Transcription
Passau, Germany
23 Dec. 1945
Dear Mother & Dad:
I am enclosing a clipping from the S&S.
That means me. I shall be eligible for
discharge on Dec 31. That does not mean that
I will be home on Jan 1, but it is a step in
the right direction. I expect to be home
sometime in February and I also expect that
I shall have a nice Christmas dinner
waiting for me.
Life has become very easy here. I have
two new men in the office who are taking
over everything. All I have to do is hang
around and supervise. Everyone knows that
I shall be going home soon, so no one
bothers me. I am all packed and ready
to move out at a minutes notice.
The town is beginning to take on
the air of Christmas. We have erected to
large trees in the town square and
lighted them up. The Red Cross Club is
all decorated and so are the mess halls.
The Germans themselves are trying to
make Christmas mean a little but it
is almost impossible. All food and clothing
are strictly rationed. Anything else can
only be purchased with cigarettes. The
Germans have none of these. So they stick
a candle in the window, and that is
Christmas for them. Right now, it does
not look as though we will have a
white Christmas. We had a terrific snowstorm
about a week ago but it turned to rain
and it all melted. About 10 miles outside
of town, however, you can walk in snow
up to your chest. You see, here in
2
Passau, we are in a deep valley, surrounded
by sheer mountains on all sides. The snow
does not get down to us very easily.
The mountains however are covered.
After you receive this letter, you
had better not write me any more because
I don't think I shall receive them. I
expect to leave here sometime around
the 1st week in January. I'll write
again and let you know when I leave.
I'll try to let you know what outfit
I am coming home with, that is, if I
do get shipped with an outfit. I may
go as a casual.
Well that's for now. I'll be seeing
you soon. Merry XMas & Happy New Year
Your Loving Son
"Oby"
