Thu, Feb 17, 1944: ocean

"Stanley just ask the question How far will DeVere be from the ocean?  I told him you might be as far from the ocean as we are from muddy creek, maybe farther or maybe closer.
“I took some Prairie Hay to the community sale at Dennetts corner today and it brought 67¢ per bale I kinda had the laugh on Brown he took some alfalfa bales and they brought 66¢ per bale, they should of brought more than my prairie hay."
-- Letter from my grandfather, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Thursday, February 17, 1944.  Muddy Creek was roughly a quarter mile from my grandparents' farm house.  Stanley was my father's little brother; Brown King was his cousin.

Sun, Feb 13, 1944: Asbury Park

"Dear Folks:
"Lieut. Morrisey had some interesting news for us at yesterday's muster.  I'm to be sent to Asbury Park, New Jersey, as soon as the semester is finished here.  This summer resort town of 14,500 population is on the Atlantic Coast and about 70 miles south of New York City.  Here we'll have probably a pre-midshipman's school or, as some rumors have it, an amphibian school."
-- Letter from my father, Cape Girardeau, Mo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Sunday, February 13, 1944.

Wed, Feb 9, 1944: pretty prosperous

"Dear Folks:
"I was pleased to get so many letters from the family this week. When it's told from all angles I get a better idea about what is going on.
"Dad mentioned that the local township went over the top in its 4th War Loan.  Things must be pretty prosperous when a place like Bloomington Township can dig up $8500....
-- Letter from my father, Cape Girardeau, Mo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Wednesday, February 9, 1944.

Sun, Feb 6, 1944: New Testaments

 "At 8 A.M. we had a special muster in the auditorium. A Gideon's organization from St Louis presented the program -- at the conclusion of which New Testaments were presented to all of those in attendance. Seaman Bob Hull of Wichita, himself a member of the Gideons, was the one who introduced the speaker and songleader.  The first testaments were presented to Lieuts. Soderquist, Morrissey, and Ripparett - (our new medical officer).  Then they asked Chief Petty Officer Hewes -- the last man in the world that you'd expect to find reading the Bible - to come forward.  But the burst of laughter died down when it was discovered that Chief Hewes - along with Chiefs Lenser and Norton wasn't in attendance."
-- Letter from my father, Cape Girardeau, Mo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Sunday, February 6, 1944.

Sun, Feb 6, 1944: big laugh

"Your Dad got a big laugh out of the letter you wrote about the [Nazarene] church you visited.  He carried the letter around & let several read it. I know just what you ran into. We lived by three or four families in Wichita that belong to that church.  Everytime we turned the ice cream freezer on Sun the old lady next door would go up in her closet and shut the door & pray loud enough for us so all the neighbors could hear.  While she was doing this her own family were just staggering in from an all nite dance & brawl."
-- Letter from Ada Lenz, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Sidney DeVere Brown, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Thursday February 6, 1944.  Ada Lenz was a neighbor of my grandparents.