January 25, 1945
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310.94.1-3.2016 Transcription
Somewhere–France
c̅[1] 7th Army
25 Jan 45 @ 6 P.M.
Howdy, darlin’—
These past 3 days might be
called “Picture Days:” – 1st I sent snapshots 2 nites
ago; 2nd I sent [today][2] your Wedding Anniversary Present
[yes! Im giving it 4 months to make-it-through][3]
in the form of a French artists picture of me in
uniform (as explained in detail in last nite’s letter); &
3rd, tonight, I send the non-snow-picture I tried
to [quickly][4] get for you over 3[5] weeks ago as well
as the snow-picture taken just a few days ago.
[Repitition:—I surely hope my “off-the-(chronological)-beam”
Present for Anniversary Jan 26th encorporating captured
Kraut[6] stationary + snaps reaches you s̅[7] loss ∴ Souvenir & Pictures[8]
Sooooo, you see, Emmie Schmaltz—
what a stimulus your sending me indoor Xmas
Day pictures has done for you! (P.S. Truthfully, its all
only coincidence). Ho! ho!
No letters today but that’s sorta expected—
Hell! anything under 2+ weeks from now on
[even though we are on supposedly good channels][9]
will seem like a “gift”—after what
we all went through on “NO-MAIL-SERVICE” prior
to the last 4 days. (Repition: - Last night I just
“bubbled” about your (first) swell box c̅ tweezers, milk
grand stationary, etc arriving yesterday).
I’ve just been doing thoughtful procrastination
on thes offer to join the 2nd Auxillary Surgical
Group that I wrote of at great length about
a week ago. I havent even gone to “bull” c̅
Sully (Major Sullivan U of Wis G.H.)[10] the C.o. of 2nd Aux Surg Grp
but Ill go to just talk c̅in the next 2-5 days.
[2]
Its foolish (based on mail service ← (?) to-&-from) to
wait/hope for your reaction on this 2nd Aux. S. G.
but, boy!, I’d surin’ Hell like to have it
before going near Aux Hdqrtrs again. Aw, Hell!
I V-mailed Duncan McGillis as you
suggested, & V-mailed Margery’s answer to
her second (or third) letter to me here, today.
Boy! her mail-speed-luck is way over &
above the Bismarck-dog-sled—wish I
it was your luck—instead of her’s!
Repitition:-Randy, I just learned, is in P-A-R-I-S—
gee!—would it be swell to be given one of
those Paris trips that the nurses drew lottery for,
every so often—I’d see Randy, Dean (Brigadier
General) Middleton, & Doctor (Lt. Col) Tovell the Etousa[11]
“big-shot” in Anesthesia.
REPITITIONS:- (1) I hope so much that my
New-Years Eve present to you, & you alone, of
$50 P.T.A.[12] has long since arrived, plus the
explanatory letter. (2) Your beautiful “Christmas-
Letter did arrive. (3) I finally learned via a
3 month delayed letter that the record “DONT WORRY”
arrived. (4) 2 batches of airstamps did ↑ NOTE ↑
arrive in 2 letters, & I found the 5 stamps in
the bottom of the stationary—thanks, again, darlin’.
(5) Please hasten in buying photographic printing
paper; (guess it comes in only bigger pkgs than an
“airmailable” size); have someone c̅ a dark-room
re-package it into pkgs that will go for the price
of 2 air mail stamps; & lets not trust the postal
package-service to hobbling bigger purchased-
size quan[ti]ties over in 2-7 months—OK, darlin?
There’s lots to do before going back at midnite
on this never-ending Thursday-Work-Shift-Plan,
so I’ll close &— I’ll dream—& Ill pray— c̅
All my love, Dave
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[3] Bracketed text is part of original.
[4] Bracketed text is part of original.
[5] In original, there is an arrow pointing from “3” back to [quickly].
[6] German.
[7] Medical abbreviation meaning “without.”
[8] In original, “Souvenir” is written above “Pictures.”
[9] Bracketed text is part of original.
[10] In original, “U of Wis G.H.” is written above “Major Sullivan;” G.H. = General Hospital.
[11] European Theater of Operations, US Army.
[12] Personal Transfer Account for sending money back home.