06 Aug Wants to come home, Nov 18 & 20, 1944
18 NOV 1944 V-MAIL
HOLLAND
DEAREST MARY, GOT FOUR LETTERS YESTERDAY, BUT NONE FROM MY CUTIE. HOPE FOR ONE OR TWO OR THREE TOMORROW. HAVE JUST COME FROM SEEING A GI VARIETY SHOW — BUT STRICTLY (HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS BIG AND LITTLE TYPE STUFF?) FROM THE BORSCHT CIRCUIT IN THE CATSKILLS, BUT VERY FUNNY FOR THE MOST PART, EVEN THO I’VE SEEN MOST OF THEIR GAGS DONE MANY TIMES & BY BETTER COMICS *** BUT AS I SAY, A GOOD EVENING. HAD ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY — MORE LIKE SPRING THAN FALL TODAY. GOT INVOLVED IN A POKER GAME LAST NIGHT AND LOST 45 GULDEN (ABOUT 16 DOLLARS) WITH GOSH DARNDEST HAND YOU EVER SAW. PLAYING BASEBALL (SEVEN TOED WITH WILD CARDS, YOU KNOW?) AND I HAD THREE QUEENS BACKED UP FIRST THREE CARDS. WOUND UP WITH THREE QUEENS ABOUT TWENTY GULDEN LATER AND A FLUSH WON. A FEW HANDS LATER I HAD SIX HIGH STRAIGHT FLUSH, BUT LOST TO TWO ROYAL FLUSHES (WHO SPLIT THE POT!!) (GNASH, GNASH, SHNASH) SO I’M THROUGH WITH CARDS UNTIL PAYDAY AGAIN. HI HO, AND A POT OF FISH. I’D SURE LIKE TO GET A LETTER SO I’D HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT. NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE. (CARASH!!! WHAMMIE, & A COUPLE OF BOOMS, BUT YOU CAN’T WRITE ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT). THE CHIEF ORD. OFFICER OF NINTH ARMY, A COLONEL (DUE TO BECOME A BRIG. GEN) IS ONE SWELL GUY. THIS AFTERNOON HE BROUGHT US IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION A BOTTLE OF “ARMAGNAC” BRANDY!! OUT OF HIS PERSONAL STOCK. PRETTY NICE, HUMMM. DON’T ASK SILLY QUESTIONS. HOW COULD EIGHT OF US GET DRUNK ON ONE FIFTH OF BRANDY? BUT IT DOES TASTE MIGHTY GOOD. SHALL WE HAVE A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE THE FIRST NIGHT I’M HOME? KINDA LIKE OUR WEDDING NIGHT. A-M-LOVE
MR B
20 NOV 1944 V-MAIL
HOLLAND
HELLO, SWEETIE, THIS AFTERNOON I GOT A PASS FOR A FEW HOURS AND WENT DOWNTOWN TO A VERY QUAINT LITTLE DUTCH THEATER AND SAW THE FIRST PLAY PUT ON BY SPECIAL SERVICES AND USO “THREE CORNERED MOON”. IT WAS JUST A FAIR PRODUCTION, BUT I WAS MOST INTERESTED IN THE TALK I HAD WITH LT. IN CHARGE AFTER THE SHOW. HE SAID THE’VE HAD THE DEVIL OF A TIME GETTING IT ON. THE FOUR WOMEN HAD COME OVER AS PART OF A USO UNIT, BUT HAD GOT STRANDED IN ENGLAND WHEN USO TURNED THUMBS DOWN ON MIXING CASTS OF USO AND GIS. SO THERE THINGS HUNG FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL SOME COLONEL I N THE ARMY DECIDED THAT DAMMIT HE WANTED TO SEE A LEGIT SHOW. SO THEY PUT THE LT. IN CHARGE, TOOK THE FOUR WOMEN, AND PICKED UP BRITISH MEN CIVILIANS FOR THE MALE PARTS AND THERE YOU ARE. EVEN SO, FOR SOME STRANGE REASON USO HAS BEEN BITING THEM IN THE BACK AND TRYING TO WRECK THE WHOLE DEAL, BUT THEY ARE NOW ENTRENCHED, AND PLAN TO ENLARGE A GREAT DEAL. THE LT. TOOK MY NAME AND GAVE ME HIS, AND THAT’S ALL FOR THE TIME. MAINLY BECAUSE I EXPLAINED THAT COME V DAY I WANT TO GET HOME QUICKEST POSSIBLE. (HE HAD EARLIER EXPLAINED THAT SPE. SVC TROOPS ARE GOING TO BE DEFINITELY AROUND FOR SOMETIME IN ARMY OF OCCUPATION). SO FIRST I WANT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING TO DEVELOP WITH THIS POINT SYSTEM AT THE PRESENT SITTING I DON’T HAVE TOO MANY POINTS ON ACCOUNT OF SHORT PERIOD OF SERVICE, BUT PERHAPS FAMILY DEPENDENTS WILL MAKE MORE OF A DIFFERENCE WHEN FINAL CLASSIFYING COMES AROUND. IF I’LL BE STUCK HERE ANYWAY, I’LL TRY TO SWING THE DEAL, BUT IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBLE CHANCE OF GOING HOME, DON’T WORRY, I WON’T MESS AROUND WITH SPC SVC BECAUSE I MISS YOU GUYS MORE ALL THE TIME
ALL MY LOVE, PAPPY
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