June 12, 1945
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310.188.1-10.2017 Transcription
Bad Mergentheim, Germany
12 June 45
Hi, darlin’,
Before I forget—(1) Another nice
box c̅[1] malted milk tabs [YUMMMM!][2] bars,
milk, stationary, olive-butter, Fels, etc
came, AND I’m sure a’thankin ya! Seee!
(2) The second pkg of printing paper came
through in 10 days. Last but not least
4 nice letters came [Finally!—our A.P.O.[3] 758
got routed up here from Augsburg so here’s hopin’
no more 7, 8, 9 etc “gaposises” occur for awhile][4].
Which brings up a subject I better
write about before I go to answering
your letters. Yesterdays radio must
have given my Dearest both {½ sadness [and] ½ joy}[5]
reactions. They must have sprung onto
Americans that the 7th & 3rd Armies
would be the ones to occupy the Reich.
(“S.&.S.”[6] carried it as headlines). Now—
I shall set about to dumbfound you &
puzzle you (maybe myself too, a bit). Anyhooo,
I S T I L L have the fairly good chance
of kissing you (Aug 15)-AUG 30-(Sept 10).
How come?! ponders the gal——— the
radio (via Washington) decreed the 7th along
[2]
c̅ the 3rd Army would occupy. True!
the run-of-the-mine(army)-units—not
the specialized units such as an Evac,
for example. Yes, dearest, I still fear
they want the 116th in the Pacific but
via redeployment through the USA—
which mean (we hope!) 28 days [was it on
the radio?][7] or 30 days or at least 21 days
leave at home. We have all gotten
to feel, despite Sarrebourg feelings/”theories”
for example, that if we can only see
our loved ones some way, we will
“sign-off” as against a direct CBI[8]
via Suez. Such still seems to be
the case. SHAEF & Paris feel we [116th E. Hsp.][9] could
well be a weary outfit from our 14,000
p[atien]ts in 7 continuous months & “deserve”
something, yet we are the “can-take-it”
kind of outfit they need in the Pacific.
Sooooo, “divey” things up via the
“break” of letting such an outfit go
via the States. Also, as you surely
know or surmise, certain Divisions
are thought of in the same light—
we may come Home c̅ the 45th or 63rd
Division, which you could say, is 7th
Army & thus the “radio” wouldn’t permit
- Anyhooo, such is the dope; the
[3]
“latrine” dope [Thus if radio or paper says 45th or 63rd are enroute—hold every 2nd breath][10]. And—every time I
dream-along-on-paper like this I feel
what a “heel” I am!—(if some
“screwball” change should rush us
fast via Suez). Anyhoooo, Precious,
please, please, please, please
“brace” yourself for (1) saying goo-bye
to a Pacific bound lug & (2) a fairly
remote possibility of last minute rushing
of us through the Suez. Only very remotely
would “plans” change enough to make us into a
Station Hosp in the Reich for the next 8+ months.
Also, before I forget—we got
another Letter of Commendation out of the
{astardly
D {achau——— this time from General
{eal
Adams viz “…..into horrible conditions
…” & a lot of other adjectives I didn’t
remember. Oh yes, that Wash. Columnist
Mrs Craig [(I mentioned before)][11] has written 3 editorials
in Eastrenseaboard [sic] newspapers about
the 116th: Dachau; one is good, & 2 are
a wee bit corny writing. Now—
Your May 30ths:—have 2 “thank-ya-
mam” stamps. Dog-gone that “Home
Front”!! You dont even have to write
it, dearest—I know it. (tho not all details)
[4]
Guess all we can do is wait for
the “Army Front” to cancel itself so auto-
matically the “Home Front” can get
cancelled.
Is this a Celtic cross?[12]
What is the significance behind dogwood
on a reglious [sic] structure? Anyhooo,
I’m awfully glad that Clarice’s grave
has a nice memorial. [I’ve always sworn
that part of “my-first-$10,000” shall/should be a befitting
correction of the marker for a swell Doctor—Doctor Lillian May
Gale Wilsey][13].
(Rep.) Please don’t feel you have to
rant on paper about Dachau, darlin’.
I know that you know/“see” & that’s
all I care about. Just you make others “see.”
Just about now I’m begining to
worry about Hans[14]. Two letters & 2 or 3
verbal messages (via refugees) have availed
me nothing as to contacting him.
I wish I didnt, daily, have the premonition
that something terrible was found as
regards Chrisie & Victor, & that he
just “roared-loose” on a one-man-
Nazi-extermination-raid. Gosh!
P.S. Even if I have to “half-go-over-the-hill” I want
to know (or see) about Hans before I leave Europe.
Ad lib:- I finished “Forever Amber.” I didnt
particularly like it—nor impressed. The ending “hangs.”
[5]
Your May 31st’s:— Geeee, Im sorry,
dearest, that your psyche is shot to
Hell———& please dont worry
about {it or the[15] [supposed][16] letter writing inability.
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez!
I, honestly, see little difference in
the letters, & I know the psyche will
get straightened out. Yes, dearest,
I do have an idea how much you &
Terry[17] need me——& it is 100%
reciprocal/mutual too.
No, dear, I dont-didn’t-wouldn’t
make fun of Fred Chard’s {reaction or brood.[18] War
& Dachau changes lots of things that
you will have to just see for yourself.
You & I & 279 other people know
what would happen to a certain C.O.
[AND HIS DETACHMENT (of EM) COMDR.][19] if they ever
got near a combat front line. You
have no idea how I have leaned
backwards [as you [belatedly][20] ask][21] re: trouble of
any kind. OK? Feel better? O.K.!
(I aint gonna be a “banished” garrison of occupation doctor on “Guam).
Please read this off specifically
for me to Dad:—I want him to
have each “half” of those 10-power artillery
[6]
observer’s glasses. Along c̅ studying
cameras I’ve studied optics too—
photophysics & optic-physics are hand
in hand. Now—that’s why I’m
so glad Dad can have this particular
set-up as 10-power is the best
ratio that it is possible to have
portable. After a little lookin ‘n
figurin’ he can see how to remove
the somewhat triangular-like flange
base [or utilize those screw ∆ flange bases to
create side-by-side mounting][22] & make a
“union” of {wood or metal or wire}[23] & thus have even a
better power-pair than a General (they
only have 7.35 or 8.5 power hung on a neck strap).
The only “disadvantage,” & that not a real
one, will be {30° to 45°}[24] cocking of the head to
use them—but so what, when
you can get 10-power, as against
a General’s “measly” 7.35 or 8.5. They
are fine Zeiss lenses & have excellent
rotatable sun-filter glasses. Lastly,
that is why I sent those 2 “paired”
artillery scopes was so he could
have them. They are in separate boxes
for “pillage-safety” so lets hope all the
harder that neither box is pillaged.
[7]
This paper-describing is hard s̅[25] becoming
too lengthy, but you tell Dad to do
c̅ them what & as he wishes as the
“paired-blackies” are for him, & then
I can help him mount them if he
hasnt figured it out before I get
home. There’s only one reservation—
I “forbid” him to watch girls
undressing a mile away just
because he can do so. Seeeeeee!
Also, I might add that infantry GIs
(who get “first-crack” at all such stuff) go
around selling the 7.35 & 8.5-powers
for $45 to $85 & thats about our only
way of getting neck-strap glasses,
so I’m pleased for Dad that he
can have even a monetarily “pleasant”
vision of over a 100 bucks. Remember!
no lookin peekin’ at “neeked” womenks
off the top of N. Daks “Silo;” seeeeeee! [(even tho able)][26]
Dearest, I (QUOTE YOU) “confess” just
as much that I need you, lean on
you, & am insufficient s̅ you. God
is the feller who makes Us that way,
I am sure.
[8]
Your June 1st’s:—[2, thankful, stamps.][27] I’d like to describe
something on paper but its tricky; its
all so deep in the realm of deep, unshakeable,
things that I (or anyone) cant do very
well. Anyhooo, a-long-story-short—
is that despite your very accurate &
convincing written description of
infedelity for almost ½ a page [re: dentist][28], I never
once “twanged” even an iota. Now,
that is proof of even my inner-mostest
Being—when every hour of every
day is surrounded by a life of
infedelity here in Army of Occupation.
My Europe-infedelity letter 2 nights ago will make this clear.
P.S. Because our dentist is such a lazy, disreputable,
disgusting, rotten person I fear much of our
first days together should be spent c̅ me in
a private non-Army dentists’ chair. Gosh!
Whumpf! whumpf! whumpf!, yes
where—where on earth (or in genetic
chromosomes)—could Thump[29] have “gotten”
his glee for riding. My! my! I am
just as much at a loss to explain it
as you were in your letter. Hummm!?
Even though its so wonderful ‘n
swell to dream about Terry knowing
me when he sees me (PS I’ve done it only a few
times—5,197 times) I’m still “way-behind-like”
“braced” for him to cry.
[9]
Your June 3rd’s:—Is all about
everything I agree & feel—you &
Clarice are right about your philosophies.
I’ll not repeat—just say “ditto.”
The {war for men & waiting by women}[30] do do things
to each. I honestly believe most things
“to” me have been “benificial”—and
that the only one “unbenificial” thing
[that decrease of decisional confidence thing (rep)][31] can be
helped 99% if not eradicated by my
Precious wife. I’m so relieved & glad
that I’m coming home to you, Emily.
You, because you are who who [sic] are, &
because you posess all my love, you
can just unconsciously give me the
help I need, as God’s Help runs
concommitantly c̅ yours.
I {love miss need}[32] you so, dearest,
Dave
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text is part of original.
[3] Army Post Office.
[4] Bracketed text is part of original.
[5] In original, “½ sadness” is written above “½ joy.”
[6] Stars and Stripes, a US Military newspaper.
[7] Bracketed text is part of original.
[8] China Burma India. CBI was the US military designation for this area during the war.
[9] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[10] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[11] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[12] In original, there is an arrow pointing from “cross?” to a drawing of a thick cross with a filled-in circle drawn at the meeting of the arms.
[13] Bracketed text is part of original.
[14] Hans Gerritsen, a Dutch paratrooper Wilsey became friends with while liberating Dachau.
[15] In original, “it” is written above “or,” which is written above “the.”
[16] Bracketed text is part of original.
[17] Their infant son.
[18] In original, “reaction” is written above “or,” which is written above “brood.”
[19] Bracketed text is part of original.
[20] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[21] Bracketed text is part of original.
[22] Bracketed text is part of original.
[23] In original, words are stacked vertically in descending order, with “wood” written first, and “wire” written last.
[24] In original, “30° to” is written above “45°.”
[25] Medical abbreviation meaning “without.”
[26] In original, bracketed text is written in small print below “seeeeeee!”
[27] In original, bracketed text is written above the line.
[28] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[29] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[30] In original, “war for men” is written above “&,” which is written above “waiting by women.”
[31] Bracketed text is part of original.
[32] In original, “love” is written above “miss,” which is written above “need.”