Fred's 1944 Day Book
January 1944
No holiday on the H.E.W. (Hanford Energy Works) Rode with Dave Collins. Off at 4 PM - rode home with Major. W???
January 19 - Fred's Postcard to Myron
Cut out from the January '44 Newspaper
February 1944
Quite a little snow last night but melted through day. Mrs. Taylor came over in evening and mail kid said he had our kitty but the kid did not come back as he promised. Wrote Zeke. Rotten day at office. ??? expects to terminate.
Fred's Card to Myron
Sort of blue day at office. Only the war keeps us here. Too much clique and brainless officers.
February 22 - Postcard - Never Received
March 22
May 1944
Nice day but rather windy. Connie washed and cleaned our car. To Intell movie at 8:30 AM at Hanford to teach us to keep quiet.
My dear Myron: We still cherish the card received from you last December. It meant much to us. Someday another may come. Hope these notes reach you. Love. Dad Never received by Myron
June 1944
Breakfast at 8 AM at Richland Park. Wilburs, Wildish and John Karis. John stayed around here most of the day. Ate supper here. Strawberry short cake. Mowed lawn and reading. "Americans in Rome" came over the radio.
Only one thing important - Invasion of Western Europe by Allies began this morning and going well. Listened to radio this morning, noon, and all evening.
Rode with Collins. Derby back in office after 2 days away. Heavy dust storm all day at Hanford. "Termination Powder." Cool and rainy this evening so we stayed in den. Invasion still going okay.
Letter from Aunt Vic asking about Myron. Just 17 years ago today that his mother left us for heaven. Registered for voting over at Lindsey's in evening. Rather cool all day.
Started in a fine day but developed into heavy wind all PM. Loafed most of day and watering lawn. John Karis here in PM and stayed for supper - strawberry short cake. Took John to Dorm in our car at 8 PM and drove to post office with 4 letters. War news indicates progression on all fronts.
Dear Son - Everything good here at home. Think of you much and pray for you to have strength and hope. Keep a brave heart and chin up. Dad and Mom (Rough draft, final copy never received by Myron.)
Good war news today. B-29s dropped pineapples on Japan. Yanks landed on Saipan in Marianas (Islands). Invasion going okay. Shepperd says Germany will last in to '45 but I don't think so.
July 20th Postcard Sent - 13th Received
13th piece of mail received by Myron.
August 1944
Big day. 2nd card received from Myron written from Zentsuji War Prison Camp on 3 October 1943. Rode with Taylor. Learned Ebbs and Tellenger in hospital due to auto accident. Adamson terminating account no work. Phoned American River Lodge for cabin 19th August.
Rode with Collins. Taylor home today. Connie mowed north and west lawns. Mrs. Kadlec called me at office trying to sell some of Harry's belongs. "Not so good." American armies reach La Mans, France.
August 9 Postcard Sent - 15th Received
August 11
Getting hot again. Another red letter day, best since war began for we got our first letter from Myron dated December 1943. Told of getting package sent last August. Also received our third card but undated.
Letter is transcribed below original
Zentsuji War prison camp
December 1943.
Mr. and Mrs. F.N. wildish
5319 Blodgett Ave.,
Downers Grove, Illinois, USA.
Dear Dad: Merry Xmas. You are making my Xmas happy by sending a care package, the best thing you can do for me is to keep you and Connie in A-1 shape. I know the boys (stepbrothers Dave and Don) are young and strong. The sooner we can be together again the better. Glad to know you are doing you bit at Pasco. (Censors have deleted info for one sentence here.) Your letter received today is the first since before the war. This is my third to you. Frame the first one. You will not be mistaken as to which that is. I was gladly give my monthly pay to room and board again with the Whitings** on the corner of Hill and Blodgett. You remember the summer I went to Boston and I stayed home and boarded with them. It was only a block from home and we lived like kings. I presume they are still living the same style. I was too young then to realize how damn well they were living. I have a couple of good friends here from Indiana. We are enjoying one of their boxes now. The food and chess set are just the thing. I hope it won't be necessary to send some long underwear for next Xmas. I like the peanut butter and Lucky Strikes. Can you tell me of my finances? I want to take you and Connie on a good sight seeing and job hunting trip around the States. In your letters include pictures of the family with state side material things in the background like houses, cars, sidewalks, etc. I must see a dentist when I get back. Again please keep yourself and Connie healthy.
Love,
MF Wilidish
December 1943.
Mr. and Mrs. F.N. wildish
5319 Blodgett Ave.,
Downers Grove, Illinois, USA.
Dear Dad: Merry Xmas. You are making my Xmas happy by sending a care package, the best thing you can do for me is to keep you and Connie in A-1 shape. I know the boys (stepbrothers Dave and Don) are young and strong. The sooner we can be together again the better. Glad to know you are doing you bit at Pasco. (Censors have deleted info for one sentence here.) Your letter received today is the first since before the war. This is my third to you. Frame the first one. You will not be mistaken as to which that is. I was gladly give my monthly pay to room and board again with the Whitings** on the corner of Hill and Blodgett. You remember the summer I went to Boston and I stayed home and boarded with them. It was only a block from home and we lived like kings. I presume they are still living the same style. I was too young then to realize how damn well they were living. I have a couple of good friends here from Indiana. We are enjoying one of their boxes now. The food and chess set are just the thing. I hope it won't be necessary to send some long underwear for next Xmas. I like the peanut butter and Lucky Strikes. Can you tell me of my finances? I want to take you and Connie on a good sight seeing and job hunting trip around the States. In your letters include pictures of the family with state side material things in the background like houses, cars, sidewalks, etc. I must see a dentist when I get back. Again please keep yourself and Connie healthy.
Love,
MF Wilidish
**Writing back to his parents after hearing for the first time from them and that they are well, Myron is able to communicate to his parents his living conditions without alarming Japanese censors. The Whiting family he is referring never did "live like kings." The family, which really did live down the street at home had lost everything in the depression and were by far the poorest family on the block living in the basement of their uncompleted home for many years. An upgrade to their meager life would have been an improvement to life in camp.
Another postcard sent:
Wonderful news from all fronts tonight in Europe. Romania out of war. Paris in Allied hands, etc.
Quite hot today - We washed all windows on outside and trimmed flower garden north of house, planting some seeds, replanting grass along walk to street. Wrote Brandt and took to Post Office. Splady here in late PM for supper and evening. Ate in living room, played some cards and drove in PreFab area before 9 pm. Sent card to Myron.
Myron 27 years old and 3rd birthday in Japanese prison. Thought of him many times.
Taylor drove and run out of gas halfway to Hanford. We went out and got his car in PM. 2 letters from (stepson) Don in South Pacific. Reporter with Myron's personal letter spread over the front page. It makes me mad to see this. Mowed front lawn.
September 1944
Weather ideal. Connie and I drove around Richland after pancake breakfast. Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur here visiting in den until 1:30 pm when we had lunch. We drove to Splendy's but they were away. Cut Ed. W's hair. Good news on radio. American troops enter Germany. Finnland (!) out of war. Looks like the beginning of the end for Germany. Took ?? driving thru PreFabs just before bed time.
More cigars from Lindstrom at Downers Grove. Cold in AM - Hot in PM as usual. Collins back from 2 weeks vacation and drove today. Mrs. C (Collins) sprained her ankle in PM making us late tonight. Almost dark now when Lowell Thomas completes his (radio) broadcast at 7:30 PM American troops fighting in German. 80 plus Jap ships sunk yesterday. Gave Major Gillette a sermon on the flag yesterday when he began fussing about its care.
Collins drove again. News in Germany not so good. Failure of British paratroupers at Arnhem. Splady here all evening.
October 1944
Sometime that fall Fred notes all the boys he knew listed in the home town paper.
Another fine day. War going good in Pacific. Starting to soften the Japs in the Philippines.
Rode to work with D. Splady. Wore my best brown suit account of WP Stevenson's funeral in Kennewick at 2:30 PM. Rev. Atchinson - Good service. Rode with Jeff Hull and back with PA Wills. Connie at Red Cross in PM. Ed Wilber, Taylor, Schulte and Little Schock left for hunting trip of three days on ?? farm NE of Spokane. Mrs. Wilbur here in evening. Exciting news of McArthur going back to Philippines.
Sunshine again and ideal weather. Went to Hanford this PM with McBride to interview Lt. O'Sullivan from Clinton completion reports. Everything going fine on Leyte in the Philippines.
News of big naval batter near the Philippines on 6 AM broadcast.
November 1944
Election Day. We went to Grange at 8:15 and voted for Dewey. Listened at radio fro supper on until bedtime. Indications of a Dewey defeat were evident.
Another gray day and chilly. Wore my old army wool shirt and slacks. Connie spent PM at Red Cross and we came home in car at supper time, taking Ruth Jack home. Good news on all fronts as the boys push steadily forward although slow.
December 1944
This entire job is rattle brained. ?? told Woody about my promise from Sapper. Connie came after me this evening at the office.
3 years ago today the Japs struck. Rained last night. Drove or car to work and Connie brought it back, account of Doug Splady off for several days.
Drove our car to office and home at lunch. Took Connie back down to town to shop. 4th card from Myron, dated June 1944.
Dear Dad: Yours Dec 14, 1943 and Nov 26 received this May. Am hoping Bud (this may mean Dave?) and Don are ok. Just heard about their new job. Please give them my love and cancel my order for underwear. Am still thinking about farm as mentioned April card to you. My love to you and mother. Love, MF Wildish
5th card from Myron written October 1944. Connie to Pasco with Ruth Woodward. To Clark's party in evening. Most of so called hot shots were there. Hanning leaving for Washington in night.
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