MS 964 - Lena B. Rees & James L. Carter Family Papers Transcripts (October 1943)

Title	MS 964 - Lena B. Rees & James L. Carter Family Papers Transcripts (October 1943)
	October 5, 1943 Oct 5, 1943 Dear Mom, Have just received all my letters for the past week. Received five papers + the cookies. The cookies were swell + were not crushed or spoiled. Saw in the paper about Rev. Wareing. Send my clipping from the paper as I will probably miss the paper it was in. Am wondering what it looks like they took them so fast. Wrote to Mrs J Canfield for Kens address but she still doesn't have it. I imagine she is just getting to where he was going. Also received two letters from Anna + Ray; one is addressed to New York + the other to Frisco. Got the letter from the Church also. I received it on the original Vmail forum. Five of us got off yesterday to go back to the boat to get paid. Got paid $32.00. Got a raise starting Oct. 1 I think my base pay will be $66.00 now, haven't checked yet. Got all my mail when I went back to the boat. We got a ride to the boat on a mail truck from here, but there wasn't any navy trucks going back. We all got past the gate in dungarees where the boat was, so we hitch hicked back here without any trouble. Have been bowling + going to the movies here on the base about every night. Since us five boys got off yesterday from school to get paid, they didn't want to go today so they went on liberty while I went to school. Am studying aircraft recognition. Learn to recognize a plane when it is flashed on a screen for 1/100 of a second. Am surprised got 3.6 + 3.8 on two tests. Only have my dress jumper here + am having new striped sewed on so will get a book + stay in the barracks + read tonight. Have to have blues on to go to show etc. I never even thought till now that Anna Bell won't be working anymore. Will close for now am in the Library + am going to look for a book to read. Till later Bob October 10, 1943 October 10, 1943 14:03 Oct 10, 1943 recopied 1100 Oct 11 Dear Mom, Have finished schooling and am back aboard. Not much doing but its my duty night. Am receiving the paper ok now. It started with Sept. 16th. Have to work every day till 4pm so haven't been able to get to church. For a while they did let us off at 1PM on Sat & Sun. There is more to do now so they had to quit that. I should have gone last Sunday while at school but I slept until 11:30 in the morning. The last week spent all my time reading. Read a book a day. Yes there are a lot of flowers and lots of strange trees and schrubs. See lots of Geraniums around most of the houses. They grow thick and tall. Don't bother with any slippers except those I mentioned because I also have a pair of sandals which were drawn from the Navy. They are issued to ship crews free. Have all the white socks I need. Got them in Norfolk. Won't have any time to get to Los Angeles. I think its 500 or 600 miles away. Haven't been to any town for a week but want to go to Frisco to get a present for Bob & Sally Flack. Won't be able to after their baby arrives. [drawing]This is a crude idea of what my sandals are like. They are made of a thick leather sole with 1" bands to hold them on & they buckel on. There probably worth $3.00 and are brown. Will also get new jackets which are waterproof to in chilly weather. Did some rope splicing yesterday & today. Send that extra picture of me to Mr. & Mrs. Bob Flack 1510 North Shore Road, Norfolk Va then I won't have to have another picture taken. The Flacks wanted one. I never thought if Sally is home just mail it to her at Fostoria. Am running out of writing papers so will use this ships typing paper until we get settled & I find the regular ships writing paper with heading & all. About all for now. As for Christmas skip it for me because I won't be able to do anything about it. Chow Time 11:25 Sincerely Bob. October 17, 1943 October 17, 1943 Dear Mom, Hope you are well. Just got back from town where I went to a show. When I got up to leave I felt something drop + I just thought it was a button but now that Im back at the barracks I find it must have been my pen so don't feel so good. Have given up hope for my pencil, tried once more but it was useless. Received the slippers but they are too small so I gave them to a mate. I have my sandals and they are enough anyway. Was going to mail some money home but bought some clothes and lent some so will send after next pay day. Im afraid I made a mistake when I bought a present for the Flacks. All I could think of was a blue bunting. They only had pink + blue ones. Now I suppose they'll have a girl. The store mailed it and I put my home address on it. I sent it to Kinkers address on Tytle St. Haven't seen the "America Magazine: but will look for it, it is probably aboard. Ive read Thirty "Seconds over Tokio." Saw in the paper about Charles Reed. Got a letter from Anna + Ray today. Saw one of the boys with some ships writing papers so will be getting some. They have a new kind now. The old was nicer with a larger clearer submarine on it. October 22, 1943 October 22, 1943 Lights were turned out when I finished the first page so will continue Feel awful about not writing, have about ten letters to write but have been busy. Of all the luck went + sent the Flacks a blue bunting. If I can get to town again think I'll see if it could be sent back collect + replaced with a pink one, yet I'd feel embarassed if I did. Went to the ships party last wednesday but didn't stay long guess it was pretty good, they had an orchestra and lots of refreshments. All the officers were there to keep law + order. Was washing dishes the other day 313 feet below but of course couldn't tell the difference if was on the surface except for the rolling of the ship. Got slightly sea sick but got over it when we went deep. Got a new jacket this morning (issued to us) but its two sizes to large. Won't have any tightness in case I want a sweather on also. All for now. Bob. October 25, 1943 October 25, 1943 20:25 Dear Dorothae + Mom, Got a couple extra letters to write so will two in one. Can't think of much to write about. Received a card from Gene Ann am expecting to write tonight for the first time. Takes me an hour for a page like this. Had two cans of tuna fish I was going to send her but was a little scared so didn't. Went horse back riding Sunday + went to a movie. Have been going to town to a movie about every liberty night the last two weeks. We now have a 12 record phonograph aboard plus a single record phonograph plus lots of new records. I think my birth certificate should have been sent direct to the insurance division but I guess New London will forward it. Have sat here 50 mins + not written anything so give up and close. will write again soon. Bob.

Title

October 5, 1943

Oct 5, 1943

Dear Mom,

Have just received all my letters for the past week. Received five papers + the cookies. The cookies were swell + were not crushed or spoiled.

Saw in the paper about Rev. Wareing. Send my clipping from the paper as I will probably miss the paper it was in. Am wondering what it looks like they took them so fast.

Wrote to Mrs J Canfield for Kens address but she still doesn't have it. I imagine she is just getting to where he was going. Also received two letters from Anna + Ray; one is addressed to New York + the other to Frisco.

Got the letter from the Church also. I received it on the original Vmail forum.

Five of us got off yesterday to go back to the boat to get paid. Got paid $32.00. Got a raise starting Oct. 1 I think my base pay will be $66.00 now, haven't checked yet.

Got all my mail when I went back to the boat. We got a ride to the boat on a mail truck from here, but there wasn't any navy trucks going back. We all got past the gate in dungarees where the boat was, so we hitch hicked back here without any trouble.

Have been bowling + going to the movies here on the base about every night.

Since us five boys got off yesterday from school to get paid, they didn't want to go today so they went on liberty while I went to school.

Am studying aircraft recognition. Learn to recognize a plane when it is flashed on a screen for 1/100 of a second. Am surprised got 3.6 + 3.8 on two tests.

Only have my dress jumper here + am having new striped sewed on so will get a book + stay in the barracks + read tonight. Have to have blues on to go to show etc.

I never even thought till now that Anna Bell won't be working anymore.

Will close for now am in the Library + am going to look for a book to read.

Till later
Bob

October 10, 1943

14:03
Oct 10, 1943
recopied 1100 Oct 11

Dear Mom,

Have finished schooling and am back aboard. Not much doing but its my duty night.

Am receiving the paper ok now. It started with Sept. 16th. Have to work every day till 4pm so haven't been able to get to church. For a while they did let us off at 1PM on Sat & Sun. There is more to do now so they had to quit that. I should have gone last Sunday while at school but I slept until 11:30 in the morning. The last week spent all my time reading. Read a book a day.

Yes there are a lot of flowers and lots of strange trees and schrubs. See lots of Geraniums around most of the houses. They grow thick and tall.

Don't bother with any slippers except those I mentioned because I also have a pair of sandals which were drawn from the Navy. They are issued to ship crews free. Have all the white socks I need. Got them in Norfolk.

Won't have any time to get to Los Angeles. I think its 500 or 600 miles away.

Haven't been to any town for a week but want to go to Frisco to get a present for Bob & Sally Flack.

Won't be able to after their baby arrives. [drawing]This is a crude idea of what my sandals are like. They are made of a thick leather sole with 1" bands to hold them on & they buckel on. There probably worth $3.00 and are brown. Will also get new jackets which are waterproof to in chilly weather.

Did some rope splicing yesterday & today.

Send that extra picture of me to Mr. & Mrs. Bob Flack 1510 North Shore Road, Norfolk Va then I won't have to have another picture taken. The Flacks wanted one. I never thought if Sally is home just mail it to her at Fostoria.

Am running out of writing papers so will use this ships typing paper until we get settled & I find the regular ships writing paper with heading & all.

About all for now. As for Christmas skip it for me because I won't be able to do anything about it.

Chow Time 11:25

Sincerely
Bob.

October 17, 1943

Dear Mom,

Hope you are well. Just got back from town where I went to a show. When I got up to leave I felt something drop + I just thought it was a button but now that Im back at the barracks I find it must have been my pen so don't feel so good. Have given up hope for my pencil, tried once more but it was useless. Received the slippers but they are too small so I gave them to a mate. I have my sandals and they are enough anyway. Was going to mail some money home but bought some clothes and lent some so will send after next pay day.

Im afraid I made a mistake when I bought a present for the Flacks. All I could think of was a blue bunting. They only had pink + blue ones. Now I suppose they'll have a girl. The store mailed it and I put my home address on it. I sent it to Kinkers address on Tytle St.

Haven't seen the "America Magazine: but will look for it, it is probably aboard. Ive read Thirty "Seconds over Tokio."

Saw in the paper about Charles Reed. Got a letter from Anna + Ray today.

Saw one of the boys with some ships writing papers so will be getting some. They have a new kind now. The old was nicer with a larger clearer submarine on it.

October 22, 1943

Lights were turned out when I finished the first page so will continue Feel awful about not writing, have about ten letters to write but have been busy.

Of all the luck went + sent the Flacks a blue bunting. If I can get to town again think I'll see if it could be sent back collect + replaced with a pink one, yet I'd feel embarassed if I did.

Went to the ships party last wednesday but didn't stay long guess it was pretty good, they had an orchestra and lots of refreshments. All the officers were there to keep law + order.

Was washing dishes the other day 313 feet below but of course couldn't tell the difference if was on the surface except for the rolling of the ship. Got slightly sea sick but got over it when we went deep. Got a new jacket this morning (issued to us) but its two sizes to large. Won't have any tightness in case I want a sweather on also.

All for now.
Bob.

October 25, 1943

20:25

Dear Dorothae + Mom,

Got a couple extra letters to write so will two in one. Can't think of much to write about. Received a card from Gene Ann am expecting to write tonight for the first time. Takes me an hour for a page like this. Had two cans of tuna fish I was going to send her but was a little scared so didn't.

Went horse back riding Sunday + went to a movie. Have been going to town to a movie about every liberty night the last two weeks.

We now have a 12 record phonograph aboard plus a single record phonograph plus lots of new records.

I think my birth certificate should have been sent direct to the insurance division but I guess New London will forward it.

Have sat here 50 mins + not written anything so give up and close. will write again soon.
Bob.

MS 964 - Lena B. Rees & James L. Carter Family Papers Transcripts (October 1943)

Center for Archival Collections

MLA Citation

Tags

October 5, 1943

October 10, 1943

October 17, 1943

October 22, 1943

October 25, 1943