Category: Letters

14 October 42

Time 2230

Dear Folks:

Received your package today and thanks a million.  I’ll not get sick on the cigars and tobacco.  They both taste swell.  The peppermint candy is also very good.  Will save the peanuts for latter on.

Received a letter from Beaulah which I will try and answer soon.

Did the National Bank get my $150.00 gov’t check this month for deposit?  I also sent them another $25.00.  Some of the mail had to be dumped overboard due to something.  Just hope my check wasn’t in it.  I made out another allotment yesterday for $100.00 per month to the National Bank.  It will start in December.  I figure that is the best way because mail is easily lost in transent these days.

Am going to send Aunt Ella a check next month.  I also will send you one for the 2^nd Nat’l and one to buy Christmas presents for everybody.

Did you get the group pictures?  Just wondered as you didn’t mention it.

As for my Christmas you have already done enough for me.  The greatest gift I could have would be for this war to end and get back home to all of you.

Received a letter from Leota & Mary, your letters and some from Elizabeth and Robert.  I’m telling you it is mail that keeps both me and my men going.  

Paper is so damp the ink blots.  Oh!  Well I guess you can read it anyway.

Is it ever hot this evening.  The sweat is rolling off me and the bugs are about to eat me up.

Oh! Yes I also got a letter from my old boss and the gang wishing me all the luck in the world.

Incidentally what is James X Galbaugh’s address?  I’ll drop him a line.

Things have been a little quiet the past few days as a matter of fact to much so.  Look for all hell to break lose any day now.

Guess you notice the Marines are the ones who have been doing all the fighting and paving the way for the Army & Navy.  They surely do put the Marines in some awful places.  But, we can take it and we will win the war.

Am going to build my men a swimming hole here in the jungle.  Am doing all I can to make it comfortable for them.

My dog Radio is sitting right by my feet.  Quite a dog.  Everybody on the island envies me.  It rides on the outside of my blitz buggy and on the hood of my jeep.  Also a good watch dog.  I love dogs.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine and just remember I love & pray for all of you each day.  Thanks again for the box.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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10 October 42

Dear Folks & all:

Received a letter from you today mailed June 11, 1942.  It was the one with the address in it of Loxley Eckles boy.  You can tell him I was a little late in getting it and I am now a long way off from San Diego.

Hope you got the check for $25.00 ok.  I will send some each month until it is paid off.

Here it is another Saturday evening but it doesn’t mean much to me.  Just another evening.

Haven’t received your second package as yet but I will one of these days.

Today I got a Coleman kerosene lantern for my command post.  Boy what a difference it makes from a kerosene lantern and candles.  My dog is laying right beside me.  By golly I’ll never be without a dog.  Hope you got the pictures ok.

We are expecting to get hit any day.  When they do they will get a warm reception of lead we are all set for them.

Am getting my bivouac  for my men fixed up a little more each day.  Got a shower built and here is the way we did it:

You see we catch the rain in the tubs, turn on the faucet and take a bath.  Not so bad do you think? <see actual drawing in letter below>

I also got my men some horseshoes and a volley ball & net.  I cleared a place in the jungle for the court and the horseshoes.  It give them a little relaxation and God knows they need it.  I have a great group of men and I am proud of all of them.  The next time we go fishing and camping I’ll have some swell ideas for us.

Hope this finds all of you in the best of health.  I am ok.  I pray each evening that I will be returned safely to all of you.

Give all the family and friends my regards.  I must now go out and inspect my camp & make sure it is safe and that my sentries are on their jobs.

The chewing tobacco you sent me is fine.  I surely do enjoy it.  Also, all the other things you sent me in the first package.

Good night and my God watch over all of you.  I miss all of you.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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7 October 42

Dear Folks & All:

What I wouldn’t give for some of that snow you have gotten already.  Yesterday it was only 112 down here and the way it has started out again this morning it is going to be plenty warm.  It seems as if the more it rains the hotter it gets.  Although it hasn’t rained so much here lately and the water supply is getting to be quite a problem as we depend entirely on rainwater for our own cooking, drinking, bathing and etc.  This morning I am boiling some salt water and adding iodine to it for my men to drink.

You can’t realize how much your letters mean to me.  I always look forward to the mail.  We get it about twice a month as a usual run and sometimes a little more often.

Dad, what about my application for an absent votes ballot?  Do I have to apply to the Secretary of State?  What is the news on it?  Nobody on this rock knows.

Got a letter from Anne & Bobby.  Would I ever like to see all of you.  The way this thing looks now I believe it will last for at least four more years unless they let us Marines go ahead and finish the job once and for all.

Mother it looks as if you and Dad will have to buy your own Christmas presents this year.  I will send you the money next month.  You see we don’t have any stores on the island except the post exchange and they just have a few supplies such as razor blades, toothpaste, etc.

Glad you got the necklaces and I hope you like them.  I thought they were quite attractive and those stones are very rare.  Dad, I don’t guess you would care for one and I don’t know what I could make you.

Give all my regards to the family and friends.  Let me know if you got the check for $6.97 I sent you and also the $25.00 check to put on my note at the 2^nd Nat’l.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

P.S. Dad, if you can find me a .45 shoulder holster I would like one bad as it would keep dry under my poncho.

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4 October 42

Dear Folks & all:

Enclosed herewith please find a check for $25.00.  Dad, I would appreciate it if you would cash it and pay $25.00 on my note at the 2^nd Nat’l and let me know what the balance is at the 2^nd Nat’l after they have taken out the interest.  I will send you a check each month until it is paid.  I don’t want to touch the money in the Trust I& Savings unless you and mother need it then draw it out anytime.

At first I thought I would have Elizabeth handle my a/c at the National Bank but Dad since you are in the bank almost every day you can pick up my deposit tickets at the end of each month.  Eddie Munson will give them to you.  I am anxious to get the note at the Second paid off.

Mother I think you did quite well on the price you got on the house in L.A.

So I have been spelling San Francisco wrong.  Well, it is a wonder I haven’t spelled more wrong but thanks.  I’ll try and not let it happen again.

I am ok and I know that God is with me and my men.  Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

Thanks Dad for taking care of that matter for me and you can expect a check each month to pay it off.  Let me know the balance after deducting the interest.

Did you get the pictures ok?  Haven’t got your second box yet but I will someday.  Just now I got 2 letters from you, 2 from Elizabeth and one from Allan McCaslin.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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1 October 1942

Dear Folks & all:

Here it is the first day of October.  I suppose the leaves are beginning to turn and that you have already had to burn a little coal in the furnace.  How I wish I were with you.

Where I am one day is about the same as the next except we did have some action on and off for about two days.  Probably in about two months you will hear or read about it.  The outpost where I am located is one of the most important in the combat zone in the Pacific.  As a whole we came out ok.  I’ll tell you that war is surely no childs play and I’ll be plenty happy when it is all over and God returns us safely home to resume a normal life.  Don’t mention anything as yet about our skirmish here.

Incidentally I also have a checking a/c at the National Bank.  Eddie Munson will more than likely give you a receipt from now on of my deposits.  We are only allowed so much currency here as it rots so fast.  Funny but true the paper money rots in about three months time.  At present I have deposited 140.00 last month and I sent another 150.00 the morning.  I put it in the National because I don’t want all my eggs in one basket.  As my a/c grows I will draw a check to repay you for all I have cost you.  If anything should happen to me with what I have in the trust & savings plus the national and my insurance I believe it will take care of my debt to you.  Never, will you ever be fully paid because you have always done so darn much for me.  But, I’ll try my darndest.

Sorry to hear about Aunt Ella.  I do hope she has a speedy recovery.  I dropped her and Aunt Vera a line the other day but I will drop her another in the next few days.

Dad, you see Eddie Munson and he will give you my banking receipts.  One thing the Marines have taught me among others is to save & save.

For Christmas I will just have to send you some money and you will have to buy your presents.  I will have to do the same with all the rest.

Is it ever warm here today.  My clothes look as if I have been in swimming.

Yes, I got the stamps and thanks a million.  Haven’t got the second package as yet but it takes quite awhile as they send it second class.  I’ll get it one of these days.  Thanks for the other. Those mints are swell and I surely could use the shaving soap and all the rest.

Give my regards to everybody.  What did you think of the pictures and of my gang of men?

How did Galbaugh ever jar loose with the money to call you long distance?  Maybe he liked me more than I thought.  How did he happen to find out I was hurt? Or rather burned?

I love and miss all of you.  Hope all of you are well.  This paper is so damp the ink blots.

Love,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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29 September 42

Dear Folks”

Enclosed, find a check for 6.97 it was for some meals I had to pay for way back and I finally got reimbursed.  Dad, you and mother take it and go out and have dinner and take in a show.  I only wish I could be with you.  Look at the check close and perhaps you can find out where I am located.

Am also enclosing two pictures one of a group of us and one that they snapped of me one day at the battalion office and I didn’t know they were taking it.  I will send you a large one of the five of us also when I can get it wrapped properly.

Must hurry now as I have to get a lot of work done.  I feel ok.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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22 September 42

Dear Folks & All:

Today I received your package and thanks a million.  It was like receiving a million dollars.  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.  Although Marines are supposed to be a tough group of men and are it brought tears to my eyes just to feel the package and to know you had touched them.  Mother, I won’t chew when I get back home.

I also got your letters, a letter from Elizabeth, one from Leota and one from Mary.  Your letters that is the one from Mary and one from you was postmarked the early part of June.

Personally, I think you are wise in selling the property in Los Angeles and I think you got a good price.  Oh! Yes I also got a letter from Bob Whiteman.  He told me Uncle Joe had been in and told him he thought you were foolish to sell.  Well I don’t.

The heat has been so intense here the past eight days that I have almost had to drive my men at times.  I feel awful sorry for them but I must keep my equipment up and I have a big job and I have to make good.  Not only my life but several other peoples lives depend on my judgment.

Golly I forgot to mention that I also got another letter from Aunt Ella and I will answer it this week.

You should see me.  I am getting as solid as a rock although I am not loosing much weight.

How are my letters reaching you?  I hope in good time.  Will we ever have a lot to talk about when we get together again.

Hear Bobby has already had to set in the corner.  I’ll bet he is a live wire.  Poor Anne she must have quite a time now.

Looks as if the Marines are going to have to do all the fighting in this war.  I don’t quite see why we have an Army & Navy.

The bugs are about to eat me up in my command post this evening so I will close for this time.  I hope this finds all of you in the best of health.  Regards to all and thanks again for the box.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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16 September 1942

Dear Folks:

Received your letters a couple of days ago and surely was glad to hear from all of you.  The day I received your two letters I also received one from Robert, Aunt Ella, Elizabeth, Mary, Larry Adams, and some other officers.

I didn’t receive the package but I am sure I will one of these days.  But, on the other hand I sort of have a sneaking hunch that I may be moving on again.

Am sitting at my command post writing this by a kerosene lantern.  I am now up all day and night every other day for reasons I’ll have to tell you when I see you.

I am enclosing the blank and I did not fill out 3 questions for reasons that I can’t at the present writing and I believe they will understand.  I think it is darn nice of Lambert to pay my dues and by the way, I also received a letter from Leota.  I am going to write Lambert and thank him.

We are working pretty hard and have a little excitement now and then.  Wish I could tell you more but I pray each day that this will soon be over and that I will return to all of you.

Dad, I am glad you are feeling better and take care of yourself.  Mother, you see that he does.  

Am glad you liked your gifts.  I sent Elizabeth three dollars for a dollar a piece for the children.  Would I ever like to see all of you.  I’ll bet Bobby and Bobby McKee are quite the characters in the class room.

Is it ever warm.  I am sitting at my field desk in the nude except my skivy drawers and the sweat is rolling off me.

My outfit is still fine and I maintain I have the greatest group of men ever assembled under my command.

Tell Elizabeth the cartoon she sent me out of the Post must have referred to me.

Hope this find all of you feeling fine and I trust you have gotten the necklaces ok and remember I made them and I’ll tell you all about the shells when I see you as they are very rare.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

(The above signature is compulsory.)

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12 September 1942

Dear Folks & All:

Here it is Saturday again and another week has gone bye.  Where I am one hardly can remember the day and the month as they are about all the same.  All it is or amounts to is sleep when you can find time, sweat, work, worry, rain, heat, rust, and be on the alert all the time.

Sorry to hear about Algie and Aunt Mabel.  I do hope they both have a speedy recovery.  It surely is a crime about those children of his.  They are so smart and sweet and well mannered.

Mother, I mailed the package with beads in it for Elizabeth and you.  As your birthday is the 29^th of this month you will have to consider it as your gift until the first of the month then I will send you some money and you can buy yourself a gift.  I sent the children a dollar a piece this week.  I am glad you received the candle stick holders and the bridge set.  Also, I am glad you liked them.  Did my $25.00 allotment arrive at the Monmouth Trust & Saving this month?

Dad, your letters sound as if you are as busy as I am.  When do you find time to sleep or do you do like I have been catch as catch can.

Should be some mail in again one of these days.  It surely is a holiday when one gets mail.  Am glad my mail gets to you as fast as it does.

I just finished reading 72 letters (censoring them) how would you like that job?  It is a tough one.

It doesn’t look to me as if the war will be over this year.  But, I believe it will be by the middle of 1943.  At least I hope and pray so.  The sooner the better so I can get back and see all of you.  Golly!  I surely do miss all of you.

Not much news but a line to let you know I am ok and that I think of all of you all the time and that I am proud to belong to the fighting Marines.

Love to all,

Leo

2d Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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4 September 1942

Dear Folks & All:

Here it is the beginning of another month and the war still at full blast.  Will I ever be glad when this conflict is over so I can return home.

I can hardly realize that Bobby will be starting to school with Anne.  Golly!  If I don’t get home before long Mary Alice will have grown up and Bobby and Anne will have forgotten they ever had an Uncle.

See where Joe Dixon was appointed Principal of the high school.  Was glad to see it.  I always liked Joe.

Received a letter from you the other day but since then no mail.  The service here is not so good.  I only hope the outgoing mail is better.  How often do you receive my letters and how long does it take?

Was glad Margaret and her sister stopped by to see you.  Where did Martha say her husband was or did she know?

You ask why some fellows are able to give their location.  As you probably know by now I am in a combat zone and where I am is rather a secret due to its importance of the U.S. defense.  Why don’t write and let me know where you think I am stationed and I’ll let you know if you are correct.

Mother, I mailed the beads the other day.  It probably will take quite awhile for you to get them as I could only mail them by parcel post.  Hope you and Elizabeth like them and they are made out of very rare shells.

Was glad you took Aunt Ella up to Harry’s.  So she didn’t thin much of their place.

It is now 2:30 am and we have been on alert.  I am at my command post.  Surely wish we could take some pictures and send you some but that is out.

You can tell Mary I might need her sweater yet.  I have been doing quite a bit of flying lately and it gets pretty chilly at 10,000 feet altitude but at the present my combat uniform keeps me warm.  Now don’t worry.  It is just part of my job to do some flying now and then for purposes I’ll have to tell you when I see you.

Tell Mrs. Jay’s I got her letter and I’ll try and drop her a line one of these days.  Be sure to give my regards to all the family and friends.

I pray each day that the Lord will return me safely to all of you and that all of you are in the best of health.

Love to all,

Leo

Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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