The Accident - Summer 1942 - A Letter from the Dorseys - Part 1

In July Margaret received a letter from Charlotte Dorsey...

Envelope

Letter - Page 1

"Monday, July 20

Dear Margaret:

Your card has just come, and I'm going to get a letter back to you right now.  You can tell Jim the news, and I'm sure Ike will write soon.  We've thought of you often, and it's a relief to know that Jim is getting along well.  There's always a possibility of accidents; but of course that doesn't keep it from being a terrible shock when it happens to you, or to someone you know.  We're so glad it wasn't worse.

I believe when I wrote last, Ike had earned his machinists' rating and had started working in the shipyards.  Last June 3rd, he switched jobs again, ..."      

Letter Page 2 

"...and is now with Iron Fireman Manufacturing Co.1, doing exactly the same work - building the reversing gear for the Liberty Ships1 that Oregon Shipyard is building.  He has more responsibility here - supervises several other men - and gets a little more money.  The job seems to have more future than the other one, which was purely a war-time job.  He's been working so much overtime - they had July 4th and 5th off - that's the only time he's had off since he took that job, almost seven weeks ago.  And most of the time he worked 12 hours a day!  Jim will understand why Ike has been slow writing.  He leaves for work at 7:20, and when they're working overtime, gets home about 8:30.  By the time dinner's over, that's a day.  They're not working the long hours just now, for which I'm very thankful.  Working week after week with never a "Sunday" for a breathing spell, get pretty tiresome.  The one saving thing is that Ike loves his job, and enjoys working for his bosses, who seem to appreciate it when a man gives his best.

The Dorsey family picnic was held yesterday at Benton Lane Park (what's the new name?) and it's the first one we've missed for years.  I was sorry for there are lots of the family that we think of, and don't see at any other time.  Ike doesn't feel that he can ask for time off..."

TO BE CONTINUED...     

 1 Within a year Jim Waning would be in Portland working for Iron Fireman Manufacturing Company building steam engines for the Liberty Ships.  To read more about Liberty Ships click here.