Jack had been working in the Bremerton, Washington shipyards for nine months by now. There are no letters from May, 1942 until February 9, 1943.
Jack writes:
Feb 9 1943
Dear Ma
Well, I don't know if I beat the shoe ration or not haven't found out yet but will probable tomorrow. No one can say I didn't warn them. Although I didn't think it would come so soon. I thought it would come more in the summer than it did. I didn't really need them but thought I better try and get them before they did ration them.
Well we got moved over on the U.S.S Tenn last night. When we move on a boat it is just like moving to a different town. If you don't watch your step you will get lost every time. The big ones are like big towns the little ones like little towns. I never got lost last night but I went past several hatches and then would have to turn around and go back.
It sure is different welding on a battleship and on a destroyer. the bulkheads (walls) on a battle wagon are almost as thick as the hull on a destroyer. The heaviest metal on a destroyer is 3/8 or 1/2 on a battle ship it is some times 14"
The weather is still chilly, it has been frosting every night. To me it doesn't seem as cold as it did, I guess I am just getting use to it.
Say about Floyd B. why don't you write him and tell him you don't need his cash and for him to put it in to Bonds. I think you can get along on what I am sending you and if you can't you better slow up a little. Don't be like every one else and want all you can get no matter how it hurts the next person.
I haven't heard from Uncle Wayne since Xmas but he will probable be writing me one of these days. I did get a letter from Grandma Goodwin yesterday. Ill have to write her as soon as I finish this. Old Floyd owe me a letter to so I think I'll write him and tell him I thought it was his legs that were hurt not his right arm.
Well that Mal better watch her step or she will end up with a knife in her back if she's not careful. Any one who talks as much as she does ought to have something done about it.
Well I think I'll close
Jack
I am sending as just plain mail so you can see how fast it is.
You forgot to state definitely how much money you received.
- Notes:
- The U.S.S. Tennesee was in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. The damaged battleship was moved to the shipyards in December, 1942 for repairs. You can read about the U.S.S. Tennessee on Wikipedia.
- Floyd B was Jack's uncle on his father's side. Floyd wasn't much older than Jack, maybe 8 years older, and he was more like a brother than an uncle. He was a beloved part of the family.
- Jack was a Republican, but what he said about Floyd's money, "Don't be like every one else and want all you can get no matter how it hurts the next person" tells me he wouldn't like the state of the party in 2020.
- We receive a clue about Mrs. Goodwin from the first set of letters. He calls her "Grandma Goodwin" here. I don't know much about the ancestry on the Eutsler side of the family.
- I don't know who Mal was or what she was talking so much about!
The following letter is a rare one that doesn't have an envelope. And a rare one that he didn't date! I'm guessing it was written in late summer or early autumn 1943, based on the ships he mentioned in the letter. (I tell ya, I'm gaining a lot in my U.S. Naval history already, during this nascent project!)
Since the next letter we have isn't until September 8, I'm going to make an executive decision that this was late summer and put it here. If other clues arise, I'll move it!
Sun
Dear Ma
I know I won't finish this for a day or two as you probable have already seen but I'll start it anyway. Well for the last week I sure have been taking it easy. I haven't done much, I don't know if the "Old Man" thinks I need a rest or if there just isn't any work to do. There were a couple of nights I could have stayed home and done as much, and really more good than I did on the boat. They pulled the "Ent" out of dry dock last night so we went over on the Calif. just more or less got there and they sent us over on the N. Mex. We darn near took in the whole yard well we hit 3 dry docks out of 5 so that's not so bad, considering one is empty and I don't think they are working in the other one on graveyard.
How is the ration stamps holding out, is it any easier to make ends meet with mine? I hope so. The stuff they have been feeding is getting a little worse every day. I have turned my nose up at better food than I have been eating. It takes a man with a cast iron stomach & rubber guts to eat it. (P.S. censor it if Nene reads it)
I did have a pretty good job last night, welding in a door. I got it almost done too. You have to be careful you don't get those things too hot. If you do you work them & then they are hard to straighten and also they may have air leaks and let weather in.
Please never come right out and tell anyone what you think of me it might shock their modesty to hear an old lady cuss. And as far as covering that chair I don't see why you did it I am quite sure it would have stood for another 10 years and as far as looks are concerned did you ever here of anyone setting on look. Me I just set on the deck, if you could see the seat of my pants there would be no doubt in your mind – in fact I almost have calluses and not on my hands oh well such is life. Say give Nene an a whole dollar for those pictures Mrs. Fuller wanted, (P. S. Put it in an envelope so she won't lose it) that's what I got.
I hope you have your glasses by the time you got my preceding letter. Because I really hope you gave it 1A priority rating. You never did write and say how much those glasses are going to cost me or nothing not that I care becaus you can't replace eyes with money
Tell the folks to write Wayne and tell him about the gun and also tell him he better hurry up and answer my letter. I had a good excuse but he doesn't.
I still don't know how I stand with the draft board, by rights I should have been in the army two weeks ago. Oh well I ain't kicking it if they have forgotten me. I may be here for a while longer I probable will.
I did enjoy the paper you wrote your letter on it is rather odd two sizes. I know we are at war and should conserve paper but if you are that hard up just let me know and I will send you 5¢ for a tablet. At least the paper would be the same size. I guess though it's not the paper we write on or the size it's the things we write look at Lincoln and his Gettysburg address. Now if I could just spell a little better I might be a great - well I don't what may be just a welder. While I am on that subject I heard welding isn't a trade anymore it is just classified labor - that's what women do on a to a trade the first thing you know we will be getting a cut in pay. Don't go away I just have to stop to fill my pen. Well here I am back again it didn't take very long did it.
Last night was the first night I have worked on top side and it tried its darndest to rain. It didn't do a very good job of it though. In fact the sun was out this morning. I has been rather warm the last few days but it has been cool and windy at night. You sure notice the wind coming in across the water.
Nothing exciting has happened here of late except me and I just happen once in a while so there too.
Say have those kids been putting there nose in those books and keeping them there, if they don't they will grow up dumb as me and they wouldn't want to be that way would they.
I have made all my plans to go deer hunting so one of those guns better get here. I do hope it gets here by next week so I can go out.
May be I better close because you don't want to wear those new glasses out do you
Jack.
Well it looks like I pulled a good one I imagine by now you are wondering just why you haven't received a letter.
About the gun I still want it I may not be able to go this Sunday but probable can the next Sun
Well will close so I can get this mailed.
Jack.
Notes:
Nene is his younger sister Anita. He suggested that Gram "censor" his rough language. Nene was 15 years old at the time.
He mentions several ships in this letter: "Ent," "Calif" and "N. Mex."
"Ent" refers to the U.S.S. Enterprise. She was a force to be reckoned with throughout the Pacific Campaign. Jack's interaction with her at Puget Sound would have been during the time the Enterprise was being repaired, between July 20, 1943 and November 4, 1943.
Here is a nifty video history of this amazing aircraft carrier. There are glimpses of welders in the video. I wonder if Jack is one of them?
The U.S.S. California actually sunk at Pearl Harbor, but she was salvaged and brought to Puget Sound for extensive repairs during the period of October 20, 1942 - January 31, 1944. After repairs, she continued her duties in the Pacific, and decommissioned in 1947.
U.S.S New Mexico had duties around the Pacific, and was in Jack's care at the shipyards between July, 1943 through October, 1943, when she returned to duty at Pearl Harbor.
It's interesting what he said about welding being degraded from a trade to "classified labor." It's a reflection of the patriarchy's view of women. Now that Rosie the Riveter was stepping into welding jobs, well, the job must be devalued. I honestly don't think my dad personally devalued women, for the record. It is not part of what I remember about Jack, the only brother of four sisters and father to four daughters and a son.
Next, we jump to August, 1943.
