In 2001 my mother (Harold’s wife Dorothy) told me she had a box of Dad’s World War II letters. In emptying Grandma Moss’ home years earlier, Dad’s brother Dick found this box of letters in the garage rafters, one of three shoe boxes containing war letters from each of her three sons. Dick distributed them to each of his brothers. Dad never spoke of his World War II experiences so I was immediately excited to see these letters that I never knew existed. I was thrilled to receive them and to be reading sixty year old letters. I had a glimpse of what his mother must have felt, anxiously opening it, to see it’s contents.
Air Mail envelope, 1942
Some letters had faded and were beyond legibility. All were fragile. Many had resealed themselves with the passage of time. Some envelopes still contained added treasures such as pictures, newspaper clippings, Japanese money, and worship service bulletins. The yellowed, fragile sheets of parchment have long lost their elasticity, and I was always careful to neither tear nor deface them. Each letter contains its own smell.
I discovered a young man who, to alleviate his worried parent’s concerns about having three sons in World War II at the same time, wrote lengthy details of everyday life as an Army soldier in the Pacific and wrote colorful, descriptive travel logs of the places he was stationed, all under the censor’s scrutiny. These letters begin as a new recruit, drafted out of the University of Nebraska in September 1941, and end with his release out of the Army on November 1, 1945, a period of four years and two months. Dad wrote more than the 341 letters published here for we found many references such as “I wrote you about that yesterday…” yet there was no letter found of that date.
The world of my dad as a young Army serviceman, exploded before my eyes! I discovered things I had never known. He was a dancer (yet I never saw him on the dance floor), he knew shorthand, had an intense longing for a law degree (he was the only man in his unit who owned and regularly studied his law books), contracted yellow fever and cholera while in the Pacific, and was his unit’s newspaper contributor.
I began the task of transcribing each of his letters on the computer, so preciously preserved by his parents. And thus a family book of his letters was born.
Harold Moss at typewriter, Maui, 1942
Of all the letters transcribed, only a few were cut up by the censors, yet there is a wealth of information as to his daily routine. I’m amazed at Dad’s beautiful penmanship. About half of the letters are handwritten. The other half were typewritten because of his access to the typewriters in the Personnel office. He always hand signed each of his letters (even the typewritten ones), “Harold” in large flourishes. It was very apparent in his handwriting when he was stressed or anxious, for his words were larger and his handwriting was shaky.
I get a kick out of some of the addresses on the envelopes that he sent home. Most only read “Moss, Minatare, Nebraska”. No first name, no street address, no zip code. Minatare, Nebraska I would soon learn, is a small western town in Nebraska, 12 miles south of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and with a population of 1,200 people. During Harold’s war years, his father owned the town’s furniture store, was the gas man and sold Purina Feed.
Noting popular clichés was an interesting part of these letters: “I think he’s a swell guy”; “I wished you could see”. Different word spellings were noted: “I am okeh” and “Think I will go to the theatre (show) tonight”.
More letters were written on Sunday than any other day for obvious duty-free reasons. It must have provided a quiet time for guys to think of their home and dream of returning soon.
Dad admitted in letters that details and lengthy letters were only reserved for his parents to ease their concern for him. He corresponded with others but not in as much detail. He averaged three letters a week to his parents, and his mother sent him about three letters per week too.
Harold and Dick Moss, Saipan 1944
Included in the book were several letters sent to Harold from brothers, cousins and friends. They were included so that the beauty of Dad’s letters shined through. Brother Dick’s letters were infrequent, very brief, non-informative, and general letters, a sharp contrast to Dad’s frequent, lengthy, descriptive and informative letters home. Even under the scrutiny of the censors, he wrote around the forbidden topics such has his location and battle details.
Another recent discovery was a scrapbook his mother kept while he was at war. Many photographs she received in letters, she put in the scrapbook along with Harold’s letters published in the local newspaper Free Press, newspaper clippings of hometown boys in the war, Harold’s original draft notice and subsequent government paperwork telling him where to report for Army duty. Dad’s college friend Jack Conklin was an Army photographer who visited Harold often, giving him many of his pictures and are among the 280 photos/document collection on the website.
I discovered what a V-mail was: an all inclusive one-sided letter folded into an envelope and sent free through the first class mail. They were lightweight and small. Some enveloped V-mails were microfiched (condensed down to a 4”x5” size) and thus very difficult to read!
I learned many things through the visual glimpse of thoughts mentioned in Dad’s letters.
He was a lean 130 pounds in the Army due in part for his dislike for C-rations. He learned to play the violin in Greeley, Colorado, at the age of 8 years, when his wealthy uncle Horace Baldwin (gram Waid’s brother) sent him a violin for Christmas. He played in the University of Nebraska orchestra but in the army, his lack of privacy to practice and his shyness, led to his yearning to play but a reluctance to do so!
As a young Army man, he spoke of things in letters that I saw later in our family. He loved Shakespeare and worked on a master’s degree on Chaucer and Shakespearian works. He loved model airplanes as a hobby, especially while living in France. The importance of communication to family was evident in his love of writing. He would send descriptive travel logs back stateside, after each family European trip was taken. He valued the importance of continued education and after the war received his journalism degree. Dad was always a saver of money and I glimpsed that in his letters, when he would send portions of his monthly paychecks home during the war. Religion has always been an important part of his life. We were always a church-going family. And he loved his fiddle–practiced every Sunday evening!
Billet mates, Maui, 1944
Whenever possible I’ve tried to include names of men who served with Dad. Several censors had inscribed their initials to the censor’s stamp. Included is also a list of those enlisted personnel in the 225th Field Artillery Battalion, Headquarters Battery, at the end of the war on Okinawa Ruyukus, August 1945.
Dad knew I was transcribing his letters and we frequently talked. He wrote all of the section introductions and picked out the book title “A Soldier’s Odyssey: Years, Fears, and Tears”. In 2003 I presented him with a book of all his transcribed World War II letters. Unfortunately he did not live to see his letters placed on the web, to be shared with the world.
It was a joy to see my dad as a young serviceman and a privilege to touch history!
I read about your website in a New York Times article today and was delighted to read the letters on the internet and learn about your father. Thank you for doing this. Many generations hence will read your father’s words and have a strong sense of the tenor of life during WW II.
Peace,
Shawn Donovan
That was my sole purpose for the website…a soldier’s history for the next generations. It became a labor of love as I rediscovered and admired a man that I’m proud to call my dad.
I read about the letters in a NY Times article at their website. I just started reading and noticed the photo showing the “Chimarro” women. You might want to change any captions written in this way as the correct spelling is Chamorro. Otherwise thank you for posting the letters. I have my Dad’s love letters to my Mom during the war and was thinking about doing something with them, so thanks again for the inspiration.
Sincerely,
Rich Olmo
I love comments like yours–thanks! I transcribed his letters exactly as they were written, even if they were wrong. However, in this case, we need to change the spelling. I encourage you to transcribe your Dad’s letters. They will become a readable treasure to you and your family. Do it before they disintegrate or the writing fades completely. Each of Dad’s original letters is placed in a clear acid free sleeve (so I don’t have to handle them each time) and placed in date order in binders yet some are completely disappearing. I’m careful not to reference them in a sun filled room. I am in the process of scanning each original letter and placing it beside the transcribed website letter just so there will be a visual letter in the future.
Austin, Texas
Christmas Eve 2015
Dear Ms. Neumann,
Thank you so much for transcribing and publishing your dear father’s letters.
We have quite a bit in common. First, in that our dads both slogged through the Pacific to guarantee our freedom, something I never take for granted, and remember every morning in my thanksgiving prayers.
Second, both our fathers were in the field artillery, yours in the 225th and mine in the 145th out of Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They were both on Tinian and Saipan. And my dad was one of those brave and foolish men who went up in fabric-winged Piper Cubs to survey enemy positions. Hell, they might have even met each other; I’m sure they would have gotten on well, for my dad was essentially a Midwesterner like your Nebraska pa — although he was born and spent his first 15 years in Montana, he came of age in Sioux City and then, mostly, in Chicago.
Like yours, my father went on to help liberate the Philippines, then on to Okinawa.
I appreciate all that you’ve done to keep memory alive.
I really enjoyed reading through the letters. Thanks for sharing them!
Lori, thanks for this labor of love. I just finished reading all of the letters after several weeks of piecemeal progress. Upon reaching the end, I felt a palpable sense of relief that echoed your dad’s emotions in knowing he and his brothers would survive this ordeal and go home to peace. You’ve done a wonderful job with this website, and your dad would surely be proud of your efforts. I’m a little sad that I won’t have any more Moss Letters to look forward to reading during the downtime of my day!
So glad you enjoyed reading my dad’s letters which are so beautifully written. Each letter places you where he was 75 years ago whether riding a troop train, practicing war techniques on the barren Washington plains or lush surroundings of Hawaii, or in the midst of war bullets flying. He must have felt intense helplessness and fear as men were dying around him in the Pacific campaign. I too enjoyed his reflections after the war from the lack of food rations to his thankfulness that it ‘was not time for the Lord to take me”. I saw the development of a young man drafted out of college into a mature person who grabbed at the chance to use the GI bill to finish his education and who fiercely loved his country to rejoin the Army and serve another 30 years in it. He left me with a wonderful legacy which I’m happy to pass on to the world today.
Hi Lori,
Thank you for sharing this publically. I have a dream project of my own. Would you be willing to discuss with me?
Thanks,
Corinne Leslie
Corinne,
You are welcome. Yes, I’d love to discuss this with you! I’ll follow up with you in an email.
Lori
How would I get permission to use one of your photos (Harold Moss at the typewriter) to illustrate a magazine article I’m writing?
Thanks for the interest James. We’ll reach out to you directly to discuss further.
Lori and Moss Letters-
I would like to direct you to Getty Images #50651074. This photograph was taken on Okinawa by W. Eugene Smith in April 1945. Different notations by different writers say it may have been taken on Saipan, but this is probably inaccurate. It is most probable that the photograph was shot on Okinawa during the Battle of Rocky Crags that took place very near the division line between the 96th and 7th Division.
The image location is: https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/50651074?alloweduse=availableforalluses&excludenudity=true&family=creative&license=rf&phrase=50651074&sort=best#license
This Getty photo shows Forward Artillery Observers of the 532nd Field Artillery who were quickly mustered from experienced artillerymen in Hawaii, a few weeks before the Invasion of Saipan. The 532nd Field Artillery was formed and became part of the XXIV Corps Artillery. Much of the 532nd came from New York’s 27th Division.
It is difficult to identify all of the soldiers in W, Eugene Smith’s photograph. I cannot identify the wounded soldier, although I think his identification may be possible since the date and exact location is probably known. However, I can identify 4 of the other soldiers. The soldier on the left who is looking downward toward his wounded comrade is Edwin F. Carlson, Tech 4. I believe Carlson was the squad leader of these artillery observers. The soldier holding the Garand and wearing eyeglasses is Wallace Stevenson, Tech 5. The soldier whose full face is shown, with palm-fronds in his helmet, is Paul Whitely. I cannot find any further information regarding Paul Whitely. The soldier at the foot of the stretcher, wearing eyeglasses is Don Gordon, JASCO Tech—an aerial and naval gun coordinator. Don Gordon’s service during WWII is amazing—he served as a JASCO coordinator in both the European and Pacific Theaters—a burden far beyond that of almost any other foot soldier.
I think the soldier with the sub-machine gun, between Edwin Carlson and Wallace Stevenson, is sergeant or lieutenant with the 532nd FA. The 532nd was not a big outfit, but I cannot find photographs of the entire outfit. If a group photo exists, I think this ranking officer could be found. This historical photograph shows my father, but I do not make judgments based on this alone. By coincidence and miracle, I was able to contact the daughter of Don Gordon. She and her brothers confirmed that the Smith/Getty photograph shows their father when he served during the vicious combat in the Pacific.
Thank you,
MB Stevenson
Northern California
My name is Jay Barringer. My father passed away in the last several years and I was given a duffel bag of my grandpas letters from WW2.
He was in for over 2 years and wrote hundreds of letter to his parents back home.
He wrote detailed day to day letters similar to your father.
I have also separated them into months and years and have started to read through them.
He wrote in a very slanted cursive writing and it is very hard to make out. I have tried transcribing and am missing so many of the words that it is not making much sense.
I would like to know his story and be able to have it transcribed so that we can also preserve the stories to pass down to my kids etc.
I dont know where to start…..
Do you know of anyone who can transcribe these for me? I am happy to pay someone but do not know how to go about this.
It would scare the daylights out of me to send all these letters somewhere but I guess if that is my last resort then i would be happy to do so in order to get his story told.
My goal is to trace the letters from the cities he wrote and try to track down the battles he fought in to learn more about what he may have been through.
I feel I am sitting on a treasure trove of stories and his life experience but dont have the key to unlock the words.
Thank you for any help you may have to offer 🙂
It is wonderful to see this site. I happened upon it, as I too am transcribing my parents love letters from 1945 while Dad was stationed at Tinian!
Fun to read some of the same places, although at different times.
I have been using the web to include more information for my grandchildren to visualize some of the places mentioned and give them a better understanding of what life was like for them.
My father passed in 2005 at the age of 90. Still very active until he developed lung cancer that year. He too never spoke of the war, although he was lucky never to have been in battle. As a B-29 bomber pilot he was considered too old – so he became an instructor.
I am sorry that I was not privy to their letters before their passing as I would have had many questions. But maybe that is as it should be.
Thank you for sharing these letters. I can see how much work you have put into preserving your dad’s legacy. Very well done! I am enjoying reading them. I’ve been working on doing something similar with my grandparents’ letters to each other. They had just started dating when my grandfather left for basic training in 1942. He served in the South Pacific as well, as a sailor aboard the USS Stockham.
It’s our pleasure. How’s your project coming with sharing your grandparents’ letters? Feel free to post a link here if you like.
I have just gone through lots of your pages and files here on Moss Letters. I found your site through a search for photo image of Okinawa Cemeteries. My father, William R. (Bill) Hill was in the 96th Infantry Division, 382nd Regiment M Company. He and I developed the rememberthedeadeyes.com website in honor of this WWII US Army Division. It looks like Moss was in some of the very same places, alongside the 96th. I’d like to link to your website from the stories page on our website. Maybe you could also reference rememberthedeadeyes.com somewhere on your site. We are each preserving the rich history of our incredible brave and selfless soldiers of the US Army WWII. Thanks,
Thanks Jan for your comment and you mention of your site at http://rememberthedeadeyes.com/. It looks great with lots of good information!
Hi,
Similarly, I received hand written letters and pictures from my grandfather who was drafted in Oct 1941 and served until Feb 1946. He ended up serving in the 82nd Airborne in Europe. I love the personal perspective and researching the history.
I am actually wrote a collection book so I can preserve the history and share with family members. But, I really like the website you developed. Can I ask about how you developed this website? I would like to do the same thing, along with the collection book I made. Please let me know.
Thank you for the comment James. I’ll shoot you an email with some more details about how Mossletters came to be.
literally stumbled on this site; while looking for information about James (Jim) Smith Sandison. I was delighted to find 4 or 5 mentions of him in these letters. Minatare is an incredibly small town and the Sandisons lived on the edge. Step out of their door and in 3 paces you were out in a field. Jim & his brother William (Bill) both served in the Air Corp in Europe. Jim as a pilot of B-26s and Bill as part of the 10th Air Depot Reclamation unit, picking up and stripping damaged planes for parts. Their dad was a machinist/blacksmith at the Sugar Beet plant.
This site is beyond belief. Amazing.
It’s a small world! I’m happy you were able to find some information on James and that you enjoyed the website!