July 5, 1945
(Nürtgen, Germany)
Dear Mudder and Dad,
I is regusted. Today after waiting for one whole week for a single letter from you—and all in vain, I get two in which I’m berated as an unfilial offspring. I don’t know what the score is but I do know this is at least my third letter this week and that last week I wrote between 2 and 4 letters. That’s no kidding. Maybe after you wrote those letters of the 27th of June you did get some of my letters. I hope so.
(Nürtgen, Germany)
Dear Mudder and Dad,
I is regusted. Today after waiting for one whole week for a single letter from you—and all in vain, I get two in which I’m berated as an unfilial offspring. I don’t know what the score is but I do know this is at least my third letter this week and that last week I wrote between 2 and 4 letters. That’s no kidding. Maybe after you wrote those letters of the 27th of June you did get some of my letters. I hope so.
The last few days we’ve been practicing for a regimental review. It’s sure a pain as every day is either ungodly hot or cold to the same extent.
We got a nice beer hall and as time goes on things begin to look better and better, but we move around so much that you no sooner get things all fixed up than you have to leave it all behind. That is laundry facilities and so forth.
Well, I see where you’d wished that I could be home for Christmas. Well, next July 4th would be a more likely date. If a few high officers are to be believed I couldn’t possibly get home before next Easter. However if the war in the Pacific should end sometime before then I don’t know.
I picked this copy of the “Beachhead News” up the other day and was surprised to see the entire paper was devoted to the activities of the 100th, but I was dumbfounded to see myself sitting atop an M-4 Sherman Tank racing across the Rhineland. It was quite something. The “Beachhead News” is the 6th Corps newspaper.
How about a nice package of candy, crackers, cookies—anything. I’m going to send these requests often now since the food situation here isn’t so hot. You won’t be able to act on all of them but at least you’ll have plenty of requests on hand. Packages are coming through pretty fast now so send me a couple of German grammars. What I really want is the light tan book “Deutsch für Aufanger” and a pocket dictionary. Also I would like my military oxfords. These boots are awfully hard on the dogs.
Well that does it.
Best Love,
Bill
Greg, maybe you can see if there are any archives of the Beachhead News to take a look at the photo of Bill on the tank. That would be an image for the generations.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
ReplyDeleteI will definitely check it out. I only have 2 WWII era photos of my father and they are both posed portraits. It would truly be a thrill to have a photo of him "racing across the Rhineland" atop a Sherman M-4 tank!