” has stopped and these new boys just coming in certainly will have a tour of duty. We have right here at this station about 8-10 brand new. There are also several fellows just like me who have been out before and are wondering what is coming next.

The show last night was “Bedside Manners” – pretty good. Tonight – “Ten Men from Westpoint.” I saw it on the Islands – again in N.Z. so I hardly think I’ll see it again because in the first place it wasn’t good. I didn’t recognize the name the second time in N.Z. so just stayed thru for lack of something else to do.

September 3, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] So far today there has been no mail but I’m hoping it arrives by 1030 as it does on other days.

I think in a few days I’ll be able to send some dough home but I’m not sure when the travel money will come and I still don’t have that watch. The ship store officer is a Jewish Dr. and I’m not certain. Their watches are two prices – one around $30.00 and the next up to $77.00. That seems a little high. I think before I pay that I’ll use the old N.Z. one I now have.

I wrote the folks yesterday – wishing Mom a happy birthday also. I haven’t been off the place to buy a card. It seems that

September 3, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] was about all the letters I could scrape up in one PM.

I’d keep reminding Chet once in a while about that burner. He should know all about that type furnace since it is practically the same as Nick’s down to the controls, etc. He claims he is going to reduce the heat bill for Nick. I believe I’d try to get the fuel oil from either Standard of Schub – unless you could work out a 3 way deal. I’ve thought of the burner because it is so cold here, seems like the dead of winter only without snow.

Well, lots of love
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/05/no-radio-roscoe/

High Temperature (Gladys)

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September 2, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 2, 1945, p. 1

9-2-45
Dear Daddy –

Our David is running a temp. Last night when I went upstairs I went into his room and he was awake but not saying anything. I thought it was odd that he wouldn’t be raising a racket. I thought he felt hot and took him into our room and took his temp. I couldn’t get an exact reading but in the short time I could keep it under his arm it went up to over 100. I kept him in bed with me. He didn’t sleep for a long time. I got up and got half an aspirin for him. Once he looked up at me and said, “You have brown eyes.” Finally after 2 a.m. he dropped off to sleep. He woke up this morning at about 8:45. He didn’t have but 101 2/5 when I took his temp. this a.m. but now (2:15) he has 103 – rectally. He has a number of mosquito bites and that is all I can diagnose so far. I am sure his throat isn’t sore because he wants to eat. There are mumps around but he hasn’t any swelling. I called Dr. M. and told him all about David, but didn’t ask him to come out yet. If his temp. continues I’ll ask him to come out and see him. There is summer flu around too so he may be having a round of that, or it may be all those bites. We have sprayed and swatted but he still gets bites.

Mark has gone with the Washburns for the afternoon. They have an exhibit (or two) at the Fair. I think tomorrow is the first day officially, but you know there is always a crowd on the Sun. before. John stayed home from S.S. & church this morning to help me. I didn’t come downstairs until time to get dinner – John insisted he bring my breakfast up to me so I just stayed upstairs with David all morning.

Yesterday we cleaned and waxed all the floors downstairs. Mark did the most of that work.

September 2, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I washed blinds and John cleaned windows. The floors look pretty good now. The upstairs need to be done but that will have to wait a little while. One blind slat to the front living room window had been broken, but repaired. A glass had been broken out of the front door and one piece of the quarter round (or whatever it is that holds the glass in) had been broken in taking it out, but painting will take care of that. Also that window we broke in the kitchen door has been broken and different piece used to put it back. All these minor things are showing up as I clean. Nothing serious.

Jimmy Ed is still under the weather – now that it is cool again maybe he will get better. I hope the tests he takes from Dr. Ade will help them find relief for him next summer.

Hazel Farris called from Goodland today and wanted to know if you were back. Said she heard you were to open your office the first of Sept. She said she wished you were back because she wanted you to take her case. She just returned from the hospital – had X-rays made for something.

I suppose it is reasonable to assume that there will be Drs. released each month with the Officers (11,00 in Sept.). I wonder if they are going to release according to your entrance – if so, you should be one of the first. I guess time will give us the answer.

Tomorrow is Labor Day but there is school. I wish John could have gotten the course he wanted. He seems to think Smith hasn’t worked out things as well as his predecessor did. It used to be that Band could be taken by anyone – now the schedule conflicts so much that some can’t take band every day. Some of the members can only be in band Mon. & Fri. I try to keep neutral on the subject, but it seems “our John” hasn’t taken to the new Supt. Maybe he heard too much from others before school started.

Sun 5:45 PM David’s temp. is down and he is acting normal – must have been the mosquito bites, since nothing else has shown up. It’s time to “stir up” something to eat. Have cream of wheat for David.

Love Mother

September 2, 1945, p. 3

Mon. morning & Labor Day. J. & M. are at school. David has no temp. this a.m. and seems normal. Must have been the bites. It’s fairly cool this morning – fair and the temp it to raise. I noticed an article in the paper that gives the figures by month for Officers release – Sept. 11,000, Oct. 16,100, Nov. 21,100, Dec. 26,000 – Jan. to July ’46 – 256,900 monthly.

I called Smith yesterday and talked to him about John’s course and he suggested John take Jr. English so he could take Latin – since it’s soph. English that conflicts with Latin. He was to go talk to him this morning. I do hope he gets it changed. I had quite a little chat with Bertha too.

Arlene just called to borrow some bacon – She is preparing for a picnic for this evening – said they were going out with Bernards. I have borrowed sugar from her and she has borrowed eggs, cake flour & now bacon. She sent the eggs back with the girl when she came for the bacon. Her girl, Donna is high school age but doesn’t care to go. She is a little lonesome. I told Arlene she needed someone her own age to be with. I think we will have a picnic in the backyard and have her come up.

It’s time for me to get lunch started.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/04/high-temperature-gladys/

483 Patients (Roscoe)

1 Reply

September 2, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 2, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 2

Dear Mother,

This will be short – I just found the mail goes out at 12 and it is about that now. I had to get up at 0600 this AM to meet 483 patients and we just now got sorta squared away.

Your letters of Sept. [sic August] 27 & 30 came today and I have a couple of certificates to the Moynihans for their kids – hope they get there in time but if their mail is as slow as ours I’m afraid. However that letter of Sept. [sic August] 30 didn’t do bad.

September 2, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I may do some letter writing this PM but that is not too certain. It all depends on my feelings. I didn’t get too much sleep last night because I was on watch – didn’t have to get up but slept in a room where the phone rang several times trying or rather waking the O.D.

Since the mail is leaving soon I’ll simply say
Lots of Love
Daddy

P.S. and promise to do better next time and by the way the gold braid did come but no other packages as yet –
What Ink?? This is a borrowed pen. I haven’t been to the room to get mine.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/03/483-patients-roscoe/

Word from the Philippines

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September 1, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 1, 1945

Manila, P.I.
1 Sept. 1945

Dear Sis & Co. –

Just a line to let you know where I am. Enjoying good health even tho it is hot down this way. Enclosing some Japanese occupational money for the Boys think they will enjoy receiving. Most of it is for the Philippines but some is Dutch money. The value is

Centavos = ½ ₵
100 centavos = 1 peso
1 peso = 50₵

I am not sure as to the value of the Dutch money but I think a gulden is the same as our dollar.

Be sure to let me know where Jake is sent. This is someplace, all shot up, in almost complete ruins. Our next stop is Japan.

Love Jim

Jim Foster’s letter with the enclosed money

Convoy Duty (Roscoe)

1 Reply

September 1, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 1, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 1
USNRH
San Francisco 12
Calif.

Dear Mother,

I’m writing this with a borrowed pen on account we had inspection today and I forgot to take my pen out of my gray shirt and I’m writing this while on duty. This being Sat. everyone is off duty except those who have some special duty and my special duty is convoy watch – The thing I have to do is meet any and all ships bringing in patients between now and tomorrow at 1000. Otherwise I just sit where I can be reached by telephone.

This mail system is terrible. I finally did get one letter today, yours of Aug. 29. That was the one of Wed. I wonder if mine are coming to you in such in irregular fashion. I presume you are writing every day the same as I have been.

In this inspection today I was on the other side from what I had been in Liberty. All the Drs. and nurses, corpsmen, etc., were inspected by the Captain & Ex. It was cold and a heavy fog was present. It has been foggy now for several days – clears a little in the day time but early in the eve the fog comes in from the bay and by morning the sidewalks are wet just as if it had rained and the cold is very penetrating. Many of the personnel

September 1, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] develop terrific colds when they arrive but so far I have escaped. Maybe I haven’t been here long enough or something.

You wrote of the travel money. I should be getting that one of these days. I’m to see them Tue. – I went in last Thur. but they didn’t want to mess with it until next Tue. with Monday being a part holiday. That should be more than enough for the insurance to Laf. Live and I should get it before Oct. 7.

Don’t send that picture for me to make for a few days yet. We think we are going to move into our new quarters the first of the week and then I can tell more about the room, etc. You can get it ready because I do want it because there is too much time with nothing to do. The show was fair last night. Irene Dunn in Over 21, but I would have gotten along just as well not to have seen it. The officer seats are in the back and the building is constructed so that the screen cannot be raised too high so one has to sit on a hard chair and try to see over around & across several heads up front. Reminds one of the K.C. Music hall only the seats are not as good.

My (jg) friend is on duty today also as the Junior O.D. – He is a big Irishman from N.Y. and rather funny in more ways than one but a

September 1, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] very good and hard worker. He has now spent about 12 days in the navy and the fog around him is lifting in minute quantities. I have to help him dress and also give him the once over after he has finished. I think he has in a way adopted me as his God Father – anyway he is not the smart kind and will in time make a good officer. His dad and brother are Drs. in Northern New York. He went to Med. school in Canada and came directly to here from an internship there so he has a few of the “bloody” expressions of the British.

I see this is Sat. Sept. 1. The day of the old S. meeting at Bowling Green. I hope it’s a big success. I remember how I used to look forward to that day but somehow I got over enjoying things like that. Sometimes I wonder just what I do enjoy other than being with the family – Not golf, not swimming, etc. Well I guess being with the family is sufficient, pardon me, I don’t know exactly how those last sentences got there. I guess it was because several of the Drs. were talking about the week and I didn’t

September 1, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] see any reason to be elated because it was to be a holiday. Maybe it means a little more sleep but that is not too possible unless one wants to miss breakfast. It’s over at 0815 and there is no other place around so it’s either get up or go hungry.

I’m taking the San Francisco Chronicle – have it delivered here on the ward. There is no other way of getting a paper and for several days I was completely lost – with no paper and no radio. We all hope there will be a radio in the lounge of our new quarters. I’d like on in my room but that would be something extra to pack if & when I get orders.

I may not get a chance to write tomorrow until late. There is rumors of a convoy of between 4 & 5 hundred early in the AM so I may spend most of the day down on the dock and the rest around here getting my ward in shape. I know I’ll get plenty of patients for there are 113 empty bunks and they probably will be all filled. Then maybe I can get a trip to Great Lakes to bring them there. I’d like that especially if the C.O. could give me a day or two off which I understand some of them do.

Well Dear I’ve written about all I can stand for the time being –
I Love You
Daddy

Demobilizing the Navy (Gladys)

1 Reply

August 31, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 31, 1945, p. 1

8-31-45

Dear Daddy –

We had quite an electrical storm last night and it’s beginning to blow this evening. The lightning and thunder kept me awake until after 2 o’clock. I would just get to sleep, when bang a crash of thunder would awaken me. I felt a little dragged out this a.m. I am sleep now, so think I’ll turn in pretty soon. Lucile called me today and said Jimmy was so bad last night he couldn’t sleep. They were up with him all night. I told her if she wanted to go someplace with him I would keep Karen. She said they would wait now since the season is so near over. I think the people who go away come back about the second week in Sept. Angus is to come back Sept. 8. Lucile had me buy a toy lamb for Jimmy today and I stopped to leave it when we came home. She had all the doors and windows closed and fans going. Jimmy was lying on the studio couch. Karen was raising a howl, but Lucile just lets her howl. She wants her eats when it’s time and it was just past 6 PM. Now John’s glasses are taken care of. He is to get them one day next week. We took David along and he was a little “dinker.” We bought Donnie Funk a birthday gift – and David could hardly wait to take it to him this evening. We missed his birthday by two days but he was very pleased to get something. Little Joy is growing up as rough & tumble as the boys. She is so short – much shorter than David and

August 31, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] she would run up to David and push him. We measured David & Donnie and David is as tall as Donnie but much lighter. David would soon learn the art of self preservation if he played with those children. They are a lively lot.

The town seems to be going for Bendix laundrys. Nick & Dorothy said they were to get the first and today Arlene says they have one ordered. Bill took Arlene’s washing machine to the Lodge and now she is without one. Coke Foulkes tried to get a B. right after the war started but couldn’t so I suppose she will be ready for one soon. All of those people could have had one when we got ours. In some ways we are smart, eh what?

Mark went with the Washburns to the Fairgrounds this evening for a little while. I suppose they were taking things out for display. John says he doesn’t care to go at all. I don’t either and certainly don’t intend to take David.

John talked to Smith today about changing his course and carrying two solids he wants to take – (Latin instead of Geography). He would have to take Latin every other class & English likewise, because Jr. Latin & Soph. English meet at the same time. Smith said no – John says he knows he could do it. I wish you could have contacted Smith that day you & John went over there. Maybe you could have helped to iron things out. John is going to play the oboe for band and piano for the Glee Club.

You rec’d a bulletin from the U. of Buffalo on Postgraduates Course for Practitioners – Sept. 24 & 29. You also rec’d some adv. from Cole Chem. Co. on Derfule, etc., etc. Those companies are not going to miss an opportunity if they can help it. Seems good tho, to get things thru the mail for Dr. Y.

Love Mother

August 31, 1945, p. 3

I’ll finish my letter on this. Yours of Aug. 29 came today. We heard some good news this afternoon. Adm. Denfeld – head of demobilizing the Navy talked on a program. He said 11,000 officers would be released in Sept. – I wonder if you will be in the first group??? At any rate so many more will be released

August 31, 1945, p. 4

each month – the number to be increased every month and by Navy Day in Oct. a huge figure. 24,000 is the goal for Dec. Those are some of the figures I caught. Maybe you heard that broadcast too. It’s logical to assume that as the force is decreased the Drs. will be too. Had a letter from Ruthie Y. They haven’t gotten their apt. yet, but living in a room at

August 31, 1945, p. 5

the Methodist minister’s home. She went to Dr. Kizer for a check-up. He said not so much any one thing as a number of things – low blood count – low blood pressure. He is giving her medicine and she is to rest every day. Her chest hurt so they made an Xray

August 31, 1945, p. 6

but everything was OK. I think she must have the chest pain like I had from a run down condition. I have to go with Mrs. Wood to the church at 4 and it’s 3:45 now. Here’s hoping for your early return

Love Mother