A present from California

Earlier in the week I received a wonderful email from my good friend Mike West who lives with his wife out in Camarillo, California. As I have written in previous posts, Mike (as seen below in all of his hula glory!) was a good friend of Grandpa's from the war.

For the past few months, we have been email pen-pals, writing back and forth, sharing mementos, stories and information I can find about some of the other guys from the company. In his latest letter, Mike promised to send a letter that he has cherished for many, many years. He said he wanted me to have it and to also welcomed me, on behalf of Grandpa, Joe Cain and himself, as an honorary member into their group.

Mike West, Phil Givan and Joe Cain

Today, the letter arrived, complete with a return label depicting the flag raising at Iwo Jima.

Carefully, I opened the manila envelope and inside I could see the familiar red, white and blue stripes of an air mail envelope. The letter was addressed to Cpl Michael West Jr, at the United States Naval Hospital in Farragut, Idaho. The return address - Mrs. Clyde L. Givan from Moores Hill, Indiana. Stapled to it was a three page letter, written in faded black ink, dated July 9, 1945.

Below is the text of that letter from my great grandmother to Mike from almost 66 years ago. This was the prized possession that Mike wanted me to have (thankfully he kept a copy for himself).

Dear Mike - May I call you that? As much as Phil has written about you and Joe Cain we feel like we know you. I'm sure Phil considers you both as his best friends.

Sure glad to get a letter from you. I'm mighty happy that Phil could be of help to you. We had a letter from him last week saying he was going to be sent on garrison duty wouldn't have to go in combat again unless he was sent back after comes home. Won't get home for 6 months yet. Seems like he's been gone a long time never was away from home more than a week at a time until he joined The Marines so seems like a long time since he was home. Will be 2 yrs the last of Sept.

Sure hope you are getting along alright.

Would be very happy to have you visit us.

We also had a letter from Joe Cain.

We heard the transcription that Phil made it was broadcast from an Indianapolis station on Father's Day. Seemed like his voice has changed quite a bit.

Clyde is getting along fine. The trouble is he wants to get to work. The Dr. says not for 3 mos. But of course there's a lot to do on a farm and not so many to do it and he feels like he ought to help out.

If at any time you can come see us would like very much to have you and write when you feel like it.

Hope when Phil come home you and Joe both can come visit us.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Clyde Givan

Joe Cain's letter, dated June 24, 1945, is also among the mementos in my collection, as seen below (click on the images for a full-size view). Regrettably, I do not have the letter from Mike. Maybe one of these days it will turn up...

 

Phil Givan and Joe Cain - Pearl Harbor c. 1945

Also included with the letter was a window decal from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, National Museum of the Marine Corps.

When I started this project back in 1999 as part of a requirement to graduate from the Honors College at Ball State, I never realized the life that it would take on and the wonderful people I would meet along the way or the amazing opportunities I would experience. I hope to talk to Mike this coming week and thank him for this present and answer a couple of questions that he eluded to in his email. More updates to come!