Dear Friends: In case you haven't discovered this source of information on relatives - ask any of your older relatives if they saved any V-Mails from WW-II. They are a treasure to read. The two following ones are from Dr. Milton Mermelstein who was a doctor for years in McKeesport. He was a graduate of the class of 1926 and served in the Army in the Asia. He made house calls up until I was in high school, would allow you pay later - the type of old fashioned doctor who was a credit to McKeesport and those he doctored. I'll allow the letters to speak for themselves. Marc Cap't M. Mermelstein MD Xmas Day - 1944 Dear Staufs! Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year! from India near Burma comes my thanks to you for your kind thoughtfulness to me on Xmas. I got your box of chocolates just yesterday. Boy wasn't that good timing. Thanks a million! It was so darn nice of you 2 to remember. Our life in India is mainly supplying troops in Burma. I am with a convoy of colored boys who are doing a SPLENDID JOB carrying loads over the Ledo and Burma Road! I run the Dispensary and must make decisions as to a boys physical fitness to drive - as important to the war as the Aviator's. They are to be commended for their excellent WORK. No matter what you might read - their WORK IS EXCELLENT! Today all had a big Xmas Dinner of canned turkey, Cranberry and Pumpkin Pie. It was nice to see how happy q one was about it this evening. I can hear singing from one of near by tents. regards to Rudolphs & Campbells and Grampa Rudolph. Thanks a million - Milt. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dear Glenn & Cleona - It was a pleasure to get a nice long letter from you but the joy was a little offset by the news of Granpa and Hope's illness. I am very sorry to hear that. I do hope Hopie's better by now. her Larry sure must be a big boy by now. Your Harry weighs 40lb! boy, I'll bet he's as big as his dad. Are you going to supply him country food forever- Corn and Ham. When he grows up. he'll want to reduce. things in my outfit are the same. they are still carrying stuff up the Ledo-burma road. They will soon be going to China. I have already had a trip with a Convoy over the Burma Road. Its famous and I'm proud to have been over it. spent a few days in China but there ain't no place in the World like McKeesport! Give my best to Hope and hers, & Vi & hers. Good luck to all. Milt Mermelstein

I was at once struck by this name from my youth. Dr. Mermelstein once called my dad's pharmacy for a prescription while Dad was at home eating. I was a freshman pharmacy student, I think. He needed a medication for one of his patients at once. I remember him saying something to the effect that the law is secondary to saving a life. On his return, Dad said that whatever Dr. Mermelstein asked me to do was OK. From what Dad told me, many of the medical community chose him as their physician. Also many did not receive a bill, since he chose not to send one. Lest you draw the wrong conclusion, he was the choice because of his ability. He sent his colleagues no bill because he was a healer first, a physician second, and a business person last. If my Dad, David A. Boyd, Sr. POP, Executive Secretary of the Allegheny County Pharmaceutical Association, Secretary of the Metropolitan Drug Association Secretaries, Licensed lay Baptist Preacher told me that *this* man was a man to admire and emulate, I sure did. I had forgotten him, but thank you for reminding me that before HMO and managed care there were real Doctors who cared for patients. Regards, Dave Boyd aka Pharmasaurus Rx Greenville,SC Treasurer, House of Boyd Society, Inc. A Scottish Clan Society Listmanager, PAWASHIN-L Genealogy mailing list Lead, VP-Program, Palmetto Statesmen Barbershop Chorus Lead, The Upstate Four, Barbershop quartet daveboydjr@mindspring.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marc Stauffer" <staufferm@washpost.com> To: <PAMCKEESPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 11:16 AM Subject: [PAMCKEESPORT] V-Mail from World War II > The two following ones are from Dr. Milton Mermelstein who was a doctor for > years in McKeesport