April 26, 1945
(Germany)
Dear Mudder and Dad,
Everything around here is nice and quiet now, the payday poker game is all over, most everyone is asleep, I just found some stationery and some ink—put it all together and a letter is inevitable. I even have a “conquered” German pen that writes half way decently. All in all everything seems pretty copisidec, copesedic--I got a “helluva” nerve trying to use those two-bit words.
(Germany)
Dear Mudder and Dad,
Everything around here is nice and quiet now, the payday poker game is all over, most everyone is asleep, I just found some stationery and some ink—put it all together and a letter is inevitable. I even have a “conquered” German pen that writes half way decently. All in all everything seems pretty copisidec, copesedic--I got a “helluva” nerve trying to use those two-bit words.
It looks like rain outside but I should worry. I shouldn’t say that. There’s a lot of fellows over here that aren’t in houses and for their sake I hope it doesn’t rain. As for myself I’m back for a rest of undetermined length of time; the longer the better. I move around and can’t hear the “88’s” and “burp guns”. I’m quite satisfied.
Here’s something that will give you a laugh. I’ve been recommended for the Bronze Star. I doubt very seriously whether I will get it but anyway I’ve been recommended.
If this army doesn’t stop getting all bawled up I’ll be a millionaire before this war is over. When I went to Paris I drew $30.oo partial payment for expenses. Therefore, I went to get paid today without any hope of getting money. However, they paid me anyway. Later on they called me over to the C.P. and paid me again--???!! Since I have no aversion to money, I said nothing.
I think I’m going to get K.P. in a few days. It’s been better than 6 months since I last had it so it’ll be quite an experience.
That about does it so--
Best Love,
Bill
According to Wikipedia
ReplyDeleteThe award that eventually became the Bronze Star Medal was conceived by Colonel Russell P. "Red" Reeder in 1943, who believed it would aid morale if there was a medal which could be awarded by captains of companies or batteries to deserving people serving under them. Reeder felt the medal should be a ground equivalent of the Air Medal, and proposed that the new award be called the “Ground Medal”. The Air Medal had been adopted two years earlier to raise airmen's morale.
Alas, Bill was right. He never did receive a Bronze Star. Still, I sure wish I knew what he did to merit the recommendation. He never told me or my brother. In fact I never once heard him boast in the slightest about his war exploits.
ReplyDeleteBill, you an always ask the Defense Department to review Bill's records. There may be a recommendation in there that just didn't get acted upon. The craziness of the Army after V-E Day was only a little less than before so it easily could have been lost.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago I applied for my father's Official Military Personnel File and received a letter informing me that his file along with over 80% all Army personnel files from 1913-1960 were destroyed in the disasterous 1973 fire at the St. Louis National Personnel Records Center. The only other official file on record for Bill is his Final Pay Voucher. I did not apply for this document as it did not appear to provide any information I don't already have. The letter says that it does possibly include "character of service" information but it seems highly unlikely that this would have anything about a Bronze Star. I will have to reopen his "case" to reapply for this document and it seems a very, very long shot, but the fee is only $15, so I guess I should go ahead and do it as I know of no other avenue to take.
ReplyDelete