29 August 1932 – 1200 miles from Guam

Dear Ethel and Monica,

We are still goin and is it hot. Can hardly breathe. Its slightly cooler this AM as we had a little rain. We are goin right into port in the rainy season – they say it rains all the time during rainy season and every day the rest of the year. We are 12 hrs ahead of schedule so we are not goin so fast. Passed Wake Island yesterday morning. Its 4 miles square and the only land we have seen since leaving Honolulu. Theres nothing on it except bushes. They looked pretty green too. They have a store house with provisions for any one shipwrecked on it and ships always go slow by it and watch for signals. But I guess they didn’t see any yesterday as we passed it up.

We got to Guam early Friday AM and leave Sat. AM They have a lot of unloading to do there, and we have to anchor out in the bay. It will be good to get ashore again. This living in a cupboard isn’t so hot if you ask me. Our stateroom is about half as big as the bathroom at home and when we are all three in it you have to back out to turn around or stand on a chair. One nurse is getting off at Guam but another is getting on so it doesn’t help a bit. We didn’t even get a breeze out on deck last night. We have 1500 miles to go after leaving Guam.

I don’t suppose you will get this till in October as the Dr. just told me that no mail would reach San Francisco till Oct 4. A commercial boat from Shanghai will take it back. Is Aunt Bina still at home. I had a letter from Aunt Anna just before I left San Diego. Guess Ill have to answer it today. By the time we get to Manila it will be time to send Xmas cards.

I was on duty today. I am glad it was today instead of tomorrow as they are giving cholera shots tomorrow and its to hot to stay up there very long. We have to take cholera shots too, and I guess we will have to take them every 60 days after we get to Manila. And they had an earth quake down at Manila day before yesterday. Wont we have fun. There are two nurses who trained with me down at Caucao – and they have a car so maybe I won’t miss mine so much.

We skipped a day coming down here. Went to bed Wed. night and woke up Fri AM. But we will have two Thursdays on the way back, and we turn our clocks back an hour about every three days. And the days are too long as it is. We have to get up at 6:30 or we would get washed over board and its never more than 9:30 when the movie is over and theres nothing else to do but go to bed. Would take a nap in the PM if they put the cots out on deck but its too hot inside.

I suppose Mary will soon be gone to school again.

We haven’t run into any storms yet but this is the typhoon season so you never can tell. They have 21 typhoons every year.

Well I guess Ill knock off. I thot I would get a lot of letters written but this is the one and its nearly time to eat. And as usual I am half starved. I have gained 5 lbs.

Love to all, Bernice

9 September 1932 – U.S. Naval Hospital, Caucao, P.I.

Dear Ethel and Monica –

Well we were parked in Manila Bay when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. I didn’t think it could be possible, but I am all settled and the qtrs are quite the berries. We have a large room with one whole side open on to a porch, so we don’t have any windows and we have a little bed side stand with a lamp, and a vanity dresser and a high boy and the desk sets out side on the porch. We were about an hr getting through customs and such a swarm of spicks fighting for your baggage. We almost had to call the Marine Corps to rescue us. The Ch. Nurse and a couple of others were down to meet us so we didn’t have to take any more boats but went out from Manila to Hosp in cars. Miss Gavin took us for a ride after lunch and swimming before dinner and to the movies afterward. I am not goin on duty till Sunday night. Have two weeks night duty right away. Its terribly warm and sultry and the misquitos are plentiful and creep on you unawares as they don’t buzz and they have a lot of little lizards running around the quarters to eat the misquitos. I don’t know which are worse. We have an electric fan in our rooms, and I have a cold. My throat is sore and my nose is running like nobodys business and I have gone native already. Don’t have any thing on right now but a dress and pair of stepins and shoes and am goin to discard them as soon as I can get a pair of go ahead slippers. They are just soles with a strap across the toes. We are 30 miles from Manila and such a 30 miles. There is just room for two cars to pass and they have a lot of little carts here called Caramettas. They are thicker than misquitos, two high wheeled affairs with a little pony attached. The houses right next to the road and a million kids – dogs – and chickens playing in the road. Pigs too. And if you hit anything don’t stop or the natives will mob you. Doesn’t make any difference if it’s a kid or a chicken. It’s a mystery to me that there are any natives left. They never look where they are goin and you wear the horn out on a car on one trip to town, and you drive on the left hand side of the road. Miss Gavin said I could drive her car but Ill have to run it around the reservation for a while to get used to that.

The Ch. Nurse is a pain in the neck. I knew her at Norfolk.

We get mail once a week so see that you write once a year anyway – I got a letter from Francis and Monicas it was here when I arrived. Came by commercial boat. It only takes them about half the time to get here as it does a transport. They don’t stop at Guam and did we have a liberty in Guam. It was raining when we got off the boat. They have to anchor out in the bay there and we cam ashore in small boats and rode up to nurses qtrs in rumble seat of a Chevy and were soaked when we got there. Had breakfast at 10:30 and lunch at 12:30 and I was hungry for both. Ate a whole lobster for lunch. The first one I ever ate. Went for a ride after lunch and went down to the officers club in PM and drank so much beer I was cockeyes and I don’t like the darn stuff either but they kept getting the stuff and filling my glass so I drank it. They had a dance there that night from 8 to 12. One of the nurses gave us a dress a piece so we could go but nobody danced. They just drank more beer. We went down about 8:30 and stayed until we nearly missed the last boat back to the ship. I almost had nervous prostration before I got back to the ship. There was standing room only on the darn boat and every one was drunk and the sailors were singing and having a swell time. I thot I never wanted to see more beer but had some more on the way out here this AM. It was better beer tho.

There are only a few places here where its safe to eat. The quarters is one of them and I think Ill stick. I don’t want to get worms or dengue fever and you can’t drink water any place but here. It all has to be boiled and of course the natives don’t boil theirs. They are all wormy tho.

There is a little church down here in Cavite where we go to church. But Miss Gavin says they play the last rose of summer at the elevation and they have sand boxes in the aisles to spit in.

You never get used to the heat. You just put up with it and if you cant do that you are out of luck.

Well so long. Love to all, Bernice

26 December 1932

Dear Monica

I just received your letter. Was kind a surprised. We are celebrating Xmas today. At least we have our Xmas dinner. We went to midnight mass over at the Navy yard in Cavite. It was very nice and the only chance I had to go to mass as I worked yesterday and today too. Miss Schneider and another dame sang. Course we were all supposed to join in but they had a band that couldn’t keep up with the piano so it kind a threw us off and the darn piano, all the keys didn’t sound. It was over at the Service Mens Club and the piano was right next to the altar and the band was out on the porch.

We had a Xmas tree here but it looked sick as the Ch. Nurse said no presents. But we fooled her. There are eight of us up here on second deck and we spent a peso apiece on each other and have a lot of nice little gadgets. I already had a lacquer set of dishes that a patient on Sick Officers qtrs. Gave me so Schneider got me a lacquer tray and one of the other girls another dish. All I need is the chop sticks now. And I got a little wood carving from Gavin and a nice smelly bar of lavender soap, a bottle of Cotys perfume from one of the corpsmen, and a box of stationery (this is it) from one of the officers on S.O.Q. and a clock from Smitty in Chelsea. Claire sent me a pair of stepins and Brassier and two pair of stockings. Am sorry I can’t send stuff from here with out you people paying duty on it but I can bring back $200.00 worth duty free when I come. The time sure is slipping by. The second transport leaves here Jan 12. I only have to wait for about twelve more.

I had a letter from Aunt Anna today saying how much they all enjoyed your visit. Am glad you could go as you say they are the last of the Mohigans. Aunt Bina is at La Mesa California. Its only a little way from San Diego. I am rather glad I am not there. Aren’t we supposed to have some relatives in San Diego? I never saw them if we have.

Gee that Barrington crowd is a pain in the neck. It’s a wonder some of them didn’t end up in jail before this.

I forgot to tell you I got a lucky elephant for Xmas and a bridge set. The bridge sets were sent out by one of the stores here. He is an East Indian and has lots of things in his store. We go down there quite a bit. He always serves us beer and peanuts and cigaretts. His name is Lucky. I am going down some day and buy me a chest and start filling it with stuff to bring home. Most of the girls wait till they get to China and order linen. They make it at some convent in Shanghai and its beautiful and cheap too. And the rate of money exchange makes things even more cheap. Our ch nurse is buying a lot of things to take back with her. She got a couple of hundred dollars worth of linen and rugs and things and some wicker furniture that’s made here. We have all our living room and porch furniture of the same stuff. They have all kinds of things in wicker. Its awfully heavy too and last a life time or more.

We saw Mrs. Roosevelt down town one day. Walked into a store and she was there. We didn’t get waited on at all. She is a classy looking dame. But am afraid her old man will be losing his job here now that his cousin is president.

We went to Manila Saturday and I thot it was the fourth of July. Had to wait for a parade to go past. They were all dressed up in masks and funny clothes and the different schools the pupils were all in red white and blue. Sort of a cross between July 4th and Halloween, and we saw a Bamboo band, all the instruments made of Bamboo. Not very musical but loud. And all it takes to make a Filipino happy is noise. They even had fireworks and crackers.

Tell Ethel not to worry about me getting mixed up with the natives. I am plumb disgusted with them. Can’t see why Uncle Sam every bothered with them at all. And the priest we have here off a ship says they make a big fuss about goin to church and down deep inside they are still a bunch of heathens. Just have no idea what its all about.

When one dies they keep the body a week and celebrate and gamble and drink and fight and I guess by the time the week is up it’s a sweet smelling place.

A Marine from New Richmond named Palmer was found in the river down here with a fractured skull and he wasn’t drowned either. The investigators said it was an axident. He was on guard duty at the time and I’ll bet it was no axident. So long. Happy New Yr.

Love Bernice

Dated 31 January 1933
Postmarked 1 February 1933, U.S. Naval Hospital, Canacao, P.I.

Dear Ethel and Monica –

I have just returned from two weeks leave. Spent in Baguio Mountain province where I slept with three blankets over me at night. I had a wonderful time. Stayed at the Army Nurses qtrs. They have on nurse up there.

I took a lot of pictures and will send some the next time I write as I haven’t them finished yet and there is a mail boat tomorrow and its no use trying to describe the place. Its 5000 feet above sea level and I have had a head ache and dizzy spells all day today. Its only about 200 above see level here. It didn’t bother me a bit going up but coming down was a different story. I wrote to you while there and put US Stamps on the letter so it was returned to me for PI stamps and that was too late to catch the ship.

It was so nice during the day and I saw a lot of the place. Sunday we drove to the Nagualian Beach. It’s the old China Sea _____. One way roads but they have gates every once in a while and if any one is coming you have to wait at the gate till they pass. We saw a lot of little covered wagons drawn by cariboo. You just cant imagine how these people live. The lowlanders wear clothes but up at Baguio they are more or less wild and the men just wear a G string and when they come to market they have to wear a coat. The single man wears a red g string, an engaged man a white on and a married one wears a blue one. They weave everything they wear and bring woven things down to market. Besides the vegetables and strawberries (I ate them every day) 20 cents for a dozen baskets. They also bring their pigs and dogs. The people up in the hills eat dogs. They use them for all their feasts, weddings, and etc.

We were invited to see some native dancer one evening. Colonel Booth has a natural little amphitheater in his back yard and they had them there. The men do all the heavy dancing. They had a war dance, a marriage dance, a ceremonial dance of some kind and a harvest dance of two different tribes. These mountain people are all very small, I am quite tall compared to them. They danced around with nothing but their g strings and head dresses on. Some of them are tattooed all over. They have vines and flowers tattooed around their faces. The women wear a straight piece of cloth wrapped around for a skirt and sometimes a short jacket. They carry the babies in a piece of cloth on their backs like a hammock swung around them and tied across their chests. We went down to Antamok Mine (gold) and while waiting at the gate we saw a man with just a g string on taking care of the baby while the wife was working. She came out with nothing on but her skirt and took the baby. I got a piece of ore from the mine and I had a gold brick weighing 5 lbs. And worth $3000 in my hand. There are two mines up there. The richest in the world.

We were out on the Santa Tomas Trail. There are caves out there where they used to bury their dead. Nothing but bones now. And a crystal cave and we were up above the clouds most of the time. I’m telling you, I was sitting on top of the world with my feet hanging off.

Went to market on Sunday AM and the sights I saw. Dog markets, pig markets, chicken markets and vegetable and woven stuff and wood carvings and every thing so darn cheap you feel like you are stealing it.

I bought me three bed spreads. One was for one of the girls here and I paid $3.75 gold for them. And I bought a native costume skirt, jacket, head dress, belt and a little bag they carry their tobacco in. Bracelet and pipe ____ a devil chaser for $4.00. They use the skirts for table covers around here.

Went up to the Easter School. Its Episcopalian. Saw the children weaving all this cloth. They make their own thread and dyes and the girls do beautiful hemstitching and one little kid about 5 was having a terrible time she was spinning and her thread was all tangled. But the couple who run that place know how to charge for it.

There is a Catholic school too, with over a thousand children. They make things there too and jewelry. These kids make it all by hand. Work in silver and gold and it’s the finest, prettiest stuff. I bought me a bracelet, 2 rings, and ear drops for $9.25, solid silver fresh from the mines and a hand carved swagger stick with a silver knob on the top of it. The school is run by Belgium Nuns. They have a beautiful church but I noticed the Christmas decorations were still up. It was so nice and clean and not a bat or spit box in sight. The people up there are so nice and clean compared to these scum here in Cavite, tho they do chew Betel nuts and their teeth are all red, and they all go barefooted.

Coming down on the train yesterday I had a family of Chinese in the compartment with me. The baby peed all over the seat and the porter came along and told the mother to wipe it up. She got the old mans shirt and proceeded to dry it. They only had one first class car and about a dozen third class and they carry every things, like chicken and pigs. You can imagine what the place smells like.

I didn’t get up to Bontok. Its still further up in the hills and is famous for its rice terraces. They have to flood the fields and its all terraced up the side of the mts. They are supposed to have been built before Christ.

We went up the Bontok road a little way and met a couple of men. I wanted to take their picture but the driver of the car said no it was too dangerous. But I wanted the picture so he stopped and jabbered at them for about ten minutes and I had to pay them a dime a piece before they would let me take it. Them they wanted the picture. I got back into that car darn quick. Just a couple of friendly head hunters and you should see the knives they carry like a pick ax only both edges are sharp. They use them too. Not very long ago they got a man who was driving up to Bontok.

We didn’t have any bad earth quakes while I was there. But a few times I felt like I was in a boat that was rocking. The last bad one they had was Sept 5. Big rocks weighing tons crashing down into the road we take. We got off the train at Demortis and have to go up to Baguio in a bus. When they had the earth quake the road was closed up in places. They had a heck of a time getting it cleared. Cant use dynamite for fear of starting a whole land slide and I guess they don’t care for the idea of being buried 5000 feet down.

It’s a great place just the same. I wouldn’t mind parking down here when I retire from Uncle Sams Navy. But I guess by that time they will have their Independence and I’d probably be the only white one here, except for a few old codgers who have gone native. We call them Bamboo men. We have a bunch of them here in the Hosp. They are the worst looking old devils. Their Filipino wives and kids come in to see them.

The govt is trying to increase our tour of duty here to four years. I don’t like that much. You can see all you want to see and more in two.

We ate your cake and it sure was good. The girls said, Cant you give her a good strong hint for another one. It went over big with the rum soaked into it for a couple of weeks.

Must close. Its getting so dark and I have been writing this for a couple of hrs. and then I haven’t told you half of it.

Love to all, Bernice

Dated 10 August 1933
Postmarked 11 August 1933, U.S. Naval Hospital, Canacao, P.I.

Dear Monica and Ethel,

How do you like this stationery? Valerie Timlin sent it to me. She fixed it herself.

I have been waiting for mail for a month. The ships are all late but heck I don’t get any any way. The typhoon season is on with a vengence. It rained for two weeks straight. We are on an island here at the qtrs. The rain sure brings out the frogs. There must be millions of them by the sound and they work in relays as they never stop all night. Sounds like a close up of the anvil chorus. The misquitos are bad too but they just sneak up on you without any buzz. I had to drag out my net. Its hot sleeping under it but one of my eyes is most shut from some kind of bit, and we have lots of ants and wicker bugs. The cigarettes taste like moldy hay. The matches wont light. My envelopes are all stuck shut. Anything out of my hot closet has a coat of green mold and I have a nest of lizards in my closet. Otherwise things are swell.

We were out visiting all the old churches yesterday. Saw the Bamboo pipe organ. Its quite a wonderful thing. A Spanish priest built it way back in 1818. Took him four years. It has been badly damaged a couple of times. Once by an earth quake and once a typhoon blew the roof off the church. The old padre who is there now played it for us. It has a wonderful soft tone. The church was built in 1762. The stone walls are about 4 ft. thick. Guess they used them for forts in the old days. The windows are all broken and you can see daylight out through the roof and the plaster is off the walls. They have wonderful statues tho and they dress them in real clothes. They get new ones a couple of times a year. The padre has been there for a heck of a long time. He said he made one trip to Caucao twenty three years ago and I guess he hasn’t been off the place since. They have a school there. 400 pupils. The little Filipinos from the kindergarten sang for us. They were cute. They all leave their shoes outside the door when they go into the classroom.

I am all set to go to China Sept 14. The other two dames changed their minds again so Rosie and I are goin. We are taking in Japan too. I am all excited. Had my passport pictures taken today.

The Clairmont comes in tomorrow, and we are getting three more nurses. They have to do something with them. Great Lakes is closed and several other Hospitals and they are discharging 160 nurses. About 60 of them will be retired and the other are just out in the cold cruel world. They are picking out the ones who have been in less then 5 years.

Its most dinner time so will close. Its so hot the perspiration is running down my back and legs. The rain doesn’t seem to cool us off much.

Love to all, Bernice

Dated 9 October 1933

Dear Folks –

Well its a great life this traveling. I caught a cold the first day in Yokohama and it looks like I am goin to have it all the way around.

Right from one shop into the next door one. The old rikisha coolies are so darn willing to show you everything. They act as guides and tell you how much you should pay for things and see you get your right change. We lived in the best Hotel in Tokyo for about $1.75 apiece a day. Course thats 16 yen to them. The exchange was 3.50 there. We had a room with twin beds and a bath and I dont know what more we needed. We left Kobe Oct 2 on the SS Choko Maru Japanese steamer and I never thot we would live the four days it took to get to Tientsin. I had to order everything on the menu to get enough to eat. They served such small little bits, and I would usually ask for about three slices of bread to fill in the empty space.

Rosie got a big kick out of me asking for seconds. The last night we ran into a storm and was I sick. That old ship just rolled and I think it turned a couple of somersalts too. At least she stood up on end. First fore then aft. I was on my feet one minute and my ear the next, so I took to the bunk. Rosie has a stomach like a horse or something, she kept right on eating and she and the captain are the only ones in the dining room that night for dinner. The steward had to stand and hold the dishes on the table while she ate. When we got up the next AM we were tied up at the dock in Tangku 30 miles from Tietsin. No one told us we were supposed to get off and take a train from there to Tietsin. The custom officers were supposed to examine our baggage and passports. No one told us that either. Around noon a man told us we had to get the train for Tiensin at 1:11. We got the train all right and after we got on decided to stay on till we arrived here. So here we are in China with out our baggage examined or our passports either. Well my motto is "dont worry" so to hell with the Emporer.

There were Japanese and Chinese soldiers on the train. Here they are fighting up here outside the wall and riding up on the same train. Everything here in Pieping is guarded by soldiers.

We are staying at a boarding house run by a white woman only shes married to a chink. I havent even seen her, she has another woman who does the honors. Believe it or not we are sitting around a coal stove wishing we had some red flannels. It rained yesterday and I wore a wool dress under my coat. We went out in a couple of rikishas and the coolies were about half naked. We felt so darn sorry for them we stopped and bought them each a sweat shirt and a pair of gloves. The streets were so darn muddy I wanted to get mine a pair of rubber shoes but he didnt want them and kept on goin in a pair of cloth slippers. Thats all they wear over their sox. It only cost us $2.50 a piece. Its a good thing we have the same two coolies every day or we would be outfitting all of them. They took us to church this AM in the sweaters. There are two Catholic churches here. They all prayed out loud till you couldnt hear yourself think. But they seemed to know what it was all about and were very devout. The sun is out today and its warmer but the wind has a nip to it.

We are staying here ten days. Have to see the great wall and a lot of other things too numerous to mention and besides I dont know how to spell them.

It costs us 1.60 a day for our room and meals and the food is excellent and plentiful, and they pass things the second time without having to be asked.

The house rambles over about three blocks and we have to have a guide to find the front door, there are so many courts and walks and narrow halls. There are about 30 guests right now. All Americans or at least white. Several old maids in there 60s, just traveling around seeing the world and kittenish as ten year olds.

They dont have much in the line of linens and embroideries or silks either here. More jewelry all kinds Jade - Ivory different stones brass works. We were down through the Forbidden City this AM after church. They dont use it for much that I can see. Its all old temples mostly but they shut the gates at sundown. We saw a funeral this AM. They go through more ceremony and foolishness than the Filipinos. Its all very interesting and I would like to stay a couple of months. But my pocket book and Uncle Sam say no. We go to Shanghai about the 16 and get a boat from there the 24 takes two days to get to S and I am sure I can spend the rest of my money there.

Love, Bernice

Dated 26 December (1933?)

Dear Ethel & Monica -

Many Thanks for the nice things you sent and the candy and cake. It was nice and fresh and tasted like more. We had a tree and I got this paper off it and a pair of Book ends, bronze glouchester Fisherman. Miss Smith gave them to me. The only place you can get them is in the place they are made. I guess they cost around $15. And I got a scarf from one of my corpmen and an order on the best store in town for merchandise to the amount of six dollars from the patients. So I am going down and spend it soon. Guess I'll wait till the Jan sales.

I am goin on night duty tonight and the patients on the ward I have been working on are getting up a petition to get me off & back on the wd.

We had the mayor & admiral and a flock of women out inspecting the ward the day before Xmas. It was a lot of Hooey but they do it every year so the nurses are the goats.

We had midnight mass and as I had to work Xmas day we went. They haven't a very big church and it sure was packed full.

Miss Smith & myself are going over in the park and take some pictures this P.M. We are both broke so theres nothing much to do.

Am sending one of our Xmas menus. You see we have darn good eats out here. Do you like avacados. We have them so often and it takes time to learn to like them. I was sick the first time I ate them but think they are great now. Ill send you a box some time.

Will close now

Love Bernice

Dated 7 August 1934
Postmarked 8 August 1934, U.S. Naval Hospital, Canacao, P.I.

Dear Monica and all –

Haven’t any order yet but hope to leave here Dec 25 on the Claremont. There will be four of us to go then. Hope to get another trip up to China but am afraid they will only take two. Haven’t requested any station in states yet. As long as Great Lakes is closed, it will have to he either coast. You never did tell me what you would like in line of linen. I have several table clothes and luncheon sets. They are very pretty and about all they have in linens here. We have peddlers come to the qtrs three times a week. They get most of their stuff in China. It is a little higher in price as they have to pay pretty high duty on things they bring in.

There are five nurses goin back in October. Seems every ones time is up now.

I am on PM duty this week. Its all right for a change. I have had about six weeks in the diet kitchen. Will be on night duty in a couple of weeks.

I had a letter from Helen the same day I got Ethel’s last one. I hope you are well and the kids are all right.

It is rather warm these days. I don’t mind it much tho. We play tennis and bowl just the same. This is earth quake and typhoon weather. The typhoon signals have been up for a week or two but all we get is the tail ends. They are bad enough. It blew a couple of trees down last week. And we had quite an earth quake Tuesday. Not so bad out here but the water was pretty high in Manila. Its pretty flat right around here.

How’s business.

There seems to be a mild form of cholera here in Manila. Most of the nurses have had some dysentery. I have escaped so far.

We are not very busy right now, only have about 75 or 80 patients. Two nurses on PM duty. I only have 22 pts to look after. And all I do is take care of a woman patient in sick officers qtrs. Shes a school teacher here on station. Had her appendix out. I only see her about twice a day. Will say shes a very good patient.

They have built a chapel on the station and we have a new chaplain. We don’t have any sand boxes to spit in in the chapel and it seems like really goin to church.

I never could concentrate in these churches out here.

The night nurse came in to relieve me before I got this finished, so the green ink.

I guess there isn’t any thing startling to write and I am plumb weary from just sitting. Write sooner

Love Bernice