Month: April 1943

4/25/43

Dear folks & all:

Today is Easter Sunday but it doesn’t mean a great deal to me and my men and several others who are over seas.  We did however take time out for prayer.

I am enclosing a picture that was taken on Christmas day in our mess hall.  The gentleman sitting next to me is the Colonel.  They snapped the picture just as I had a fork to my mouth.  It will give you an idea of our galley and by the looks of the table you will see we had pie and I might add we haven’t had it since then.

The sun is still teriffic here.  No fooling in the afternoon when you get out from under the coconut trees you feel as if you will faint away any second.  Sweat, boy I’ll bet I sweat a gallon of water per hour.

My dog and pups are getting along swell.

I received a nice letter from Aunt Ella and I am always glad to hear from her.  Say Mother why don’t you suggest to her that she take the necklace I made you to school to show her pupils.  They should enjoy it.

Received the wall paper the samples of the wall paper in it.  I liked the paper very much and I know it will look very nice upon completion.  Oh: yes I also got the stamps and thanks a million.  I can always use them.

Tell Leota I received a box of cigars from her yesterday and that they are swell and I have saved them for Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings.

Glad to hear that Robert’s are all on the road to recovery.  Hope this finds you feeling fine.  

Remember, I think of all of you every day and pray that we will all be united together again some day.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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4/21/43

Dear Folks & all:

Received your letter dated 4/11/43 and Dad I just knew you would be elected.  You almost had a complete landslide didn’t you.

Mother, I hear you are having quite a time with the plastering.  I’ll bet it will look swell when you get it finished.

My shirt and trousers are soaking wet from sweat.  To me this past week has been the worst I have ever experienced as far as heat is concerned.  It seems as if one just swelters twenty four hours a day

Nothing much new down here.  Still the same old stuff.  Waiting, watching, working.  At times it gets bad on ones nerves.  One thing I am so dern busy all the time that I hardly have time to think about the heat & etc.  Believe me I have a great responsibility on my shoulders and I pray to God every evening that I will be able to perform them faithfully, honorably and when we really get in the toughest of the fight for freedom to be able to lead my men to victory.

My dog and the pups are really getting huge.  My dog is the favorite pet of all the Marines on this atoll.

Hope that you will get the flowers for Easter that I sent money to Arling’s to send to you.  Mother, did you buy yourself a new Easter bonnet.  Wish I could be home with all of you.

I also hope that you both will be able to take a trip someplace this summer to some quiet place so you can relax.

Heavens! I do hope that when you receive this that all of you are in the best of health and nobody ill.

I received a nice box of cigars from Mary today.  Was I ever glad to get them as we have been out for about a month.  Leota also tells me she has sent me some.  As yet I haven’t received them but they will be in before long. 

Dad you have your troubles as a counselor and guide with your people and I surely have the same with my men and I have found that you have to be firm in dealing with people and I now realize why you deal firmly with yours.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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4/14/43

Dear folks:

I haven’t dropped you a line since the 8^th so I guess it is about time I took my pen in hand and dashed off a few lines.

Received a letter from Leota this morning and she told me about you getting lost while you were going to Peoria.  Mother, it looks as if your son will have to give you a course in map reading, the compass, scouting and patrolling.  Surely wish I could have been with you.

Dad, I am anxiously awaiting the news of the election.  I know you will win but I just wonder by what majority.

The 25^th is Easter Sunday. I do hope and pray that you have a pleasant one and my thoughts will be with all of you as they are every day and night.

It is now 3:30 pm and we have been out all day and in water up to our fanny.  We have to keep in good shape because these blitz buggies are tougher on you than anything else including aviation.  That is one thing I do, keep my men in good physical shape because the day is coming again when it means life or death to them.

My dog and pups are fine.  King is getting to be a big fellow and a very good looking dog.  We kept two pups and we named one King (male) and Queen (the female.)

Suppose by now that it is getting to be beautiful in Illinois.  How I wish I could be there with all of you.  Will be glad when all of this is over.  For the fellows in the mainland it is soft but when they get out they will find that the going is pretty tough.

Hope those children and Robert are feeling much better.  Mary Alice won’t even know me.

Am sweating so much that I stick to the paper.

I am fine and so are all of my men.  We have our chins up.  Hope this finds all of you feeling the same.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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4/8/43

Dear folks & all:

Dad, when I saw that letter postmarked Savannah, Missouri I couldn’t imagine what you were doing there.  My first thought was that Mother and you were on a little recreation trip.  Thanks a great deal for the stamps.  I surely can use them.

Mother, I received two letters from you this morning.  The one was postmarked 15 March 43 and I couldn’t make out the other one.  Oh: yes I also got a letter from Robert and I was glad to hear from him.  They surely have had quite a spell of it this winter as well as several others.

Don’t you think I have forgotten about your wedding anniversary being this month because I haven’t.  Congratulations and may you have many more.

The last group of mail seemed to have nothing but bad news in it for my men and I have busy all day giving advice.  I hope that the Lord guided over me while I was giving it and that he will always guide over me.

Mother, perhaps I did make a mistake in not getting married.  But, there is a lot worse things in this world than a bachelor.  As to saving my money, I now have more money in the bank than I ever did and I believe I am doing a pretty good job of it.

You see my food and clothes cost me as it does all officers.  I also have helped some of my men financially which I know I’ll get back some day.

Yesterday I took my men on an eight mile hike through the jungle.  I must keep them in good shape physically as you have to be in order to be in the type outfit we are in.

I was sorry to hear about Algie.  As I told Roberts in a letter I wrote to them – what he needs is a good tough Marine officer over him for awhile.

I got a cute Easter greeting card from Leota and also a letter.  She has been grand about writing to me.

We had a little excitement around noon today but it didn’t last very long.

Robert told me Herbert Merillat was due home.  You see he is a Marine correspondent and they get quite a few breaks.  I am hoping that I will be able to get home before all of this is over.  I am afraid this war will last for a long time yet and there isn’t any use of us building up false hopes.

I will drop Mintie Shawler a line and thank her for her kindness.

My dog and pups are doing fine.  Leota said she hadn’t seen the last pictures I sent so show them to her.

This evening I am invited out to dinner to one of the other islands.  It is about four miles from where I am located so I will jump in my jeep in a few minutes and go on out.

I wrote Robert and told him I got the cigars but just in case he didn’t get it relay the message on for me.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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1 April 1943

Dear Folks:

Here it is another month gone and the war not much closer to an end.  All I have to say is watch the southwest pacific in the next thirty days.

It must be a rather serious situation in Illinois with all the rivers flooding the low lands and I guess as far as that goes the highlands as well.  Have you seen any of the flooded areas?

Got a cute letter from Bobby.  What I wouldn’t give to see that boy and all of you.

According to Leota Mrs. Brown hasn’t been so well.  I trust that she is greatly improved.  Leota has been darn swell to me since I have been away and I think a great deal of her.  So far it seems her life hasn’t been the happiest in the world but she will get her reward.

I am now up to three salt tablets per day.  What I mean the sweat really rolls off of me.  Mother, I surely would enjoy the basement with you.  I expect when the warmer weather at home arrives that you, Pearl, Myrtle and Merle will all be down in the basement.  

Am enclosing two checks.  The one for fifteen dollars for the second national and dad the five dollar check is for your birthday and may you have many more of them and all of them be filled with joy and happiness.

Dad, with this $15.00 check I figure I have sent $110.00.  Tell me if that is correct and also could you tell me what the balance is.

The Marine Corps has taught your son some very good lessons and I know now that I have made an awful amount of mistakes in my life time.  All I ask is that God sees fit to let me live long enough to correct them.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

All my love,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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