Year: 1943

3/9/43

Dear Folks & all:

I surely wish you could have some of our heat.  It was only 130 degrees F today and I believe that I must have lost at least 5 lbs.

Even my dog was glad to see me.  She and two of the pups followed me around all day.  I bought her a rubber ball while I was gone.  Radio and her pups have surely had a big time with it.

No fooling if I ever get back to the mainland all I want is a good home and a nice wife.  And, maybe you think I won’t be glad to see all of you.

Haven’t had any mail for quite a spell but I suppose that it will catch up with me one of these days.

I do hope that Robert is improving rapidly and also that all of his family are feeling much better.  Golly, those children won’t know me when I get home.

Surely do hope and pray that when this affair is over that it will be the last of such.  It is all so senseless and futile.

As soon as this is finished I am going to get a couple winks of sleep as I have the duty tonight which means I will be up once between midnight and 3 am and also once between 3 am and 5:30 am.

If only we could get together I would have so much to tell you.  I don’t have any hopes of seeing you in 1943 but perhaps in 1944 I’ll be able to.  At least I hope and pray I will.

The bugs and ants are surely bad this evening.  I guess it must be due to the terrific heat.  During this intense heat they make us take two salt tablets per day and they don’t seem to set so well on my stomach.

Did I tell you that Mrs. Dickson sent me some more wash clothes and some soap.  As yet I haven’t received your package but I will one of these days I hope.

Am going to send you some more pictures within the next week.  Hope this finds all of you in the best of health and remember that I love and miss all of you.

All my love,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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3/17/43

Dear folks & all:

Yesterday I received your package with the holster, the wash cloths, chewing gum, peanuts, mints, and chewing tobacco and the swell birthday card.  They were all swell and the pistol holster is just what I needed.  It fits to a tee.

Wow! would I ever like to see you have some of this heat.  No fooling it is about to get all of us down.

Oh: yes – tell the children & Aunts that “See Here Private Hargrove” is one of the funniest books I have ever read and also one of the truest to military life.

The ants are surely bad again this evening.  What a pleasure it will be to get back to the mainland some day.

Hope that you get the other pictures and that you like them.  I thought they were pretty good.

Surely do hope and pray that Robert is well on the road to recovery.  I know that he will get along ok.

You should see my pups (I mean Radio’s) they surely are getting to be plenty good looking.  Should have some pictures of them in another month or so.

Thanks for the stamps they are still hard to get down here.  Again, I want to thank you for the package.  Incidentally the package proposition hasn’t effected the Marines it is only for the Army.  Just tell the postmaster to read it over.  They won’t bother the Marines because they are doing all the fighting.

Must close for this time and go out and inspect our bivouac.  Trust this finds all of you feeling fine.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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3/21/43

Dear folks & all: 

Here it is Sunday evening and another week has passed by.  We had a little excitement in the middle of the week.  However, none since then.

Honestly! It seems to me as if the days get warmer all the time down here.  Around noon it is almost unbearable.

My thoughts today go back to when we all used to go over to the grandparents on Sunday evenings.  If only we all could relive those pleasant evenings.

Mother, what did you think of the shell clasps?  Hope you liked them.  Dad, I am sure that you will be reelected.  Sorry I can’t cast a ballot for you.

I am enclosing another check for ten dollars to apply on the 2^nd Nat’l.

Hope that this letter finds all of you greatly improved.  Don’t worry about me as I am getting along ok.  My men also are getting along fine.

We haven’t had any mail in quite a spell but we probably will receive a great deal of it before long.  You know there is nothing like letters for pepping ones spirits up.

My dog and the pups are coming along just fine.  They surely are getting frisky as the devil.

I dropped the Aunts a letter this week.  Hope that my mail to you continues as well as it has in the past.

You know I even believe I will be able to build a house by myself after this is all over.  I’ll say one thing an officer in the Marine Corps has to be an all round man.  You have to be everything from a psychologist to a man of nerve and muscles of steel.  

By the time you receive this I suppose that spring will be just around the corner.  Well, we have two seasons here hot & rainy all the time.

You know it is a funny thing but everywhere you go you find flys & ants.  Did you ever think of that before.  Oh!  Yes we now are starting to get mosquitoes.

We have our bivouac fairly well built up now.  But, it seems as if ones work never ends.

Don’t forget to write to me often as I always look forward to all your letters.

I’ll bet those children won’t know there Uncle when he returns.  You know it will be two years this August since I saw them.

Must close now and get busy on some studying.  I surely have a great deal of that to do.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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3/25/43

Dear Brother & family:

Glad to hear that you are doing so well.  Keep the old chin up fellow.  They can’t keep a good man down.

Received your box of cigars yesterday and thanks a lot.  They surely do taste good.

Tell Elizabeth I received her letters and I was glad to hear from her.  Libby, you write a swell letter (what do I mean tell you, of course you will read this.)

Today and yet this evening it was hotter than all billy hell.  Now, I hear a few rain drops and in a few more seconds it will sound like a flood.  I don’t believe that the tropics were meant for a white man to live in or a white woman either.

Anne & Bobby your Uncle is quite proud of the marks you are making in school.  They are so good you put your Uncle to shame for the ones he made at the same school.

Golly, would I ever like to see all of you.  Tell the family I got the clipping concerning the Red Cross and that they did do a wonderful job.  I see where the Democrats withdrew there candidates but I suppose Dad is still worrying.  But, I guess I am as bad.  I don’t let my men know but I have plenty of restless evenings from worry.

Now Robert you take care of yourself and don’t forget you are welcome to anything I have.

Libby, I hope that you and the rest of the family are feeling fine.  Mother tells me Mary Alice is growing like a weed.

It is now 2:20 and I must close 7 go out and inspect my bivouac.  I am feeling ok and we haven’t had any visitors.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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3/28/43

Dear Folks & all:

Here it is another Sunday.  I try to write to you at least twice a week.  I know some of my letters must be en route somewhere.

Dad, I am confident that you will be elected but I am anxious to find out by what majority.  Mother, I got a letter from Leota and she said that you said for her to tell me that you loved me and missed me.  Maybe you think I don’t love and miss you and the rest of the family.  I only hope and pray that some day we will all be together again.

Got quite a bang out of the way Bobby got his kites.  Do I ever miss him.  He wrote me a letter I got the other day.  It surely was swell.  Anne, also writes to me quite often and I think she is a swell kid.  Well, as a matter of fact I have one swell family.  Guess that so far I have sort of been the black sheep but I surely am trying to make up for it.

The temperature now at 4 pm is 105 degrees F.  I’m telling you my face just peels & peels and my lips are cracked wide open.  Also, on top of that I have the ring worm all over my forehead.  All my men have it.  It is a fungus growth we got from our blitz helmets.  The sweat and rubbing seems to cause it in the tropics.  Just give me some good old Illinois weather.  You know I don’t believe I will ever complain again as long as I live.  I actually believe I have learned to take things in stride as they come.  

Only one thing would I love to do and that is let me and my men settle some of the strikes.  I’ll tell you there wouldn’t be any union leaders left.  I just wish some of them had to go through with some of the things me and my men have had to.

Anyway the outfit I have is rugged and that is the way I like it.

Hope that Robert is continuing to improve and that this finds all of you feeling fine. I am ok so don’t worry about me.

All my love,

Leo

1st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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3/31/43

Dear Folks & all:

The last day of the month and another one gone.  I suppose that it has started to warm up a little at home.  The spring of the year was always so pretty in Illinois.

Have been getting a few letters lately.  Dad, I liked the picture and the words on your campaign cards.  It won’t be long now.

It is only 7:40 pm but I am so sleepy I can hardly keep my eyes open and I have the duty this evening which means I will be up most of the evening.

Golly: I wish I could come home on leave like all the army boys do.  Looks as if the Marines will have to do all the fighting.

Surely am glad that Robert is improving so rapidly and I do hope that he will watch himself and won’t get to ambitious before he has completely recovered.  I guess Libby and all of you will see to that.

Regarding packages you know that applies to the Army only and not to the Marines.  If the postmaster doesn’t believe it just tell him to read the order.  

Well in June I will have been out of the mainland for a year.  It will be the happiest day of my life when I return. 

I also got a letter from Leota.  Wish I could have been with you when you went to Aledo to have dinner at Beaulah and Sams.

The shoulder holster is just the thing.  I will try and get my picture taken with it on.

Am enclosing a check for $15.00 for the 2^nd Nat’l.  Perhaps one of these days I will have it all paid off.

My dog and pups are getting along just fine.  Don’t know what I would do without my dog.

Must close now and get busy.  Not much I have to write about except that I miss all of you and I’ll be very happy when we all can be together again.

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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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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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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4/21/43

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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