Cancel your trip! (Too bad)

On August 1, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

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.

Love

Lester

Dreaming of Visitors

On July 9, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

Anticipating a visit from the folks, Lester details his schedule of free time. Classes are drawing to a close and he is looking forward to assignment on a sea-going ship. Josephine’s visit has ended. She has gone home again.

Thursday evening

July 9 – 1942

Dear Folks

I received your letter today and am glad to hear from you. I’m glad that you are planning on coming to see me. However I can’t tell you very much for sure except the regular schedule which says we will have liberty from Wednesday noon until eight Thursday morning and from Saturday noon until eight Monday morning. However the last draft stayed longer than scheduled and had an additional liberty from Friday at 4 PM until eight the following morn.

There is a rumor that we will get nine day leaves—but I don’t believe we will get them. You can go ahead and plan to come. I will let you know as soon as I learn anything for certain but that probably won’t be until we get to the Lakes. You asked how much time I would have before going to the Lakes. I would go directly to the Great Lakes from here in a troop train. We will probably leave here Friday morning, July 24^th and get to the Lakes that same night. We would have liberty from noon Saturday, the 25^th until eight the following Monday morning. Then again from Wednesday noon, the 29^th until eight Thursday morning. If we aren‘t sent out on Friday the 31^st, we would probably have liberty again and might possibly get a leave. That is something which no one can say at this time.

There is a small town, Waukegan, where you could stay if you wanted to do that. It is only four miles from the station while Chicago is several miles farther. Will let you know as soon as I find out anything new.

We hear every few days from some of the boys who have gone to sea duty. All of them like it fine. Everyone in my class is restless, tired of this place and wanting to go to sea. I was surprised to get to talk to Wallace the other night when I called Josephine but glad too. I had been wondering what Herb Clayton was doing now. Well, certainly he isn’t too good for the job.

I met a boy from Emporia today. We have been in the same part of the dormitory for two weeks and just now are getting acquainted. He used to live in Toledo. We both knew Einsmingers, south of Americus, and some other folks down there. Another Emporia boy, Snyder, who drove the Camel tobacco truck, is here in another barracks. More men are being sent to school all the time.

We had watermelon for dinner today. It was good too. We had peaches for breakfast but they weren’t any too ripe.

Guess I better close and write another letter or two. I’ll be expecting to see you before too long.

Love to all

Lester

Bob-Lo Island, Rain Showers, Dreaming of a Ship

On June 12, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

In a long letter just in time for Father’s Day, Lester describes his busy life. He sees more of the nearby sites, now that Josephine is around to take places. Included is a special, reassuring note to his mother, who evidently has expressed her concerns about what Lester will do after he finishes his training.

June 12 , 1942

Dear Dad

Well finally I am getting started toward answering your letter of two weeks ago. That is very prompt isn’t it? Mrs. Wolfram was right when she said I wouldn’t have much time for writing letters. I have been going on all my liberties, even though there isn’t a great deal for us to do in the evenings.

We went out to Bob-Lo Island on a picnic last Saturday. We had quite a nice boat ride but the picnic wasn’t very much. I sent Paul a picture card of the boat which we took. I don’t know how many people were on the boat but it seemed to be filled. On the trip back from Bob-Lo there were quite a few small boats on the river. I got a big kick out of watching our waves hit them. None of them upset but they would nearly go out of sight when in the trough of the wave. The river channel is marked with bouys which must be lighted each evening. Men were lighting the lanterns for them as we returned. We saw James at the picnic but didn’t talk to him. I don’t see much of him on the station.

The Postal card Lester sent; SS Columbia of the Bob-Lo Excursion Co. — The Postal card Lester sent;
SS Columbia of the Bob-Lo Excursion Co.

We don’t have anything to do tonight which is unusual. I was on guard last night and today so didn’t go to school today. This afternoon another of the boys and I washed the foundation of the barracks and watered the shrubs and trees. I washed all of my whites again this evening and I didn’t have anything to wear to chow so I missed it this evening. I had one of the boys get me an ice-cream sundae at the canteen so I think I will make out until morning. We had a real good meal at noon. Pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, pea soup, lemon pie, ice cream and cool tea.

Your new pen seems to work fine. Try it again sometime. No, I’m not lonesome or homesick. I don’t have time to be. It is easy to make friends and all the people are so nice to us. They are very nice about giving us rides.

Thursday evening: Didn’t get this finished so will continue it today. I wish you could be having some of the rain which we are getting. It rains every time I have liberty and sometimes oftener. We have had several showers last night and today. I had liberty last night so we went out to Greenfield Village but it hasn’t opened yet so we couldn’t go thru it. It is to open this Saturday so we will go see it on the first opportunity. We did walk around some of the grounds but not the main part. We ate supper in Dearborn then went to a show. When we got out of the show it was raining so we stayed in a doorway until the bus came. Megdall’s (where Josephine works) had company so I didn’t stay but started back to the station in the rain. The bus wasn’t due for half an hour so I started walking. A car stopped and picked me up. The fellow brought me right out to the station. That’s the way they treat us up here.

Guess I had as well answer mom’s letter also as I probably won’t have time tomorrow night.

Yes, Mom, $4.00 an hour seems pretty high wages, doesn’t it? Guess what the sweepers at Ford get an hour. They get a dollar and a nickel an hour just to sweep floors. Of course it costs more to live up here. It costs a dollar every time Josephine and I eat a meal and we don’t indulge very heavily for that. Yes, I know that help is scarce. It is scarce here too, especially skilled men. We need more instructors at school but can’t get them. The papers are full of ads for experienced men and women. Better earn and save the money while you can. I imagine Mrs. Rutledge was glad when Leslie was turned down. I admire him for being willing to go anyway. Someone had told me that Don had joined the Marines. I wouldn’t want that branch.

You asked about the Ford Trade School and the Service School. The Service school is for navy boys who work and study in the Ford schools and shops. The Ford trade school is made up of boys from ten years on up to around eighteen, I think. They work as apprentice helpers for several years and are paid two dollars per day while learning. Some of them study in the classrooms to learn mathematics. They operate a good many machines on production work. I think it is a fine chance for them to learn a trade. I believe I like Diesel work better than the machinists trade though I like both courses. If I get to continue in Diesel after I leave here, I should understand it pretty well.

We won’t know until after we get back to Great Lakes whether we go aboard ship or stay on shore. By far the most of the boys go on board ship and they like it much better than ashore. All of the other navy men prefer the sea unless they are married and want to stay settled. I think you are doing a lot of worrying about something which can’t be changed. I know you can’t help worrying but it doesn’t do any good and I am really looking forward to going to sea. Would you want to come to Chicago to see me when I go to the Lakes? You could come here but it costs so much to live here and I wouldn’t get any more liberty than at the Lakes. I don’t know how long Josephine is going to stay.

Glad you enjoyed the magazine. I am sending you a couple more of Our Navy.

I am going to call Josephine then press some clothes. Gale and I bought our electric iron the other day.

Love to all

Lester

Looking forward to liberties now

On June 3, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

Lester said a lot in one short sentence. Now that Josephine was nearby, the liberties he previously had not even bothered to take no longer seemed frequent or long enough. What does a young couple do in wartime Dearborn? Take long walks, evidently.

Wednesday noon.

June 3 – 1942

Dear Folks

I’ll try to answer your letter which I received from you today. I didn’t write last week because Josephine said that she was going to write to you and I am sure her letter would be more interesting than mine. Besides there wasn’t any need for both of us to write about the same thing.

I had liberty last night so she met me down at Dearborn and we went out to the Ford Rotunda and walked around on the grounds there. The Rotunda is closed but there are some pretty walks on the grounds. We went back to town and ate supper then went to the park for the evening. Nearly everything closes at 5:30 except the shows and we didn’t care about going to a show.

We don’t have time to go very far because I have to be back on the station by midnight. Usually I am pretty lucky about getting rides but last night I had to take a bus. I left her at a quarter til eleven and was in the barracks at eleven – thirty. I get liberty every second week-end and one night each week. It doesn’t seem very often since I want to go out now. Until Josephine came I didn’t often go out during the week because there isn’t anything to do. The Ford trade school and the service school are holding a picnic at Bob-Lo Island this Saturday so I expect that we will go to it.

All of us on the station changed into our white clothes this evening. They are nice and cool after our woolen blues but they are going to be hard to keep clean. Another boy and I are going to buy an electric iron so we can press them ourselves. Probably have to wash them three or four times a week. I’ve been busy this evening. Washed my hammock this evening, got a haircut, called Josephine, went to the show and am writing this.

I would sure enjoy helping you eat that fried chicken and the fish. We have both of them here but they aren’t good. I never eat the chicken but usually manage to get rid of my fish. We had strawberry shortcake and ice cream last Saturday as a holiday dinner for the parade we had that morning. I didn’t go on it because I had been on guard duty. The boys marched seven miles and were simply drenched with sweat when they returned. It was hot that morning and they had to wear dress blues and leggings.

Josephine told me tonight that Leslie Rutledge was being inducted into the army soon. I was surprised at that. I supposed he would be deferred.

I just have time to get ready for bed so will close for this time. Glad to get the letters from all of you.

Love to all

Lester

Running commentary from Sick Bay

On May 6, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

May 3 – 1942

Sunday night

Dear Folks

Is it raining at home? It is here, a nice spring shower. It has been raining an hour or so now. I’m glad I don’t have to be out in it. I won’t have to stand any more Seaman guard watches. The diesel boys just stand the gate sentries & we have little guard houses to stay in. That shouldn’t be bad at all. Some of the seaman guard boys didn’t have their raincoats when it started raining so I expect they got wet.

We started wearing our white hats the first of May. They look very nice, I think.

Monday noon

Its pretty chilly today, guess the rain cooled things off. I am still in bed here in sick bay but I never felt better in my life. My temperature has been normal for several days. Today is my eleventh day so I should be getting out of here soon. I have a pretty fair-sized boil on my neck. You should have seen my nurse dance with joy when she saw it. She says that she just loves to squeeze those things & I believe her. It didn’t take her long to get started on it after I told her that she could squeeze it. Its getting better now & I don’t have any more.

Monday evening.

Well I’ll see if I can finish this letter this evening. I’m afraid it won’t be 18 pages though. A hundred players from Hollywood are putting on a show in Detroit tonight. Seats cost from one dollar to five hundred dollars. Only three & five dollar seats are left & not many of those. The money is to be turned over to army & navy relief societies. It should be a good show with Bob Hope as master of ceremonies.

Tuesday afternoon. I’m going to mail this today even if I have to let it go unfinished. The doctor said I might be up two hours today so I’m hoping to get out before long. The reason this is harder to read than usual is that I’m laying on my side with a hot water bottle on my neck so I can’t get in a very convenient position to write. We have a quiet hour from one until two each afternoon & it is time for it so I will close. I’m feeling fine.

Love

Lester

Wednesday noon

May 6 – 1942

Dear Folks

Well, the mumps are all gone & the doctors have said that I may return to duty this evening. I’m glad of that. I haven’t had any fever for a long time & am feeling fine. They don’t take any chances of us developing any complications. There isn’t any danger now. The swelling has been down about a week, I think. The boil on my neck is practically okay.

I hope you don’t have any floods from the rains you have been having. We have just had a nice little rain & it is still cloudy. This river seems to just stay the same, never rises or falls. It has been quite warm but is a little cooler now. Is the garden up yet? The grass, trees & shrubs are all green up here. I believe it is warmer here than at home because it hasn’t been nearly cold enough to freeze or frost. You certainly must have had a lot of mud to burn out two clutches in the car. You may take the fenders off if you want to make a mud car out of it. You had just about as well do that if you can use it only for the route on account of the tires. I helped rebuild some V-8 engines up here but I didn’t work on any model A’s. I have liked my work fine but haven’t gone to any diesel yet so don’t know what it will be like. The boys tell me that is hasn’t been very interesting but perhaps it will get better. Some of the fellows brought my lessons over so I have just about kept up with them. I won’t be penalized for what I have missed. I was getting a little anxious because if we miss ten school days we are set back with the next class & I want to go ahead & finish with my bunch so that we may get to go to sea together. I have missed eight days now. Don’t worry about the mumps because the doctors won’t release us until they are certain we are safe. They don’t care if we miss two days or twenty.

Teachers are scarce this year, aren’t they? You will be fortunate if you can keep all of them. Will there be only four in high school?

So Caroline still feeds you, does she, dad? Its rather odd but I was just telling my roommate yesterday about the cookies she gave us. Did you tell Wallace & Paul where she gets her water to make that cake? No need to spoil it if the cake was good. Josephine sent me some candy the other day & I still have some of it. It was good. You don’t need to send any cookies or anything that uses sugar because you probably need it & we have all the sweet stuff we need. Of course, the cookies are good.

Mom, I am sending you a little money as a mother’s day gift. I haven’t had a chance to get out & get anything & I want to give you something. Buy whatever you want for yourself but don’t send it back to me. I have all I need. When I get ready to leave here I expect to have a good deal of my pay be put into defense bonds or something. I don’t spend a great deal in here. Some of the boys are always broke but I have saved fifty dollars up til now & we get paid again soon. The check is yours too. Guess I’ll have to get me a date book & put down all the anniversarys & birthdays. I forgot Frances’ wedding. I was thinking it was June 5th.

It is evening now & I have got moved back into the barracks & done some washing. I’m going to bed pretty soon. If ever you want to call me, the number is Oregon 9482. That is different than the old number so don’t get them mixed.

Love to all.

Lester

Wallace, I found the Bulletin you sent me this evening. Some one had put it in my coat. Thanks.

April letter to a brother

On April 7, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

On the same day he wrote the previous letter, Lester received a letter from his younger brother Wallace. He started a reply that very evening, but finished it a few days later.

In this April letter, he again mentioned his uniform, apparently in answer to a question from his brother. This may be a good time to share images of a couple of Lester’s uniforms.

Woolen uniform for cold weather. Note all the buttons.

They had been carefully stored since 1942, turned inside out and kept in a box. I imagine my grandmother had stored them in her attic. After she was gone, they came to my father (Wallace in this letter.) After he was gone, they came to me. They’ve been through a flood or two, a move or two, and remain remarkably intact.

In preparing them for a photo, I felt awed by the fact that nobody had worn this clothing for over seventy years. I tried to imagine the pain Lester’s mother and father (my grandparents), his sister and his brothers must have felt when his clothing was shipped home without Lester in them.

April 1, 1942

Dear Wallace

I received your letter today after I had written to the folks so I will answer yours now while I have some time to spare. You are welcome to all the clothes. No, I don’t usually buy Our Navy because it costs a quarter but there are usually a few copies around the dormitory. I got a Ford paper today which I will try to send to you. I would be glad to get a copy of the Booster.

Yes, I was vaccinated for small pox the same way as you were except they didn’t take time to stick me fifteen times, about four or five, I think. I got shot about a dozen times including Schick tests & none of them made my arm sore. I was quite fortunate because it made some of the boys quite sick.

Yes, we have a radio. It is a table model which sits on the shelf. It is on continuously from 0530 to 2130 (9:30 PM).

Yes, I have two stripes on my cuff now but I haven’t started to draw second class pay yet. I hope I will draw it this week. We should get paid the last of this week.

Tuesday evening—April 7^th.

Well, I didn’t have any news to tell you & not much time to write either so will try to finish this today. We got paid yesterday afternoon & I drew my second class pay & also some back pay. Twenty-four bucks. I should get about sixteen each payday now & more if that new law is passed. I managed to save some of it all along since I don’t take so many liberties & don’t usually spend much when I do go out.

I am sending you the Ford news & have numbered some of the pictures. Number one is the large tool & die plant which we pass every day on returning from school in the morning. Number two is where we attend classes. We are on the floor with the first row of windows. We enter at the door marked X. The busses bring us to the walk at the front of the picture. The white ridge just above. . . .

(The rest of this letter is missing. I have to wonder what else he told his younger brother.)

Mid-week Letter!

On April 2, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

With a little time on his hands on a week-day morning in April, Lester scrawls a note home to the folks. Post mark on the envelope is 8 PM on April 1, 1942. Dearborn, Michigan.

Wednesday morning

Dear Folks,

What are you doing?

It’s the same routine for me. We had fire drill last night a little after nine. I had just gotten in my hammock & was very comfortable when the bugle blew. I put on my trousers, shoes & a coat & went to my station. All of us have a certain job to do in case of a fire. There wasn’t any fire but we went thru the actions just as though there was a fire.

Another of Mr. Ford’s ships has just pulled out this morning. There are only about three ships left.

Our barracks cleaning details have been changed. I have been washing doors but I am on the deck crew now. We steel-wool, wax & polish the decks.

We are going to put on a parade in Detroit next Monday. I don’t know if I will be in it or not but I suppose I will be. Monday is Army day and the Navy is putting on the parade for them.

Postal card from the U.S. Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Ill. 1941

We are having special services for Easter on Sunday. I am supposed to get liberty but I don’t know yet what I will do. A friend has asked me to go home with him if we get a 72 hour liberty which we probably won’t. In fact, I have two invitations for the week-end. I don’t suppose I will get to take either of them.

Today is April Fool’s day. Did any of you get caught? I haven’t yet but the day is still young.

Time to go to school so must close. Will try to write more next time.

Love to all

Lester

Two Letters for One 3-cent Stamp

On March 30, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

On March 30, 1942 Lester mailed home two letters in the same envelope, written a week apart. Both described details of his daily life at the US Navy Service School in Dearborn, Michigan as well as trips into town.

March 24 – 1942

Dear Folks

It is very quiet in the barracks this afternoon as most of the boys are in the shops. I didn’t go to school or shop today because I had Seaman guard last night & today. That is an outside watch where we “walk a post” for two hours at a time, take four hours off & go back on again for another two hours. We get four hours night watch & two hours day watch. During the time off in the day we are supposed to work in the barracks but I worked this morning removing varnish with sandpaper so I don’t intend to work this afternoon unless someone tells me to. The master-at-arms just came in & asked me to come in the office to write my letter so I could answer the telephone if it rings. I don’t like to miss out on school but it can’t be helped & it doesn’t come very often.

Before I forget it again, I want you to send me a check on the Dunlap bank & the premium amount & address of my United Life Insurance policy. It will be due before long.

This has been a lovely spring day, warm with a southwest breeze. Hope it stays this way for quite a while. Talking about Spring, I had rhubarb pie for dinner last Sunday. It was in a restaurant in Detroit. It sure was good. A friend & I went to the flower show in Convention Hall on Sunday. I wish all of you could have seen it. Flowers of every color, shape & variety. One small room was entirely filled with orchids. A large V was formed by growing flowers. Ponds & creeks had been constructed inside the building. Trees ten to fifteen feet tall were planted & growing. Quite a few entries were in colors of red, white & blue. Wallace would have enjoyed the exhibit of butterflies which I saw. The largest collection in the world. Thousands of them, ranging in size from about a quarter-inch to a ten-inch wing spread. Many of them were from South America. We spent about two hours at the show. Tickets were a dollar but we got in free. All of the places are very generous about admitting us free or at greatly reduced prices.

I see on the work sheet here on the desk that we are invited to the broadcast of “We the People” on Wednesday night. I think I have liberty then so will probably go to it. I had intended to stay home but that sort of opportunity doesn’t come any too often.

The watch I bought seems to keep perfect time & I think it is very good looking. I wouldn’t like to be without it now. The boys are starting to return from school so things will liven up now.

So much noise I can’t think so guess I will have to stop for this time.

Love to all,

Lester

Sunday morning, March 29

Dear Folks

I received your letter & was glad to hear from you. Did Wallace get the magazine I sent to him? It is quite popular with us.

It snowed Friday night but it is all melted now. The grass is greening up & the birds are singing. Spring must be here. There aren’t many birds here except sea gulls. They are larger than the sea gulls we see at home in the spring.

Another ship went out this morning. The tugs pull them out of the canal backwards, turn them around in the river & pull them on downstream. I don’t know how far the tugs take them.

I went to church this morning. Quite a number of the boys were there. We get liberty next Sunday which will be Easter. I don’t know yet if I will go out or stay on the station.

I’ll try to get a rock for you, mom. Glad you told me what you wanted. I sent a little vase to Aunt Clara for her collection. I got it at the flower show. I found some cute little glass ships too, but I was afraid they were too fragile to send thru the mail. If any of the rest of you have hobbies, let me know what they are. I haven’t seen any cactuses up here. There aren’t any corn fields & the only wheat field is the one that Mr. Fords trade school boys have planted.

Lester Proehl is in the marines, isn’t he? No, you hadn’t told me that Roy had joined the navy.

I have quite a lot of studying to do & a watch to stand this afternoon & clothes to wash so will close.

Love to all

Lester

A Letter Home on March 19, 1942

On March 19, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

Keeping busy at the training station. Photo postal card 1941.

March 19, 1942

Dear Folks

I received your letter today so will try to get a letter off by tomorrow morning. No there isn’t any special history connected with the handkerchief, just a little souvenir from Canada. Nearly all the stores were closed so we didn’t have much of a choice. I don’t know whether I will go on liberty this week or not.

I expect to be here about another month. We are supposed to leave here April 24^th. My last weeks grades averaged 3.6 which a little above average. 4.0 is equal to 100.

I will try to write to Nelson Parrish soon. Not much chance of us seeing each other.

Glad to know that dad has got the crops started. Did you sow the lespedza out west of the garden? I didn’t realize that St. Patricks day was this week until I heard some of the boys talking about planting potatoes. Mr. Ford is starting to send his ships out this week & they say that Spring is here when he does that. A little tug boat is used to pull the ships out of the canal. Two of the largest ships are still here.

Is Merle going to Calif. too? I didn’t know that Roy was in the service. Did Ola have a job? Rymans probably won’t hear from Ernest very often cause the ships don’t go into port very often.

If Nelson is in a barracks close to the water then they certainly are expanding rapidly cause I never was close enough to see the water.

I’ll try to write the first of the week.

Lester

Free time in Canada

On March 12, 2014March 16, 2014 By AnnIn Family, LesterLeave a comment

Skyline of Detroit, Michigan from Windsor, Ontario.

March 12, 1942

Dear Folks

Did you get the cards which I sent to you from Canada? I wrote them in a drugstore in Windsor & left them for the druggist to mail. Nearly everything costs more in Canada than it costs here but our money is worth more than theirs. If we spend a Canadian dime here we must give a penny also. If we change a dollar into their money we get one dollar & ten cents. I tried to find a few souvenirs for all of you but they didn’t have a very large variety from which to choose so will try to find something for the men some other time. Mom, I am sending you a handkerchief which I bought in Windsor, Canada, also one to Frances & to Josephine.

I received your letter at noon today & was glad to hear from you. How are the baby chicks? Hope you have good luck with them. If the weather continues as warm as it is now it will soon be time to plant garden. We saw garden seeds in the store windows in Windsor the other day. It rains quite a lot up here but is very nice at the present time.

A friend & I went into Detroit last night & went to a stage show put on by the navy. It lasted about an hour & a half & was good enough that they made recordings of some of the singing. It was better than most of the programs we have here. We hitch-hiked & it didn’t take very long. The people around here are very good about giving us rides. A lot of the Ford workers drive to & from work from Detroit. We can ride the buses & street cars free but it is faster to catch rides & it is about two miles to the bus or car lines. A liberty party of three hundred or so can leave the station & in twenty minutes none of them will be walking. There isn’t any danger for the drivers because a sailor wouldn’t dare rob or hurt them & we aren’t in danger because we always travel in pairs. Sunday night by the time we reached the station, eight sailors were in the car in which I was riding. The man who picked us up made a special trip just to bring us to the station. That’s the kind of people that live around here.

Greenfield village is closed to visitors this winter so we didn’t get to visit it. If Ford Museum is open I want to go visit it sometime.

I have just returned from getting another haircut. That is a regular occurrence every two weeks. Also I got my blanket back from the cleaners. I had it dry-cleaned because they are wool & are so big they are hard to handle in a bucket. However I think I shall try to wash it next time. Wish we had a washing machine. If it were allowed, we could all chip in & buy one but our navy regulations wouldn’t allow that. I have some washing to do yet this evening.

This morning after most of the boys had gone to school, a call came for a working party. All of us in this room that were left had to go. We unloaded part of a carload of canned goods & flour. I was glad I didn’t get on the working detail the other day when they had to unload 40 tons of sugar. That’s a lot of sugar. They have quite a number of hundred pound sacks of rice & beans. I took nine cases of spinach in for dinner. Each case weighed about forty pounds. I don’t know whether they used all of it or not. The cooks had pork shops on the stove & it kept them busy turning those chops. They were sure good. Paul it was too bad about your dinner pail. You might have gone hungry. Write again sometime.

Lester

The Bridge

Tag: US Navy

Cancel your trip! (Too bad)

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.

Love

Dreaming of Visitors

Bob-Lo Island, Rain Showers, Dreaming of a Ship

Looking forward to liberties now

Running commentary from Sick Bay

April letter to a brother

Mid-week Letter!

Two Letters for One 3-cent Stamp

A Letter Home on March 19, 1942

Free time in Canada