May 18, 1945
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310.168.1-9.2017 Transcription
Dachau Concentration Camp
18 May 45 @ 7 PM
Dearest!
Im going to tell the TRUTH—
the truth about the “higher-ups” of this
orangization [sic]. My only regret is that
some of the ramifications might cause
you to worry, but please don’t. I just
cannot sit here s̅[1] “blowing-my-top” to
someone.
A sweeping summary, first, would
be that these “higher-ups” are some of the
most mentally (inate cerebral chromosomes),
medically, psychologically, “Christianly,”
socially, philosophically inadequate
people that could be put into any one
organiziation! The paradox of it all is
that these “Inadequates” have surrounded
themselves c̅[2] really good/”good” people
who take-eat-“swollow”-live in SHIT
because of the “higher-ups” {policies & demands;[3]
& these same good-people are just so
Christian they “see”-realize that a spite-
end-point would affect the patients &
not the “Inadequates”—THUS they
slog through “shit” for the patients
while carrying a burning vengance
for the “Inadequates.” Emily, time after
time; week after week; month after month
[2]
these good-people have been asked/called-
upon to do “The Impossible [(compared to other units)][4]” & have done
it! ———but month after month it
gets awfully disheartening/unfair/”boring.”
For over 6 months it was in a surgical-
aspect but for American boys of proven
ideals, learnings, background & trust-
worthiness———now for weeks
(2 already & more to come) we are asked/demanded/
shoved-into/had bridges-burned-behind-us
as regards medical (Internal Medicine)-aspect
of those sick in Dachau’s 40,000+
victims of SS Nazi Concentration.
Emily, this place from a doctors standpoint
is a seething, rotten, repulsive (even to MDs
& RNs) D{astardly [d]en of [d]isease[5] ! Ü ! ⋆ ! 卐 ! Ü ! 卐 !
The place figuratively buldges-seethes-
oozes c̅ typhus & tuberculosis.—
let alone all the rotten sores, unhygiene,
filth habits of these either {inate or created}[6]
½-animal-reminants-of-humanity.
Last &, yes, even least, it is psychologically
all so D{epressing & [d]astardly[7]! [as you can guess & see in Amer. news][8] The cares, cautions,
concerns of the “higher-ups” for we
personel is shamefully noncalant (sp?) !
[Ill not give details of their neglect—SCIENTIFICALLY &
FROM MORALE STANDPOINT—& dont ever
think morale-factor in wartime is a ballyhoo thing
for home newspapers.][9] Sure! the 116th has
made “records”—BUT INSPITE OF the
[3]
“higher-ups”—not because of the
“higher-ups”. Em, we are normally a
450 patient outfit—we already
have 1,260 patients & that sonofabitchin’
C.O. has told Army authorities:—“Why
no! my personel isnt tired; they dont
need a rest period (authorizable & due); they
are just hitting-their-stride.” Oh Em!,
that insane, crazy, rotten, “Spartan-
life” fool!—that Shit! ← (capital “s”)
He is so abnormal that no less
than 96% of the outfit (being medically
versed) have tried to analize him
not only psychodynamically but even
on common human basis. The
closest answer is this:—he was
one of the guilty, “caught,” lazy officers
of Pearl Harbor. You recall the
condemnation that fell on the heads
of those Honolulu Regular Army officers
for too much luxury, ease, pleasure,
comfort, unpreparedness, & lack of work.
Well, he must have made a vow that
never again would his Command
even have the slightest chance of
being observed to “have-it-eas[y],” have
it comfortable, or have it average (according to Army standards.)
Thus, he forces his Command
to lead the “Spartan-life” you’ve
heard of before & Im sure you under-
stand its connotation. If he was
[4]
only an admirable-respect commanding
type of person it wouldn’t “hurt” so
damn much (all this “shit” & Chicken-shit”);
but instead the only solace, comfort,
“reward” we 96% have is the patients
gratitude WHICH OF COURSE IS THE
END POINT IN GOD’S EYES.
However, V-E meant some rest,
some relief, some “breath” for millions—
for the 116th it has been no let up
& even a psychological “straw-on-the-
camels-back”—though the “[96%][10] camel”
hasn’t “broken” as yet.
Which brings up a point—
why do I write all this [other than the relief
of having “blown-one’s-top”][11]? Maybe its
this—————if, I write you that
(for example) Charlie Gillespie has died
of typhus [now dont worry, but in the last War—
note last-War—60% of all doctors & nurses
treating/caring for typhus died themselves][12]; or
that Chet Derbin will spend his
life, probably, in a TB san; or Lt
Janie Wilt (a truly fine Christian girl) has
had a “nervous-breakdown; etc; etc;
etc—I WANT YOU TO HATE THAT
C.O.-SHIT c̅ A VENGANCE THAT 96%
OF US DO, & SOMEDAY TELL HIM SO
(EVEN THO GOD DISLIKES YOU & WE 96% TO HATE)!
[5]
Em, I’ve just touched on generalities—
Ill give details verbally when I get home.
Which reminds me—naturally we all live in fear of
what is called “Army-spite”—a C.O., in a “gestapo-like”
manner, having someone who speaks {openly truthfully[13], sent to some
Pacific island, Alaskan, etc outpost for duty for years—
they can do it Em; they do do it, Em; & dont ever
think they dont. This war it is even more possible
& trajic [sic] as for years the world will be an armed-camp
& doctors just must be on remote islands, etc, etc for
years—they can always cover ANY {THING SITUATION[14] by
that clause (roughly):—“For the expediency of the Army &
the Goverment.” Let alone———how they can
“spike” an MD c̅ some Medical Society, some hospital,
some training institution, some specialty board, etc, etc.
Gosh!, we are all at a stage that to even think of
“CO-gestapo-banishment” (cloaked in “expediency”) keeping
us from our Loved Ones, just seals our lips so
tight you could get us to say “booo” to a C.O.’s
likeness/poodle if he voided on our pants leg.
Anyhooo, if you don’t think your
3 letters in the mail box this evening were
figuratively & “literally” life savers (psychological
“life”), you’ve another guess coming———
infact, thank ya, Mam.
Your May 3rd’s:- was a quickie
about war’s end—end to
what?—certainly not the end of
the 116th’s functions. [SEE EDITORS NOTE PAGES 1 to 5][15]
P.S. We are only a short way form Berchtesgaden but
c̅ hoards/floods of work PLUS C.O.’s restrictions most of
us (except “god’s-chosen-Majors) will ever get to see it.
However Ive drunk Berchtesgaden white wine &
lemon liquer twice.
[6]
Your May 4th’s:—Did I laugh! ‘n
laugh ‘n laugh!—yes, my dearest, I
laughed right “in-your-face” (letter’s face) when
I read your May 4th’s 3rd sentence:—(QUOTE)
“If its true (Germans not fighting the 7th Army anymore)
perph perhaps your work has eased up
& …...” [SEE EDITORS NOTE PAGES 1 to 5][16] !
Nope! we didnt get into C[z]echoslov[a]kia
or Austria—we “dropped-off-the-
band-wagon” at that station-stop
called D[astardly] D[achau].[17] We’d probably gotten another
battle star on our Etousa[18] ribbons if
we had—as it is we sneak
slyly & quietly & “guiltily” home (?) someday
c̅ one battle star; so called “one star
for the Battle of Germany,” [by][19] in official
Battle-Star-Decision-Boards.
Im s, too, am so glad Terry[20] isnt
a scared-clinging-rabbit as regards
strangers. Did ya ever get my letter about
how one whole day I repeatedly “dreamed”
his reactions to my coming home.
Your May 6th:- Ummm! dearest—
you do win the top candid camera prize
for that snap of Thump[21] reaching at my
picture. Geeee, what a perfect & thrilling
“vision”/vision! The enlargement (buggy sitting)
[7]
picture is nice too but not so
emotionally-significant as the “picture-
reaching-snap” Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
(Ho! ho! I see that that 2nd Army shoulder patch came
unpinned (remember?) & is buldging—whumpf!,
most unmilitary!).
Ad lib—often Ive ment to ask you if
you ever read the inside cover of the red Easter-Whits.
“Foreward”—not being an overseas
soldier it is natural that you cannot L-I-V-E
& tingle & glow & “feel” each word—but
boy! that inside cover does a lot for lots of us! Such
a clear, true, fine, helpful exp[re]ssing of things in our
Life, must mean that whomever wrote that is
at least a “Bishop Lewis.” P.S. Ill not tell you the number
of times (nor the circumstances) I’ve read it.
Im glad your eye inflammation was
so short lived, dear. We all get ‘em all
the time in this filthy-Europe—
penicillin eye drops (1:500 solution) every
3 hours cures us (you to ?) in sometimes
half a day.
Gosh! how I’d love to hear “The Hour
of Charm” do “Now The Day Is Over”—
let alone, “Stardust”! Geeeee—infact
[little boy on Bis 4th’s St][22] “Shit! What the Hell’s the use ah wishin’!”
Wanna know a very secret “secret”?
Right about this stage of Things/”Things,”
I agree c̅ your sentence about:-“probably
be glad I had the chance to have gotten home
(after having been there) on the way to (?) CBI[23].” [rather than direct][24]
[8]
And—dont have regrets about not
having an apartment for us to (ever) go
to dearest—yes, I know your
feelings & I agree, but just to be c̅ you
& Terry, would make me a “blank” for
what walls were around me, honest!
In one sentence you apologize for
expressing you[r] loneliness & “not-stand-it-
another-minute”—I, too, apologize
for “EDITORS PAGES 1 to 5” but I had to
really “blow”—& now I feel so
much better that I bet I wont get
myself courtmarshalled, I betcha! AND
please, dont worry about incidental
facts in pages 1 to 5. (cuz I could give you
scientific & personal “relief”-facts).
A 3X rep:- my overestimation about my
2 [(identical)][25] “liberated”[26] electro-16mm-F1.5 cameras is
again rementioned—I said worth
$500+ or maybe $800 to $1200, apiece. Cancel the
$800-$1200, but the $500 is pretty close. AND
of course I have two—so $500+$500 “aint-
hay.” P.S. As Hans[27] left yesterday he gave me an Italian
Berreta automatic; not too good or too new, but nice
enough; its like our Colt Woodsman on a “squatier” &
higher-caliber basis. Also (rep. 2nd time) maybe, just
maybe, a Leica (F2) arriving to you from Hans in some
very distant month would mean he was lucky enough
to “liberate” it off an S.S. (as he wants to do for me) on
his way home to Holland yesterday—& that it was most
expedient to send it to you instead of me.
Paper weight forces me to have left only—ALLMYLOVE,
Dave
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “without.”
[2] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[3] In original, “policies” is written above “&,” which is written above “demands.”
[4] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[5] In original, “astardly” is written above “en of,” which is written above “isease.” All stem from “D.”
[6] In original, “inate” is written above “or,” which is written above “created.”
[7] In original, “epressing” is written above “&,” which is written above “astardly.” All stem from “D.”
[8] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[9] Bracketed text is part of original.
[10] Bracketed text written above “camel” in original.
[11] Bracketed text is part of original.
[12] Bracketed text is part of original.
[13] In original, “openly” is written above “truthfully.”
[14] In original, “THING” is written above “SITUATION.”
[15] Bracketed text is part of original.
[16] Bracketed text is part of original.
[17] In original, “astardly” and “achau” are written above “DD.”
[18] European Theater of Operations, US Army.
[19] In original, bracketed text is written above “in.”
[20] Their infant son.
[21] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[22] Bracketed text is part of original. Bis = Bismarck.
[23] China Burma India. CBI was the US military designation for this area during the war.
[24] In original, bracketed text written in small print in the lower right-hand corner of the page.
[25] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[26] Looted.
[27] Hans Gerritsen, a Dutch paratrooper Wilsey became friends with while liberating Dachau.