1944 Oct

            Sunday

1 October 1944

Dear Sanfords—-

I’ve have written only 7 letter today so why not add another? This is always my Sunday afternoon pastime.

How does Arlene like being a “schoolmarm”? how many pupils does she have?  one of the Lts. in this company used to teach a rural school in North Dakota.  One of the officers in this outfit said he had a sister teaching school somewhere in South Dakota and it must be Miss Leach at Valley.  His name is Robert Leach and the lucky guy just left for the States to go to school at Ft. Benning.

It looks as though Geneva got her share of ribbons and prize money at the fair.  How did she and Viola come out at the Meat Identification Contest at the State Fair?  Soon Dwane will have to start taking all the honors with some livestock.  I’ll come home and give him a few pointers and then he’ll be sure to win——You can see where the conceit is in our family. ha!

Have you seen the little wife lately? You probably know that she is staying in Sioux Falls now.

I was on Maui for a few weeks and while there I went to the top of an old volcano whose elevation is 10,052 feet.  Silver Sword flowers grow in a couple places up there.  We didn’t have time to see them because we had to walk down into the crater in order to take a look.  I don’t know what those flowers are like but they say that they grow only a couple places in the world.  We drove through clouds for about an hour and the sun was shining at the top.

We’re not working very hard over here.  I’m certainly not losing any weight and always manage to go swimming once in a while.  I have a pretty good tan but it disappears  very quickly if I don’t get out in the sun quite often.

Love,

Arnold

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U.S.S. Radford

Oct 16, 1944

Dear Geneva,

I received your letter while I was out at a rest camp so I didn’t have a chance to answer until I came back to the ship.  It really seemed good to hear from the Luther League again. I received a letter from La Vonne Olson a little while before.  Thanks so much for sending me the small  ???. I read it and studied it carefully.

Gee time sure flies doesn’t it.  I remember well when you were a sophomore, and this year or rather next year you will be graduating.  I suppose you will go to college after you finish school won’t you! That’s swell that Arlene is teaching school.  The school she is teaching in is the same school where I started the first grade.

I’ll be Marlyn Nelson is happy about a furlough.  That’s a long time to be away from home without a furlough.  I guess he just got married before left the last time.

I imagine your Dad is really busy picking corn now.  Mom said the corn was good this year I’m sure glad to hear that.

Well Geneva I’m sort of at a loss for words.  There is not much news out the way that a fellow can write about so I guess I’ll have to call this good.  Greet your Mom and Dad and Arlene for me and say hello to all those swell people at Beaver Valley.  Best of Luck to you in your school work although I know you won’t need any luck to be Valedictorian.

I remain your friend

Leland

1944 July

dated July 26, 1944

Dear Cousins,

Will try and drop you a few lines this evening to let  you know I am getting along fine.

I have a testament thank you very much for offering to get me one but I have one which I brought overseas with me .

        I visited Rome and saw quite a few things while there . I saw the Vatican City and the ruins of the old coliseum.

Rome sure is a clean city compared to the rest of the Italian cities.  

I have also visited Naples and some other towns since I have been in Italy.

Well will close for is time as news is scarce.

Your cousin,

Ernest

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Somewhere in India

Dear Geneva 

I’m sorry to have been lax in writing you and thanking you for the kind letter you wrote for me.  I really appreciated it and it was used in good stead.

India —-I am happy to say is not the country Columbus thought he had come to when he reached North America.  We’d all be very disappointed if we were living here in this country.

This country is different thats for sure —- ways of living, religion, etc.

What would you think if you went into Sioux Falls to-day and saw houses, hovel would be a better name for them, where oxen lived in the same room with the family —- over here they do just that, which also makes sanitary conditions ver bad.  Until they began to live under bore sanitary conditions there is little hope of keeping down the diseases and plagues which India is infested with always.

It seems the Indians do every thing backwards. I have twenty under me and any time there is something new they have to be shown.  It takes from three to five Indians to do as much as a G.I.

India has countless number of strange sights and places to see and even in our limited sphere we are always encountering something new and interesting.

I have entered (barefooted of course) several temples and heard the history of them and also the goddess of destruction to who the temple is dedicated.  They are really beautiful —but right next to them are these hovels —-

why they have to put the beautiful with the ugly —— the new with the old; The primitive with the modern is beyond me.  You can see cooking over open fires, eating with their hands, grinding grain and threshing rice by hand, primitive carts drawn by oxen.  Children romping around with no more clothes on than they were born with.

The monsoon will be over in about another month or so — If they aren’t I’m afraid we’ll float away.  It has rained almost every day for a long time, and many days right around the clock.

One of our Chaplain’s is from Mankato, Minn. and is a fine fellow and always has a fine sermon for us each Sunday.

Yours for a Victory.

Earle V.L.

from return address Pfc Earle V. Larson

attached 47th Depot Supply Sqdn.

1944 May

Wednesday

3 May 1944

Somewhere in the Pacific

Dear Sanfords, 

Today is our day off because we worked last Sunday.  Monday night I got your letter written on the 7th of April.  A boat load of old mail must have come in that day because I had a letter from Mom the day before which was dated April 20th.  All mail has been very irregular but they say it will straighten out soon.  I sure hope so because one day I have a letter from Dorothy written the 19th and then I get one written the 10th.

Its raining here today so I have been staying pretty close to our tent where it is nice and dry.  You would like the climate over here but I can’t say that I 

would like to spend my life here.  Anyone over here that has a camera will have some nice pictures to show to his kids after this war is over because there is plenty of scenery etc. that would make good pictures.

You mentioned that if I wanted anything I would have to request it.  You can’t buy any candy or cookies over here so if you have any laying around in the corners I’d certainly appreciate it.  I’ll put a request on a separate sheet of paper that you can use if you want.

Enlisted men may request packages up to five pounds.  Officers may be sent packages up to 70 lbs. without a request. It has to be marked ‘Officers Accessories’ on the outside.  Of course it should contain clothing or “what have you” but Dorothy is going to include some candy and cookies—at least I asked her too and I think she will comply.

You must have a smart “bunch” of kids.  Arlene must have done okay to get straight A’s and be Editor -in-Chief of the Annual.  Geneva missed the honor roll once, huh?  How about you, Dwane, are you smart too, or are you the black sheep of the family?  thanks for the card, Dwane. If Donnie was afraid of your pet lamb he’ll have to come out and see it more often so he’ll get used to it.

For entertainment around here there is a movie every other night and a few ball games but the towns or villages have very little to offer. Lately, Ive been amusing myself by playing checkers with my “tentmate”.

You have probably notices my F’s in this letter I used to make them correctly but I started writing so fast while in college that my letters went all directions because all that was necessary was that I be able to read my own notes.

A six-page letter is a masterpiece for me.  I’ll try to answer all your letters but I hope you keep writing even if you don’t get an answer.

Love,

Arnold

P.S. The request————————————

Will you please send me some cookies and candy.

Arnold B. Nelson

2nd Lt. Inf.

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V-MAIL

Dated May 28, 1944

Dear Roy, Selma and “kids”,

Another Sunday in Kauai with the sun making me a couple of shades darker every Sunday afternoon.  We go swimming quite often as everyone must be able to swim and the sun and the salt spray down on the beach really changes ones color.

I got your letter of May 12th yesterday. Sometimes the mail gets here in six or seven days but that one must have come by boat.  Dwane looks pretty good with his hair like that.  His hair is so thick that that is probably the only way he can handle it.  A lot of the fellows in this outfit have haircuts like that. On one has hair longer than 1 1/2 inches.  Arlene’s picture is also good.

You need not send your old camera because my “tentmate” has a camera and the film is fairly easy to get over here.  Pictues have to exposed and censored here.  Whats “gotten” into those kids around there (DonaldP.) If I want anything from you other than …………..unreadable……………

with love

Arnold

in the same envelop  28 May 1944

Dear Arlene,

I ran out of room in the letter to the whole family so here goes with another V-MAIL.  I see you are keeping up the honors of the family.  Keep it up.  Dorthy said she received an announcement.  She has to take one of everything on that side of the ocean.

11

In my other letter I mentioned sending “stuff” to me I don’t remember what I wrote to you before.  Clothes etc, can be sent to me as Officers accessories but I must ask for candy, cookies, etc. I should have a lot of the way because everyone says they have sent some.

It most be raining in South Dakota about as much as it rains here.  It will dry up some day so you wont get web feet.  What are they reaching those kids in school when Donald Pinney  tried what he did?  Take care of yourself.

your cousin in Kauai

Arnold

1944 March April

V -MAIL

Dated March 12, 1944  post mark Apr 2 1944  rec’d April 4, 1944 ans. April15

Dear Cousins:

I suppose you wondered why I haven’t answered you letter before but I just received it about four days ago and was glad to hear from you.

I am on the Anzio beachhead now and doing fine.  Hope you folks are all in good health.

Thank you very much for the picture I think it turned out very well.  Pictures are one thing that a soldier has room for all the time.

Harold wrote to me in April or May right after Uncle Edgar passed sway but did not receive the letter until in July but I did not know that Uncle Jim passed away.

Mail comes through pretty well now though I received letters in a bout 4 weeks.

I suppose you know my sister Lola is married and her husband is overseas and Lenore got married in December she writes pretty regular.

We get quit a bit of lifesavers and fruit drops and gum now but candy bars are very scarce I have had about five since I have been overseas.

I would like to have you send me some marshmallows if you can get them but don’t use your ration points to get them.  You can send a magazine or two also if you will.  Just show them this letter at the post office and you will be able to send it.

Well will close for this time wishing  you all the best of luck.

Your cousin

Ernest

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V MAIL   Dated Apr 17, 1944  To Geneva                  from PFC Leland Jacobson

Dear Geneva:

I received you letter of Mar 12th it is the fastest mail I’ve gotten yet.  and it is the first one of Mar I’ve received.  Thanks a lot.  I’m fine had a very bad cold for a few days.  We had a nice rain this evening.

I enjoy hearing the news of the Luther League and of the church.  I suppose it is about spring their now is it turning into summer and the rainy season now 

I bet Dwane does get a kick out of feeding the lambs I would like to beed some myself.  I bet you did have fun having the Leap Year basket socialIt seems a long time since I was home last.

I hope I get back in a couple of more years so I must go to church now, so write again and the everyone hello.

Your old Friend

Leland

1944 Jan. - Feb.

 

There were no letters for 1943

                                                        1/28/44

                                                        Friday Night

Dear Cousin Selma,

I received your letter sometime ago but didn’t have time to answer it as we were winding up our stay in Fairegut.  I intended to write you while enroute but the train rode so rough it was impossible.

I passed through S. Dak. but not near Valley Springs i don’t think anyway it was mostly during the night.

You have a very nice looking family and I hope to see you all some day if possible after the war.  At present I don’t do any travelling on my own.

It looks as tho I am writing crossways of the paper but maybe you can follow me.  

At present I am in the Nay Hospital Corps and taking my training as a Hospital Apprentice here at Sampson, N.Y.  I started on night duty last nite so at present am here on the ward writing this.  I sure am sleepy as I am not accustomed to sleeping in the day time.

I must close and would be very glad to year from you again.  I will try to write more next time.

unsigned letter  return address    George O. Holm H.A. 2/c 

George Holm was a first cousin to Grandma Selma,  his father John Holm was a brother to Selma’s dad, Bernard Nelson. The two brothers farmed together for a while then John went to Missouri.  Why they have different last names I do not know.  Their parents were Nils Petter Sanasson and Petronella Holm,  great grandfather got the name Nilson from his father -- son of Nils which became Nelson.

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V-MAIL

cannot read the date    To: Roy Sanford                                From: Ernest Sanford

  Valley Springs                           HDQ.CO. 601T.D. BN

  So. Dak.                           APO.512 ℅ PM N.Y.N.Y.

Dear Cousin:

Will try to drop you a few lines this evening to let you know I am getting along fine.

I received you most welcome letter some time ago but just didn’t seem to get around to write.

I think the package will come through all right even if you didn’t put my serial number on it.  I haven’t received it yet though.

 Time sure goes by fast here it is away out in October already.

It rains over here in France about every time you turn around.  The sun will be shining one minute and the next it will be raining.

Well I’ll close for this time as news is scarce.

Your loving cousin,

Ernest

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V-MAIL

Date on envelop Feb 26, 1944  written to Geneva Sanford  cannot read sender information

Dear Friend Geneva:

I received you letter sometime ago but I haven’t wrote sooner for I couldn’t

mail this letter and possible it won’t go out now but  you’ll get it sometime.

thanks a million for your letter and I’d enjoy getting letters from anyone in the Luther League that cares to write and I’ll answer as quick as I can.

I’ve passed through (blacked out) and I landed before (unreadable but not blacked out) in the mud and rain we had a good xmas meal as the conditions were very bad ( unreadable? are a lot of Arabs in Iran?) I’ve seen a lot of pretty country here a few camels but in a few weeks I’ll write you again and I can tell you a lot more.

I’d like to of been there and helped you get those pies New Year’s Day.  Thanks for telling me the news and write soon again.  Tell everyone hello for me also your Dad and Mom OK.

I’m o.k. feel fine but haven’t made no ratings as yet.  I’ll be back with you all soon I hope

Your Friend 

Leland

1942 Nov.

 

                                                                                     Nov. 8, 1942

Dear Mrs. Sanford,

Your card arrived late yesterday afternoon, I’m afraid just a little too  late as we had already made plans for today.  I wish we had heard a little sooner as there is nothing I would like more that to come out to visit you again.  All this happened through no fault of yours as the card would have been delivered in plenty of time had things been a little more settled.  We have just been moved to another squadron here at the base, the 808th, and as a result everything, including mail, has become quite mixed up.   

I was very pleased to hear that my mother had written you a letter so soon.  I have meant to write you ever since we were out but this is the first real opportunity to call a minute my own.

We all had a really wonderful   time at your home.  It is just the kind of a day that most of us dreamed about spending.  I wish that I was able to express just the way I feel about it but I’m afraid that is just a little beyond me.

After I had read your card I talked with the other fellows.  They would all like very much to come out again sometime.  We still have Sunday off.  However we all feel that it i asking an awful lot of you to have an invasion of four soldiers at one time and we  felt that  perhaps it might be much better for you if only two of us came at one time.  I would very much like to come out next Sunday and bring one of the others with me.  I don’t know how this would work out with you but I’d like very much to be able to take you to dinner here in town.  Perhaps you could come in town Saturday night with all your family, go to dinner with us and then we could drive out to your home with you.  We would be more than glad to sleep on the floor or anywhere.  If this were not possible, if you could tell us how to get to your place we would hitch-hike out Sunday morning.  However I hope it works out so that you can come in to town Saturday to have dinner with us as we would like very much to try in this very small way to repay you for your kindness.

I shall be hoping to hear from you soon. 

Sincerely

Bill Andrews

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                                Penns Grove, N.J.

                                Nov. 6, —42

My dear Mrs. Sanford,

How very nice of you to write to me, that you had entertained my son.  I do appreciate to so much.  Buddy wrote to me and told me what a lovely day he had spent with a family he was sorry to say he couldn’t remember your name, but he would never 

4

forget the people and how grand you were to him.  So I assume it was you.

When Buddy went into the service, it was the first time away from home except on vacation.  So it makes me very happy to know that there are people who do appreciate the boys lack of homes.  When they enter a home again they think it is a little piece of heaven.  He was so high in his praise of you, and for all the people out west. he said, “if all the people in the world were like the people he met in Sioux Falls, there just never could be any wars.” 

I really think that is quite a compliment.

We miss him so much.  I didn’t dream it could be so lonesome with one gone out of the family.  You see, I have a daughter 21, and 2 boys 12 & 15 but I guess if I had a dozen I still would miss him.  But it is something to know that he is happy in his surroundings.  I think that is half the battle.

Some day  I hope to have the pleasure of seeing the west.  We are from Michigan and Wisconsin originally.  Though we have spent 6 yrs. in the East and have seen most of it, in our travels.  I’ll always look forward to the place Buddy calls God’s Country and God’s people.

Thank you again for both Buddy and myself.

Most Sincerely

Mildred M. Allen

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                                        Wednesday, Nov.11, 1942.

Dear Mrs. Sanford:

I received your kind letter and I want to thank you for your kindness to my son Henry.  He has written to me and told me about the wonderful time he had at your home two weeks ago.  I am sure your kindness to him and the other boys is  greatly  appreciated by them, because as you realize they are a long way from 

home.  It certainly must seem good to the boys to get away from camp life once in a while.

My family and I mess Henry more than we can say and we are all looking forward to his home coming.  It seems so long since he has been away.  It is pleasing to know that he likes it out there in Sioux Falls and also that he is doing so well in his schooling.

Yes, we all hope and pray that this terrible was will be over very soon.

My family and myself want to thank you again for your kindness to Henry.

From your dear friend,

Mrs. Annie M. MacKnight

27 Liberty St.

Westerby R.I.

The war years 1942 Sept. - Oct.

 

I found a short stack of letters send to Selma and Roy and Arlene and Geneva so the next few posts will be the war letters. There are several from the Mom's of service men who were stationed at the air base in Soux Falls, Grandma and Grandpa would invite them out for Sunday dinner, these are thank you notes for their hospitality.  Some are from Roy's Cousin Ernest Sanford who served in France, Selma's nephew Arnold Nelson who served in Hawaii, Selma's cousin George Holm who served in the Pacific, and letters from Luther League boys/men written to Arlene and Geneva. I tried to put the letters in chronological order. I gave these letters to the Siouxland Herritage Museum, Old Courthouse in Sioux Falls, they are planning an exhibit about the air base. 

                                                                                                                                                                    September 27th, 1942                                                                         Sunday

Dear Mrs. Sanford,

I really must apologize for not answering your letter sooner.  Do Hope you will forgive me.  It was such a lovely letter, Mrs. Sanford, You’ll never know how good it made me feel to know that Bud (as we call him) had such and enjoyable time and a good home cooked meal at your home.  We had a letter from him a few days after I had received yours and it was so full of his trip to your place and the grand meal and his going to church.  Said he’s told everybody about the good things he had to eat so often, he can just rattle it off without thinking.  He enjoyed the church services very much although it was a bit different from our own service.  However that doesn’t matter a whole lot as long as he is able to go to church.  

I am very glad that your son is too small to be in this war and truly hope that he may never be called upon to serve in the capacity of a soldier to fight.  God willing.  My oldest boy may be called sometime in the near future.  He is married and has a small son, 2 1/2 yrs. old.  My daughter, only one I have, is engaged toa young man serving in Hawaii.

I suppose you have been quite busy with canning etc. like everyone else these days.  Well Mrs. Sanford, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Bud, and I know he can’t put into words how much it means to him.

I do hope that you will drop me a few lines whenever you find the time.  Because of your kindness, feel that I’ve known you for years.  Will be looking forward to hearing from you.

With kindest regards,

Mrs. Philip Krebs

Massillion, Ohio

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                                                                                                                     October 3, 1942

                                                             304 Williams St.

                                                             Middlesex, N. J.

Dear Mrs. Sanford,

Thank you for your very nice letter and thank you very much  for your wonderful hospitality to Myron.  His letter came the same day as yours come, and his father and I really spent that Sunday with him at your home and at church, so well did he describe it all.

The countryside is very different from ours, and the climate much colder, I think, but warm hearted people seem to be found everywhere.  I doubt if he (Myron) will ever forget, whatever the future hold for him,  all the fine food and the companionship you offered him.  

He thinks you have a “lovely family” the girls and the little boy, and you and Mr. Sanford are tops with him.

Thank you again for your real neighborliness, and very effective way of bridging the gap the new young soldier must face, the break between home and that period when he is “at home”, or as much as he can be “at home”, in the army life.

Most sincerely yours,

Sara Pratt

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                Mrs. Brookings T. Andrews  -  5 Sage Terrace  -  Scarsdale, N.Y.

                                            Post marked Oct. 31, 1942

Dear Mrs. Sanford,

Your letter was here when I came in this afternoon,  This is the Friday the 30th and your letter is post marked Oct. 28th 4.p.m. which makes South Dakota seem no too far away.

Almost every letter from William has said he hoped he’d find a “home”soon.  I think yours is it, first one he has been invited to.  It is nice of your church to invite the boys and so nice of you mothers and take our boys in.

Your boy seems so little to me.  William as you know is just twenty-two and Craig his brother is 15 but almost as big as William.

I have a troop of Girl Scouts who are eleven and at Church School I have some children as young as six but I work more with those a little older so six seems very young but it doesn’t take them long to grow up.

Perhaps William told you that I am an American Red Cross First Aid Instructor.  I nursed in the last war so this work seemed the thing I was best suited for — Sometimes I am afraid it keeps me too busy but then seems so needed just now I keep thinking it will be up but then I will go into a hospital while will probably take more time.  Both boys are pretty independent so perhaps they haven’t been too much neglected.

Thank you for what you did for my son and especially for your nice letter.

Sincerely yours

Mary Andrews

Friday evening.

July 3-5, 1939

Monday Ruby and Iva fixed our hair (Ruby has a beauty parlor)  In the afternoon we went to Aurora, while daddy spent the day at stockyards, Swifts plant and Sears Roebuck.  Mon. evening to forest preserves. 

Tuesday was so hot we just took it easy all day.  In evening to fireworks display at Wheaton, Ill. July 4th 

Lena Nelson -- Selma's mother

    Wednesday at 7:00 we started home, taking Grandma with us (she had been there 1 1/2 weeks)  We had intended to see the “Little Brown Church in the Vale” at Nashua, Iowa but it was so hot when we heard it was a 6 mile detour road we passed it up. We did drive 9 mi. out of our way near Algona  tho to West Bend, Ia. to see the “Grotto of the Redemption”, I had heard that was such a wonderful place, and it is Anyone would have to see it to appreciate it.

Had supper here at West Bend (in a beer parlor).  Was about 8:45 when we again started for home, daddy driving so when he got sleepy he stopped in a school house driveway to sleep.  The longer we sat there the less sleepy I got so after about 15-20 minutes I told Roy to take Dwane and I’d drive while he was sleeping.  Then I drove to Luverne and he drove from there home.  Got here at 1:00.  Ardys was here with Geneva and Elwin Hodne.

Grotto of the Redemption

Roy, Dwane, Geneva and Arlene

2nd trip to Chicago 1939

My Second trip to Chicago July 1, 1939

Left home at 3:30 in a new Chevee, have 80 miles on speedometer so we can’t travel very fast.  Daddy drove to Luverne, then Arlene drove there to Emmetsburg (112 miles)  Arlene would have been 13 years old. Saw yucca plants blooming in the boulevards in Emmetsburg. “ Nite crawler” signs everywhere.  Raspberry fields here too.  Daddy drove from Emmetsburg to Nora Springs (100 miles) Then I drove to Dubuque where we crossed the toll bridge over the Mississippi R. (40c) (also good for return).

Corn looked better in Iowa than it does in Illinois.  Lots of soy beans being grown.  Pretty woodsy country between Dubuque and Freeport.  Winding roads etc.  Went within 4 mi of Blackhawk Battlefield. At Galena, Ill. Gen U.S. Grant’s birthplace.  At Charles City, Ia. Dr Salisbury’s Lab.  Got to Warrenville at 10:30.  Had very little trouble finding it.

What a beautiful place Walfred and Iva have.  Such a profusion of flowers and trees of every kind.  And the nicest little home!  A person could hardly believe that things could grow so fast in three years. 

On Sunday we went to the Brookfield Zoo, had dinner along shady roadside, then to aquarium, then part of Field Museum.  Then to Garfield conservatory where we saw lots of orchids, gloxinias, bunches of bananas on tree, pineapple, sensitive plants and oh so many different tropical plants.

Walfred and Iva's house in Warrenville, Illinois

                  Roy and Selma

Iva, Walfred, Mother Lena Nelson, Roy, Dwane, Arlene, Geneva

Walfred and Dwane