WW2 Era Letter Written by U.S. Marine in The Pacific. He mentions Getting Chased by a Japanese Submarine.

[Heartfeltzero]

This letter was written by a Delbert “Sonny” Thomas. He served in the campaign on Guam in July and August 1944 in the 3rd Marine Division, III Amphibious Corps, and later participated in the campaign on Iwo Jima in February and March of 1945 with the V Amphibious Corps Signal Battalion.

“ 29th July 1945

Dear Mom and Dad:

Well I guess it’s about time I got around to my correspondence. It seems like I take spells writing. One week I write almost everyday and for two weeks I don’t scribble a line.

I received the package with the fudge and the little sewing kit from Butch. Tell him thanks for me.

So that sub deal is the only excitement Sam saw. We got into the same deal once. The darn thing chased us for 3 days before they finally got it.

I guess I should write Jack a letter one of these days.

I’m expecting the clarinet any day now. It should get here some time during the first of the month. If everything goes right.

Wally sure is lucky. I don’t suppose he’ll have to come out again. I sure wish I knew how some of these guys work it.

I don’t know whether I like the idea of Aunt Myrtle getting married or not. I was kind of hoping she would come down to our place and stay when she quits up there.

I never did get around to having a picture taken. Maybe I’ll get on the ball one of these days.

We’re going to have a big feast on the fifth. We got us a pig, some chickens and ducks, and a lot of other stuff. The whole platoon got the day off. We’re going down to the beach think.

It’s raining around here again as usual and it’s kind of cold.

I haven’t been feeling so hot lately. I’ve been losing some weight. I think it’s the food, because almost everyone is falling off. Oh well, it can’t last forever.

Well I guess I’d better quit for now. This isn’t a very good letter but I can’t think of anything interesting to write about. So long for now.

Love,
Sonny “

[Adrian]

Only a couple of weeks of the war left and he's in Guam waiting for his clarinet and looking forward to a beach party.
He was so much more fortunate than many others and good for him. Can't be a bad place to be stationed as hostilities ended.
I do wonder about Aunt Myrtle though. Who was she marrying and why didn't he like the idea?
Great letter once again, thank you for posting it.

[Willmore]

Hi JB.

Thank you for sharing another interesting letter.

I found a little bit of information about Delbert, although the middle names are different I think this is the correct man.

Name: Delbert Alfred Thomas
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 19
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Date: 4 Mar 1923
Birth Place: Alhambra, California, USA
Residence Place: Garvey, Los Angeles, California, USA
Registration Date: 30 Jun 1942
Registration Place: Garvey, Los Angeles, California, USA
Employer: National Car Loading Corp
Height: 5 11
Weight: 135
Complexion: Light
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Next of Kin: Clara Thomas
Household members
Name and Age
Delbert Alfred Thomas: 19





Delbert Alan Thomas (1923–2008)
BIRTH 04 MAR 1923 • Alhambra, Los Angeles, California, USA
DEATH 31 AUG 2008 • Temple City, California, USA



Delbert would marry Frances Emilie Graham on the 3rd of March 1951 in Alhambra, Los Angeles, California, USA and they would have two children.

Frances Emilie Graham (1922–2005)
BIRTH 1 FEB 1922 • Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa USA
DEATH 2 DEC 2005 • Arcadia, California, USA



Kind regards,

Will.

[Willmore]

Only a couple of weeks of the war left and he's in Guam waiting for his clarinet and looking forward to a beach party.
He was so much more fortunate than many others and good for him. Can't be a bad place to be stationed as hostilities ended.
I do wonder about Aunt Myrtle though. Who was she marrying and why didn't he like the idea?
Great letter once again, thank you for posting it.

Hi Adrian.

It looks like Aunt Myrtle was his mothers sister.

Georgia Myrtle Baird (1891–1988)
BIRTH 7 JUL 1891 • Pleasant View, Schuyler County, Illinois
DEATH 30 JAN 1988 • Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, California, USA

She was married to -

Robert Elwood Nickles (1884–1956)
BIRTH ABT 1884 • Michigan
DEATH ABT 1956 • San Luis

Kind regards,

Will.

[Adrian]

It seems like poor Aunt Myrtle wasn't married for long. Maybe only ten years or so. They got married quite late in life.

[Willmore]

I agree Adrian. Maybe that could have been the reason that Delbert didn't think it was a good idea.

[Adrian]

Quite possibly. We will never know but these little side stories from the letters Jeremiah posts are as intriguing as anything else. The simple words in a letter sent around the world at a time of conflict are absolutely fascinating.