Sometime around 1942 Clarence Salmer Wilson wrote to his older sister Blanche (my grandmother) during his enlistment in the Army. He had been born August 29, 1915 in Wood, South Dakota, fifth child of Carl Ozro and Sophie Christine (Roberg) Wilson. He appears with his parents and siblings in Cody, South Dakota, in the 1920 census, and with his mother (now separated from his father) and siblings in Witten, South Dakota, in 1930. Clarence obtained an eighth grade education, and in 1940 appears as one of several laborers in the home of Paul and Jennie McDill in Riverside, South Dakota.
On December 9, 1945 in Wood, South Dakota, Clarence married Addie Peacock, who had been born in January 1924. Together they had three children: Lana Dell, Larry Dale, and Loren Carl Wilson. Clarence died July 29, 1992 in Irrigon, Oregon.
[no envelope; written on stationery with United States Army logo]
How are you Folks? Did you have the flue at your house very bad? We are still in the same old place. Have been stationed here a little over a year now. Have a fairly nice Hospital & everything is fixed up quite nice considering what we have to put up with being over here. Go the Shows & basket ball games right now & see a USO Show every once in a while also. We can’t complain to much after all. Have a chaplin here to so I go to Church as often as I can get away. I wish we could get this War over with so all we boys could come home. Won’t that be a wonderful day. I get so lonesome at times don’t hardly know what to do. I can’t think of any more to say so believe I will close. Happyness to all the Family & Gods blessings at all time. Love & kisses to all.
Brother Clarence.
P.S. Give my best regards to all the Family from me in Iran the place unknown ha.