In the notebooks were letters Lou wrote to his younger brother, Eldon, while in Radio School in Moscow Idaho. Eldon was sick during this time - maybe Rheumatic Fever - and was spending a lot of time in bed. It's fun to read Dad's own words, written at the time he was away - not how he remembered it later. His thoughts go from the silly (remember, he was only 20 years old) to the spiritual and give a good idea of the wonderful man he would become.
June 8, 1943
We cut a picture of Betty Grable out of the paper and glued it on our calendar and we almost have a constant parade in here - it's really neat.
This bathing suit photo became the number one pin-up picture of the World War II era. It was included in Life 100 Photos that Changed the World.
He told some jokes:
There were two little morons who were walking along a fence and heard some voices on the other side - one lifted the other to see who it was -- he says - is it men or women? The other one says (it's a nudist colony) "I don't know - they don't have any clothes on!"
Do you know why the little moron wet his pants? to see which leg it would run down.
He wrote about the challenges of his Naval responsibilities:
June 9, 1943
. . . every morning we listen to the "Jap Press." It is actually the Japanese press from Tokyo and sure does pass out the propaganda. I can't copy it all yet, but can get the meaning of it all. Yesterday he was talking about strikes - he said the people in the USA were in bad spirits because they were striking - that there were no strikes in Japan or Germany. He is always cussing Churchill or Roosevelt. He really hates the Catholics too. He sure did make the battle at Attu sound glorious for the Japs.
Boy, it's a good thing that I have a weekend liberty coming Saturday - cause I'm about to go code-crazy. This school sure would be neat if it was about 8 months long, and just 8 hours a day. Boy, I used to think school was long when I was in High School. When 3 comes along and it should be time to go - we still have from 3 to 5 hours to go. Monday I had 11 hours school - yesterday 10 - and today only 9, but tomorrow 10 and Friday 11.
He shared his testimony and encouraged his brother:
June 15, 1943
This is a wonderful opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of our gospel. You will find that you will be able to use it constantly as you get older and possibly away from home. Many people laugh at things of a religious nature - yet you will always find a chance to use all of the knowledge you have of it. Especially this is true at the time of death or sickness - people want to know why - why it is this one and not someone else - this person is too young and good while so and so is not near so good - maybe the world would be better off without one than another. So they are in doubt - causing much useless worry - and often creates a bitter feeling towards a God who they do not understand.
You and I know that there is a reason for such things as illness and death - we can see the beauty in those things which only show ugliness to the people who don't understand.
We are blessed greatly by being born into such a swell family and have a great opportunity. Maybe you are ill as you are so that you can have this wonderful opportunity of learning more about the gospel - thereby gaining the knowledge to enable you to be one of great importance in the fulfiling of God's plan here on earth. Who knows? We do know that you are as you are for a reason. Make the best of it!
Don't think that I am trying to preach to you. I merely want to let you know that through the few experiences that I have had already - a greater knowledge would have been wonderful.
There were two little morons who were walking along a fence and heard some voices on the other side - one lifted the other to see who it was -- he says - is it men or women? The other one says (it's a nudist colony) "I don't know - they don't have any clothes on!"
Do you know why the little moron wet his pants? to see which leg it would run down.
He wrote about the challenges of his Naval responsibilities:
June 9, 1943
. . . every morning we listen to the "Jap Press." It is actually the Japanese press from Tokyo and sure does pass out the propaganda. I can't copy it all yet, but can get the meaning of it all. Yesterday he was talking about strikes - he said the people in the USA were in bad spirits because they were striking - that there were no strikes in Japan or Germany. He is always cussing Churchill or Roosevelt. He really hates the Catholics too. He sure did make the battle at Attu sound glorious for the Japs.
Boy, it's a good thing that I have a weekend liberty coming Saturday - cause I'm about to go code-crazy. This school sure would be neat if it was about 8 months long, and just 8 hours a day. Boy, I used to think school was long when I was in High School. When 3 comes along and it should be time to go - we still have from 3 to 5 hours to go. Monday I had 11 hours school - yesterday 10 - and today only 9, but tomorrow 10 and Friday 11.
He shared his testimony and encouraged his brother:
June 15, 1943
This is a wonderful opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of our gospel. You will find that you will be able to use it constantly as you get older and possibly away from home. Many people laugh at things of a religious nature - yet you will always find a chance to use all of the knowledge you have of it. Especially this is true at the time of death or sickness - people want to know why - why it is this one and not someone else - this person is too young and good while so and so is not near so good - maybe the world would be better off without one than another. So they are in doubt - causing much useless worry - and often creates a bitter feeling towards a God who they do not understand.
You and I know that there is a reason for such things as illness and death - we can see the beauty in those things which only show ugliness to the people who don't understand.
We are blessed greatly by being born into such a swell family and have a great opportunity. Maybe you are ill as you are so that you can have this wonderful opportunity of learning more about the gospel - thereby gaining the knowledge to enable you to be one of great importance in the fulfiling of God's plan here on earth. Who knows? We do know that you are as you are for a reason. Make the best of it!
Don't think that I am trying to preach to you. I merely want to let you know that through the few experiences that I have had already - a greater knowledge would have been wonderful.
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