April 21, 1945
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310.144.1-4.2016 Transcription
Somewher|else|yet–Germany
With 7th Army 21 Apr 45 8 PM
Howdy, darlin’,
For the first time in ages I got off duty on
time & so here goes to answer 3 (remaining) out of a first
batch of your letters & 3 out of a second batch [Before I
forget—just as an index! I never even had the chance to
read your second batch of 3 letters until the following day—
this proves [horribly][1] what kind of holocaust we’ve been
in in recent days being the only Evac c̅[2]in this
area of 100 miles. (P.S. Also again, my writing & spelling sure as
Hell has gone to Hell—the writing is lousey; the spelling
stinks & I feel Im loosing my mind———about
the only thing that proves to me that I’m not losing my mind
& “slipping” all the way mentally is those Readers Digest
word quizes—I hit ‘em all high. Do you try
them? I dont know why but I sorta imagine/feel
that 2 things we do “together” are the Foreward & Readers Digests)
Now—your Mar 24th’s:—This is a very
important latter/philosophy/“discussion”—about
our life as related to our past-livings as we did them.
However, my only keynote response [on paper][3] dearest is—
DONT FEAR—as you said you do. [Heres a secret
hard to express on paper—& it worries me—why so many war (#I)
veterans are lazy-bums-like always puzzled me—now
I know & can feel what it was that made them that way—
Em, so many times you’re so damned tired that you swear/vow
c̅in yourself you’ll never let anyone/anything make you tired
ever again once this stinking mess is over → = bum-like.
Dont worry too much because fundamentally I’m not that
kind of a guy—BUT you sure as Hell will see
me verbally rebel against things that might-or-tend to make
me tired again. [This isnt decisive but][4] If I were to ever return
to Eko, thats all my life would be—FATIGUE—just like
Roantree’s has been][5]. I know this all seems pretty silly or
[2]
“flat-like” in your eyes when (I NEVER FORGET IT) you are
so dog tired every day too. But—so we will
shelve it till later.
Your Mar 31st’s:—Hooooooray!—the antiscript
of this letter tells of photo paper being sent AND IT CAME
IN ABOUT 15 DAYS! Thanks a million.
I sent the “cheeze-Vmail,” & Im awfully hopeful that
even the page out of my letter may produce results.
One of my roomate just rec[eive]d a “Dairyland” pkg yesterday
via his wife merely sending a page from his letters.
Soooo, do it twice if you can aford it, dear. (Which
reminds me—your PTA[6] of $25 for 2 pair of nice
$12.50 summer shoes, you like so well, should be there
by the time you read this.) I’m sorry you, Mom & Dad
cant “afford” cheeze.
Your Apr 1st’s:-Yup! (rep) we’ll probably never
get out of tents into buildings ever again. Can you
see rain-spots on page #1—‘sfunny, it shouldnt
leak. Oh yes, when our “Chicken”(-shit) C.O. gets it into
his recalcitrant mind, we get one electric light
strung into our 7-9 man “squad-tent,” AND we have
our portable shower unit put up—ONLY WHEN
HE “FEELS” LIKE IT. (P.S. Are you familiar c̅ the very common
term “chicken-shit”—well you can see strictly how
it originated as so many COs do wh wear “Chickens” &
“pull” the stuff that is (chicken)-“shit”).
Your Apr 2nd’s:—Ol’ Thump’s[7] “hunger-strike” puzzles
me—I just am a blank. However, “Drisdol” &
“Multi-Beta” are good products. (I still swear when I
think I would get them free). “Vitakon” is one I never
knew——thus can’t judge it. The thing that pleases
me most immesely [sic] is (QUOTE) “HE IS SLEEPING LOTS BETTER”!
(Another notation was re: CBI[8]ers stop in USA for Iwo [Jima]—I hope so, yet
SOS says some types of soldiers will go “direct.”)
[3]
Your Apr 5th’s:- makes me (again) furious all over.
Im appauled, dear, that the P[ower] of Att[orne]ys are worthless. I’m
furious when I think back to those facts & circumstances
at the JAG at 7th Army Hdqrts that I finally got myself
to after trying so hard. What about a sentence in there
that says something like—— “& all matters….“?
Ill be anxiously looking for Registers copies. [(Rep) I believe
that the policy in the papers of the J.L. Wilsey Estate in
the possession of Alvin G. Brendemuehl-Nat Bank Bldg-Ocon. Wis].[9]
[P.S. Golly! I had “forgotten,” so to speak, about that loan—what
was it $199.97 or some such figure?][10] P.P.S. Please report in detail
on facts about the Captains $250.00 Class “E” (for Emily) allotment
arriving in your hands——— (rep) I believe my Captains-½-
month was paid in full, but c̅ this foreign currency Im never
sure of anything; also Im too busy & too tired to figure it out.
Your Apr 8th’s (where you talked a bit about war):- (QUOTE)
“Boy, how busy you people must be & how tired physically,
mentally & spiritually” ———I DITTO IT RIGHT
BACK to you——you, c̅ no trustworthy one to
take Thump over for you for 100% freedom. Gee, Im sorry,
sooo sorry dearest!—as I’ve written many times.
Thats absoloutely right——Proclamation will
be the only thing to end this assinine suicide Nazi’s
have imposed upon the Whole of Germany.
Oh dearest, its so damned night-foggy-cold
that I’d just better jump into bed. Anyhooo, Ive now
caught up on unanswered letters. But just cuz I stop
writing I dont stop expressing/thinking/LIVING
All my love,
Dave
[1] Bracketed text is part of original.
[2] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[3] Bracketed text is part of original.
[4] Bracketed text is part of original.
[5] Bracketed text is part of original.
[6] Personal Transfer Account for sending money back home.
[7] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[8] China Burma India. CBI was the US military designation for this area during the war.
[9] Bracketed text is part of original.
[10] Bracketed text is part of original.