About Letter 71

Bill finally goes on the long anticipated bivouac. The men roll out at 5:00 am. and march double-quick 5 miles to a frozen swamp where they dig in and set up camp. The river is frozen solid and they must break holes in the ice to put supports down into the water for a foot bridge. While doing this Bill and 3 other men fall through the ice and get a frigid soaking. It snows most of the time. The bedrolls are soaked. So it goes for the duration of the bivouac. Not surprisingly Bill catches a “hellova cold.” Bill interviews for transfer to the signal corps. He is selected as “one of 5 for an entire battalion who is given a chance for radio operator.”