To fulfill this assignment, I'll write an imaginary letter from my Uncle Bill to his mother. Uncle Bill was killed aboard the U.S.S. Selfridge at the Battle of Vella Lavella in waters near the Solomon Islands in October, 1943.
September, 1943
Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean
Dear Mama,
Our days out here are pretty long. Nothing much to do. I help keep this old tub runnin, but a lot the time I sit around and make jokes with the boys and we play lots of cards. Sometimes it don't even seem like we are in a war. I'll tell you one thing; I get mighty tired of these engines bein so loud. All the time. Never heard anything like it. You'd think I'd get used to it. Never do.
I think about you everyday. I hope Ray and Harry aren't bein smart mouths. You keepin those boys chasin Ruth off the porch. I'll bet she's gettin pretty.
Last night the boys asked me to sing for them. I was down doin my job keepin this ship runnin right and I started singin Maria Elena, my ole favorite. I didn't think anyone could hear me, over them engines the way they make so much racket but just my luck I got carried away on that last part "A love like mine is great enough for two.To share this love is really all is ask of you." and a couple of the boys heard me and so they want me to sing for them during mess.
Anything to help the time pass, I guess.
Sure do miss the Y. I think about scoring that 300 game. Guess I shouldn't brag. You were proud of me. Meant a lot.
Well guess I ought to stop yammerin so much. Sure miss Kellogg. I haven't met no one like Kellogg people on this big old ship. I thought people were the same everywhere. I learned different. I can't wait to get back and go with the old crew out to 3 Toots.
I love you, Mama. Keep writin' to me. Means a lot.
And don't worry. I hear we'll be helpin out some other ships here pretty soon at somewhere called the Solomon Islands. Never heard of em. I hear we have the enemy on their heels so maybe we can in there do our business and get out real fast. Somethins gotta go fast out here.
I just wanna come home.
Your loving son,
Bill
PS They gave us picture of this old tin can the other day to send home. Pretty good size old gal, huh.
Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean
Dear Mama,
Our days out here are pretty long. Nothing much to do. I help keep this old tub runnin, but a lot the time I sit around and make jokes with the boys and we play lots of cards. Sometimes it don't even seem like we are in a war. I'll tell you one thing; I get mighty tired of these engines bein so loud. All the time. Never heard anything like it. You'd think I'd get used to it. Never do.
I think about you everyday. I hope Ray and Harry aren't bein smart mouths. You keepin those boys chasin Ruth off the porch. I'll bet she's gettin pretty.
Last night the boys asked me to sing for them. I was down doin my job keepin this ship runnin right and I started singin Maria Elena, my ole favorite. I didn't think anyone could hear me, over them engines the way they make so much racket but just my luck I got carried away on that last part "A love like mine is great enough for two.To share this love is really all is ask of you." and a couple of the boys heard me and so they want me to sing for them during mess.
Anything to help the time pass, I guess.
Sure do miss the Y. I think about scoring that 300 game. Guess I shouldn't brag. You were proud of me. Meant a lot.
Well guess I ought to stop yammerin so much. Sure miss Kellogg. I haven't met no one like Kellogg people on this big old ship. I thought people were the same everywhere. I learned different. I can't wait to get back and go with the old crew out to 3 Toots.
I love you, Mama. Keep writin' to me. Means a lot.
And don't worry. I hear we'll be helpin out some other ships here pretty soon at somewhere called the Solomon Islands. Never heard of em. I hear we have the enemy on their heels so maybe we can in there do our business and get out real fast. Somethins gotta go fast out here.
I just wanna come home.
Your loving son,
Bill
PS They gave us picture of this old tin can the other day to send home. Pretty good size old gal, huh.
2 comments:
Your Uncle was a handsom man.
:)
It was nice to read Raymond Pert's imagined September 1943 letter from his Uncle Bill to his mother.
Since I am one of the few people in the world who use to hear Bill sing Maria Elena almost daily, it was nice to see that he still sang it in the Navy.
I have copied the letter and am sending it to Bill's brothr Harry in Boise.
Of course, the last paragraph is particularly saddening -- since we know that is where he died in battle!
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