December 1940

Iowa City
Thursday morning

Dear mother:

 I thought I would begin my letter now as I have 15 minutes before I will leave for my classes and I don’t believe it would be worthwhile to start studying something in such a short time. Besides I have about ½ of them already prepared for Friday.

The laundry came Friday evening (or was it Friday noon?), somewhat sooner than I expected it to come. Please accept my usual thanks for washing up my clothes and for sending me some things to eat. I have already begun to plan my eating so that everything will be finished up Thursday morning. If I leave with Fridell’s, as I will if Mr. Fridell comes down, I won’t be leaving until after dinner. However, if he does not come down, my plans might be slightly different. This morning, I am going to look up the bus depot and if possible, open up a line of escape in that direction. According to the telephone book, there are bus lines to Des Moines which would maybe put be aboard the M & St L. I wonder what time it leaves Des Moines? I will write more about this later in the letter after I have discovered the particulars. You can’t imagine how I am anticipating coming home. I received a letter from Vivian just the other day and I guess, from the sound of her letter, that she will also be happy to come home once more.

Last Friday [interruption: there goes “Jingle Bells” on the Music Shop. So Xmas-y sounding. It rouses that old anticipatory feeling in me] night, I went with two other boys to Cedar Rapids and saw a show. The boys were some that I knew at F.D.J.C and one of them had an old Chevrolet down here. They asked me to go along and I thought I might as well as I was pretty well caught up on my studying. I had a fairly good time but it could have been better. The show, “The Mark ofZorro” was pretty good because it had my movie hero, Basil Rathbone in it.

Well, here I am again and this time I guess I’ll finish the letter. I went to the bus depot and found out that there is a bus leaving at noon Thursday which would bring me to Des Moines at 3:30. Then there is a bus going to Ft. Dodge but it goes around by Ft. Dodge so if I went that way you would have to come & get me. I don’t know when the M & St L leaves Des Moines and the agent at the bus depot didn’t know, so I don’t think I’d risk running around down there where I don’t know my way around and wind up by losing both train and bus. If you could find out please drop a line or card and let me know. Of course, I’ll follow this plan only if Mr. Fridell does not come. if I do have to go home by bus, I’ll have to write another check, and if I don’t, I still might write one for $2 or so. I have bought several Xmas presents but still have about ½ or 2/3 left to buy. I’ll try to get that done next Saturday.

It has snowed some here this morning. When I left for school it was just starting. When I returned it was snowing quite hard but it has entirely stopped now. I, too, hope the weather remains nice so I can get home with Fridell’s. Weekly analysis of how I am getting along in becoming an engineer. (1) Drawing head the list this week. In the last test wqe had I got 87% which was the best grade in the class by 1%. I felt pretty good after that test.

(2) German — we have started a systematic review of all that we have covered so far. Yesterday we had a vocabulary test which was quite easy. I think for about 2 weeks I will have practically no studying to do in German since the review will be easy. I think if I study a little bit on oral German I can pull an A in this course.

(3) Mechanics of Solids — things are fairly tame. We have started the last section of the book, i.e., kinetics. As a sort of Xmas present the instructor is giving a test the very last class on Thurs. morning. If it wasn’t for that class I could get started for Des Moines at 8:14. I hope I do as well in this test as I did in the last one.

(4) Chem Industries — SoSo as usual — this weekend I am going to bring my notebook up to date since it is due the last class before Xmas vacation.

(5) Indus Stoichiometry — We have had 2 more quizzes. In both I made a small mistake. I should get 9 in both or 9 in one and 10 in the other since my error in the last was not more than about 2% or so. Today I have an experiment to do in this green-eyed-dragon-course. I already have one to write up and that will make two which I will try to finish during Xmas vacation some time (Oh happy thought! and that does go for the writing up either!)

I seem to be writing at an angle on this page so I will use this line to straighten things out.

I believe I’ll abbreviate this letter and call it enough. In just one week I’ll be home and then I can tell you about everything better than writing about it.

With love,

Carl

This is the last letter 

home before Xmas

Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!

(1) Week from today I

should be home at some 

time or other. 

P.S. Who did Audrey A get married to? A foolish question to ask since I’ll find out soon enough anyway I guess.

P.S. I have had a little (very little) cold lately but with that exception none all winter.

P.S. The last roll was a little tough but that was all.

P.S. I just heard the Iowa weather forecast — a cold wave. That should stop this snow and make weather conditions more settled.

P.S. auf Wiederschreiben: meaning, I’ll be writing again to you but not till after Xmas.

December 19, 1945

December 19, 1945

1046 W 24th St

San Pedro, Calif

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

In case this letter reaches you in time, I hope you have a very merry Christmas as no doubt you will have if Ann Marie is still around. If it doesn’t reach you in time I hope that you will have had one. I received the package from home today. It came thru safe and sound. To date I have also received greeting from Grandmother, Aunt Esther and Uncle Lawrence’s as well as from various people here in Calif.

Ann Marie certainly looks learned and dignified leafing thru that great big book, as shown in the snapshot you sent mother. Don’t forget to send the rest of them too, at least for a look at them if not to keep. Her hair has certainly grown at a considerable rate since I saw her, because she seems to have quite a bit on the picture. A penny for your thoughts, Ann Marie! What are you thinking about anyway?

The eclipse of the moon last night turned out fairly well. It was quite cloudy till about 6 or 6:15 but obligingly cleared off thereafter so that the movement of the shadow of the earth off the moon could be plainly seen. The moon was never completely invisible in that you could detect its outline even when the eclipse was total, but it was much paler than it ordinarily would be. I can’t recall having watched a lunar eclipse before so it was quite intriguing.

A.J. was down this week as I mentioned he would be, but he didn’t get here on Monday. I saw and talked to him today but he won’t know till after the first of the year on the transfer. He gave a reasonable enough explanation as to why no action has occurred but somehow or other I still get the impression that I am being given the run-around. I am beginning to feel that if I am to get back to the midwest, it won’t be by a transfer.

Since the bonds I asked about awhile back seem to be o.k., you don’t need to send them out. Evidently only some of them issued during the month were not correctly made out and I didn’t get any of them.

I can’t think of much more to write about so

Merry Ch

December 25, 1942

Dec. 25, 1942

425 S. Cabrillo

San Pedro, Calif.

Dear Father, Mother and the folks at home,

What a lot of nice presents I got from home! I am certain that I did not deserve them all. At any rate I surely appreciated them all. I want to take this opportunity of thanking all those at home and at grandmother’s who gave me so many things. I will have to tell you all that I got and make some comments about them.

First I got a pair of very snazzy maroon pajamas from mama. The top is striped with white but the pants are plain. I wore them to bed on Christmas Eve and did I sleep! Like a log I guess. Also from mama I got a devotional book and calendar — to say nothing of all those beautiful cookies. Thank you mama for these things. When I come home sometime I will give you a bear hug and a mushy kiss for them.

Then I got a box from Clarice and Vivian & another package but I was supposed to open the box first (it was the box from some candy Al had given her). In the box were 5 little packages with little notes on them, and all around, under and over them were sort of candy strings like beads. These beads had melted enough to want to stick to everything so I got my fingers all sticky undoing the packages, but I didn’t mind. The first package was a Santa Claus candle and the writing on the package was “Because we want to be sure that Santa Claus doesn’t miss you.” The second was a chimney candle and the note was “Because we don’t know if California houses have them and they are essential to Santa Claus.”

Package three was labeled “To tack on your curtains with pins so that it looks Christmasy” and was 4 little bells. The fourth was a porcelain turtle and the note was “This is Vivian the Second to keep you from being lonesome. (So called because both wear enormous protective layers.)” The fifth was a pair of stockings and the note was “To wear immediately. (Be thankful you live in Calif. or you would have got part woolen ones.)”

The sixth package which was separate was an omnibus of American humor and the inscription was “To make you crack many a smile and it’s no fault of ours if you don’t.” There was also a picture of Clarice and Al. I thought this all very cute and I want to say, “ Thank you, Clarice and Vivian.” Oh Snooty, Christmas doesn’t seem real without you!

From Aunt Laurine I got a book-mark, a necktie holder with a dial like thing [at] the back which you can turn to see what kind of a necktie and shirt you should wear with a suit, a picture of her, Vivian & Marybeth and the new piano, also a Christmas card with a paper wallet in which was a dollar to buy something with, altho this wasn’t supposed to be a Christmas present even tho it came at Christmas. Thank you, Aunt Laurine.

From grandmother I got a beautiful red tie that’ll give you the pink-eye if you look at it too long and a beautiful card. Thank you, grandmother.

From Aunt Esther I got a book, “The Master’s questions to his disciples.” Thank you, Aunt Esther.

From Verner and Marold I got a book called “The Damon Runyon Omnibus.” (I see where I am going to waste some time.) Thank you Verner and Marold.

Besides these I got lots of cards, etc which helped to make everything more like Christmas. Once again, thank you all, for your part in making my Christmas nice.

I was at Pastor Wellington’s Christmas Eve instead of today because they were invited away today so they asked me to come then instead. Mrs. Wellington’s mother from Minnesota was there. Also Miss Wendell, who is doing home mission work in the new housing projects around here and who hails from the middle west. So we all felt the same way about Christmas out here — it just didn’t seem right that was all.

Today when I was coming home form breakfast downtown, Mrs Johnson asked me over for dinner so m as usual, I am being royally treated.

This morning, I, of course, went to Julotta. There wasn’t too many people there but I thought the service very nice. By the way, at Wellington’s on Christmas Eve, they sang (not me, of course) some Swedish songs, including the one Vivian learned for mama one year but which I won’t attempt to spell. I felt like bawling almost because [it] sounded just like it always had at grandmother’s.

Till today this week has been a sort of dampish, wet week. It rained earlier in the week and beginning Wednesday evening about 5 oclock it rained more or less steadily till sometime last night. Coming home from work, I was sort of afraid of the consequences, but all I seems to have done is promote my cold from the sore throat to the runny-nose and plugged-up-feeling stage. By Sunday I should be okay I think. Last night it cleared up however, so that it is clear & sunshiny today. However, it is quite windy out, which is rather new in Calif, at least to me.

I guess I have forgotten to tell you that everybody working for the Shell Development Company here got a three day vacation, Sunday, Saturday & Friday (altho of course not in that order.) I thought this was very nice. I feel very sorry for Zene, the lab head. His father died Wednesday morning. That sure is some Christmas present to get. Zene, incidentally became a father about a month ago.

I am enclosing a copy of the announcement for the choir service at the church here. What do you think of it? The cover design is mine, and I also made the stencil. The announcement for the Children’s program hasn’t come out yet but I made that too. However, I think that this one is nicer.

Last Friday evening, the L.L. decorated the church, that is, put up the Christmas trees etc. Afterwards there was a taffy pull (bring your own sugar). When I heard of a taffy pull I had visions of people standing way across the room from each other and pulling yards and yards of candy back and forth. Actually, if you do that, you’ve been making taffy for years and years and are no longer an amateur. If you’re doing it for the first time, you have all you can manage if you are able to manipulate the mess in your two hands. You smear your hands with butter and then work the half-cooked sticky stuff back and forth till it gets white and hard. After mine got so it didn’t stick to everything (that is, I could with a little delicate manipulation pick it up, and be able to let go if it afterward) I got disgusted and ate it. It tasted pretty good I thought. I didn’t get any sleep before going to work that night because the decorating wasn’t over till about 10:30 and I got pretty sleepy before morning. However, it may have been that my cold was starting in.

I am getting very spendthrifty lately. I have bought some more books (two technical ones) that cost $12. This wasn’t so bad but I walked into a clothing store this week and bought a brown suit. I feel sort of ashamed of myself for doing it because I know very well I didn’t need it. I guess this is what California does to you.

My work is going about as usual. The think now being studied in detail, as I have mentioned before is the desulfurization & hydrogenation of ordinary gasolines to produce airplane gas. The hydrogenation is a somewhat ticklish problem as yet because you want to hydrogenate the gum-forming olefins, but not the aromatics present since the latter have higher octane numbers than the naphthenes they would be hydrogenated to if it were permitted. So far, the success has been very good.

I was talking to Mr. Cole other other day and he said that the airplane gas now being produced both in quality and quantity is beyond even the dreams of 1940 and 1941 and 1943 will being similar expansion because of the great demand for it. The airplane fuel used in American planes is consistently 100 or 100+ in octane number (in fighting planes, that is). Axis airplane fuel is never more than 90. This doesn’t seem much like a spread but its just the same as the greater pickup of a Ford in first-class mechanical condition over a run of the mill Chevrolet or Plymouth. When you’re fooling around up in the air those 10 points difference mean a lot in the performance of an airplane engine. Furthermore, with higher octane gasoline, higher compression ratios are feasible, the thermal efficiency is therefore increased so that less fuel needs to be carried.

It is almost time to go over to Johnson’s for dinner so I guess I will close. Dwight has gone to visit relatives in Los Angeles so I guess he will not be there.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas

With love

C.P.

P.S. Some dope is singing “Home, Sweet, Home” on the radio.

P.S. I’m lonesome, or rather homesick.

December 17, 1942

Dec 17, 1942

425 S. Cabrillo Ave

San Pedro, Calif

Dear father, mother, and the rest of the folks at home

In the words of the popular ditty — I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. I suppose I shouldn’t let myself think about it because it makes me more than somewhat lonesome but somehow or other I can’t help it. I can’t believe its Christmas, unless I try to conjure up in my mind some of its features that have been characteristics in the past as far as I am concerned. You don’t know how much I wish that I were home for Christmas — even one hour, on Christmas Eve, or at Julotta or on Christmas day, or just walking around in the snow. To see each one of you would be about the best Christmas present I could have but unfortunately I suppose it can’t be.

I’ll be thinking of you all though and even if I’m not there in person, something of me will be since I’m sure it won’t be here. When you’re milking the cow, Verner, it’ll be you, of course, but it’ll be me too. When you’ve just jumped into a cold bed, Snooty, and you’re all scrunched up in a ball trying to get warm, it’ll be me. When you’re wiping the dishes, daddy; when you’re backing the car out of the garage, Vincent; when you’re feeding the chickens, Marold; when you’re gazing vacantly out of the window and thinking of your dream-bait, Clarice; when you’re frying the (how do you spell it? anyway you know what I mean), mama; it won’t be entirely you, it’ll be a little but me too.

Some day, I promise myself, I’ll be home for Christmas again, and I hope its just the same then as it always has been. Every day that passes is another day closer to the time when I’ll be home again, either for a visit or permanently. Somehow or other I can’t get away from the feeling that I’m just marking time until I can start to live again. When I’m riding home on the P.E. I’ll doze off sometimes and then wake up again and wonder, what am I doing here, as it it were all sort of a mixed-up dream.

It shouldn’t be too long till I am home again, either for a visit or for the rest of my life. Size or seven months for the first and certainly not more than three years for the latter. I suppose that it may be true that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but if I really like home one-tenth as much as I think I do now, I’ll never be satisfied elsewhere.

I must stop not for awhile. I will finish this letter tomorrow.

This is a mournful letter isn’t it? I guess I will start in by writing about something else. Your package, mother, arrived safe and sound this week, I forget just what day. I opened it, because I sort of thought there would be cookies in it and sure enough there was and boy! are they scrumptious! They are 99% intact also from what I have seen so far which is much better than they usually were when they arrived in Iowa City. My natural instinct was to eat them all at once of course but I realized that such would be a poor policy both from the standpoint of the enjoyment I would get which in such a case would be short-lived and from the immediate consequences of such an action.

Thank you very much for the cookies, mama. Every time I eat one I will think of you and I can just see you now rolling them out etc, etc. I suppose I’ll open the present that have come on Christmas Eve as in the past, altho I must confess that it is harder to keep from opening them right away out here where a little sly peeking would go unnoticed. I have also got a package from Aunt Esther & one from Aunt Laurine and a card from Eugene.

It has been raining in California. Yesterday when I went down town to supper it was just starting to rain and during supper it rained but let up while I was walking home — just like that. Later it started again and I think from the look of things it must have rained considerably. At the refinery it didn’t start to rain until later but I think that there was more rain there than here in San Pedro. Today the sky is overcast and I sort of think that it might rain some more.

Since I wrote home last, life has been uneventful around here. I get up as usual every night go to work, get done, have breakfast, go to sleep, get up, fool around, have supper, go to sleep, get up and start it over again. This goes on till Sat when I sleep till morning, get up, go to church, fool around, eat supper, go to church, gone home & to bed, get up and start another week.

As I perhaps did not make myself clear in my last letter, I do usually sleep in two installments but I don’t think the average is much more than seven hours usually. However, I don’t think this matters, since if I were really tired I could sleep longer after I come home from work in the morning, since on the occasions when I really was tired I slept until quite late in the afternoon.

For breakfast I have had to alter my menu because the eggs at the Shell Cafe are all eaten by the time I get there. The waitress says that they have a big rush from 5:30 to 7:00 and I guess I don’t get there till breakfast as far as they concerned is almost over. So I have been having a stack of hot cakes, bacon and coffee lately.

I am going to close this letter now because I can’t think of anything more to write about.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas

With love,

C.P.

P.S. Thank you for the letter, Verner, and don’t kid yourself, you have a better time all around on the farm than elsewhere even if you think now its a thorn in many respects!

P.S. I agree with you. Poor cadets!

P.S. When you don’t have anything to do during vacation, as I shouldn’t think you wouldn’t (or would it be would) you can all write me thousands of nice long letters.