Tag Archives: mosquitoes

March 11, 1946

Letterhead from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

11 Mar 1946

Dr. W. E. Dove, In Charge
Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington 25, D.C.

Dear Dr. Dove:

Forced by enemy action to prosecute military campaigns in tropical areas of such high endemicity as to seemingly preclude chances of success, the Navy, by the adoption of new methods and techniques in the control of insect-borne diseases, was able, not only to bring these campaigns to a successful conclusion, but with a degree of freedom from disease formerly thought impossible.

March 11, 1946

The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, recognizes the outstanding contribution by the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, U.S. Department of Agriculture, to the successful prosecution of these campaigns. By the immediate recognition of the great military potentialities of DDT, insect repellents, miticides and mite repellents, evolving methods and equipment for their application, and by the coordination and execution of a series of brilliant researches converting these chemicals to maximal efficiency for military use, the personnel attached to the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals has rendered a fundamental and outstanding contribution which has changed the entire methodology for the control of insect-borne diseases. In spite of the terrific pressure of research and development, the Orlando group of the Division, with the assistance of its Division administrative heads, conducted a continuing school of instruction for military personnel. By this instruction, key Naval personnel were enabled to keep informed of the latest developments and trends in research and to coordinate research with field application.

In view of this significant contribution to the war effort, I take this opportunity to express my personal gratitude and to commend the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, and you, In Charge of that Division, for exceptionally meritorious service rendered to Naval forces throughout the world.

Sincerely yours,

Ross T. McIntire
Vice Admiral (MC)
Surgeon General, U.S. Navy

May 26, 1944

This is a piece of “V-Mail,” which the US military used during WWII. Troops would write their letters on the forms, which were then checked by censors before being copied to film to reduce the weight for air transport. The military would print the film once it arrived in the US, producing miniaturized copies of the original letters.

From Lt. R.C. Bushland
3rd Med Lab
APO 503 San Francisco
May 26, 1944

Dear Doctor Dove:

Thanks a lot for your letter and Dr. Roarke’s publication which just arrived. Was happy to hear from you. Although I wear a soldier suit, it’s a Bureau man that’s inside the uniform and news from you folks is always eagerly received.

May 26, 1944

Have finished my lab work and have put on one small demonstration. Am impatiently waiting for the chance to go ahead on a bigger scale. I still have “itchy feet.” The repellents arrived but there are no mosquitoes to test them against. That’s another reason for my desire to travel.

Lt. Col. Philips arrived last month but moved around for three weeks after that, and has just now settled down here. He’s a very pleasant man to work with, it seems from the little I’ve been around him.

Best wishes to all and thanks for the materials.

Sincerely
Bushland

February 6, 1943

Headquarters Fifth Army,
A.P.O. #464, New York, NY,
February 6, 1943.

Dear Dr. Dove:

My work is developing rapidly and it looks as though I will have a busy season. Will you please ask Mr. Stage to locate an article by M. Bates in which he reviews, catalogs and proposes a new classification of the maculipenis group of Anopheles with special references to South European farms. This paper is mentioned on page 127 of reprint “A Review of Mosquito Work Throughout the World in 1941.” If you can send me the Bates paper it will be most helpful. Also I would like a copy of the review of mosquito work for 1942 as soon as it is available. Any paper on the spreading of oil by airplane for the control of mosquitoes will be invaluable to me.

February 6, 1943

It is impossible for me to discuss my work but Col. Stone probably can inform you of my activities. I have worked up a comprehensive memorandum of practical insect control which I should like for you to see if a copy is available in his office. You might mention this to him sometime. I have had some interesting encounters with fleas.

I have been well since being here and my only complaint as to climate is the quick changes in temperature experienced here. North Africa is, to say the least, exciting. You will note from the above address that I have a new assignment. I am more than pleased with my work and although the responsibilities are great I feel fully equal to the tasks assigned me. This is a paradise for anyone concerned with insects and parasites affecting man.

Believe me when I say I have learned how to handle that bed roll. My sleeping bag turned out well and is plenty warm. I will not expand on the virtues and vices of G.I. soap, canned beef and other Army stand-bys as you know all of this through experience.

My best regards to Mrs. Dove and the boys and to my friends in the office. I have used and reused the glass vials your secretary gave me, they are the only ones of their kind in Africa.

Sincerely,
R.A. Roberts, Capt. Sc.C.

P.S. We have received none of the #612* yet. All of our orders are being filled with Indalone “Scat,” when will #612 hit production and can some of our orders be changed to that?

* Probably Rutgers 612, an insect repellent that predates and is apparently less effective than the now-ubiquitous DEET.

September 16, 1940

Walter and Ina moved to Panama City, FL in late summer 1940, and he began working in his new USDA position reorganizing the Department’s entomology research and insect control programs in the Southeast. Now he’s traveling around the state to check on various projects.

Stationery from the Fort Gatlin Commercial and Tourist Hotel, Orlando, FL.

Monday PM.

My dear Sweetheart,

There was car trouble, but I drove some extra miles between Floral City and Orlando so that I did not arrive until almost 12 o’clock.

September 16, 1940

This morning I met King & Bushland and during the day I have learned much of the work they are doing. Tues. AM Dr. King & I are to be in Cocoa at 9AM & will then drive south for visits in other counties where mosquito control is under way. We will be in Fort Pierce about Wednesday night & in Miami about Friday night. I’ll return to Fort Pierce & spend Saturday & Sunday there. Will be in New Smyrna next Monday & Tuesday & return here about Tuesday night. Will stay here a day with Bushland. King leaves next Tuesday for the conference & for his vacation. At that rate I should be home about Thursday night of next week & Mr. Shields will probably come with me for one of the pickups.

I hope the boys are helping you by putting their toys up & by keeping quiet witn no running in the house. I’ll ask about these when I return.

With love to all 3.

Walter.

June 21, 1930

Stationery from the Hotel Savannah, “Rates posted and radio in every room.”

Sat. June 21, 1930.

My dear Sweetheart,

We have been on the go all day. This morning we had a sanitary inspector (malaria control) to take us to points on the Island. At noon we met the Georgia Healthcare group of health officers, and had lunch with them. We accompanied them on their tour this PM. This place has most of the mosquito breeding places under control. They have about 300 miles of ditches which permit drainage & minnow access to mosquito breeding places. They are anxious about sand flies. Last Feb they gave quite a bit of annoyance to winter tourists. On April 6 they caused 50 guests to leave. The season was shortened by 3 weeks. Since the hotel is open for only about 4 months during the year, this is quite an item.

June 21, 1930

We are going to look around more tomorrow morning and then go to Charleston tomorrow afternoon or night. Savannah has lots of history and several monuments. It has a population of 87000, with 45% negroes. I like the spirit of cooperation but I am not yet sure about living here. It is not a progressive and growing place. I imagine that Charleston is about the same way.

Yesterday PM Bish and I went by the acreage at Jax. He thinks that the investment is a good one. There is some building along the high way, an overhead pass has been made for the group of railroad tracks in Jax, and soon the Lake City highway will be made twice as wide. There are some homes between our acreage and Jax. The old man with the filling station says that no real estate is being sold now but that he thinks the prospects are good for the future.

B just had a letter from Mrs. B. All three of the children were honor students. Bitsie goes to Baltimore every-day with a questionnaire for the Jewish families. I think she has to get 12 each day. During the late summer she is to be a dietician for a girls camp.

I love you, Honey, and I’ll be mighty glad when I get your letters at Charleston.

Always,

Your
Walter.

June 18, 1930

Stationery from the San Juan Hotel, Orlando, Florida.

June 18, 1930.

My dear Sweetheart,

We made stops at Stuart, Vero Beach, and Cocoa, after spending most of the forenoon at Ft. Pierce. You would be surprised, but there are less than 10% as many mosquitoes at Ft. Pierce at the present time. They have about 50 miles of ditches which permit the minnows to find the wiggletails. Many of the ditches are made by blasting the mangrove trees with dynamite.*

June 18, 1930

We found more sand flies and mosquitoes at Vero Beach than at any other place along the East Coast of Florida. The conditions were quite similar to those of Marco Island. Mr. Reed came to Cocoa with us and then we took a bus to Orlando. We arrived here at 8:30 tonight. We had dinner and now it is about 10:30.

Orlando is a nice town. It is not in the sand fly section. Bish wants to spend a day with McNiel here. Tomorrow night we leave for Jax. The next day we go to St. Mary’s, then Savannah, then Charleston. We hope to find Jimmie up there about that time. Too, we expect to find that his appointment went through. As near as I can figure, it is not going to give me much time in Charleston before it will be time to return to Dallas. Will try to get Bish to cut out the Wilmington & Myrtle Beach trip or make it by himself.

I hope you are getting along OK and that Walter White sleeps well.

With love,

Your,
Walter.

* Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.