Interview of a count, August 28, 1944

8-28-44-ww2-letters-mary-anne-erickson

Interview of a count, August 28, 1944

26 Aug 1944 V-Mail

Dear Dad,
 I’m sorry not to have written sooner, but you know what I told you about when we’re moving fast. The rain caught up to us for a few days, and man it was wet & muddy around (and how these big army trucks can tear up a road) but now it’s beautiful again. We’re working inside a house here now (still pitching our tents outside, and eating, etc) and it’s almost like working in an office again. I’ve had quite the time getting to bed at night since I’m here. You see we always pitch our tents in the woods some place (for camouflage) and so this time we’re using some foxholes that the Germans very conveniently left for us. Only trouble is that after dark – in the woods it gets really dark – and twice, even though I was just inching ahead, I fell kerflop – right into the damn foxhole. Besides (the 1st night) it was raining. If you’d been here you’d probably have heard a lot of cuss-words you’d never heard before.
I’m still fine, Dad. Got two pkgs from Mary today (the 1st & only packages, so far) and mail comes in fairly regularly. Best to you & Aunts Ag & Mag and the kids
Your son 
Rollin

8-28-44 V-Mail to Mary

Hi Baby – Hey – was them ersters & figs ever good, though! I ate the whole can of figs one night as I sat here in the gloom as a runner. And a couple of Joes who’ve been donating to me helped me with the oysters. Fine stuff, darling – here’s a request for more canned goods when  you can get it. The tape & bandaids, etc – good. Money belt is swell. My other was completely shot. Thanks sweetheart. Every one here enjoyed Anne’s cookies. They were about 1/2 crumbs, but we’d just grab a handful of crumbs and all said that they were very good. I’ll try hard to find time to drop her a V mail, but you please thank her for me in the meantime. Four of us had a talk last night with a count who was a PW of Nazis for a couple of years. He spoke mostly French, with quite a bit of German & English thrown in. Very interesting & amazing. He says when five or six jerrys are together, it’s “achtung! Heil Hitler!” etc. But when you get one alone it’s “Hitler, Caput! detest!” Young Germans hard to handle – pretty well Nazi inculcated, old ones know the score. Wehrmacht “detest” the S.S.

Gotta get to work now. Sure do miss you guys. Give ol’ Karen a big kiss and hug for me – and here’s a big fat one for you – my very favorite wife – all my love
Letter #37 Rollie

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