Year: 1941

December 1, 1941

Dear Folks:

Well this morning I moved into the base at San Diego.  For the present you may still address my mail to the old address at Camp Elliott.  I am on what is known as detached duty from the Tank Company.  They sent me to the Quartermaster Division of Special Troops but I am still attached to the Tank Company.

This has been a beautiful day.  The sun shined all day and it was quite warm.

Received a letter from Elizabeth today.  Golly: I am always glad to hear from her.  I don’t hardly see how she has time to write and take care of those three children.  She is a wonderful woman.

It surely won’t be long now until Christmas.  It doesn’t hardly seem possible that it is so near at hand.  Will be a tough one for me being away from all of you.

In the Quartermaster Department you have charge of all the purchasing and disbursing of supplies from gasoline to tents.  It should prove to be very interesting.  But there surely is a great deal to learn.

Was surprised to hear about the Beatty’s.  Seems sort of strange to me with all of their property being in Monmouth.

I’ll bet Myrtle hates to leave.  Hope Ed has luck out here.  If he wants to live here I guess that is his business.  What happened to his other job?

They are filming a movie here at the base.  The name of it is The Shores of Tripoli.  The movie set is right in front of my barracks on the parade ground.  Living in barracks surely has its advantages over tents. The barracks are very modern and very clean.  We also have steel lockers to keep our clothes in.  Then we have a game room (ping pong table, radio, large overstuffed leather chairs & magazines).  Quite a bit different from Camp Elliott.  The post exchange is also near the barracks.

Will have to mail this in the morning as the P.X. is closed for inventory and I am out of stamps.

Also I received a letter from Aunt Ella this week.  Was glad to hear from her.  I’ll drop her a line latter this week as well as all the rest of you.

Hope this fins all of you feeling fine.

Love to all, Leo

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December 3, 1941

Dear Friends:

Received your letter Bob and I’ll try and make it to your house for Christmas. The way the situation now looks in the Pacific we are liable to move and move fast any day now. At least we drew supplies today for an Expeditionary Force.

I am now located at the base in San Diego with the Division of Special Troops Quartermaster. Although I imagine I will be transferred to the Paymaster branch any day now at least that is the way it looks. I still however receive my mail at the same old address through the tank company at Camp Elliott.

We are having one of those unusual California rains this evening.

Here I am living in barracks with steam heat and already I have caught a terrific cold. Since I have been living like an Indian in a tent I can’t get used to steam heat.

Since last writing you I have been promoted to a P.F.C. Now I will start drawing $36.00 a month the 14th of December instead of $30.00. Oh well every little bit helps and the stripe on my sleeve lets me get by with more in Marine Corps. At least the boots jump when they see it.

It is swell of you kids to ask me down and don’t think for one minute I am not looking forward to eating those onion sandwiches.

Bob, maybe you should go back to Monmouth and take over the job of cashier at the 2nd Nat’l what with Everett deceased, Dell at camp and Dell Cable ill.

Received a letter from Arizona offering me a round trip ticket but I’ll stay away as I am afraid that gal is determined to get me. Oh! yes I also received quite a letter from Leota. Beats all hell how these old gals go for me.

Will dr0p you a line latter letting you now whether I can make it or not. You can bet I’ll sure try

Sara, I sure do miss that salad of yours.

As ever,

Leo

P.S. The are filming the show “From the Shores of Tripoli” in front of the barracks I am now quartered in. Randolph Scott is the star. He used our head this morning.

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5 December 41

Dear Dad:

Will you please have this letter of Dean Clelands notarized as the Company Commander is sending it to the Major General Commandant in Washington, D.C.

You can have Fern do it—Please send it back by air mail as they seem to be in an awful hurry.  I’ll drop you a letter tonight.

Love, Leo

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6 December 1941

Time – 1000

Weather – Clear and warm

Co “B”, 2^nd Tank Battalion

Second Marine Division

Fleet Marine Force

Camp Elliott

San Diego, California

Dear Folks:

It looks very much as if they are going to transfer me to the paymaster branch of the service.  That is the reason that the letter Dean Cleland wrote has to be notarized.  The Major General Commandant’s office sent it back because it wasn’t.  Then of course the Captain of the Tank Company had to give it back to me to get it notarized.  Then I realized what they wanted with my degree and the letter.  So many things happen on the spur of the moment in the Marine Corps that one never knows what is going to happen.  Well any way I thought I would let you know what they have in mind.  You see each Company or rather I mean each Battalion has a Paymaster.  It would be a very good branch of the service to get into and I imagine that is where I will end up.

Monday when we get paid I must do some more Christmas shopping.  This payday I will receive $10.00.  You know it is a funny thing but here in the Service you never think about money.  If nothing else it teaches you how to be conservative.  For example on payday you get your laundry, your smoking supplies, your stamps, stationery, tooth paste, just whatever you need in the way of supplies until the next payday.  It learns one how to budget.

By golly I forgot that Elizabeths birthday is this month.  I must get busy and send her a card as she never forgets me.  By looking at the card I notice that it was December the 4^th.  Well I’ll get busy this afternoon and get her a card and get it in the mail.

Tomorrow I am going to the service here at the base.  I like the Chaplain better here than the one out to Camp Elliott.  He appeals to me more.  He seems to have a better way of getting his sermons across.  In other words he comes right to the point, and I like people who do this.

Surely will miss all of you this Christmas and I hope next year to be with all of you at this time.  I imagine that I will be able to go up to the Whitemans.  I might even get a week off.  Don’t know for sure yet.

Hope that this finds all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

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9 December 1941

Dear Folks:

Just a line to let you know that I am O.K.  We had a little scare last evening as they sighted 60 Japanese airplanes over San Francisco headed for San Diego.  We all were issued 60 rounds of ammunition and had to get out in the open and not be in the barracks.  To make matters worse it started raining about midnight.

I haven’t been to bed since Saturday evening and it is now Tuesday morning.  We are very busy getting things ready to go.  I will keep in touch with you from time to time and let you know how I am getting along.

Am not able to write much now and I have to get busy on the issue of some more equipment and clothes.  Surely will say that the Japs took us quite by surprise.  But don’t worry we will take care of them.

I can surely sympathize with the British now since we were warned as to an air attack last evening.  It really gives one quite a thrill to realize how it could be.

I am enclosing two dollars.  One is for Bobby for Christmas and the other one for Mary Alice.  That is about all I will be able to do for now as I had to get some extra things in case we do make an Expeditionary Force and I might as well be honest with you it isn’t very far off.

I’ll say one thing the Marines spirit is very high.  If the civilians hold up as well as we do we can’t help but win out.

Hope this letter finds you all feeling fine.  Dad the reason I am down at the base is I am detached.

Love to all,

 Leo

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December 21, 1941

Dear Folks:

Received your card and gift today and I want to thank you very much.  I am going to buy some pipe tobacco, cigars, and a new field scarf.

Golly, it surely doesn’t seem like Christmas to me.  No gifts to wrap and it is the first time I haven’t sent any cards out in a long time.  I am just going to answer all the people with a letter when I am able to find time.

Had to work today but have the evening off.  When I finish this I am going to wash out some hose, a belt, shine my shoes, take a shower and go to bed.

Dad, we don’t get any leave at all as you know the Marines have to stand by and be ready to move out at a moment’s notice.

Expect the Beatty’s wish they were back in the middle west.  I know that I do.  But, now I am glad I am in because I would have been drafted later anyway.  Surely do hope that this war will soon end.  Don’t hardly see how it will though for some time unless they turn the Marines lose on the Japs, Germans and Italians.

Got the papers and magazines and thanks a lot.  Surely is some good reading in the Boy’s Life.

They surely are coming in fast here at the Base and it won’t be long until we have a very large Marine Corps.  They are enlarging it by about 50,000 men.

Want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and I want you to know I think of you a great deal and I am living for the day when we will all be together again.

Love to all,

Leo

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