Category: Letters

24 January 1942

Dear Folks:

1. I expect that you were rather surprised to get the wire from me.  Well I am enclosing a letter which should be self explanatory as to why I need the birth certificate.  I surely will be surprised if I do get the Commission.  I would just as soon be a Sergeant.  Oh well I will just have to wait and see what happens.  I am rather proud of the letter that the Major wrote and I was more surprised when he called me in and ask me if I would like to become an officer.  You see one copy of the letter went in my service record book and that is something.  The grade of 4.9 means this: They grade 1-2-3-4-5, so you see my grade is almost perfect or a 5 in all my grades.
2. I am again spending the day with the Whitemans.  I rode down with Johnie Key who came down to visit his friend.  They gave us the week end off as we start in training new recruits this coming Monday.
3. This week we were down in Mexico and all over the southern half of California on maneuvers.  Surely did have a great time.  We parked out evenings and had all our food out in the field.  We also fired all week long and now for the great surprise.
4. The Presidents son James who is a Captain in the Marine Corps came out to watch us fire the 37mm gun from the Tanks.  With him was General Feagan and Colonel Holcomb.  Your son had the honor of explaining the functioning of the weapons plus taking Captain Roosevelt, Captain Swenceski (our Company Officer), and the General for a ride in the Mountain where we fired.  Captain James did the firing and the pay off was him firing on our own tanks which were parked at the bottom of the mountain.  If the Captain and the General hadn’t of been along I would have gotten his autograph for you Dad as I know that you would be glad to have a Roosevelts autograph.
5. It looks as if the Japs are putting all their eggs in one basket.  One of these fine days they will fine themselves annilhated by the U.S. Marines.
6. You don’t need to mention anything about the above incident except to the immediate family and also nothing about the Commission until I get it.  I’ll bet some of the people in Monmouth will be surprised to know that by hard work and no pull one can succeed.
7. Believe it or not I got sunburned on the maneuvers this week.  My nose is even peeling.
8. Sara tells me that her Mother is coming out.  Golly how I would like to see all of you.
9. I see that the politics is getting hot in the old home town again for the primary this spring.  Dad, find out if I can vote.
10. Sara wants to write a receipt for Libby on the bottom so I will close for this time by saying that I miss all of you and I only hope that all of you are as in good a health as I am.

Love to all,

Leo

Sara says that I can type the receipt on a card, and that you folks also better come out.  Would I ever like that.  Oh yes I got a letter from Anne telling me about the cookies and I also got the cookies yesterday and I also got your letters this week and do write often. 

Save the copy of the letter written by the Major so I can put it in my scrap book.

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January 23 1942 – Western Union Telegram

Send birth certificate notarized by county clerk soon as possible am up for promotion and need it will drop you an air mail tomorrow.  Love Leo

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January 17, 1942

Time – 7:15 pm

Quarters – Barracks

Dear Folks:

Received the paper this morning with the notice in it and I was proud to have it in the paper.  As a matter of fact I was quite proud to receive the promotion.  

This week John Key and I had our 48 hour liberty so we went to Long Beach.  I saw the Whitemans and he visited his friends.  His friend is Vice President of the chain of banks that Bob works in so it surely makes it nice for me as I can ride to Long Beach and back with him.  We left Camp Elliott at 11:30 pm Wednesday evening, arrived in Long Beach at 2:30.  Spent the night in a hotel and went to see our friends the next day.  We left Long Beach then Friday afternoon at 1 pm and got back to Camp Elliott at 4 pm.  We were due back at 5 pm.  As we have school Wednesday evening until 10 pm we couldn’t leave until late that evening.  You see on Mondays, Wednesday & Fridays we go to school at the base.  We are studying airplane motors.  You see the tanks are equipped with airplane motors.  The Whitemans were just fine and said for me to give all of you their regards.

Golly, the time surely does go fast with all this school.  Today we had a field problem.  We drove the tanks out in the mountains through the woods orienting ourselves by compass and map.  Then we also had target practice with the 45 caliber pistol and classes in preventative maintenance, map reading, starting, warming and stopping of the engine, and demolition.  Demolition is the use of TNT in blowing up obstacles and in laying field mines.  

I wrote down Wilda’s address and the next time I am in Long Beach I’ll be sure to look them up.

Golly I do hope that the children are soon over their colds.

I received a nice letter from Mrs. Hayes.  You tell her hello and I’ll try and drop her a line in between classes on of these days.

Tomorrow we arise at 5 am to go out tank driving.  This time in convoy.

When you see news reels of tanks your son is the man who rides in the turret of the tank and gives the commands.  Would like to take all of you for a spin.   

Mother, I don’t want you and Dad to worry as I think it will be a long time before I am sent anywhere.  And tanks are safe as anything else and we are learning more every day how to defend ourselves.

Dad, it seems as if every time I read the paper you have been appointed on some committee.  I believe they are taking advantage of your good nature.

I see by the papers where the State of Illinois pays the National Guard men better than Uncle Sam pays his boys.  Well we must all unite together and put an end to this war business once and for all.

Hope this finds all of you in the best of health.  I am feeling just fine.

Love to all,

Leo

Ps I think of all of you all the time.  I am now going to keep on working hard for another promotion.

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10 January

Time 2130

Dear Robert, Libby, Anne, Bobby and Mary Alice:

Well, I suppose by the time you have received this the folks will have shown you my corporal warrant.  Don’t mind telling you I am plenty proud of it and also that I expect to go higher.

My new duties also made me Commander of Tank #5.  Will give you the schedule of schooling I had today and what I have for tomorrow.  Also, please take note I have to instruct the subjects to my tank crew.

10 January 42:

0700-0800 – Driving signals

0800-0900 – Identify enemy planes

0900-1000 – Double clutching

1000-1130 – BMG Caliber 30

1130-1300 – Chow and rest period

1300-1400 – Ammunition safety precautions and etc.

1400-1500 – Identify enemy tanks

1500- 1630 – BMG, TSMG nomenclature

11 January 42:

0700-0800 – Map & compass reading

0800-0900 – Caliber 45 Pistol, safety precautions and nomenclature

0900-1000 – Weapons, cleaning, adjusting, repairing and etc.

1000-1130 – Same as above

1130-1300 – Chow & rest period

1300-1400 – Elementary tank driving

1400-1500 – same as above

1500-1630 – First aid & field sanitation

(As you can see I am quite busy, besides studying for all this I also am breaking a fellow in the Majors & Captains office.)

I will have 30 days of such a schedule (if I last that long physically) but I believe I am built well enough to take it.

Got a letter from the folks this evening and I surely was glad to hear from them.  Dad also sent me some stamps which I always appreciate..

If you will please let all the family read this letter as I know I am going to be darn busy for awhile.

When I get my 48 hour furlough I am going to call on the Whitemans.

Bobby, I wish you were out here so I could take you for a ride in my tank.  You would get a big thrill out of it for sure.  As far as that goes I believe all of you would get quite a thrill out of riding with me.

Golly, I often wonder what is in store for all of us.

Remember I love all of you and think of all of you all the time.

Hope all of you are well.  I am going to crawl in my bunk.

Love to all,

Leo

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9 January 1942

Dear Folks: 

Well I have just received another promotion.  I am now Corporal Leo J. McLoskey of the United States Marine Corps.  I don’t mind telling you that it makes me very happy.  I am enclosing my warrant and I know that you will take good care of it for me.

My new duties are as follows:  I am tank commander of tank #5, in the day time and at night I have to help them out in the office making out reports and so forth.  As it is now I also have to attend various schools in between time such as the sub-machine gun, the Thompson, the 37mm, the pistol, the rifle, camoflauge and so forth.  So you can readily see that I am quite busy.  Golly I haven’t heard from you for some time. I trust that all of you are well.                 

Out of the next 30 days I only get 48 hours liberty so you can see that we area really getting ready to kick the devil out of those Japs.  Wish you could have been here to see me receive my Corporal Warrant.  Well I will keep right on hustling and who knows as they say I might be President some day.

The first Sergeant of this company is a fellow from Minneapolis.  He is just about my age and I like him very much and I believe that he would say the same for me.

This afternoon I have to go out on Tank Inspection.  As they only cost $36,000.00 each one has to take good care of them.  And, what I mean my crew and I are going to take good care of Tank #5.

Tell all the family hello for me and I trust that you are all well.  For a change we are having wonderful weather out here.  In the day time you run around in your shirt sleeves.  Well when I am working in the tank and we are out I wear coveralls.

Will write you again this week end.  I am sending this Special so you will get it Sunday.

Love to all,

Leo

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3 January 1942

Dear Folks:

Well, here it is 1942 and I hope and pray that it is a great year for all of us and that the US will soon win the war.

Again, I have a new address.  It is now Co “C” 2d TK Bn, 2d Mar Div FMF Camp Elliott, San Diego, California.  They have split up old Company “B” and half of us are the nucleus for the new copany.  I am in the Captain’s office of the new company.  His name is Captain Swensceski.  He seems as if he will be a good skipper.  Don’t be surprised if I don’t go up another notch in about two or three weeks.  I bid my other pals in Co “B” goodbye today.  They boarded ship and God only knows where they were going or when they will return.

Mother, I got the stamps in your letter and thanks.  I also got the cigars from you today and they surely do taste swell.  I am enjoying one of them now.

I got to spend New Years Eve with the Whitemans.  Got there at seven and left at seven the next morning.  One of the fellows in the company drove up and I rode with him.  He goes to visit the Vice president of the bank where Bob works.  I even went up in my kakhis and field shoes as we had been loading ship that day.  Bob & Sara both acted like they were tickled to death to see me.  Barbara went to a party at the church that evening and she was to cute fixing her nails getting ready to go.

The way things look now I won’t ship out of here for at least three more months as they are forming a new streamlined outfit and Co “C” of the tanks will be one of the units of combat.

Got my dog tags today.  There were two of them which I have to wear around my neck at all times.  It has my name, serial number, finger print and the date I received my tetnus shots on it.

It has been very rainy, muddy and chilly out here.  But, I have found out that one can live in a tent and enjoy it.  I now have two kerosene stoves going, a sweatshirt and a GI issue jacket on and I am just comfortable.  GI means government issue.

My Bunkie, the fellow who lives with me is a Spanish fellow by the name of Jose “T” Sepulveda.  His mother sent him the most delicious Mexican candy and what I mean we both have enjoyed it.  She also sent him some panesitos de maizena (ask Libby what it means) they surely are good.  He is going to get some recipts from his mother for me to send you and Libby.  He is 21 years old and a very clean fellow to live with.  He comes from Larado, Texas.

Received a cute letter from Anne and a picture or rather two pictures of Anne, Bobby and Mary Alice.  Golly: has she ever grown.

Got a Christmas card from Pearl today with a little letter in it.  I guess the letter has been chasing me as she sent it in c/o Platoon 112 to the MC Base at San Diego.

Tomorrow I have the duty for the new company.  By that, I mean I march them to chow, have roll call and etc.

In the afternoon I am going to write some letters and in the morning I am planning on going to church and I will go unless something unusual happens.

Dad, that church magazine the Lookout has some interesting articles in it.  Also, I get quite a kick out of the jokes in it.

Surely was sorry the aunts couldn’t get over to Roberts Christmas.  Poor Aunt Ella must surely have her hands full.

Sorry the telegram didn’t reach you on Christmas day.  They told me it would. That is the reason I sent it care of Roberts.

Now that we are getting organized I’ll get back on my regular return of writing you.

Love to all,

Leo

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December 21, 1941

Dear Folks:

Received your card and gift today and I want to thank you very much.  I am going to buy some pipe tobacco, cigars, and a new field scarf.

Golly, it surely doesn’t seem like Christmas to me.  No gifts to wrap and it is the first time I haven’t sent any cards out in a long time.  I am just going to answer all the people with a letter when I am able to find time.

Had to work today but have the evening off.  When I finish this I am going to wash out some hose, a belt, shine my shoes, take a shower and go to bed.

Dad, we don’t get any leave at all as you know the Marines have to stand by and be ready to move out at a moment’s notice.

Expect the Beatty’s wish they were back in the middle west.  I know that I do.  But, now I am glad I am in because I would have been drafted later anyway.  Surely do hope that this war will soon end.  Don’t hardly see how it will though for some time unless they turn the Marines lose on the Japs, Germans and Italians.

Got the papers and magazines and thanks a lot.  Surely is some good reading in the Boy’s Life.

They surely are coming in fast here at the Base and it won’t be long until we have a very large Marine Corps.  They are enlarging it by about 50,000 men.

Want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and I want you to know I think of you a great deal and I am living for the day when we will all be together again.

Love to all,

Leo

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9 December 1941

Dear Folks:

Just a line to let you know that I am O.K.  We had a little scare last evening as they sighted 60 Japanese airplanes over San Francisco headed for San Diego.  We all were issued 60 rounds of ammunition and had to get out in the open and not be in the barracks.  To make matters worse it started raining about midnight.

I haven’t been to bed since Saturday evening and it is now Tuesday morning.  We are very busy getting things ready to go.  I will keep in touch with you from time to time and let you know how I am getting along.

Am not able to write much now and I have to get busy on the issue of some more equipment and clothes.  Surely will say that the Japs took us quite by surprise.  But don’t worry we will take care of them.

I can surely sympathize with the British now since we were warned as to an air attack last evening.  It really gives one quite a thrill to realize how it could be.

I am enclosing two dollars.  One is for Bobby for Christmas and the other one for Mary Alice.  That is about all I will be able to do for now as I had to get some extra things in case we do make an Expeditionary Force and I might as well be honest with you it isn’t very far off.

I’ll say one thing the Marines spirit is very high.  If the civilians hold up as well as we do we can’t help but win out.

Hope this letter finds you all feeling fine.  Dad the reason I am down at the base is I am detached.

Love to all,

 Leo

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6 December 1941

Time – 1000

Weather – Clear and warm

Co “B”, 2^nd Tank Battalion

Second Marine Division

Fleet Marine Force

Camp Elliott

San Diego, California

Dear Folks:

It looks very much as if they are going to transfer me to the paymaster branch of the service.  That is the reason that the letter Dean Cleland wrote has to be notarized.  The Major General Commandant’s office sent it back because it wasn’t.  Then of course the Captain of the Tank Company had to give it back to me to get it notarized.  Then I realized what they wanted with my degree and the letter.  So many things happen on the spur of the moment in the Marine Corps that one never knows what is going to happen.  Well any way I thought I would let you know what they have in mind.  You see each Company or rather I mean each Battalion has a Paymaster.  It would be a very good branch of the service to get into and I imagine that is where I will end up.

Monday when we get paid I must do some more Christmas shopping.  This payday I will receive $10.00.  You know it is a funny thing but here in the Service you never think about money.  If nothing else it teaches you how to be conservative.  For example on payday you get your laundry, your smoking supplies, your stamps, stationery, tooth paste, just whatever you need in the way of supplies until the next payday.  It learns one how to budget.

By golly I forgot that Elizabeths birthday is this month.  I must get busy and send her a card as she never forgets me.  By looking at the card I notice that it was December the 4^th.  Well I’ll get busy this afternoon and get her a card and get it in the mail.

Tomorrow I am going to the service here at the base.  I like the Chaplain better here than the one out to Camp Elliott.  He appeals to me more.  He seems to have a better way of getting his sermons across.  In other words he comes right to the point, and I like people who do this.

Surely will miss all of you this Christmas and I hope next year to be with all of you at this time.  I imagine that I will be able to go up to the Whitemans.  I might even get a week off.  Don’t know for sure yet.

Hope that this finds all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

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5 December 41

Dear Dad:

Will you please have this letter of Dean Clelands notarized as the Company Commander is sending it to the Major General Commandant in Washington, D.C.

You can have Fern do it—Please send it back by air mail as they seem to be in an awful hurry.  I’ll drop you a letter tonight.

Love, Leo

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