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| January - Part 1| January - Part 2 | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October-December | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Guy's birthday coincides with the beginning of the 5th War Loan Drive and a War Bond Show. Later in the week, Guy is heard playing piano and singing with Kae Olivadoti. How can this be? A recording received from Kae is played over and over again. |
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| Sunday, June 11 |
| ToDAY is the Birthday of your Grandmother Kemper. |
| She would never want it told but she's 7_ years old -. Uncle Jeff told Cecelia when she was here -. Capitola came in on the 2:30 train -. They all at dinner and spent the afternoon at Faith's - . And we had planned to go over but Howard had to drive -. There were supposed to be 6 US Navy dirigibles come over today but we saw only one -. D.J. and I went to Sunday School and church -. Every Sunday I see someone that asks about you – You ole popular Dickens! It's very seldom any one hears from Roy Kemper. Roy never writes his Mom -. I don't know why maybe he just isn't the letter writtin' kind – huh? |
| Monday, June 12 |
| ToDAY is the Birthday of Guy |
| I'll bet there's no Happy Birthday for a little fella I know – today – Stay in there tho – Kid – we'll make up for it on future birthdays! The only birthday present I could think of that would help you was for us all to buy what we could in war bonds on this day – Your Birthday and also the day beginning the 5th War Loan Drive -. Your Dad bought a couple & we bought one – take some lambs to market and of course buy some more -. Howard has to drive again this eve – Oh! this manpower shortage. The evening there's a War Bond Show and your admission is a War Bond so – Your Mom, D.J. & I attended – it was a stage show – talent from Abilene Air Base – good! Capitola is still here. |
| Tuesday, June 13 |
| Your Dad came back sometime last night -. I really felt punk today -. I just drug around -. I needed something to cheer me up – so sure enough – I got a package from home -. Mom sent me some things and D.J. 3 new sun suits -. Then a little girl gave D.J. a little kitten – she named him "Spit-fire". Say do you know the difference between American spaghetti and Italian spaghetti? Well, throw a hand full of spaghetti against a wall and if it says – WOP! It's an Italian product!! Oooh! That stinks – doesn't' it -. Guess what I'm going to do – tell stories & etc. at Vacation Bible School this year – starting next Monday for two weeks -. I never did anything like this before so wish me luck. |
| Wednesday, June 14 |
| Today is the Kiwanis luncheon – so Howard was there with bells on – as usual I was talking to D.J.'s Sunday School teacher and she said some very nice things about her -. I asked her if I could get the words to D.J.'s Sunday School songs – so I could teach them to her and she could sing them better -. She said she had noticed her singing but said she was very talented and I must encourage her -. I asked her what was she talented in -. She said, "Dramatics –". She said, "Why she's a real little actress -." Now this is something I didn't know – but glad to hear – and hope this singing & acting isn't just a passing fancy -. We went out to see Capitola this eve -. We showed her all our pictures -. She seemed to enjoy it -. |
| Thursday, June 15 |
| I made a peach cobbler to take to a luncheon this morning. While I went to the luncheon Howard and D.J. – entertained each other -. After the luncheon I stopped off in town while I was there I picked up a paper – Here's what it said in big red print, "Super Forts Bomb Japan – Mariana Islands invaded Tokyo Reports -." Boy, doesn't that sound good -! They are talking about the Big B-24's of course and they came from the bases in the China-Burma-India Theater. They made the landings on Saipan Island in the Marianas. If it is successful we will be within 1,500 miles from Tokyo. Oh! wouldn't we give a pretty penny to know where you are right now -. Oh yes. Capitola & Grandmother K. left for El Paso on the Sunshine Special this eve – Your Mom & Dad went to a Negro church this eve -. |
| Friday, June 16 |
| Tis Friday – and believe it or not we got some interesting mail -. I got a letter from my cousin in Italy. He had received the package I sent him – and in it was a horned toad and lots of other junk. He said it caused a minor revolution -. That toad has really traveled hasn't he? There were other letters but nothing of any importance except for one. There was a long letter from Roy - . Yes, I said Roy – he was inviting your folks to come to his graduation around the 27th. Oh. You should see D.J. now – she sure has a suntan - . And – she really has a time with her rabbit, dog, cat, and chickens -. Dorothy Jean & I shopped a while today and then went by your Mom's. She sunned clothes today it was so pretty -. 93° the paper said -. |
| Saturday, June 17 |
| Your Mom canned beans today -. I cleaned house and gave myself a permanent. Yes, I said permanent – I hope it stays in. A friend of Howard's phoned him from downtown a fellow he worked with in San Angelo, Felix Adams. We went down to see him and expecting to see his young wife -. He told us she died 8 mos ago. She was about 21. Oh! I forgot to tell you – You woke me up this morning at 5:15 -. Shame on you! Don't call me – a liar – because Howard was playing the record of your singing – It's Harder for Me to be a Bad Girl -. Remember? - So I wrote to Kae and asked her for some records of you singing or talking & we would be glad to return them -. It sure was good to hear your voice again -. And, of course there were smiles & tears mixed! Kae singing with Guy on piano Note: The recording's first song is, "Does Your Heart Beat For Me?" (1936) music by Arnold Johnson and Russ Morgan with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. This was the theme song for Russ Morgan and His Orchestra, a popular dance band at the time which performed live and on the "Music in the Morgan Manner" radio program. The novelty number tagged on the end is believed to be an original composition by Guy. This recording was made mid-June 1943 in Chicago when Guy had carrier training on Lake Michigan. Kae's father owned a Recordisc recorder and this was recorded in Olivadoti home. Presumably, Kae sent the recording to Howard around June, 1944. The record was nearly worn out from the repeated playings and the fact that any of it survived at all is a miracle. |
June 18-24
| Sunday, June 18 | |
| Dorothy Jean & I attended Sunday School & church. Howard met me at church -. You know today is Father's Day. Howard asked your Dad to go to church with him but he wouldn't go – he said he had to go to the country. Your Mom attended church too and then went to Cisco to the funeral of Mr. J. M. Hooks' Nephew – who crashed and was killed -. He was in Roy's class in Mission and would graduate with Roy -. We ate dinner at the Pig Stand – and then late in the evening D.J., “Skippie (the dog), Howard and I – went to the State Park on a picnic. To entertain Poppie I guess you would say – on Father's Day. Your Dad's grain is ready – they are hauling grain -. | |
| Monday, June 19 | |
| Dorothy Jean and I rose early and went to Vacation Bible School at the church. I'm helping them teach this year – I tell stories etc. -. When we got home – I thought surely it was the hottest day – yet and it was – 97º. You can imagine how hot Poppie Howard was – I got a letter from Horace – his APO 502 – the same as John Jr.'s when he was in New Caledonia. So – I hope they keep Horace there – he said the heat was killing him -. I wrote about 6 letters – and then Howard, D.J. & I went downtown and stopped by & picked up your Mom and brought her out here to hear records & especially that one of you -. I read Bookhouse to D.J. & then we're off to bed -. | |
| Tuesday, June 20 | |
| Vacation Bible School again – and we are also taking one of the kids in the neighborhood with us. Those kids have a time -. There are some of the children from the Hendrick Home for Children there too -. I feel so sorry for them – I wish I could take all of them home with me. One is real talented in music it's such a shame he doesn't have someone to encourage him. Say, Jake Douglass got married we are expecting him to call us tomorrow -. Your Dad is still a Country Boy – Your Mom washed today -. Say you know several days ago – Marines etc. landed on Saipan – well – the Jap – fleet has finally come out to fight -. Nimitz says – that's what he's been waiting on – a fierce sea battle is raging -. | |
| Wednesday, June 21 | |
| Your Mom got a letter from Mrs. Faulkner and she had written to a neighbor boy who is in the Navy and is near Bougainville -. He wrote her that he heard Capt. Faulkner had been picked up off the coast of Rabaul about the time he was lost. He didn't know anything about you. Did you know that the news – said that Major Boyington was with natives -? I guess you know we went to Vacation Bible School again – yes and along with the little girl in the neighborhood. I am talking 2 more little girls. Rather looking after them on the bus -. You could never guess who I rode with on the bus today -. Lenore Longino -. Yes – remember her – sure & why should I ask -! | |
| Thursday, June 22 | |
| Vacation Bible School same as usual except – now there are 6 kids I corral and take instead of the original 1 -. I saw Lenore again today – you know she works over at the church -. I asked about Ted and he's stationed in Pueblo, Col. as a pilot -. He's very satisfied – sort of an errand boy – he says – he flew the Colonel & Majors around – here & there – sings in the choir at church – and all in all very happy - . Say, I talked to Mrs. Cook she has the Little Theater her and she said D.J. – had been recommended to her – as talented -. She said she would have an opening this fall and would talk it over with me -. I was just wondering do you suppose D.J. – really is talented -. I wonder - - -. | |
| Friday, June 23 | |
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| Saturday, June 24 | |
The most interesting thing about this day is your Mother's trip – so listen and you shall hear -. It seems your Mom missed her bus at San Antonio – so she took a bus via Corpus Christi. She had 15 min. in Corpus so she walked down to the sea wall only a few blocks away – there were people fishing. She passed the Naval bus station on the way back so she went in and walked around -. Quote her, "It gave me a strong feeling. I knew Brother had been in there so many, many times. I looked over at the shine place and knew he had had shines there and at the eating counter and knew he had eaten there. Between there and the bus station, I stopped at a café and ate - . I couldn't help thinking he had eaten there also -. I knew he had walked on all these streets many times and I wouldn't take anything for being there."
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June 15 from the Earl Faulkners
| Pleasant Hill, Mo June 15th 1944 Dear Friends:- Since receiving your most welcomed letter our busy season started. For we truck-garden. Been raising vegetables to take to Kans. City, Mo. for 20 years. We specialize in raising stake tomatoes. Then later in the Fall we marketed sweet mango peppers & celery cabbage. We have quite a distance to drive, by truck, to Kans. City it is 35 miles to the commission firm we sell to. We have a 3/4 ton GMC truck, which is large enough any more for what we raise, except in tomato time, then we hire larger trucks, to haul off some loads. We have excellent prospects for a good crop this yr. Have out 18,000 tomato plants, which will soon be ripening. The month of July is a Big Tomato month for us. We have 10 persons working, besides, Mr. Faulkner & myself. We usually keep 2 men working the year around. We only have 10 acres in our own place, but have had an ajoining place of 6 acres leased for a number of years. One reason for not writing sooner, was waiting for a letter from a neighbor boy who wrote about May 1st to his sister. He said, "We picked up the Faulkner Boy the other day about 60 miles from here." This boy is around Bougainville where our boys were. So I wrote this boy - Perry Lee King is his name (Have known him all his life.) a letter and received an answer June 12th. This is what he wrote, Received your letter a few days ago & will answer it. Would have answered sooner but as it was I couldn't write at that time. All the information that I can give you is that, I heard over the radio that there was a Captain Faulkner pickup up off the coast of Rabaul. No I never seen the fellow they picked up. I thought maybe it could of been your boy, that is the reason that I wrote my folks about it. Sure hope he is alright and you have heard from him by this time. I never heard any thing about Guy Kemper. I didn't know the Kemper boy, but I did know Lawrence. I sure hope things turn out for the best. That is about all I can say. I regret to have to end this letter like this. Wish I could tell you more, but that is all I know to tell you. Maybe some day we can all come home and I hope Lawrence & his friend is with us. I will close now and God Bless you all. A friend Perry L. King This boy is in the Navy & a radar man 3/C. We feel like Lawrence & Guy is still alive and not prisoners. I asked this boy a whole "bushel" of questions in hopes he could answer some of them, which he did as best he was allowed, don't you think? Altho there wasn't much information, but it was something. You know I firmly believe yet in the Broadcast you folks called us about, and will always believe Lawrence was trying to send over word, altho there were, so many statements that can't be verified & links missing to make a complete satisfactory story. Our Son-in-Law will be home from Farragut, Idaho, June 21st after finishing his six wks "Boot Training" as a sailor. Will get a 15 day furlough, then he thinks he will be stationed near home. Nothing "Official". Our daughter & grandaughter is living at Home now for the duration. She sold their home last wk. made a nice profit, so her Husband was well pleased, with the deal. They had planned to sell before he left. They are planning on another location in a drier climate when our world is more peaceful. Out grandaughter is a bit between a blonde & brunette, what little hair she has is beginning to turn a deep golden brown. She sure is a talker. This letter at times may sound "jittery", for she sure is a jabbering, and climbing around me at the Desk, where I am writing. Alice Marie will be 3 yrs old Aug. 14th. Our Daughter-in-Law, (Lawrence's wife) has been in California for a month now at El Centro, near San Diego. She never said but her folks & us believe she may stay until after June for there are returning fleets from Bougainville coming in quite often & according to squadron 216, plans they will return in June. So Margaret might feel like she could find out something more definite, etc., about Lawrence. Sometimes I wonder if we will all ever laugh and enjoy ourselves again. Never sit down to a meal without thinking of our Boys, where they're at or what they're eating. Most nights I never sleep until one or two o'clock in the morning and the first thing when I wake, I think will we hear from Lawrence to-day. It will soon be 7 months since Our Darlings went down. Yes we live on a Route, but still inside the city limits of Pleasant Hill. Our town is small, a population of 25,000, we're 20 miles from K.C. Mo city limits. You spoke in your recent letter of needing rain, and at last a nice one was falling. I hope you have had an abundance. We have had too much rain fall this Spring, but we would go ahead and work out in our tomato crop any way. Sometimes we would step in the mud over our oxford tops. Most of the young kids we had working for us would go barefooted. I work out in the field with the Help all the time and oversee their work & help keep up their "Morale", Ha!- It takes us three day out of every week to prune & tie our plants (and then we "lay off" all but three boys who work all thru the summer months.) Will explain a little more about this tomato crop. We just put down hot beds in Jan. sow our seeds in 2 wks the transplant out the seed Beds into cold frames & then when all danger of frost is over around April 27th we put tom plants in the field about 2 ft apart in 3 1/2 foot wide rows. Put a stake beside each plant & tie & prune them every wk (as I mentioned before). In pruning, we leave one sucker and the main stalk & pull out in the fork of every leaf all them suckers and when we have 7 sets of blooms on the plant we top it. That hurries production and stops "a tying & pruning job". And by July the crop comes to full maturity and we really are busy picking and packing and hauling tomatoes for about 30 days. Hope all this description of our chosen "profession" hasn't become bore-some. Write more about your family especially grand babies. Was hoping some snap shots would come before I sent this letter. Will send you some soon of our little Darling. Hope this finds all your family well and that you had real good luck with all those baby chicks. Sincerely your Friends Mr. and Mrs. Earl Faulkner P.S. If at any time you can come to see us, do so |
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| 1944 Totem photo | Vacation Bible School | Roy graduates |
Guy's picture is among those in the Service in the McMurry 1944 Totem Yearbook. Roy graduates from Flight Training on June 27 at Moore Field.
June 25-30
| Sunday, June 25 |
| As usual Dorothy Jean and I went to Sunday School and church -. We came home from church and fixed dinner – for a very honored guest – yes, Mr. W.O. Kemper -. He is right in the middle of harvesting his grain and bringing it to the elevator -. He was up until 12:30 – in line at the elevator last night -. There is so much dust and dirt flying around in the air and it has you Dad's eyes looking awful -. I wish we could get glasses on him – he sure needs them. You know he can't even read numbers in the phone book -. He's afraid they will make him look old -. We went out to the hospital to see Paula Gean Clark – born Friday -. We made her picture so they can send it to Paul -. |
| Monday, June 26 |
| Lenore and me & my 6 kids went to Vacation Bible School again – we all ride the bus together every morning. After V. B. School we stopped off over at McMurry – I talked to Miss Graham awhile – They keep a scrapbook of the boys in service that attended McMurry -. I saw the 1944 Totem. Your picture is in it -. In the front & back of the book they put you ex's pictures made while you were on leave. It's very nice – I think McMurry is noted for their thoughtfulness of their ex-students -. Don't you -? Yes, 'tis indeed a grand little school -. I like it but none of us could ever love it like you – ole Indians do -. |
| Tuesday, June 27 |
| Howard developed pictures last night so he slept extra late this morning I guess -. Vacation Bible School again – Gosh! We are faithful ones – we's gotten a gold star every day so far -. Today is the day for Roy – he graduated – he made Flight Officer -. He's staying in the same place and going to fly P-40 -. I don't know this Army lingo – so pardon my description -. We made more pictures of Paula Gean Clark – the first were no good -. You know that's sure awful -. Just think Paul may never get back -. Mrs. Clark & Lois (Mrs. Paul Clark) sent Paul dried beans & all sorts of can goods – he does his own cooking -. |
| Wednesday, June 28 |
| Guess what is coming – you guessed it – Vacation Bible School -. We made pictures of the kids – you should try line 40 kids up to make their picture – thum fun – huh! Well well that ain't all that happened today – Your little Mommie came back dead tired -. Why – you could never guess -. She brought Judia Faye back with her. It seems she hasn't been well for some time now – she had temp 102 when your Mom left there with her and when she got to San Antonio it was 103. She got some sort of breaking out all over her – she's in a bad – fix - . If it wasn't for your Mom I guess she would kick off -. |
| Thursday, June 29 |
| Not – gonna tell you this time – but we did it again -! Ain't we the ones -. Guess who I had the pleasure of meeting today? Eleanor Young Schmidt. We went by her house and gossiped for hrs then we came home -. After dark she came over to our little domicile and she watched us develop pictures & she helped – oh! we had a time – Howard took her home at 2:30 AM. I went shopping and got me a new rug -. Nothing fine just something to cover the floor -. News! Mildred Tate's sweet one is back in the states -. I don't know how long he will be here or what – but you know me I'll let you know -. |
| Friday, June 30 |
| I am going to say it – just one more time and with pride, too -. We attended Vacation Bible School today for the last day -. Yes sir we had a perfect record. We were one of the 26 out of the whole school – and around 150 attended -. I wish you could have been there at the church tonight to hear your niece perform -. Yes she was one of the 5 out of the Beginners Dept – to be on the program -. She didn't miss a single word in her little speech -. Your Mom & Howard were there -. D.J. behaved very well -. Now the question is who picked the buttons up out of the aisle? Catch? |
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