We're in the Army Now!

Pvt. Eutsler has been moved to Fort Lewis, Washington.

Return address reads:

Pvt. Bernard C Eutsler 39215612

CoC. S.C.U. 1909 (Reception Center)

Fort Lewis Wash.

 

Dec 5 - 43 

Dear Ma 

Well here I am and doing pretty good so far.

We were issued our clothes yesterday & also took our I.Q. tests. They gave us so many cloths I don't know what we are going to do with them all. As for the test I don't know what I made and really don't care much. 

We will probable start taking our shots tomorrow so probable won't be feeling so good.

The time has been going by rather fast as we haven't had a whole lot of time to our self but I guess thats ok too.

The food has been pretty good and they treat us ok so the most of us havent got much if any kick comming. It's not near as bad as I thought it would be but the hard part is yet to come.

I sure hope they ship me out of this place by Wed. I take it we will be here till at least Tues so am hoping. 

There was a pretty good bunch of fellows we came over with so I dont have any kick there. 

I got slightly interrupted so I will start again. We ate dinner which wasn't half bad but I guess it could have been a whole lot better. On the whole though the food hasn't been bad in fact a whole lot better than I expected. 

The sun is out again today I sure hope it stays out so it will have a chance to warm up a little.

I made out an allotment yesterday for you & Anita & they said you would get it with in 5 days (I hope)

Well I guess thats about all for the time being. At least you know I am alive 

Please don't write until I am settled 

Jack

Fort Lewis, Washington is a little southwest of Tacoma, about 40 miles from where he was living in Bremerton. It has been an air field since 1917 and was merged with nearby McChord Air Field in 2010. It has a little bit of a sordid history, like so much of the U.S., built on land stolen from the native Nisqually people. During the war the base housed a few dozen Japanese, German, and Italian people in the interment program before they were transferred elsewhere. For Jack, it was just the first stop in his wartime journey.

Dec 7 1943

Dear Ma 

Well I'll try to write you a little note saying I am still kicking - (and how)

We got 2 "shots" this morning one in each arm so some of the fellows arms are rather sore. As for me mine feels pretty good I hope it doesn't get sore. 

Our outfit got K.P. for tomorrow so I guess I'll have a rather busy day in fact it will be a 14 hour day and not time & a 1/2 for over time.

I also will have to take a test tomorrow I voluntered to cadet training and if I can pass I'll be setting pretty. If I don't I don't know just what will happen. I sure hope I make it though. I think if I do make it I'll be sent to Denver. 

We haven't been doing much except waiting on someone to rush us some place to wait some more.

Say I am enclosing a couple of papers so fill the top one out & etc. Then when I get located send it to me on your first letter – on the same day you recive the one from me.

Well may be this will hold you for the present because I have to leave in a couple of minutes. 

Jack

Notes:

• K.P. of course stand for Kitchen Patrol, seemingly the first stop for any newbie enlisted man. Who else has the vision of a soldier sitting on a stool peeling a huge pile of potatoes?

• Cadets is the training course for air force rated officers: pilots, navigators, and bombardiers.  Here is really good information about the cadet program. It was a coveted position, of course. 

Also in the envelope:

Dec 10 '43 

Dear Ma

Well I am now in the air corp as a cadet, I made all my tests ok, and went befor the board this morning. 3 officers started firing questions all at once and they sure make a guy excited. But I am in so I'll just have to keep trying from now on out.

Please go up to Otto Zorns tonight and make him write me a letter of recommendation & please dont leave until he gives it to you.

Have been getting along ok and haven't gotten into any trouble so I guess thats ok too.

Belive it or not but the sun has been out for 3 days since we 

Please send birth certificat.

Well I am so excited I can't write anymore I'll send address as soon as am shipped.

Jack

Notes:

My mom didn't know who Otto Zorn was, but I found his grave. He was a WWI vet. I hope he gave Jack a good letter of recommendation! 

Jack must've been excited about cadets; he didn't finish his sentence about the weather!

Next: shipped to Buckley Field, Colorado

Uncle Sam's invitation: an offer you can't refuse

There were three letters in this envelope. I like the victory stamps on this one. The eagle's banner reads, "WIN THE WAR."

The back of the envelope reads: Send Motorola Radio to Louie here Express Collect he has bought it.

Nov 9 '43

Dea Ma

I'll try to get another letter started and see if I can finish it before the usual Sat letter.

It is still chilly here & me I have been working out side so I have noticed it. It didn't seem so cold last night until I got off then I noticed it. I have been working on the blisters and most of it is out side work in fact it is all considered outside. 

Say while I am thinking about it do I have a shoe ration stamp in one of the new books. I have been thinking about buying another pair of work shoes, the soles are out on mine all ready & when it rains I get my feet wet. It also take 2 or 3 weeks to get a pair of shoes fixed here & that's quite a while to wear low shoes.

I got another war bond last night so it means that much more cash in hand. It sure takes them a long time to get them out to us, it doesn't take them that long to get us to sign up for them though. Oh well I guess every one is out after the other fellas money so what's the difference. 

Say when is that dear Miss Florence Eutsler supposed to finish school. She better start thinking about getting a job as soon as she gets out & I don't mean a 30¢ a hour job either. 

I have been thinking about going fishing but am like Dad Kruse just haven't gotten around to it yet. I guess the fresh water season is closed but salt water fishing is always open, you also don't need a license to fish in salt water. 

I noticed the yard is tearing down all the bomb shelters & etc. I guess they aren't afraid since they took the islands. Oh well it wouldn't make much difference to a whole lot of the boys [?] if they did blow this place off the map as long as they got out. 

[same letter, continued]

Nov 13 - 43

Dear Ma it seems that I am so lazy I stink – I shouldn't I just took a shower a couple of days ago.

OK here goes & I don't want you to start worring about it. Your son is Pvt Bernard C. Eutsler 39215612 in the U.S. Army. Uncle Sam sent me another one of those little papers about 3 weeks ago asking me if I wished to join the armed forces. I felt like saying no but you know how it is when some one beckons you, just like getting married or something. I went to Seattle & was sworn in I also passed my physical with flying colors. They took me off the Limited service & put me in general service so I was very happy. I will leave here Dec. 3rd so judge your mail & also I'll need to send in my ration books so send them to me so they will get here by that time. The physical they gave us here was a snap compared to the one they gave us in N. Mex. I believe if I had taken my first one here I would have passed. 

I would have written you sooner but I knew you would just start worrying about it, & there's no sense worring because I can still take care of myself.

Well we hopped clear across the U.S. last night from West Va to Calif. That's a pretty big jump now isn't it. I sure didn't do any thing either, I welded for about 15 min.

I'm planning on working up to a day or 2 of the time to leave. I will have my checks made out to be sent to you just hold them till I get located and then send them to me. I had You made out as Beneficiary & Florence as alternate. 

Well I'll close now and try to get this thing mailed this time.

Jack.

P.S. Get the biggest service flag you can get and charge it to me. 

Enclosed $25

Notes:

a 30¢ an hour job would be $4.50 today.

He mentioned deconstructing the bomb shelters after "they took the islands." I'm thinking he is referring to the New Georgia Campaign, which took place in June - October, 1943, in which the Allies took important airfields from the Japanese. Or he could also be referring to the Aleutian Islands Campaign that took nearly a year, June, 1942 - August, 1943. The New Georgia campaign was a little closer in proximity time-wise and was a more important strategic victory. But it could be neither. ...I am learning a little WWII history on the fly here! 

The $25 enclosed with this letter would be worth $372 now.

A service flag is a banner flown outside service members' families' homes. A blue star indicates a family member serving in the armed forces; a gold star indicates a family member who has died during military operations. 

Here's a little about war bonds. 

Here's a little about rationing. Citizens were allowed 3 pairs of shoes a year through the end of the war, unless they applied for an extra hardship pair. 

Blisters were anti-torpedo bulges on warships. 

Sat [This would be Nov 20 or Nov 27; we don't have a postmarked envelope for this one]

Sat [November 20 or 27, 1943. I'm betting November 20]

Dear Ma

I'll try to get a letter to you today I guess this will surprise you to get 2 letters in one week probable on the same day.

Well guess what Smitty ask me out to dinner so I guess I rate O.K. as a friend with the old man. On the job though I am just like any other person so I guess every things alright – no apples today. 

I bought my shoes and they sure are swell, I think Louie doesn't think much of them but I am the guy who has to wear them & I don't think he knows as much about shoes as he pretends to know. 

It is still rather chilly out although the sun did come out yesterday but it didn't warm up much if any. I haven't had it bad though been working ? in side & it is sort of warm.

Say write and let me know if Margaret writes & if she sends you any money, if they don't I'll have to write them & jump them again for an explation – that is if I don't get an answer before I leave. I know they probable having a hard time of it but they are probable better off than I ever was or you too for that matter so just sit tight and we'll see what little bro can do.

We are going out today I don't know what we are going to do but I guess we'll find something to pass the time & keep out of trouble. It is very cloudy this morning out maybe it will clear up later in the day who knows. I am shivering because I just took a bath so tell Nene I don't stink.

Tell those little kids I want them to start studying harder because we are at war & every one must start working harder &etc. Say just when will Florence get through with school. I hope she told me correct that she will be through next month. I wish I was finishing up within a month but it looks like I'll be in for at the very least 6 months. OK well I guess I can stand it there are 8 million other guys who are so I am no different from the rest of them. 

I still have to go down & cash my check that's the best part of working having a little money in your hand for a few minutes. Oh well if I can do 1/2 as well after the war I'll be satisfied with it all. 

Well as usual I am all wrote out so Ill have to close now so start holding off your letters till I write & let you know where I'll be & for how long. 

Will have Louie send my stuff collect. 

Enclosed $25

Jack

Note: the Margaret in this letter refers to his sister, Tuck. This is an inkling of the years-long feud that developed between them. The feud centered around money, and you can see here that Jack was frustrated that Tuck and her husband were not contributing much to the family. 

Dec 1 1943

Dear Ma

Well Ill try to write you a letter I don't know how I'll end up because I have been going around & around. I quite the yard this morning – that is after a fashion, I guess I am through because they took my convict picture away from me & I can't get back in. I had all my stuff sent to your address such as checks & bonds. 

I tried to pack my stuff this morning & I ain't just a saying it but I really have a headack. I more or less forgot just when I was supposed to leave & it slipped up on me all of a sudden. 

I just can't seem to write my head is swimming thinking about what I haven't done yet. I think I have done almost every thing up to date but I suppose the last minet I'll remember some thing.

[writing with different pen] Well this is my last night - I ship out in the morning about 8:00. This is going to be short but sweet.

I recived your letter today & also one from Marg so I was happy - tell her I'll write after I get located.

I got tight Sat night also today but feel fine now so I guess its ok. - Say send me your birth dates - you and the kids & etc.

Ill let you know where I land the first time I land. 

Has been very nice the last few days - raining all the time & I mean rain. Just like N.M. Well I'll have to close now as it is 12AM & I have to get up at 7

Enclosed is a $50 bond.

Every thing will be sent to you

Jack

Notes: 

This Marg is undoubtedly my mom! His future wife, Margaret aka Maggie. 

As you may know "tight" was slang for "drunk." 

******** and we're off!

Autumn 1943: Hunting Season

Jack wanted to go deer hunting, pure and simple.

Sept 22, '43

Dear Ma

I received your nice long letter yesterday so I will try to answer it.

You may some day learn to listen to your little son. I am glad you went up and got your glasses. I told Florence that if you didn't go up and get them that she should break your old ones so you would have to. I guess you beat her to it.

I sure haven't been doing a darn thing at work for the last 2 days. I might as well not have been there for no more than I did. It sure gets tire some just sitting around for 8 hours & doing nothing. Well may be tonight will be a little bit better, who knows. 

They tell me they are planning on taking 700 workers out of the yard between now & the first of the year. I don't know but I think I am probable include in that group. They say the are calling in all deferments on guys from 18-25 so it wouldn't do me much good to have a deferment. It doesn't seem to make any difference what rating you hold or how much of a family you have if you come between the age limits.

I got those pictures ok but I discovered one happens to be missing. I am sure the fellows here would enjoy looking at it and would compliment me on such good picture taking. How bout that picture of Bo.

I got Wayne's new address too late I had already sent him a letter – hope he gets it.

Sat

I imagine you have been wondering why I haven't been writing. Just lazyness.

Now listen & get this straight. I want you (right now so I can get it by Sun) to go up to the Folks and go up to Wayne room and get me a little 30-30. It is sitting near the left hand side of the rack. The barell is a darker color than the rest of the guns looks like stove blackening on it and it chips off. Then get dad Kruse to go out in the shop and see if he can find 2 boxes of 30-30 shells, first try the big box under the lathe. I imagine they are in there it will say 30-30 on the box. about the gun it has a price tag on it that says $12 or $15 I forget just what but its between $10-$15 make sure the shells fit the gun. Now as 2nd and last resort if for some reason you can't do the other. Take my gun out of the box & ask Dad Kruse for about 20 shells for his gun tell him I want some hunting loads. He has some for his Krug also make sure they fit. Don't send either gun in a wooden box put it in card board.

Maybe Glady could call Mr. Woodall he will help if he is in town. I want to go deer hunting next Sunday if possible so please dear Ma don't put this off till this after noon or tomorrow. I would have sent you a night letter but was afraid you wouldn't get it till Mon & I hope this is there by then. I hope you can get the 30-30 together it is a lighter gun & etc. Please try & send it. The 30-30 will be out in the shop so try hard to find them.

I am sending you $30 to cover the cost of handling and packing. I'll pay the express.

Well I'll close for now & hope like LLL that the gun get here on or before Sat. Ask about air express if it is not over $3.50 send it by that.

Jack

Put in Hunting Knife

Notes:

• I'm assuming that the $30 he is sending just means it's over and beyond what he would normally send her, because ya gotta wonder why he is willing to spend $30 shipping for a gun worth $10-$15. ($30, by the way, is nearly $450 in today's dollars.) In any case, it's obvious he reeeelllly wanted to go hunting! 

• Dad Kruse is his grandfather, his mother's dad.

• Glady is his aunt, his mother's sister. 

The next letter is to Bo.

[postmarked October 4, 1943]

Sun

Dear Bo

I'll try to answer your letter that I was very surprised to get.

We went to the show yesterday. I came home and went to sleep about 6PM & got up about 8AM. I sure am tired I just don't get enough sleep I don't think 14 hours is enough for any body so I am in bed again hoping to get 6 or 7 hours more sleep befor I go to work. 

Say listen please don't tell Ma because I don't want her to worry but I ask the draft board yesterday when I would get called they told me some time in November. I figured it would be around then but that is more or less official. I think I try to get in the ordnance when I do get in. Now please don't tell Ma. You know she will just worrie & I ain't going to write & tell here any thing about it till I am in for sure. When you see a letter to Ma with the stamp upside down you will know I have received my induction papers. 

We had a pretty nice day today the sun came out & nearly blinded me I just am not use to such conditions. I guess I just have owl eyes & web feet. It sure hasn't been raining around here much of late. You can tell it too every one has a cold, it seems when It doesn't rain every body just has a tendency to come down with a cold. 

We went out to Curts today & had a chicken dinner so we didn't do so bad did we. After you get the hang of it you can get quite a few meals out of people.

Say about Nene just lay off that poor little baby or you will have her wanting to go out and get drunk next. So she finally let Jim kiss her well now don't rub it in she's like her big Bro. she just don't go in for that stuff.

You ask if I met any good looking sailors boy have I, I met 3 from Kans. One of them is on the plump side but is he a wow, & I do mean a wow. These boy on the Enterprise have been in every major battle in the Pacific & they sure know there way around. They brought a bunch of boots on & you can tell one as far as you can see him, one ask me where the "head" was so I ask him he he knew the boat very well & he said no. I told him to drop down the first hatch & etc well he didn't even know what a hatch was and went out a door so to be mean I just let him go. Who am I to tell him any different. Those guys sure are easy to get lost too. When I am going on a job I have to keep in low gear so they can keep up with me.

Tell Ma I received her letter that she mailed Thursday it sure came though in a hurry, also tell her I'll try to write her soon.

Jack [with a flourish]

Notes: "boots" is slang for those freshly out of boot camp. 

And the pay off to the gun-begging:

Oct 22 43

Dear Ma

May be I ought to drop you a line to let you know I'm still alive. I have been deer hunting just about every day & we I get home (if I do get home) I am so tired I can hardly walk. Yesterday I slept about 13 hours, but the day befor I had 3 hours sleep & the day befor that I had 5 hours sleep - so you see I really had earned a little sleep. Sat morning I went out to one of the welders house & stayed all day Sat & Sun. I sure had a lot of fun, Sat night we went out & they got drunk. I was afraid of getting sick so I didn't. We stayed up til 2 AM Sun & then got up at 8 I then went to sleep around 7 and slept till around 10. It really think I start finding out what a bed is for I haven't been in one enough lately to really know. Sun I went out in the bay and picked up some oysters. We fried and ate them. They were small but good. They do have some big ones on her fried they are about the size of the palm of your hand. I am going out again some day when it is sunny & take some pictures out there - it sure is pretty.

We haven't had much luck as far as deer hunting the only thing I got was a heck of a cold. (ok yes and a boil on my cheek & I don't think it was the same place Bo had hers because you didn't say anything about her having a hard time sitting down)

We did catch a big salmon in the creek day befor yesterday - the salmon are just starting to run & it is easy to reach down & grab one. The one we got was a dog salmon they are ugly but pretty good eating. I guess thats the kind they smoke. If I had my camera along I would have taken a picture of it.

It has been raining almost every day since I got my gun & it sure makes it miserable to hunt even after it rains because the ferns and underbrush hit me just about the waist.

Well as I don't plan on going out tomorrow & am sleepy I'll close now.

Sat

Well I guess I am going hunting again today, I'll have to get that buck today or tomorrow or never Sun is the last day.

Well we moved over on the West Va last night and really put out for a change.

I hear Louie comming so will have to close and I will try to write you a nice long letter next week. 

Enclosed $25

Jack

Notes:

The $25 he sent with this letter was equivalent to $372 today.

The U.S.S. West Virginia was another battleship heavily damaged at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Sadly, more than 100 crew were lost in the attack. The ship sank in the shallow water but was recovered and moved to the shipyards in Puget Sound where Jack and others repaired her. 

The salmon he reached in and caught was was a dog salmon, otherwise known as chum salmon. He didn't get a picture of it, but here is one:

USFWS

Next: Uncle Sam's offer

A week in September 1943: shenanigans and boredom

A couple contextual notes about the family situation. Jack's mom was a new widow (her husband died February, 1941). She was living on a preacher's pension and still had two daughters at home, Herbie and Nene, who were 17 and 15 when Jack was writing these letters. She had two older daughters as well, Bo, age 23, who we've met, and Tuck, age 22, who was already married to Jim.

Jack, being the man of the family, took his role as provider very seriously, as we shall see through his letters. 

Here is Jack writing in September, 1943. Boredom is setting in....

 

Sept 11

Dear Ma

This is going to be short but sweet.

I got a letter from you yesterday so it gets cold in New Mex. The people up here all think that's a very warm state but I keep telling them different.

I haven't been doing very much as usual and don't expect to do anything. It has been rather warm here in fact it got up to around 86º and this is getting pretty hot. Oh well all we try to do is sleep. Yesterday the fellow in the next room sure made a lot of noise from about 5 to 8 and I never said a thing. Louie couldn't sleep either. We came in this morning & I saw he was still asleep so I let out a shrill whistle and Louie about broke the stairs down. He came out and ask us to quiet down he was trying to sleep. Just wait till he does it next time I'll let him know we are trying to sleep too. I don't mean mebby either. 

Well it's cloudy again today so I guess it will stay a little bit cooler

Am enclosing #40 hard earned dollars so please handle with care. 

Jack

(ass)

[and a picture of a jackass's ass]

Sept 15 '43

Dear Ma

May be I ought to try to write you but as usual I don't have any thing to write so all I can do is try to think up some thing.

It hasn't been raining much of late in fact I forgot how long it's been since it last rained must have been a week or two anyway. It was warm for a few days but has cooled off some the last few days. I have been afraid to look out for fear of going blind. 

Every one here is worried about the draft. It looks as though it is going to get a few of the draft dodgers They say the personnel office is packed with them also the draft board.

The have also been talking about putting us on a 9 hour day & having only 2 shifts and every Sunday off. It would avg. us 2 hours a week more than we have it now. I don't know how it would work out but I think we have the best set up we could want, we only put 8 hours on the job and only supposed to work 7 it would really add 2 hours a day to us. We get paid for our lunch time the way it is the other way we wouldn't. Oh well they wouldn't do it the way I want them to so what do I care.

Well only 3 more shifts & a day off a happy day. As usual I guess we won't do much but kill time. 

Every one is talking about going deer hunting. the season opens Sun. I would like to go but what would I do with one if I got one & I don't have a gun so I guess there's not much sense in wishing. 

Well I don't have any more to write so I'll close & hope you get this before or on Sat.

Jack.

[postmarked September 18, 1943]

Sept – 43

Dear Ma

I'll try to drop you a line (if you have fallen over board) and also some cash. 

It is our day off and we will probable go to the show as usual. I don't know what else we have to do. I went out and had heels put on my boots the ones that were on them weren't any good and steel is hard on heels.

It is very nice day if it doesn't rain and it looks like rain.

We had quite a week last week. I have been working harder since I got back than I think I ever did before. I don't know about weather or not we are going on the 9 hour day as to yet we haven't heard a whole lot more about it. I have heard we do and then I have heard that we don't. Personaly I don't care so there too.

Well I'll continue this after a short delay of taking a shower washing a few cloths & etc.

I got the pictures yesterday thanks a lot. Would you please send me those pictures I took at Taos I want to show them to a few guys out here.

Well I'll close like you do. Your one letter I had to look twice there if there was any thing in it. Enclosed is what you want any way. $45 cash.

Jack.

Note: 

• He sent $40 and $45 this week. This would be $595 and $670 in today's dollars.
• Yes! He mentioned working harder "since I got back," so he must've gone home to New Mexico for a while.

Next: Hunting season in the Autumn of 1943

August and September, 1943

A couple corrections about the earlier letters.

My mom clarified that she did meet Jack before he went to Washington. In fact, she met him while she was working for the National Youth Administration, an agency created under the New Deal. Margaret actually helped him to get the welding job up there. 

Mrs. Goodwin/Grandma Goodwin was not related. She was a friend of the family in Concordia, Kansas. 

Onward to letters from late summer, 1943.

Nothing super interesting here, but there is the first inkling of Uncle Sam sniffing around. 

Jack had moved from Seattle to Bremerton. The 6¢ air mail stamp would cost 90¢ today.

Aug 31 43

Dear Ma

I received your letter with the IAL and I can't figure out what it means. I was planning on going up to the draft board and changing my address but figured nothing would happen so soon. I'll go up tomorrow and ask them what that stands.  

Don't get worried I got all your letters and also Nene's. I got one from you yesterday also the kids. I couldn't figure out why you would write me so soon when I got this one but when I opened it I understood why. Oh well I guess that's the way things go. I still can't figure out just what the score is. Say if my induction papers should come there please send me a telegram stating the date. 

When you see Ava tell her we think she is a rat & etc. She left $2 in the Glove compartment.

I took my watch up to have it fixed -- Martin didn't tighten the minet hand and it has been losing the time. I wish I could have taken it back in there and told him a few things. If it didn't take so long I would have sent it back but it would have taken almost 3 weeks.

We have been having swell weather here last night and to day typical Wash. weather. It is what they call rain I call it mist just enough to make everything nice and disagreeable. We go out in it to absorb our vitamins.

I got the pictures o.k. and that one of Bo ought to be enlarged to a bout a 10 by 12 and hung in the front room. Ask Nene if she can make positive rolls. A fellow has a projector and said he would project the films from me. 

Well I'll close and finish this when I found out what the score is.

I found out what the L stands for Limited Service. I also ask when I was subject to call and they said they didn't know, When ever they need limited servicemen. I don't think much of the I deal myself as I said before. I think I am as good as any man in the army. I think I'll ask for a deferment. I don't know if I can or not but I'll try. 

Were those needles the size you wanted (I hope). I can get you some Singer machine oil if you want it. 

Well I guess that's all except more vitamins coming down in the form of moisture and I had to cut the web between my toes.

Jack.

 

Sept 4, 43

Dear Ma

I got a letter from you yesterday so may be I ought to write you one today. We got payed today they moved it back a day for unknown reasons enclosed is 30 dollars you gave me they said N.M. money isn't any good up here.

Good for our dear Brother in law for having to work. I'll bet it almost killed him I hope. If that guy ever hit a brick in his life he would have to rest for a year.

I went up to see about a deferment and the guy just laffed at me. He said if I could hold out till Oct. I might be able to get one, but he expected me to be gone long before that. I'll just sit tight and hold on for dear life.

I was washing some cloths today thought I had taken every thing out I started really pouring it on my shirt and noticed something flash I looked again and it was my badge. It didn't hurt the picture but it blurred my name. I just don't give a dam though if they don't like it they can give me another one.

It is our day off and the sun would be shining if the clouds weren't all over the sky so you don't even see one little speck of blue. I wish you would send me some pictures of these. Also the one of Bo. 

I don't know what we will do today nothing I guess. Thats usually what we do and plenty of it. I don't know but we will probable go to a show

Well I imagine the kids are happy about school starting. Now Nene will have to study and won't be able to see Jim as much. Bo will have to stop seeing the [____] so much and there dear little bro will be working like mad or be in the army. Oh well we have a lot of fun wondering just what will happen next. 

Well I better finish dressing and go mail this. 

Jack. 

Sept 8.

Dear Ma

May be I ought to drop you a line to let you know in a secret. ( I am still alive).  I had my income tax figured out this morning and in the end I won't owe them anything in fact they will be owing me a little cash. That makes me very unhappy.

 I'll enclose the neg. and ration book I kept forgetting them. I guess I just can't remember a thing.  

You never did send Wayne's address you said you did but I couldn't find it and I did read the letters  I am going to send you a roll of film for Nene to develop. They have pictures of the trip and about 6 others. I still have about 20 to take so don't expect it for a while.  

I haven't been doing much as usual except work. We went out to Curts Sunday and cut up about 6 cord of wood so we did work. I took about 3 hours and we all realy slaved. Got a good meal out of it. They said thank you for the beans.

Believe it or not I almost went blind went up on topside this morning and the sun was shining in fact it is still out. I don't know what is going to happen.

Louie is feeling sort of low hasn't received any mail from home and "Little Bill has had gobs of them. Of course he has[n't] written one since we got here and that was about a week after we got here. Now say your little boy doesn't love you. If I treated you like most kids treat there parents you might have some thing to kick about. 

Well maybe enough wind has blown in N. Mex so I'll sign off

Jack.

Notes:  

• Yes, he was unhappy to have Uncle Sam owe him money. Uncle Sam should not get to use your money for free!

• Jack often leaves off the "n't" from his negative statements, but I placed it when he talked about Louie not getting mail. Poor Louie.

• Jack's friends called him Bill. And his given name was neither Bill nor Jack, nor any of the common names that those nicknames come from. His was a family of nicknames!

• There are a few clues that perhaps he went home sometime between February and Summer of 1943:
• The lack of letters for that period. 
• He mentions the watch he had fixed. It wasn't repaired correctly, and he was loathe to send it back to "Martin" as it would've taken 3 weeks. 
• Ava left $2 in the glove compartment. He must've recently driven back to Washington. I don't know who Ava was. 
• He had changed addresses

Next entry: A little boredom is setting in.

February and Summer, 1943

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.

1. Notes:
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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. 
5. 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.
6. 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.