June 17, 1945
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310.192.1-5.2017 Transcription
Bad Mergentheim, Germany
17 June 45 @ 11PM
My dearest,
It’s a bit later than usual that
I start my talkin’ c̅[1] ya—but
today, as a whole, has been better (nicer)
than most days.
My first Eucharistic Service
in months at the B. Merg. Castle this
A.M. was nice. After the Service, Chp
Patrick said he’d like to talk c̅ me
sometime in his office. Dunno why;
the only thing I can glean is think
is that he figures maybe Im a good
Churchman from just the natural way
I conducted myself at the Service.
Guess Chaplains dont see too many
people familiar c̅ the Service. Anyhooo,
I dunno!
“Rotted-around” & slept most
of the afternoon. Then at 6PM I went
to a French-“USO” show at the 63rd
Division’s theater. It was really quite
good! From there I hurried downtown
to “our” hotel (where the E.M. live & we all eat)
to see the movie “When Irish Eyes are
Smiling.” Geeeee! but that show surely
hit me just right—it’s one of
[2]
the best I’ve seen in months. Have
you seen it?
Another thing to make me feel better
[after that catastrophic “let-down” about not
being Home in early August as the latrine-rumor
had us “sold”][2] is the clarification of
how-when-why these Shipping Lists
work, & re-encourages my amended
statements about what date I
might kiss you. Shipping Lists
apparently were/are made up for a
block-period of 3 months. Supposedly
we were supposed to be on that first
“block”—but weren’t (or were taken off).
That block-period began some month
or so ago so at least 1/3 of the time is
already gone. Probably in early August
another “block” will be made up AND
[“again!” she screams][3] the 116th is supposed
to be on that block for sure, according
to the very best “latrining.” Geee, darlin’,
lets pray so—hard! Of course
preparation, processing out of Europe,
ocean travel, processing in the USA, &
“beating-your-gums” to get leaves
started, all add up to latest August-
mid-Sept-or latter Sept—but who
[3]
cares if it will only H A P P E N !
Another thing—add 28 (or 30) days leave
bring us [well][4] into October [GOODIE! GOODIE! I
COULD BY WITH THE SWELLEST PERSON IN
THE WORLD ON THE DAY SHE WAS BORN
INTO THE WORLD ! ! !][5] or maybe into
November; add weeks to a month
of training, processing, & delays etc etc
AND—WE MIGHT FIND
OU[R]SELVES “STUCK” (good-“stuck”) iN the
BELOVED U.S.A. as Japan crumbles.
(Already, yet, once, ya!—we know what it
is like to be “stuck” away from the USA when a
war ends—all is so damn slow!)
Anyhooooooo, all in all—
I feel a wee bit above a snake’s belly
tonight for the first time since that
catastrophic let-down occurred.
The work the 116th Evac does each
day is a joke. Tsk! tsk! They’re killin’
us—I think we have at least
10 whole patients. My! And—I
gave 2 anesthetics yesterday; each one
musta lasted 9 whole minutes apiece.
Oh me, whadda joke—by comparison.
Say! if Im not careful, too, Ill be
getting a wee bit fat from all this
non-expenditure of energy. Anyhoooo, our
[4]
schedule is, Jacobi “works” (?) one day while
Im off, & then I “work” while Jacobi is
off. Nurses work 6 hours about every
3rd day. Surgeons work every 2nd, 3rd or
4th day. Whadda joke!—by comparison.
AND—tomorrow we move into
a very swanky 300 bed-z sized hospital
building that held only convalescing
Krauts[6] here in Bad M. Guess I never
did mention that this whole town &
its suburbs is a Kraut hospital
center; something like 10,000 to 15,000
Krauts are here in dozens of scattered
hospital buildings. (Rep:- I did mention,
didnt I, that we set up in a token number
of tents for the 5 days it will/would take to
shoo the Krauts outa that swanky building?)
Anyhooo, as of this moment, things iz
brighter, Schmaltzie ol’ girl! [or is it
also that deeeeeelicious Wis. cheese that I just
ate/sparingly nibbled at—infact I hoard
it even though I shared 2 different kinds c̅
other guys when it first came. Geeeee, that is
wonderful stuff, darlin’!][7]
Just like———that most
wonderfulest Stuff in the World that
God made my Precious Wife & Baby
outa——aided a wee bit by——
All my love,
Dave
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text is part of original.
[3] Bracketed text is part of original.
[4] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[5] Bracketed text is part of original.
[6] Germans.
[7] Bracketed text is part of original.