Category: Letters

9 July, 1944

Dear Folks:

Another  Sunday and another week gone.  Loren Hay’s visited me over the week end.  We discussed Monmouth and all the people that we knew.  I was glad to have him visit with me.

I am glad that Bobby likes to stay with you.  He must be quite the boy.  Also, Anne & Mary Alice must be very lovely.  I tell you Robert has a wonderful family. 

I’ll be you were glad to see Wilda and Donald.  Let me know who won playing croquet.

Golly I hope I keep on feeling as well as I have the past few day’s.  Glad Loxley Eckles boy got home.  They surely will give me a thirty day leave before many more months pass.

The picture of Elizabeth taken at the convention didn’t look like her to me.  Who is the old gal over Robert’s right shoulder?

Dad you asked if I heard the convention over the radio.  No I didn’t but we have a little paper that keeps us posted with the news and they carried the convention in it.  Also I haven’t received the cigars as yet but they will be arriving one of these days.

The pictures of Grandfather Shawler, Mae, and you were very good.  I think that Grandfater looked well.  Perhaps he is correct and I would be helping him with his corn if I were home.  You know farming looks like a pretty good life as a matter of fact it looks better every day.

By the way I received a letter from Ada today.  They were fine except that Homer has been having the toothache and had to go to the dentist.  Ada says she is going to vote for Dewey.

Hope this finds all of you well.  Your letters have been coming through better lately.

Oh: Yes I should have some radishes out of my garden in about a week.  I’ll let you know what they taste like.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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2 July, 1944

Dear Folks:

Yesterday, I received the letter from Mrs. Carl Peterson that you were asking me about.  Dad, you gave her the wrong address.  You gave the 2^nd Def. Bn.  She enclosed your note which I am in turn sending on to you.  She wrote the letter on March 23^rd and I just received it.  I will try and answer it before long.

I wrote Aunt Ella a letter the other day and mailed her five dollars for her birthday which is this month.

Just finished reading the casulties of Saipan.  The Marines surely are bearing the brunt in the Pacific.  I’ll surely be one happy man when all of this foolishness is over and we can all return to our homes.

The fourth of July will be with us in a couple more days.  Golly! How I can remember how we used to look forward to that day.  It most generally meant picnics, then fireworks in the evening.  Guess I must be getting old the way my mind keeps wandering back to the past all the time.

Thanks for the stamps you are always enclosing.   They come in handy.

The ants are very bad this evening. They seem to want to keep crawling on my arm all the time.

Not much news but a line to let you know that I am o.k. and trust you are the same.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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23 June, 1944

Dear Folks:

Received your last letters yesterday so I will attempt to answer them today.  Dad, the pictures of you at the Memorial Day service were splendid.  Leota mailed me the picture she took of mother and you in the alley and both of you look like fashion plates.  Am always glad to get pictures.  Leota sent me a couple of her that were also excellent.

They have had me in bed for a couple of days and feeding me pills, it seems like every fifteen minutes.  I am setting up now and tomorrow I will be able to go back to active duty.  My throat was almost as bad as the time Dr. Dan took my tonsils out.  This climate no fooling is just plain hell.  Don’t worry as I am getting along swell.

Yes, I can vividly remember me taking Mary Alice and Libby home from the hospital.  It has been a long three years.  I’ll tell you and I pray there will never be another three year separating me from my family.

Maybe in another six months or so they will let me have a thirty day leave.  By golly I hope so.

Not much new but a line to say hello and I am glad you both are looking so well.  

I got the letter telling me you had received the check for the church.  Also, thank for the stamps. 

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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18 June, 1944

Dear Dad:

Today, being fathers day I will drop you a few lines.  Am enclosing some snaps with some writing on the back of the pictures.  I am only sorry that I can’t be with you on this day.  My garden continues to grow a little each day.

Received a letter from Bobby and also one from Anne.  They surely are getting to be quite the correspondents.

We have a little excitement now and then.  Just enough to keep us on our toes at all times.

Ted Lyons and I make quite a battery in soft ball.  They call us the armored division because we are so large.  We play the enlisted men quite often and they get quite a bang out of it.

Will have plenty amusing stories to tell you when I return.  When???  That is the question.  Well maybe one of these days they will surprise me and give me my orders to the states.  That will be the happiest day and the next will be when you meet me at the station.

Hope this finds you and mother in the best of health.  I am feeling o.k.  Not much news but a few lines to say hello and wish you a Happy Fathers Day.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t  L.J. McLoskey

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15 June 1944

Dear Folks:

Another month half gone and here I am still way out in the Pacific.  The war news is better every day and I do believe we really have the Axis Powers on the run.  Let’s hope we keep them that way.

You surely did do well on your investment on the house on South B.  I think you got a good deal on the way you sold it.

I believe you were wise in not buying the farm you looked at as the way the tenant sounded the lane surely had been farmed to the peak.  By the way my garden is growing lately.  I do believe that the soil it has been planted in has also been used to it’s extent of usefulness.

When Wilda returns I know you will all have a swell time.  Wish I could be with you on the picnics.

That cream you get from Charlie Brock surely does sound good.  Milk, and plenty of it is something I intend on having when the war is over.

I am glad that all the children like to come over and visit with you.  The next time I drop you a few lines I should have some pictures for you. Received a letter from Bobby which I must answer when I finish this. He must be getting to be quite a boy.

They continue to keep me quite busy but as I have said before that is the way I like it as the time goes by that much faster.

Hope this finds all of you in the best of health.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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11 June, 1944

Dear Dad:

One week from today is Father’s Day.  I am enclosing a five dollar check for you.  I only wish I could be with you to help you celebrate the occasion.

Received a letter from you and mother yesterday.  As usual I was plenty happy to hear from you.

Surely within the next twelve months they will let me return for a thirty day leave.  I am now starting on my third year overseas.

Dad, my cucumbers are really growing, that is the vine’s.  I actually believe I will get some cucumbers though one of these days.

Guess Anne and Bobby must be as busy as bee’s with school out.  Elizabeth told me that Bobby mowed their lawn the other day.  He must be getting awful large as they have such a large yard.

Not much news except I am o.k.  We have a little excitement now and then but it has mostly settled into routine and preparation for the next move.

Hope this finds you and mother in the best of health and dad to the finest dad in the world I want to say Happy Father’s Day and my God bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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8 June 1944

Dear Folks:

Am enclosing a couple of pictures of “Boot” my new dog.  He is quite the pal and is really a great deal of company to me and my men.  By golly he is also plenty smart and everybody knows him and calls him by name.  He rides the motorcycle with the Sgt and also with me in my jeep and with me on the motorcycle when I ride it.

My nose is running again.  I told the Dr. I believed I had atollitis and that a trip to Illinois would cure it.  He agreed but said the cards were stacked against me.

The garden continues to grow in spite of the insects and weather.  I hope that I have a bumper crop.

I suppose that the children are all set for their summer vacation.  I surely can remember looking forward to it when I was in school.  Also, I expect that Aunt Ella is glad to get some rest.  It must be very discouraging to her at times.

The eleventh of the month makes two years for me overseas.  I surely hope I can get home for thirty days before my 36^th month rolls around.

This isn’t a very newsy letter but I wanted all of you to know that I miss you and think of you all the time.  Hope this finds you in the best of health.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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6 June, 1944

Dear Folks:

No mail for quite a spell from you.  So, probably tomorrow it will all come in a bunch like bananas.

Well, I don’t believe I will get home in 1944 but I do have hopes of seeing you sometime in 1945.  Believe me that is the day I am living for.  Guess I won’t be cracked up to much by then.  No fooling my memory well it is just a thing of the past.

My garden is really growing.  I’ll surely know what to plant if I go to another atoll.

Hope you have received the check for the war bond by the time you get this.  Let me know when you get it.  Sometimes I sort of feel as if all my mail doesn’t reach you.  I can readily see how it would be possible.

Here it is the 6^th of June.  Another week has passed and it won’t be long again until the month has rolled by.   Believe me they can’t roll past to fast for me.

Tomorrow I must do a washing.  I believe the only clean article of clothing that I have left is one sock.  Just finished dropping Libby a few lines.

Now remember I want the two of you to start getting more rest and I hope both of you are enjoying the best of health.  I am back in the pink again.

Must close for this time and I hope tomorrow will bring me some mail from you.

All my love, 

Your son, Leo

Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey

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30 May 1944

Dear Folks:

Today I received a letter you had mailed to me on 13 April.  It was the one with the newspaper clippings in it about the primary votes.

I mailed the check today for the bond for the church.  But, as I have the duty this evening I thought I would drop you a few lines.

If Robert gets a chance how about having him take a picture of the kitchen and mail it to me.

Boy, am I ever glad that Robert won’t have to go right away.  I don’t believe men with families should be called.  However, what we think doesn’t seem to matter with the men in the White House.

Who do you think the Republican candidate’s will be for President and Vice President.  If they select the right ones I believe they might be elected.

It makes a long day when you get up at 0430 and don’t get a chance to go to bed until 1130 pm.  I won’t get off watch until 11 pm and then I have quite a spell to drive before I get to my tent and my cot.  Dad, I am afraid I’ll never want to look at a cot again when the war is over.

Am feeling o.k. and I hope that this finds all of you the same.  Now, don’t forget I want both of you to stop working so hard and get more rest.

All my love, 

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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28 May, 1944

Dear Folks:

Another Sunday and another week has passed.  At least it brings me a week closer to returning and to the ending of all this strife.

Mother, I am going to mail you a check the first of April made out to the church for you to give the minister to purchase a $25.00 war bond.  I am more than glad to give it and I agree with you that it is money well placed.  However, I would just as soon that no mention was made of the fact to the congregation as I like to do things for people without them knowing about it.

It won’t be long now until I will be starting on my twenty-fifth (25^th) month overseas and I don’t imagine I will be home until I have served at least three years overseas.  They do have plenty of officers but the don’t have plenty of seasoned field officers and if they feel they need me I am more than glad to stay to help end the war.

Glad that you received the checks.  I also sent Geneva Simmons one for her to buy the children something.  Dr. Dan and her were might good to all of us.

My garden is coming along pretty fair.  My tomato plants though I am afraid I will have to transplant.  The insects are getting to them

I can’t get over how good the pictures were that you sent to me.  They surely were swell and I was plenty glad to receive them.  You know pictures from home really cheers us up out here in the Pacific.

Thanks for the stamps you enclosed in your last letter.  They always come in handy.

I am again on my two feet and feeling much better.  Hope this finds all of you well.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t L.J. McLoskey

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