Scope and Contents

According to penciled notations on the back, the photograph is of Cyril Buzek, taken June 2, 1945. The photograph was attached to the cover sheet that apparently had been prepared by family members.

Scope and Contents Arrives at Camp Peary via Houston, Cincinnati, and Richmond; complains about cursing, marching, slow mail, shots, health care, noise in the barracks, homesickness, and not being allowed to have a camera; mentions going to shows and church in camp; studies types of airplanes and takes a test; starts numbering his letters to match numbers on his mother's letters; enters the hospital on February 6 because of cold, fever, and backache; is diagnosed with pneumonia, but soon claims to be feeling...

Scope and Contents Is still in the hospital but feels fine except for ears and neck; misses his hounds; receives letters and a Valentine from Lillian but wonders if he should keep writing to her; when allowed to get out of bed, he helps around the hospital, sweeping, carrying meals, and working in the kitchen; leaves hospital on March 4, but has to join a different unit because of missing so much training; begins rifle training; takes arithmetic and writing classes; meets a Mexican boy from Wharton, Texas. 14...

Scope and Contents

Appreciates a package from home with cookies and sausage; passes airplane and arithmetic tests; complains about guard duty, sore muscles, and lack of palms in church on Palm Sunday; sends home letters and Valentines he has received, to be kept for him; requests his watch and a loan of $10; mentions a fight between negro and white recruits; comments on war news; goes in a large rowboat on a river. 14 letters.

Scope and Contents Is liking the Navy better now, not working so hard; mentions going to church and school, marching, pulling guard duty, getting good grades, practicing boxing and self-defense, having inspections and fire drills, studying telescopes, and hearing about President Roosevelt's death; reenters the hospital, with the mumps; leaves the hospital on April 23 and has to join yet another unit; expects to get leave to go home around the end of May. 14 letters, including one addressed to his sister...

Scope and Contents Mentions going to school, taking tests, marching, doing laundry, having fun, getting a package from home, practicing for Victory Day; expects to be a Seaman Second Class on the upper deck; says he hasn't been to Williamsburg yet; has more training on boats; learns about knots, signal flags, and gas masks; gets a sore arm from his final shot; attends graduation; gets paid and buys a train ticket for home; arrives back at Camp Peary on June 5; expects to get shipped out soon, hopefully to a...

Scope and Contents Arrives at his station in Norfolk, not knowing how long he'll be there; mentions working in a carpentry shop, partying, putting curtains in windows in the Waves' barracks, mowing grass, pulling guard duty, going to a show in Norfolk, riding a street car for the first time, working as a messenger boy, weighing 132 pounds, sending home a package and pictures of himself and his buddies, buying a pen and pencil set, and drinking too much beer. Moves to Newport News on June 24 and really likes...

Scope and Contents

Arrives in Panama after three days in New York, three in Hoboken, and eight at sea; likes the new camp, with its beaches, games, shows, and coconut trees; goes roller skating; has easy work; doesn't like the town; complains about having his letters censored; mentions fights in the camp, but promises not to get drunk. Moves to a new post, which is a camp for Seabees; works in the mess hall; sends home a radio tube and a mouth harp. 14 letters.

Scope and Contents Has a better job now in the mess hall, helping the cooks; celebrates the end of the war; finds nicer places in the town and attends some shows; buys a watch; hopes to be home soon, but doesn't have enough points yet for a discharge; has easy work and friends who always want to go to town; complains about being a land sailor; goes to the jungle and sees a monkey; hopes to get leave in a couple months, but doesn't know if he can afford to come home; says the censorship has ended so he can...

Scope and Contents Having been asked to reenlist for another four years, he announces his refusal to sign anything but a discharge; complains about the heat, sailors fighting, a fire in the barracks, not getting leave, and not being a ‘real sailor’; says Lillian stopped writing after he suggested they be just friends, so he writes to a friend’s sister; says he has only 16½ points, but needs 35 to get out of the Navy; visits the Panama Canal; cooks for a farewell party before being moved to Balboa. Is assigned...

Scope and Contents Makes funnels, boxes, and a monkey coop for an officer; wonders if his dad drinks too much because he misses him; learns welding; goes boat riding on the canal; hopes to be home for Christmas; wishes he had stayed in school; makes rank of Seaman First Class; complains about eye strain and asks his mom to send his glasses; goes about 30 miles by boat to visit Tobago Island; studies for tests to make Metal Smith Third Class; says he’s having a barrel of fun and would reenlist if he could get...

Scope and Contents Hears he didn’t pass the tests to make Metal Smith but vows to study and try again; asks his mom to send a quart of sauerkraut; has Shore Patrol duty; expects to be in charge of the shop soon; sends home an ashtray and a knife he made; makes lockers and strainers for submarines; has good luck fishing; takes the Metal Smith tests again and passes; celebrates Christmas in Balboa, but hopes never again to be away from home for Christmas; expects to get a 72-hour pass for New Year’s, but doubts...