6 Meanwhile, Alice . . .

While Jack was working at Hamilton Field, Alice took a job at The Paris Cleaners, a half mile from

Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Moore, and Alice

home.[1] Comments about her fellow employees reveal attitudes about people whose life stories were different from hers.

  I like my job, it really isn’t very hard. I mark all the cloth[e]s that come in and mend different things. I sew on the stripes on army shirts, blouces & coats etc. Can I sew on your first stripe? I’ve never seen so many army cloth[e]s in all my life.[2]

   Honey guess what, I told you I was going to get $16 for four days work, and I did. They said I did my work very good. Today is their anniversary, so they are giveing a party tonight for the employes so I’m going over for a hour or so, as they have been swell to me. There will be Mr. Holt & his wife & Mr. Miller & wife & another old man Mr. Miller, an Ok[i]e & his wife Annabella, Mrs. Moore who is a widow, & the janitor & Mary who has a little girl but has divorsed her husband.[3]

Presser, The Paris Cleaners, 1942

   Last night I went to that party, but was a bit lost without you honey. They were all very nice to me, but they are different, there was a lot of liquor and everyone smoked except one old lady and I. I had two glasses of orange, but no liquor. They played a few games then I played w[h]ist for awhile. I left at 10:30 before they had half way started hepping it up and I smelt like a ball of smoke.[4]

 

Co-workers: the janitor, the presser, Mr. Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Holt,
Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Moore

Alice was hoping to get pregnant and was seeing an osteopath for treatments and advice.

  Tuesday after work I went to Dr. Weber and she said my blood pressure was very low, and my stomach and organs were sag[g]ed so now every night I have a crazy position I have to get into for five minutes. She said I was very high strung and that I keep to much back. When I get mad she said I should make some jesture to get rid of the poison that comes into your system when you are mad. She does not have any one in the service and feels she should make some sort of sacrifice so she is giving all army wives treatments for nothing. Isn’t that wonderful, we won’t have to pay a cent and when you get home I will be all ready to have a baby, how a bout that honey.[5]

Alice’s daily activities filled her letters. During Jack's absence she took on more responsibility for the business of running their household, always checking with him for approval.

Alice's cookie jar

  Last night after I finished your letter I cleaned out the trash burner and cleaned the cooler good, took out all the old stuff there was in there and then clorexed [Cloroxed] the sink & sink board (now it sure is white). I also cleaned that corner out and all that’s there now is the cookie jar—next to the cooler. Then I moped the floor, took a bath and hopped in bed at 10:10. When I finish this letter I want to finish in the Kitchen. I’m going to clean the cubberts & below the sink.[6]

  Jack I was just figureing. I can pay your insurance today & I have enough for the car insurance, as soon as you cash that check, and by the 13^th of Nov. I will have the rent money [mortgage] and maybe enough for Dr. Dunlevy.[7] Do we have to pay city tax & county tax? Don’t worry about the money problem ‘cause I think it will all work out just right. Then we will have $50 (army). next month too.[8]

 

The first year's tax bills came in the name of the former owner.
Receipts, regardless of who paid, were in Jack's name.

With rubber in short supply due to Japanese control of rubber-producing countries, citizens were required to reduce wear on tires already in use. Excess tires were to be sold or donated to the government, and tire registration was a key to obtaining gas rations.[9] 

The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa)
14 October 1942, p. 1, col. 6

  I called the Railway Express but they don’t have the special government forms yet so he said to hang on to the tires till he gets them, which will be in a few days. (I hope.)

   [The next day she wrote,] I accompolished something today. I waited in line for 35 minutes to get rid of the tires. When I was 4^th in line the fellow said count 9 back & the rest go home as they had only 9 forms left. Boy was I lucky. They sure were nasty about people waiting for the last minute, they asked if I wanted to give them or sell them & I said sell. Then they say, “do you want a check or defense stamps so I said defense stamps is that O.K.

  After work I went to get the gas ration things, and got them for both cars. Boy what a load off my mind. They gave me a sticker to put on the windshield with an A on it.[10]

  I am going to make a pie I hope you will be home to eat it tomorrow night . . . I did enjoy having you home last night, it meant a lot to me to have you here.[11]

 

Jack and Alice with her parents, Julia and Ben Streeter
At the Streeter ranch, El Verano, California

The day Jack left for school in Texas, Alice wrote, not knowing when they would see each other again.

  My darling, I am wondering where you are this minute. I miss you so much, and know you miss me too. It will be so lonesome with out you, I hardly know what I will do.

  Darling I hope you will forgive me. I picked up 4 Soldier boys at the Gate on my way home [from taking Jack to Hamilton Field]. Three went to Petaluma & the other came clear to Santa Rosa. My eyes were red and my voice a bit quivering, but it was my duty.  I won't ever pick them up at night again but I am glad for today. I told them you were leaving today and they were very very nice. One boy was from Johnstown Penn. I came streight home and as soon as I entered the house, alone, I could hardly bear it.

  Forgive me again for going to the show on Sunday [against Kellar family religious practices], but I had to have something to forget for a little while. It was a wonderful picture. I went in at 2:30 and saw it twice, but it did not make me forget you at all, it only reminded me, when they had to part tears came to my eyes. & I had no one to cling to. They loved so deeply so everlasting, like our love, like our love will always be. Jack, did God plan our life this way so we would realize how deep love can be, or have we been bad and are being punished?

  I love you so much darling, more than anyone will ever know. Your mine, I don't want anything else except you & ours.

  M[a]y God watch over you on your journey & deliver you saftely.

  Bless you tonight and forever.

      Your ever loving

          wife  Alice.[12]

---

[1] Paris Cleaners and Dyers, 228 South A Street, Santa Rosa, California.  At the time it was owned and operated by Mr. James C. Holt. Employees included Holt and his wife Flora E., William Y. Miller and wife Alice M., an older Mr. Miller, Mrs. Moore, another man and his wife Annabella, and divorcee Mary. For the Holts, see 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma County, California, population schedule, Santa Rosa, Enumeration District (E.D.) 49-53, sheet 19A, visitation 537, James C. Holt household; NARA microfilm T627, roll 350. For the Millers, see 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma Co., Calif., pop, sch., Santa Rosa, E.D. 49-50, sheet 5A, visit. 105, William Y. Miller household; NARA microfilm T627, roll 350.

[2] Alice Streeter Kellar (Santa Rosa, California), letter to “Dearest Jack” (Hamilton Field, California), 29 October 1942. The excerpts included in this post are in Alice’s spelling and have been edited only lightly.

[3] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 30 October 1942.

[4] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” Saturday [31 October 1942].

[5] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to "Dearest Jack," 29 October 1942. For Caroline Weber, osteopath, see 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma Co., Calif., pop. sch., Santa Rosa, E.D. 49-40, sheet 14B, visit. 375, Caroline Weber; NARA microfilm T627, roll 350.

[6] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 10 November 1942.

[7] Dr. Dunlavy was Jack’s mother’s medical doctor. It seems that Alice and/or Jack saw him, too. Personal recollection of the author. See 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma Co., Calif., pop. sch., Healdsburg, E.D. 49-16A, sheet 61A, visit. 80, Kenneth J. Dunlavy household; NARA microfilm T627, roll 349. 

[8] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” Saturday [31 October 1942].

[9] “Rationing in the United States,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing_in_the_United_States : accessed 25 January 2018), World War II. Also, Sarah Sundin, “Make It Do – Tire Rationing in World War II,” Sarah’s Blog, 27 December 2016 (http://www.sarahsundin.com/make-it-do-tire-rationing-in-world-war-ii/ : accessed 25 January 2018).

[10] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 16 December 1942. Also, “Registering for Gas Rationing Set Nov. 9,” The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California), 14 October 1942), p. 1, col. 2. “The Office of Price Administration formally announced today that motorists would be limited to five tires per car beginning next month, and at the same time disclosed that registration for gasoline ration books would start November 9 in the 31 states where gasoline is now unrationed [including California]. Every car owner in these states will be entitled . . . to at least enough gas to drive 2,880 miles per year—slightly less than four gallons per week . . . Nationwide gasoline rationing was recommended by the Baruch rubber committee to save the rubber on existing tires . . . Issuance of ration books would be contingent on these two provisions: 1—The car owner must swear he has no more than five tires. 2—He must agree to periodic inspection of his tires.”

[11] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” letter, undated [mention of Christmas dates it to December 1942].

[12] Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “My darling,” Sunday [mention of the day Jack left for Texas dates it to 24 January 1943].

5 A Cocky Recruit

Jack and two buddies, Hamilton Field

Hamilton Field was familiar territory. Jack had passed it many times driving from Santa Rosa to San Francisco. It wasn’t home, but he lived there now, returning as often as possible to Alice at their home in Santa Rosa. [1]

Attitude

Jack enjoyed knowing everyone around him, and he made friends easily among the other recruits. Usually cocky and full of self-confidence, in this new environment his insecurities surfaced. The Army was all about authority and following instructions from superiors. Jack had already had a run-in with 2^nd Lt. George Brown about married man’s passes. He confided opinions about superiors to his diary, but sometimes he acted on them, too.

Hamilton Field hangar with P-40s, 1941[2]

Our C.O. was a 90-day wonder, 2^nd Lt. Hilton.  Everything he knew came out of a book and not from practical experience. 

After lunch when we were going to a show, I was told by buck-ass Private White to take the piece of candy out of my mouth, and I told him off. Later I told Rockie [Sgt. Rockhill] about it and he said that he would take care of White.

A Confident Drill Instructor

Having responsibility for a job gave him some authority and bolstered Jack's self-confidence. Marching is the quickest and most efficient way to move a large group of people from one place to another. Men in the army do a lot of marching, and they have to learn how. Jack became an instructor.

They picked a few fellows from ranks to be drill instructors.  Among them were Georgia (Giddens[3]) Johnson and Clayton[4]. Clayton could drill about as good as a 2-month-old baby could walk. After several days of drilling with Georgia he asked me if I could take over so I said yes. I drilled the fellows and I guess I did pretty good as the next day he asked me to drill them again. After drilling them and going back to the barracks I was told that Sgt. Rockhill wanted to see me.  He asked me if I wanted to be an instructor and told me to fall out in the morning in my O.D.s.[5] The next morning I was in my O.D.s and drilled my men in the A.M.

About this time a new C.O. took over who turned out to be a prince of a fellow and made an excellent officer. He was 2^nd Lt Francis G. Hughes.  He was really a first class fellow. 

Jack found his place as a drill instructor. It came naturally to him after years marking the rhythm on his bass horn in his high school marching band. As more recruits came in, he enlisted the help of his buddy Bob Azevedo. Together they drilled the new men and felt confident of their task. As fewer recruits arrived, they had less to do and had “a good time doing nothing.”

I was going home every night as they had cut enlistments off, and there were no longer any new fellows coming in. I enjoyed these nights at home very much, and Alice and I really had fun together. About 50 of our fellows were shipped to Florida to go to school, and word got around that they were out after more fellows to go to school. They called all of the 38^th together and told us they had their first warning notice about overseas service and for us to have our wills made out etc.

Alice on Jack's Model T that her mother called the
"Pneumonia Buggy," Santa Rosa

An Ultimatum about School

Lt Hughes asked me if I knew the manual of arms, and I said no. He said to learn them so I could start to instruct rifle. I took rifle from Georgia, and he taught it to me pretty good. The day before I was to go on the range to fire, Lt. Reese Brown called up and wanted me to go to school. He said he would give me 30 minutes to make up my mind.

I told Lt. Brown I did not want to go to school because Bob and I had planned on going to Observers[6] school. He said it was either go to this school or go overseas. We had a big argument that “Shorty” Brown stuck his nose into, and he really got told off.

I then decided rather than go overseas I would go to A.M. [Aircraft Maintenance] school at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. I went home that night and told Alice. In a way she seemed to like the idea as she knew she would go with me, and in another way I could see way down deep that she hated the idea because we might be parted for some length of time.

I spent Christmas at home and received a most abundant amount of gifts and really did appreciate them. Alice was very dear to me and gave me a nice wallet, a toilet set, etc. I received a garrison hat, a garrison belt, and a lot of other Army equipment. We thank the good lord for such a nice Christmas and hope Alice and I can spend many more together in the years to come.

Jack at 304 Hendley Street
Santa Rosa

Just after Christmas we got our orders to move. I was going to go to school in Dallas, Texas, with some of my friends: Bob Azevedo, Vasil Voikedes, Winkler from Sebastopol, and Derrick from Healdsburg.[7]

On January 24, 1943, our day of departure from good old Hamilton Field, we started from Santa Rosa to the field in the late morning. Alice was very quiet on the way and I knew why.  I was very brave up until the time she left. At least I thought I was. After arriving at the field several of the fellows came over to the car and talked for a little while. Finally I turned the car around for Alice. Little did I realize until she left how much I needed her and how much we really loved each other. After shedding a few tears with my dear wife I told her to be brave and to go out the road fast so it would not be so hard. Alice was gone. She had gone home and it was the last time I would see her for a while. I love her very, very much. I went up to my bed and lay down for a little while but still only one thing was on my mind—Alice—my wife.

We left Hamilton Field at 2:25 P.M. on Sunday, January 24, 1943. The next part of their adventure would take Jack and Alice farther than they had ever been from home.

           

Bob Azevedo, Jack Kellar, Wallace "Wally" Winkler
at the train and ready for the trip to Dallas

---

[1] Unless otherwise noted, the source of this information is Jack's journal. Jack J. Kellar, “My Life in the Service,” diary, 22 October 1942–July 1943; held and transcribed by the author. The diary is a preprinted fill-in book, My Life in the Service (Chicago: Consolidated Book Publishers, 1941). Jack began the section titled, "The Following Pages Contain the Diary of My Life in the Service." He completed about eight months of narration, often at long sittings, not daily. 

[2] Gordon Chappell, "History," Historic California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields: Hamilton Air Force Base (http://www.militarymuseum.org/HamiltonAFB.html : accessed 14 January 2018), first image.

[3] Possibly Glen E. Giddens from Los Angeles, employed as a skilled mechanic or repairman of motor vehicles at enlistment, 30 August 1942. See “U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938–1946,” database, Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2018), search for Giddens, California, 1942.

[4] Possibly Robert G. Clayton from Los Angeles, employed in mechanical treatment of metals at enlistment, 5 October 1942. See “U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938–1946,” database, Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2018), search for Clayton, California, 1942.

[5] Olive drabs (O.D.s) were a wool uniform for cooler weather.

[6] Aircraft Observers (navigators, bombardiers, and other support personnel) received training similar to pilots. See “Observer Badge,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_Badge : accessed 15 January 2018), paragraph 1. Also, Pilots’ Information File 1944: The Authentic World War II Guidebook for Pilots and Flight Engineers (Atglen, Penna.: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1995), 1-11-4; digital snippet, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 15 January 2018), search in the book for "observer."

[7] Jack J. Kellar, interview about his first years after high school by Judy Kellar Fox, 12 April 1993; cassette tape recording and transcription held by the author.