Dear Mother, Dad, Shirlee, Rhoda;
Well How are you all tonight? Hope you are all well. I just received your letter and the levis and I was sure glad to get both. The levis will really come in handy because we can use them to work in.
Mom you thought I was skribbing when I said I didn’t get “shot sick” well I wasn’t –I’ve really been feeling good lately—I think I have gained about 8 lbs according to the scales. I kind of miss you all and I sure will be glad when you come up. I think the best time would be the 7th of August. Try and make it so you can come Saturday morning to Drill about 10 A.M. U guess you got my letter about Max Fletcher the guy who got the purple Heart at he last inspection (last Sat.)
I called last night but Shirlee was the only one home. I put my last .50 change in the phone and I guess I talked toooo long because she wanted to charge me a lot more. I hope you don’t mind if I reversed the charges. Haha
We get payed tomorrow (tues) We all get about $26 our first Navy Pay and by hook I have really earned it.
I got a letter from Don today & I have one from Frank. I sent them both one right off.
Well I think I will go try my luck at calling you up again & this time I hope you are home.
Well tell everyone hello as usual & excuse me for not writing to them as usual & give them the usual excuse.
If you can, call Mrs Nuttal & get Bob’s address I would like to send him a letter.
Well I guess I’ll close the hatch—
Your loving Son
Plus 8 lbs. Bill
(You ought to see my muscles bulging out) haha
P.S. This stationery is a friend’s of mine. I ran out)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
7-29-1943
(Pocatello, Id)
Dear Mother and Dad and Shirlee;
I just got thru doing a big washing and boy is it white. I washed 4 hats, 3 undershirts, 2 skivvies (shorts) one pair of white dress, sox and a towel & handkerchiefs etc. I’m really getting on to how to live in the Navy. It keeps us jumping but it is good for a person. I’m putting on weight and getting strong as heck. I’m also learning quite a bit.
I talked with Dad last night, which made me feel better, but I was sorry that you other “guys” weren’t there. I’ll call again next week before you come up so we will get every thing right. Dad said that you “guys” were eating your fill of hot-dogs. Boy that made me hungry just thinking about it. Dad, you sounded kinda tired! You better quit working so damned hard and tell the boss to take it easy on you. I hope you aren’t working too hard either Mom, But I do hope Shirlee is practicing hard on the ivories.
We are going to sign up for Gov’t life insurance today at 1700 and I think I will get the full amount. They only take $6.50 a month & then I am going to take out a bond a month.
One of the boys from the flrrt is leaving this week. He just couldn’t take it I guess. He said the fleet was a hell of a lot easier on a guy.
We are still getting good food & plenty of it. I eat al least 10 slices of bread a day plus the regular stuff. Last night we had ham, potatoes gravy, tomato & lettuce salad, pie (cream), cooked beets, bread, butter, milk, iced tea & sherbet. That was an exceptionally good meal but the rest are pretty good too. There is one thing that we are getting to hate & that is Idaho Potatoes We get ‘em for every meal. Potato soup, potatoes fried, boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad & potato cocktail (haha) but I guess they are good for us.
Well I guess I’ll write a few more letters & sign off for now.
Hope you are all well
Bill
Arnold says hello!
I’ll sure be glad to see you on the 7th at 9:00 AM
Dear Mother and Dad and Shirlee;
I just got thru doing a big washing and boy is it white. I washed 4 hats, 3 undershirts, 2 skivvies (shorts) one pair of white dress, sox and a towel & handkerchiefs etc. I’m really getting on to how to live in the Navy. It keeps us jumping but it is good for a person. I’m putting on weight and getting strong as heck. I’m also learning quite a bit.
I talked with Dad last night, which made me feel better, but I was sorry that you other “guys” weren’t there. I’ll call again next week before you come up so we will get every thing right. Dad said that you “guys” were eating your fill of hot-dogs. Boy that made me hungry just thinking about it. Dad, you sounded kinda tired! You better quit working so damned hard and tell the boss to take it easy on you. I hope you aren’t working too hard either Mom, But I do hope Shirlee is practicing hard on the ivories.
We are going to sign up for Gov’t life insurance today at 1700 and I think I will get the full amount. They only take $6.50 a month & then I am going to take out a bond a month.
One of the boys from the flrrt is leaving this week. He just couldn’t take it I guess. He said the fleet was a hell of a lot easier on a guy.
We are still getting good food & plenty of it. I eat al least 10 slices of bread a day plus the regular stuff. Last night we had ham, potatoes gravy, tomato & lettuce salad, pie (cream), cooked beets, bread, butter, milk, iced tea & sherbet. That was an exceptionally good meal but the rest are pretty good too. There is one thing that we are getting to hate & that is Idaho Potatoes We get ‘em for every meal. Potato soup, potatoes fried, boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad & potato cocktail (haha) but I guess they are good for us.
Well I guess I’ll write a few more letters & sign off for now.
Hope you are all well
Bill
Arnold says hello!
I’ll sure be glad to see you on the 7th at 9:00 AM
Friday, February 26, 2010
7-27-1943
Dear Don,
Well how are you today?
Boy I’m just sweatin’ with this darn Poky heat and with a few hours of drill thrown in it really heats you up. My classes are getting harder than heck but I think if I keep interested I can pass O.K.
I just go a letter from Mom and Dad and they say they are all right and that you are studying hard as heck and are O.K.
So there are a lot of beautiful girls on the beaches back there huhhhh & I guess you are meeting some huhhhh? So you say you met a beauty Sunday, well good luck to you because I can’t find a damned thing up here. (niggers, greeks,& indians still are the only inabitants)
Gee I’ll bet Chicago is a big place and I’ll bet, your having a good time there, I know how hard they must have you study but I guess you have fun on liberties.
Chow call ---finish later---
We had pretty good chow tonight: we had roast ham, (not too good) potatoes (all the time), cooked cabbage, tomato salad, bread & butter, gravy, pie, milk, warm iced tea. We usually have good food but I sure as hell am getting tired of Idaho Potatoes. We have em for breakfast, for lunch for supper, & for anything else.
I’ll bet you sure do see a lot of swell boats back there & I’ll bet you have an eye on one for after the war.
Say what do you think about Mussolini giving up?
Well I guess I had better study so I’ll sign off now. I’ll write attain soon.
Hope you are O.K.
Tell Earl Hello
Best of Luck
Bill
Well how are you today?
Boy I’m just sweatin’ with this darn Poky heat and with a few hours of drill thrown in it really heats you up. My classes are getting harder than heck but I think if I keep interested I can pass O.K.
I just go a letter from Mom and Dad and they say they are all right and that you are studying hard as heck and are O.K.
So there are a lot of beautiful girls on the beaches back there huhhhh & I guess you are meeting some huhhhh? So you say you met a beauty Sunday, well good luck to you because I can’t find a damned thing up here. (niggers, greeks,& indians still are the only inabitants)
Gee I’ll bet Chicago is a big place and I’ll bet, your having a good time there, I know how hard they must have you study but I guess you have fun on liberties.
Chow call ---finish later---
We had pretty good chow tonight: we had roast ham, (not too good) potatoes (all the time), cooked cabbage, tomato salad, bread & butter, gravy, pie, milk, warm iced tea. We usually have good food but I sure as hell am getting tired of Idaho Potatoes. We have em for breakfast, for lunch for supper, & for anything else.
I’ll bet you sure do see a lot of swell boats back there & I’ll bet you have an eye on one for after the war.
Say what do you think about Mussolini giving up?
Well I guess I had better study so I’ll sign off now. I’ll write attain soon.
Hope you are O.K.
Tell Earl Hello
Best of Luck
Bill
Thursday, February 25, 2010
7-21-1943
Dear Don;
Just a line to let you know that I am O.K. but tired as hell. I’ve really had a busy day. We were drilling & running the obstacle course for quite a while.
We are all confined to the ship because today was pay-day and some poor bastard stole $100 from two guys. We can’t go ashore until it is found. The Skipper came around to each room & looked in our wallets & told us what to expect. Well, I hope we find it soon as I want to go ashore Sat. & Sun.
Well good Luck, hope you are studying your elect. O.K.
Best of Luck
Your Bros Bill
(This was written on a U.S.N. postcard)
Just a line to let you know that I am O.K. but tired as hell. I’ve really had a busy day. We were drilling & running the obstacle course for quite a while.
We are all confined to the ship because today was pay-day and some poor bastard stole $100 from two guys. We can’t go ashore until it is found. The Skipper came around to each room & looked in our wallets & told us what to expect. Well, I hope we find it soon as I want to go ashore Sat. & Sun.
Well good Luck, hope you are studying your elect. O.K.
Best of Luck
Your Bros Bill
(This was written on a U.S.N. postcard)
7-19-1943
Dear Don;
I received your welcome letter today and I was terribly sorry to hear that you and Earl had a hard break. I know how you feel about it and about going to sea, sometimes I feel the same way, but I know if you went to the fleet you would never feel right about it unless you were assigned to it. You fellows just had some bad luck and if you are willing to take advantage of the course again I know you will make it O.K. I’ve been talking to some regular Navy men—one who was just awarded the Purple Heart in a review here Saturday—and believe me he wants to stay here and go to school so that when he goes back to sea he won’t have to do the dirty work. Hell anybody can go on a ship as a seaman third and scrub decks but you a hell of a lot more than anybody. Before you do anything drastic, well just think about it awhile—you’ve got brains and so has Rapp—a hell of a lot more than me or anyone at your school but everyone is bound to run into some “snaps” at one time or another and if you go back to school and study you will get it and So will Rapp.
Boy have we had a time today. We have been filling out pay check papers etc. We get paid $26 tomorrow—our first Navy pay. We also got clean linen –that’s one thing we don’t have to wash and that’s sheets. I washed last night and my white jumpers and pants came out purty lite. (tattle-tale-gray)
Coon and I are still together & I guess we’ll be here for quite sometime. The school work isn’t too hard but it keeps us busy. The athletics is what wears us out. Boy they run the heck out of us. We have a good obstacle course & we run that everyday—This stuff really builds us up.
One of the old salts took a Malaria attack today & did he look sick but he snapped out of it pretty good—He caught it down in the Fiji Islands.
Well Don I’ve got to study now so take care of yourself & be sure to do the thing that you think is right—tell Rapp hello.
Best of luck
Your brother
Bill
P.S.
I am sending tithing home too.
I received your welcome letter today and I was terribly sorry to hear that you and Earl had a hard break. I know how you feel about it and about going to sea, sometimes I feel the same way, but I know if you went to the fleet you would never feel right about it unless you were assigned to it. You fellows just had some bad luck and if you are willing to take advantage of the course again I know you will make it O.K. I’ve been talking to some regular Navy men—one who was just awarded the Purple Heart in a review here Saturday—and believe me he wants to stay here and go to school so that when he goes back to sea he won’t have to do the dirty work. Hell anybody can go on a ship as a seaman third and scrub decks but you a hell of a lot more than anybody. Before you do anything drastic, well just think about it awhile—you’ve got brains and so has Rapp—a hell of a lot more than me or anyone at your school but everyone is bound to run into some “snaps” at one time or another and if you go back to school and study you will get it and So will Rapp.
Boy have we had a time today. We have been filling out pay check papers etc. We get paid $26 tomorrow—our first Navy pay. We also got clean linen –that’s one thing we don’t have to wash and that’s sheets. I washed last night and my white jumpers and pants came out purty lite. (tattle-tale-gray)
Coon and I are still together & I guess we’ll be here for quite sometime. The school work isn’t too hard but it keeps us busy. The athletics is what wears us out. Boy they run the heck out of us. We have a good obstacle course & we run that everyday—This stuff really builds us up.
One of the old salts took a Malaria attack today & did he look sick but he snapped out of it pretty good—He caught it down in the Fiji Islands.
Well Don I’ve got to study now so take care of yourself & be sure to do the thing that you think is right—tell Rapp hello.
Best of luck
Your brother
Bill
P.S.
I am sending tithing home too.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
7-16-1943
Dear Don; (wool F)
So you’re two timing the skipper huh! That’s a hell of a thing when you go have a good week end and only spend $1 in Chicago, (a large city like that), and Coon and I go down into Poky, (the shittiest town in the world), and have a hell of a rotten time (without gals) for $4 each.
No kidding though those gals sound O.K. Whenever you can save a buck by going to their place to eat that’s good. Haha
The girls here in Poky are no good at all. There are a few good looking ones but the old chiefs get them & if we horn in they take it out on us in drill next day.
Like you say there is too much work in the Navy and not enough rest. Sixteen hours per day plus cleaning the heads & swabbing the passageways after tattoo is too damn much but I guess it has to be done.
If I were you I wouldn’t feel too damned curious to hit the flat because according to some of the old salt, here it is no good. But I guess I’m a little like you I want to get out there too.
Boy this is quite a deal here if you can pass all of the tests and keep up in your work but if you wash-out they send you right to a ship. (It might sound like scuttle-butt, but that’s what the skipper said yesterday.) There are a lot of fellows here that want to go over the hill but they are just dumb. I really think it’s the bet thing in the world for a guy even if it is tough.
I’m not very far along in my subjects yet but I am far enough along to see that they are good ones. I guess you are really getting some good stuff too. I sure hope I can get a leave together. We don’t get one leave the whole time we are here. The only thing we get is a 12 hour pass on Saturday & one on Sunday.
You say you can’t buy anything stronger than milk huh!!? Well that shouldn’t bother you should it? Haha We can get any of the stuff here but I’ll let someone else have mine. Well good luck Don & take it easy and study hard.
Shoving Off
Bill
P.S. When I saw the Sweetheart envelope I wondered who the Hell she was haha
Bill
So you’re two timing the skipper huh! That’s a hell of a thing when you go have a good week end and only spend $1 in Chicago, (a large city like that), and Coon and I go down into Poky, (the shittiest town in the world), and have a hell of a rotten time (without gals) for $4 each.
No kidding though those gals sound O.K. Whenever you can save a buck by going to their place to eat that’s good. Haha
The girls here in Poky are no good at all. There are a few good looking ones but the old chiefs get them & if we horn in they take it out on us in drill next day.
Like you say there is too much work in the Navy and not enough rest. Sixteen hours per day plus cleaning the heads & swabbing the passageways after tattoo is too damn much but I guess it has to be done.
If I were you I wouldn’t feel too damned curious to hit the flat because according to some of the old salt, here it is no good. But I guess I’m a little like you I want to get out there too.
Boy this is quite a deal here if you can pass all of the tests and keep up in your work but if you wash-out they send you right to a ship. (It might sound like scuttle-butt, but that’s what the skipper said yesterday.) There are a lot of fellows here that want to go over the hill but they are just dumb. I really think it’s the bet thing in the world for a guy even if it is tough.
I’m not very far along in my subjects yet but I am far enough along to see that they are good ones. I guess you are really getting some good stuff too. I sure hope I can get a leave together. We don’t get one leave the whole time we are here. The only thing we get is a 12 hour pass on Saturday & one on Sunday.
You say you can’t buy anything stronger than milk huh!!? Well that shouldn’t bother you should it? Haha We can get any of the stuff here but I’ll let someone else have mine. Well good luck Don & take it easy and study hard.
Shoving Off
Bill
P.S. When I saw the Sweetheart envelope I wondered who the Hell she was haha
Bill
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
7-15-1943
Dear Don;
Well how is the mate today. I hope you are O.K. and that you aren’t as tired & stiff as me. All we do for sixteen hours is drill, run obstacle course, swim, do calisthenics and go to damn hard class. I guess you are doing about the same cock-eyed thing only a hell of a lot harder.
I really like it in the Navy thought even if the chiefs do get at you all the time. I think this training is the best thing in the world for you. It is really building me up mentally and physically.
I have passed all of my tests in swimming and strength & classes so far & I hope I can continue to.
I got all of my issued shoes today & boy are they swell. They really fit nice.
We had some more shots today & all of my room mates are sick. Jolly has chills & fever over in the infirmary, Brown is sick, Coon is sicker than hell in his bunk. But I am fairing swell.
Well good luck to you and I hope I’ll see you soon. Study hard & keep well.
With Love
Bill
(We got a new skipper (c.o.) today)
(Have to go and clean out the damn Head)
Well how is the mate today. I hope you are O.K. and that you aren’t as tired & stiff as me. All we do for sixteen hours is drill, run obstacle course, swim, do calisthenics and go to damn hard class. I guess you are doing about the same cock-eyed thing only a hell of a lot harder.
I really like it in the Navy thought even if the chiefs do get at you all the time. I think this training is the best thing in the world for you. It is really building me up mentally and physically.
I have passed all of my tests in swimming and strength & classes so far & I hope I can continue to.
I got all of my issued shoes today & boy are they swell. They really fit nice.
We had some more shots today & all of my room mates are sick. Jolly has chills & fever over in the infirmary, Brown is sick, Coon is sicker than hell in his bunk. But I am fairing swell.
Well good luck to you and I hope I’ll see you soon. Study hard & keep well.
With Love
Bill
(We got a new skipper (c.o.) today)
(Have to go and clean out the damn Head)
Monday, February 22, 2010
7-13-1943
Dear Don,
Sure was glad to hear from you again. I am doing O.K. here although it is damn tough though. We get up at 5:45 and drill 1 hour (calisthenics) then we eat and go to school, drill 2 more hrs, & then study & then wash, scrub, clean, etc & got to bed anytime after 10 P.M. & before 11 P.M.
This is no snap but I’ll bet yours is a hell of a hard grind too by the way you talk. The exercising “shore” makes me feel good though. Everything we can put into these schools comes right back to us however.
You asked what we do on leaves & how often do we get ‘em. Hell the town is so dead there is no more to do than go to a show which is as old as heck. We get a pass at 1300 Sat. which lasts till 2400 then a pass on Sunday form 0700 to 1930. That’s as good deal but there is nothing to do when you get a pass so we just chew the rag with the old timers around the ship.
You say you have to wash in the lake. Hell I washed yesterday & couldn’t even get my whites white in a washer full of hot water & soap. I’ll bet you hate that, I know I would.
Coon & I were down in “Poky” Saturday on pass & we thought we would look for some dungarees. We went in a hardware store & asked the fellow if he knew if we could get a used flat iron, he said no, but just as we were going out the door he called us back & asked us if we wanted one he had in his hand. He gave it to us! The one coil is burnt out but the Gen. Electric Co. is fixing it for us. Good deal huh.
Well good luck & study hard. I’ll write again soon—Don’t mind the writing---Love, Bill
Sure was glad to hear from you again. I am doing O.K. here although it is damn tough though. We get up at 5:45 and drill 1 hour (calisthenics) then we eat and go to school, drill 2 more hrs, & then study & then wash, scrub, clean, etc & got to bed anytime after 10 P.M. & before 11 P.M.
This is no snap but I’ll bet yours is a hell of a hard grind too by the way you talk. The exercising “shore” makes me feel good though. Everything we can put into these schools comes right back to us however.
You asked what we do on leaves & how often do we get ‘em. Hell the town is so dead there is no more to do than go to a show which is as old as heck. We get a pass at 1300 Sat. which lasts till 2400 then a pass on Sunday form 0700 to 1930. That’s as good deal but there is nothing to do when you get a pass so we just chew the rag with the old timers around the ship.
You say you have to wash in the lake. Hell I washed yesterday & couldn’t even get my whites white in a washer full of hot water & soap. I’ll bet you hate that, I know I would.
Coon & I were down in “Poky” Saturday on pass & we thought we would look for some dungarees. We went in a hardware store & asked the fellow if he knew if we could get a used flat iron, he said no, but just as we were going out the door he called us back & asked us if we wanted one he had in his hand. He gave it to us! The one coil is burnt out but the Gen. Electric Co. is fixing it for us. Good deal huh.
Well good luck & study hard. I’ll write again soon—Don’t mind the writing---Love, Bill
Sunday, February 21, 2010
7-10-1943
Dear Don;
I sure as hell was glad to hear from you! This is real ‘ole Boot Camp with a 19 hour college course thrown in. We do our own washing, scrubbing, pressing, cleaning, etc. Have calisthenics in the morning at 600 and physical exercise & swimming at 1600. I passed my strength test with an average of 59 which was high. As I recall you got about 62 or sumpin’.---Damn good. I also passed swimming.
We all have sore arms because we got shots yesterday but I don’t feel tooooo bad.
We get a liberty tonight but we can’t go unless we have black shoes (wha have complete uniforms except for shoes (get in Monday) I borrowed a pair from a funny little “Pimp” (and that’s all he is but he’s a good free hearted egg) We call him Danny and he is a regular Navy Man. He always carries a razor sharp knife in this comb pocket & I’ll bet he’s used it before. He has been down in the South Pacific ever since Pearl Harbor & just come back because his “can” caught a “fish” aft.
He said it killed 68 of his buddies in the mess hall. He said he was hiding under a machine gun cover. (scared to death)
There are really a lot of wonderful guys here although there are some thieves a number of guys have had their skivey shirts & socks stolen from the wash room. I have most of mine stenciled so I don’t think I will be bothered. (I hope)
I guess you have a hell of a lot of studying to do besides your watches etc. so I will let you stop reading for a while. Best o’luck to you & hope I will see you soon. ( I guess I won’t though because we don’t get any leaves).
Shoving off;
Bill
P.S. It sure is too bad about Lynn but I don’t see how his heart left him in the first place.
Bill
Write when you can.
If you need Handkerchiefs bad I have plenty & will send you some. Tell me in you next letter. Only have 5 skivey shirts though.
I sure as hell was glad to hear from you! This is real ‘ole Boot Camp with a 19 hour college course thrown in. We do our own washing, scrubbing, pressing, cleaning, etc. Have calisthenics in the morning at 600 and physical exercise & swimming at 1600. I passed my strength test with an average of 59 which was high. As I recall you got about 62 or sumpin’.---Damn good. I also passed swimming.
We all have sore arms because we got shots yesterday but I don’t feel tooooo bad.
We get a liberty tonight but we can’t go unless we have black shoes (wha have complete uniforms except for shoes (get in Monday) I borrowed a pair from a funny little “Pimp” (and that’s all he is but he’s a good free hearted egg) We call him Danny and he is a regular Navy Man. He always carries a razor sharp knife in this comb pocket & I’ll bet he’s used it before. He has been down in the South Pacific ever since Pearl Harbor & just come back because his “can” caught a “fish” aft.
He said it killed 68 of his buddies in the mess hall. He said he was hiding under a machine gun cover. (scared to death)
There are really a lot of wonderful guys here although there are some thieves a number of guys have had their skivey shirts & socks stolen from the wash room. I have most of mine stenciled so I don’t think I will be bothered. (I hope)
I guess you have a hell of a lot of studying to do besides your watches etc. so I will let you stop reading for a while. Best o’luck to you & hope I will see you soon. ( I guess I won’t though because we don’t get any leaves).
Shoving off;
Bill
P.S. It sure is too bad about Lynn but I don’t see how his heart left him in the first place.
Bill
Write when you can.
If you need Handkerchiefs bad I have plenty & will send you some. Tell me in you next letter. Only have 5 skivey shirts though.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
7-9-1943
7-9-1943
Dear Don;
I guess you are wondering what the hell has become of me, but I have been so busy doing calisthenics, waiting in lines, pressing uniforms etc (like boot camp), that I haven’t had time to write to anyone but home. I guess you are busy too so don’t stop studying to write to me. We have gone to school all day today for the first time. I have some pretty good courses, Math, Psychology, Naval strategy, Naval History, Physics & a few other things. This is pretty nice but hard as hell. We are up at 0600 & in bed at 2200. I guess that’s about your schedule too. We have our uniforms now and I get my shots tomorrow. Last night I got an iron & pressed all of my whites, all of my blues, & a dress jumper. Boy was that a job.
Bill Bullough is in this get up too. He just came down from Farrugut to get in V-12.
It sure is too bad about Lynn, being sick at Farragut but when he went in I thought he would get sick.
Arnold coon is in the bunk below me & is he a comical guy. He’s always joking.
There are a lot of guys here from the Pacific & do they hate it here. They want to get into action again but then we all do but we realize that we’ll be a hell of a lot more good to everyone if we stick here and get some good schooling like you are getting. There are several guys here trying to transfer to radio & radar but they won’t let them. Bill Bullough is one.
Well take care of yourself and study hard & if you have a few minutes to spare write a line or two.
Best of Luck
Bill
P.S. I called home the other night & talked to everyone. Did it sound good.
Well tattoo is in a Few minutes
So long, Bill
Dear Don;
I guess you are wondering what the hell has become of me, but I have been so busy doing calisthenics, waiting in lines, pressing uniforms etc (like boot camp), that I haven’t had time to write to anyone but home. I guess you are busy too so don’t stop studying to write to me. We have gone to school all day today for the first time. I have some pretty good courses, Math, Psychology, Naval strategy, Naval History, Physics & a few other things. This is pretty nice but hard as hell. We are up at 0600 & in bed at 2200. I guess that’s about your schedule too. We have our uniforms now and I get my shots tomorrow. Last night I got an iron & pressed all of my whites, all of my blues, & a dress jumper. Boy was that a job.
Bill Bullough is in this get up too. He just came down from Farrugut to get in V-12.
It sure is too bad about Lynn, being sick at Farragut but when he went in I thought he would get sick.
Arnold coon is in the bunk below me & is he a comical guy. He’s always joking.
There are a lot of guys here from the Pacific & do they hate it here. They want to get into action again but then we all do but we realize that we’ll be a hell of a lot more good to everyone if we stick here and get some good schooling like you are getting. There are several guys here trying to transfer to radio & radar but they won’t let them. Bill Bullough is one.
Well take care of yourself and study hard & if you have a few minutes to spare write a line or two.
Best of Luck
Bill
P.S. I called home the other night & talked to everyone. Did it sound good.
Well tattoo is in a Few minutes
So long, Bill
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
7-07-1943
7-7-1943
Dear Mother, Dad, Shirl, & Rhoda;
Whew! What a day. Boy did I do a lot today---here is my schedule.
0600-revellie
0610-out on drill field for calisthenics (Boy! What calisthenics)
0630-make bunks (& finish dressing, clean room)
0640-swab the head & passageway (toilet & hall)
0650-line up for chow
0655-leave for chow
0700-eat chow (pretty good)
0725- back from chow
0730-finish cleaning rooms
0800-start registering for class work
1100- finish registration (what a job)
1150-line up for noon chow
1230-finish noon chow
1 o’clock 1300-walk around campus
1:20 1320-start pressing clothes
1800 evening chores
7:00 2000-whenever---I finished cleaning & pressing 6 pair pants, 6 jumpers that were brand new and was that a job. I was about the only one who knew how to press & I had to teach other fellows how. My whites really look wonderful & so does my dress uniforms. (blue)
2105 (9:05 PM)- writing to you
I am feeling wonderful even though this is a hell of a lot of work. Boy, I was pressing for about 3 hours I sweat like heck. We pulled off our Jumpers & pants and that way we slept cooler. I just got out of the shower & I felt clean & nice. It sure is convenient to have you hair cut short. you can wash it & it doesn’t go all over.
The boys are singing a (about 100) down on the main deck and it really sounds good up here on the bridge deck.
I sewed my initials in all of my socks & I also washed two white hats. Arnold is sewing his in now & is he having a time. I sure did register for some good subjects, here they are…
History Background of WWII---2 (credit hours)
Naval Organization ---------------1
Math analysis III-------------------5
Physics III--------------------------4
Psychology (prescribed for Naval officers)—4
Physical Education----------------12
18 hours credit (not bad
This is a good course and I am really going to work hard in it. You can imagine what we will have to do with all these subjects and do our washing, pressing, cleaning & special duties besides. But I know I can do if anyone else can.
That physical education is a laugh because we get it in the morning & every Saturday and in the evening besides. I make about 2 ½ hours per day of phys. Ed. Including swimming & calisthenics. We sure get good nourishing food. For noon chow we had, roast beef, butter & bread, potatoes & gravy, vegetable salad, cooked carrots, milk, & water and ice cream. I can’t kick about anything because it is all swell but still there is no place like home.
Tell Milt hello & that I think about him even if I am too damn busy to write to him personally. Tell Aunt Lou & Uncle Fred & Mr. & Mrs. Gillchrist hello too.
How is Don doing? I haven’t heard from him yet. How is Lynn?
Well I guess I had better “shove off” now as tateo (taps) is in 40 minutes & I have to put the folded blankets etc. on my bunk & go down in the hold & see if my hats are dry. Hope you are all well and take care of yourselves.
Your loving
Son & Brother
Bill
Shirlee;
I sure wish you were here to see all of the swell fellows. These guys are all the tops of the nation “except me” and they really are a wonderful bunch. Maybe I can get you a husband. They all know how to keep house too.
Love Bill
Sure hope the garden is O.K.
Tell grandma hello.
Bill
You can send some cookies. (for Denny he’s a cookie eater)
Bill
Dear Mother, Dad, Shirl, & Rhoda;
Whew! What a day. Boy did I do a lot today---here is my schedule.
0600-revellie
0610-out on drill field for calisthenics (Boy! What calisthenics)
0630-make bunks (& finish dressing, clean room)
0640-swab the head & passageway (toilet & hall)
0650-line up for chow
0655-leave for chow
0700-eat chow (pretty good)
0725- back from chow
0730-finish cleaning rooms
0800-start registering for class work
1100- finish registration (what a job)
1150-line up for noon chow
1230-finish noon chow
1 o’clock 1300-walk around campus
1:20 1320-start pressing clothes
1800 evening chores
7:00 2000-whenever---I finished cleaning & pressing 6 pair pants, 6 jumpers that were brand new and was that a job. I was about the only one who knew how to press & I had to teach other fellows how. My whites really look wonderful & so does my dress uniforms. (blue)
2105 (9:05 PM)- writing to you
I am feeling wonderful even though this is a hell of a lot of work. Boy, I was pressing for about 3 hours I sweat like heck. We pulled off our Jumpers & pants and that way we slept cooler. I just got out of the shower & I felt clean & nice. It sure is convenient to have you hair cut short. you can wash it & it doesn’t go all over.
The boys are singing a (about 100) down on the main deck and it really sounds good up here on the bridge deck.
I sewed my initials in all of my socks & I also washed two white hats. Arnold is sewing his in now & is he having a time. I sure did register for some good subjects, here they are…
History Background of WWII---2 (credit hours)
Naval Organization ---------------1
Math analysis III-------------------5
Physics III--------------------------4
Psychology (prescribed for Naval officers)—4
Physical Education----------------12
18 hours credit (not bad
This is a good course and I am really going to work hard in it. You can imagine what we will have to do with all these subjects and do our washing, pressing, cleaning & special duties besides. But I know I can do if anyone else can.
That physical education is a laugh because we get it in the morning & every Saturday and in the evening besides. I make about 2 ½ hours per day of phys. Ed. Including swimming & calisthenics. We sure get good nourishing food. For noon chow we had, roast beef, butter & bread, potatoes & gravy, vegetable salad, cooked carrots, milk, & water and ice cream. I can’t kick about anything because it is all swell but still there is no place like home.
Tell Milt hello & that I think about him even if I am too damn busy to write to him personally. Tell Aunt Lou & Uncle Fred & Mr. & Mrs. Gillchrist hello too.
How is Don doing? I haven’t heard from him yet. How is Lynn?
Well I guess I had better “shove off” now as tateo (taps) is in 40 minutes & I have to put the folded blankets etc. on my bunk & go down in the hold & see if my hats are dry. Hope you are all well and take care of yourselves.
Your loving
Son & Brother
Bill
Shirlee;
I sure wish you were here to see all of the swell fellows. These guys are all the tops of the nation “except me” and they really are a wonderful bunch. Maybe I can get you a husband. They all know how to keep house too.
Love Bill
Sure hope the garden is O.K.
Tell grandma hello.
Bill
You can send some cookies. (for Denny he’s a cookie eater)
Bill
7-29-1943
Dear Don;
Well I should be studying right now but I would rather write to you any time. Anyway I am caught up on my studies for today.
We got some more shots today and my d_mn arm is sore as heck. We also had a good swim class. When we go swimming we really get a work-out. We have to march a half hour each way to get down to the YWCA swimming pool.
It is hot as heck here and we sweat all of our excess weight off, however I have gained about 8 or 10 lbs. Are you gaining in weight on that Chicago food? Do you still have a lot of swimming and physical stuff huh? Hell I thought that was all left behind at “boot camp”. Well I guess I had better study or I’ll get on the shit list.
Best of Luck
Bill
How much sleep do you get there.
Bill Bullough says to tell you Hello
Well I should be studying right now but I would rather write to you any time. Anyway I am caught up on my studies for today.
We got some more shots today and my d_mn arm is sore as heck. We also had a good swim class. When we go swimming we really get a work-out. We have to march a half hour each way to get down to the YWCA swimming pool.
It is hot as heck here and we sweat all of our excess weight off, however I have gained about 8 or 10 lbs. Are you gaining in weight on that Chicago food? Do you still have a lot of swimming and physical stuff huh? Hell I thought that was all left behind at “boot camp”. Well I guess I had better study or I’ll get on the shit list.
Best of Luck
Bill
How much sleep do you get there.
Bill Bullough says to tell you Hello
7-1-1943
Dear Don;
Well here I am in Idaho. What a joint. I’m stationed here at the University of Idaho in Pocatello. We checked in this morning and we were given a physical exam. We were then assigned rooms and they sure are neat. They are in the Girl’s Dorm and there are two double tear bunks in each room. We have private showers and good food. Arnold Coon is in the same room as I am and so are two other fellows that I knew at South High. We were issued blankets today but that is all so far. We will probably get our uniforms Saturday or Sunday. They will be regular jobs uniforms. I don’t know how long I’ll be here but I guess it will be until Nov. first. I hope I can pass everything O.K. but they are going to wash-out about 75% of us I guess. We had to wash windows and clean our rooms up today, boy did we have fun.
It was only a 6 hour trip up here but it seems so far away from Mom and Dad & Shirlee (&Rhoda) they hated to see me leave but, like you, there was nothing I could do about it.
I have seen a lot of regular Navy guys up here from the South Pacific. I just talked to one sailor that was on the “Enterprise”. I asked him if he knew James Reese but he said he didn’t.
It’s hotter than heck up here and in the night it gets cold. Pocatello is really a lousy city but they sure treat us swell here at the University.
Well I guess I’ll get ready to go swimming down at the YWCA. We have a test in swimming tonight (I hope I can pass it)
Well good luck to you and write as soon as you get time but don’t neglect your studies because that radio is really good stuff and I’ll bet it takes a lot of studying to pass it.
Best of Luck
Your Brother
Bill
My address
William Reed Smith A.S. Navy V-12, Unit, Graveley Hall Co. 12,
University of Idaho, Southern Branch,
Pocatello, Idaho
Well here I am in Idaho. What a joint. I’m stationed here at the University of Idaho in Pocatello. We checked in this morning and we were given a physical exam. We were then assigned rooms and they sure are neat. They are in the Girl’s Dorm and there are two double tear bunks in each room. We have private showers and good food. Arnold Coon is in the same room as I am and so are two other fellows that I knew at South High. We were issued blankets today but that is all so far. We will probably get our uniforms Saturday or Sunday. They will be regular jobs uniforms. I don’t know how long I’ll be here but I guess it will be until Nov. first. I hope I can pass everything O.K. but they are going to wash-out about 75% of us I guess. We had to wash windows and clean our rooms up today, boy did we have fun.
It was only a 6 hour trip up here but it seems so far away from Mom and Dad & Shirlee (&Rhoda) they hated to see me leave but, like you, there was nothing I could do about it.
I have seen a lot of regular Navy guys up here from the South Pacific. I just talked to one sailor that was on the “Enterprise”. I asked him if he knew James Reese but he said he didn’t.
It’s hotter than heck up here and in the night it gets cold. Pocatello is really a lousy city but they sure treat us swell here at the University.
Well I guess I’ll get ready to go swimming down at the YWCA. We have a test in swimming tonight (I hope I can pass it)
Well good luck to you and write as soon as you get time but don’t neglect your studies because that radio is really good stuff and I’ll bet it takes a lot of studying to pass it.
Best of Luck
Your Brother
Bill
My address
William Reed Smith A.S. Navy V-12, Unit, Graveley Hall Co. 12,
University of Idaho, Southern Branch,
Pocatello, Idaho
6-18-1943
Dear Don;
Well they finally came. My orders to report came yesterday morning when I was in school. I came home unsuspecting and mom told me. It was kind of a shock to me because I didn’t think I would leave until Nov. first. It’s quite a coincidence but I’m going with Arnold Coon, Lester’s brother. He is really a nice kid. We are going to paint the town red before we leave. I go to Pocatello Idaho. That’s another coincidence that you and Lester and me and Arnold go to the damn state of Idaho. I hope that the University there is O.K. I guess it couldn’t be much worse that the University of Utah.
In a way I am glad to go but in another way I hate to go, you know how it is. Harry Sheridan is leaving Monday for Fort Douglas. He will probably be there a few weeks getting his shots and uniforms. I get the same uniforms that you fellows have up there. I’ll bet I’ll really look good????in them???
Mom and Dad feel kind of bad but then so do I but I know that it is the best thing to do so I had better do it, in fact there is nothing I can say about it.
Boy it surely is hot down here now. The garden is really absorbing the sunshine after that rainy weather. It is really getting to look good as you can imagine. There are plenty of weeds in the thing too and it is a man sized job to keep them out.
Big News
Wallace Anderson is Engaged to be married
That’s really the truth. He is engaged to some babe whose last name is Hale, and whose middle name is sap, or sucker of something like that. He even bought here a $100 ring to seal the ceremonies. He says he won’t get married until after the war but if he doesn’t have any more sense than to get engaged at the age of 16 he won’t have the same sense to keep from marrying the poor lassy when he is 17. (she is 2 years older than him) quite a deal.
Well now that you have stopped laughing I can say good bye or I should say so long, maybe I’ll see you in Idaho.
We are all well, hope you are the same.
I’ll write to you somemore when I get in Idaho and before I leave.
Good Luck
Bill
Well they finally came. My orders to report came yesterday morning when I was in school. I came home unsuspecting and mom told me. It was kind of a shock to me because I didn’t think I would leave until Nov. first. It’s quite a coincidence but I’m going with Arnold Coon, Lester’s brother. He is really a nice kid. We are going to paint the town red before we leave. I go to Pocatello Idaho. That’s another coincidence that you and Lester and me and Arnold go to the damn state of Idaho. I hope that the University there is O.K. I guess it couldn’t be much worse that the University of Utah.
In a way I am glad to go but in another way I hate to go, you know how it is. Harry Sheridan is leaving Monday for Fort Douglas. He will probably be there a few weeks getting his shots and uniforms. I get the same uniforms that you fellows have up there. I’ll bet I’ll really look good????in them???
Mom and Dad feel kind of bad but then so do I but I know that it is the best thing to do so I had better do it, in fact there is nothing I can say about it.
Boy it surely is hot down here now. The garden is really absorbing the sunshine after that rainy weather. It is really getting to look good as you can imagine. There are plenty of weeds in the thing too and it is a man sized job to keep them out.
Big News
Wallace Anderson is Engaged to be married
That’s really the truth. He is engaged to some babe whose last name is Hale, and whose middle name is sap, or sucker of something like that. He even bought here a $100 ring to seal the ceremonies. He says he won’t get married until after the war but if he doesn’t have any more sense than to get engaged at the age of 16 he won’t have the same sense to keep from marrying the poor lassy when he is 17. (she is 2 years older than him) quite a deal.
Well now that you have stopped laughing I can say good bye or I should say so long, maybe I’ll see you in Idaho.
We are all well, hope you are the same.
I’ll write to you somemore when I get in Idaho and before I leave.
Good Luck
Bill
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
6-14-1943
Dear Don:
How is the rock pile today. It sounds like your in a prison camp instead of a navy camp when they put you on the rocks. I guess you have an easy life lately though. Coon said in one of his letters that you and him were the only ones out of your original group that are left up there, if that is right I guess you lay around a lot. (maybe I’m wrong)
Hell its raining again…all it does is rain it seems like. The garden is so wet it isn’t doing too good but I guess it will grow as soon as the sun comes out on it.
Henry Coleman and Ralph Parker went with me to Earl Carrols Vanities the other night and boy were they hot stuff. All the gals had neat shapes and there were plenty of the gals. Dean Peck went last night and they put on an act where they choose a few guys in the audience to lace up their corcets (I guess that’s how you spell it) but anyway they picked Deanyyyyy and had him lace one up and then he got kissed by two of them. He damn near died of heart failure.
I registered today for summer quarter, I guess my orders won’t come until November. I wanted to get in this July bunch but most of them have their orders so I guess I’ll go to school. I also got my report card for last quarter, the one I was so worried about, I did pretty good, I was really surprised. I got one low mark, that was a D in College Algebra, I thought I was lined up for an E but I was lucky. All in all I got a 1.3 average. Milton fluncked out again and now he can’t get back into the University. This is three quarters that he has messed up good. I made an average every quarter. I am taking Physical Education this summer toooooooo, it’s required by the Gov’t.
Well I guess I’ll go bail the water out of the garden so it won’t float away. Good Luck and I hope you soon get assigned to a school.
Signing off,
Bill
P.S. We are all well and Grandpa is feeling better although he is the Holy Cross Hospital
How is the rock pile today. It sounds like your in a prison camp instead of a navy camp when they put you on the rocks. I guess you have an easy life lately though. Coon said in one of his letters that you and him were the only ones out of your original group that are left up there, if that is right I guess you lay around a lot. (maybe I’m wrong)
Hell its raining again…all it does is rain it seems like. The garden is so wet it isn’t doing too good but I guess it will grow as soon as the sun comes out on it.
Henry Coleman and Ralph Parker went with me to Earl Carrols Vanities the other night and boy were they hot stuff. All the gals had neat shapes and there were plenty of the gals. Dean Peck went last night and they put on an act where they choose a few guys in the audience to lace up their corcets (I guess that’s how you spell it) but anyway they picked Deanyyyyy and had him lace one up and then he got kissed by two of them. He damn near died of heart failure.
I registered today for summer quarter, I guess my orders won’t come until November. I wanted to get in this July bunch but most of them have their orders so I guess I’ll go to school. I also got my report card for last quarter, the one I was so worried about, I did pretty good, I was really surprised. I got one low mark, that was a D in College Algebra, I thought I was lined up for an E but I was lucky. All in all I got a 1.3 average. Milton fluncked out again and now he can’t get back into the University. This is three quarters that he has messed up good. I made an average every quarter. I am taking Physical Education this summer toooooooo, it’s required by the Gov’t.
Well I guess I’ll go bail the water out of the garden so it won’t float away. Good Luck and I hope you soon get assigned to a school.
Signing off,
Bill
P.S. We are all well and Grandpa is feeling better although he is the Holy Cross Hospital
Monday, February 15, 2010
6-11-1943
June 11, 1943
Dear Don;
How are you today? I hope you aren’t shoveling any more coal. Boy I’ll bet that’s a job.
I haven’t heard any more from the Navy but Henry Coleman got his orders today. He leaves soon for Texas A&M. He really hit a good College. He is also close to his relative and to Johnny. I don’t know whether or not I will hear soon but there is still plenty of time to leave on the First of July when Henry goes. If I don’t leave then I will have to wait until the first of November.
All of us are well here and we all hope you are O.K. I guess weather is a little better up there now. It sure is nice down here, the sun is shining and so forth.
I got a good sun burn yesterday……I went to the lake for a swim with Harry, Milt, Henry, and Parker the water is really high and warm a soup. The gals are also hot out there.
Well I guess I’ll finish painting the back porch green.
Best of luck and tell Rapp and coon hello.
Your Bros.
Bill
Dear Don;
How are you today? I hope you aren’t shoveling any more coal. Boy I’ll bet that’s a job.
I haven’t heard any more from the Navy but Henry Coleman got his orders today. He leaves soon for Texas A&M. He really hit a good College. He is also close to his relative and to Johnny. I don’t know whether or not I will hear soon but there is still plenty of time to leave on the First of July when Henry goes. If I don’t leave then I will have to wait until the first of November.
All of us are well here and we all hope you are O.K. I guess weather is a little better up there now. It sure is nice down here, the sun is shining and so forth.
I got a good sun burn yesterday……I went to the lake for a swim with Harry, Milt, Henry, and Parker the water is really high and warm a soup. The gals are also hot out there.
Well I guess I’ll finish painting the back porch green.
Best of luck and tell Rapp and coon hello.
Your Bros.
Bill
6-4-1943
June 4, 1943
Dear Don;
You’ve been running around so much lately that I guess you haven’t had much mail. The main new is that I am laving on the 30th of June that is about a week. I just got back from town where I bought me a bag and some slippers and stuff for camp. I go to Pocatello Idaho, I also go with Lester’s brother …Arnold Coon. Pocatello should be a nice place because there will only be 450 Navy men there that should mean that they will treat us quite nice.
Well how do you like the windy city of Chicago? I bet it’s quite a dump compared to Salt Lake. We haven’t received any of your mail yet but Aunt Lou got a card from you with your address on it so I guess we will hear tomorrow.
It sure has been hot here the last week or so. And the garden is growing like blazes. I’ll bet you had a good trip with Rapp and Trinnaman on the way to Chicago. I guess there is a lot of nice scenery all along the way. How were the meals on the train, I’ll bet they were lousy?
I hate like heck to leave home but I want to get into a uniform where I can do my part along side you guys. I guess I’ll get might home sick but there is a job to do and you can’t do it at home. Thee damn coal miners should be the ones to go out and fight in the front lines for a while so that they could appreciate what some you guys are doing, like Jim Reese. Boy that guy has seen a lot of action.
Well I guess I’ll close for now and I hope you are doing OK in your school. I guess it is plenty hard but I know you will do good in anything you want to. Aunt Lou said you work from 7 in the morning till 9 at night, boy you must be getting a real education and working hard. Well best of luck and I hope I’ll be seeing you soon.
(To Don from his Mom)
Thurs. 430 P.M.
June 24
Hello my Dear Son, Just got your add from Aunt Lou. We will hear in the morning but I couldn’t wait to get the letters coming to you so I will hurry this along & will write more tomorrow (fri) The add was a little blurred but I hop we got it right. We are fine & do write when you can. I know you are busy. Bill well be gone next week so Dad & I will sure be lonesome. Bill is waiting so I’ll hurry.
Lost of love & kisses form your loving Mom,
xxxxxxx
Dear Don;
You’ve been running around so much lately that I guess you haven’t had much mail. The main new is that I am laving on the 30th of June that is about a week. I just got back from town where I bought me a bag and some slippers and stuff for camp. I go to Pocatello Idaho, I also go with Lester’s brother …Arnold Coon. Pocatello should be a nice place because there will only be 450 Navy men there that should mean that they will treat us quite nice.
Well how do you like the windy city of Chicago? I bet it’s quite a dump compared to Salt Lake. We haven’t received any of your mail yet but Aunt Lou got a card from you with your address on it so I guess we will hear tomorrow.
It sure has been hot here the last week or so. And the garden is growing like blazes. I’ll bet you had a good trip with Rapp and Trinnaman on the way to Chicago. I guess there is a lot of nice scenery all along the way. How were the meals on the train, I’ll bet they were lousy?
I hate like heck to leave home but I want to get into a uniform where I can do my part along side you guys. I guess I’ll get might home sick but there is a job to do and you can’t do it at home. Thee damn coal miners should be the ones to go out and fight in the front lines for a while so that they could appreciate what some you guys are doing, like Jim Reese. Boy that guy has seen a lot of action.
Well I guess I’ll close for now and I hope you are doing OK in your school. I guess it is plenty hard but I know you will do good in anything you want to. Aunt Lou said you work from 7 in the morning till 9 at night, boy you must be getting a real education and working hard. Well best of luck and I hope I’ll be seeing you soon.
(To Don from his Mom)
Thurs. 430 P.M.
June 24
Hello my Dear Son, Just got your add from Aunt Lou. We will hear in the morning but I couldn’t wait to get the letters coming to you so I will hurry this along & will write more tomorrow (fri) The add was a little blurred but I hop we got it right. We are fine & do write when you can. I know you are busy. Bill well be gone next week so Dad & I will sure be lonesome. Bill is waiting so I’ll hurry.
Lost of love & kisses form your loving Mom,
xxxxxxx
5-17-1943
I hope you are O.K. and that you are staying a hell of long ways away form the quarantine. I hope you don’t catch any disease like scarlet fever but I guess you won’t.
I just talked with Western Airlines they run from Spokane to here. They said that if you want a seat on a plane you really should apply for it 2 or 3 days in advance. But she said that you probably couldn’t do that so if you really wanted to get a seat on the earliest flight without reserving it to get a priority from your Co. Commander or she said you could take a chance & go to the air port as soon as you got in town and try & get one. (a seat) She said that sometimes a passenger won’t show up and you can get a seat if you are around.
I think you will be able to get a plane seat though. Go to the ticket office (Western Airlines) as soon as possible.
Well Dad & Kale Clawson & I got back from Wyo. last night about 11:00 we drove it in 5 hours. We didn’t catch any fish but we had a good trip. Mom was sure surprised when she found out we had left.
I am still with school (half way) ???and I am going to register for summer Quarter which is a regular quarter. I hope I can finish it but I have my doubts.
Good Luck and I hope you soon get out of quarantine & can graduate.
Best ‘o’ Luck
Bill
P.S. The proof looked swell. The uniform really looks nice on you.
Bill
From Bill’s mom to Bill’s Brother Don
Monday 1 P.M.
May 17, 1943
Well Don Dear I just read your two letters, we sure get the on time only on Mon we get sat.&Sun. unless Dad gets up to the P.O. on Sun. but of course they were in Wyo. yesterday. It sure was a wild goose chase snowed & blowed all the time & to-day it is sure stormy snowing & so cold I can’t hang my washing out. I got the proof & it sure is a darling can’t see your curly hair tho.
Well so another setback in your vacation I sure think it is funny well I am sure glad you have had scarlet Fever. Wonder if you can get it twice I think not. Snelgroves have some of your favorite candies in so I will send some to you to-morrow watch out for them. We are all well, the war is coming along O.K. & hope it will soon end.
You should see how dark it is now I have the lights on & looks like snow again I only hope it clears up before your furlough.
We haven’t got all the garden in yet but plenty of time when it is so cold. Guess your pictures will soon be here I can hardly wait to see them.
Aunt Lou just phoned & said he got a letter from Fred. He said he wrote to you & was glad you were better. He is looking for a letter but guess it was the one you said of his & June’s that had gone all over Calif. I like Fred better than Bob. Bob sure acts soft. He wears some darned old suit tan color & a tan cap, well all Ins. is, is a job. They still say he is in the Navy, but He has P.A.A. on his sleeve guess the Navy took over Pan America. Guess his girl gave him the cold shoulder, He sure felt bad, gee he bought her a doz. of American Beauty roses & everything. There isn’t a pen so excuse the pencil Do you want more abdols.
The mail carrier just left the letter I usually get on Monday. I won’t send the candy as you say about the watch I hope Dad don’t send it to-day it would be a joke. Oh gosh its cold when you come don that d.weather from Farragut. Bill just came in from school he said the proof sure is cute, He said it looks just like him. Well so long my dear & I hope to see you soon.
xxxxxxxxxLove from Mom.
I just talked with Western Airlines they run from Spokane to here. They said that if you want a seat on a plane you really should apply for it 2 or 3 days in advance. But she said that you probably couldn’t do that so if you really wanted to get a seat on the earliest flight without reserving it to get a priority from your Co. Commander or she said you could take a chance & go to the air port as soon as you got in town and try & get one. (a seat) She said that sometimes a passenger won’t show up and you can get a seat if you are around.
I think you will be able to get a plane seat though. Go to the ticket office (Western Airlines) as soon as possible.
Well Dad & Kale Clawson & I got back from Wyo. last night about 11:00 we drove it in 5 hours. We didn’t catch any fish but we had a good trip. Mom was sure surprised when she found out we had left.
I am still with school (half way) ???and I am going to register for summer Quarter which is a regular quarter. I hope I can finish it but I have my doubts.
Good Luck and I hope you soon get out of quarantine & can graduate.
Best ‘o’ Luck
Bill
P.S. The proof looked swell. The uniform really looks nice on you.
Bill
From Bill’s mom to Bill’s Brother Don
Monday 1 P.M.
May 17, 1943
Well Don Dear I just read your two letters, we sure get the on time only on Mon we get sat.&Sun. unless Dad gets up to the P.O. on Sun. but of course they were in Wyo. yesterday. It sure was a wild goose chase snowed & blowed all the time & to-day it is sure stormy snowing & so cold I can’t hang my washing out. I got the proof & it sure is a darling can’t see your curly hair tho.
Well so another setback in your vacation I sure think it is funny well I am sure glad you have had scarlet Fever. Wonder if you can get it twice I think not. Snelgroves have some of your favorite candies in so I will send some to you to-morrow watch out for them. We are all well, the war is coming along O.K. & hope it will soon end.
You should see how dark it is now I have the lights on & looks like snow again I only hope it clears up before your furlough.
We haven’t got all the garden in yet but plenty of time when it is so cold. Guess your pictures will soon be here I can hardly wait to see them.
Aunt Lou just phoned & said he got a letter from Fred. He said he wrote to you & was glad you were better. He is looking for a letter but guess it was the one you said of his & June’s that had gone all over Calif. I like Fred better than Bob. Bob sure acts soft. He wears some darned old suit tan color & a tan cap, well all Ins. is, is a job. They still say he is in the Navy, but He has P.A.A. on his sleeve guess the Navy took over Pan America. Guess his girl gave him the cold shoulder, He sure felt bad, gee he bought her a doz. of American Beauty roses & everything. There isn’t a pen so excuse the pencil Do you want more abdols.
The mail carrier just left the letter I usually get on Monday. I won’t send the candy as you say about the watch I hope Dad don’t send it to-day it would be a joke. Oh gosh its cold when you come don that d.weather from Farragut. Bill just came in from school he said the proof sure is cute, He said it looks just like him. Well so long my dear & I hope to see you soon.
xxxxxxxxxLove from Mom.
3-27-1943
March 27, 1943
Dear Dad, Mom, Shirlee and Rhoda……….
Well how are you today? I hope you are O.K. and that you are not worrying about me. I am a bit lonesome but I am getting some good experience so I guess that compensates for it. I don’t like Frisco because there are so many bums, drunks and people that smoke. It is really awful. All of the fellows that went in with me to be examined smoked except one. They all seem to be good guys except for that. There was one perticular, his name was Dick O’Driscoll. He is from San Jose, that is about 50 miles from here. He and I chummed around a little but he smoked like a furnace,…..one right after the other. But I guess I’ll have to get used to that kind of stuff as every other person who doesn’t do it will have to. The first few days the smoke was so thick that it made me sick.
I am back here on the same typewriter that I had last night.
BEFORE I FORGET
…..I AM NOW IN THE NAVY AIR CORPS….
I passed everything today except for one thing that you have to do after you are sworn in. I am sworn in and passed everything and now I have to wait around here until Monday before I am able to leave for home. I have to fill out one blank and the fellow who is in charge of it left for home at one o’clock today and a bunch of us were very disappointed because we have to wait. I would have been home Sunday night if that fellow hadn’t gone away.
I am going to call you tonight if I can get a line thru, the lines are really crowded out here on the long distance so I don’t know what time it will be, but by the time you receive this letter I will have called, I hope.
Tomorrow is Sunday, the first day I will have free. I think I will go out to the beach and to the park and to the zooooooooo.
I hate to stay away so long but it can’t help I guess.
This YMCA is really good for service men as I told you before. Fellows that get in off of ships can come and get a room for 65 cents. Last night they had a free show for all of us and tonight they have a pianist. (Tell Shirl that this pianist is a gal and she really makes a hit with all of the good looking sailors. And she is paid for it besides.)
Well I haven’t spent more than a dollar the whole time and I have enough meal and lodging tickets to last me until Monday Morning when I will get my train tickets and I’ll leave for home Monday night and get there Tuesday night.
I have a nice little pin signifying that I am in V-5. The officer in charge said that we really have something to be proud about. I think it is really swell.
Those Chillian Sailor officers that I told Shirlee about are still here. Boy are they funny ducks. They can’t speak English and they have a lot of fun drawing pictures of what they want.
I am still amazed at the Oak Knolls hospital. Boy I’ll never get over what I saw there. It is really wonderful the way the fellows there are taken care of.
The other day I saw some amphibian jeeps. They are really cute. They are a regular jeep with a boat body and a propellor on them. When they are in the water the motor turns the propellor and as soon as they hit bottom the wheels drive it.
I also saw a bunch of P-39 Airicobra Army planes fly under the bay bridge today.
Well I guess I’ll go and eat and write to Don.
I am having a swell time but I’d rather be home.
You son
Bill
Dear Dad, Mom, Shirlee and Rhoda……….
Well how are you today? I hope you are O.K. and that you are not worrying about me. I am a bit lonesome but I am getting some good experience so I guess that compensates for it. I don’t like Frisco because there are so many bums, drunks and people that smoke. It is really awful. All of the fellows that went in with me to be examined smoked except one. They all seem to be good guys except for that. There was one perticular, his name was Dick O’Driscoll. He is from San Jose, that is about 50 miles from here. He and I chummed around a little but he smoked like a furnace,…..one right after the other. But I guess I’ll have to get used to that kind of stuff as every other person who doesn’t do it will have to. The first few days the smoke was so thick that it made me sick.
I am back here on the same typewriter that I had last night.
BEFORE I FORGET
…..I AM NOW IN THE NAVY AIR CORPS….
I passed everything today except for one thing that you have to do after you are sworn in. I am sworn in and passed everything and now I have to wait around here until Monday before I am able to leave for home. I have to fill out one blank and the fellow who is in charge of it left for home at one o’clock today and a bunch of us were very disappointed because we have to wait. I would have been home Sunday night if that fellow hadn’t gone away.
I am going to call you tonight if I can get a line thru, the lines are really crowded out here on the long distance so I don’t know what time it will be, but by the time you receive this letter I will have called, I hope.
Tomorrow is Sunday, the first day I will have free. I think I will go out to the beach and to the park and to the zooooooooo.
I hate to stay away so long but it can’t help I guess.
This YMCA is really good for service men as I told you before. Fellows that get in off of ships can come and get a room for 65 cents. Last night they had a free show for all of us and tonight they have a pianist. (Tell Shirl that this pianist is a gal and she really makes a hit with all of the good looking sailors. And she is paid for it besides.)
Well I haven’t spent more than a dollar the whole time and I have enough meal and lodging tickets to last me until Monday Morning when I will get my train tickets and I’ll leave for home Monday night and get there Tuesday night.
I have a nice little pin signifying that I am in V-5. The officer in charge said that we really have something to be proud about. I think it is really swell.
Those Chillian Sailor officers that I told Shirlee about are still here. Boy are they funny ducks. They can’t speak English and they have a lot of fun drawing pictures of what they want.
I am still amazed at the Oak Knolls hospital. Boy I’ll never get over what I saw there. It is really wonderful the way the fellows there are taken care of.
The other day I saw some amphibian jeeps. They are really cute. They are a regular jeep with a boat body and a propellor on them. When they are in the water the motor turns the propellor and as soon as they hit bottom the wheels drive it.
I also saw a bunch of P-39 Airicobra Army planes fly under the bay bridge today.
Well I guess I’ll go and eat and write to Don.
I am having a swell time but I’d rather be home.
You son
Bill
Sunday, February 14, 2010
3-27-1943
March 27,1943
I don’t know what the date is.
Dear Mom and Dad, and Shirlee and Rhoda;
Well, here I am again. I have really had some good experiences today. I was the only one in the bunch that they thought had an allergy. If I had have had one I would not have been able to pass but I am glad that they thought I had one because I got a chance to go over to the U.S. Naval Hospital over in Oak Knolls in Oakland. There are thousands of wounded Marines and Sailors there it is a real terrible sight. However, they are in a wonderful place. I spent about 5 hours there and every minute was a good experience. First I went to ward 65A, while there I had a doctor, a Navy Commander, look me all over for any skin diseases. I guess before I go any farther I had better tell you why I was thought to have an allergy…….it was because of the way my skin welts and goes red when I scratch it. This doctor said I had a tender skin and put some big long name by the diagnosis chart. He told me that I had better go down to ward 5 and get a skin-scratch test, however, and when I got there they told me to go to the Pathology Laboratory over in Ward 4, so there I went. My test started by a series of scratches on my skin. These swoll into welts which stumped the docs so finally they used the last resort, the long, tiresome scratch test. The would write 100, one-hundred, numbers on my back in red crayon, then they put by each number a drop of pollen from some plant.
Then before the drop would dry they would scratch the spot with a little scalpel. Then I had to wait a half hour and see how these spots reacted to my skin, or I should say how my skin reacted to the scratches. Well you can imagine how I looked with 100 red numbers on my back and by each one a little scratch. Well this turned out NEGETIVE which is a proof that I am not susceptible to hay fever or any other type of disease. There is a lot more to tell you about this hospital but I’ll wait until I get home.
I passed nearly all my tests today so now all I have to get are some interviews and some signatures. I think I will be finished with every thing tomorrow about noon so if I Pass everything else O.K. I will call you about 7 PM Saturday night.
Well these people in the YMCA are very nice to service men. (and me too) I had a nice room last night, and some fairly good meals, all paid for by the Navy.
I have really seen a lot around here and I will tell you more when I get home, about Monday.
This typewriter is one that is timed for a half an hour. You pay ten cents and you can type for ½ and hour then it stops on you.
I haven’t seen much of S.F. I have just seen the Navy stuff. I think I will see as much as I can tomorrow, Saturday and let it go at that. There are so many people here that it scares you to think what would happen if an air raid came.
Boy we don’t have to worry about an air raid back home because there are so many defense plants and Army and Navy camps here that the Japs could drop millions of bombs on it and still not touch a majority of it.
I don’t have much time to do a lot of writing and sight seeing but I do manage to get around to Navy place where I have to take test. I went all the way to Oakland in 35 minutes and that is really fast. The buses here go about 40 miles per hour right down the middle of Market Street.
Well I guess I had better go and get some supper here in the café. It fills you up but doesn’t make you want more.
Good Luck
Bill
P.S. I hope you heard from Don.
Tell Aunt Lou I’ll write as soon as I have time. And also that there are a lot of Pan American boys here taking the air corps tests for Pan American Pilots….
Bill
Tell Shirlee to be a good girl and to practice.
I might bring her something.
Bill
(back of letter) written on Saturday night 5:00 P.M. 3-27-1943
Dear Mother, Dad, Shirl, & Rhoda,
I just arrived at the aviation cadet selection board. I have taken a few physical tests but they were just preliminary.
The trip down was quite nice. I met quite a few nice fellows, but there was on that chummed around with me all the way down. His name was Dick Daggett. He is from Toledo, Ohio. He was in the Merchant Marine Service and wore a navel uniform.
He was 29 years old but he didn’t look or act more than 20.
The food on the train was pretty-good but nothing to brag about. Dick and I would get off the train every time it stopped and have a look around. We stopped at Reno for a few minutes but not long enough to do any “gambling.”
Dick drank a little beer but he didn’t smoke or drink anything strong.
I slept pretty good in the train but when you wake up you still feel tired. You just don’t rest.
Madame Chiang was on a train just behind us but we never got to see her. They are having a big parade for her here in Frisco now. They had hundreds of soldiers out with machine guns & rifles walking behind, in front & on each side of her car.
There are really a lot of sailors here.
Every large building has an anti-aircraft unit on it, and they really look like they would use it on any-thing that (rest is missing)
I don’t know what the date is.
Dear Mom and Dad, and Shirlee and Rhoda;
Well, here I am again. I have really had some good experiences today. I was the only one in the bunch that they thought had an allergy. If I had have had one I would not have been able to pass but I am glad that they thought I had one because I got a chance to go over to the U.S. Naval Hospital over in Oak Knolls in Oakland. There are thousands of wounded Marines and Sailors there it is a real terrible sight. However, they are in a wonderful place. I spent about 5 hours there and every minute was a good experience. First I went to ward 65A, while there I had a doctor, a Navy Commander, look me all over for any skin diseases. I guess before I go any farther I had better tell you why I was thought to have an allergy…….it was because of the way my skin welts and goes red when I scratch it. This doctor said I had a tender skin and put some big long name by the diagnosis chart. He told me that I had better go down to ward 5 and get a skin-scratch test, however, and when I got there they told me to go to the Pathology Laboratory over in Ward 4, so there I went. My test started by a series of scratches on my skin. These swoll into welts which stumped the docs so finally they used the last resort, the long, tiresome scratch test. The would write 100, one-hundred, numbers on my back in red crayon, then they put by each number a drop of pollen from some plant.
Then before the drop would dry they would scratch the spot with a little scalpel. Then I had to wait a half hour and see how these spots reacted to my skin, or I should say how my skin reacted to the scratches. Well you can imagine how I looked with 100 red numbers on my back and by each one a little scratch. Well this turned out NEGETIVE which is a proof that I am not susceptible to hay fever or any other type of disease. There is a lot more to tell you about this hospital but I’ll wait until I get home.
I passed nearly all my tests today so now all I have to get are some interviews and some signatures. I think I will be finished with every thing tomorrow about noon so if I Pass everything else O.K. I will call you about 7 PM Saturday night.
Well these people in the YMCA are very nice to service men. (and me too) I had a nice room last night, and some fairly good meals, all paid for by the Navy.
I have really seen a lot around here and I will tell you more when I get home, about Monday.
This typewriter is one that is timed for a half an hour. You pay ten cents and you can type for ½ and hour then it stops on you.
I haven’t seen much of S.F. I have just seen the Navy stuff. I think I will see as much as I can tomorrow, Saturday and let it go at that. There are so many people here that it scares you to think what would happen if an air raid came.
Boy we don’t have to worry about an air raid back home because there are so many defense plants and Army and Navy camps here that the Japs could drop millions of bombs on it and still not touch a majority of it.
I don’t have much time to do a lot of writing and sight seeing but I do manage to get around to Navy place where I have to take test. I went all the way to Oakland in 35 minutes and that is really fast. The buses here go about 40 miles per hour right down the middle of Market Street.
Well I guess I had better go and get some supper here in the café. It fills you up but doesn’t make you want more.
Good Luck
Bill
P.S. I hope you heard from Don.
Tell Aunt Lou I’ll write as soon as I have time. And also that there are a lot of Pan American boys here taking the air corps tests for Pan American Pilots….
Bill
Tell Shirlee to be a good girl and to practice.
I might bring her something.
Bill
(back of letter) written on Saturday night 5:00 P.M. 3-27-1943
Dear Mother, Dad, Shirl, & Rhoda,
I just arrived at the aviation cadet selection board. I have taken a few physical tests but they were just preliminary.
The trip down was quite nice. I met quite a few nice fellows, but there was on that chummed around with me all the way down. His name was Dick Daggett. He is from Toledo, Ohio. He was in the Merchant Marine Service and wore a navel uniform.
He was 29 years old but he didn’t look or act more than 20.
The food on the train was pretty-good but nothing to brag about. Dick and I would get off the train every time it stopped and have a look around. We stopped at Reno for a few minutes but not long enough to do any “gambling.”
Dick drank a little beer but he didn’t smoke or drink anything strong.
I slept pretty good in the train but when you wake up you still feel tired. You just don’t rest.
Madame Chiang was on a train just behind us but we never got to see her. They are having a big parade for her here in Frisco now. They had hundreds of soldiers out with machine guns & rifles walking behind, in front & on each side of her car.
There are really a lot of sailors here.
Every large building has an anti-aircraft unit on it, and they really look like they would use it on any-thing that (rest is missing)
3-20-1943
March 20, 1943
Embarcadero Post Card
Shirlee E. Smith
953 Simpson Ave.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Dear Shirlee; (and Mom & Dad)
I thought I would write & tell you what I just saw come in. It was about 25 Chilian Navy Officers. They are real good looking men. Tougher than heck I’ll bet but they look meek here in S.F. They can only the Chili language. I’ll tell you more when I’m home.
Bill
Embarcadero Post Card
Shirlee E. Smith
953 Simpson Ave.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Dear Shirlee; (and Mom & Dad)
I thought I would write & tell you what I just saw come in. It was about 25 Chilian Navy Officers. They are real good looking men. Tougher than heck I’ll bet but they look meek here in S.F. They can only the Chili language. I’ll tell you more when I’m home.
Bill
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