December 28, 1918

Dec 30 1918

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Mich. Ave.,

Manitowoc

Wisc.

U-S-S-New Jersey.

Dec-28-1918

Dearest Rose,-

Just a few lines to let you know I got the box of candy G-k. And sure was glad to get it. it sure was fine. That is one thing they don’t have on our ship any more, so you know I was glad to get it. And I thank you very much. It is more than I expected from you because you have had such a hard time of of lately. out of work, sick and everything to make one feel lonesome.

I so hope things briten up for you. And that it isn’t so lonesome as it was.

I didn’t have such a good times Christmas. All I had was a good dinner. We had turkey, Oranges, Apples, Ice cream, Chicken soup, mashed potatoes, good gravy, and a lot of the good things.

Well I suppose this will be the last letter you will get from me until I get back. As we leave Tuesday the 31^st. don’t expect I will get a chance to write a gain. as they keep me buisy now. I am messenger when I get off from that job they got some thing else for me to do. This after noon I was helping make up hammocks for the soldiers to use comming back. I don’t get the chance to write letters as I did a few day’s ago.

I got a package from mother but havn’t had time to open it yet.

I know you will be disappointed when you get this letter because I don’t think of anything much to write. if I can’t come home when I get back I will try and write more and bigger letters.

We left York Town this morning. We are now in Norfolk. it is a big city the place we just left was just a small town.

I hope you are feeling better now as I know how it is to be sick.

This is about all the time I have so will have to chop off. I have to write a letter home yet. And it is nearly bed time. you know I have to go to bed earlier and get up earlier here than I do when I am at home. We have to be in bed at nine-o-clock and get up at five-thirty in the morning.

I think I had better close and swing in my hammock.

So Good-Bye with best love.

As ever your Friend-

Dan.

4^th Div.

(On back of envelope: “From- D. Martin. 4^th Div. U-S-S. New Jersey. c/o Post Master New York, N.Y.”)

December 25, 1918

Dec 26 1918

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Michigan Ave.,

Manitowoc

Wisc.

U-S.S. New Jersey.

Dec. 25, 1918

Dearest Friend Rose.-

I received both your letters a few days ago. And sure was glad to hear that you were well again. I know how you must of felt.

This sure is some Christmas for me. I had to get out and work befoure breakfast. we are ancored out in the water about a mile from shore. The weather sure is fine down here. it doesn’t seem like Christmas at all. it is just like summer here. I was just outside and the sun was real warm. I sure can feel the heat on the back of my neck. This morning we got up a six, I went up on the upper deck. The moon was shining bright, There was a warm breeze blowing from the south. Just like is is up home in the summer time.

You talking about being lonesome I sure was rotten lonesome last night. There wasn’t a thing to do nearly every one had gone home for Christmas. There is only a few men aboard ship now. I didn’t know anything else to do so I just scrubed up some clean clothes to pass the time away and forgit where I was.

I havnt gotten hardly any mail sence I got back. Only four letters two from you, and two from mother, she promised to send me a package and so did my Aunt in Chicago.

My mother and the hole famley were sick with the Flue. But now I guess they are all well but mother. And hope she is better by this time.

I hope the girls are there yet and that they go out with you real often so you wont get so lonesome.

We got a band here but they are to lazy to play so we might as well not have any. we got a player piano, and a graphaphone but the peaces get old, I would just as soon not hear any thing.

I havn’t done any real hard work for so long a time I wouldn’t know how to go at it. I have a snap of a job now. I am supposed to be on the job now but am writing instead.

I am going to write as long a letter as I can now and another one just befoure I leave. Next Tuesday we leave for France. And will be a month befour we get back.

We leave Norfolk Tuesday the 31^st of Dec. we arrive in France on the 11^th of Janurary. eleven days on the way over there than we will be there three day’s. We will bring fifteen hundred nigger soldiers back. We won’t be back on this side until the 29^th of Jan.

Well Rose some of the fellows on this ship are lucky. They are getting a fine Christmas. some got discharged yesterday, than there will be another bunch discharged on the 29^th of Dec. just befour we leave.

That sure was a fine present for those fellows. I expect to get mine when I get back. about the last of Janurary.

I hope this will be the last xmas I will ever spend on a battle ship. it wouldn’t be so bad but there isn’t a person I know.

I don’t suppose you have heard from Ida lately? she has a big baby boy now.

Well Rose you said in your last letter that you was going to stay home after June 1919. if that is the case I will do the same. I think I will stay on the farm all the time after I get out of the Navy.

This is about all the trash I can think of. Will write just befour I leave. I do hope you will have three or four letters waiting for me when I get back.

And I do hope you will still be there when I get back. as I want to see you again. I will always remember the day when I met you. And hope that you will never forget me. you don’t know how I feel when I know that I am so far from you and can not get to see you when I want to. I will close for this time. Am well and felling fine, hope this letter finds you the same.

Good-Bye Answer when you can. will close with best love.

Your Friend

Dan

December 22, 1918

Dec 23 1918

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Mich. Ave.,

Manitowoc,

Wisconsin.

U-S-S. New Jersey.

Dec.-22, 1918

Dearest Friend,-

I have a few minutes to spair now so will write you a few lines.

I am still well and getting along fine. hope you are the same.

Our shop left Boston last Sunday and took us five days to get here in Virginia. We were lost at sea two day’s. Than lost our ancor. we sure had a big time on the way down here. There was a bad storm. lots of the boy’s were sea sick. some thought we would never see land again. we finaly got here ok. we will be her a short time. we will take supplies and coal aboard. Than the first of Janurary we will be on our way to France. But will not be gone very long. we are comming back with 12.000 soldiers.

There is only a few of us on this ship now. They sent over eight hundred men home. I expect I will be sent home to stay when we get back from over there.

I sure have a fine job here now. all I have done for three days is sit around. and eat and sleep. I don’t suppose it will last very long.

Well I hope you will have a better time Christmas than me. I will be on this ship until I get back from over there. I don’t suppose you expect to have such a big time either?

Have you heard from Ida lately? I havn’t gotten any letters sence. I got back. I hope someone will hurry and write befour I leave. As it is nearly dinner time and I can’t think of any more to write will close for this time. This makes my third letter I wrote to you sence I got back. and hope you are getting all of them.

I am sending you a little present. not very much but that is the best I could do. I can’t buy hardly anything aboard ship. and havn’t ben ashore for over a week.

Answer as soon as you can. And write all you can because. I wont get any more letters from you until I get back.

Good-Bye

With Best Love,-

Your Friend

Dan.

4^th Div U.S.S. New Jersey,

c/o Po. Master-

Fortress Monroe,

Va.

December 11, 1918-Mary Stodob

Dec 12 1918

Miss Rose Kraynik

Stangelivlle

Wis

R 2 Box 70.

Manitowoc Wisc.

Dec 11 1918

My Dear Rose:-

Will take the pleasure and drop you a few lines to let you know that I have received your most Welcome letter last week but didn’t the time to ans it as I was so busy all the time, As I was telling about that first Company we have here were 22 of them all of us was 28 so you know what kind job was that + last Monday we have one again there were only 14 of them all of us were 18 the couple were Mr + Mrs Ohde Mr + Mrs Rankin Mr + Mrs Short Mr + Mrs Negouht Mr + Mrs Findland Mr + Mrs Plumb all the swell ones

And this week we are baking cookies we bake today 7 gal of cookies + we going bake some white yet so you know that I haven’t much time to write.

Must say that Emily Andrela was sick to with cold She had the doctor we were there Tuesday evening Well what happen to you that you got sick

The Sickness around here is terrible lets hope it will be over soon + I wish this letter reach you in good heart.

You was asking me if Anton was here for Thanksgiving no he wasn’t here he was home + I was in branch for Thanksgiving we enjoy it fine it was bad weather to

Must say that I got another letter back the one I sent to Jun Andrela that the second one already that make me mad and another thing that Emily brother is in New York from France Rose here isn’t very much news that what I know I am comming home for Christmas if you be home than I see you hope you will be all right before Christmas so you can enjoy it. I think I will have to draw to end. Well ring of with Best + kindest Love to you My Dear I want to remain your Best Friend

Mary Stodob

841717 St

December 7, 1918

Dec 9 1918

Miss Rose Kranik,

1336 Michigan Ave.,

Manitowoc,

Wisc.

Dec. 7-1918

Dearest Rose.-

Just a line this time to let you know my new address.

They have sent me back to the same ship. I didn’t stay very long at the hospital. I left there today noon.

There are sending a lot of men off the ship. There is a big bunch leaving Saturday. but I do not go with them. They are going to some training camp and will be discharged from there. the ship is going to Brooklyn. Saturday_15. we will be there a month or two weeks and if I am not discharged by then, I will be going to France.

I don’t know just how long I will be on ship and wont know if I will like it or not. because my work is going to be altogether different. I hope they don’t keep me very long. because it is to cold and I would just as soon be home.

Well Rose as I just mailed you a letter from the hospital this morning, I will not write very much this time. But will write again in a few days.

will close with best love.

Your Friend, Dan-

U.S.S New Jersey

2^nd div.

c/o Postmaster New York, N.Y.

(On back of envelope: “D.D. Martin. 2^nd Div. U.S.S. New Jersey. c/o Po. Master N.Y.”)

December 6, 1918

Dec 7 1918

Miss Rose Kraynik,

1336 Mich. Ave.,

Manitowoc

Wisc.

Dec 6 1918

Dearest Rose

I am just going to write you a few lines to let you know that I got through alright. nearly got snow in last night. it sure snowed hard all the way from albany New York too Boston. There is about four or five inches here now. The train was a little late this morning I was supposed to report at nine-and I didn’t get here until nearly eleven.

I don’t think they are going to send me on the same ship. They are going to keep me here a while and send me on another one.

Well Rose I don’t suppose you are going out much now? Are you going to work at Rankins? or are you going to stay on the farm? I do hope you will be there next summer anyway because I expect to be back than and maybe be four. I never will go to Manitowoc any more if you are not there. I will stay on the farm. But if you work in Manitowoc I will be with you-

It sure seems nice to travel in uniform. The Red Cross give us candy. Apples. Sandwitches. When we got off the train in Buffalo they took care of our baggage. And gave us supper. They sure are good to us. There was a fellow came with me. he is sailor too. he only lives twenty miles from my home. he sure is a nice fellow and was fine company. We left Chicago eleven-o-clock Wednesday night. and got here Friday morning eleven.

Did you ever get that letter I wrote you from home? if you did you can answer the two when you write.

I am little tired from traveling didn’t have enough sleep to amount to any thing sence last Monday night.

I just wrote a letter to my mother. And must write a card to my aunt. so as news is scarce I will close for this time. will write again as soon as I get on another ship. I don’t think I will go back on the same one. And don’t know how soon they will send me to another. But I am in no hurry.

Well Rose this will be all for now. So Good-Bye

With Best Love.

Answer Soon.

Dan.

Ward 3 Group 7.

Chelsea Naval Hospital

Chelsea

Mass.