Tuesday, June 9, 1942
Dear Mother,
Things are quite different now than they were at first. We get as much to eat as we can eat at meal time. You have been sending me too much stuff. I got the box that was left over from before, one from the blow pipe, and then the two that you sent me. The one having that blue point book in it. I think it will be better from now on if you didn’t send anymore because as I said I get plenty to eat. We have oranges at meal time and we can go and have some ice cream if we want to.
I have so many clothes now that I can’t get it all in my sea bag. I got two more suits of whites, 2 suits of overalls (pants and shirts), a pair of low shoes, a rain coat. Anyway I have more clothes than I ever had.
I believe I will like trade school all right although it is pretty hard (the studying I mean). We go to school from half past 4 to 12 at night. We are learning welding electric and acet., machine work, foundry (molding), pattern making, arith., wood work, however we don’t have much of that.
The Navy uses Hobart Welders and Hallup and G.E. rod and they have Hobart books like the one I have at home.
We have exercises every day and play ball and every other day we have an hour in the swimming pool.
It is nice to have the weekends off. As you no doubt know I went to see Aunt Ruth the first Sunday I was off. Last Sunday I visited Ingrid and her husband.* And next Sunday I believe I will visit Esther. I am feeling fine and I believe I will be in a lot better condition than I was when I get out of training.
I will no doubt be able to come home when I am at Dearborn. We are supposed to go to Dearborn the 26th.
I believe I have told about all that amounts to anything so I will sign off now. I have to go and do some washing so goodbye and with love,
Erwin Holmquist
*Family note: Ingrid (pictured above) was Erwin’s aunt, the youngest sister of Erwin’s dad Elmer. Ingrid was born in 1915, so she was only six years older than Erwin. She was born and raised in Tustin, MI and moved to Chicago Illinois by 1935. The 1940 census states she worked as an x-ray lab assistant in a doctor’s office. Her sister Ruth was a maid for a radiologist. Could this be the same doctor? Ingrid married Roy Hansen in 1941. This is who Erwin would have visited as referenced in this letter.
Ancestors Across the Ages 