April 16, [1943?] Lois Shepard to Dick & Dad

On December 12, 2016December 12, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This is Lois Shaw Shepard, wife of William A. Shepard (my grandparents), writing to her parent’s-in-law back in Ohio…

4316315383_b886475c51_z

April 16, [1943]

Dear Dick & Dad

Bill left this morning for Redman, Oreg. & won’t be back till tomorrow nite. Then Monday he goes to Walla Walla, Wash. for a few days. Busy guy. K. W. & I’m here outside playing. The weather is always so nice & it is so nice that they can get out.

I received your letter of the 14th today. Glad to hear from you. Was surprised to hear about Herman. I hadn’t hardly thot of him going I guess. What is Ruth planning to do? So many are going I guess it is only to be expected.

I really should get busy & clean house. Also wash my hair. Then I have to call the electric company to 4317052338_999e828a64_z

2
fix my stove. I turned the oven off the other day and it doesn’t come on any more. So I can’t bake. And I want to make mince meat pie.

Evelyn is taking the kids pictures in Bill’s helmet & gas mask. They think it is fun.

Dick you don’t need to send any of those things as I don’t need them & they would only take up space. Unless you could send a few of Kenny’s toys. There is one thing go to the .10 cent store & get me some knives & a couple of table spoons. Silverware is a thing unheard of in the stores here. I have 4 spoons & forks but no table knives. We use Kenny’s for a better knife. One of Bills men built us a table that does very

3
nicely.

Let me know what those telephone calls were & I shall send the money. I have a phone in case there is any need to call me ever. The number is 1139 J.

Well-I must get busy. Write and let us know about Herman. Bill will be surprised to hear about him.

Love
Lois

I don’t know what Lois is referencing regarding her brother-in-law Herman. There is no letter in the grandparents boxes for that time period from Dick & Dad.

March 20, 1943 William Shepard to parents…

On December 6, 2016December 8, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1943_03_20

Pendleton Field Ore.
March 20, 1943

Dear Mother & Dad

Forgive the lack of letters, but Ive been very busy. Working 18 to 20 hours a day the last week. Lois didnt get many letters & she telegrammed as you did. Dont worry, I just didnt have time. I have a fleet of about 100 trucks & fighting vehicles with 130 men to take care of. I have my own garage to keep the trucks & reconnasaince cars & jeeps up. We service & check them every 1000 miles. There isnt any other officer in my section to help me, so I have quite a job keeping everything going. In addition I also keep a fleet of dump trucks on a construction job. I have enough work to keep five men busy.

How is everything at home? I’d like for the war to be over so I could come back & relax. The next best thing is for home to come to me. Im looking forward to you & Lois coming out to see me. We can find a place to live even tho it is high rent. You can have a nice visit while you stay because this country is beautiful.

How are you Dad? Put in a word or two in the next letter. Ill close to work

Your son
Bill

February 27, 1943 William Shepard to home…

On November 29, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1943_02_27_p01

Pendleton Field, Ore.
February 27, 1943,

Dear Mother, Father, Herm & Ruth
[Translation – Dear Rachel, William, Herman[brother], Ruth[sister-in-law]]

At last I have time to write. Everything is going along alright as it can go. I am learning an entirely new job. I have studied for everything except transportation. I have a swell bunch of men to work with. About 125 of them. $500,000 to $750,000 worth of equipment. I have charge of the repair and dispatching of all the vehicles and the record keeping, many of my men are non-commissioned officers who have at least 2 years service. Im in a good outfit.

My box arrived, thank gosh. Ill send you some pictures of me in my field equipment soon. You know the pack an’ everything. I was issued a pack, bedroll & a lot of equipment. Sure is good stuff. I think I’ll bring it home with me if I can.

On some of my trucks & jeeps I have 30 calibre & 50 calibre machine guns. They sure are “honeys”. Ill bet they could puncture a jap[nice language gramps!] to suit anones[anyone’s?] taste.

The weather has cleared up here. When I first came here is was foggy all day, but now

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1943_02_27_p02

It is clear.

The other day I had a car break down way up in the “Rockies”. I sent a wrecker crew up and decided to drive up myself. It was a beautiful drive. 2 ft snow on the mountains and what scenery. It is beautiful out here.

Lois will be coming out in a few weeks, as soon as I can find a place. Homes are hard to find and rent is high, but I want her to come out and she want to.

Say mom how about getting the insurance straightened out for me & write & tell me how it is. I want to pay it myself and would prefer to pay the General office wherever it is. Fix it so I can pay it up quarterly, and send me the data.

Well I’ll close wishing I could see you all.

Yours
Bill

January 27, 1943 William Shepard to home…

On October 24, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Finally the letter we have all been waiting for, mom’s birth.

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1943_01_27_p01

January 287, 1943

Dear Mother,

I received your telegram this noon. Im relieved and happy. We have quite a family now don’t we? You & Lois & K. W. and Susan can come out the last of Feb. if everything goes OK.

Im trying to get to come home but I may not make it.

Mom Im sending ten dollars home and I want you to go to a flourist and arrange to have him deliver Lois a few flowers each day she is in the hospital.

Send only a few, but get real

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1943_01_27_p02

good ones. If you can get an orchid each day. (If they don’t cost too much) If you cant, get a few roses 1/2 doz or like) use your own taste, but get something good and have them sent each day. Im enclosing some of my cards to have put in with them. See to this right away please mother.

Im real busy so Ill have to close. I appreciate all you’re doing mom and you know it.

Ill send Lois some money the first of the month.

Let me know about everything

Your son
Bill

1942[?] William Shepard to Home…

On September 19, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I am posting two letters today that do not have dates on them. They both appear to be most likely from earlier in 1942, when my grandfather just started his military training. I figured I would finish up the 1942 letters to Dick and Dad before continuing with those from 1943. Interestingly, my grandmother was pregnant with my mother during all this time gramps was writing these letters to home during his military training, and not once is the pregnancy mentioned in his letters.

4316458021_b8d3d09439_o

[1942?]
Pvt. William A. Shepard
Flight 404 T.S.S. 592
Keesler Field, Miss.

Hi Mom

Received your letter yesterday. If you havent already done it send my bathing suit and strap. If you are thinking about coming down wait for 4 weeks and Ill be through my basic training, then I can get a pass. Be sure to bring Lois and let me know beforehand. After 3 mo. here I go to either St. Petersburg or Ft. Benning Ga. I am going to have Lois come down in a month or when ever you can come down. She can live here easily on $10 to $12 a week. Had drill and shots in the arm lately. Say if you can get a shoe shine kit send one down as I cant find any here. I told Lois to sell the car if she wants to. I think it would be best. I won’t be doing any flying here thank gosh. Well Ill close now and send this. I may try to call up Sun. If so you will bet the call before the letter.

Your son
Bill

4316292733_d30742754a_o

[1942?]

S.O.D. A.A.F.C.C.
San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center
San Antonio, Texas

Dear Mother,

Looks as if your son could be a ground officer, not a flyer. And I expect to be gone before long. It was a good thing that I came home. It was swell. Here is $75. Ill send the rest at the first of the month. I could send it now, but I want to hold it in reserve. Swell weather here. Having good time

Your son
Bill

December 27, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On August 29, 2016August 29, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[Had a week off and decided to vegetate, so no posts. But, vacations over now so here we go again…]

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1942_12_27_p01

December 27th [1942]

Dear Mother;

You have the wrong idea about those darn insurance policies. The only thing I want to do is arrange it so there won’t be any delay in Lois is getting the insurance if Im knocked off. You see I am having all my legal affairs handled by the Adjutant General’s office, as all officers in the armed forces do. There is no investigations or delays the way they handle it.

You have been the best mother in the world to me. It was not your job to take out and keep up the insurance. It was mine and I never dune[?] it. I want to receive you of the responsibility that you didn’t

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1942_12_27_p02

have to take on yourself. I never have been worried about the money. Understand?

I am going to the Engineering School here in Sacramento. Up at 600 and athletics and breakfast. Classes from 8:00 till 11:30 then lunch. Classes 1:00 till 4:30. Dinner then classes from 7:00 till 9:00. However I do get off on Sundays. Ever since I have been in the army I have had so much school that I didn’t have time for anything else. If you would have come to visit me I couldn’t get off.

In a month or so Ill be through schools and be on the job. I want you & Lois to come out then. It would be nice if you could come with her … [rest of letter missing]

December 20, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On August 8, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1942_12_20_p01

Dec. 20, 1942.

Dear Mother & Father,

Ive never been away from home on Xmas, until now. Yet you have my best there, Kenny and Lois. Please try and make them happy without me this Christmas. It makes me feel pretty bad to think Im not there but Id feel worse if I wasn’t in the Army.

You have been wonderful parents to me and I know it. I was so relieved and happy when Lois wrote & said that she was at home. I want you to want her to stay there until you & she can come out. Don’t come alone Mother, bring Lois with you.

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1942_12_20_p02

I will probably be at H B Hatch’s on Xmas. They invited me down, so I won’t be alone.

Have a merry Xmas with a lot of love from

Your son
Bill

December 17, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On July 25, 2016September 5, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

4075681163_1ca0d4456f_o

12/17/42

Dear Mom and Pop:

Excuse the paper. Ill try to clear up everything. I was commissioned 12-9-42 and started for California the same day.

We traveled by pullman, cost me $110.75 for the trip. As an officer you get travel pay, so that will compensate for it.

Arrived here in Sacramento 12-14 or 15-42 Traveled thru Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

After I arrived here I found that I had been selected to attend the Army Engineer School here (providing I can pass the entrance exams.) I had to talk my way into it. My classmates are all graduate engineers, one a metalurgist, another an aeronautical engineer.

There are 15 men selected every 3 months I believe. The classes are very small and you really get the works.

Classes are about 15 hours a day , 6 days a week 5 hours in airplane mechanic work course per day 5 hours in aeronautical engineering per day 5 hours administrative engineering per day, full schedule isnt it?

It is a wonderful opportunity and I dont see how I ever made it. I must be good and dont realize it. Seriously, I am tickled to death.

It means that the government is giving me an education, then will put me in a real job.

I will get a field or maybe two fields to supervise the engineering work. I probably will be made an assistant engineering officer until I get the hang of it.

Tell Herman I will have to be a “Baird” it is an office job but I think that Ill like it.

The quarters here are swell. Officers have the best of everything. I had to bring some more clothes here.

4075686133_80f189b3fd_o

Well I dont have much more so Ill close be sure to write me. Send all correspondence to

Lt. William A. Shepard Jr.
Engineering and Supply Officers Training School
McCelland Field, California

Keep the home fires burning. Love to all

Your son
Bill

P.S. I graduated 441 in the class of 3620 at OTS in Miami Beach.

Please don’t tell anyone outside the family anything about the school ??st[Just?] that I am going there.

December 8, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On July 21, 2016July 24, 2016 By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

4075665267_21278570bd_o

12-8-42

Dear Mom & Pop

You wont get any letters for a while so this is the last, probably before Xmas.

Graduation tomorrow, then I get shipped to my new post. I meant it when I said to ship all my Xmas packages to Lois’ Uncle Berts. Ill be within a stone-throw of his place.

If you mail them there, all in one big ^or small box. I can pick them up.

Everything is fine here, the weather is beautiful. I am taking a sun bath while writing this.

4075668207_3e67b0461d_o

I dont suppose Lois will be able to come out until after a start in life, then perhaps you & her can come out. I can have a home ready by then.

I sent all my old army clothes home. Pack them away where the moths wont get them.

Ill tell you that I have a swell job in the army, I got an assignment that will probably keep me from active fighting duty. I will be pretty far back of the lines, so Lois can stop worrying.

Tell everyone hello & I love you all.

Your Son
Lt. Bill