To the Editor:
Neither my older brother, Dennis (whose memory about people is legendary in our circles), nor my younger brother, Michael, nor I can recall our dad, Marshall A. Tees, telling us about the letter the Herald was kind enough to write an article about this Dec. 6.
Dad had mailed it on behalf of his fellow PFC William Harrell to his wife, Lucy. But, five weeks later, it arrived at Dad’s home on Emerald Avenue in West Cape May. The post office had marked all over its front and back during their unsuccessful attempts to deliver it to the North Carolina address Dad had apparently gotten from his friend.
Dad must have been distressed getting the money order back since $25 was two weeks pay for PFCs serving in a foreign theatre. When I found the envelope with its contents, it told me Dad hadn’t located the Harrells before he died.
The money order expired in June of 1946, but the U.S. Postal Service money order branch still honored its face value amount based on a picture of it I emailed them in early October.
This is the text of his letter verbatim. It was written on a 5.5″ by 8.5″ sheet of Camp Upton stationery, in cursive, with a touch of old-fashioned flourish (I’m sure a lot of readers remember their cursive training from grammar school).
*****
June 5, 1945
Dear Mrs. Harrell,
Pfc William E. Harrell, around the 1st of December, entrusted to my care the sum of $25.00 to be converted into a money order at the Post office.
As I had many money orders from the fellows of the company at that time, I was certain I had turned them all in.
Shortly afterward, I was hurt, and when I entered the hospital, I placed all my personal items in a bag, among them, some personal letters which I carried in my pocket.
On going through these letters, I ran across the money order blank and the attached money as he had given it to me. Yesterday, I had the money he had given me, converted from foreign currency into American currency, and made out this money order personally, and am forwarding it to you immediately.
I do hope that you will accept my sincerest apology for the undue delay which can only be accredited to my fault and negligence in this matter.
William was in good health and spirits when I last saw him just prior to my own unfortunate injury -. I remain Sincerely Yours,
Pfc, Marshall A. Tees.
*****
Our dad, along with his younger brother, Richard B. Tees, was drafted into the U.S. Army Jan. 9, 1941. Dad died at (now) Cape Regional in 1991. Mr. Harrell died in Norfolk, Virginia in 2000, his wife, Lucy, in 1997.
Had I found Dad’s letter in the ’90s, likely I could have made good on it while Dad’s friend and his wife were still alive. Although I missed out on that opportunity, I was able to find the Harrells‘ descendants. They now have in their possession the envelope, letter, uncashed money order, and the $25 the U.S. Postal Service sent me.
Dad died at the age of 76. I find it remarkable that it also took 76 years before his obligation was met, albeit posthumously.
– STAN TEES
Cape May
