“I’ve been very Fortunate”
“I’ve Been very Fortunate”
Richard D. Ketterman
Location: Somewhere in the Pacific
Date: February 23rd, 1945
Unit: The Seabees
Feb. 23, 1945
Hello Beulah:
Your letter of the 5th was a little late in reaching me. Our mail service was in a mess for a couple of weeks prior to last Sunday, when it cleaned up by most of us getting lots of “back” mail— and yours was with the gang I got. I’ve been writing all week and I’m still far from caught up in my correspondence. Glad to hear you’re teaching again! With conditions the way they were with the former music. I can see darn well why the kids and teachers were glad to see you back. Imagine not having a mixed glee club! Well anyway, I’m glad the boys responded so hastily to your call and that the school band and glee club is whipping into shape.
Hope everything continues to go well with you— don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t— you know your job and the kids did always like you. Thanks for the school news! I never hear much about it and the activities there. George Beard most be going a good job with the teams. It’s nice to know they are winning quite a few of their games, hope they take the championship.
It’s been a “tough” winter over here Beulah! Sunshine and more sunshine— with rather a few downpours mixed in. This winter must have been the coldest and the snowiest for many a year back there— and I had to miss it! It sure rambles me skin to think of all the ice skating and sledding I’ve missed. Just a big kid I guess, even missed getting “stuck” in my crate. But then I shouldn’t complain— I’ve been very fortunate to be here instead of a lot of worse places. I do too often wonder how this war will end— and when, sure hope it’s soon! Well, there’s nothing by way of news from here— same old routine day in and day out. Could sure use a “spot” of stateside duty right now.
Take care of yourself and now that you’re back in ? again— don’t be too hard on your poor, dear scholars!! Good luck and best wishes.
Forever,
Richard (Dick) Ketterman
P.S. When you wrote your letter you were waiting to get to M.H.S.— did the roads clean up enough for you to get there yet??? Slick Joke
Biography:
Richard D. Ketterman was born November 2nd, 1920 in Columbia, Pennsylvania. He was born to Blanche Ketterman and Paul Ketterman. He graduated from Manchester High in 1939 and started working at York Safe and Lock according to his draft card. On July 24th, 1943 Richard went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he enlisted in the United States Navy and left home to face the unknown ahead of him.
He became a member of the famous SeaBees and even mentions this in his second letter stating, “Since I last wrote you, I’ve been changed to a SeaBee again! I’m now working on a carpenter crew.” When this letter was written he more than likely would have been stationed in Honolulu as CBMU 581 was moved there in the beginning of 1945. The SeaBees were a militarized navy construction unit that helped support a number of battles and operations from bridges to full on bases. This was the second time that Richard had been moved to the SeaBees. I could not find what unit he was with the first time but we do know that he was in foreign service from March 1944 to November 1945. In this letter he reflects on the sad reality of war and brings light to the losses that we would suffer in a war like this.
Richard survived the war and went to college at Marshall College and graduated in 1950 and went to work at IBM as a products manager. He also married and started a family. His wife Betty Ketterman and him had 2 daughters. Unfortunately Richard died suddenly in 1970 and is now buried in Manchester Union Cemetery.
