February 28, 1945
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310.116.1-6.2016 Transcription
Somewhere–France
c̅[1] 7th Army
28 Feb 45 @ 6PM
‘L’o dearest,
Just sent Terry[2] (‘course I had to
use your name—damnit!) $50 [P.T.A.[3]][4] to use
at any ol’ time he feels like it for a
plane trip to see an ol’ pal of his by
the name of Arley Barnes in Rochester.
I realize the hazzard associated—
you “filching” the dough, but I
just couldn’t get around it. Ho! hum!
While on money—I’ll pre-
maturely go into your Feb 15th’s letter
(that came today) by asking/puzzeling re:
your (QUOTE) “squandering” the $2.34
in w o r t h l e s s Franc notes. Better yet
ya, huh, that I’d giff $2.35 worth of
roses that at least have a reall-
esthetic-emotional value for at least
3 days, rather than $2.34 that probably
neffer in der Worldt would be
worth anything. See??—or am I
still just too factual——or——
do I just hate everything French soo
much that $2.34 seems huge, when
correlated c̅ French-worthlessness??
[2]
Send me canned foods of
any kind that don’t take
points. Thank yuh!
Repitition on money—your Class E
allotment is now $250. Just how they
will pay the “Captaincy-½-month” since
the orders were “cut” on 16 Feb 45, I just
don’t know. Probably take them 2-3
months to get it straight.
Now to your Feb 5th’s c̅ its thankful
one stamp:— [Say! I cant seem to get off
money tonight][5] but you write viz. “As it
looks to me, a franc isn’t worth much
in American currency” (UNQUOTE)—darlin’,
you just got things “bass-ackwards”—
“the American currency isn’t worth
much in French francs” !Ü!⋆!卐!
Infact the hue & cry of millions of
soldiers for months has been the “gyp”
ratio. “Stars & Stripes,” newspapers,
Congressmen, etc, etc are always screaming
about this—this, being just one
more example of u[til]izing American
“easy-mark”/”suckerness”/[“good Uncle.”][6] Honest, dear,
WHEN is American going to wake
up?! Readers Digest (even though only one of
yours has come & I read the chaplain’s R.D.) trys each month to hammer
[3]
it into America’s-Head.
Dearest, if !Ü!⋆!卐!
legislators/power-politicians let us
down like they did the World War I
guys—I’ll swear there will
be a rejuvination of that old fashioned
art called assa[ss]ination.
I’m glad to know that the
novocaine insters hit the spot—
do you know [that][7] this Feb 15th letter is my
first proof of anything known by you?
Didn’t Dad every mention his absoloute-
silliest Vmail? It seems that Ive
waited months to have this thing
clear.
We have always been in the
same place. Those Associated Press
“scoops” regarding the 116th have certainly
covered the United States. (Funny,—2 nights
ago I wrote you a warning about this, & here
already you had received “The Voice On the Phone”).
However, one article was sent to Capt
Charley Farber from an Iowa newspaper
& it certainly was a “glamour-deal”—
even though truthful. Anyhooo, many
times [it seems][8] I have written that
I feared we would shortly be in the-
mess-called-moving & yet it never
materialized. Again we feel we
[4]
might be asked to
angle east-by-north-
easy, yet it never happens.
I can imagine a 1000 & one reasons
why your Thursdays are dreaded but
there must be 1002, 1003, 1004, etc reasons
which you didn’t mention=? Woe is us—
tomorrow is Thurdsday—A G A I N !
Oh say—maybe I should clarify
that those things about Nancy McGee
were just “generalities”—at a
time when no other expressions
were possible. Now that things are
understood form the actual unified
begining, I thought I’d better ad
lib this, dear, for clarity’s sake.
Again———it seems as
if I’ve fatefully fallen in as at
least a potential “Fall-Guy” re: some
friend (actual, or supposed as Mrs N.) of the
Belk Family. Lordy! Lordie! well
it ever cease! BUT, again as at
Carlisle, I KNOW NO REASON WHY
Aunt K. hasn’t written. HONEST!
She hasn’t answered me either re: present.
She just didn’t look good, is all a
doctor can say as of having seen her
24 hrs prior to that last night of Oct 27th.
(This retrospectively, in an absoloute silliness manner, can help.)
[5]
I surely hope you do send the
Capitols’ article—just at least so
I can see the picture I am so curious
about. It may save one piece of film
(past repititions) if you haven’t already shot
it up on my “curiosity-satisfier-snap.”
I suppose Bismarck will abreviate that “scoop” down to nothing—
its original form is quite long.
Doris-Johnny never have answered
at least 2 of my communications to
them. Elkoits seem to convey that
the Eacrets are “lost-to-them,” in the
letters I get from others. Geeee! I’ll
never forget the first moccassins I
received. Oh boy! was I ever a
pussy-footin’ Indian! Shoulda seen me.
It seems that I’ve sent so many
things lately that I cant even remember
an itemized list viz. snaps (4X, 5X, or 6X),
ductus arteriosus article, Kraut ersatz
ration book, other peoples’ letters, foreign
coins, franc notes, a bib to Thump[9]
(for which he will rightfully murder me), a
Captaincy EFM[10], etc, etc. I should have
some wedding-snaps in 2-5 days.
Anyhoooo, even if none of these things
get through, all I pray does make-
it-through it—All my love,
Dave
P.S. As a reminder when I’m home, who are {“Anzio Annie” & “Alsace Alice.”[11]
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Their infant son.
[3] Personal Transfer Account for sending money back home.
[4] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[5] Bracketed text is part of original.
[6] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[7] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[8] Bracketed text is part of original.
[9] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[10] Expeditionary Force Message, with numbers corresponding to messages for quick correspondence.
[11] In original, “Anzio Annie” is written above “&,” which is written above “Alsace Alice.”