19 Sep Back in Germany, March 20 & 22, 1945
Dad’s back in Germany again and it sounds as though they’ve traveled through some pretty war torn areas to arrive at his current location. His description of his environment is once again illustrative! It appears from the research I’ve done that the troops and division that Dad is part of (9th Armored Division) is moving fast into German territory. This newsreel footage really captures the essence of the moment.
20 MARCH 1945 V-MAIL
GERMANY
GOOD EVENING, MY VERY DARLING, AH ME, I’VE NEGLECTED YOU FOR SO LONG THAT I’VE HAD TO STOP TO THINK WHAT MY SERIAL NUMBER IS!! WE’VE BEEN ON THE MOVE AGAIN AND ARE NOW ENSCONCED IN A BEAUTIFUL BLDG! MICKEY WOULD ENJOY SEEING ME SITTING IN MY PRIVATE LITTLE CAGE HERE, DISPENSING DOCUMENTS LIKE A MAD THING. EVERYONE THAT COMES ALONG USES A VARIATION OF THE SAME GAG “I WANNA CASH A CHECK FOR, ETC”. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL SET-UP, THE BIGGEST CATCH BEING THAT WE WILL HAVE ONE HELL OF A LOT OF FUN MOPPING IT UP FOR INSPECTIONS EVERY MORNING AT EIGHT SHARP. BEFORE I FORGET IT AGAIN I MAILED YOU A BOX OF EXCESS STUFF THE OTHER DAY. MOST OF MY XMAS PRESENTS THAT I HATE TO WEAR ON ARMY TIME! PUT ‘EM IN MOTH BALLS FOR ME PLEASE, DARLING, AND I’LL HAVE ME SOME NICE STUFF TO START IN ON WHEN I GET HOME!!
THIS IS VERY NICE COUNTRY THROUGH HERE, BUT MY GOLLY, I DON’T SEE HOW OUR BOYS WERE ABLE TO MOVE SO FAST OVER IT! EVERY FIFTY FEET IS A ZIGZAG TRENCH; EVERY TEN FEET ALONG THE ROAD IS A FOXHOLE, AND EVERY SO OFTEN IS BIG TANK TRAP TRENCH, COMPLETE WITH PILL BOXES, ETC. BESIDES, YOU SEE A LOT OF WHITE TAPE, LAYED BY THE ENGINEERS, MARKING OFF MINED AREAS. AND SOME ROADS WILL HAVE LITTLE HOLES EVERY TEN FEET OR SO, WHERE MINES HAVE BEEN DUG OUT. TOWNS, OF COURSE, ARE PRETTY BADLY HIT, IN SPOTS. IF THE GERMAN PEOPLE NEVER KNEW WHAT WAR WAS BEFORE, BELIEVE ME, THEY DO NOW!!!
HAVEN’T HAD ANY MAI LTO SPEAK OF IN SOME TIME, DUE TO MOVING, ETC, BUT I SURE DO LOVE YOU GUYS, TO BEAT ALL GET OUT!! ALL MY LOVE
PAPPY
22 MARCH 1945 V-MAIL
GERMANY
HELLO, SWEETIE, IT’S A FINE DATE, A FINE DAY, AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES THAN TO WRITE TO MY CUTIE-PANTSES!! HAD A VERY GOOD DAY YESTERDAY. HAD THE AFTERNOON OFF!!! SO PLAYED A LITTLE TOUCH FOOTBALL WITH THE BOYS AFTER DINNER (LUNCH) AND THEN WENT UP AND HAD A HOT BATH ( ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A HOT WATER HEATER IN THE BLDG) (MY FIRST BATH OF ANY KIND IN NINETEEN DAYS!!) THEN CLIMBED INTO MY SLEEPING BAG AND SLEPT FOR THREE HOURS. GOT UP, HAD SUPPER, AND DROVE A COUPLE OF MILES TO A THEATRE TO SEE THE “MASK OF DIMITRIOS”, WITH PETER LORRE, SIDNEY GREENSTREET, VICTOR FRANCEN ETC — A DARN GOOD CAST, SWELL DIRECTION AND A VERY GOOD ALL AROUND MOVIE! GOT BACK ABOUT TEN, HAD SOME WORK THAT THE FELLOW PINCH HITTING FOR ME HAD LEFT (ALSO STRAIGHTENED OUT SOME THINGS THAT HE HAD MIXED UP) AND GOT TO BED ABOUT ELEVEN THIRTY! A GOOD DAY!!!
THREE OF US ARE SLEEPING IN ONE ROOM NOW; SPALDING, THE SUPPLY SGT (TROMBLY) AND I. THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF BEDS TO SLEEP IN, BUT I’D JUST AS SOON NOT GET ACCUSTOMED TO IT AND THEN HAVE TO CHANGE AGAIN THE NEXT TIME WE MOVE SO I’M SLEEPING ON MY COT. WE HAVE IT FIXED UP PRETTY WELL, WITH A CORD OVER THE BED TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTS AFTER YOU GET IN BED!! WE ARE EATING THE BEST OF ANY PLACE SINCE I’M IN THE ARMY, WITH OUR OWN MESS (FOR JUST OUR OWN HQ—ABOUT 50 MEN ALL TOGETHER) AND WITH REAL PLATES WHICH A COUPLE OF HIRED GERMAN GIRLS WASH AFTER WE HAVE LEFT!! BOY, I SURE HOPE THAT I DON’T GET TRANSFERRED BACK INTO THE ARMY AGAIN!!
I MISS YOU, MRS B — AND OLD MISS K — BE A GOOD GIRL — I LOVE YOU
PAPPY
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