Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Monday, June 29, 2020
Post #69 - September 15, 1941 Second Honeymoon
This is the last letter I have from 1941, as my father was discharged from the army. The new modest home into which they so lovingly dreamed of moving, and which they often wrote of decorating, never materialized. They did not pass for the mortgage. As a result, during the war years, my mother moved back to a neighborhood in Philadelphia called Logan to live with her own mother, father, three brothers, and sister. Eventually, the whole extended family including me and my brother and sister, all lived in the same row home until such time as each one of us married. My father’s mother, who was widowed at a very early age, moved to a neighborhood called Oxford Circle to live with my father’s younger brother, Harry, and his wife, Goldie. Philip returned to the armed services in September of 1942 as the war ramped up. More letters will follow.
These are the last items I have dated 1941. The telegram is from my father’s youngest brother, Jack. The Christmas card is from my mother’s best friend, Anne. They stayed in touch all their lives, and Anne came to visit my mother when my mother was in her eighties.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Post #65 - September 8, 1941 Dreaming of Your Discharge and The 22-lb. B.A.R.*
*From Wikipedia:
The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the .30-06 Springfield rifle cartridge and designed by John Browning in 1917 for the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe as a replacement for the French-made Chauchat and M1909 Benét–Mercié machine guns that US forces had previously been issued.
The BAR was designed to be carried by infantrymen during an assault[1] advance while supported by the sling over the shoulder, or to be fired from the hip. This is a concept called "walking fire"—thought to be necessary for the individual soldier during trench warfare.[2] The BAR never entirely lived up to the original hopes of the war department as either a rifle or a machine gun.[3]
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Monday, June 22, 2020
Post #63 - September 4, 1941 A Scare from the Refrigerator and A Happy Man
Many people don’t realize that I have been making recordings while reading each letter aloud, a result of friends telling me that they have trouble deciphering the handwriting. So in each post, I have made a slideshow that flashes past while I am narrating the letters. Just make sure your sound is on and click on the arrow on the slideshow.
If you plan to continue reading this blog, please follow me now so as to give me the incentive to continue every day!
To enlarge the pages of the letter so that they are legible, click on the first page. This will allow you to enlarge for reading and will provide access to the other pages along the bottom of the screen.
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Post #62 - September 3, 1941 The Corn Exchange Bank and Being Happy Together
Many people don’t realize that I have been making recordings while reading each letter aloud, a result of friends telling me that they have trouble deciphering the handwriting. So in each post, I have made a slideshow that flashes past while I am narrating the letters. Just make sure your sound is on and click on the arrow on the slideshow.
If you plan to continue reading this blog, please follow me now so as to give me the incentive to continue every day!
To enlarge the pages of the letter so that they are legible, click on the first page. This will allow you to enlarge for reading and will provide access to the other pages along the bottom of the screen.
Rough Yiddish Translation: My Beloved and Dear Son Philipka: Be healthy and happy. With luck, the situation will not cause us to need help, and having to depend on each other should only be our worst punishment. My beloved son, I can tell you that I could easily read your short letter. You write so beautifully and so sweetly. You should be aware that I feel like you have kissed the ground I walk on with each word. Truthfully, you captured my heart. I am so grateful for the time you take to write to me, and I ask you, further, if it isn’t too difficult, to write to me with a little advice in the letter about my daughter-in-law, Evelyn. You know her personality. I don’t know if you understand her character, and perhaps you can help me because she awoke me to the situation at 60th Street so that I am aware of the financial difficulties you are having. I have now taken money from the bank to try and help a little so that I can pay for incidentals. I don’t blame you both for keeping this information from me, and even though much of this is my fault because I was insensitive while living under the same roof, you should not worry. You only need to worry about being happy together because I know that I have a good daughter-in-law, and she treats me very well. I am thankful that there is nothing more serious to write about than this. From your dear Mother.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Post #61 - August 30-September 2, 1941 Telephone Orderly and A Bad Malted
Many people don’t realize that I have been making recordings while reading each letter aloud, a result of friends telling me that they have trouble deciphering the handwriting. So in each post, I have made a slideshow that flashes past while I am narrating the letters. Just make sure your sound is on and click on the arrow on the slideshow.
If you plan to continue reading this blog, please follow me now so as to give me the incentive to continue every day!
To enlarge the pages of the letter so that they are legible, click on the first page. This will allow you to enlarge for reading and will provide access to the other pages along the bottom of the screen.
A rough translation of the Yiddish: Dear Mom, I know that you will have a much easier time reading this little letter than I had reading your small letter. I will only say that I am healthy and strong. I hope for you that I will soon be in your home with all my dear ones. Stay healthy and happy my dear “mominka.” I am your devoted son, Philip.
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