"My best army friend Manuel Rendon with his daughter after the war.
He was killed in Korea"
rendon1
Back of picture includes note: "Bob, This picture was taken just before he left. He had it with him."
rendon2
Dad's best army friend, Manuel Rendon
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Title
08-27-1945 Points, Packages and Finding Rendon
Date
August 27, 1945
Location
Passau, Germany
Transcription
Parsberg, Germany
27 Aug 1945
Dear Mother & Dad:
I have not written for some time
because I have been chasing all over Germany
trying to find my buddy, Rendon. My search took
me to Munich, Bayreuth, and finally Nuremberg where
I finally found him in a replacement depot.
As you know, he was injured in the explosion
of a grenade. He was hit with four pieces of
shrapnel in the face and other pieces in the
arms and legs. His arm and nose was broken.
He lost four of his front teeth. I was almost
afraid to find him, Having seen what shrapnel
can do. I was afraid that he might look
like Frankenstein. However, the army doctors
did a very good job on him. He has nothing
to show for it but a small scar between
his nose and upper lip and a few other
scars on his arm and leg. Boy! Were we glad
to see each other! We hugged one another and
I am afraid we both shed a tear or two.
It's wonderful to meet someone you know
and like in such a god-forsaken place as
this is. We had a wonderful time together
for a couple of days. We celebrated our
reunion by going to Mass and Communion
together last Sunday in Nuremberg. When I
left, "Ren" wanted to come with me. He was
going to go AWOL to do it. It took a lot
of persuading to stop him. God know I
should have liked to have him with me
but he has 90 points and will soon be
home. There would be no sense in him
getting into trouble now. We both plan to go
2
to the same college when we get home.
Speaking of getting home. You are probably
wondering where I stand. Well, to be quite
frank, I don't think I shall be home until
sometime next summer or fall. As you know,
I am in the Army of occupation and we will
probably stay as is until all the rest of the
divisions here have gone home. They are already
sending men to us who have 65 points. If
these 65 pointers are made to serve in the
Army of occupation, what chance do you think
I will have with 42 points. I do believe that
eventually we will be relieved by replacements
from the states but I do believe that is a
long way off yet. However, I don't mind it
too much. I know now that I will be home
some one of these days. There was a time when
I wouldn't have bet 10c on it.
We expect to move soon. Our division is
going to take over the whole XII Corps areas
Our Bn. Hqs is expected to move to the city
of Passau near the Austrian border. We will
be right on the border of Russian territory.
I expect soon to have a furlough. There
are four possible places to go, London, Paris,
the Riviera, or Switzerland. I think I shall try
to get to Switzerland. Therefore, I wish you
would send me Helen O'Toole's telephone number.
You can make trans-atlantic calls there. Most
of the fellows who have gone have done
it. The telephone company will give you a
twenty four hour notice that I am going to
call at "such a time" so that when I call I
shall be are to get my party quickly and
easily.
I have been receiving "beaucoup" packages. I
don’t know the exact number that have
been received so far. I got two yesterday
3
containing spam, peanut butter, razor blades, socks,
& handkerchiefs. As yet, I have not received the
razor or T shirts. Keep the packages coming. I
would like some more of those potato sticks
if you can get them. They were swell. The
oysters were great also. We made a stew out of
them by heating them with the soup tablets.
Well I guess that's all for now. Give my
best regards to everyone.
Your Loving Son
"Oby"
P.S. What has happened to John Sullivan. I
haven't heard from him in months. The last
I heard he had a girl friend.
Description
Describes traveling across postwar Germany in search of his friend Rendon, who he had descrbied in previous letter had been wounded by a grenade explosion. His search takes him through Munich, Bayreuth, and finally Nuremberg, where he finds his friend and they celebrate by going to Mass and Communion together (now that's some religious devotion!).
The letter also describes uncertainty about when he might return home. With only 42 discharge points, he expects he may remain in Europe until the summer or fall of 1946, as higher-point soldiers are still being reassigned to occupation duty. He also reports that his division is preparing to move to Passau near the Austrian border, close to the frontier with Soviet-controlled territory.
Despite the long wait to return home, daily life includes lighter moments—anticipation of a possible furlough to London, Paris, the Riviera, or Switzerland, requests for family packages, and improvised meals made from oysters, soup tablets, and other treats from home.