December 2022 Auction Ends Thursday, December 8th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/8/2022
Fifteen letters, most written by Mrs. Harry Powers of Newark, Ohio, to her son Wilbur of the U.S. Navy, from July 1944 to April 1946. A Ruther Belzner of Toledo writes one letter. Seaman Second Class Powers, Company 1183, was stationed at Camp Paul Jones at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois until being assigned to the U.S.S. Markab in 1945. The ship was part of the Service Squadron, overhauling destroyers. In February 1945, it sailed for the Phillipines where it prepared landing craft for the attack on Okinawa and refitted ships headed to occupied Japan. In January 1946, the Markab joined the 7th Fleet in Shanghai. Letters are filled with details of life in rural Ohio with occasional mention of national events. The 10 May 1945 letter to Seaman First Class Powers, 12th Division, reads in part, ''...The war is over with Germany, May 8th was V.E. day, a lot of stores were closed and some factories...but I did not hear of any big celebration. They keep reminding us on the radio that this is not the time for a celebration not until the war is over with Japan, and I agree...we on the home front should work harder than ever, what we do here may hasten the day for victory in Japan, then you boys can all come home and help us celebrate...'' The 11 January 1946 letter to Powers reads in part, ''...From what we hear on the radio Dad thinks you will be home by May when your two years are up...'' Last letter, dated 3 April 1946, ends, ''...we still havent got any more mail from you, Jan. 1st was the last we received...'' Minor soiling and creasing to letters and envelopes. Overall very good.
Lot of 15 WWII Letters to a Seaman Aboard U.S.S. Markab -- ''...The war is over with Germany, May 8th was V.E. day...''
Click above for larger image.