Link to Family Tree to understand family relationships.
Today we see a letter addressed to Eva Lowell (perhaps Harry did not know yet her married name) from her brother Harry’s commanding officer.
HEADQUARTERS
83D QM Bn Mobile
APO 7318 June 1945
Miss Eva M. Lowell
3494 21st Street
San Francisco, CaliforniaDear Miss Lowell:
I am writing you a letter concerning your brother, Harry who has been a member of my command since April 26, 1944. Harry joined our unit in Milne, New Guinea for more than over a year. Your brother has rendered my Headquarters and the Army of the United States a very valuable service. There was never a time that he was not willing to give his entire resistance to work long hours to get the job done. You and your community should be very proud of your brother and hope sometime I will be able to meet you and Harry back in the States.
Harry is in fine shape physically with the exception of a rash that is apparently impossible to clear up here in the Pacific. The doctor states that this rash could only be cleared up back in the States. I wish him well and I know that he will be seeing you soon which undoubtedly will be a comfort to you.
It is with regret that Harry has to leave our organization with his fine services behind him, but on this matter it is very necessary that he be taken care of now.
Bruce A. Good
Lieutenant Colonel
QMC
Commanding
This letter made my mother very angry. If I recall correctly, she told me that it was delivered in person by a soldier. That, coupled with the bulk of the first paragraph, led my mother to think at first that her brother had died. I imagine that Eva spent much of the war being very anxious – for most of the time, she had no idea about the fate of her parents, and she must have worried every day about her brother in the South Pacific.