Category: Letters

6 Oct 43

Dear Folks:

Received your letter of 22 September today.  I dropped you a few lines yesterday but I will write you again this evening to let you know that I think of you quite often and that my men and I are all well.

Thanks a lot for the stamps.  I can always use them.

I’ll bet that Bobby was plenty happy over his slippers and sweater.  Robert surely does have one swell family and I pray that he will never have to go into the service.

Dad you seem to be quite busy these days around the home as well as at the office.  Don’t worry about the Masterpiece as I can chew any kind, that just happened to be my favorite.

Hope you have received the pictures that I sent to you.  If they are badly crumpled take an iron and you can straighten them out or else have Long’s do it. 

The weather and insects still continue to be as bad as ever.  Perhaps we men are now spending our hell on earth.  I am very fortunate in having had as nice men as I have thus far had to command.

Not much I can tell you except don’t worry to much about me and if my prayers are answered one of these days I will be safely returned to you.  Until I write again may God bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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10/5/43

Dear Folks:

I hope you will forgive the delay of not writing to you for about a week but we all have been so darn busy I don’t know whether I am coming or going.  As I told you previously about the sleep, well I am still only averaging about four hours per night.

Surely do with I could tell you what is going on.  But, as usual I can’t.

I am wondering if you ever got the picture and the package I mailed to you with the volley ball cup and the shells mounted on the base.  One of my Sgt’s made a lamp out of a shell the other day which I probably not probably but will send to Bobby as soon as I can get around to it.  Don’t say anything to him as heaven only knows when I will be able to get it mailed.

Guess what I had last evening – corn on the cob.  My Sgt in my crew’s mother sent him six ears that she had canned.  He and I cooked them in an old tin can and did they ever taste good.  I must drop his mother a letter and thank her.

We haven’t received any mail in quite a spell but I guess it will catch up with us some day.

I am feeling ok and hope that this finds you the same.  Until I can write again may God bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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29 September 1943

Dear Folks:

Received your letters of 20 Sept 43 today and that is pretty good time.  I also got the letter you mailed from Peoria with the picture of Robert in it.

As to the picture I just mailed you, Roberts and Leota all a big picture about a week ago.  You should have it before long.  Am sorry you had to go to the expense of getting the other one enlarged but I thought I wrote and told you that I was going to send you some pictures.

The picture in the Tribune with the cocanut crabs that you sent to me I surely recognize.

Now don’t worry about sending me anything for Christmas except the chewing tobacco and if you can get Masterpiece.

Have been awful busy lately and as a result I haven’t had time to write you in the past week.  It probably won’t happen again for awhile but if you don’t hear from me you will know I am ok and that we are awful busy which we are.  Wish I could tell you what is going on but that is impossible.  Probably though before long my men and me will be going to where I was in February.  We will be taking Radio and all our stuff and you know what a job and worry that is for me.  Just like moving a circus.  Must close now.  Will try and write more often.  I feel ok except I could sleep for a week.

All my love,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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21 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Mother I am glad that you got the five dollars and again I hope you have a “Happy Birthday.”  I surely do wish I could be with you.

This morning I mailed Bobby and Anne both three dollars for their birthdays.

Honestly! I don’t need a thing for Christmas and besides I’ll tell you now that where I am going all I need is your prayers and the guidance of God.  If you want to send me anything just send me some more Masterpiece chewing tobacco.

Dad, by the sound of your letter you surely have been busy.  Now don’t overdo it.  I have found that the best policy is to take your time and things will eventually get done.  Next month I will send some more money and I will have all of it cleared up at the 2 d by the 5ht of November.  I learned the hard way and believe me I have really learned.

After awhile you might not hear from me quite so often.  Now don’t get worried if you don’t as I will write to you as often as I can.  I only wish I could tell you more.  Anyway me and my men are very very busy these days.

Oh! Yes I mailed quite a large size box to you the other day.  It was something I wanted to keep.  My men gave it to me and I think it is a very beautiful piece of work considering what they had to work with.

Hope you liked the pictures.  I have one more large one I will send you when I can get it.  

Now remember I don’t need anything for Christmas outside of what I told you.  Incidentally what do you want?  I probably will have to do the same as I did last year just send you the money.

I must close now as I have more work to do than a one armed paper hanger.

Am feeling ok and so are my men.  Hope this finds all of you in the best of health and may God Bless you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J McLoskey

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16 September 1943

Dear Folks:

I received the chewing tobacco and thanks.  Does that Masterpiece ever taste good.  Mother, I will not chew when I come home but it does taste very good to me now.  Will tell you all about it someday.

Mailed you some pictures today.  Hope you like them.  Am trying to have a larger one made for you and if I do I’ll be sure to send it to you.  I also mailed Bobby, Anne and Leota one.

Got a letter from Anne and Elizabeth today.  Was glad that Bobby got the Marine Insignias.  Libby told me he surely was proud of them.  Anne told me she got her handkerchiefs.  Hear you had quite a time getting some in for Bobby.  Was I glad he got that insignia ok.

Elizabeth was telling me that Robert might be called.  I surely can’t understand what our gov’t is thinking about.  I hope and pray he will never have to leave his family and you.

Not much news – it’s raining again and how.  Wish I could tell you more about what is going on.  Someday I’ll be able to.

Oh! Yes I am sending home a trophy my gang won.  It is mounted with something.  All you have to do is take a soft cloth and take the finger prints off them.  Mother you don’t have to clean and polish them.

Dad, I am smoking one of your cigars and I surely do want to thank you for them and the chewing.  You folks surely have been swell to me and I only hope I can repay you.

I am feeling ok and so are my men.  Hope this finds all of you in the best of health.  Drop me a line whenever you have time and until I hear or write to you again may God Bless You.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

Mother, again “Happy Birthday.”  I only wish I could be with you.

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11 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Got your letter with the National New Service thing in it.  I am enclosing it to you in this letter.  Thanks for sending it and also thank you for keeping things for me.

Guess I was just sort of feeling bad the last time I wrote.  You know on these atolls after twelve or more months at times one is actually talking to himself.

Mother I am glad that you liked the handkerchiefs.  I want all of you to know that I am thinking of you all the time.

Golly! I surely do hope that Bobby has gotten his Marine insignia by now.  Let me know if he has it.  Dad as you say maybe it was best that you didn’t take the farm at this time.  You know I am a firm believer in that all things happen for the best.  That God looks over us and knows what is best for all of us.

Radio hasn’t had her family yet so I guess perhaps the last conception date we had was wrong.  As far as I am concerned I hope she doesn’t have any more because she is now a beautiful dog and a great companion.

Hope this finds all of you ok and may God bless you all.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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7 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

I suppose that Anne and Bobby started to school today.  If only they could realize what school means to them.  The happiest days of their lives.

Mother, please send me the Shawler childrens address so that I can write them a letter.  I seemed to have misplaced the one they wrote to me and I must answer it.

Leota sent me a picture of you folks with Mary Alice, Elizabeth and Robert.  Believe me all pictures are welcome and Leota has been one swell girl to me ever since I have been overseas.

Mother, you might just as well know it will be months before I get to return unless a miracle happens.  They seem to think that I am doing a good job in this district.  Mother, if my work and what I can pass on to the men under me will help end this war I must stay out here for God, my family and my country.  You see Mother the Marine Corps doesn’t operate like the army if it did I am afraid the war would never end.

Dad, I am enclosing a letter that I received from Ed Hughes, Sec. of State.  I applied for a war ballot as I believe that the men overseas should be entitled to vote.  At least he took time out to sign it himself.

The war news has been very good here of late.  Hope and pray that it continues to be the same.  It will still be a long old trail but I know that God will see to it that the Christian people win out.

Honestly! I don’t need anything for Christmas.  You might send me some chewing tobacco.  Lets just hold out for anything else until we can all be together again.  As it now stands you folks have done far more than your share for me.  I will more than likely just have to send you money the same as I did last year.  I trust you will understand that we have no stores where I am now located.  However if I get an opportunity to get to any I will send you something so please let me know what you want.

They have been feeding me that sulfa drug for awhile but I am still on my feet and batting a thousand per cent so don’t worry about me.

Hope this finds all of you in the best of health and my God bless all of you.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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4 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Dad, your package with the cigars and candy arrived yesterday.  Thanks a great deal.  Everything in it was swell.

Mother, I see your birthday is 24 September so I am enclosing a five dollar money order for you.  It looks as if I won’t be able to get up to the H_______ before your birthday so I wanted you to get yourself something.  I want to wish you a very happy birthday and I am sorry that I can’t be with you.  Maybe next year I will be able to.  The money order is just some blanks we have.

I am feeling ok and most of my men are the same.  They took some pictures at our church service yesterday.  Hope they turn out ok.  I’ll be sure to send you some.  It will take I imagine about six weeks.  If I happen to leave the chaplain said he would forward me some.

I suppose the children are about ready to return to school.  Leota told me Anne had the mumps.  They surely do have a time.

Not much news but wanted to tell you I got the package and mother I wanted to send you the money order.

Hope this finds all of you fine.

All my love,

    Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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2 Sept 43

Dear Folks:

Received your letter dated 23 August yesterday.

I am enclosing a fifteen dollar money order to be applied to the balance at the 2^nd National.  Next month I should clear that up.

Mother you surely did have the correct hunch but as I say they cancelled it at the last moment but I expect it any time.

Received a nice letter from Mr. Scott at the Trust & Savings with the cashiers check.  I wanted to let you know that I had received it.

My goodness they evidently sent that photograph of Luker and I all over the States.  If you happen to have an extra picture I would like it to give to Luker.  He is my blitz buggy driver.

The war news continues to sound better.  Wow! Would I be happy if it ended today.  This job of training men to kill and hate sort of goes against my grain at times.  Especially, when some of the former men I had under me have been killed in action.  You wonder if you gave them all the training that you possibly could have.

Dad, as yet I haven’t received the packages but I know I will before long.  It just takes time.  The mail service has been much better though lately.

I suppose the children are getting ready for school.  Bobby should be getting his emblems before long.  He surely is the apple of his Uncles eye.

When I do leave I intend to take Radio with me.  She surely has been a wonderful companion to me.  I throw cocanuts in the water and she retrieves them to me.

Mother is it swell that you can help dad at the office.

Not a great deal of news but a few paragraphs to let you know that I am ok.

All my love,

Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

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28 August 1943

Dear Folks:

My plans have been delayed for awhile.  Can’t tell you why you will just have to wait until I am able to get home.

As to the money from the Trust Bank.  If we go where I think we are I want that with me for reasons I also cannot state in this letter.  Am sorry you are worrying so much about my financial status.  Personally, I think I have done very well.

Was sorry to hear you didn’t get the farm.  Perhaps you will be able to get one latter on.

Thanks for sending me the clipping only I don’t see how they figure it was taken at the base in Diego.  Oh well: guess it doesn’t make any difference.

How come my picture was up the Trust Bank?  I don’t get it.

So Bobby has come to the conclusion that the dark skinned gal is ok if Uncle Leo wants her.  I at least have one ardent supporter in him.  I am mailing him today some Marine Corps emblems.  He needn’t worry about her.  When you find out why I did take that trip you will realize why the picture of her and I.

Hope this finds all of you feeling ok.  I and my men are fine but I must admit a little nervous.

Am sorry that I cause you so much worry but I want you to know I love you and I hope to prove that I do know what I am doing.

All my love,

Your son, Leo

1^st Lt. L.J. McLoskey

PS What did the bank do? I haven’t heard from them. 

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