1926
The Letter-of-the-Month Club features a welcome epistle from Jim Oberlander (Lt. Comdr., U. S. Navy), written from shipboard on the Kwangpu River, Shanghai, China. It is a letter that will be of interest to everyone— so here it is:
Today the mail came through—slightly delayed —but none the worse for its lengthy trip. This response will probably set a record in distance covered.
We are tied up in the middle of the river about a mile below the center of the city. At present there is only one ship that has been here longer. I can't count the ships but I know there are roughly 20,000 naval personnel here—for what? I wish you would ask Congress. It's costing you money and keeping me from my family. We missed the shooting part of the war. Peace was declared while we were just east of Pearl Harbor and finally signed when we were anchored at Eniwetok. The Pacific has some lovely beauty spots but we haven't seen them.
Shanghai is supposedly the choice spot for duty in the western Pacific—it stinks. If we go out to Tsingtoo in northern China, as rumored, Shanghai will probably seem like some beautiful dream.
I celebrated my arrival in China by having appendicitis out in the Yangtse River. We were coming into port the next morning so I waited until we were moored, and an hour later had made the trip to a hospital ship, had my appendix removed, and was back in my room. Up the next morning and never abed a day.
Had a little '26 reunion two weeks ago. Harold Trefethen, a colonel in Artillery, who has been two years in India training Chinese troops, came out to see me and we had dinner in the wardroom. We are having a football game Saturday—Army-Navy— and he had seen my name in local Stars & Stripes— not playing, just coaching.
I can reach deeply in my pocket and pull out a nice crisp $100 CNC which when I bought it was worth 14 cents gold (U.S.). For that you could have a ricksha ride for something less than fifteen minutes and with considerable arguing with the coolie. When we tied up here nine weeks ago it would have been double in value and a month ago half as much. Nice system they have for determining the rate of exchange. The Chinese currency system is something for the book.
I hope to be home by early spring-the Medical Corps is receiving the short end of the deal in this demoblization. If I were a line officer I have sufficient points to be home now. So next winter when you go up to Mansfield for skiing, drop in at 50 South Main St., Northfield.
Other service men are more fortunate than Jim, for the list of those returning to civilian life is growing in leaps and bounds. Bob Stopford, elevated to the rank of commander just before getting out, is back from Washington, and for the present is using his Hillsdale, N. Y., address. Major Babe Allen is back in Springfield, Ohio: Captain Herm Davidson has returned to Sioux City, Iowa; .Major Ed McClintock to Bartlesville, Okla. Major Jack Cannon reports that he's on terminal leave and making plans for business connections in New York. From Santa "Barbara, Cal., comes word that Les McFadden is back on the old job (First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.), having been separated from the Navy November 7, 1945. And from Boston, Capt. Ed Hanlan writes, "I am still in the AAF but we are winding up our contract terminations work and I have hopes of a pin-striped suit within the next couple of months." Charlie Munson has returned to Wilmington and his medical practice. Henceforth, it's Doctor—not Major- Munson.
Most belatedly, I'm happy to report the safe arrival on the 8th of last November of Albert Osborn Louer, who comes under the protecting guidance of Edwin and Roger, now 8 and 6½ respectively. Al puts a question mark after "protecting" and adds that Ellen and the baby are getting along marvelously.
Joe Taylor is directing the extensive operations of the Big Bromley ski development in Manchester, Vt.,—one of the outstanding areas in New England. Joe has the supervision of 4 ski lifts, 28 men and countless ski trails and open slopes—plus hundreds of eager skiers who come each day to enjoy the mountains, the snow and the sliding.
Welcome word comes via Bob Salinger (who, during dues payment season gets far more news than the Sec'y) from Lt. Col. Walt Armstrong:—
Your letter with statement of class dues just reached me today, so I am getting a check off to you pronto. I changed the address so that the MAGAZINE will be sent to California where the folks are living until I get out of this Army.
I have no hope of getting to California myself before the first of the year, but things are changing so rapidly in the E.T.O. I don't expect to have any one post office address for any length of time.
Have been attached to General Headquarters, Military Railway Service here in Paris since last March in the capacity of Engineer Maintenance of Way, but G.H.Q. is passing out of existence soon and, as a "low point" man, I expect to be transferred around some before catching the boat for home. I do not think that the point score is low enough to land me in the Army of Occupation. I hope.
From Peoria comes an appreciated letter from Wes Ford who is district commercial manager of the Illinois Bell Telephone Co. Wes hangs out the welcome sign to any passers-by. Speaking of the 20th, he says, "Now with tires and gas, I'll surely get back to the 20-year party and I hope then to give both of my sons their first touch of Hanover."
Charlie Jost is now a major and was one of the first Americans to enter Berlin. From Reading, Mass., Sadie Morris reports on Lt. Comdr. Al:—"At present, Al is on a carrier somewhere in the Pacific. We have hopes of his release from service early this year." Walking down the street the other day in Milburn, New Jersey, whom should I spy but Les and Dot Talbot, both looking hale and happy. Les was home on leave from Quonset and hoped to be out of the Navy soon.
Hub and Det Harwood have good reason to be proud of their 11-year-old daughter, Georgia, who has been awarded a one year scholarship at the National Art School in Washington, D. C. Georgia received the honor for her winning portrait of a Dalmatian in the National Dog Week portrait contest.
IN HAWAII, William H. Montgomery '27, former newspaper man, has taken over the position of Assistant Field Director with the Red Cross.
Secretary, Welsh Farms, Inc., Long Valley, N. J. Treasurer, United Shoe Machinery Corp. 140 Federal St., Boston, Mass.
