Category: Letters

April 24, 1944

Monmouth, Ill.

Dear Uncle Leo,

I got your letter just this morning and I am answering it before I go back to school.

You needn’t spend any of your time worrying about whether we will remember you as of course we know exactly what you look like. As for Mary Alice, she recognizes you in every picture and I think and I think she would know you if she met you on the street.

I am glad you thought the picture of the puppy was cute and I hope you like this “pose.” (on the front page)

We have gotten our report cards again and I have still got all “ones.” Bobby has another “one” and so now he has a 1 in spelling and a 1 in reading.

Thank you very much for the “Ten Yen”. I took it to school and the kids were all very interested and jealous of Anne and Bobby. “They have some real live Jap money.”

Any time you want me to cook you a meal when you get back I will cook meals for you till you can’t hold any more.

Last week our teacher’s husband was home so she didn’t teach. Mrs Dave McCrery taught us for the whole week and we thought she was a very nice teacher.

All yesterday afternoon and last night Dad, Mom, and I worked a big jig-saw puzzle. Mother had to go away at 8:00 P.M. in the evening so Daddy and I finished it on the dot of 9:00 P.M.

Hope you are fine and dandy. Everyone back here is O.K. Thanks for the letter. We are always glad to hear whatever we can from our adored Uncle Leo.

Love from All, Anne.

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4/22/44

Dear Folks:

By the newspaper clipping and picture of Galbaugh he surely hasn’t changed any.  He still looks the same.  Ted Lyons the Chicago White Sox pitcher came in to see me yesterday.  He used to live at the Brevaart we had quite a session.  I showed him the picture of Galbaugh.  Ted is a Captain in the Marine Corps.  Yesterday, I also got a letter from Ada.  She is still the same.

I was glad to see Wilkie get defeated.  At least the state primary’s show they don’t want him.  He surely will never get any votes from Marines or the men in uniform.

My cold is somewhat better.  All I need is a trip home and that I know would cure my ills.  It also would cure the ills of thousands like me.  Maybe one of these days they will come to my name.

How is the kitchen coming along?  It surely must be completed by now.  I’ll bet you are glad that it is.

Not much news but I wanted to let you know that I am ok and thinking of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey

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18 April 1944

Dear Folks & All:

It is now 2:10 am so I will scribble off a few lines to you to let you know I am ok.  I will be relieved from the battalion duty at 3 am.  This makes a pretty long day for me.

I still have the sniffles.  Guess my vitamin tablets don’t seem to be doing me much good.

Hope that your kitchen is all finished upon your receipt of this letter.  I know it will look swell.

By golly: I just don’t know when I will be relieved so that I can get a thirty day leave.  It sort of looks now as if we have the Jap’s on the run and that they are going to keep us seasoned field officers out here on duty.  I know one thing and that is that I will be plenty happy when this whole affair is over with.

These damn pesky flies are about to drive me batty this evening.  They seem to particularly delight in landing on my bald spot.  Guess there isn’t much I can do about it.

I got a letter from Robert and Bobby today.  Bobby said he was writing the letter from grandpa Jack’s office.  Robert really hit the nail on the head when he said he guess lonely Marines loved to receive mail.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine and may God bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey

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April 14, 1944

Dear Folks & All:

Received your letter of March 29, 1944 yesterday.  Wish I could have been along with you and Everetts when you went out to Grandfather Shawlers.

It just doesn’t seem possible that you could be having such bad weather when I am setting here in my shirt sleeves and the sweat rolling off o me.  Boy oh boy! Could I ever use some of that cold weather.

Dad, I hear you are having quite a time with your fence.  Guess we will just have to post a couple of Marines with fixed bayonets.

Hope they are coming along better with the kitchen. Once they get started they probably will go pretty fast.

Mother, our washing problem is quite a headache here.  I finally got myself a washing machine built.  I will try and get a picture of it to send you.  Washing my clothes in the cement mixer didn’t turn out so good.

Am anxious to find out how Robert made out on his physical exam.  I pray every evening that he won’t have to leave you and his family.

Looks as if Franz Ahlstrand got himself a pretty good job.  The way everybody is going wild I believe things are going to be in one hell of a mess when the war is over.  Looks to me like people who own real property will be the ones that are going to make out ok.

Got a letter from Martin Sorensen the other day which I will answer when I have time.  I didn’t know that he had been in Washington, D.C.

I dropped the Sec of State of Illinois a letter the other day telling him that the men in the service didn’t think much of the way they had been deprived the right to vote.  I had applied for a state ballot and they sent me a letter about two weeks too late telling me I had to declare my party affiliation.  I didn’t mind telling him in my reply that I was a Republican.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.  Don’t worry about me.  I am ok.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey

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April 9, 1944

Dear Folks & All:

Got your letters mailed March 23, 1944 yesterday.  I will check in to my insurance.  Thanks for enclosing the clipping.  However, I am positive that I made out the “N” type allotment card.

It is now 3:30 am and I have the Bn Duty watch until 0715 or 7:15 am.  You can see why I am loosing some weight.  Not much sleep, and the food not the best in the world.

You tell Henry Johnson that although I have been out of the mainland quite awhile that these women don’t look white to me yet.  The saying in our battalion is that they look whiter every day.

Today is Easter.  Perhaps next year I’ll be able to go to church with you.  At least I hope and pray each day that this conflict will soon be over.

Surely do hate to hear about Allan McCaslins wife.  Do hope that the reports of the Dr.’s concerning her are all wrong.

I also received a letter from Anne yesterday which I will have to answer.

Mrs. Dan Frain wrote me a very interesting letter.  You know Dan and Jean are adopting a baby and Jean tells me that Dan is rather excited about the whole affair.  Dad will make a good father.  They still have “Mickey” the dog.  I’ll never forget the night you brought Mickey to Chicago for them.

Hope this finds all of you feeling ok.  Don’t worry about me.  I am feeling 1000 percent.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey

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4/6/44

Dear Folks & All:

It is now 12:20 am and as nothing exciting has happened thus far I will drop you a few lines.

I have the battalion duty from midnight until three am.  The pesky flies are just about to drive me mad.

The 16^th of this month is your wedding anniversary and again I want to wish you a very happy one and many more.  Surely do wish that I could spend it with you.  Maybe, the next one I will be able to be with you.

If only I could be with you and all the rest of the family for a few hours.  I’ll admit that I am plenty homesick to see all of you.

This paper will probably be a little dirty, it is because I just finished fixing a generator before I came on duty.  Yes, believe it or not, but your son has become quite a mechanic.

Dad, I surely could use (and the gov’t also) some of your retreading business.  Golly! I have so much to talk over with all of you.

Hope the finds all of you feeling ok and that you and Roberts are now getting my letters.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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4 April, 1944

Dear Folks:

I got your letter today that you mailed 21 Feb, 1944.  So you can se that the mail is sort of mixed up.  Anyway I am always glad to hear from you.  In case I didn’t tell you I did get the college calendar and thanks for sending it.

As yet I haven’t received the birthday box but don’t worry about it as it will be along one of these days.

I can’t understand why Roberts haven’t been getting my mail.  I have been writing.  They surely will get them eventually.  Let me know if you get the Japanese money that I sent you. 

Got a letter from Hazel Sorensen and she tells me that her nephew Jack is home on leave.  I’ll bet they were glad to see him.

Surely is too bad about Allan McCaslin’s wife.  Hope they are wrong on her diagnosis.

Had to leave Radio when I left as she was pregnant again.  She surely was quite a gal.  Got a letter from the officer I left her with and she again had a large litter.  My dog that I brought with me this trip is named “Boot.”  Will send you a picture of him one of these day’s.  He is quite a dog and as you will note a male, so I won’t have the trouble with “Boot” that I had with “Radio.”

As I have the watch at the C.P. I just finished dropping the Aunts and Roberts a letter.  It keeps me on the go all the time with all the duties I have.

Robert tells me that you took Bobby to the high school to hear Lynn Waldorf.  Sort of getting Bobby football minded young aren’t you?  I’ll bet he will make a good athlete as he is plenty smart and fast.

Hope this finds you all in the best of health.  My sore throat is all gone and I am again back to par.

The ants are also very pesky here.  They are the large red variety.  The fly’s are also very large.  We call them bull fly’s.

Give my regards to all the neighbors.  Sounds as if you still have plenty of laughs in the neighborhood.  Maybe you think I am not dreaming of the day when I can laugh with you. 

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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April 2, 1944

Dear Folks & All:

Here it is another Sunday.  Another week has past and another month gone.  In another month you will again be getting out the lawn furniture and mowing the grass.

I got Mrs. Dickson’s package yesterday and it contained several good items of chow.  My tent mate and I ate half of them last evening.  As yet I haven’t gotten your box but don’t worry it will be arriving one of these day’s.  The mail has been slightly fouled up.

At the present time I have the duty at the Bn. C.P.  Will get off about six this evening.  It is now about one pm and I started at noon.  Each day they seem to add more and more on my duties but as I have said before I don’t mind as I am so darn busy all the time that time goes very rapidly.

Just finished dropping Homer and Ada a few lines and I also enclosed some pictures.  As I told Ada I can hear her and mother laughing now.  The day is coming when we will all be together again.

Hope you have a swell wedding anniversary. I’ll be thinking of you.  

Haven’t seen Bozz Hay’s in quite a spell.  Guess he is getting along ok.  

Got your letter of March 13^th yesterday.  That was pretty good time.  The picture you sent in the newspaper I am afraid wasn’t me.  Am sorry I can’t write you more but as I have said before it is impossible.  Men who are writing and giving their location are not abiding by the rules of censorship and the censor letting it go through is not doing his job.  I will always tell you whatever the rules permit.

Keep on writing as I love to hear from you.  I miss all of you.

All my love,

Your son,

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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March 29, 1944

Dear Folks:

As April the sixteenth is your thirty eighth wedding anniversary I am now enclosing a check for you to do with as you see fit.  I only wish that I could spend it with you.  Hope you have a pleasant day and many more of them.  I envy both of you.  Who know’s, perhaps somebody will marry me when the war is over.

I have had a rather severe throat the past two day’s.  The doc has some fancy name for it but I believe I have been smoking perhaps a little to much.  We have been rather busy lately and with long hours my chewing and smoking help me keep awake.

Hope my letters have been getting to you sooner than I receive yours.  However, considering every thing I do believe we are fortunate that we get mail as often as we do.

Maybe they will decide to send some of us home before long in order that we won’t become as the Marines put it: “rock happy.”  That is one with a stare in their eyes and a far away look from being on an atoll too long.

Don’t worry about me as I am ok and hope this finds all of you batting a thousand per cent.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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March 27, 1944

Dear Folks:

The time surely does go very rapidly.  It must be because I am so darn busy.  I see the last time I dropped you a letter was March the twenty second.

I pray each evening that all of you are well and that they will send me home for a leave before many more months are gone.

This evening I am plenty tired and sleepy but I wanted to say hello to all of you before I took my bucket bath and retired.  If only I could stop in for a short visit with all of you.  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

I got four letters from Libby today dating all the way back to Feb 17, 1944.  She surely does write one swell letter.  Believe me Robert was one lucky fellow when he got Libby.

Wow!  Surprise! Surprise! The man from the message center just left and he had two letters from you people.  They were dated March 8, 1944 and March 9, 1944.  It is now almost nine o’clock (pm) but this corporal told me he brought me the mail because he figured it was from my family and because I was always looking out for the men.  It really made me feel very good as a matter of fact so good that tears came to my eyes.  Yes Mother, Marines I do believe are tough in name and physically only.  Their hearts are the same as any other individuals.

The plans for the kitchen look very good.  I know both of you will like it.  Thanks, dad for the Veteran of Foreign Wars card and for paying the dues.  Also, thanks for the stamps.

I have so many things I could tell all of you but I simply cannot write.  By golly! We will have a big celebration when I do return.

Am enclosing a couple more snap shots.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

Captain L.J. McLoskey

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