Letter 231- August 23, 1945

August 23 1945
(Derdingen, Germany)

Dear Mudder and Dad,

Oh what a life this is getting to be. Your letters and the little books that you and the other fellow’s people have sent are all that’s keeping us from going batty. Any idea of training is repulsive and interest in practically everything is waning. We don’t talk about it much anymore but the foremost thought in everyone’s mind is “when are we going home?” There are no rumors anymore but we still wonder.

The weather here is rotten and so cold that overcoats were handed out yesterday—August! For three days it rained almost steadily.

I heard a new song on the air last Tuesday “Cali-for-naye-ay”. I was quite homesick as were the rest of the Californians in the platoon (6).

There’s a rampaging rumor racing around now that all men under 40 points will go into the Army of Occupation. I now have 45 or 47 points so if it’s true I’m all right. The way the papers read though I’ll be lucky to get out by 1960. Peacetime conscription would simplify everything but some people seem to think we should stay over here forever and everyone else lean back and forget about the whole business. By the way, I see the navy is up in arms over its point system. It is unfair a sailor who never went aboard a ship can easily have as many points as one that had 3 ships shot out under him. I’ll tell you one thing though. When the armed forces do get home a lot of smug big shots in Washington are going to get a jolt.

Watch out! Hyar comes another request. I want a couple of T-shirts and a sweat shirt, if you can get them. I would also like a box of candy, cookies or other stuff like that thar.

Gotta go now.

Best Love,
Bill