26 Sep Last day in Nice, April 9, 1945
By a stroke of good luck, no train showed up and Dad got an extra day of furlough! He had such a great time dancing and meeting girls in the south, it’s going to be tough going back to duty in the 79th! I’m including another photo packet called “La Cote d’Azur”. Some great pictures of the sites around Cannes, Grasse, Nice, Monaco, and Monte Carlo. I wonder how they compare to those areas today?
The second letter is obviously dated incorrectly, but I have to include it here as it clearly says “9 April 1945”. I’m guessing it must be August as it sounds like the war is over and they’re waiting to be discharged.
9 April 1945 V-Mail
France
Hello, Sweetheart – Ha, are we ever the lucky ones! We were supposed to leave last night, but there was no train, so we have an extra day! I was most fortunate, too, to get acquainted with a Mrs. Thomas, working for Spec. Svc. here. Born in US, now married to a Brit. Friday night she invited me to her birthday party – a dinner in her Mama’s apt. Very good time! Met a couple of awfully nice French girls engaged to GI’s in 7th Army, when they were here. So Sat night I took both of them to one of the hotel dances. Lots of fun. Then last night (Sun) they invited me to their apt for dinner (with still another girl!) So I took all 3 of them dancing!! Oh, me, what a time. By the time I walked them home, & then clear back here, I was crawling. This morning I mailed you box no 2 from here. Full of perfume, & a picture I think you’ll like (not me). Try to get a couple more pics to mail you this afternoon. Saw De Gualle this morning. Probably be a few days till I write next, honey. It’s going to be a long ride back to the 79th – I hope!! But I’ll be loving you & thinking of you all the time,
Rol
9 April 1945 V-Mail
Germany (typed)
Good evening, sweetie. It has been a really swell day. Were supposed to be off this morning, but somebody had to be here to receive the stuff, and send the rest off to army, so being the ranking man (harrumph) I naturally took over (besides there weren’t many of us able to get up this morning). This afternoon was our regular day for sports, so we went down to a ball diamond and had our first game of soft-ball. We were pretty ragged, but had a lot of fun. I played third base and didn’t fumble around too much, and got on base three out of four times at bat so felt all right. The large doses f strenuous exercise the past few days has started to catch up to me however, and tonight after supper I was very happy to sit out in our flower garden with a few of the boys and just drink beer – what a life!!! It’s so damn peaceful and pleasant something is bound to happen, life in the army just ain’t like this! When they start treating us so damn nice it makes me think of the wonderful meals that we got at Camp Miles Standish – and then the slop we got on the boat for the next two weeks! We’re really sweating out this damn discharge plan now.
Doggone, I could cer’ney use some mail honey. Isn’t coming through worth a darn. Got a VMail from Freddie D today and that’s all. Golly darling, but I miss you and Karen. I think that it is worse now that it is all over than it was before. Nearer, but yet so far — and always the possibility of the CBI staring you in the face … Well, goodnight my love, give my best to Mer & Dol … and huge hugs and kisses for you & K, Pappy
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