Two Medics and a Little Church in France

 I am adding this video because I think it is relevant to the overall purpose of this blog and because it is very interesting.

It is hard to tell how many other heroic stories such as this took place during World War II. 

The Final Letter from a Foxhole - Sunday November 18, 1945

 (It is with a bit of melancholy that I post this letter, as it is the last letter I have that Dad wrote home to his sister Geraldine. Since this is Memorial Day Weekend, it seems appropriate to post this final Letter from a Foxhole.)

Dear Sis:

Just a few lines to let you know I am still O.K. and to send these two hankeys. I have one more I will send later. I am expecting to leave here in the next 2 or 3 days. So you probably won't hear from me anymore until we have moved. I am also enclosing some Check money.

That is all for this time.

All my love

"Bert"

I don't know where Dad went after this letter home, but I know that he departed Europe on January 1, 1946, and arrived in the United States on January 8, 1946. He was Honorably Discharged from the Service on January 13, 1946, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

 

 Later in 1946, he met Helen Jean Fields at a dance in Loogootee, Indiana, and they married on March 10, 1947.

Seventeen months later, on August 2, 1948, I was born, their one and only child.

 

Although I have no more letters to post in this blog, if I find additional items that are related to my Dad's journey during WW2, I may create new posts over time. 

Thanks for following along. 

 

November 17, 1945

 Dear Sis

Received two letters from you today and was very glad to hear from you. Was sorry to hear you didn't have a good time on your trip to the big city. Well, as you have probably read in the paper, all troops have to be out of Check by the first of Dec., and we are supposed to move this week or the first of next week. So the next letter I write to you will probably be from Germany. I have sent three boxes to Mom from this town so be sure and tell me when she gets them. I am not going to send the radio I've got. I am going to take it with me and will probably send it in 2 or 3 weeks.

I was glad Jack's team won their first basketball game. I have been playing basketball here with the boys we have a pretty nice gym. I hope we have one in the town we move to.

From the way you wrote your last letter, you don't think I know anything about the point system. Well, the 80th in class 1-T, and that is temporary occupation. All of our 65 and 66-pointers left today for the 90th Division and I still have 59 points as we don't get 1 point a month added on as you think. The only way we get points added on now is if we get a decoration or battle stars. And I'm not going to get any. So I still don't know when I will start. So if any more people ask you when your brother is coming home,, you tell them he is coming home the first. The first chance he gets. HA. Well I guess that will be all for this time. I will write you as soon as we get in the new place.

Good night and all my love,

"Bert"

Monday November 5, 1945

 Dear Sis:

I received your letter today asking about buying our old house. Well, I wouldn't want it if it is in the same condition as when we left it. Did Myers have it remodeled in any way? Or is it still the same old junk heap with a pretty coat of paint on it? I will go half on it with you if you think it is a good buy. You will have to be the judge.

I haven't been doing anything since I last wrote to you but lay around, and I enjoy it very much. The "Checks" had a big celebration the other day, and we had to be in it; they gave us a "Check" flag. I was color guard by the flag and got my picture in the paper. 

I will send you the pictures the fellows took and maybe one of the papers.

Did I tell you about sending the box home the other day? Be sure and tell me when Mom gets it. And I have two more I am sending this week.

Well, I guess that is about all for this time I will try to write again this week. 

Be Good

All my love, 

"Bert"

October 25 - Hello Sis

Hello Sis

How are you by this time? I am just fine and having it very easy. We are not doing anything but keeping our telephone lines in working order. I don't think I told you but I'm not driving the jeep any more. I only drove for about 5 days the last time. I went to sleep when I was supposed to be awake. HA So I am a wireman again. And it is much easier as I had to do a lot of work on the jeep. And now I am just taking it easy, waiting for my ship to come in. And I think I'll have a pretty long wait.

I was glad to hear you got rid of one at; why don't you have Jake get rid of all of them at once? Isn't there a river close to where you live? HA And can't you have that damn drown cat cuh, or something. (Know idea what this means. RGD) I guess you liker her to much to put in a sack and throw in the river. HA

I sent a box home today. It was just a bunch of nice "junk." I will probably send another next week.

The mail is coming in very bad. And I guess the few I write are coming in bad too. But I don't guess you could tell if they were coming in slow or not, as I'm so slow about writing.

I guess that's about all for this time. I will try to make myself write again very soon.

All my love

Uncle Bert

P.S. - I hope it's a girl

September 30, 1945 - Kraslice, Czechoslovakia

Dear Sis:

Just a few lines to let you know I am still alive if you have been wondering. We are now in Kraslice, Czechoslovakia. It is about 275 miles from Landsburg, and I don't like it here. The people are most all Germans, but they are different. They all speak German, and they all have to wear armbands to show that they are Germans. And boy! there are plenty of girls, but they aren't as nice as the ones in Germany. You asked me if I had ever been out with any girls over here and how we talked to each other. Well, I'm getting so I can a pretty good conversation in German. And you can make them understand with your hands. HA

Well it doesn't look like I will get home this year so you can send the packages if it's not too late and I don't care what you send I can use anything but there is one thing I have in mind. I would like to have some good American fire water. HA So, see if you can get away with it. And if you don't think you can, do this...get some hair tonic bottles and fill them up. And be sure the bottles are up to the top, so they don't gurgle if someone shakes the package. That's how the other boys get it sometime.

Well, I guess that's about all for this time. I'll write again very soon. (Did I say that in the last letter?)

All my love,

Bruce

September 13, 1945 - Lansburg

 Dear Sis:

I guess it is about time I was writing to you, as its been about a month. I wish I had someone to make me write more often but, I just can't seem to make myself do it.

We are still in Lansburg, and we are having it pretty easy. I am back driving a jeep and am keeping pretty busy. I went back so I wouldn't have to be on guard all the time.

Well, there aren't very many old men left around here now. The men with high points have gone to outfits that are leaving for the States soon, and the low pointers have gone to occupation. All that are left have from 45 to 65 points, and the latest rumor is that the 80th will leave in November.

I received a letter from Gerald McGee, and he has 80 points, so I guess he will be home soon. I haven't heard from Bob Neidig for some time; I don't remember whether I answered his last letter or not.

Well,, as I said we have it pretty nice here in Lansburg. We have movies every night and some stage shows about twice a week.

I guess that is about all for this time. I'll try to write a little sooner next time. 

Until then, all my love.

"Bert"