Enlisted Reserve Corp
Roy N. Van Arsdall
340 South Broadway
Lexington, KY
September 1942 - April 1943

The Freshman at his Lexington home, fall 1942
September 22, 1942
Dear Mother,
We took physicals for about 3 hours Monday. Had to take blood and T.B. tests. Just like army exams. Looked over library and that was all. We don’t have to go back until 3:30 this evening to pay and register. Tomorrow morning we go to the health building and get our classification on tests we took in school. We got off much easier by having already taken them. I think we get 1/2 Wednesday and all day Thursday off. Class Friday. My roommate measured 6’1” and weighed 116 pounds.
If you come over bring my Khaki pants, lamp and red sweater. Take the “B” off. Leave the rest. Don’t know whether I’ll come home this weekend or not, but I don’t think so. I had to get a pen. Cheapest Sheaffer I could find. Write to my P.O. Box at U.K., Box 3332.
Love,
Roy
P.S. - Send mute.
September 24, 1942
Dear Mother,
I have a slight change in courses. Have 18 hrs., 7 & 8 hrs. a day. 1st at 9:00 on till 5, end at 6:00. Roommate starts at 8:00 AM. Will try band awhile. Guy said was very advanced. Said keep up if you can.

Nos. mean hr starting; 1 at 8:00; 2 at 9:00, etc. Have uniform ($10); Freshman cap-55 cents. Bring soap, checker board, cards (clubs, hearts, diamonds kind), magazines, ink, mag rack, if you come. If not, OK. Don’t have to have them. Will bring clothes when I come next Saturday. H.H. home after 10:00 class.
Love,
Roy
September 25, 1942
Dear Mother,
I need those basketball socks that I have (good ones). If there is a possible way to fix my basketball shoes, do so. I have to have them Monday morning. If you can’t bring them Sunday, forget it. I’ll have to buy some to enter class.
Love,
Roy
September 30, 1942
Dear Mother,
I still haven’t gotten all the books I need. Just ROTC left. Most of the books I have now will be finished the first quarter. My room is too far out. Going to try to make some change.
Mr. Jones and some woman recommended me to the Agr. Frat. Some of the boys took me over to the house for dinner and to look it over. They want $10 a month room, 40 cents a meal (only serve 2). Breakfast out. Never eat much anyway. You have to pay $30 to get in (for 4 years). I think fees are $2. Cost $36 a month without first fee and breakfast. Told them I’d let them know later.
Love,
Roy
October 3, 1942
Dear Mother,
Will not be in this Sat. - football at night.
Someone stole my athletic pants & I had to buy another pair--75 cents. Got them while I was in shower. I’ll have to get a crystal put in my watch. A piece fell down in the face and catches under the hands.
I eat at Mrs. Williams--18 meals for $5.00. Milk 5 cents extra (pt.), 1/2 pt. 5 cents elsewhere. Get all you can eat.
Still don’t have ROTC manual and Botany Lab manual. Haven’t come in.
Should I send my clothes or bring them next Sat. nite? Football Sat. afternoon. Could you do them in time to go back Sun nite? Will have everything dirty by next Sat. Walton will probably come home with me. I think you could get them done. If not, let me know & I’ll send them in that old S. case.
Love,
Roy
October 6, 1942
Dear Mother,
I don’t think I’d like that frat. I’m not going to join I don’t think.
If they didn’t put you thru so much physical it wouldn’t cost so much to eat. It’s just like football ex you can’t get a decent meal for less than 35 or 40 cents. A sandwich and drink would cost 25 cents. Maybe after the first quarter we can find a cheaper place to room. We’ve gotten used to this one. It’s not so far as we thought.
A piece of glass got under my watch hand. Cost 75 cents to get a new crystal. KY won 53-0.
Wonder if anyone is coming up for the game next Sat. afternoon with Vanderbilt. Maybe we could come home with them.
Love,
Roy
October 6, 1942
Dear Mother,
I just got your letter. I had no intention of joining. I was just telling you what happened. You shouldn’t have even said anything about it.
About moving, I thought we might find a cheaper place nearer school.
Thanks for the $$. It will come in handy.
The only near game I know of is Sat. Daddy can come if he wants to & I’ll go home with him. But I don’t think he’d want to. They cost around $2.50. I’ll come home after the game (H.H.). Let me know if he’s coming and I’ll meet him.
Will get laundry home or bring it.
Love,
Roy
October 18, 1942
Dear Mother,
I got everything O.K. the evening after you called. Thanks for the $. I work 2 hrs. Sat morn & all Sat afternoon, and 2 to 4 hrs a day thru the wk. Its not too hard.
Had only one test & I beat the whole outfit. Only 94 but it was top. Military. If they draft, they will just have to draft. We’ll get it over & finish college uninterrupted.
I’ll probably come home Sat. Wrote Edythe to come to game. I’ll come back with her if she does. It’s 11:59. Studied from 8:15 to 11:45.
Love,
Roy
October 21, 1942
Dear Mother,
I got the stuff last night about 6:30. Everything was O.K. It helps a lot. Tell Edythe that that game Sat is with Alabama. I made a mistake. I’ll come home after the game.
We had an air raid alarm for about 15 min. nite before last. Sounds like a train whistle. We didn’t know what it was. There was a wreck just below the house last night. I don’t know what happened. I have a Dairy S. & Agronomy test Friday. Finally got the Mil. book.
Love,
Roy
October 29, 1942
Dear Mother,
It snowed here yesterday. Our furnace hasn’t been doing right for 2 days. It fills house with smoke. We stopped up the door and register & opened windows. She tried to get it fixed, but hasn’t yet. Our lights are wrong & we use a cord from the hall. Old and about to fall apart. I hope she can get them fixed.
I got 96 on that hr. test in Agronomy. That’s top. Don’t know what I did in Dairy S. He slipped up on us with a daily test in Agronomy. Don’t think anyone did much, tho. Guess I’ll go home with W. Sat. Got bicycle but haven’t fixed. Got some shoes. Have to break them in.
Love,
Roy
November 4, 1942
Dear Mother,
Walton and I will be in as soon after dinner as we can. We’ll be there for supper I know. I’ll just bring my dirty clothes when I come and you can send them back later.
We had a very nice trip. Walton paid for the tickets & everything. Took 6 1/2 hrs. to get there. We went to Fort Knox. His dad brought us back Monday morning. Sorry about Curley.
Love,
Roy
November 11, 1942
Dear Mother,
I forgot something. See if you can have my leather jacket fixed. I guess elastic bands would do on both wrists. I got my bike fixed.
Love,
Roy
November 16, 1942
Dear Mother,
If Daddy wants to he can send 2 hands each of trash, flyings, lugs, & bright. I think that’s what it is. I lost the sheet. He could put in anything else he wants to. Grain--3 qts. Corn, 1 or 2 ears. Clover, etc.--1 pt. It doesn’t matter much, but an entry would help. They must be here Thursday, later will do no good. I would like to have a good tobacco entry, but as early as possible, Thursday or before.
Love,
Roy
November 17, 1942
Dear Mother,
I’m showing a gilt in the Fall Festival Friday nite. I have to work with her every afternoon this week. These pants I have wont be much. I’d better have that other pair of new pants or another pair of my work pants. I guess my red shirts will do. But I must have those work pants before Fri. nite. If they don’t arrive in time, I can get a cheap pair. Write if you don’t send something. I’d still like to have the tobacco.
Walton’s mother found a place about a block or so nearer school that she thinks is much better than this for the same price. Walton, I think, wants to move. I’ll go & look it over tomorrow nite. He hasn’t seen it either. I wont move if I don’t want to. I hope everything works out about the tobacco and clothes in time. I didn’t know sooner. If he can’t send the tobacco, just let me know. The gilt is one of their Durock’s. She’s gentle and about 350 lbs.
What’s this about all of the Enlisted Reserve boys being called from Center? Find out & let me know.
Love,
Roy
November 17, 1942
Dear Mother,
We got back around 5:00. Rode the bus down to the house. My foot has been pretty sore, but is getting OK now.
I got 96 on that Botany test I was wondering about. They ran from 21 to 99. The average was 66. I more than likely wont get as lucky again.
We’ll have a hard time getting home Christmas. If we don’t get out before the 15th, HH or walk. I may have to ride my bike home. May have to start back before N.Y. Many aren’t coming back at all. When are you coming up?
Love,
Roy
November 19, 1942
Dear Mother,
I got my eligibility rating for the E.R.C. today. Before I can bring my papers home for you all to fix I must have: DDS Form 190 from the draft board. Either get it or have them send it to me so I can get the papers and bring them home. T.G. That’s the only time I’ll have to bring them home. We get off Dec. 16--Jan 5.
Love,
Roy
December 1, 1942
Dear Mother,
I didn’t notice when Daddy left, but I haven’t got those 2 post cards made together. One of them is my registration. That Navy stuff I signed for wont work here. I’ll get some more papers if I feel like it and you can sign them for the army. As it is now we can stay out the Summer quarter and not be called. Why don’t you come up on our last 3 days and go home with me. That’s 14th, 15 & 16. We could get those papers O.K. & you could get your eyes fixed. Look for the draft card.
Love,
Roy
December 8, 1942
Dear Mother,
I just thought I’d write & say that any time next week you’d want to come would be O.K., too. My easiest days are Thur, Fri, & Sat. Come either of those days or the 1st 3 of next week. Let me know so I can meet you. Mrs. Patrick might have a place. If not there are others.
Love,
Roy
January 8, 1943
Dear Mother,
I got registered O.K. Got my classes fixed better than I expected. I get off at 3 Mon, 2 Tues, 12 Wed, 3 Thur, 12 Fri. None on Sat. I can work quite a bit that way.
If it gets real cold send my boots & skates & key even before I write for them.
She has our room papered & painted (pink flowered). I haven’t seen about the seed yet.
Love,
Roy
January 15, 1943
Dear Mother,
I’ll write longer later. It’s 12:00 & I just struggled thru a theme. I guess school work is coming O.K., but another 3 is too much for you to expect. Harder subjects & it takes too much work. Everyone is going to the army anyway.
I’ll come home next week end if I can. We play basketball & I don’t know whether I’ll be loose or not. I reckon I could at least come Sat. nite.
I finally joined AGR. Dean Horlacher said he thot it O.K. It wont cost so much. I can make around $12 to $15 a mo. Our ‘hell week’ is week after next. After that I’ll be an active member. There are 21 pledges. I haven’t seen about seed yet. The fraternity will disband at the end of this quarter.
Love,
Roy
January 20, 1943
Dear Mother,
The UK game is played in Louisville. We have no Frat game so I wont have anything to do. Walton & I will come in on the bus sometime Fri. If we can’t get a ride I will call you from town.
Love,
Roy
February 2, 1943
Dear Mother,
Well, Hell Week is over. It was a heck of a lot of fun, but I don’t want another. The first night we went to bed at 2:30. Two nights not at all, & the others not over 3 hrs. I sneaked into the dorm when I could. Tell all when I come home. I’m an active member.
I wont be home this wk. B.B. game & library book. There’s one next Sat too, but I may come home for awhile.
Studies seem harder this time, but since I have to go to the army in April I’m gonna have a little fun & not work myself to death. I wont fail anything & I know I can go right back after the war is over.
Our dance is Fri. Jayne Bradshaw called me & I guess everything will be O.K.
If you see Jayne Threlkeld, say hello.
Love,
Roy
February 8, 1943
Dear Mother,
Our dance came out O.K., I guess. Had quite a gang there. The boys thot quite a bit of Jayne, I think. I had a tux that fitted fairly well. They took pictures of the crowd. Maybe I can get one. We sure had a hot game when Ky beat Bama. We have 3 more here. Mon, Sat, Mon. Unless something comes up I wont be home this week end, but will come next. Just read a 641 pp book that was fine print & very dull. Send me some kind of clipping which states that we beat Durham. Jack Evans wants proof for some unbelievers.
Love,
Roy

We had one last fling, then went to war
(Back row - Jayne 4th from right, Roy 2nd from right)
February 13, 1943
Dear Mother,
The alumni mother’s are giving us a party next Friday nite and we have to go. I guess I wont be home till Saturday morning, but I will come. So far I have a B in Farm Livestock and a B in Military. I have about the same in English and Botany. Maybe I should have worked harder, but I’m not going to stay cooped up here all the time when we have to go to the army next quarter. One good thing--there will be other boys I know going along. I’ll be here thru March 19. They want us to stay a day or so to help store the furniture from the house. I may & I may not. In my English themes I have a C, A/B, E, and a B. I guess that’s fair on themes. I have a time getting those big books read. They made some pictures at the dance and at the house & I’m getting 2 or 3. They are pretty good.
This letter isn’t supposed to be written in good order. I put down things as I think of them. Dad said he got a raise. He’s not home yet, is he? I don‘t know how I’ll get all my stuff home. It’ll probably be better to get it in the car or truck. My rent runs out nicely. It’s due on the 20th of the month.
Love,
Roy
March 1, 1943
Sunday Nite
Dear Mother,
I found my pen the other day. One of the boys at the house had it. He said someone had found it in Botany Lab and brought it to the house. He had been using it. He left for the air corps that night. I just happened to see it sticking out of his pocket and thot it was mine.
We have hardly anyone left in the fraternity. The war doesn’t look so good, either. Russia stopped, Japs moving up troops, and Tunis uncertain. I hope we can get started some time.
My clothes haven’t come yet. They may be in the post office. I didn’t get a chance to look Saturday. I wont be home this wk. end. I have another book to read and some other things to do. I’ll come home the next (wk. before the 20th) and see Dad about getting my things. I’d like to come back over here one day during those 2 weeks before I go. I wonder if Uncle Ed is going to get to fish with me. I don’t know how I’m going to crowd all the things I want to do into 2 wks., but I’ll try.
If Dad happens to come before I do, he can find me some where. I quit my job Sat at noon.
Love,
Roy

April 6, 1943 civilian; tomorrow a soldier. Bye Dog!!
Recollections……
Our teacher/coach chuckled as he directed his attention to the boys in my junior high class of seven boys and six girls. We had just finished our weekly session on current events. “Mark my words”, he said, “You boys will be in that war before it’s over!” It was the fall of 1940. We were sixteen. A bit of fighting somewhere in eastern Europe should concern us? No way!
On a Sunday afternoon in early December of 1941 my buddy and I staggered up to the porch with a dozen or so rabbits we’d collected from the far reaches of our farm. Mother stepped out and said, “The Japanese just bombed Pearl Harbor”. Pearl who?
The evening of December 7, 1942 in an auditorium on the campus of the University of Kentucky more than a hundred of us stood, raised our right hands, and in unison, swore to ………………….. We were now members of the Enlisted Reserve Corps (ERC) of the United States. As such we were protected from the draft and would continue our studies, most likely until graduation. Uncle Sam needed educated people in his military forces. The fellow who had explained the ERC to us had just assured us of that.
Two months later the ERC at UK was called to active duty. April 6, 1943 was my last day to be a teenage civilian. Departure for one of Uncle Sam’s army reception centers was scheduled for early the next day. Life for one country boy would be forever changed.
Why did I write to my mother from UK? Writing was the practical means of contact. Access to a phone was not easy; long distance calls were expensive. I had no car; Dad used the “good” family car in his work in other states. Anyway, home to Lexington was quite a trip; a full thirty miles over crooked roads!
Attending the university was expensive. Tuition was nearly $50 per quarter. Fortunately, that included tickets for all home basketball and football games. My room in a beautiful old home near down-town Lexington cost $15 per month; the landlady paid me a dollar to do yard work on weekends. I ate at a boarding house where the policy was come when you wish but be on time, eat any meal, family style, all you can eat. Cost was $5 for eighteen meals. A friend with little money ate only one meal a day, but he ate a lot. My campus job in the Farm Economics Department paid 25 cents an hour; better than farm labor at $1.50 a day.
The gentle 350 pound sow I was to guide around the livestock pavilion came into heat the evening before the big exhibition. We entered the show ring with her slobbering and woofing. She bowled over everything in sight. Great show!!
These letters reveal something of the time. They tell how I got into military service. They remind me of the friends and class mates who left with me. Some came back to continue school with me; some did not.