The following information is from a Journal Cecil Lee kept while her sons were serving in the U. S. Army during World War II.
Diary of Loren P. Lee
While in Service for his Country
Private Loren P. Lee was inducted into the service on February 3, 1942, at the age of 23 years and 1 month. He left for Chicago at 2:30 a.m. and then went on to Bellville, Illinois. He was there for several weeks then was sent to Kansas City. He became PFC. on August 15, 1942, and he was sent from Kansas City to Miami, Florida, and on to Washington, D.C. He was there just a few weeks and was then sent to St. Joseph, Mo. There he graduated as a Radio Operator and was then sent to Wilmington, Del. Where he was promoted to Cpl. on October 11, 11942.
Wilmington, Del. is his permanent base. He left there on a mission the first of October, 1942 for Greenland. He was grounded there for three months, came back to his base in Delaware the first of January, and was promoted to Sgt. on January 1, 1943. He came home on furlough on January 18th and spent 10 days. He then went back to the base on February 6, 1943. Loren ate dinner with his aunt Opal Hodge and then left on a train at 3:00 p.m. that Saturday afternoon.
Loren called home on February 15, 1943 from Wichita, Kansas at 7:15 in the morning. He ate breakfast in Wichita and ate supper in Florida. He was in Florida just a few days and then left on a mission across the Atlantic Ocean. He was in London, Arabia, Africa, Brazil, Porto Rico, and several other places. He got back to the states on March 27, 1943. He called home from his base at about 8:30 p.m. on that Saturday evening.
Loren was promoted to S.Sgt on April 1, 1943. On the 6th of April he sent a telegram and two hundred dollars, and then he called home on April 9th, at 7:30 p.m., before leaving on another mission.
We had an Easter Card from Loren mailed at Bangor, Maine on April 14, 1943, and he was on his way across. He got back to the states on May 7th, and called home from his base in Delaware on May 8th, wishing his father a Happy Birthday. He was at his base a while and then flew to North Carolina on a trip. He mad another trip in June but we don't know where.
Loren was at his base a while as an instructor. He was promoted to F.Sgt. on August 1, 1943. He left on another mission overseas on September 4, 1943, and got back to the base sometime about the 20th of September 1943. He then went to Dallas, Texas on a trip the first of October 1943. He was gone a couple of days and then blew back a Lady pilot.
Loren is now teaching at his base. He called home on the 7th of November, taught for six weeks, and then came home on a 10 day furlough, the 10th day of November 1943. He went back to his base in Delaware the 19th of November. He had dinner with Aunt Opal Hodge in Charleston on the day of his return to base.
Loren then took a trip to Kerney, Nebraska in December and then returned to his base and called home the 17th of December. He is going to a special school for a couple of weeks. He went on another mission the last of December 1943 and got back to the base the 6th of January 1944. He called home on the night of the 6th, before leaving on another mission the 7th of January. He went across somewhere in Italy. He called home February 2, 1944 at about 6:30 p.m.
He left about the 6th of February on a trip. He started a letter in Delaware and finished it two days later in Florida on his way to India. He met his friend Robert Moore in India around February 22, 1944. He got back to the base on March 5th and called home the 6th, having just a three day furlough. He has to stay at the base teaching for about four weeks. He called home on Saturday, April 8th, on the Eve of Easter, and was leaving at any time.
There was no more word from Loren until he called home on May 22, 1944 at about 6:00 p.m. He was in India again around the 26th of April. He was given a new job as a Radio Inspector the last of May 1944.
We had a letter from him on June 12th. He was on another trip and had gotten as far a Newfoundland and hurt his back. He spent one week in the Hospital there. He then got his furlough and came home on June 23, 1944, for about 10 days. He left home on Sunday afternoon July 2nd. The next letter we received was bout the middle of July saying that he had been on a ten day trip. There was no ore word until Saturday night, August the 5th. He called home saying that he was leaving on a short trip. He came back to the base in a few days and was there until the middle of September 1944. He left on another mission and got back to the base about the 9th of October, 1944.
Loren called home the night of October 11th. He was at the base almost all of the month of October. We got a letter about November 3, 1944, and he was leaving on another mission. This would make fourteen times across one way of the Atlantic Ocean. He got back to the base November 22nd and called home. We then got a letter dated November 28, 1944, and he was leaving on another mission.
Loren got back from his mission to Paris, France on December 20, 1944. He called home the 21st of December, and got his furlough and started home the afternoon of the 23rd. He was home about fourteen days. He left to go back to his base on January 5th. He ate dinner with his Aunt Opal Hodge and started at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. We got a letter from him on the 13th saying that he got back to the base okay and in good time. He left on a mission right away and he returned to the base on January 26th. He called home Saturday night about 6:30.
On February 2, 1945, Loren left on another mission for extended service in Cairo, Egypt. Up to this time he has flown across the Atlantic thirty-one times. He got back to his base from his mission on March 15, 1945, called home on Sunday afternoon of March 18th. He was feeling fine and was on a seven day leave. He called from a hotel in Wilmington, Delaware.
He left on another mission on March 23, and he got back to the base on April 4. He called home and had just a three day leave before he would be gone again. He was at the base for just two days and then was gone for almost two weeks. He called home the evening of April 18th. He left on another mission and got back to the base around the 5th of May, when he called home. We had no more word from him up to now, May the 16th.
Loren got back to the base about the middle of May for just a few days rest leave, and was then gone on another mission. He goes out every few days. He was gone about ten days and then was back. He called bout every two weeks. He is looking to be transferred to the Pacific at any time. He got back to the base the second week in August and called home. He was then transferred to California. He called home from Chicago, that was on the 13th of August.
Loren landed at Hamilton Field, California. From there he went to Hawaii, Kwayeleorm, and Guam, just eight days from the time he left Wilmington, Delaware, until he was near Tokyo.
What time Loren spent on a trip he flew approximately 240,000 miles. The last letter we received was written some where in the Pacific on October 3, 1945. He had been over Yokohama and said it was a sight to see, so many ships in port. He arrived back to Hamilton Field around October 20th, and after just two days he was going back to the Islands in the Pacific. There was no more word up to this date, November 4, 1945. We got word he was in Guam around the 26th of October. He came back to the States in the middle of November sometime, and called home Thursday night, November 29th from Rantoul, Illinois. He would be released the next day from the service. He came home November 30, 1945 with his discharge.
Diary of Leland L. Lee
While in Service for his Country
Private Leland L. Lee was inducted into the army on September 3, 1942, at the age of 21 years and 10 months. He left home at 2:30 in the morning and went to Chicago. He then went to Camp Grant and from there to Camp Wheeler, Georgia. He studied Radio for some time and then took N.C.O. study. He passed all but the physical examination, because of his ankle. He was then put in charge of a platoon of boys.
Lester became Cpl.. the first of April 1943. Then, he got a furlough and came home June 2, 1943. He was home 15 days and went back on the 14th of June. He left Terre Haute at 7:00 that night, and got back to Camp Wheeler okay.
He left Camp Wheeler, Georgia in August and went to Ft. Meade, Maryland. He met his brother Loren in Baltimore about the 29th of August. He went to Washington, D.C. for a trip sometime the middle of October 1943.
Lester called home from Maryland on December 6, 1943. He then got a furlough and came home December 13, 1943. He returned to Maryland from Casey, Illinois on the 19th of December.
He called home the 21st and was all right. He came home on a three day pass on January 14 and went back the same day. He was looking fine and weighed 189 lbs. He was moved on the other side of camp sometime in March. On May 6th he was moved to a new Bn. He then got a furlough and came home May 9, 1944, his fathers birthday. He spent 10 days and then returned to Ft. Meade, May 16th. He got back at 7:15 p.m. in good time. He only weighed 167 lbs. at the time.
We got a letter on June 13, 1944, that said he was checking his clothes expecting to leave for overseas duty. He left Maryland and was in a Camp for some time, between Maine and Florida, probably on an island. We got one letter from him while he was there. Then on July 21, 1944 we got a letter saying that he had landed in Sunny Italy. After that we heard from him pretty often. He moved on about the last of September to a place near Florence, Italy. We received several letters in November and also in October. One which he had dated November 17, 1944, said that he had been promoted to Sgt.
Lester received the Combat Medal some time in December or January. He was then flown back to a hospital in Naples. His last letter was dated February 14. He was getting along all right and hoped to be back with the boys soon.
We received a letter dated March 18th that said he was at a Replacement Center ready to go with his old outfit. He was in combat at the time of the last letter on May 1st. He was near Po Valley when VE Day came. He was stationed near there for some time, and then was sent somewhere near Rome. He spent a few hours in Rome some time in June or July.
Lester received the Bronze Star some time in May. The last letter we received was the 6th of August, it was written on the 31st of July. He landed in the States from overseas Friday night, August 17th, and he called home Saturday morning at 1:20 a.m. He is hoping to see us in a few days.
Lester came by plane from Naples, Italy to Miami, Florida. From there he went to Fort Sheridan by train. He then came home on a 45 day furlough. He left September 21st for Camp Polk, La. He was there until October 17, when he got his discharge. He got into Charleston on October 19th about 3:30 in the afternoon.
So this is Leland L. Lee's life in the army for three years and about six months.
Age now twenty-four years and eleven months. He will be twenty-five on November 3.
Diary of Ralph Dean Lee
While in Service for his Country
Private Ralph Dean Lee was inducted into the service on July 25, 1944, at the age of 19 years and 3 months. He left home on Tuesday morning at 3:15 a.m. He was sent to Chicago, and then on the Camp Sheridan. He got his uniform and sent his civilian clothes home on July 29th. He came home on a weekend pass the following week. Ralph went back to Camp Sheridan and we had no more word from him for several weeks. It was some time in August, and he had landed in Camp Hood, Texas. He stayed there for all of his Basic training, which consisted of about 20 weeks.
We got a letter from Ralph dated November 9. He would be quarantined for 6 weeks. We got another letter November 26, 1944. He was finishing up his training. A letter on December 9th stated that he was in school for a tryout for Non Commissioned Officer. He didn't make it because he flunked it on purpose. He came home on furlough December 25, Christmas morning.
After spending 10 days at home, Ralph left for Camp Ord, California on January 3, 1945. He got out to Los Angeles and spent a few hours with his Aunt Coral, Uncle Roy Koen, and Aunt Vera and Ferol Lee. He got to his camp about 3 hundred miles north, in good time. He left Camp Ord some time around the 20th of January 1945.
There was no more word from Ralph until February 20, 1945. He couldn't tell us where he was or where he was going. He had a ten dollar bond sent home every month while he was in the States. We got a letter from Ralph on Friday, March 2nd, saying he had landed in the Philippines.
The last letter we received was written April 13th, and we received it about the 7th of May. There was no more word until May the 15th, when we received a Telegram stating that Ralph was seriously wounded in Cebu on April 19th. He was in the service just 9 months and four days when he was wounded. He was brought back to the States on a Hospital Ship, and he landed in San Francisco in 27 days. He was in the hospital there for several days, and then sent on to Springfield, Mo. He was in the Orielly General Hospital there for about three weeks. He then came home on a 43 day furlough, and returned on August 3, 1945, for an operation. He was in the hospital a while and then came home on a seven day leave, to see Lester, who was taken sick with Yellow Jaundice. He was in the hospital for three weeks and then came home on a 30 day leave. He will report back to the hospital on October 27, 1945.
Ralph left on Saturday morning, October 27, 1945, from Mattoon, at 10:15. He arrived in Springfield around 8:30 that evening. We received a letter on Wednesday, saying he was okay, but he didn't know about the operation.
Ralph called on Thursday afternoon November 8th. He said he had had the operation on his head on Tuesday afternoon November 6, 1945. He was getting along fine and hoped to be home in a few weeks. He came home on a 3 day pass for Thanksgiving, and went back on November 25. He left form Mattoon at 10:15.
Ralph came home with his discharge the first of December 1945.
