May 21, 1945
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310.171.1-5.2017 Transcription
Dachau Concentration Camp
21 May 45
[A.S. I surely
hope my Happy Anniv.
EFM[1] for ONE YEAR
gets there by the 26th.
It was sent today &
5 days should be
right on the nose.][2]
Hi, dearest,
A few minutes ago I had a
momentious (?) decision to make. I could
“dramatize” it but why. A so called
“Adjusted Military Rating” is being done
on all soldie[r]s {male or female.[3] One of the
questions is do you, or dont you want
[or will you, or wont you—I guess is
the way it was worded][4] to: “stay in armed
service until the present emergency is
over.” No choices at all except a flat
YES or flat NO. Firstly, what ever a
person says does not count one damn
thing, R-E-A-L-L-Y. Especially officers,
are all passed on a Board-basis
irrespective of points (guess mine are 38) &
so it is really silly to even ask an
officer—AND—super-especially a
doctor (c̅[5] such a demand for them). The thought
(& logic, of course) is that the army just
ain’t gonna take months (up to 9 yrs for a doc)
of time-out between Etousa[6] & CBI[7]
to train officers. Well, so much for
that angle. Secondly (& maybe firstly), you
asked me to go help guys—sorta on
your behalf, etc, etc—let alone
[2]
on God’s-“behalf”. Sooooooooooo,
whatinhell could I do but answer “YES”
when theres lots of thousands more to
be helped in the C.B.I. Shit! shit!
shit!—whadda life—you
answer “YES” to a question you’re
screaming “NO” about in your heart,
and would give the left side of your
body to think a “NO”-answer would
get you back to 2 such Prefec Precious
Guys. Infact—Shit! shit! shit!
I could write for hours but will
condense it into one paragraph:—do
you know that after all our work
in medical-filth, environmental-filth
& “psychic”-filth here at Dachau there
is a percentage of these patients [it would
appaul you][8] who are (1) not the least bit
appreciative (as PROVEN in many ways) & (2) some
are so flagrant as to be condemnatory
of us (even to the point of threatening to go to their
Legations). Why, Em, we could just
scream!—& even God, I imagine,
would say we were justified. If nothing
else, we are certainly here in a very
full & complete Good-Samaritan capacity,
[3]
let alone a medical (100% modern & scientific)
capacity. Each day, dear, more & more
nurses and doctors & enlisted men
get burned to the core by this in-
gratitude & unappreciativeness & un-
thankfulness.
Which———brings up
another key-note-phrasing of what
you’ve read in many of my letters
(since Dachau):—It is “impossible”
to see how {Germany or a German}[9] {can ever or for at least 100 yrs[10]
look-anyone-straight-in-the-eye
after this holocaustic bestial crime
they have perpetrated against Humanity!
Why, I hope for 100 years they keep
reshowing newsreels of the S.S.-Gestapo-
Nazi “policies” & practices! P.S. And dont
be a gulable (sp?) goat like some who say:-“Why!
we didn’t know such was going on—
THEY DID! and just didnt have either or both
the {guts to stop it [or] the passive/non-resistive reveling in Germany’s New Glories.[11]
Also, of a “heckeling” nature (but different)
is this {Rest Camp Leave “Breather”[12]} rumor stuff that
comes hot[t]er ‘n heavier every day. It is
somewhat certain that a Recreation Center
is being arranged for our drawing-zone
[116th, 127th, etc, etc][13]
[4]
at Ensbrook (sp?) which means the Alps
at the German end of the Brenner Pass.
Ensbrook isnt compulsory, I guess, but
they (supposedly subtily) throw every obsticle
in your path to make it hard to
go elsewhere—thus, you are
“strongly encouraged.” Well, here is one
Wilitzski[14] who doesnt want Ensbrook
but instead England ↔ Holland (or go
to England & sneak to Holland, or vice versa).
Naturally Hans[15], is a very important
reason for my feelings & “choice,” but there
are many others too. About my only
gleam of hope is that we “rumorly” hear
some nurses are moderately certain of
having a airplane conveyance for one or
the other of {Paris Rest Period Riviera [Rest Period][16]. Thus, if
it is possible to break the “Ensbrook-
encouragement” for Paris or Riviera,
why isnt it possible to “break” it
for England (↔ Holland). But, as you
know s̅[17] my even saying so, if our
“Spartan-C.O.[”] has anything to do c̅ it
we will not even get Ensbrook but
straight into Marsielle (as soon as this
mess is corrected) for direct C.B.I.. Really,
[5]
dearest, this isnt just talk—infact
Ill just rep (in case it was lost) the C.O.’s
to words to a higher officer viz. “Why no,
my outfit isnt tired; [after all we’ve been thru!][18]
they are just getting warmed up (& their
second-wind).” Em! such a man
belongs either {back in Grecian (Spartan) Days [or on] Himmler’s or S.S. planning Board![19]
Still no mail! 4 (or 3) days ago I
got 3 letters in a bunch but most
of the 116th hasn’t had mail for days ‘n
days. Gollieeeeeeee!
So, my Most Precious, Life drags
(plentieeee drag!) along each day. Infact—
“War-She-Is-Hell!”—And How!
About all I can do good is dream of
you & Terry[20] while I keep L-I-V-I-N-G
All my love,
Dave
P.S. Gosh I lovez ya, soooooooooooooo!
P.P.S. One thing—no one can ever say I didnt answer “YES”—even
though my heart screams-roars-aches “NO”!Ü!«!卐!
[1] Expeditionary Force Messages, with numbers corresponding to messages for quick correspondence.
[2] Bracketed text written in the upper left-hand corner of the original.
[3] In original, “male” is written above “or,” which is written above “female.”
[4] Bracketed text is part of original.
[5] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[6] European Theater of Operations, US Army.
[7] China Burma India. CBI was the US military designation for this area during the war.
[8] Bracketed text is part of original.
[9] In original, “Germany” is written above “or,” which is written above “a German.”
[10] In original, “can ever” is written above “or,” which is written above “for at least 100 yrs.”
[11] In original, “guts to stop it” is written above “the passive/non-resistive reveling in Germany’s New Glories.”
[12] In original, “Rest Camp” is written above “Leave,” which is written above “’Breather.’”
[13] Bracketed text written in small text at the bottom of the original page.
[14] Wilsey’s nickname for himself.
[15] Hans Gerritsen, a Dutch paratrooper Wilsey became friends with while liberating Dachau.
[16] In original, “Paris Rest Period” is written above “Riviera “ “ .”
[17] Medical abbreviation meaning “without.”
[18] Bracketed text is part of original.
[19] In original, “back in Grecian (Spartan) Days” is written above “Himmler’s or S.S. planning Board!”
[20] Their infant son.