Remembering Leo

September 6, 1941

4:45 pm

Dear Folks:

Today I finished my second week of “Boot” Camp and believe me I am plenty tired.  Mother I surely do know how you feel after a washing and you have my sympathy.  I just got back from scrubbing with a brush and soap and hot water for two hours.  I washed a shirt, pair a pants, pair of hose, underwear, a towel, and all of my combat equipment which consists of a bayonet cover, a cartridge belt, a canteen holder, a 1^st aid kit holder, a mess gear holder and the pack itself.  Oh: yes and a pair of legons.

Monday morning we start on a four day maneuver.  That will consist of a great deal of walking and the carrying of a combat pack on your shoulders plus your rifle.

This morning we had an examination on gas. I know I got along alright.  We also received our bayonet medals this morning.  That is the ones who made expert.  When I go out to the range I will send it home for you to look at and then you can mail it back as I have to wear it at general inspections.

Dad, I got your letter this morning and I surely am glad you and Mother are going to be able to take a trip.

You know I haven’t set in a chair since I left the train.  All we have to set on in the barracks are our locker boxes.

This afternoon I also got another shot in the arm.  That is my last one in the arm but I understand we have to take another one in the rear.

I got a letter back I mailed to you because I put on only two two cent stamps instead of three.

So far I have only one blister but it is a good one.  

Will drop you another line tomorrow.

Love to all,

Leo

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September 12, 1941

Dear Folks:

This morning was the big morning.  I am enclosing herewith my certificate.  Would like for you to get it framed and when they do have them clean it up a little.

My medal is a gold emblem on a shield & on the shield it reads for efficiency.  This medal I turn in at the end of the next four weeks.  But the certificate is mine to keep and believe me I am plenty proud of it.  I almost forgot to give the Colonel a gun salute when he pinned my medal on.  You see the Colonel stood in the front of the Platoon then the Sargent said: Private McLoskey front and center.  I put my rifle on my right shoulder and marched out to the Colonel.  He gave a speech to the Platoon while I stood at attention.  He told them he knew they had selected a good man etc. then he shook my left hand put my medal on me & then gave me the enclosed certificate.  Then I gave him another gun salute about faced & walked to my position in rank.

We had a group picture taken this afternoon.  When I can get one I’ll send it to you.

Tomorrow morning we go to the range.  We spend three weeks their.

As I was elected Honor Man I didn’t have to go on maneuvers the last two days.  I stayed at the barracks to greet the Inspecting Officer.

I’ll say one thing you surely do learn something new each day.

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.  When do you go on your trip?

Glad Aunt Vera is feeling better.  

Will write again Sunday.

Love to all,

Leo

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September 16, 1941

Time 8 pm

Dear Folks:

Received your card from Jefferson City today and I was glad to hear from you.

Am I ever tired this evening.  I didn’t know I had so many muscles that could get sore.  In shooting our rifles at the targets here at the range we have four different positions:  the sitting, the kneeling, the standing and the prone or lying down.  The lying down really gets me because you have to get your arms & elbows in such a hectic position.  But, I imagine at the end of the three weeks I will be able to get it.  Also today we fired the pistol.  It was a great deal of fun.  Am glad I have done a little hunting and thus knew something about guns.

Living here at the range is just like camping out.  It really is chilly when you first get up in the morning.

Yes, mother we are allowed to smoke but that is about all.  My pipes surely do come in handy.  I smoke a few cigars but not many.

So far I am glad I joined.  Nobody realizes just how much you learn and just how good this life is for you.  It really learns one to appreciate the simple things in life.

Out here we get up at 5:45 a.m. so we get to rest a little longer.

Last Sunday we had our church services on the lawn and it surely was beautiful.  At the close of the services we always repeat the Lords Prayer.

I do hope all of you are well and that you folks have a nice trip.

Dad, I don’t believe we will get involved in European conflict just from what I am learning here. I simply think we are going to build up a strong armed force. 

I will close for this time.  Will drop you another line later on in the week.

Love to all,

Leo

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September 17, 1941

Dear Robert, Libby and Children:

I am enclosing herewith my bayonet medal and also my Honor Man medal.  After the folks and Aunts see them be sure to mail them back to me as I must have them by October 1^st or sooner if you can.  On October 1^st we have another big inspection.

Today I fired a 45 revolver.  Didn’t do so bad – out of 25 shots I had one bulls eye and the rest in the target at a distance of 25 yards.

Now for the good part—this afternoon we had to crawl through barbed wire entanglement and what I mean crawl.  You crawl with your back to the ground and your face to the sky—quite a feat for a fat man like me.  Although now I am not quite so fat.

Libby, I am sorry to hear that your father is not doing so well.  I do hope that he will improve and rapidly.

Libby, I also received your letter today and I surely was glad to hear from you.  Yes, I do enjoy receiving letters and I also do have a little more time for writing and a little more to write about.

All we have done so far is fall into position with our rifles for firing.  If this doesn’t reduce me nothing will.

My throat has been bothering me a little the past few days.  I believe it is due mainly to the dust.

Brother, I am glad you like your new job.  Keep up the good work and maybe someday you will be Governor.

The mosquitoes are a little bad this evening.  But, the leathernecks can stand anything.

Bobby you & Anne help mother all you can in the tending and care of Mary Alice.

Love to all

Leo

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September 21, 1941

Dear Mother:

This will have to serve the purpose for a birthday card as I am unable to get one.

I do want to wish you a “Happy Birthday” and may you have many more in years to come.

Also, I wish you all the health, wealth and happiness in the coming year that one may have.

Someday I hope to repay you for all the care and pleasures you have given me in the past.

Love,

Leo

Again I wish you a Happy Birthday and I only wish I could send you more.

Dear Folks:

Well I expect you are on the highway today on your way to Monmouth.  I only wish I were with you.

It is now 9:45 am.  In a few minutes we will go to church so I will have to finish this when I get back from church.

Golly: this weather surely doesn’t seem so good to me.  It gets plenty chilly in the evening and plenty hot in the day time.  Thought I would freeze last evening.

Just got back from church services.  The Chaplain really knows how to get things across.  He surely did preach a splendid service this morning.

I mailed the group picture yesterday.  You should receive it I expect about Wednesday.

Let me know if you receive it?  Also, let me know if Elizabeth received the medals alright.

Dad I surely have been enjoying the cards and I’ll bet you and mother have been having a wonderful time.  Received a letter from Leota and she tells me mother that you now have a radio in the Plymouth.  Dad, how is the Ford running?  I know one thing it surely has a good motor in it.

All we will do this week is snap into the different shooting positions.  Then Saturday we will start firing the 30-30 caliber rifle and will shoot for a week.  All we have shot as the targets so far have been the 22 rifle placed on a 30-30 frame.  I just imagine the 30-30 will kick you a little if not placed properly against your shoulder.

Oh: yes I received a nice mess of crabs off of one of the toilet seats.  About ½ of our platoon has them.  They were all the way up in the hair of my chest.  But, I have most of them killed by now.  The medicine they gave me over at sick bay stings plenty when it is placed on your hide.  But, I’ll have to burn a little to get rid of the pesky things.

I am also going to send you another letter today but by a 3 cent stamp in reply to the Tuesday evenings club’s letter.  I surely did get a bang out of the letter.

Well I have some other letters to write today so I will close for this time.          

Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

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September 24, 1941

Dear Folks:

Well mother today is your birthday and I surely do hope that you had a very enjoyable and pleasant birthday.

Have been receiving your cards and I surely do appreciate hearing from all of you.  As a matter of fact I am saving all your letters and cards.

Believe me this is really a very rugged life out here on the range.  But, I have never felt better in my life.

Tomorrow we go to the big range to site in our rifles.  That will be at 200-300 and 500 yards.  It seems like a very long distance but with the type of site we use one can site the target pretty good.

Mother, how did you stand the trip?  I’ll bet you really had a good time.  Wish I could have been with you.

Tonite I am going to turn in early.  I mean about eight because we will be getting up about 4:30 am.

Surely do miss all of you.  Will be glad when we can all set around the table again.

You should see my complexion.  I actually am turning brown on my neck and hands.

Didn’t get a chance to write the Tuesday evening crowd last Sunday but I’ll surely get it written so you can have it next Tuesday evening.

This morning we had a very heavy fog until about ten am.  It was sort of like a heavy mist.

Hope you get rested up from your trip and are soon ready to go on another one as I think it is good for you.

Tell all the neighbors and friends hello for me.

Love to all,

Leo

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September 28, 1941

Dear Folks:

I will start this letter before I attend church and thus I’ll be able to have it almost complete and will be able to mail it this afternoon.

This morning it is very chilly and cloudy.  As a matter of fact it is so chilly I am planning on putting on my overcoat.  Washed my sweatshirt yesterday afternoon so it is not dry yet.

Well one week from today and I will be back at the base in San Diego.

Living conditions out here are a little crowded but it is fun because it is just like camping out.

All this coming week we will do nothing but fire the rifle.  That means we have to get up plenty early because we have to be out on the range by seven am.  The range is about a mile and a half walk from the tent area.

Yesterday I worked in the butts pulling targets and marking them.  It is quite a thrill to sit there and listen to those bullets sing over your head.  You can’t get hit as there is a dirt and cement barricade in front of you.

Mother, I am sorry to hear you didn’t feel so good on your trip.  Now you take care of yourself and just rest for awhile.  I know a good rest will do you good.  

Dad, I received the draft identification you gave me or sent me.  I am sort of the same opinion you are.  But the government seems to be doing funny things.

I took out $5000.00 of government insurance and when I get my policy I will send it to you.

Received a letter from Mary Dickson yesterday.  She surely is a swell girl.  She told me she would be in Monmouth today.  Wish I could be with her and see all of you.

Just got the call for church so I will finish this when I return.

What I mean the Chaplain we have can really give wonderful sermons.  This morning he talked about God and the fighting man or the man under arms.  He brought out the fact that all the great Generals were great believers in God and that it also held true in civilian life that the great leaders in life were all professed and devout Christians.

I’ll bet you will never forget the trip you had.  Hope someday we can take a nice trip together.

I now have a little washing I must do and I also must write to the Aunts today.

I surely am loosing weight but I feel much better and one surely does live a clean and regular life.  You get into habits which will be good for you the rest of your life.

Am always glad to hear from all of you.  Hope this finds all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

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October 1, 1941

Dear Folks:

Mother I received your letters today and I was surely glad to hear from you.  I am sorry you are not feeling very good and I do hope you will have a speedy recovery.

As to your questions—I think four years of this life will do me good.  It surely is learning me a good lesson and I will carry the ideals with me the rest of my life.  Gee.  I sure will have a lot to tell you when I see you.

Had a very pleasant surprise Sunday evening about 6 pm.  The Whitemans drove out here to the rifle range to see me.  We had quite a chat.  I guess they must have been glad to see me.  Sarah even grabbed me and kissed me.  They are having me up to Long Beach on my first weekend leave.  

Dad, I received the package with the medals in it OK and thanks a lot.  I also have been receiving the papers OK.

What did the Tuesday evening club think of the letter?

Well we will be leaving here this Saturday for the base.  Then about the middle of next week we will receive our scatter papers telling us where we will go.  As it looks now they are going to send me to sea school but don’t put this out for sure as I will know definitely.

This Friday we fire for record on the range.  I surely do hope I am on and have a good day.  It surely is a lot of fun firing the rifle.

Will close now as I want to get this in the mail and get it off.

Hope this find all of you feeling fine.

Love to all,

Leo

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October 5, 1941

Dear Folks:

Yesterday we moved back to San Diego to the base.  We are also living in tents here.  We parade before the Colonel Wednesday and then have our final inspection on Friday and then receive our scatter sheets.  In the parade Wednesday I carry the company flag instead of my rifle because I was Honor Man.  I have to do the manual with it the same as my rifle.

By the time you get this you probably will have read the letter I wrote Roberts in which I explained record day at the rifle range.

The Chaplain surely did deliver a good sermon this morning.  He surely does have a splendid way in putting his point over.

Dad, I get the Pathfinders and the front Rank and I surely do appreciate them.  Surely is some good reading material in both of them.

Our Sargent’s father died Friday morning.  I surely do feel sorry for him.  His father was 62 years of age and dropped dead from heart failure while on his way to work.

We had white rabbit for chow today noon.  It surely was good.

This afternoon I washed my clothes.  All this week they will be inspected every day.

Oh: yes, they had me fill out a publicity sheet today.  So maybe it will be in the local paper one of these days.

Tonight I must shine my cap visor, shoes & belt.  As soon as I get out I will have a picture taken to send you.

You know this Marine life isn’t so bad.  You get three meals a day, your clothes and a place to sleep.  Since I have been into it for awhile I believe every male citizen should have to serve one day, I mean one term.  Some fellows are in my tent talking and I get mixed up once in awhile.

Mother, I hope you are feeling much better and you be sure to take good care of yourself.

Drop me a line whenever you have time!  I always am glad to receive mail from all of you.

Love to all,

                                        Leo

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22 October 41

Time 2030

Quarters Tents

Weather Rain

Dear Folks:

Received my clothes and suitcase o.k. and thanks very much.  I want to especially thank you for the candy, gum and new hose.  You don’t realize how greatly I appreciate them.

Dad you ask about my pay.  Well I now get $21.00 per month less 20 cents per month for hospital care (including dental work, operations, etc.) less $3.55 per month for insurance.  I am enclosing my policy.  It is for $5,000 and I have named you folks as the beneficiaries.  So I now receive a total of $21.00 less $3.75 or $17.25 per month.  At the end of four months my pay goes up to $30.00 per month.  Then you get raises as you increase your rank.  A pfc or a private first class gets $36.00 per month a corporal $54.00 a seargent $80.00 and on up the scale.  At the end of my first eight months at the rate I am now going I should be making $54.00 per month.

Talk about rain—you have never seen any rain in Illinois.  It has been raining almost steady here for a period of 72 hours or ever since Monday.  You will get a laugh out of this—I have gone back to kerosene heat.  It is so chilly we have a kerosene stove going in our tent and also one in the tent we use for an office.

This evening I shined my civilian shoes, my dress marine shoes, my belt and saddle soaped the bag you sent my clothes in.

Oh!  The term they use in the Marines for your bed or bunk is “fart sack.”  The top Seargent told me to go see if the Captain was in his “fart sack” today and I had to ask him what “fart sack” meant?

Mother, I am doing office work only my office is a tent and with my office work I also have other duties.

Am always glad to receive mail from home and Dad thanks for the papers and magazines.

This life is surely a rugged one but I am enjoying it very much.  Haven’t seen any drunkenness or gambling here.  As a matter of fact they put those that do in solitary confinement.  That is one thing the Commanding General of the Camp here does not permit.

Am glad the Tuesday evening crowd enjoyed the letter.  I will drop them another one before long.

Will be seeing the Whitemans this week end–will be glad to see them.

Write whenever you have time.  Hope all of you are in the best of health.

Love to all,

Leo

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