March 6, 1945 Somewhere in Germany

Hello Sis: 

Well how is my favorite sister by this time? I am just as good as ever. I received a letter from you yesterday and one today with one from Jack in it. (I am sure that my Dad was referring to my Uncle Jake but I don't remember Jake being referred to as Jack.) And I am always glad to hear from him. He asked me if I thought things looked any better over here. Well to me it looks like they are on the run. But we have one big job ahead of us and that is the Rhine. And if they last that long I don't think they will old out much longer after we cross it. 

I was glad to hear you won your first game in the Sectional and hope you win it. I guess you have been wondering if I received the packages with the juices in them or not. I have received one so far. I guess the others will be coming in soon. 

I was wondering if Jack would like to have a German rifle for a souvenir as we can send them home now. Be sure and answer this.

Well I guess I had better close for this time. As we have a picture show tonight and I don't want to miss it. I'll write again as soon as possible. Be good and don't worry about me. 

 Love, 

 "Bert"

Third Army - Through France and Beyond

 I decided that this would be as good a time as any to insert a historical video about Third Army and their war efforts across France and beyond. Interestingly every time that I watch one of these historical videos I continually look for glimpses of my Dad. Of course I have never actually seen him and I am sure that hundreds or thousands of other descendants of WWII soldiers do the same thing when watching videos such as this.

January 28, 1945 Somewhere in Germany

 Dear Sis:

Well at last, here I am again. And I guess it is about time. But I have been pretty busy as you probably know. I wrote Mom a short letter last night, and decided I had better write you tonight. Mom said you would feel bad if I didn't write to you.

I sent Mom a picture last night, but it didn't come out so good it is so dark you can't hardly make it out. but maybe you can have it made over so it will come out better. I had a picture taken about two weeks ago but it takes a long time to get them back.

You remember the guy I was telling you about, that was from Washington? Well I talked to him and he was telling me some of the fellows from Washington that are in his outfit, but they are in different Co. He said Bill Donaldson, Mack Eagle and Charles Burris and some other I didn't know. He told me Charles Burris CUT OUT FOR SOME REASON. I wonder if that is the Charles Burris we know? 

Well mail has been coming in pretty good but I didn't get any today. In one of your letters you said Jake wanted to know how much I weighed. Well I don't know as I haven't got weighed since I've been over here. But I think I have gained a little. 

Well I guess I will have to close as it is getting late and I can sure use some sleep.

Be good

Love

"Bert"

February 17, 1945 Somewhere

 Dear Sis:

Well here I am again and I am just fine as usual. Haven't received any mail from you for 3 or 4 days.

Well I saw a guy from Washington the other day but haven't had a chance to talk to him as yet. He is in a tank destroyer outfit that is with us now. I have saw him several times and I knew his face but didn't know his name. So I asked another fellow in his outfit if their was anyone from Washington in his outfit. And he told me there were several guys from Washington in it. The guy I saw, he said his name was Alaman and he named the others but I didn't know any of them by name. The guy that told me all this was from Vincennes. I guess I'll go see him tomorrow. Well I guess that is enough of that.

How is Jakes B. ball team doing by this time? I'm sure glad he beat Princeton.

I haven't received any answer to the letter I wrote to Bob N. Have you heard anything about him? I was thinking he might have got wounded or something. And I haven't got any answer to Gerald McGee's letter. But he just won't write I guess. I know he's not wounded. 

The last letter I got from you, you said you saw in the paper where I got the Combat Inf. badge. It isn't anything much but I get $10 more a month for it.

I thought you were going to send me some pictures. I am going to send you one before long, one of the fellows took it the other day but it takes a long time to get them developed.

Well I can't think of anything else to write so guess I will have to close. Until next time be good, and don't' worry about me.

All my love

"Bert"

76th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge and Photo Album

 

Today marks the 76th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Even through I have already posted information about this important, turning point battle of WWII and this is not normally the day of the week that I post in Letters from a Foxhole, I thought this would be a good day to create an online photo album of the pictures that my Dad sent home during the war and also to take a few pictures of items that are in Geraldine's scrap book and some pictures of various mementos and awards that Dad brought home and/or received for his service.

The pictures in the album that I have created are in no particular order. Some pictures were taken several months after the Battle of the Bulge and during the final months of U.S. occupation. Most of the pictures include my Dad in them, but many are either pictures of some of his buddies during the war, or just pictures of the countryside.

There are several pictures of some sort of an "assembly" in some,

yet to be identified city. Dad appears in several of those pictures as a member of the "color guard." If anyone who views the album and recognizes the city, or knows anything about this particular assembly of troops, I would love to know more about it. My intention is to add any information that is gathered over time about each picture as I learn more.

If you are interested in looking through the Album please CLICK HERE

February 10, 1944 - Somewhere in Luxembourg*

 *(Dad wrote 1944 on his letter below, but it was actually 1945 as you will see on the envelope post mark)

Dear Sis -

Well I guess it is about time I was trying to write you a few lines. I sure wish I could write more often. but I just can't seem to get around to it. I have received several letters from you and mom the last few days, and I sure was glad to get them. I got a big kick out of your newspaper letter, maybe you should go in to the newspaper business.

It looks as if Jake isn't doing so bad this year. He sure ran off from Bruceville and I hope he beat Princeton on the 2nd.

I was just thinking about that stuff you sent from at N.Y. I sure would like to have seen it. I bet it was a big laugh.

You have been asking about the snow and cold weather. Well our snow is all gone. And we are having some of that same old mud we had two or three months ago. The rivers and streams are about twice their normal size. And it makes it bad for crossing.

I think the last letter I wrote to your or mom one, I was in another rest but now I am back to the old job.

You have told me some thing you have saw in the newspaper at home and you have been wondering if it was in the Stars and Stripes. And all most everything you write about is in it. I am going to try to send you one later on.

You were asking about Gerald McGee and Bob N. well I never did receive any answer from Gerald, and I haven't received any answer to the last letter I wrote to Bob. But I guess they are as bad at writing as I am.

I see where the big 3 meeting is on. I sure hope it gets the damn ware over sooner. And for good to. I would hate to see my son over here twenty years from now, that is if I ever have a son. (HA)*

Well I guess I had better cut this one short, as usual, and say Good Night. I'll try to write again very soon.

Love

"Bert"

*(It is interesting that just 4 1/2 years later Dad and Mom had that son he was talking about in this letter (me) and 10 years after he wrote this letter the United States became involved in the Vietnam War. And 27 years after he wrote this letter I received my Draft notice.)

January 25, 1945 – Somewhere in Luxembourg

Hello Sis:

Well, here I am again, and I guess it’s about time. I haven’t been to busy the last few days but have been too lazy to write, I guess.

I have been getting plenty of mail the last few day, but there all mixed up. I got some written January 9^th and some as far back as December 20^th. So, it makes it hard to keep up with the news at home. I got one letter saying you beat Petersburg, and about a week later I got one saying that you were playing then that night. But I’m glad you bet them anyway.

I’ve been wondering about this draft. Tell Jack if he has to go up for another exam to try his best to get in the navy. Because I hate to see anybody that has to go to this infantry.

I was just thinking about one letter I got from you. You asked me if we go our evenings off, and don’t you think that is a funny question to ask? Don’t you know there is a war going on over here? But I guess it is hard for you to think of what I am doing, and it is hard to explain in writing. All I can say is, War is hell. I guess you have heard that one before.

I have your basketball schedule looking at it now and have been wondering how you did in the Wabash valley. Hope you won it. And I would like for you to send me a list of the games that Bicknell has played this year and the score of them. I have some of them but missed out on some of them. I also see where you play Princeton the 30^th and I hope you beat them anyway.

Well, I have run out of anything to say so guess I will have to close for this time. Until next time I will just say so long.

Love,

Bert

(Would like to have some more fruit juice if you have rationed stamps.

Write, written by G.G.)