Year: 1944

January 1, 1944

Dear Folks:

Here it is 1944 and I hope and pray that I will be able to return home before the year is over.

Honestly: I am so busy that I hardly know where the time goes.

Received a card from Hazel Efaw today.  She says a great many people in the mainland have the flu.  Do you people in Monmouth have it?

Hope that all of you had a nice Christmas and new years.  Did Bobby ever get the lamp that I sent to him?

Received a letter from Robert and he told me that he thought he would soon be called into the service.  I pray that the day will never come.  I also hope that the Democrats and all their bureaus are thrown out in this election.

Believe me when this is all over I have had all the military career that I desire.

Mary Dickson had my signature analyzed and sent it to me and I am enclosing it for you to read.

I am feeling ok so don’t worry about me.  Hope this letter 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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5 January 1944

Dear Folks:

Here it is the fifth of January.  The time still goes very fast and I am still as busy as I was before.

I have had a bad cold the last two days.  It has been rainy and very cold here.

Bill, (my roommate) and I are planning on taking some pictures before we leave here. If we don’t hurry up I am afraid we will be too late.

I’ll bet Mary was plenty cute Christmas day with all the packages and the tree.  Anne wrote me a letter which I received the other day.  I will try and answer it before the week is over.

Colonel Swenceski was taken back to the mainland to recover.  It will be quite awhile before he has fully recovered.  He layed on the beach two days before they found him.

It looks as if Germany will soon fold up.  However I do believe it will be 1945 before we whip the Japs.  They are very dangerous and treacherous.

Yes dad I agree with you about the strikes.  It also makes us boil.  I will have plenty to tell you when I see you and mother.  Believe me that will be the happiest day of my life.

I am feeling ok and I trust that this letter finds you the same.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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11 January 1944

Dear Folks:

Wow: I don’t know where the time goes but I see it has been almost a week since I have written to you.

I am in such a whirlpool as you must realize that time get past me very rapidly.

Just remember what I told you that if you don’t hear from me for awhile don’t worry as I’ll be ok.

Got a letter from Elizabeth today and she told me it would be at least three months before Robert would be called.  I am surely glad of that.  Maybe by then they will have it changed at least I hope so.

Am glad that Bobby got his lamp.  I only wish I could do more for all of you.

We all got shots again the other day and I have felt as if I was burning up ever since we received them.

I will try and drop Beaulah and Sam a letter before long.

Haven’t seen anybody from home lately.  I did however run into a naval officer from Ft. Madison, Iowa that I have had to deal with.  We had lunch together today. He is stationed about thirty miles from where I am but I had to spend the entire day with him today.

Surely do hope that the people in the mainland don’t go on any more strikes and get us all the equipment that we need.  It will take a great deal to defeat the Japs and the other members of the Axis.

I am feeling ok.  Not much I can tell you except that I love and miss all of you.  Until you hear from me again may God bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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20 January 1944

Dear Folks:

I have to rush to drop you this short letter.  Now don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for quite a spell.  I will write to you just as soon as I can.

Am feeling ok and I trust that you are feeling the same.

Yes, Mother I do hope and pray that I will be able to get home this year to see you.  However, I want to do all I can to end this war out here in the Pacific so I can return to a peaceful living life again.

Tell all the neighbors and family hello for me.

Until you hear from me again may God bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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At Sea

Dear Folks & all:

By the time you have received this you will have read in the papers and heard over the radio about the drive taking place in the Central Pacific.  I am in on this. It will be the first Japanese soil we have stepped on this war.

I only hope that God guides me in my judgment over my men in the landing and that we may soon end this war.

Don’t worry I will be ok and just remember I love and miss all of you.

There I nothing else I can write or say.

All my love,

    Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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5 Feb 44

Dear Folks & All

It has now been 76 hours since I have had one blink of sleep.  But now I want to drop you a line to let you know I am alive and ok.

How are the Marshalls?   Tell them hello for me.

Wish I could tell you all the story.  Keep the chin up.  We Marines will soon have the Japs pushed back to Yokohama and then we will really give them the works.

Hope this finds all of you well.

Your son, Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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Feb.

Dear Folks:

Another letter to let you know that I am ok.  And I trust that you are the same.  Not much that I can disclose.  

All I can tell you is that I am plenty busy and the time goes plenty fast.

We are not living very fancy as a matter of fact one might say like animals.

Got two letters from you.  Thanks a great deal for the stamps.  Am enclosing a thirty dollar check for the bank.  Let me know if that is enough to settle it.

I am also enclosing a small souvenir.  It is a marking taken from a Japanese cement bag.  Am dropping Bobby a letter this evening and sending him a Japanese laundry ticket.

Now don’t worry about me a I will be ok and I will try and drop you a letter as often as I can.

I do hope and pray that this will soon be over and that I will be able to soon come home to all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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Feb

Dear Folks & all:

As I don’t have a calendar I’ll be darned if I can remember what the date is but I am positive it is still Feb.

I was promoted to Captain the thirty first of January.  It makes me feel pretty good and those bars look awful good on my shirt collar even if I do say so.  If only I could get home to see all of you.  Heaven’s knows when that will be.

They surely are piling the work on me.  I don’t know how much longer I will be able to go with the present amount of sleep I am getting.

Our Colonel was promoted from Lt Col to a full Colonel, a Major to Lt Colonel and a Captain to Major.  They passed their bars along the line and I inherited mine from Cap’t Waugh.  He is the Cap’t that was promoted to Major.  We all celebrated by eating K rations that is that darn chocolate bar.

We are gradually getting settled down again and most of the excitement has also gone with it.

Sorry to hear of Libby being ill.  Not much of a letter but a few lines to let you know I am ok and I trust you are the same.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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17 February 1944

Dear Folks & All:

Everything is ok by me and I trust that it is the same with you.  

I know one thing your son will be plenty happy when this war is over so he can return home to all of you.

My weight has gone down about twenty pounds and I hope it will remain down.  The way I sweat I take about three salt tablets per day to keep from getting dehydrated.

As yet I haven’t received your box but I know that I will one of these days.

These salt water baths are worth a damn.  One feels as if he has glue all over him when you get dry.  Looks as if I will have to do a little washing tomorrow as my clothes are running low and I didn’t bring many with me this trip.  Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

PS Thanks for the stamps.

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21 Feb 1944

Dear Folks & All:

Of all the surprises thus far yesterday topped them all.  I was driving along in my jeep and who stops me but Loren Hay’s.  He arrived yesterday.  I told him that was customary of the navy to come in when everything had been secured by the Marines.  We had quite a session last evening.  I was surely glad to see him.  He will be stationed here where I am.

Well I am feeling ok and I trust that all of you are the same.

All I have to say is that this life gets awful mononotous at times.  Work worry troubles and etc.  I surely will be glad when all this mess is over.  Surely will have plenty to tell all of you.

The climate is about the same here as it was where I was about eight months ago.  I surely could stand some good old Illinois weather.  I have a small generator hooked up now so I have a little light.

Haven’t heard from you for quite a spell but I know that it takes the mail longer now.

Will close now and get some shut eye as I am rather tired this evening.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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