07 Jul The Normandy Scene – July 20 & 22, 1944 – letters
20 July 1944 V-Mail
Letter #23
Hello, honey – Today I sent a pkge – a little project I’ve been working off-and-on for a wk now – to you. Really for Karen. A Dutch girl and a Chinese boy – they turned out to be – carved with my own itsy hands with only me trusty blade. Thought maybe before you present them you could sand ’em a bit, and maybe add a dash of edible paint here & there, to brighten them up a bit, and maybe (I hope) she’ll enjoy them. I’m particularly pleased with Great Scott (the man has no face!) and his hind quarters. You can see that he has character. The gal is just kinda cute, perhaps you can give her something with the paint brush.
Hey – we’re getting fresh meat now! We’ve had pork chops, baked ham and tonight roast pork. Delicious. Comes frozen, of course. We have a darn good mess Sgt (a blessing on the little man) and get hot cakes for breakfast, occasionally, hot cereal every morning, most of the time fruit juices, doughnuts once in a while, bread once a day, occasionally a good ol’ orange – and the weather has been fine – up to right now, when a slight rain is starting – but I love you (what a sentence -maker I am) and here’s a big & little kiss for you & Miss K. Pappy
22 July 1944 V-Mail
(says “Letter #23” but the last one was also “Letter #23”)
Happy 5 yr 7 ms anniversary, darling – Exactly a month I’m here now – and still no mail. The rain has let up some. It rained so hard yesterday at lunch that I couldn’t finish my coffee. I keep sipping away at it, but each time the cup was fuller. Was finally drinking straight rain water so said to hell with it. Started out with a blob of custard but by the time I got around to eating it it was eggnog. Was happy crawl into a dry bed in my truck last night. Today I was out test driving my truck for a sgt. He’s going to get me a G.I. drivers license so that I can drive the Msg Center truck when we move. Yesterday I drove my Sgt (in a jeep) down to pick up our mail and around about 20 miles all together, I guess. It was fun, and I was glad to get out for a while. Keeps me going here. I’m breaking in another fellow, which will make it easier, but there really should be 3 men here. Parts of these towns are certainly a mess, but I can’t tell you any better than Ernie Pyle, so read his column and you’ll get an idea.
Say hello to the family – Merc & Dol – Corny & Tamie – The Boardmans – and anyone else around. All of my love to you, sweetheart, Mr. B.
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