Letter from William H. Gernert to Richard T. Gernert, October 27, 1942
MLA Citation
Gernert, William Henry, 1886-1947. “Letter from William H. Gernert to Richard T. Gernert, October 27, 1942.” Digital Gallery. BGSU University Libraries, 22 Nov. 2023, digitalgallery.bgsu.edu/items/show/42491. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
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Title | Letter from William H. Gernert to Richard T. Gernert, October 27, 1942 |
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Tuesday 27th [top right] Dear Dicky [illegible] - I won't know where to write you for some time so I will sort of keep a diary till I hear from you. Mel, Mose and Bea came about 5:30 last Friday and were they only tickled to see us - and vice versus. We visisted a few minutes - had a Tom Collins; then about 6:00 we took them out to "Plain Church" for a chicken supper and did they only feed is out there - I tipped off some of my friends in the kitchen - told them who we had with us, and to load the plates with a bit of extra chicken + potatoes- they did and Old Mose was filled up. About 9:00 p.m., our [underlined] gang began to drop in and "partyed" till 2:00 a.m. Up at 9:30 a.m. - we served them ham + Eggo [unsure of capitalization] for breakfast till Mose said to Bea "no more food for me till 8:00 p.m., at least. They left at 12:30 p.m. for Tiffin to scout the Heidelberg-Mt Union game - there to go home. We gave them a picture of you and I slipped a quart of Gin in Mose's suit case. Boy, they sure idolize you, son. Mose says when any one asks what he is doing for the war, he whips out of his purse a picture of you + Pudge and says - "This is what I am doing - two [underlined x3] Boys in the Marines. Saturday afternoon was "Dads Day" out at BGU and they played and barely [underlined] beat Miami U., 7-6. I sure was carried back to "Dads Day" games that I had attended at 2 [centered] Wooster when my [underlined x2] son [underlined x2] was out there doing his bit for old coach Boles and Swigart. In a way it [illegible] a long time ago but it sure is a happy [underlined x2] memory. Saturday night to bed early. Sunday morn went to church - I had to go to the office - then loafed all day. About 6:00 p.m. The Bowmans [unsure sp] + us got in Carl Youngs car and went down to the "Secor [unsure] Grill", way out on Dorr St, Toledo, and had "Chicken-in-the-Basket." Then home to bed. Yesterday it turned cold here - below freezing so after supper last night I took the car up and had a gallon of alcohol put in. Today it is still cold. Cars steaming etc. I am wondering how Sally will get back to this country - I hope you sold the car and she comes by train - I don't like to think of her driving all that way. I am so glad you might see Pudge and of course we expected you to catch a boat some day but I wish you could have enjoyed your house, on Alabama, a bit longer. What will become of your furniture, I mean your belongings? Had a swell letter from Sally, written Oct 20th [underlined], before you knew you were sailing, she is so nice to write us, Dick. She may have some faults - who hasn't - but she is my pal. She said you + she were mad at me for sending the 5 dollars. You weren't were you, Pal? I got a great kick out of doing that - I only wish you could have enjoyed those doo-dads longer. 3. [centered ] I am writing on one [underlined] side for fear someone will censor the letter. Do they censor letters going out in the Pacific, from me to you? I know they will censor yours - at least they cut out some of Pudge's letter to his Parents. I was trying to refresh Shirley on that old "code" that Bill used to use on us - about "I left Toledo, gone 2 days and stopped to see a man at Columbus etc. Remember that one? Shirley + I couldn't quite remember it all but Bill would know all about it - cause he had so much fun working it on us, one time. The Mrs. Mustain [unsure] spent the last week end with Lieut. Mustain [unsure] at Nashville Tenn. where he is on maneuvers. They had a great time. If you wouldn't keep going farther away I could come + see you. Sometime, I will. They asked Bill (and all of them) at Kelly Island where (what post) he wanted to continue [unsure leg] his flying after "wings". 1st 2nd + 3rd choices. His first was stewart field [unsure], West Point, as an instructor [unsure leg]. 2nd Wright Field at Dayton for the more scientific side of Flying and 3rd, Selfridge Field, Michigan, for something - I forgot. He says, by the law of averages, he should get one of the three - and he would be happy for any one of them. He better never drop a sack of flour on us, eh, Sammy [unsure sp]? I'd give a five dollar bill to have him drop one on uncle Harry tho', wouldn't you? Uncle Harry would "shift his chew" and say well, well, - one of uncle Hermie's Boys, I suppose. My nickname as a kid was "Hemmy". Wish we could all [underlined twice] shove our feet under uncle Harrys Table again. Say, when you get where you go - why don't 4- [centered] you write uncle Harry and Auny Lou a funny letter. He would be tickled pink. Do it, son. Address - Mr Mrs Harry E. Gernert, Columbia Cross Roads [centered] Bradford Co., Penna. [centered] Or write to uncle Harry and mark the letter "Private" - anything "Crazy". Cause uncle Harry is a "clown", you know that. Say - don't [underlined three times] neglect to write the "Nortous" [unsure sp] ever [unsure sp] [underlined] -Wednesday Oct 27th- [centered] Your telegram came this a.m., from San Francisco. Don't know what you mean "future uncertain"? Hope it means back in the States to stay. Also got your letter written Sunday - mom read it to me over the phone. Am glad you sold the car. Did you sell it to same man you bought it from? Are you quite sure everything is OK at San Deigo - about your home - finances - etc? What did you do about the house? It is warming up a bit here today. I hope we don't have a long cold winter - It takes so much coal to pull [unsure sp] us [unsure leg]. -Friday- [centered] Got your letter from San Francisco this a.m., along with your address, so I am closing this letter to get it on the way to you. At the end of each letter [underlined x2] to you I will put a number - starting with the number "one". Then you can tell if you are receiving my letters and [underlined x2] let me know if you do. This letter will be #1. BGHS by knocked [unsure sp] of [unsure sp] by Fremont last night 33-6. It was to be expected. Our team 6 - [centered] is so light and has suffered so many injuries. we were outweighed 15 or 20 pound to the man. Mom is leaving Saturday a m at 5:26 [underlined x3] for Columbus to attend Bill Rothe's Girls announcement party. Shirley and I thought she should go. Leave it to your Brother + Pal - as soon as he learned you were going on a Boat, he (Bill) immediately wired us for your Hotel address in "Frisco" so he could "telephone" [underlined x3] Sally to come to San Antonio and [underlined] stay with Bill Mary indefinitely [underlined x2]. Thank God, my children are that way - I want them always [underlined x3] to look after each other - Shirley. too. And of course, Mom [underlined x3]. I hope Sally can [underlined x2] go to Bill Mary's. And of course she can stay with us forever [underlined x2]. Tell me as much as you can about your boat trip - how Pudge is - what your duties are - I presume you will be tied up to the 10th [underlined x3] Defense Battalion? [unsure br] Again I say to you, son-mine, sell yourself to your superior officers - Be on your toes all the time - [unsure leg] the old ball like your Pop wants you to. Alertness and hearty cooperation may help you to get a furlough quicker, so do your stuff, fellow! Also, buddy, Remember [underlined] your prayers always - Leave women alone, entirely, Gambling, too, and strong drink. Please, Pal, for Pop. Don't forget to be a gentleman [underlined] in every [underlined] sense of the word and maintain your military bearing at all [underlined x2] times. Read this [unsure leg] "diary" over and over and do all [underlined x3] the things I ask. Boy, oh Boy how I love you and how proud [underlined] I am of my Boys - It hurts sometimes Oceans of Love, son. [bottom right] from Pop [bottom right] | |
Subject | Gernert, William Henry, 1886-1947 |
Gernert, Richard Thomas, 1919-1994 | |
Gernert family | |
World War, 1939-1945 -- Ohio -- Bowling Green | |
Gernert, Lillian Forrest, 1893-1988 | |
Gernert, Eveline Schwartz Mowry, 1920-1999 | |
Gernert, William Edgar, 1917-2009 | |
Gernert, Mary Alice Hawley, 1917-2013 | |
Harley, Shirley Louise Gernert, 1925-1981 | |
Hole, Ernest Maine, 1896-1984 | |
Hole, Helen Beatrice Beeman, 1896-1978 | |
Hole, Gilbert Lee, 1919-1993 | |
Boles, Lawrence Casper, 1883-1945 | |
Swigart, John Marion, 1901-1983 | |
Bowman family | |
Young, Carl, 1897-1970 | |
Mustain, Robert Wesley, 1916-2003 | |
Mustain, Ruth Elizabeth Allen, 1917-2009 | |
Gernert, Harry E., 1881-1951 | |
Gernert, Luella K., 1883-1961 | |
Rothe, William Saxby, 1920-2009 | |
Rothe, Susan Fraher, 1920-2009 | |
Secor Grill (Toledo, Ohio) | |
United States. Marine Corps | |
Bowling Green State University -- Basketball | |
Bowling Green State University | |
College of Wooster | |
World War, 1939-1945 – Campaigns – South Pacific Ocean | |
World War, 1939-1945 -- Censorship | |
Kelly Air Force Base (Tex.) | |
Bowling Green High School (Ohio) -- Football | |
Bowling Green High School (Ohio) | |
Bowling Green (Ohio) | |
Creator | Gernert, William Henry, 1886-1947 |
Source | Gernert family letters; MS-1269; Center for Archival Collections; University Libraries; Bowling Green State University |
Date | 1942-10-27 |
Rights | |
Format | Correspondence |
application/pdf | |
Language | eng |
Identifier | ms1269_19421027 |
https://digitalgallery.bgsu.edu/items/show/42491 | |
Spatial Coverage | Bowling Green (Ohio) |
Tiffin (Ohio) | |
Nashville (Tenn.) | |
San Francisco (Calif.) | |
Kelleys Island (Ohio) | |
Bradford County (Pa.) | |
San Diego (Calif.) | |
Columbus (Ohio) | |
San Antonio (Tex.) | |
Type | Text |