February 1, 1945

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310.98.1-4.2016 Transcription

Somewhere–France

[1] 7th Army

1 Feb 45

Howdy, darling!

Today is Thursday which means

another mixed-up, short-houred, unroutine

“episode”—I dislike Thursdays for

lots of reasons, & one of the leading causes

is that it messes up my writing to you

to a certain extent.

I was down town again for 15

minutes this afternoon to pick up some shoe

repair work. On the way back I found

some moderately decent post cards of where

we are. Guess I never wrote that every

place I’ve been for a “decent” length of time,

I have postcards thereof for your scrap-

book. We cant send these post cards so

I’ll cart them all home in my footlocker.

Buying these cards today, again for the 1000th

time, brings to mind how the Nazi-

occupationists would let a French town

keep its name, but purposely spell it

in a “Germanasized” [sic] way on maps &

postcards. The first chance the French have

they spell it the “Frenchlisized” [sic] way &

thus much confusion could exist in

American minds if this weren’t kept in

mind. But my tip downtown again today,

as yesterday, was worth it for today I got

postcards—yesterday I got souvenir-

presents (& sent ‘em airmail) to you, Terry[2], & Aunt K.

[2]

Well—the enclosed piece of newspaper

brings to mind, doesnt it, that damnable

period when I was orderly at Joliet insane

hospital ‘n having to tube feed those insane

“hunger-strikers” (rather than funnel-feed them

as the cartoon’s orderly is doing—even so,

the thought that stems from this cartoon is just

vivid). It infuriates me to see such &

just like you, (I hope) you’d feel like taking

those orderly-attendants & bendin’-‘em-

till-they-break right where the Clinic’s

Mrs Green showed where you were

broken. Maybe a better medical-[te]chnique

would be for me as an anesthetist to

go after ‘em deep c̅ novocaine insters inserters.

[right where Mrs. Green went after you].[3]

Naturally, The Clinic’s blonde receptionist

could help you in the last half of her

totalness. Anyhoooo, this Stars & Stripes

cartoon, per se, c̅ its article is revealing;

as well as understanding if looked at

in the proper light.

(Repititions) I have already sent 2 batches

of French money. Your swell tweezer-milk-

stationary-etc box is the only one to come

through. I’m tickled that at least the

New-Years Eve Present-letter made-it-through.

That nice bunch of Xmas Day pictures came &

that super bunch of [snuggly]-ducky (?) pictures

made-it-through too. Here’s hoping you

can find some photo-fiend c̅ a dark-room

[3]

who can knock-down to airmailable (12¢)

sized packets whatever photo printing paper

you can get your hands on. Heres hopin’

(in the picture line) that my two fairly recent

batches of personal snaps reach you, &

that the French artists portrait of me in

uniform arrives in time (YUP! I’ve given

the pkg service 4 months) for your

Happy Wedding Anniversary May 26th Present!

(P.S. Im glad to hear the Xmas tree & me snaps arrived)

Its almost 4PM (when we go back to

work on each Thursday) & thus mail hasn’t

had a chance to arrive—HOWEVER, to

receive mail today for about the 8th (or 9th)

day in a row [c̅ the exception of one skip][4] is

just too good to even hope for. But—

Ill leave space just incase

P.S. Here is a French 50 Fr. note—say you

Precious Lug, you’re turnin’ out to be expensive!?!?!

Today (c̅ this) Ive sent $2.34—can ya figure it?

(AFTER MAIL-TIME)

Shecks![5] Shucks!—but

I love ya—I lovez ya, darling c̅

Allmylove,

Dave

[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”

[2] Their infant son.

[3] Bracketed text is part of original.

[4] Bracketed text is part of original.

[5] In original, there is an arrow pointing from “AFTER” on previous line to “Shecks!”

February 1, 1945