Category: Letters

Feb 11, 1943

Dear Folks:

Dad, it surely did sound good to hear your voice today and also to know that Robert is getting along ok.  Mother, I wanted to talk with all of you but due to regulations I couldn’t.  As it was I waited seven hours to get the call through.

I am now back at the place where I first landed but I will be leaving here about the first of next month to go to the place where I was before.  While here they gave me a ten day rest period and the rest of the time I will be going to school and also giving school.  I flew here and I’ll fly back.

What I wouldn’t give to see all of you.  It seems ages since we were all last together.

I do hope and pray that Robert will have a speedy recovery.

Just keep sending my mail to my old address at Unit #535 as I’ll just about catch up with it when I get back.

I could hear Bobby’s voice and you tell him I did.

Will I ever be glad when all this mess is over.  I can hardly wait.

I got the card from the National Bank and I filled it out and sent it back.

This place where I am now is worse than Chicago it is simply a mad house.

The red cross will probably be calling you as they also are going to let me know the condition of Robert as I didn’t know for sure whether I would be able to get the call through.

Don’t worry about me as I am getting along swell and feeling fine.

Be sure and give my regards to all the neighbors and friends.  I can’t say much as you know the censor regulations.

I will now drop Robert a line.

Love to all,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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1/29/43

Dear folks & all:

We surely have been catching the rain here lately.  I would say more than our share.  Oh: well we can use it an that trench coat you sent me really does the job.  I don’t know what I would do without it.

Got another letter from Beaulah and Sam they surely are swell people.  Then I got a letter my ex boss had written me dated 5 Aug 42.  It surely has been traveling all over the world but I finally got it.

My pups are coming along just fine.  I’ll try and get a picture taken of them and send you one.

Still the same here, work, eat, sweat and sleep when you can find a few odd moments.

Surely would love to see all of you.  It seems ages since I have been with all of you.

The war has been rather dull the past few weeks but I look for all hell to break loose before long.  Just like a football game, the one side feeling out the other.

You should see the sweat rolling off of me.  I now take 2 salt tablets per day and that doesn’t seem to help much.

Hope this finds all of you feeling ok.  I am feeling fine.  Give my regards to all.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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26 January 1943

Dear Folks:

At long and alas we received some mail.  Not a great deal but at least we hear from the mainland.

Was glad you got the pictures.  I also thought they were very good.  Mother, the mustache has been shaven off so you needn’t worry about it.  All I can tell you about the pictures is that they were taken by a combat correspondent.

I will try and drop Mr. Galbaugh and Mrs. Keister and Mrs. Hayes a little note.  I wrote the Nevius’s the other day.  Golly: with my work and all it keeps me busy and I have to get a little rest now and then.

Maybe you think I don’t wish you had some of this heat I am going through. Never have I ever seen anything like it and I hope I never will again.

Surely did receive some swell pictures of the kids and also one of Libby and Robert.  Mrs. Dickson sent me the holder with a snapshot of the entire family and the kids sent me the larger pictures.  My Anne is growing and Mary.  Bobby looks about the same to me.  Full of the old nick.

We are still getting plenty of rain.  Every day it rains and it doesn’t seem to let up.

Surely will have plenty to tell all of you if I ever get home.  Am hoping this war will end soon but I don’t see how.

Thanks for the stamps.  I am feeling ok and I hope that this letter will find all of you the same.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

P.S.  The pups are coming along fine.

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12 January 1943

Dear Folks & All:

Well today I received three letters from you.  They were dated Nov 19, 26 and Jan 3, 1943.  It’s hard to judge the mail situation where I am located.  It is rather spasmodic.  For awhile the letters run in sequence and then they get all mixed up.  Well I don’t care how mixed they get as long as I receive them.

I know that I wrote Leota thanking her but many things happen on the ocean so I am going to drop her a line again this evening after I write to you.

Oh: yes I also got a letter from Robert.  I thought he had forgotten his brother.  It was the first in over a month.  But, I know he is busy and he tells me he hasn’t been feeling so well.

Don’t worry about me as I am feeling fine and in your prayers ask God that I may have the courage to carry out my duties as I have had thus far.  It really is a painstaking job I have but I know that God is with me and my men.

Hope that you get the other pictures I sent to you ok.  They are very good and depict our life very well.

My dog and her ten pups are coming along fine and they really are swell pups.  But, of course my men and all the rest on the atoll are spoiling them.

I sent you a letter making the bank account a joint bank account.  If you don’t get it let me know and I will send you another one.

Thanks for the stamps you sent me.  I can always use them.

Wish I could have been with you when Myrtle, Roberts, and Mrs. Dickson were over.

Not much news but a line to say hello and to tell you how grand I think you are to write to me as often as you do.

Must close now and get a few hours sleep.  Hope the cocanut fleas and other insects are not as bad as they were last evening.  I still can’t sleep under a mosquito net as I am always getting tangled up in it.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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9 January 43

Dear Folks:

Enclosed please find another fifteen dollars for the 2^nd Nat’l.  I wrote the check out yesterday but I have been so busy since then that I just now have found time to mail it and it now is 7:10 pm.  I suppose you are all in bed and fast asleep back home.

Got a letter from Hazel Sorenson Efaw and one from Mary today and I surely was glad to hear from both of them.  Sort of looked for mail from some of you.  Oh! Well I can expect it the next time we have mail call.

Not much news since I last wrote to you.  All I can say is that I am ok and most of my men are the same.

My dog and the pups are getting along just fine.  We have ten of them romping around under our feet from early morn to late at night.

Believe it or not I am so tired I am going to bed until 11 pm when I must get up and make an inspection.  Hope this finds you ok.

All my love,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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8 January 1943

Dear Folks;

Received your letter of December 28^th this morning.  Twelve days that isn’t so awful slow considering the war and it going on in the Pacific where I am located.

Also, I got a letter from Leota and a very nice letter from Anne which I will have to answer today.

Thanks for sending the flowers to the Browns and Leota also mentioned about you calling Christmas morning and it meant a great deal to her and her mother.

Sorry to hear of Rev Barnes death.  He seemed like a very nice old gentleman.

So you have been having quite a bit of rain.  Well, no fooling you have never seen it rain until you have gotten hit by it in the tropics.  That trench coat is marvelous and it surely does shed the water.

Glad that the Adams sent you a card it was very thoughtful of them.  They are expecting another increase before long.  

Mother, you are correct a chaplain means a great deal to both the officers and men.  Men that is Christian men always turn to God for comfort when they face danger or even death on the battlefield.

Sent you some snaps the other day.  Hope they reach you ok.  But, I am just afraid as no mail has left for quite a spell.  You can probably figure out why but all my gang are ok and so am I.

Radio saved ten of her pups and they are getting as fast as butter balls.  Have six males and four females left.  Out of the ten three white, three black and four brindle.  They surely are getting a great deal of attention.

Will close for this time.  I do hope that this finds all of you ok.  I also hope & pray that this war will soon end.  However, I am not being to skeptical as I know what we are up against.

Write whenever you have time as I am always glad to hear from home.

All my love,

Leo

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2 January 43

Dear Folks & all:

I am enclosing some snap shots of which I will be able to tell you plenty about when I return.  Watch them carefully as I won’t be able to get anymore.  I really think they are swell.

Well, New Years was just another day here and I might add that it also was a very lonely one for me and the men.  Perhaps, next year we can all be with the ones we love.  At least I hope so.

I am going to register this letter as I want to be sure that the pictures get to you.

Hope all of you had a swell Christmas and I know you would with the children.  Believe me I surely do miss them and all of you.

My dog is getting along fine.  She saved ten of her thirteen pups and they are all full of the old nick.  

I see I started this letter on the wrong side.  Hope you will pardon me.  I have so darn much on my mind lately that at times I wonder how I get anything accomplished.

It surely has been hot and rainy here lately.  I am convinced that these places were never meant to be inhabitated by a white man.  Until we disarm the Axis they will have to be.

Dad how much gas are you allowed per week?  How about tires, food and etc.?

So far I haven’t seen anybody that I know.  Seems rather funny.

What a day it will be when I again can set down to a table with really home cooked food, a table cloth, people to talk with and then a nice comfortable chair to sit in and a nice easy bed to sleep in.  That will be the day.

I must start to figure out my income tax before long.  The 5% victory tax deducted from salaries we won’t have to pay.  I think it is fair because Lord knows we go through enough for victory even to the sacrificing of our lives.   

Lately I have had trouble sleeping when I have had the opportunity.  I believe it is the climate.  Also, I have lost 15 lbs in the last month—heave knows that won’t hurt me any.

Did I tell you that my platoon bought me a Marine Corps ring for Christmas with a small diamond in it.  Heaven knows where they got it but they did.  It surely did made me feel swell.  I do have a grand group of men and I am proud of all of them, they have showed their colors and showed them well.

Received also a cablegram from my ex boss and gang for Christmas.  Just got it today.  Although, it was a little late it surely did make me feel good.  I’m telling you that mail and hearing from home is what keeps all of us going.

I must close as I have a great deal of work to do.  Don’t forget I love and miss all of you.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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29 December 1942

Dear folks  & all:

It happened yesterday.  My dog Radio had thirteen little radios.  So far three of them have died but the rest look very healthy.  I’ll tell you it was quite an event here.  I even passed out cigars and my mess sgt also baked me some small dog biscuits that I passed out with the cigars.

What I mean she really is getting a great deal of attention.  If only I had Libby to take care of them.  The worse trouble we have is the supply of milk.  We have nothing but powdered milk and carnation cream.  We mix it with water and thus far Radio laps it up.  When the pups get a little older I am going to try and get some pictures taken.

Thanks dad for the advice about the accounts.  I am enclosing two letters which you may take to the banks.  

Received a nice Christmas card and letter from Prof F.M. McClanahan.  Also one from Mrs. Ethel Keister.  Be sure to give me her address as I want to drop her a line and thank her.  Tell Mrs. Hayes I got her card and letter and I will drop her a letter one of these days.  You never did give me James X Galbaugh’s address.

The cocanut fleas are really bad this evening.  By golly they are about to eat me up.

It looks as if we are getting more on the offensive hear of late.  Glad to see it.  But, we still have a long way to go.  I’ll tell you one thing all the Axis powers combined will never stop the U.S. Marines Corps.

Mrs. Dickson sent me a book entitled “Strength For Service to God and Country.”  It is a wonderful book in that it contains a daily prayer and message from the scriptures in the Bible.  I must write and thank her for it.

Not much news except that I am well and all my men are ok.  Also, I think of all of you all the time and miss you very very much.  Hope you have a healthy and prosperous New Year.

All my love,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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25 December 42

Dear Folks & All:

Today was Christmas and I don’t mind telling all of you that I was plenty homesick and lonesome.  This is the second year I have been away from all of you & I hope and pray that next year I will be back with all of you and way before Christmas.

Had a pretty good meal for my men.  They had turkey, canned ham, a few nuts and cherry pie. I assure you that it wasn’t like me and my men would have had in our respective homes.

One nice thing I received mail today from you, Libby, Mary, Mrs. Dickson, Prof McClenahan, Mrs. Hayes, Leota and the Whitemans.  It surely did make me feel good.  One surely knows who there friends are at a time like this.

It looks to me as if the war will last until about 1945.  I figure Germany will fall late in 1943 and Japan in late 44 or early 1945.

Believe me I really know what our forefathers went through and I assure you that the Marines will fight to the last man.

My dog hasn’t had her pups as yet.  The way she looks it will be any day now.

Had my picture taken in the trench coat and if they turn out ok I should have them in a month or so.

The Colonel and two other officers ate with me and my men.  They seemed to enjoy it and the Colonel and the surgeon gave me a box of cigars each which were surely appreciated.

Not much news except that I am ok and my men the same.  Hope this finds all of you the same.

Good night I must now retire and try and get some sleep.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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19 December 1942

Dear Folks & All:

Here it is another Saturday evening.  How I would love to be spending it with you.  Honestly I get so tired at times that I feel as if I couldn’t go another second.  But, somehow I manage to keep awake and drive myself on.

Received your letter dated 2 Dec 42 yesterday and as usual I was glad to hear from you.  I also got two from Elizabeth, two from Mary and one from Elizabeths mother.  Believe me mail is always welcome and my men as well as I always look forward to receiving it.

Glad to hear that you helped Everett and Mable and I was also glad to hear that they are trying so hard to make a go of it.  We finally got a chaplain.  He has agreed to hold services for me and my men every Friday morning.  We held our first one yesterday.  We hold Catholic at 0730 and Protestant at 0830.  We don’t have any elaborate temple.  They are held outdoors right beside my blitz buggy.  But, I never did believe that the Lord meant for us to build expensive churches to worship in.  

I know that I enjoy the services and I am quite sure that my men do.  Today when I censored there mail they all wrote and told there families how nice it was.

It is still about the same here.  Work and alerts never seem to end.  Perhaps, we will soon be able to end this awful conflict but in my heart and soul I know that it will not be easy.

Don’t worry about me as I am getting along ok and I hope to be with all of you next Christmas.  Hope that this finds all of you in the best of health.  Give my regards to all.

Love to all,

 Leo

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