Transcription
Somewhere in Germany
Mar. 13, 1945
Dear Mom & Dad:
Well, my moral has gone away up today.
Last night I received two letters from you. One
was dated Jan 2 and the other Jan 17. Another
good thing is that today is the first good
day we have had in along time. The sun is
shining today for the first time in over
3 weeks. We need a lot of weather like this
to shorten and end this war. Everytime we
hear those planes going overhead the boys
start singing, "Hitler, count your men!" The
Air Force is really doing a great job over here. I
have seen some of their work and it is
really great. I can't understand how the "Krauts"
can take so much of it. Of course it is still
the Infantry that does the dirty work; it is
still the infartry that wins the wars, and
you can tell my big brother I said so to.
This country over here is really very
beautiful. It would put you a good deal in
mind of New England. However we are not able
to appreciate the beauty very much, for
every forest means sniper and every hill
means entrenchments. You can only appreciate
the beauty when you forget entirely about
the war. However, that is rather difficult.
The people here are rather difficult to
figure out. The way it seems to me, about 50%
don't seem to care very much, one way or the
other, when we occupy their towns. Half of what is
2
left seem sullen and embittered and the
other half actually welcome us. However, we
have been told not to fraternize with them and
I have no desire to. I can't stop thinking that
they, from the youngest to the oldest, are the
cause of me being here. That alone kills all or
any desire in me to be friendly. These people
here seem very well off compared with the
people of France and Luxembourg. Hitler has
really taken care of his own, most likely at
the expense of the Frenchmen and Luxembourgers.
In France and Luxembourg there was sufficient
food for everyone, but everything was rationed
and the people could not afford to waste
anything. Here in Germany, however, every home
seems to have a stockroom which is chocked
full of meats, cheese, preserves, and wine. They
all seem well taken care of.
This whole continent seems to be living
in the 19th Century in regard to all kinds of
modern conveniences. In only the best of
houses do you find running water in the
toilets. Most of the latrines here are in "the
little house in back of the big house," if
you know what I mean. They stink and
are usually very dirty. Since I arrived here
I have become very adept at taking care of
my needs along this line in an open field
someplace. It is much better that way. A
lot of these towns don't have any running
water at all. All the water is drawn from
one central pump in the town square. All
the housewives gather there with their
3
buckets and pails and carry the water home.
How would you like to do that, Mom?
Well that is about all the poop for
now. I wish that you would send me George's
address also Elsie's. If you can, try and get
Al Crowley's address for me. I know he is over
here close by. He is in the artillery, I know,
in the same Army as I. I see a lot of
artillery outfits here, and if I knew which
one he is in I might get a chance to look
him up.
I also thought of something else you might
send me in a package. Some of the boys have
been receiving cans of tuna fish and boned
chicken and such canned goods as that.
They certainly are good, if you can take
a hint.
Well so long for now. As usual, I will
write again at the first opportunity. I
love you very much.
Your Loving Son,
Oby
