Orville Grant Matheson was my mother's Uncle.
Orville was the son of Minnie True Matheson Reeder and Joseph Carl Matheson. He was the youngest of 7 children, my grandmother was the oldest of the 7 children.
Born March 25, 1924 in Natoma, Kansas. He married Ophelia Eliabeth "Betty" Eley February 13, 1944. They had 2 children, Patricia Faye Matheson, b. 1944 d. 1997. and Theresa Elizabeth Matheson, b. 1947 d. 1947.
Orville was drafted into the Army. He didn't want to go. He would have rather stayed in LaGrande, OR and had a mechanics shop. He was close to his mother, Minnie Reeder. The letters that are written to him are slowly being posted here. Orville's wife had a daughter, Victoria, out of wedlock, and his sister, Margie, adopted her. She's still alive, so will not post anything about her. Patti I met back in 1978, when Minnie passed away. Because there is no family members of Orville's left, other than Patti's sons (whom I can't find), the letters are with me. Passed down from Great grandmother, grandmother, and mother to me.
I believe his service should be know. I believe these letters will open our eyes to what WWII was like for someone who really didn't want to go. His heart was at home.
Unfortunately, his dreams from these letter, never came to life. He was never to live a long life. He returned from WWII to find out he had a tumor in the brain from being overseas. He didn't live long after that. It was 9 months before he passed away, at the age of 22. He died Jan 7, 1947. in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where he is buried away from the rest of the family.
These letters are to honor him and for his extended family to see what he was thinking as he served our country.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
WWII - Camp Haan - Oct 8, 1943 - Orville Matheson
AA Camp Haan * California
Oct 8 – 43
Btny C – 144th
Camp Haan
Dear Mom & Family,
Well guess I’ll drop you a line not much to say but will
write a little I’ve got new times for my truck yesterday. (12-(7:50-20)) figure
what they’d cost at $90 a peaces. Quite a bit, huh, I think so. I’m going to LA
again this week. I’m going down to see my little woman. I’ve know her about a
month now. Pretty good girl too. She works at Douglas aircraft, nice home boy
is she a cook. Really a swell girl, but don’t get any Idea’s it’s nothing
cerious. Not yet. But can’t never tell. She’s a blonde, a little older than I.
Although she’s really swell, have seen her about 4 times now hope to see her
this week. Although I don’t know a yet. (over) I’ve also got a girl in Akron Ohio.
Never seen her yet. So don’t know what kind she is. We have been to LA I’ve on
convoy. Hope I go again tomorrow. Tell Jr. he wants to be good. And win more
prizes. Ask him If he wants to come down later on I may get a car. The
Government has some here cheap. I might be able to get one I don’t yet. Well
mom I’ll have to close for now.
Your loving Son, Mat.
WWII - Oct 19, 1943 - Orville Matheson
AA Camp Haan * California
Oct 19, 43
PtC 144th
Dear folks,
Well guess I’ll drop you a line. We left Haan Mon. morn at
4:45 am and got here at Irwin at 4:30 pm. Got arranged around a little. It
poured down rain about 2 hrs or more an our trip. And over the pass, it was
really foggy. Boy ive only went about 4 mi an hour after about 10 mi. then we
really roldher(?). Yesterday I was on KP. So today I have a little time to drop
you a line. Well I’ll close for now, and write you tonight.
Oct 21 – 43
Well guess I’ll finish this letter kinda dank here but will
do as good as I can. Not much to say but hope you can read this. I’m feeling
fine. Still driving. Mother this isn’t a letter but you’ll know I’m okay. So
will close and drop you a letter.
Mat.
WWII - Dec 1943 (Second Letter) Orville Matheson
AA Camp Irwin * California
Dec 15 – 43
Btny C – 144th
Dear Folks,
Well guess I’ll drop you a line. I’m okay, feeling fine.
Hope you are all well too. I’m still in here It’s not that I’m sick, It’s just
that it’s the way the army is mom. I’d have got out the day after I came in if
they weren’t so G.d. But in civilian life. I’d never have come. Or even went to
bed. But this is the army. Boy, I’ll be glad when this war is over. Maybe I’ll
be old enough to know what I want, a man 60 years old, to the army don’t know
what he wants. Were just a piece of machinery, drove by a bunch of 2 Lt. and
there drove by a Capt. And so on down the line. But hell who care’s. I’ll be
out in another five yrs, anyway, maybe sooner. Did you find out anything about
the car yet. I’d like to get one soon, so I could earn some money for my
furlough. I’ll never have enough otherwise. It’s to hard to save it. But I can
try. I like to go and have a little fun, I go to town about once every 3 or 4
weeks now. Nothing in town unless you have a hundred dollars it’s that way all
over. Well mom try hard to help me. I’ll pay you back soon as I get out. Then
you can keep the car while I’m across. Well mom I’ll close for now.
Your loving Son, Mat.
WWII - Dec 1943 - California - Orville Matheson
AA Camp Irwin * California
Dec 15 – 43
Btny C – 144th
Camp Haan
Dear Folks,
Guess I’ll drop you a line. Well mom. You can forget about
me being home for a while. Say till about March. We got some new equitment and
we have to learn it before we get furloughs, so us boys get served again. Mom I’m
not the only one theres about 100 more in the same fix. Although a lot of the
go AWOL, but I’d rather get out a year sooner. Well mom it’ll be better weather
and things might turn out okay. Maybe the roads will be better and I’ll have a
chance to earn some more money before then. Well mom got to close for now.
Please write soon .
Your loving son, Mat.
WWII - Dec 11, 1943 - Orville Matheson
PO Box 124
Hays, Kansas
March 8, 1945
Dear Grandma & Aunt Minnie:
You must have had a nice birthday! Mom Severns sent us the
clipping out of the paper, telling about it. Wish we could have seen you that
day, Grandma.
We received the letter you wrote, Minnie, and were sure
pleased to get it. I asked Mrs. Schecter if she remembered you and Wright
driving out to their place, and she said, “Yes, many a time.” And said they
used to have some good times with the folks, too. Ask Grandma if she remembers
them?
Was looking at the watches here but they haven’t any except
the more expensive ones. The cheapest one I saw as $97.50 (including tax). I
guess the people here buy the others up as fast as they come in. Was talking to
some of the people who live here, and they say that they haven’t seen any
watches for less than $75 here since the war began. It is a fact I know, in
other lines of business that the business men have “hiked” their prices up since
the Base was established, so perhaps the jewelers have as well. Sorry, Minnie,
that we couldn’t get one here for you. Maybe you could send away to one of the
mail order houses for it. Would Mabel or Margery be able to help you out – they
both live in large cities, don’t they? (Hays is only 7,000 they tell us, but
right now with a soldier family in so many of their homes, the population is
nearer 10,000 or 12,000.)
Has Dorothy heard anymore from Bob? Sure hope he is all
right.
It is awfully nice out today. Not too cold, and the sun is
shining brightly. But that doesn’t fool us any. For tomorrow might be a near
blizzard. We’ve had several of them since coming out here. Day before
yesterday, wasn’t anything to brag about. Ha! Ask Jay if he don’t wish he could
be back here in good old Kansas.
Well, the noon hour is past so will have to stop for this
time. Write again soon, won’t you?
With love,
Glen & Etta
P.S. Do we have Grandma’s address right? (802 2nd
St. )
Haven’t heard from Willard for quite awhile, but got a
letter from Ennard a few days ago.
Mar 1943 - Cpt Glen True
PO Box 124
Hays, Kansas
March 8, 1945
Dear Grandma & Aunt Minnie:
You must have had a nice birthday! Mom Severns sent us the
clipping out of the paper, telling about it. Wish we could have seen you that
day, Grandma.
We received the letter you wrote, Minnie, and were sure
pleased to get it. I asked Mrs. Schecter if she remembered you and Wright
driving out to their place, and she said, “Yes, many a time.” And said they
used to have some good times with the folks, too. Ask Grandma if she remembers
them?
Was looking at the watches here but they haven’t any except
the more expensive ones. The cheapest one I saw as $97.50 (including tax). I
guess the people here buy the others up as fast as they come in. Was talking to
some of the people who live here, and they say that they haven’t seen any
watches for less than $75 here since the war began. It is a fact I know, in
other lines of business that the business men have “hiked” their prices up since
the Base was established, so perhaps the jewelers have as well. Sorry, Minnie,
that we couldn’t get one here for you. Maybe you could send away to one of the
mail order houses for it. Would Mabel or Margery be able to help you out – they
both live in large cities, don’t they? (Hays is only 7,000 they tell us, but
right now with a soldier family in so many of their homes, the population is
nearer 10,000 or 12,000.)
Has Dorothy heard anymore from Bob? Sure hope he is all
right.
It is awfully nice out today. Not too cold, and the sun is
shining brightly. But that doesn’t fool us any. For tomorrow might be a near
blizzard. We’ve had several of them since coming out here. Day before
yesterday, wasn’t anything to brag about. Ha! Ask Jay if he don’t wish he could
be back here in good old Kansas.
Well, the noon hour is past so will have to stop for this
time. Write again soon, won’t you?
With love,
Glen & Etta
P.S. Do we have Grandma’s address right? (802 2nd
St. )
Haven’t heard from Willard for quite awhile, but got a
letter from Ennard a few days ago.
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