Lester’s life changed quickly from study and preparation in Detroit to assignment on a battleship in World War II. His ship, the USS Gherardi, was a Gleaves Class destroyer. It served through WWII and the Korean War, later being pulled from service. Its story ended in June 1973 when it was sunk off Puerto Rico as a target ship. Since the Gherardi no longer exists, I will illustrate many of Lester’s upcoming letters with photos from the USS North Carolina, now a museum in the harbor at Wilmington, North Carolina. Though the North Carolina was a different class ship, one can imagine Lester roaming its decks like he did the Gherardi.
Thursday morn
Aug 20 – 1942
Dear Folks.
I have a few minutes before going to work so I’ll write a few lines. I’m working in the sail locker now so I won’t have to do any mess cooking. The sail locker has charge of all hammocks, seabags & ropes.
I eat chow at six, ten-thirty & three-thirty. Pretty early isn’t it? I like it pretty well here now. By the way, I think that I misspelled the name of my ship. It is spelled “Gherardi”. It will be quite a long time before she will be ready to leave. It is all steam so I won’t have a chance to use my Diesel knowledge. Maybe I can get transferred later to a Diesel. I’m studying on steam every night.
Its time for me to go so I must close.
Love to all
Lester
The Gherardi, second from left, waits in harbor with other ships in its class. 1942
In a document stored with Lester’s letters is a page of specs on the USS Gherardi. There is no indication who might have written this description, but it was obviously someone very familiar with the ship. The Gherardi was 348′ 3 5/8″ long, with a width of 36′ 1″. The tonnage, fully loaded, would approximate 2600 tons with an expected mean draft of 13’8″.
Additionally:
“The ship will be driven by twin screws, turbine driven. The rudder is of the balanced type on a streamline form, carried entirely on the rudder stock. There are two bower anchors, one port and one starboard–each weighing nearly 3000 pounds and each bent to 109 fathoms of 1 1/8” steel die locked chain. On each side is carried one 26′ Diesel powered motor whaleboat with a capacity of 24 men each. There are also 8 balsa wood floats, capacity 25 men each.
A Whaleboat
“There are two firerooms (boiler rooms) and two enginerooms divided from forward aft into fireroom, engineroom, fireroom, and engineroom in that order. The forward engineroom drives the starboard shaft and propellor, and the after engineroom drives the port shaft and propellor. Each fireroom has two high pressure boilers, numbered in order, 1 and 2 forward, 3 and 4 aft. If it is desired, boilers 1 and 2 may be used to drive the after boilers and similarly, boilers 3 and 4 can be used to drive the forward engine. Under wartime conditions we use both engines with one forward and one after boiler.
“The tank capacities are: Fuel oil and reserve–129,373 gallons; fresh water and reserve feed–25,442 gallons; Diesel oil (can be also used to mix with fuel oil for boilers)–11,336 gallons.
“Contrary to many rumors, the Gherardi will not exceed a maximum speed of forty knots by much. However, that is very fast for a surface ship of this size and type.
“The main battery of the Gherardi will consist of 4, 5″ 38 caliber guns in mounts, two forward and two aft. These guns can be elevated to 85 degrees, almost straight up, for fire at planes and are the main defense against high level bombing attacks as well as surface targets. The maximum effective range of the 5” 38s is about 15,000 yards on the surface and with their director and computor are the last word in naval gunnery.
“The anti-aircraft battery is also the latest type and consists of four 20 MM Oerlikon anti-aircraft machine guns and two twin mount 40 MM anti-aircraft machine guns. The 20s are located, one on each side of the superstructure deck and one on each side of the admidships deck house. These 20MM guns shoot a maximum of 450 half-pound high explosive shells per minute each, and are very effective against dive bombers and low-level attacks. The 40 MM anti-aircraft machine guns, located on the top of the after deck house, shoot a larger projectile and have a longer range. They fire at a maximum rate of 80 rounds per barrel per minute.
“One quintuple tube torpedo mount is located on the centerline admidships between the stacks and can be trained for attacks on either side of the ship. The latest type 21”, 21 ft. torpedo is fired from this mount on the Gherardi.
“On the fan tail are two depth charge racks holding eight 600 lb. depth charges for rolling off the stern. On each side of the after part of the ship are three “K” guns for projecting the 300 ob. depth charges to each side.
“Also on the fan tail is located a smoke screen generator, for laying down a screen. This device can be rolled off the stern by pulling a lever in case the dangerous chemicals contained are let loose by accident.
“The Gherardi, as a typical destroyer, will carry no protective armor plate that will stop any projectile larger than a .50 caliber bullet. However, a very extensive damage control system and water tight integrity have proven to be effective on similar ships so that they have been able to sustain direct hits from torpedoes and remain afloat. The well-designed sprinkling and flooding system, if used correctly, should prevent any loss by fire.”
The Gherardi under construction in the Philadelphia harbor, 1942. Photo credit LIFE.
Well, here I am in Philadelphia, safe and sound. We had a nice trip back though the Pullman cars we had were terribly dirty. We had a steamer the first part of the trip and the soot and cinders were terrible. We were just black all over and couldn’t keep clean. Somewhere in Pennsylvania they switched to an electric engine and we had a clean ride the rest of the way. I’ll tell you right now that I don’t know how long I will be here, maybe a week and perhaps two months. I will go on a destroyer, the Gherardi. Some of the fellows say that she is still under construction and hasn’t been commissioned yet. That may be right and maybe it isn’t. I don’t know yet. One of my buddies is to be on the same ship and I met another boy who is to be aboard with us. He is a very nice fellow.
One of Lester’s shipmates.
I’ll let you know as soon as I learn anything definite. There were six of us Diesel boys in this draft and the other four are leaving right away. If they put me on KP duty, I’ll be wishing they would ship me out.
We left the Lakes about seven o’clock Thursday evening and got here at five Friday evening. We didn’t get out of Chicago until dark so I didn’t see any of the country between there and eastern Ohio. Ate breakfast just west of Alliance, Ohio. The country around there is very poor and the farm buildings are in bad shape. I didn’t have a map so don’t know just how we went but I think that Pennsylvania joins Ohio. Anyway, all the country west of Pittsburg is very poor. You don’t see any very good farms until you reach Harrisburg. Of course it would be good with a name like that!
I didn’t like Pittsburg very well either, too smoky and dirty because of so many factories. We saw tugs pushing some barges up and down the river. We also saw some ships being built along the river. From Harrisburg on east there was considerable farming, mostly corn with quite a bit of tobacco. We saw them cutting tobacco in one field. They were using one mule to pull the box-like cart on which they hung the leaves. It seemed that all the farms were small with very few fences and not much livestock. The soil was red but most of the crops were pretty good. I liked the country east of Harrisburg.
I haven’t seen Philadelphia except as we came thru it last evening but I liked it very well. Nearly all of it is quite old. Most of the boys have gone out on liberty to see the town but I wanted to get some letters written. This is the first chance I have had. Maybe I’ll go out tomorrow. We can go out any time we rate liberty as we have liberty cards and don’t have to check in and out as we have been doing. If we don’t rate liberty, we have to muster three times each day so they can put us on work parties. Today after dinner they sent us to work. There was a little trash in a pile on the deck so I swept it into a dust pan and emptied it. That was all I did on my work party.
We have been plenty busy though. We had cards that had to be signed by about a dozen different people before we could go on liberty tonight. We had a gas drill with tear gas. We put on our masks, went into the gas chamber, opened the mask a little to sniff the gas then took the mask off and stumbled outside. Then we all had a good cry. That stuff isn’t dangerous but it sure does burn for awhile and makes you cry like everything. We had to scrub our hammocks and turn them in as we sleep in bunks here. There was a lot of other stuff such as being assigned to our ships, etc.
I’m up in the attic of the main building, on the fourth deck. We don’t have any tables to use for writing so I’m lying in my bunk to write. It is sure hot up here but maybe it will cool off enough I can sleep. There are a couple of fans in the next room but they don’t do much good in here. We have met some of the boys who were with us three or four months ago. Some of them have been to sea and are back here.
We have lockers here to keep our clothes in instead of our sea bags. They are sure lots nicer as we won’t always have to be digging clear to the bottom of a bag every time we want something. We have to scrub our clothes on tables and benches outside and have only cold water for it which makes it rather bad. I scrubbed my clothes this evening so I won’t have anything to do tomorrow.
I’m going to write to Josephine but it is going to be just the same as this so don’t go comparing notes on me. My address is at the top of the first page. There isn’t any barracks or anything as we go to the post office for our mail.
Back on duty after a memorable trip home, Lester reviews the return train ride. In a hurried post script, he tells the news. He’s heading out in a few days–to Philadelphia!
Tuesday morning August 11 – 1942
Dear Folks.
I haven’t much to write about as we don’t know anything new. I got back in the barracks at five minutes before twelve but they didn’t take muster until one o’clock. We had a quiet, fast trip on the train to Chicago. From Chicago to the station we rode in a special train for soldiers and sailors. It was packed like sardines in a can. It was eleven-thirty when we reached the station and it took 25 minutes to walk from the gate to the barracks. Most of us slept a good share of yesterday. We don’t have much to do except sleep as we don’t have any guards except here in the barracks. I went to the show “Sergant York” last night. It was pretty good.
There is so much noise I can’t think so I’ll write again later.
Love to all
Lester
I had sealed this but since then have learned that I am going to Philadelphia this Thursday. Six of us are going there. I’m going with a swell bunch and I’d just as soon go there as any where else. I’ll write as soon as I get there.
Evidently, Lester’s leave to go home for a week was re-instated. Though there are no letters surviving with final news of his travel plans, a series of photos from his visit has been treasured and circulated in the family for decades. Perhaps he telephoned home to announce his travel plans. If so, all the neighbors would have known the plan instantly on their party line. Perhaps he sent a telegram. Given the previous on-again, off-again yoyo of anticipation and disappointment surrounding his leave plans, it seems likely that the folks dared not believe he was really coming until they could see him with their own eyes and hug him with their own arms.
However, he did spend a wonderful week at home in early August of 1942. Imagine the parties! The dinners, family reunions, visits with aunts, uncles, cousins and classmates who were still nearby.
Lester (seated in front on the left) and classmates at District 72 school. Sister Frances is on the back row.The boys at school. Lester is on the left in the back row.
Imagine the joy and pride felt in the hearts of his parents, his fiance, his sister and his younger brothers.
With fiance Josephine.
Lester’s leave was granted as he completed his training course, and shortly before he received his navy ship assignment. He would not be spending any more time in Michigan. He would be going on, part of a crew on a navy destroyer destined for distant places.
My grandmother, Lester’s mother, recalled his visit home in August of 1942 with misty eyes. Decades afterward, she would tell her grandchildren (none of whom were born yet in 1942) about Lester’s last evening at home. He sat outside the farm house, gazing across the fields, staring and staring for a long time, as if he couldn’t get enough. He didn’t want to forget what his home looked like, for this is where his heart would always belong.
Lester with his 7-year-old brother Paul.
It was almost as if he knew on some level that he would never be back. He would never see his childhood home or his family again. And they would never see him.
The four Harris siblings. Wallace, Lester, Frances and in front, Paul.Lester with his parents.
Only two days after Lester’s joyful letter announcing his leave to visit home, he writes another story. All leaves have been canceled. What a tragic turn of events. Since the family had already canceled their trip to visit Lester at the Great Lakes, they would have received this news with heavy hearts. Things changed so quickly for the Navy boys in 1942 America.
Lester included a hopeful note by saying that some of the unit would be granted leaves. With his kind and generous heart, he admitted there were those who deserved a leave more than he did. What could possibly happen next?
The Folks
Monday noon.
August 3, 1942
Dear Folks,
Well, here’s the bad news. All of our leaves have been cancelled. We may get them later but for the present we are under 24 hour orders, prepared to leave at any time. I’m sorry to have it happen after we had planned on it and you gave up the trip up here. It is just as well that you didn’t come though as we had only from Sunday noon until midnight and the boys didn’t get out the gate until about two o’clock. They said that they cut down on our liberty because we were getting nine-day leaves and didn’t want us overleave on liberty.
The lieutenant announced the cancellation this morning while we were taking tests for rates. We don’t know yet who passed the test but not many of us think that we passed it.
I understand that we are to be divided into groups. Some of us will get leaves. Some of the boys have been in a year with no leave so they deserve a leave before I do. If I can possibly get a leave, I will be home, you can be sure. I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to come up here as we may go out at any time with only short notice and again we may get our leave later. I don’t think I will call you as there isn’t anything I could say. If I do get sent out right away, I’ll write as soon as possible. You can write to me at barracks 614. My telephone number is Ontario 4548. However, I don’t imagine I would know anything if you did call me. I can’t think of anything else now so will close.
The only news which would have changed his mother’s mind would be news of his own trip home. And indeed he did get a leave approved. The yoyo is swinging up now. Times were so uncertain in 1942, and the world situation so grim, nobody was ever sure of anything until it happened though.
Aug. 1 – 1942
Dear Folks.
It is too bad to cheat you out of your trip but it looks as though I would be coming home sometime next week. I have just returned from filling out my leave papers. I’ll call you when I get to Emporia if I want you to come after me.
It is raining this morning and looks as though it would continue all day. I am in an upper dormitory right next to the lake. During the rain we can’t tell the lake from the sky. There is a bunch of officers homes between the lake and the barracks but we can see over them. This is the first time I have ever seen the lake from this station. I guess it must be pretty big ’cause I can’t see the other side!
It was just a little cloudy at sunrise this morning and it made the lake very pretty. I haven’t met any of the boys I know yet as I don’t know where to find them. I inquired about Mr Baker, my boot company commander, but didn’t get to see him. He has charge of another company now and it seems that I will have to get a pass to go over and see him. We had a nice trip from Dearborn and got in here at four last evening. We drew clothes this morning but I didn’t get any. This afternoon we will have our pictures taken for identification cards.
I called you the other night because at five o’clock that evening the executive had told us that our liberty had been changed to Sunday noon til 9:30 that night. He said there would be no special leaves or liberties. When we got here last night we asked the Lieutenant if we could get leaves. He thought that all of us were getting them so when he learned that, he started to find out about them for us. I’m going to close now and will see you in a few days.
Lester’s letter today is a real glimpse into the past. What fun to read his instructions to the folks on how to use a pay phone! And how to connect with him, use a redcap to move their luggage, and how to tip appropriately in 1942. The folks must be scurrying around trying to get ready for their big adventure. They are going to visit Lester!
July 25 – 1942
Dear Folks,
Well, mom, I am writing this with your pen. How do you like it? It isn’t just like mine but I think you will like it ok. I really don’t have much to write about because I don’t know anything more than the last time I wrote to you.
Josephine said she thought that I should make more definite plans about meeting you but I really don’t know how we can make definite plans without knowing when your train arrives in Chicago or knowing where you are going to stay. I won’t know my barracks or address until we get there.
I believe it would be best for you to call the hostess house at the training station, tell them your address and ask them to broadcast for me. I will go to the hostess house when they call and get your address. If possible, I will stay around the hostess house so as to not miss the call.
In case you can’t get the hostess house, call the Catholic USO and I will call them to get your address. I don’t think we will have much trouble finding each other. That Catholic USO is the one in Waukegan. If you stay in Chicago, call the hostess house at the station or Audra. Sorry I can’t give you the telephone number of any of those places. If you can’t find them in the telephone directory, call “operator” and she will help you.
In case you don’t know how to use a pay phone, here is what you do. Take the receiver off the hook, put a nickel in the coin slot and start dialing your number.
If you are going to Waukegan, you should get a transfer with your ticket and you won’t have to get a taxi for the transfer between stations. If you stay in Chicago, take a taxi to a hotel and they will handle your luggage. If a redcap carries your bags, he will expect a dime for each piece of luggage. Better get a redcap as he will get you to your transfer or taxi without trouble. I never got around much while I was at the Lakes so I don’t know much about the hotels. I have asked one of the boys from Chicago about a nice hotel. He suggested that you stay at the Sherman hotel so if you stay in Chicago I could call you at that hotel. It is a nice hotel and close to the station. You may have to pay three or four dollars for the first night but don’t worry about that. I’ll have enough money to pay your expenses after you get there.
Mom and Dad
I hope that dad is coming with you but if he can’t, perhaps I will get to see him a little later. If you know for sure what you are going to do, you could send me a telegram up here if I would get it before Thursday night. I don’t think that will be necessary though. We still don’t have our orders to leave the 31st but no doubt we will have them then. If there is anything different I will let you know. I waited until after taps to call the other night as I thought everyone would be in the house by then.
We had watermelon for supper tonight along with wieners, potatoes, carrots & turnips, cabbage salad & jelly roll. Not bad was it? I can’t think of anything else to write now. I wish I knew if I am going to get a leave but that remains to be seen. Will see you Saturday afternoon. Remember, if you can’t get me any other way, call Audra. I will call her too.
Love to all
Lester
P.S. All the boys seem to be sure that we are going to get our leaves but I’ve got my fingers crossed.
A model big brother, Lester kept in touch with all of his siblings. In this letter to his teenage brother, he chats casually about some of his activities in Michigan. Zoo and a movie–something every Kansas farm boy would enjoy. He must have purchased a few post cards at the Zoological Park. Though no photos of his own still exist, his family kept the post cards.
Lester also encouraged his brother’s interest in radio technology, even offering to help pay for training with radio equipment after Wallace graduated from high school. Brothers can’t get much better than that.
Wednesday evening
Dear Wallace,
I received your letter so will try to get it answered this evening. You’re welcome to the magazines but you don’t need to send me any Popular Science as we have them in our reading room here. We have magazines of all kinds but I don’t have time to read many of them. It keeps me busy washing and pressing my white clothes. I may go to the show later this evening, “Riders of the Timberline.” Did Paul get my card? We went to the zoological Park Sunday and saw nearlyevery kind of animal and bird. We took some pictures, hope they turn out good. The park is quite large so we didn’t get to see all of it.
We are having a blackout drill tonight at 10:15. That means we will have to get out of bed for it. This will be the third drill since I have been here.
How is the radio work progressing? If you want to take the NRI Course, I think I could help you with monthly payments. How much are they per month? I think it would be a good idea to learn a trade if you can do so while at home. I like my Diesel work very much. Three of us put in requests for special liberty this Saturday to go with our instructor to work on a Diesel engine out on a lake somewhere. Hope I get to go. I spent two days on a locomotive Diesel but didn’t do much work on it. Today our class went on a tugboat here in the canal and saw the Diesel engines on it. The whole engine room was cleaner than most folks’ kitchens or dining rooms and that isn’t an exaggeration. It was spotless. In fact so clean than I’m afraid that may be my job when I get on board ship—running a rag. Suppose? One of the big ships was in but she was ready to leave again so we didn’t get to board her.
Our pay bill passed but don’t know when we will start drawing it.
It was bound to happen at some point. Given that I located a few letters in a special scrapbook that were not part of the main collection, they weren’t collated properly in chronological order. Here’s a letter written on July 4, 1942. Ten days late, it doesn’t hurt to reminisce about Independence Day, from 1942 or even 2014. Though fairly quiet in comparison, the 4th of July in 1942 must have brought many questions to the minds of those who were sending their sons and brothers to defend our liberties.
July 4th, 1942
Dear Folks,
It is about two hours until we can go out on liberty so I’ll try to answer your letters. We had a regimental review this morning instead of this afternoon. We were expecting to get out on liberty at noon but we will have to wait until four. The navy from Great Lakes is to play baseball with the army from Fort Custer, this afternoon at Briggs Stadium here in Detroit. We expected to be able to go see it, but evidently that won’t happen.
We didn’t go to school yesterday afternoon but heard a talk by a reporter who was on the Lexington. He was an interesting speaker but it was just the same as the articles which he had written for the papers.
Thanks for the cookies, Mom. They were good but they didn’t last long. The string was gone from the outside wrapper but the wrapper was still on so I got it ok. Did you get your rocks?
How many kittens do you have now, Paul? Something happened to ours. Maybe they are back under the barracks.
We are having a Defense Bond drive here on the station with competition between dormitories and barracks. This dormitory is leading in the competition. I am making an allotment for one bond each month. They will be sent to you once each three months. We were hoping to be paid today but guess we won’t get it until next week.
This is certainly a quiet fourth of July. The army is putting on an exhibition of paratroops this evening out at the Ford airport. The big transport planes have been flying around the last two days. This morning they dropped three parachutes to test the wind. The transports follow the river up, flying low so they won’t be so easily detected. It is harder to spot them while flying low than when high in the air.
I got a letter from Nelva today but she didn’t have much news. You know that she and Jim are going to school this summer. She has heard from Myron but of course he couldn’t tell where is at now. I heard from one of my buddies who was in “C” & he is on the west coast now. He had been on the east coast so he had traveled some in the two months he has been at sea.
Wallace, you asked how much I weighed now. I got weighed about a month ago & weighed 143 pounds. You still have me beat a ways. The clothes I got when I came in are pretty tight but I can still wear them.
In a letter to his father, Lester actively encouraged his dad to come visit with his mother and youngest brother, Paul. Evidently, Dad had a few reservations. The other brother, Wallace, wasn’t mentioned. Perhaps it had already been decided that he would stay home and take care of the farm chores.
Charley, Lester’s Dad
Given all that there was to do on a farm in wartime forties, it was probably hard for Charley to think about leaving, even to see his oldest son. He didn’t travel too much. However, in his younger days, while he was courting Georgia in 1911, he had accompanied his mother to Colorado Springs on holiday and sent a postcard photo to Georgia from the west.
In wartime Kansas 1942, it was not that easy to leave. Lester gave it his best shot, however.
July 11 – 1942
Dear Dad,
I don’t know how long it took you to write your letter but it usually takes me quite a while too, and I’ll have to go put my leggings on for regimental review this afternoon so this will probably be short.
Can’t you arrange to come with mom and Paul to see me at the Lakes? I’m not going to insist because you know if you can come or not but I would like very much to have you come. We still can’t find out when we are leaving but it will probably be the 14th. I don’t imagine there is much chance of getting a leave to come home. According to an article in the navy paper from the Lakes, we are entitled to ten day leaves if we have six months active service, if our services can be spared and if our commanding officer sees fit to give us leaves. Quite a few “ifs” aren’t there?
I’ve had over six months service. Diesel men from the last draft are still waiting for ships, so my services can be spared. It seems that the last “if” would decide the question for us. That will be the officer at the Lakes and I don’t know who he will be. The boys who left two weeks ago are still waiting at the Lakes and most of the diesel draft of six weeks ago are waiting in New York. I wish we could find out something before it happens but that seems impossible. Just have to wait and see, I guess.
I bought a new pen over at the store in the Ford plant the other day. It is a $2.95 Parker but cost me only $1.65 over there. It writes swell. If mom hasn’t bought a pen yet, I’ll get her one here if she lets me know by the last of next week. Does your pen still work OK?
Do you have most of the work done now? I suppose that you are thru with the corn.
Charley and samples of his corn, 1942.
It is time for me to go so I’ll close and mail this. Remember I want to see you if you can come. I won’t be able to find out anything about getting leave until I get to the Lakes and if we waited until then to decide to come or not, you couldn’t get to the Lakes until my weekend liberty would be over. If we stay at the Lakes more than a week, I would probably get a long liberty. Hoping to see you.
On each side is carried one 26′ Diesel powered motor whaleboat with a capacity of 24 men each. There are also 8 balsa wood floats, capacity 25 men each.
The Bridge 