See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 14, 1943 – Wednesday
“Cloudy. Took aspirin but still couldn’t sleep last night. Was after 4 a.m. before sleep came. Arose 11 a.m. Everyone told me today I looked 10 yrs younger. One said she would like to see what I looked like when Earl came home. I replied they would put me in diapers then!“
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 13, 1943 – Tuesday
“Well at last the long wait for news is over. Received telegram that Earl is a prisoner of war in the P.I. Sure a big relief. Telegram was under door when we returned from work at midnight. Was delivered at 5 p.m. Swell day.“
I can’t even begin to imagine the relief and joy that she must have experienced that day!
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 11, 1943 – Sunday
“Swell day. My day off. Harley worked – so did I at home. Washed bathroom walls & ceiling. Also curtains. Never left the apartment. Wrote six letters and two cards. Made candy.“
Looks like it was a good day for cleaning. With rationing on sugar and other items, I wonder what kind of candy she made? Too humid for divinity!
April 11, 1943 – St. Helena, CA
| High | Low | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 67F | 47F | 55F |
| Dew Point | 51F | 43F | 47F |
| Humidity | 92% | 42% | 75% |
| Precipitation | 0.00in | — | — |
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 9, 1943 – Friday
“One year ago today Bataan fell to the Japs. Still no word of Earl. Gladys Haskins sent a paper (Santa Fe) telling of Clark Lee being there. He told a lot about our boys. Can only hope & pray I will hear soon that Earl is safe. Felt pretty low. Warmer today. Some wind!“
Clark Lee wrote the book “They Call This Pacific”. A copy of which my grandmother had and my father gave to me. This is the article my grandmother was referring to in her entry. She created a scrapbook of newspaper articles about what was happening in the Philippines. I am thankful that my father gave me this scrapbook before he passed away.
Mon, March 29, 1943 – Page 1 – The Santa Fe New Mexican
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 7, 1943 – Wednesday
“Jerry & Leonard came over. Their day off. Word from Laverne that he has rec’d the rank of Corporal. Makes us very proud.“
Jerry was my grandfather’s daughter, Leonard was her husband. Laverne was my grandfather’s son who was in the Army Air Corp.
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 6, 1943 – Tuesday
“Well it’s my day today. Got my 2nd class rating. Sure time. Harley bought giant cigars for his bosses. Had a lot of fun over them.“
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
April 5, 1943 – Monday
“Harley got up early and went to St. Helena. Got his release from Dr and went to work this P.M. Ears still bothering him but got his 3rd class fitters rating so feels pretty good about that. Pretty fair day.“
See this post for more information about my Grandmother’s diary.
March 28, 1943 – Sunday
“Another beautiful day. Went to show – Abbott & Costello. Got restless and decided to go home. Tried to go to sleep early but not use to that. So read until about the usual time. Looked at a cottage in S.H. (St. Helena). Surely would like to rent but rent paid here until Apr 23. May get it after all.”
In 1943 my paternal grandmother, Frankie Ruth Fuller Pyatt Dourte, was living in St. Helena, California. At that time her only son (my father, Earl E. Pyatt) was in the Philippines at the start of the WWII, was part of the Bataan Death March and was being held as a POW. At the start of this diary, she had yet to receive word about his status. He was only 20 years old. She was married to my Dad’s step-father, Harley O. Dourte. They both worked at the Mare Island Naval Station. Harley had 3 sons of his own who were in the military. They moved to St. Helena because they were sure that when their boys came back they wanted to be near to where they would most likely return to the U.S. Her short, brief diary entries give a little glimpse of what her life was like during this time.
On the days she has an entry I will post it.
March 27, 1943 – Saturday
“Very nice day. Laid off work for first time from the island as Harley was sick with flu. Went to St. Helena to a show. Decided to stay with Carl as didn’t have to work Sunday.”
Carl was Harley’s brother who lived in St. Helena at the time.
A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid. – J.R.R. Tolkien
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” Teaching children values and giving them the opportunity to excel is essential to good parenting. However, I feel I must also provide my children (and myself) insight into the ones who came before us: our ancestors whose lives and stories have shaped us into who we are. This is my journey; these are their stories…
Life under the thinking tree
Louise Mabey
A genealogical site devoted to the history of the DeKorn and Zuidweg families of Kalamazoo and the Mulder family of Caledonia
Fun With Genealogy
Writerly ways for Family Historians and Storytellers
This WordPress.com site is Pacific War era information
Gleanings from my father Glen S. Player's ephemera from Seattle school reunions. He graduated WQA 1932 and QAHS 1936.
Family history from the Western District of Victoria, Australia
Kathi O'Neill Genealogy 