Between 1942 and 1945, the “Servicemen’s Bulletin” publisher, Ed Bell, received more than 100 letters each month from local Santiam Valley men and women stationed throughout the U.S., Europe and the Pacific. Their letters, along with items of local news, were shared in the Servicemen’s Bulletin, with some issues exceeding 50 pages. Due to the sheer volume of material, we have selected the following Bulletin excerpts to represent the varied experiences and perspectives of those who served, as well as what life was like on the Stayton- Sublimity home front 70 years ago. Sharon Barnes May 7, 2013 The Servicemen’s Bulletin - 1943 From Volume 1, No. 4, dated January 20, 1943: CORPORAL LEONARD LULAY from Virginia says “I’ve seen quite a bit of the good old U.S. this past year—the most interesting to me was a visit to Washington D.C. We spent over half a day in the Capitol building and still saw only a small part of it. And of course, here in Virginia there are many historical spots. To preserve these places and the ideals that those men of old dreamed of is pretty important.” PVT FLORENCE (Squeak) BEITEL writes from Alaska that “I am getting along swell. Plenty of the wrong kind of excitement. I am in Communications and like it. You remember years ago when a plane went over, everyone rushed out to look up and see it—well, it’s the old days again here, the sound of a plane means eyes up—believe you me.” PVT LEO SUSBAUER writes from sunny Florida that “This is the fifth camp I’ve been in since I entered the Army in May. Came here from Texas after a trip through the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, through Louisiana, Alabama into Florida. The many beautiful lakes, swamp waters and the small pine trees look good to us.” The boys around Sub are looking for “Suzie” home on a furlough before long. GENE BUTLER from San Diego, Calif. says “I’m getting along fine. I’m through boot camp now. I get to see George about twice a week, and it’s swell having your brother so near. George and I went to town the other day and did we ever have fun.” NORBERT PIETROK from Norfolk, Virginia says “I’m in the repair crew now. ED HAWORTH is in the same camp. I’ve met a swell Southern ‘gal’ and her drawl has me fascinated. She laughs at the way I talk too. Says it’s too ‘fast.’ Putting in 10 hours a day, seven days a week.” ************* For the first time since we’ve sent you this little bulletin, it contains a death notice. We write it with profound sorrow, made deeper by the knowledge that nearly every community must lose some of its fine young men before this war is over and more than ever deep prayers for your safe and swift return fill our hearts. PRIVATE HERBERT LULAY died while on duty with the U. S. Army while in Australia. ************* TREVOR STAYTON is home again and helping his Dad in the sand and gravel business in Stayton. Trevor has received a medical discharge following three months in the hospital in Washington. His illness followed service in the tropics. When LT. “DOC” DOZLER could not get home, his good wife Dora and the kids went down to spend a week with Doc in California. Sort of furlough in reverse. The Knights of Columbus of our Council lost one of their outstanding members when Mike Mauer, our Lecturer, lost his life in the floodwaters of the Willamette while clearing wreckage from the piers of the Marion-Polk County Bridge at Salem. Mike’s body was found one week after he drowned. The Catholic Daughters and the Knights of Columbus are making preparations again to entertain a group of the soldier boys from Camp Adair, Oregon on January 31st, for a dinner. On Christmas day this was done, and 42 of the boys came over in two army trucks for Christmas dinner, going to various homes of the Knights and Daughters and DID they have fun. The boys were mostly from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and some from Louisiana. They liked it so well they want to come back again. From Volume 1, No. 7, dated May 18, 1943 “Drew” Lambrecht closed his meat market for the “duration” due to shortage of meat supplies. The Stayton Alumni Association cancelled all plans for the annual homecoming this year and purchased a $100.00 War Bond as a counterpart of the cancelled activities. The tire and food situation, as well as the absence of so many members made it seem advisable. School in Stayton is now over for the year. Graduates from High School include—Raymond Boedigheimer, Floyd Booze, Wm. Fair, Bob James, Earl Kirsch, Lawrence Kirsch, Robert O’Connor (who has already left for service with the Marines), Virgil Schuetz, Donald Teeters, Bill Thomas. Of these, several will be in some branch of the Armed Service within the next month. ANDY SILBERNAGEL had ten days at home and the places he has been since his last trip home read like an advertisement for a trip "around the world.” Chile, with its Spanish flavor, Australia with its American soldiers and English citizenry, and darkest Africa all impressed Andy a lot. From here he reported back to Maryland for service. Back home to take their places as essential workers are Henry Van Handel and Arnold Zimmerman of Sublimity, both over the 38 year age group. Ernie Riesterer shares a letter received from his brother BILL RIESTERER, stationed in India. He says they have only English cigarettes and they aren’t worth a damn, even at 45 cents a package. He is in the Medical Corps, enjoying life and thinks the natives okay. They seem to think all Yanks have lots of money. George Bell received a letter from D. GEORGE COLE (Stayton) in Australia, enclosing a label from a carton of Santiam Beans, a generous helping of which he had enjoyed for dinner that night. About a month ago….a registrant of local Board No. 3, Marion Co., who had been sent to Hood River Conscientious Objectors Camp, mailed his draft papers back to the board at Stayton with a letter saying he was leaving the camp and had “no further use for the papers.” 21 days later the F.B.I. picked him up in New York City and he is now serving three years in a Federal Prison. The Order of the Purple Heart inscribed on the back “For Merit” has been posthumously awarded Private Earl Thorp. His mother, Mrs. Amanda Thorp Griffen of Stayton has received a letter from the Chaplain that says “Earl was buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery in New Guinea.” HERMAN LINDEMANN, C-3 – “Still in Army Administration, at a replacement center now. Many men coming and going. One thing I’ve learned in the Army – you can get kicked in the pants from both ends. My best wishes to all of the other boys.” AUX. CATHERINE BRAND, in Louisiana writes “I am now assigned to Mess No. 3 and get quite a thrill out of baking for 300 WAACS. Apple pie is still the favorite when we can get apples. The girls here are gradually being assigned to new posts, as we get ready to take our places in the Army.” PVT JOHN WALZ writes “We have been getting ready to take our physical fitness test—this to consist of a 9 mile hike, to be completed in 2 hours with full pack (a weighty object after the first mile), then 33 push-ups – then a 75 yard piggy back ride, and last, if you are still with us, to throw a ball fifty yards. We’ll hope practice has made me perfect.” CPL LEO MINDEN, South Pacific, writes that “I have seen quite a bit of action in the past few months but right now the mosquitoes are our worst enemies. The natives are very friendly, and are fast becoming accustomed to American ways. Some of them are even wearing G.I. shoes.” CPL TONY BEITEL in Oklahoma writes that “I am assigned to Field Artillery Mechanics School. During peace time this was a 9 months training period but is now condensed to two months. We study all the weapons used by the Field Artillery, their ammunition, maintenance and proper storage. Weather nice.” AUX VIRGIE R. BRADLEY (former Aumsville Postmistress) writes from Kansas that “we had a special guest, Franklin D. Roosevelt, for Church on Easter Sunday. We had to get up early to go to Mass to get back here to ‘fall out’ for parade, then we marched, stood at attention, etc., until 11 o’clock. In Church, he sat directly in front of the WAAC contingent. The service was outdoors and the weather perfect. In the Army everything is done by rule, of course, and even with 25,000 people there was never any confusion or congestion.” PFC VINCENT (TWINKLE) STARR…Tennessee, writes that “we have spent sixteen days in the woods, and are now to go on a week’s trip—just moving around. We got a good look at the President today. We had spent the last three days practicing for a review, but none of us knew it was for F.D.R.” RICHARD (DICK) DUMAN – F2/C – NEW CALEDONIA – “I am stationed on a small island here, I have duty every other day, 24 hours on and 24 off.