Year: 1943

30 October 1943

Dear Folks:

Here it is Saturday again.  I guess I am just a week closer to seeing all of you again.  By that I mean that the war has gone another week and it looks as if we are driving the Japs back farther every day.

Don’t know how long I will be here.  I don’t imagine very long.  It won’t make me mad as I am anxious to get this over so I can return home to the ones I love.

Received your package and thanks a great deal.  You folks surely have been swell to me.

AI did a little shopping yesterday and I will try and get the packages mailed within the next week.

It seems as if they really pile the work and responsibility on me.  It helps though as I am kept busy all the time.  I must get a hair cut sometime today as my hair is getting down over my ears.

About all I can say is that I am ok and I hope all of you are the same.

Until I get a chance to write to you again may God Bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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28 Oct 43

Dear Folks:

As usual I am again in sort of a fog and don’t seem to know whether I am coming or going.  No fooling this place now is like a mad house and we are kept on the move all the time.

The way I figure it was we’ll probably be here about four weeks and then go south and west again and when I say south and west I really mean it.

I will write to you as often as I can and tell you all that the censors will permit.  Please pardon the pencil but it is all I could find on my desk this morning and I left my pen at my barracks.

Received some more mail from you yesterday and I want you to know that I am just as anxious to hear from you as you are from me.

Oh! Yes I got the chewing tobacco.  I will write granddad Shawler and Aunt Minty when I get a chance but in the meantime please thank them for me.

This place is just about like California as far as climate and scenery.  Can’t say as I like either one of them.  Illinois is good enough for me.

I saw Dr. Firoved he is stationed about thirty miles from me but I had to transact some business at his camp and I happened to bump into him so we had lunch together and quite a chat.

Outside of being tired I am ok and I trust you are the same.  Until I get a chance to write to you again may God Bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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22 October 1943

Dear Folks:

Hope everything is ok by all of you.  I am feeling just fine.  Have been very busy but I guess we will be able to relax in a day or so.

We arrived at our destination ok and I am writing you to let you know I am ok.  Will be here for awhile before departing again.  It is rather warm even here.  One only wears trousers and a shirt.

I’ll be you had fun with Ada, Homer and Helen.  What is Helen’s husbands last name?

I know one thing for sure.  I’ll certainly be glad to get home and see all of you again.  As each day passes it brings us that much nearer.

Isn’t much I can write.  Golly we even have ants here and the mosquitoes.  No fooling they just about carry you away evenings.

Suppose the children are busy with school.  Mary Alice must be growing like a weed.

Will close for this time.  My address is still the same.  Probably will be different in the near future.  Just keep sending mail to the old address.  I will get all of it eventually.

Until I write next may God Bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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10/11/43

Dear Folks:

Was sorry that the pictures were a little beat up but I couldn’t get any cardboard.  Has the other box arrived as yet?

Now remember if you don’t hear from me for quite a spell not to worry. I’ll drop you a letter as soon as I can.

Mother, I know that I surely would have enjoyed some of that fried chicken and all that goes with it.  You are correct we will all have grand times when we all get together again.  Glad that you liked the pictures.  I am sending the Aunts some of the small ones before long.

Just a line to let you know that I am ok and I miss and love all of you.

Until you hear from me again may God Bless all of you and I hope this finds all of you in the best of health.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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6 Oct 43

Dear Folks:

Received your letter of 22 September today.  I dropped you a few lines yesterday but I will write you again this evening to let you know that I think of you quite often and that my men and I are all well.

Thanks a lot for the stamps.  I can always use them.

I’ll bet that Bobby was plenty happy over his slippers and sweater.  Robert surely does have one swell family and I pray that he will never have to go into the service.

Dad you seem to be quite busy these days around the home as well as at the office.  Don’t worry about the Masterpiece as I can chew any kind, that just happened to be my favorite.

Hope you have received the pictures that I sent to you.  If they are badly crumpled take an iron and you can straighten them out or else have Long’s do it. 

The weather and insects still continue to be as bad as ever.  Perhaps we men are now spending our hell on earth.  I am very fortunate in having had as nice men as I have thus far had to command.

Not much I can tell you except don’t worry to much about me and if my prayers are answered one of these days I will be safely returned to you.  Until I write again may God bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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10/5/43

Dear Folks:

I hope you will forgive the delay of not writing to you for about a week but we all have been so darn busy I don’t know whether I am coming or going.  As I told you previously about the sleep, well I am still only averaging about four hours per night.

Surely do with I could tell you what is going on.  But, as usual I can’t.

I am wondering if you ever got the picture and the package I mailed to you with the volley ball cup and the shells mounted on the base.  One of my Sgt’s made a lamp out of a shell the other day which I probably not probably but will send to Bobby as soon as I can get around to it.  Don’t say anything to him as heaven only knows when I will be able to get it mailed.

Guess what I had last evening – corn on the cob.  My Sgt in my crew’s mother sent him six ears that she had canned.  He and I cooked them in an old tin can and did they ever taste good.  I must drop his mother a letter and thank her.

We haven’t received any mail in quite a spell but I guess it will catch up with us some day.

I am feeling ok and hope that this finds you the same.  Until I can write again may God bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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29 September 1943

Dear Folks:

Received your letters of 20 Sept 43 today and that is pretty good time.  I also got the letter you mailed from Peoria with the picture of Robert in it.

As to the picture I just mailed you, Roberts and Leota all a big picture about a week ago.  You should have it before long.  Am sorry you had to go to the expense of getting the other one enlarged but I thought I wrote and told you that I was going to send you some pictures.

The picture in the Tribune with the cocanut crabs that you sent to me I surely recognize.

Now don’t worry about sending me anything for Christmas except the chewing tobacco and if you can get Masterpiece.

Have been awful busy lately and as a result I haven’t had time to write you in the past week.  It probably won’t happen again for awhile but if you don’t hear from me you will know I am ok and that we are awful busy which we are.  Wish I could tell you what is going on but that is impossible.  Probably though before long my men and me will be going to where I was in February.  We will be taking Radio and all our stuff and you know what a job and worry that is for me.  Just like moving a circus.  Must close now.  Will try and write more often.  I feel ok except I could sleep for a week.

All my love,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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21 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Mother I am glad that you got the five dollars and again I hope you have a “Happy Birthday.”  I surely do wish I could be with you.

This morning I mailed Bobby and Anne both three dollars for their birthdays.

Honestly! I don’t need a thing for Christmas and besides I’ll tell you now that where I am going all I need is your prayers and the guidance of God.  If you want to send me anything just send me some more Masterpiece chewing tobacco.

Dad, by the sound of your letter you surely have been busy.  Now don’t overdo it.  I have found that the best policy is to take your time and things will eventually get done.  Next month I will send some more money and I will have all of it cleared up at the 2 d by the 5ht of November.  I learned the hard way and believe me I have really learned.

After awhile you might not hear from me quite so often.  Now don’t get worried if you don’t as I will write to you as often as I can.  I only wish I could tell you more.  Anyway me and my men are very very busy these days.

Oh! Yes I mailed quite a large size box to you the other day.  It was something I wanted to keep.  My men gave it to me and I think it is a very beautiful piece of work considering what they had to work with.

Hope you liked the pictures.  I have one more large one I will send you when I can get it.  

Now remember I don’t need anything for Christmas outside of what I told you.  Incidentally what do you want?  I probably will have to do the same as I did last year just send you the money.

I must close now as I have more work to do than a one armed paper hanger.

Am feeling ok and so are my men.  Hope this finds all of you in the best of health and may God Bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J McLoskey

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16 September 1943

Dear Folks:

I received the chewing tobacco and thanks.  Does that Masterpiece ever taste good.  Mother, I will not chew when I come home but it does taste very good to me now.  Will tell you all about it someday.

Mailed you some pictures today.  Hope you like them.  Am trying to have a larger one made for you and if I do I’ll be sure to send it to you.  I also mailed Bobby, Anne and Leota one.

Got a letter from Anne and Elizabeth today.  Was glad that Bobby got the Marine Insignias.  Libby told me he surely was proud of them.  Anne told me she got her handkerchiefs.  Hear you had quite a time getting some in for Bobby.  Was I glad he got that insignia ok.

Elizabeth was telling me that Robert might be called.  I surely can’t understand what our gov’t is thinking about.  I hope and pray he will never have to leave his family and you.

Not much news – it’s raining again and how.  Wish I could tell you more about what is going on.  Someday I’ll be able to.

Oh! Yes I am sending home a trophy my gang won.  It is mounted with something.  All you have to do is take a soft cloth and take the finger prints off them.  Mother you don’t have to clean and polish them.

Dad, I am smoking one of your cigars and I surely do want to thank you for them and the chewing.  You folks surely have been swell to me and I only hope I can repay you.

I am feeling ok and so are my men.  Hope this finds all of you in the best of health.  Drop me a line whenever you have time and until I hear or write to you again may God Bless You.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

Mother, again “Happy Birthday.”  I only wish I could be with you.

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11 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Got your letter with the National New Service thing in it.  I am enclosing it to you in this letter.  Thanks for sending it and also thank you for keeping things for me.

Guess I was just sort of feeling bad the last time I wrote.  You know on these atolls after twelve or more months at times one is actually talking to himself.

Mother I am glad that you liked the handkerchiefs.  I want all of you to know that I am thinking of you all the time.

Golly! I surely do hope that Bobby has gotten his Marine insignia by now.  Let me know if he has it.  Dad as you say maybe it was best that you didn’t take the farm at this time.  You know I am a firm believer in that all things happen for the best.  That God looks over us and knows what is best for all of us.

Radio hasn’t had her family yet so I guess perhaps the last conception date we had was wrong.  As far as I am concerned I hope she doesn’t have any more because she is now a beautiful dog and a great companion.

Hope this finds all of you ok and may God bless you all.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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