May 16, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

May 16, 1945

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Please excuse the paper, but as usual I don’t realize I am running out until I have run out, and hen a makeshift will have to do till more can be obtained. [This letter was written on lined, three-hole notebook paper, rather than the usual unlined sheet.] I guess the paper shortage is reflected in more ways than one realizes even tho you can get all the typewriter paper you wish. Mrs. Johnson tells me that toilet paper is very hard to obtain and that the neighborhood stores usually don’t have any. I have been looking downtown occasionally and most of the time they don’t have any there either. This evening I did manage to get one roll tho. So much for that enlightening topic.

Yesterday and today have been really warm in this section of Calif. Both started out clear and got quite warm along in the afternoon. Yesterday afternoon eas very windy, much windier than it has been today. As soon as the sun goes down tho, it turns cool rapidly and the wind becomes positively chilly. Dwight says that even last Sunday afternoon which didn’t seem particularly warm, that the sun was warm down at Cabrillo Beach.

My car runs along about as usual. I think I will have to rise to work on the P.E. the way my gas is going, before the next coupon validation date comes around. Dwight says that he has about 50 gallons for his motor scooter and he said perhaps I could have some of that. If he does give me a couple I will manage to drive as usual. Yesterday I got my registration which the auto dealer applied for for me when I got the car. it has taken the State Dept of Vehicles about 2 months to get around to issuing it.

By the way, Mrs. Johnson says that she doesn’t think she could make a place for Vivian to stay here if she came to Calif., the reason being Mr. Johnson’s nervous condition. She said that if she could have she surely would have, but that as matters stand, she can’t. However, I’ll keep my eyes open for any other place around here where she could stay for awhile and if I locate one I shall let you know immediately.

I didn’t take a music lesson tonite since I didn’t feel I had practices enough to make it worthwhile.

Pastor Clauson is leaving Banning Homes in about 10 days. A new man has all ready been assigned and has been here about 3 weeks so there is no point in his remaining longer. I met him by accident on the street tonite and he told me about it. Previously he was to have stayed till in July sometime. He says that people are moving out of Banning Homes very rapidly and that soon, particularly after school stops it may be almost abandoned. He says that the shipyards are planning on cutting off the swing shift soon and cutting the day work to a 5-day week 8-hour-day schedule. That is the first I had heard about a 5 day week any place.

I have not heard anything yet if the pastor called here is coming or not, or if an intern has been secured for the summer.

I got t

April 7, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

April 7, 1945

Dear Mother, Father and the rest of the folks at home,

If it were this kind of a day in Iowa, you would say that it almost felt like rain, but being as it is in Calif probably nothing shall come of it now. It has been quite warm all day and tonite it is very still and quiet. Outside you can hear birds singing off in the distance. It is almost sultry like and there are a few clouds lurking around the horizon. Probably the reason it has been so warm is that the mornings have not started to be foggy yet. This morning I sort of expected it to be foggy but it wasn’t. It is too bad that spring had a setback in Iowa, but the way it started in seemed almost too good to be true.

You ask in your letter that I got today, mother, what the relation of the work done here to Shell products is. Well, that is sort of a broad question. Since I have come here three processes based on research done here have been put in commercial operation. Two are being operated by Shell Oil at Dominguez. Both are concerned with aviation gasoline and explosives raw material. The other was being operated by Shell Chemical at Cactus, Texas but has been discontinued at last reports. Since then work on catalytic desulfurization and reforming has been investigated both on laboratory & pilot plant scale. A number of specialized problems relative to a plant at Wood River, Ill. refinery & at the catalytic cracking unit at Dominguez have been investigated. There have also been some minor investigations carried out. All of these if they show promise are incorporated in present operating techniques to make performance more successful and the products better. Besides this, some distillation work has been done in connection with some lube stock evaluation being carried out at Emeryville. A complete report of the relation between the experimental work here & Shell products would take a long time & would reveal supposedly confidential information but maybe you can get an idea from the foregoing.

I have heard nothing from the draft board. Mel thinks that I don’t need to worry and that if 25% of the guys taken here are drafted I will not be among them but that if more are taken I might have to go. However as I said before, matters seem to be reaching a climax in many quarters all at once, so that I could see very little action even I I were taken in the army. It is still possible to get commissions in the navy, and I think I will try to get one if the draft board gets too insistent.

Wednesday night next, a meeting of the congregation is to be held to discuss a possible pastoral candidate. Last night Tinberg called up and asked me to arrange the meeting. The Home Mission Board has evidently selected someone and Langhoff, the regional director will be down to present him to the congregation to see what they think. I have no idea who he is. We certainly need someone here to keep up the S.S. work etc.

My car is running fairly good. I don’t think it is going to give too good mileage tho. Probably I will have to ride the P.E. for awhile after my gas is used up. What I have tho should last into June, when I can begin to think of renewal of the gas rations. It surely is handy and it is a great timesaver. It is very nice to sleep in the mornings.

Last night I mowed the lawn for Mrs. Johnson and then went down and played volleyball at the Methodist gym for awhile. I tried to get some tennis shoes but couldn’t. Instead I got some non-rationed shoes suitable instead, and they are very comfortable so I should perhaps wear them often. Thursday night I went to a show but it wasn’t very good.

I feel like taking a bath and relaxing in bed reading for awhile so, good night —

With love

C.P.

April 1, 1945

April 1, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

I didn’t get around to writing this letter last night so it will probably be a day late getting home. This morning I didn’t have any spare time since I went to the early morning service out at Banning Homes. The rest of the day I haven’t felt very well, so I haven’t got around to writing it till now, about five o’clock.

Altho according to the radio, Easter Sunday was a nice day over most of the nation, it has been a drab and chilly one in southern Calif, the sun staying behind the clouds almost all day. Friday and Saturday were gorgeous and warm days (up to 85°F in Los Angeles). I think I got my headache at the service this morning. It was indeed cool and windy and I was certainly glad I wore my overcoat (I remembered the Easter sunrise service I went to in Dubuque the last spring I was in school when I nearly froze to death, and acted accordingly). Also Paster Clauson had forgotten his glasses and I loaned him mine, since he is also farsighted. Altho I can see just about as well without them, I sure find it out when I don’t wear them. There was a pretty fair attendance at church this morning and the offering was good — 65 or 70 dollars. I understand the Home Mission Board has someone in mind for the congregation here but they have not said anything yet to the church here.

The draft situation looks a trifle gloomy just now. The only bright side seems to be that the way the war is progressing there won’t be anything to do by the time any elementary training is completed. I got a letter from the draft board Thursday saying that my case was up for reclassification. The company has, of course, presented the necessary form and request for deferment. However, only 30% of the presently deferred individuals below 30 will be re-deferred. Since there are many older than I working as chemists etc in the petroleum industry I can’t see how I will fall into the 30% group. One of the fellows here has already been reclassified I-A and ordered to report for a pre-induction physical, in addition to the one I mentioned in my last letter. There is, of course, still the very real possibility that I shall try to be inducted back in Iowa. In that event, I shall try to drive home in my Ford, unwise as it may seem. Lugging my stuff home any other way is a virtually impossible task, since there is considerably more of it than when I came out here. I shall write immediately of any developments in the situation as they occur.

I had a letter from Vincent also on Thursday and I hope to be seeing him soon. It will be a real treat. I shall have to fight with him in bed as of old, discreetly of course so that Mrs. Johnson will not lower her estimation of me. I shall enclose his letter.

With love

C.P.

March 27, 1945: A letter from Vincent

March 27, 1945

Fresno, Calif.

Dear Carl,

I suppose Mom has told you that I was coming out here. Well I’m here, about 7 miles north of Fresno. We got in on Sunday morning about 10:00. Took the Santa Fe from Chicago.

It looks as if my chances for seeing you will be pretty good. I’m free every weekend from 5:30 Saturday till Monday morning and also have a chance for a three day pass. As soon as I find out definitely what we’re going to be doing here and about how long we’ll stay I’ll try to make arrangements to come down some week-end. I think it best I do the traveling since Fresno is packed on weekends.

I can see what you love about this lovely California weather. It’s rained two out of the three days we’ve been here. We haven’t done much yet but loaf around. As everywhere else in the army the general

trend is to keep you guessing as to what you’re going to do. It seems likely we’ll get some operational training from here. Don’t know how long I’ll be here either.

Thought I’d just drop you a note to let you know I’m here. Hope to be seeing you one of the coming weekends.

Love,

Vincent

March 24, 1945

March 24, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

I have finished taking a bath and feel in a nice, lazy, loafy mood, but I really should get this letter finished first. Then I shall read for awhile, listen to the news and go to bed. I think I sleep too much, but it is such an easy habit to form & adhere to.

Today has been a rather nice Calif day altho a trifle windy. Yesterday was really windy. Wednesday and Thursday were rainy days and the wind following them cleared the skies. Perhaps we are in for a clear spell now, following these unseasonal rains.

Last night I went over to Long Beach to hear Jose Iturbi, the pianist, who was giving a concern or recital, whatever you wish to call it, at the Long Beach municipal auditorium. It was scheduled to start at 8:15, but didn’t get underway till 8:30 or so. It was really wonderful I thought. He played about ten pieces, including three encore numbers. The one I liked best was a Sonata in A Minor or something like that by Beethoven, altho all of them were good I thought. Perhaps I was just too uneducated to detect his faults. I think that Vivian would have liked to have heard him. I am going to have to keep my eyes open so that when other people like him are performing in the vicinity of San Pedro, that I shall go to hear them.

My car is running along so so. I was going to get my driver’s license Thursday, but I had left the windshield wiper on (it is run by a small electric motor) and the battery was down so I had to have a garage man come up and get it and charge the battery. I was down this morning and got it and drove it to work. It is my opinion that the guys there didn’t know much what they were doing. They said they tried to charge the battery all night but it wouldn’t charge but after I drove it to work it had charged enough to start the engine easily tonite. Also they did a sloppy job of inspecting the wiring as I had asked them to do. They must not be keen about their work.

My work continues as usual. I am off on a new tack now for awhile. It seems as tho something new is always coming up that has to be given the once over to see if it will work and I am as often as not given that particular work to do.

It was nice that Vincent could get home for awhile. Marold & Verner much be growing enormous if he looks small beside them. I will be almost afraid to come home next vacation to see them.

Thank you for the interesting letters from home. I am glad that Vivian approves of the name “Cupcake” for Ann Marie.

With love

C.P.

March 20, 1945

March 20, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Well spring is officially just around the corner now. Yesterday and today have been really nice days, but the forecast for tomorrow is for cloudy and rains. I guess it is making up for the dry spell in January. It is entirely light now when I walk down to the P.E. station, so soon it will be light when I get up. There is enough of a change as spring nears to make you wish you were back where spring really means a lot as far as nature is concerned. It should be very nice to be back in Iowa for a coupleof days and breathe in the good old fresh air.

Tomorrow I am planning on going over to Long Beach and take the examination for the driver’s license. I hope I don’t go thru a stop sign like I did the first time I took a driver’s license examination. I will leave from work a little early to do this. I made application for supplemental gas ration today and I should have them by Monday so I can take up driving to work then.

Sunday afternoon I went for a walk in the afternoon. I was out at Cabrillo Beach for awhile watching the waves break against the breakwater. Dwight says that it is really a sight when the wind is strong. I shall have to go out there some time when such is the case. Afterwards I went to a show. I got sort of a headache and afterwards my stomach began to feel sort of punk so I went to bed early. I didn’t feel any too spry on Monday but today I feel pretty good.

My work continues about as usual. I asked Davidson what the draft situation was and he said that everything was all right. I hope so, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

By the way, if Vincent has an opportunity to come to San Pedro when he is in Calif, he can certainly spend the nights etc here since I have a big bed and I am sure Mrs. Johnson would give him meals if he wanted to eat some home cooking. I think there is fair train service between Fresno and here so I could meet him in L.A. if he could come. It would be nice to see him again since he wasn’t home while I was home last summer.

I can’t think of much more to wrote about so I shall stop.

With love

C.P.

P.S. It was certainly too bad about Bud Patton. As you said in your letter, mama, there seemed to be something to him. [Bud Patton was the oldest son of the publisher of the Gowrie newspaper. He was killed in action in Germany.]

March 18, 1945

March 18, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Mother, Father and the rest of the folks at home,

Today is dawning very nice and clear after several days of sort of rainy weather. Thursday was very rainy in the morning but it began to blow hard and cleared up. This evidently stirred up a new rain since it began to rain Friday night and rained most of the night. Yesterday it was cloudy most of the day but cleared up about 5 o’clock. It is nice to have Sunday be a sunshiny day. I am glad to hear that you are having more clement weather in Iowa lately. I can just feel the tang of spring in the air and all around, which you mention in your letter, mother.

The big thing to write about is of course, my car. It runs pretty good, but I shall have to clean up the inside a little bit since it is not too clean. The battery wasn’t any good so I had to get another one. I sort of expected this sooner or later, but not quite so soon. Friday night, the insurance guy came around at my request and reinstated my insurance. Friday afternoon I left work early to get my A. book from the ration board. Next week I shall make supplementary application for gas to drive to work on. I shall not use it for that purpose till I actually have the gasoline. It takes about a week to get it. For awhile after I got it, I had a feeling or remorse at having bought it, but I feel now that I was entirely justified in getting it. The only possible fly in the ointment is that I really should have waited till after March 23 to get it. My deferment expires then and, of course, if it is changed, I shall have no use for the car and will have to dispose of it. I don’t know quite what to think of the draft situation just now. So far no one here at work in the 22–25 age group has been disturbed since the latest reversal or change of policy. One guy in the 26–29 group got his notice to appear for a physical examination soon. I guess time only will tell.

I still have not got around to looking for shorts in the stores here, but I shall try to do so in the near future.

So Marold weights 168 pounds. He must certainly be growing up! If you had had more children, mama, maybe the next one would have been like Warner Larson, say. It is only about 8 months now till vacationtime, barring other occurrences, and I can come home and see this latest Strand development.

Did you go up to hear Vivian direct her band etc on the 16th? I agree with you that she writes rather irregularly nowadays. The only communication to me since Christmas was a valentine. Don’t tell her this tho since she will counter with the charge that I haven’t been doing so well myself which is only too true (i.e. — one letter since Christmas).

I shall stop now.

With love

C.P.

March 13, 1945

March 13, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Mother, Father, and the rest of the folks at home,

Tonite I feel tired and disgruntled but actually I cannot think of any reason why I should feel that way. In fact, I can only think of reasons not to feel that way, but nonetheless I feel that way. Perhaps it is that all the nice long letters that I get from home paint such a desirable picture of things there that anything here seems dull and uninteresting by comparison. I know you’ll say that things aren’t always so nice there and I should be satisfied where I am but it isn’t as simply done as all that. Well, maybe tomorrow I shall feel more like enduring this land awhile longer; just now I am thoroly fed up with it.

My work is coming along very nicely at present. By the end of the week it should have been more or less completed so that I can start on something more interesting — namely concentration and isolation of sulfur compounds found in petroleum stocks and fractions by various means. This work has been in the offing for sometime but other work has kept intruding. Not too much work has been done with some types of sulfur compounds so the work should prove interesting.

You are going to think me very foolish when I tell you one thing that I have done. I have bought another car. I hope this one turns out better than the other one. it is a Model A Ford coupe (1929). I paid too much for it of course — $295 — but it was the only decent looking thing I have been able to locate (and I have had the car-buying bug again for awhile, but haven’t told you since I was pretty sure you would throw cold H₂O on the whole idea). I intend to drive it to work, since I am almost certain that I can get the gas. Dwight will ride with me. On the whole I am fairly well satisfied with the whole deal even tho I did dump about 15% of my savings in it. Mrs. Johnson approves of it, but I think she is prejudiced in favor of it, since I can take her up to Pasadena to see some of her friends occasionally. I hope you don’t think I was too terribly foolish in doing this.

The weather has been sort of ½ rainy the last two days. Tonite it is sort of chilly, but the paper says it should clear up tomorrow. Dwight thought it would rain, but I thought it would rain very little and I was nearer to correct than he was since altho it has look[ed] very threatening at times, it hasn’t done much about it.

Mrs. Johnson laughed when I thanked her from you for making me get some rubbers. She is very nice but she isn’t you, dear fat mama.

I think I shall take a hot bath and go to bed and read

With love

C.P.

P.S. Only 9 more months till vacation time

March 10, 1945

March 10, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

From the sounds of things, Iowa is certainly showing March in like a lion. I hope that things warm up a bit so mama can start thinking about all those garden catalogs etc. Calif has been somewhat warmer the last couple of days. This morning it was foggy and the sun didn’t come out till noon — a typical sign of spring in these parts. I was out and mowed the lawn again tonite. The grass really doesn’t grow an awful lot but it does grow unevenly, so that the lawn has to be mowed occasionally. It is sort of fun to do it. Aside from walking it is virtually the only physical exercise I get.

After mowing the lawn I went downtown, got my hair cut and had supper. The barber shop closes about 7 o’clock on Saturday nights which is later that it used to. One of the barbers there comes from Odebolt where he knew Lester Peterson (or have I said that before?). I got my bulletins made last night so I didn’t have to do tonite. Last night after getting the bulletins made and bringing a book back to the library, I went to a show. It was a double feature of course, as all shows are around here. One of them was very humorous — “Our Hearts Were Young and Gay.” It is based on a book written by Cornelia Otis Skinner and some other woman. It tells of their adventures on a trip to Europe. If I get around to it I shall have to look up the book.

Thursday at work I got very dirty since I was fooling around with some activated carbon and it got in my hair etc., so I took a shower before I went home. This was a mistake since I wasn’t used to it — that is, going outside right after a bath. I felt cold & miserable that evening and during the night, but since then I have felt no ill effects fortunately. I also missed the train that night which didn’t help matters much, since a rather cool breeze was blowing during the 20 minutes or so I was waiting for the next one.

I will finish this letter in the morning.

7:15 am Sunday morning.

If you observe closely in Calif., you will see some slight change from season to season. usually you don’t hear birds too often but this morning as I lay awake and loafing in bed they were chirruping merrily outside. It is foggy again this morning but it will probably clear up later in the day.

Today I had intended to get a lot of things done, such as some cartoon-drawing, music lesson practicing etc but if I am as lazy as I am right now I shall take a nap all afternoon and go to bed early. Maybe it won’t be that bad, but nothing will be accomplished anyway.

Happy birthday to you, dad. I hope that you have a very nice birthday with everything you want to eat, etc.

With love

C.P.

March 7, 1945

March 7, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

I am unaccountably tired tonite. I went to bed before ten last night so I should not be tired this evening but I am nonetheless. When I finish writing this letter I shall take a hot bath, and if I feel refreshed, draw for awhile; otherwise I shall lay in bed and read for awhile. Perhaps I am eating too much. I have such a hard time digesting the extra food that I am all tired out because of it.

Calif has produced some very snappy (for Calif) mornings lately. One morning it was down to 36°F, the coldest this winter. Up in the mountains, a considerable amount of snow has fallen and you see pictures of it in the papers every once in awhile. The weather has been clear tho since the Sunday rain. Yesterday morning the sunrise was very beautiful.

My work has been getting along considerably better this week, for which I am duly grateful. For awhile I was really in the dumps about it. By now I should realize that often enough you don’t seem to be getting anywhere in this game, but I feel disheartened when such is the case nonetheless.

I will look around for short, but I doubt that I will be able to get any at all, much less knit shorts. Calif is in general a poorer stocked place than almost anywhere else in the country probably because of the great influx of people. Even last summer, shorts here were almost unobtainable. When I was home on vacation last year I got three pairs at Larson Clothing Store in Ft. Dodge, but I suppose that the stores in Ft. Dodge have by now been denuded of their stocks. I see the O.P.A. has earmarked a certain percentage of cotton textile manufacture for low priced cotton clothing, so perhaps the situation will improve. I shall inquire at the local clothing store about the shorts, but I doubt that they will have any.

Last nite was Luther League. It was sort of a poorish meeting and didn’t get started on time.

Monday a charging line on one of the Dubbs cracking units at the Shell Dominguez refinery ruptured and a bad fire resulted. The operator died later from burns. The newspaper carried a lurid account which had the whole refinery wrecked. Actually the equipment damaged was almost obsolete. The paper also said it was a high-octane gasoline unit. Actually all they were doing in it was a very light cracking to produce a fuel oil to meet navy specifications. It was rather funny to see the discrepancy between the newspaper account and the actual facts.

Please don’t impute to me a wrong motive in giving Ann Marie the nickname, “Cupcake.” I think it is a compliment; at least I intended it to be so.

With love

C.P.

P.S. The scrapbooks I asked about are the 10¢ kind, and strictly nothing fancy.

February 14, 1945

February 14, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro Calif

Dear Father, Mother, and the rest of the folks at home,

Well, for the last two days it has certainly looked like rain in sunny southern Calif but it has not done anything about it except look like it. Tonite it appears to be clearing tho so perhaps we shall have clear weather for awhile. If it doesn’t start to rain soon this may turn out to be a record dry year for Los Angeles and vicinity.

Ann Marie’s pictures arrived on Monday. They certainly were very nice and very welcome. Sometimes I think I shall have to take my vacation sooner than next Christmas in order to see her. She looks eery bit as sweet as Kathryn Ann did, and I think she smiles wider smiles too. I guess Al will be really happy to get them.

I got two other letters on Monday, mother’s usual one and one from Pastor Wellington. They had a nice trip east and are fairly settled now. Kathryn Ann had caught a little cold. The parsonage there is larg and I guess the furniture they took along from Calif looks lost in it.

My work continues about as usual. There is another scare about the draft going around again. I do not know whether it is serious or not.

I saw a show over the weekend — Bob Hope in “The Princess and the Pirate” and it was really funny altho not as funny as some of his previous pictures. Dwight saw it also and he too thought it was pretty good. The companion feature was so-so in my opinion, but Dwight thought it strictly stinko.

Tonite the Board met briefly down at church to consider the letter to be mailed to the congregational members before the special congregational meeting next Feb 27. I am certainly wondering how things will turn out that night.

As you say, you might as well keep the typewriter till later in the spring. I don’t need it in my work, but wanted it only as a convenience. Perhaps if I am drafted it would be nicer to have it back home since it is sort of clumsy to ship.

It is after ten now and I am sleepy, so I shall stop.

With love

C.P.

P.S. I am enclosing Uncle Carl’s check.

February 7, 1945

February 7, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Calif has turned out a very warm day today — the warmest we have had for a long time. It must have been up to between 70 or 80°F but I didn’t look to see. It was also clear most of the day. It was the kind of a day that makes you feel sort of lazy but I managed to get a fair amount of work done anyway. Monday and Tuesday it almost looked as tho it might rain but it didn’t. Both days I assumed it wouldn’t and didn’t wear my raincoat, but such action was really too optimistic altho o.k. this time.

Last night was Luther League. It wasn’t too good a meeting. I am amazed sometimes how stupid people are. One boy in high school had brought his algebra book along and another boy (about 20 or so who has been out of high school for awhile) was working a problem for him. He took 15 minutes to do it and covered a whole sheet of paper with calculations when 2 lines would have sufficed. I don’t want to seem stuck-up but I think I am wasting my time when I associate with such people. Well, anyway the people who were supposed to be on the program showed up rather absently so the meeting didn’t amount to much.

I am going to have to go to a dentist pretty soon. I think another wisdom tooth is coming thru. I have also examined my teeth as well as I can in the mirror and there is another tooth that needs some filling. As soon as I can locate a good dentist I shall try to get an appointment. Most dentists here are false-teeth fiends whose one desire is to equip you with them, so it is best to avoid them. Their work other than pulling of teeth is poorly done. I’d thought some of waiting till I got home on vacation but that seem rather far off yet.

My cold has improved somewhat but it still hangs on. I think I have had more colds this winter than I have ever hd before — a commentary on California.

My work continues almost as usual.

The Gowrie News came today as it usually does on the average. Altho I read it fairly thoroly I must have missed the item about Vernon S. being injured, because I can’t recall reading of it.

I am duly complimented by being informed of the opinion that Ann Marie resembles me. It arouses my interest all the further in how she looks now, now that my vanity is also involved.

with love

C.P.

P.S. I got to use up these envelopes so you’ll be getting them for awhile.

February 4, 1945

February 4, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

I didn’t get around to writing last night or this morning so this letter will be a day late in getting to Gowrie I suppose.

I must have gotten my feet wet or something so that I have caught a cold — the runny nose kind this time. Last night I felt sort of dopey and went to bed early and this morning I didn’t feel an awful lot better. After dinner I went to bed for awhile and I feel considerably better now. Mrs. Johnson thinks I got the cold from not wearing my rubbers but I think I picked it up on the P.E., a more likely hypothesis. One of my rubbers has a bad hole in it, and it is worse with it on than off. I will have to get a new pair as soon as I can.

Yesterday and today have been mostly clear days. Evidently the rain is thru for the time being. I like to work while it rains, so I don’t mind rainy weather as long as I don’t get wet in it. Friday it really rained hard out at work a couple of times. It would certainly not be any fun to be an operator in it.

I had sort of intended to go out and work this afternoon since I would like to have a half-day off during the week. I was wondering if I endorsed Uncle Carl’s check and sent it home, if you could cash it for me and buy the bond for me. It looks as if I will never get it cashed at the present rate.

A Pastor Samuelson who is connected with the Lutheran Service Center in Hollywood preached here today. It seemed sort of funny and empty with Pastor Wellington gone. He will certainly be missed. Mrs. Johnson got a card from them enroute the other day. By now, they should not be too far from Kansas I suppose. There will be no evening service tonite or until a regular pastor is called. Thursday night to local board met with Pastor Burke and two members of the Home Mission Board to discuss the future of the church here. The meeting went pretty good, but afterward I got to thinking and despite what was said there, the future of the church here looks rather dark. The next couple of months should show rather clearly what will happen.

I am waiting with anticipation Ann Marie’s first pictures. It would be very nice to see her, but a picture will be nice since that is impossible. Of course, she should be in Calif., where she wouldn’t have to be bundled up all the time. I think she would like it very much here.

Thank you for all the letters this week.

With love

C.P.

January 27, 1945

Jan 27, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Mother, Father and the rest of the folks at home,

Well, it has been somewhat warmer the last part of this week so it was been not so cold on the P.E. train. However it could still could warm up some. Again a couple of times it was looked as tho it would rain but has not.

Thursday night after choir practice the “going way” meeting in honor of Pastor and Mrs. Wellington was held at church. It was pretty good the whole way thru, everything proceeding smoothly. The program consisted of songs, a couple of musical numbers and a talk by Pastor Clauson from Banning Homes. Pastor Clauson almost didn’t get there in time. He had a wedding scheduled for 7:00 pm but the people didn’t show up until 20 minutes to 8 so he was late. However, he got there in time for his part of the program. A purse had been collected for Pastor Wellington amounting to slightly more than $80 and this was presented to him. Afterwards refreshments were served. I think it will leave a nice taste in the Wellingtons’ mouths after some of the unpleasantness that has occurred. I still don’t know what is going to happen to the church. Without a regular pastor for the next 4 or 5 months, I am afraid the members will become disinterested etc.

My work for the next week or two will be somewhat different. A problem has come up in connection with another project here and I will make some preliminary investigation of the feasibility of the project involved. It is something entirely different from what I have done previously. If the initial work looks promising it will probably be looked into further later.

Pastor Wellington is leaving next Monday or Tuesday depending on when the moving van arrives. I guess they have been busy getting stuff ready to go.

There were a couple of explosions and fires over at the Richfield refinery this week (just across the road from Shell) and two people died as a result of burns and several more injured. I guess some guys were working on a pipe near the stabilizers and something they did set off the fires.

Your picture came today, Vincent. Thank you for it. It now stands on the dresser with all of the rest of the family pictures. I only need Marold’s to complete the collection.

I think I shall take a bath now and go to bed. The crossword puzzle in tonight’s paper was absolutely too difficult to do.

Thanks for all the letters.

With love

C.P.

January 10, 1945

January 10, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif.

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Today and yesterday have been cloudy, sort of foggy days, when it looked as if it would start to rain any minute. This morning I took my raincoat along as a precaution but I did not need it, since altho it has looked a lot like rain, it hasn’t precipitated anything. Perhaps it will rain tonite.

Monday night was the annual congregational meeting here. It was indeed a very trying session. I guess Pastor Wellington is glad that he is leaving soon. As you know, the church here must relocate or make plans to if it is to continue to receive aid from the Home Mission Board without which aid it probably could not exist in its present condition. Well, as you also know from what I have written, there is a possibility of relocation that the Home Mission Board had tentatively approved. The matter was discussed Monday night and most of the congregational members turned thumbs down on the proposed new location. I was never so disgusted in my life. They seem to be wanting to kill the church here by their prejudice etc. Pastor Wellington was meeting with the Mission Board today and he will give them the sorry facts. I wonder what will happen. If the Home Mission Board withdraws its aid from the congregation here I am going to leave it, since I feel that any time and means I can give to the church can be better used elsewhere. Under such conditions I think I want to transfer my membership back to Gowrie temporarily. Maybe things will turn out all right, and I hope so, but at the same time, I doubt it.

Last night was Luther League. I went but I think sleep would have done more good. Monday I didn’t get to bed till 11:30 pm and I couldn’t sleep very well. However I have felt not too sleepy today.

In a used car lot on my way home every night, there stands a 1941 Chevrolet coupe. It is black, with excellent tires and looks pretty good. It would cost $873. Every time I go past it I look at it yearningly but so far I would still rather have my savings than it. Perhaps soon someone else will buy it and the temptation will be removed.

Mrs. Searcy was busy tonite so I didn’t take a music lesson this week. She was playing somewhere or other I guess.

I hope Ann Marie gets along better. By the way the Wellingtons use Dexin instead of Karo syrup, which they were informed by a baby specialist causes gas. You buy it at drugstores.

With love

C.P.

P.S. I got a letter form Vincent in which he says he is going to get another 2 week furlough. I was very glad to hear it.

January 3, 1945

Jan 3, 1945

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif.

Dear Father, Mother, and the rest of the folks at home,

I see by the newspaper that you must certainly be getting a real touch of winter back in the midwest. Ordinarily, the papers here never say anything about weather in other parts of the nation unless it is sort of bad. If a hurricane or a tornado hits some other part of the nation, it is played up; probably so that the rest of the country will seem to be slightly worse than Calif. It isn’t quite that bad, but they never miss a chance to deride the weather elsewhere. For that matter, Calif is been producing some very nice days as I have been writing to you about. Today has been slightly cloudy tho, and a rain may be brewing. Dwight thought yesterday that it might rain today but I pooh-poohed him and my judgment was vindicated this time.

Mrs. Johnson’s daughter called up last evening and she also told of snow and cold in the middle west. Mrs. Johnson surely ejoyed hearing her.

Last Sunday Mrs. Johnson had her son Eric his family and father and mother in law here for dinner and the afternoon. I think I wrote to you about this before if I am not mistaken. They have two cute children, much cuter than Paul Eric I think. They are older than Kathryn Ann, but they would have to go some to be cuter than she.

I saw [a] very good show this week. It is called “Laura” and it is a detective drama sort of thing. The first half of the show is almost perfect. I can’t think of a thing wrong with it. About the middle, the detective falls in love which sort of detracts from the show, but otherwise that too is good. I can’t understand why anyone who could produce such an excellent show should want to mix in such extraneous matters thereby gumming up the effect he has striven to attain. I would recommend it to you Verner and Marold. Even if you went to shows, mama, tho, I don’t think you’d appreciate it.

Sunday afternoon I developed a headache, and also a slightly upset feeling, so I went to bed about 8:30 pm and slept the new year in. I woke up about 7:30 am but Mrs. Johnson didn’t get up right away so we didn’t have breakfast till 9:30 an. Tsk! Tsk!

This week prayer services are being held in various homes in the congregation here. The first one was held last night, at which I gave the meditation — on Faith. Two other meditations will be on Love and Hope and the final one on “A Changeless Christ in a Changing World.” Pastor Clauson of Banning Homes will lead that one.

I was talking with Dan Davidson who is now in charge of the work here today about the closing aspects of the work on which I have been working for awhile. He mentioned a couple of possibilities about things to work on in the future, but he also said in so many words that if there was something I thought I would like to work on that I happened to think of that I could do so. I think that that is the biggest compliment I could receive and it sure tickled me plenty.

With love

C.P.

December 12, 1944

December 12, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home

I feel sort of dispirited tonite for some reason or other. The P.E. was half an hour later at Watson tonite and the waitresses at Thrifty’s were terribly slow (supper was 1½ hours long tonite) so I didn’t get home till seven thirty — all of which doesn’t help to improve the situation. Also I have a little headache etc etc. As a consequence my piano practicing didn’t go so hot which added its untoward bit to the situation. This kind of a day happens ever [sic] once in awhile and you wonder then if anything is ever done halfway efficiently in Calif. Other times it isn’t so bad, but you can’t say it’s good either.

However there are a couple of things that are on the other side of the ledger. For example the weather has been very nice and warm since Sunday, and on Sunday too. Today it was up around 80°F. The nights have not been so cold either and the air has been very clear (you could see the mountains even from San Pedro & out at Watson you could distinguish the snow on them). Dwight says he thinks it is going to rain but it looks fair to me for awhile anyway. Another thing that is a positive influence just at present is my work, which hasn’t been half bad for awhile. I have some interesting things that I plan to be doing in the near future.

Sunday afternoon was the every member canvass here. I had fourteen people to see. Of that number, 6 I knew beforehand would not be home. Of the remaining eight, I took care of six, 2 being not at home. So I have 8 contacts left to make. Fortunately 2 contacts will really take care of six so in reality it is only 4 calls I have to make. However, since I have to walk around to do it it is a little tiresome.

Also on Sunday afternoon & evening was the District L.L. meeting at Pasadena to which I did not go. Pastor Wellington had asked me if I wanted to go, but being as the officers for the following year were being installed I would have felt very foolish attending — as I had declined the election to its presidency. Also on Sunday afternoon was a dedication of a Service Center in Long Beach. I guess it was sort of a poor time to have a canvass when there were so many meetings on.

Dwight tells me that thru devious means he had found out that Mr. Cole has been made the head of the engineering department. That should be a nice feather in his cap, but I think he deserves it since he has a good grasp of his specialty and in addition has been successful in his guidance of research. There are at least four major commercial plants in the Shell organization that are based primarily on work done here (largely since the time I began work here), not to mention licensing of the same to other companies, and the fact that the Cactus plant was based on research done here. In addition several other processes have been and are being investigated.

Thank you for the letters I have received this week. Greet Ann Marie from me. Also, since you have such a nice lot of snow back there now, make a lot of snowballs and throw them for me.

With love

C.P.

December 9, 1944

Dec 9, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif.

Dear Father, Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Your letter announcing the coming of Ann Marie arrived here Thursday, mother. I am glad to hear that everything went all right despite the bad roads etc. I suppose you haven’t seen very much of her yet but when you do, don’t forget to write a complete description of her. If she is anything like the Wellington’s baby was at that age, she is sort of red and wrinkled. Don’t be disappointed tho. They seem to grow out of that stage. However the Wellington’s baby lost some of its hair as it grew older but it is coming along pretty good in that respect also. Also, be sure when you take pictures of her to send them around so the rest of the relation can see what the newest addition to it looks like.

Mrs. Johnson suggests that I get for Ann Marie for Christmas sort of a baglike thing in which to carry the baby around in outside. From her description it sounded like a papoose cover or something like that. She said she got one for Paul Eric when he was born and that it has been very handy according to her daughter. Do you have one of these already? If not, and if you think it sounds like a good idea I shall endeavor to locate one to send to her. I suppose tho that she will stay inside most of the time for quite awhile yet.

Calif looked like it was going to rain yesterday, but it sort of fizzled out. Today it was foggy in the morning but cleared up more or less later on. I wore my rubbers and raincoat to work but I did not need to. I do not think it will rain for awhile now, the way it looked tonite but last night it surely looked like it. It was been warmer lately also which seems to indicate that a rain should have come when it looked so much like it.

I was interested in reading about the earthquake that took place inJapan. Dwight says that the Calif Int of Technology has published a report on the investigative study they have made of them since the earthquake in Calif in 1934 or thereabouts. I shall have to try to get ahold of it, since it should be very interesting to read. They have numerous instruments in addition to the seismograph for measuring the type of motion etc in earthquakes.

My work continues about as usual. Mrs. Johnson aleays tells me to be happy in my work when I leave in the morning but it isn’t always easy to follow her advice. However, it hasn’t been too bad lately.

I received a card the other [day] from the Christian Herald announcing that I would be receiving it during the coming year from Mr. & Mrs. C.S. Strand. Thank you, Mother and father for this first of my 1944 Christmas presents.

I think I shall take a bath, wash my head and lay in bed and read for awhile before I go to sleep. I have done nothing but write on a report all day but I am sort of tired anyway.

With love

C.P.

October 26, 1944

October 26, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Mother, Father, and the rest of the folks at home,

It is after midweek service as I am writing this. Tonite I am sort of tired and dispirited. My mysic lesson didn’t go so hot and I thought I had it in fairly good shape beforehand. Well, maybe it will go better next week.

Today it was been a fairly nice. [sic] It is almost clear this evening but I sort of think that the relative humidity is rather high. This morning it was clear here in San Pedro but it was very foggy out at the refinery. Yesterday was a warm, cloudy, sultry day and it certainly looked and felt like rain but the spell passed off with nothing happening. If it keeps on toying with the idea of raining the way it has, it will slip up some time and start in.

My work continues about as usual. I received an extension of my draft classification as II-B until March 26, 1945. What I can’t figure out is why it isn’t March 19, or April 2, or February 27 instead. March 26 has no particular significance that I can surmise.

Shell Development is having a Halloween Party at the Shell Oil Clubhouse this coming Saturday night but I don’t think I shall go. There is also a L.L. banquet someplace in L.A. the same nite, but I don’t think I shall go to that either. My Sunday School lesson inevitably gets pushed off till Saturday nite, and I need the time then to get it ready.

Monday night I went to the library and got some detective stories to read and afterward I went to a show. The main feature was sort of corny but the “also ran” feature was a show about Boston Blackie and it was so hammy that it was a scream. I certainly thought it was funny. I think that the only good movies are the funny ones; as soon as they attempt seriousness (with a couple of exceptions) they become asinine & boring. This show was just like the radio program I heard when I was home on my vacation. I will have to look around and see if it is on the radio here.

I think I shall read some and then go to bed.

With love

C.P.

October 5, 1944

Oct 5, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father,Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

I didn’t get around to writing home yesterday so I will write before I leave for work this morning so that the letter will not be too late getting off. Yesterday after dinner I sat and talked with Mrs. Johnson for awhile, then I drew and loafed around for awhile. Then I was intending to practice my music lesson some, but right after I started, some company came and I didn’t do it. The company were some people that knew Lester Peterson’s in Odebolt and I guess Mrs. Johnson knew them too. He used to be a barber in Odebolt but came to California to work in the shipyards. He got a doctor’s release because of his health tho and is back at his original trade. After that it was time to go to church and after church I went to bed, so I didn’t seem to have an opportunity to get this written yesterday afternoon when I had originally intended to.

I got a letter from Vincent a couple of days ago. He says that is is thinking of going to school and taking up electrical engineering when he does. I knew from the letters you had sent on that he had been investigating the possibility but this is the first time I had heard of a specific aim in his projected schooling. I wrote to him in reply — the first letter in quite sometime I am afraid.

Calif. weather has been sort of cool and dampish lately, very definitely fall weather and a prelude to the rainy season. If it continues as it has this year, the winter here should be fairly chilly at times.

My work progresses about as usual which indicated my attitude towards it.

Mrs. Johnson was down to the doctor the other day and found out that her blood pressure was up to 180, so she has to take things a little easier and not do all the things she has in the past. Mr. Johnson, however, is organically sound if it were not for his nervousness and poor muscular control.

Tonite is Luther League cabinet meeting at Pastor Wellington’s. Mrs. Wellington and Kathryn Anne were at church Sunday evening but not in the morning. The baby sleeps at night now since they made a change from Karo syrup to some stuff they get at the drug store. Its eyes are very bright but I don’t know how much it actually notices.

Well, I must be on my way.

With love

C.P.

October 1, 1944

October 1, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father, Mother and the Rest of the Folks at Home,

Today is really Calif. almost at its best. It has been clear all day but the day is not hot, in fact it is barely warm. There is a cool ocean breeze which makes wearing a coat or jacket outside not exactly out of place. When you stand in the sun tho you feel warm enough. Ever [sic] once in awhile you can here [sic] a rooster crow. It almost sounds like Iowa and feels like it, which I suppose is why it seems such a nice day. This morning the foghorns blew some but they are quiet now.

Last night I didn’t get home until rather late. Mel Oldfather’s had the ex-Iowa members of Shell Development out for supper and the evening. Sig Lawrence and his wife were down from San Francisco on their vacation. He was at school when I was but was doing graduate work. The Fewsons and George, Jr. were there (they called George, Jr. “Jeepie”), and Dwight, Hugh Guthrie and Ed Fisch, who came here about 2 months or so ago were also there. It was a rather enjoyable evening I thought. I left at about 11:30 and got a P.E. car at Compton in about 15 minutes and so I was in bed asleep by 1:00 am. Of course I got home slightly before that, but I had to take time out to read the letter from home. I could never be too sleepy to read that.

I am teaching the Bible Class in S.S. now. The reason for this is that during the S.S. hour, Pastor Wellington is going to have the Confirmation Class if and when it gets organized, so he asked me to take the Bible Class which was ordinarily his. It is somewhat more interesting than the previous class I had. I think that the quarterlies we have now are very good for a novice like myself. The[y] certainly seem to contain a lot of information.

My work gets along about as usual. I have not heard from Al since the time we had supper together. This morning there were about ½ dozen sailers [sic] in church. You hardly ever see any soldiers any more.

Since I missed out on some sleep last night I think I shall sleep some this afternoon. I feel lazy enough to.

With love

C.P.

May 30, 1944

May 30, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif

Dear Father and Mother and the rest of the folks at home,

Today is vacation day so I am going to sort of finish up some loose ends of things that I have to do. The day is starting out as a typical Calif. summer day, cloudy, so that it will not be too warm in the afternoon.

I am sort of disgusted with my car. Sunday morning after Sunday School I was driving back to get Mrs. Johnson and I was going up a hill and halfway up it stopped and would not start. I let it roll down the hill to a garage, fortunately an Oldsmobile garage and left it there. I was seething within with disgust but I quieted down after awhile. I thought somebody had taken the gas out of it, but instead the fuel pump had gone blooey. Last night I went down to get it but I didn’t have enough money to pay for it — about $15, of which about 2/3 was labor. I guess I’ll go dow and get it this morning. I hope that nothing like this happens again.

Sunday was Confirmation Sunday. There were four in the Confirmation Class here. On Sunday evening was Communion. I was glad that my feelings over my car had worn off by evening so I was in a peaceful state of mind for the service then.

I have heard nothing from the draft board. I asked Mr. Cole about it and he said that he didn’t think there was too much to worry about since in the absence of adequate clerical help they would put off all work for deferred classifications & concentrate on the others. About ½ have received their classifications here, that is those who have received II-B’s and are eligible for them, so I don’t think there is anything to worry about — but . . .

George Fewson returned from his vacation yesterday and he said that he surely wished he could go back to the middle-west and stay there. He said that everything looked so green. He comes from southern Iowa so I guess he was in a section where they did not have so much rain or storms lately. Even so, he said, the corn is not planted yet there. He made me homesick with his account of things there.

I got a letter from Vivian yesterday as well as one from home. Mrs. Johnson said she was jealous because she did not get even one. Howard, the rascal, owes me one now for several weeks, if not more.

With love

C.P.

May 9, 1944

May 9, 1944

949 W 12th St

San Pedro, Calif.

Dear Mother, Father and the rest of the folks at home,

I have had my pre-induction physical examination today and I feel sort of dispirited tonite. However I have taken a good warm bath and feel a little better. I could have told them beforehand what my physical condition was — namely o.k. in every respect. The only thing marked in red on my sheet was that I had an appendectomy scar. The navy quota was filled so I was assigned to the army. Personally it does not make a lot of difference because one would be as distasteful as the other.

If I listen to my reason I cannot see how I can avoid being deferred again, but military service seems to be a very real possibility after you have gone thru a physical examination of this type in which all those in charge tacitly assumed you were already in it for all practical purposes. I will have to pinch myself if I am again deferred to make sure I am not dreaming as I did when I received the first one in Iowa City. Well, I should know in a couple of weeks what will happen.

If I am permitted to stay on here, I will be taking my vacation in August instead of June-July as I had previously planned. The reason for this change is that otherwise I would be having my vacation including a day which would be a holiday anyway and which would mean that I would be using up 1/12 of my vacation on a day which was vacation anyway — a very foolish procedure.

I hope that after Vivian comes home that she will feel better and be able to throw off the cold that has been plaguing her this spring. I have bought a book recently which I am now reading which I think she should enjoy. It is about a California ranch, on which all the animals have names like they do at home and where the cows are breaking out now and then and other troublesome and sundry discomforts. When I am finished I will try to remember to send it along. It has made me think more of home than anything else I have come across recently.

If I am taken in the army and survive the war, altho it would solve a lot of problems not to come out of it, I don’t think I shall return to Calif or to commercial employment. If I do not stay on the farm I shall go back to school and try to get a teaching job when I finish. Calif is o.k. and the people here are nice and all that but I feel like a prodigal son eating husks in a far off land. I seem to be leading a purposeless existence. This is, I suppose, mostly a reaction to today. I am certain tho that I shall be an inefficient worker till I find out what is to happen.

Good night

C.P.