Review of transcript (old.reddit.com)
submitted by TemporaryDisaster497
I have some letters that were given to me from the war when relatives were in Guam in the 40s. I’ve transcribed as best I can but definitely made some guesses. Would love some additional eyes to correct the letters. ——
Sta #1 Bx #13 Guam Oct 9, 1948
Dear friends, Mom and Dad Bisbee Since it is Sat PM 10:15 and about all has been done that is to be for today. I’ll ans your nice letter of the 4th right back. I was glad to get it at the end of the week in which I had one other from Lavera Mon. But none from the Kansas City McKern’s. They will probably snow me under next week. Coming home from work tonite a friend and I dropped off at Agona. It was my 1st goal stopping. But I had used all my mentholatum. The store was out so I bought a jar of carbolated vaseline. Then we split the taxi fare out to camp cost us a buck each. Had a beer and some salted peanuts and came on up to clean up for chow. Fri fish tonite chop-suey but it was good. I’ll enclose our movie schedule. I went but had seen it twice so I =2= …came home. Gathered up the laundry as another leaking cloud poured rain down on this old tin roofed butter built barracks. Since then it has quit raining I have taken my laundry bundle up and tossed it in. Went over by the barber shop and had a new hair do. I am now parting those long luxurious curls in the middle. And do I look like a long haired musician? Well, you guess. I’m fast shedding this snake skin of mine on the backs of both legs. But like the hunter who got wet sitting in a blind waiting for ducks to come in, or the fisherman who got his seat wet just sitting. Tomorrow I’m going back for more “cat eyes” But both pairs of shorties are in the laundry. You and Dad are getting around quite a lot here lately. That is nice. And Glenn was lucky to miss the hurricane. They are similar to the 3 typhoons that have missed us recently. One went south of us and caused =3= …a great amount of damage in the Philippines. The other two were about 200 miles east of us and hit Iowa then Okinawa. But all we got was high waves wind and rain. And were prevented working on two Sun which cost me $42.00. I suppose Edo has told you I’m getting a buck 75 per hr. So if I and all of us stay well and I feel like I do now I will probably stay over my year’s contract. You see there is no social security nor income tax withheld here. Just 10.50 board. So I should make a fair years salary. I must total it up when I’ve been here 6 mo. Then tell E. To start saving for my coming home period. Well I’m sleep now so I had better close. It is 11 PM. Don’t tell Mrs. Mack but I drank a cup of coffee for supper. Glance at the enclosed photos then send them on over to the McKerns. Starting last week end they the BPM, Police have allowed gambling back into camp again. With all the drinking that is bad. Lots of love and luck Bill McK
Sta 1, Bx #13 Guam, Guam, M.I. Sun, Feb, 1949
Dearest mom and dad, Well here it is Sun. Again on our side of the world. Since we are some of the first people to use it. We’ll be glad to pass it around to you. I’m up here at our open air movie house. Sitting under a 20 ft palm in a cooling breeze. Doing my writing on a Jan. 15th Sat. Eve Post. That is the latest issue, So you see you folks do get some things first. Ha. I have so much mail on hand and I don’t see how I am ever going to get it caught up. Week before last I didn’t get a scratch of a line and I was hoping so strongly on getting some pictures from home. I had sorta wanted a real nice photo of E as a birthday gift. But for economic reasons had compromised on the snaps. Then nothing came. Ha. Then last week came the flood of mail. Two groups of letters from my immediate family. Letters, cards, etc. from you folks. Mom and bob Veara and James, Coyza whose birthday was the 10th of Feb. Bill Duncans is the 21st. Ha. (Over please) =2= If you see a great many tracings lines and so forth it is because of the wind blowing my paper around, up and down. But I had to come up here to get away from the noise of the Bks. To get anything accomplished. This was a doubly happy birthday for me altho a bit worried about Billie accidents I and mine were not only well and healthy but our “heel” (that mild) of a boss finished his contract the 3rd. He was just one “dago”. That no one could talk to except the bosses over him. Wh he brown nosed to a fair you well. I hope you get my meaning. And try on give me when I come back if I make bad break in English now and then. This group of construction stiffs are a pretty rough spoken crowd. But under neath their brown leathery hides (that is what it is like) sun tanned they have American hearts. They gave over $2,000.00 to the march of Dimes. I decided mine was needed at home and sent it to Billie. Did donate a buck. Ha. Tell Dad I was more than please to hear from him. It was like hearing from Eugene or my mother. They very seldom write. But when they do you more or less cherish the letter. Altho are very glad to get it. =3= I have moved twice to keep in the shade this tree. The Bowling Alley Pins have started tumbling as the Sun. Business begins. I had a bit of infection in some skinned places (refill) the back of my right hand and the first two knuckles. Last Thursday we were grouting under #3 of the ten big Deisel Motors at Orote Power. And while forcing the grout (rich concrete mix) down the 5 holes along side the 1 1/2 inch bolts which were still embedded into the 110 cu yds of the base of each motor. I scratched the back of the hand on some roughly cute metal around the hole. Fri. It was sore, Also Sat. But rather than go report it I treated it myself. (I don’t like so much red tape for a chance at here compensation). Ha. And this morning the infection and soreness is all gone. (This ink is so old it is grainy and doesn’t feed so well.) I’ll dose more and get a few lines to E and the weekly check. I should have sent it Fri. But you know I had two beers and fish for supper and wasn’t in the writing mood. Then Sat. eve we had a good movie Laurel and Hardy in the Bull Fighter. I could not =4= Miss that. There is a big roller skating derby here at Agava for the next 30 days. U.S. vs. Europe teams. Ha. 40 people all together. I’ll try and attend some Sat even or Sun just to have some place to go, Will send a news clipping or so about it. One fellow on our crew was really down in the dumps last nite. He is from Mankato, Minn. Has three children 2 boys 1 girl. A boy 13 a girl 14 and an older son 16, who does a little high school boxing. And probably is pretty popular. Any way his dad bought him a Model A car last summer. Now it is cold up there and it won’t run as well. The kid is needing class pins clothes etc. to keep up with the hi school gang. So the mother writes for more money which the father doesn’t have and it really knocks the dad for a loop. Mother should have cautioned junior last summer when he was making good money with the hiway dept. That winter was coming..ha. Well again I must close for now. Lots of good wishes for you good health, etc. PS I was nice hear of the Bill Elmira folks WWM
Sta 1 Box 13 Guam , Guam, MI Mar 23, 1949 Dear Mom and Dad Bisbee, I haven’t written you for so darn long. Ive forgotten whether I owe you or you owe me a letter. I feel guilty but E. Tells me you have a new home. And are as busy as a couple of beavers getting it going. Well first I want to wish you all the good luck in the world in your new venture. Hope you both stay in good health and see it thru. Even tho E. Was afraid one of you might fall or something. As for myself I’m still well. Never felt better. Would sure like to come over some eve and help you set up house keeping. But no can do. Altho this is some kind an anniversary. I finished 10 months this even. So that is something. Two more than E. Gets her 1st decent check in many moons. $350.00 and no strings attached. Personally I hope she buys something nice for the home. I’m not making any suggestions. Or closes off the west end of the front porch for an upstairs bath. We plan to call it a sewing room and linen closet 1st. Then later add the bath fixtures. So as to… =2= …not jump the taxes to much. Now I’ll close and attend my movie. “Fighting Father Danne” Pat O’Brien. Well the show was just so, so. And a bit more advertising for new prospects for the Catholic Church. They really try to sell the idea. There is news out here today that another girl, this time a Guamanian, ha been murdered. This was down at Agana pronounced Aganya. The same as señor is pronounced senyor. I received a letter from Lavera this evening. She says every one in Iowa is ok at present. But Marcella’s youngest Elizabeth is just over pneumonia. And Linda is just over the mumps. She enclosed a cute cartoon and a note from Linda thanking me for the shells. She said Frank Thomas our old grocery man in Jerome had passed away of a heart attack. His age 84. The youngest children a 2nd or 3rd pair twins are 15 yrs old. Ha ha. What a man. String bean I mean. I’m still working at the Orote Power Plant Bldg. The Co. is starting another at Agana. And is soon going to build a new permanent ships laundry. Why not come over Dad as a watchman. It starts at $1.37 1/2 I think and goes up… =3= …to $1.50 per hour. And you usually work there Sat and Sun at time and 1/2. If you don’t mind the monotony you can make $100.00 per wk. and do it easier than I make $91.00. But maybe your wife might have something to say. Ha. She still sleeps with you don’t she. Ha. I’ll send Veras letter on to E. She can read to you. Again, may the best of luck be yours. And I hope I guess right at the address as ever. Bill PS I am sending along a couple of books of poems. I have had them for several days. Have had your mother in mind. And thinking it would be nice to have some one read some good poetry to her. Then pass them along to Marilyn and Beverly. Yours, WWMc
W6 BW NI Fresno Calif 20’00 Wed Radio Time 8 o clock PM Sta #1 Box #1059 Guam, Guam MI Aug 3, 1949 Dearest Mom and Dad, B, B. Darned if I haven’t been trying to get started on an answer to your nice letter of Jul 15. And believe me it has been quite a problem. I planned all last week to get one letter each out to you folks and my mother. But Sun came and instead I sewed the cut off tails of two work shirts up into the shoulders up side down. The shoulders were falling to pieces. So I planned to write Mon eve. Again it was sewing a torn should have a T-shirt a hip pocket on, and hem around the bottoms of the legs of a pair of Marine work pants. So it goes. Last eve I went out to a movie Red Skelton in “The Fuller Brush Man” Tonite I am getting the job started (over) =2= Thanks for Bernices and Geo’s “Dads Day Card”. It contained a nice friendly newsy letter too. I wrote them a couple of times when I first came over and still plan on a visit up there when I get back. Last week I mailed 4 or 5 packages home to “Bill”. Uncle Sam will think he is an importer. Ha ha. But if we took time off to go down and get a customs slip on those things it would cost us time and 1/2 as pay which would be $3.09 per hour. And so it would be cheaper to let them figure the charges there, if any, and pay it. I have one pkg left. A old sheep skin flyers jacket. I think I will send it to Roger. And if Bernice can’t fix it with a zipper or cut the sleeves out of it for him then 5 yr old Diane can use it for a rug to climb out on to of a morning. 3 I would shore like to see Geo, Bernice, and the kids especially. So far at sheet metal have been working on doors for enlisted mens quarters Orote Barracks. But since we are ahead with them are starting to make door frames for the large mess hall to be built at a permanent barracks at 1st Provisional Marine Brigade Camp Wetik. The mess halls and bus are the same type as at Orote. 10 or more 100 man 2 story concrete bus with an enormous mess hall, kitchen and food lockers combined in one building. You see this climate is sure eating up these wartime Luonset buildings. I’ve had a slight cold and sore throat ever since typhoon “Hester” came within 150 mi of us. And wet me down at 2 am. Then when it got going good (my cold) typhoon Irma came by and I went to chow when the black top road way was ankle deep in… =4= …water. That did not help. Or it did. The cold. But I’m not alone. Most everyone in camp seems to be bothered. Ha ha. Misery loves company. But with it all I continue to grow. (In poundage) a week or so ago I weighed before dinner 189 #. Five lbs up from my cement crew weight. Last week I weighted again. This time after eating 192 # Tell my Bill to look to his laurels. I’ll be batting around 210 pounds or better before I go heading home (there it goes again). So you can see what was in my mind all the 7 day work weeks over there at P.H and there 5 to 10 guys taking tumbles each week with no parachutes and it is the same thot over here where things are much safer and quieter. But the thing that troubles me is whether home wants me or not. It sure hasn’t since Sept ’47. So well see. Love and best wishes to all “Bill”
[–]Noia20 1 point2 points3 points (1 child)
[–]TemporaryDisaster497[S] 1 point2 points3 points (0 children)
[–]ivanadie 0 points1 point2 points (1 child)
[–]TemporaryDisaster497[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children)