No fraternizing with the Germans, Dec 16 & 18, 1944

16 Aug No fraternizing with the Germans, Dec 16 & 18, 1944

16 Dec 1944 V-Mail
Germany

Hello Honey – Guess what I got today – a batch of ltrs, dated (mostly) June & July, and one of May 26!! Five of them were from you, and I enjoyed them immensely – particularly the bits about Karen dashing around on her kiddie car, and saying “G’bye” on her telephone. Keep on adding those little touches. And the “toothpick letter” came today, too! It’s very funny somehow. Those toothpicks bring home the fact of how long those letters were kicking around – it was years ago, way back in England that I asked you to send me toothpicks! So much has happened since then. Days have been years – and yet the months have flown by.

Yesterday your Dec 1st ltr arrived. S’wonderful, the edit. dept. wanting you. I always said you were a pretty desirable character. Sometimes just a character – but – let it pass, let it pass. Description of Karen saying “kitten taking bath” most amusing. Does she still say “Ba thphf”? Oh my aching back, but I’d like to see you guys!!

I’m up late tonight. 11:30. Working till 1 AM as runner (Switchboard operator is what it should be called). Sitting around alone like this makes a guy pretty homesick. I just sit and picture what you & Karen are doing, and saying – and wish that I could kinda drop in on your for a while – with all my pent-up love – Mr B.

18 Dec 1944 V-Mail
Germany

Good evening, sweetheart – No mail for a few days, but that is to be expected. Weather has been quite nice for a few days now, and it’s a relief not to have to slop around in the mud. They’ve instituted the “lecture & discussion group” once each week again, and I’m in favor of it. Last week we discussed the new non-fraternization with Germans rule. It’s a very tough problem for the army. No problem with me, but lots of guys like to go out of an evening. I feel that all civilians should be pushed ahead of us, leaving none of them here to tempt GI’s. Would solve a lot of our headaches & create a lot for Hitler. But if they’re going to leave them here, then let us mingle, ’cause I don’t think they’re any more dangerous than any other civilians, and it is possible that we could make a lot of friends for democracy by talking to them. I don’t know what the future plans are, but I do know that you can’t take all of Germany & give it to Poland, France, etc, without planting the seeds for another war. How about world wide radio stations to “sell” peace, the same as Hitler (with radio) sold the Germans on war? End of sermon. Too big for V Mail, anyway. But what else can I say? Except I love you more every day.
Pappy