April 6, 1945

 

1945-04-06-1_Page_1

        Camp Edwards, Mass.
            6 April 45
            1 PM
Darling:
    Have been sitting around day dreaming ever
since I've talked to you - it was so wonderful
to hear from you - or rather to hear you -- whether
you realize it or not we talked for 14 minutes
last night - didn't cost much though only $12.11 - I
almost had a breakdown when the charges came
thru - but was happy to pay because it was
worth every cent or more - I've been dazed since.
I want to get home so much to see you &
Jack(!) and see all the folks -- I Love you so much
Darling!  I've always worried about you so
much that it was beginning to get me - it always
seeemed to fuitle - there wasn't a darn thing
I could have done had I been there - and of course
the other problem of getting home was quite a
question - so now that our Baby is here & I've
set foot on U.S. soil I'm going to settle down and
relax & let the Army take it's damn able time!
What a great day it'll be when they hand over
that 30 day furlough -- but Honey don't be
as optomistic as it may be 3 weeks before I get
home - it all depends upon the Hospital - it's
the general practice to leave in a few days
after reaching your general Hosp - so I

1945-04-06-1_Page_2 just hope it is that way at the Hospital I end
up at -- will probably go to Chicago - the Gardner
gen Hosp - there are none in Wisconsin - but
all the places are so full that they send them
where they can - they've slapped me in the
general surgery group - it scares hell out of
me - I've already rolled in that operating
Room 3 times - it's a dangerous place!  I Love
you!  When they pulled out my appendix
I thought you were going to be a widow - I'd
liked to have kicked the bucket - I got everything -
Oxygen - Blood - Dextrose & Penicillin - rather
rough shape for two days.  I've had some
880,000 units of Penicillin - an inch long
needle every three hours for 5 days & nights -
my arms were so sore that I could hardly raise
them - it's wonder stuff though!
    How's our Son Peg? Have been
thinking about calling him Jack - you know
when his girl friend(s) call they won't need
to be so specific -- I'm really thinking a
few years ahead eh what?  Jack Brey - pretty
nice name - what 'cha say Ma is it Jack
or Johnnie - (Don't mind me I'm only Jealous
of my Moniker) I Love you Honey!
1945-04-06-1_Page_3     Didn't spent hardly any money till I
got here - and look at this
    Total when I got here: $126---
    Call to Home -          3.50
    Call to Ma -            3.50
    Call to My Honey -     12.11
    Pair of shoes -        4.50
    Traveling Bag -        3.95
    Haircut - shampoo etc - 2.00
    odds & ends -            18.50
                   47.86 all in a
24 hour period - and I still have all my
insignia - Ribbons - cap and stuff like that to
get! It's really rough - money goes like water -
was just wondering how far that $300 goes
when a gey gets out -- they'd getter give more
or bring prices down!  By the way get a
duplicate copy of Jack's birth record so we can
get that extra $30 - I'm no going to get anything
done here because it'll be like my insurance - just
a mess -- I Love You Honey.
    Suppose you're wondering a little about
several of the guys in the Company - about 3/4
or the Company is either killed or missing in action -
Nov 14th they jumped off to take St Hubert and
it was suicide - but they did get it - and
left a holding force there and pushed on - about
noon there was a heck of an explosion - the Jerries
had left a delayed charge in the Fort
blowing up the whole works - killing everyone
  1945-04-06-1_Page_4

in there - it was a heck of a blow - about 45
men from E Co were in it 0 so then the
Jerries cut off our Battalion - and for 6 days
they were out there on a hill in Jerry territory -
no food, ammunition or blankets but plenty
of guts - about 140 men out of the whole
Battalion survived!  Birkman - Killed, Klug
(Sgt Ldr in my sect.) Missing in Action, Peak 0 Wounded -
Shindler - shot himself accidently, Berens - M.I.A., Lamb-K
Augustine (Plt Ldr) wounded, Backwich (Plt Sgt) Wounded Bad,
Dickenson - Wounded, and scores of others! Oh yes - Janke
went nuts.  Ole was killed about 11 o'clock
Nov 13th - he was hit by sniper fire & never knew
what hit him - it went in one temple and came out
the other - at least he didn't have to suffer - death
was instantaneous - the heck of it is he new he
was going to get killed - or at least always talked
about it.  That's where I differed.  Always knew I'd
get out of it somehow - but had many anxious
moments - those damn Germans are pretty good fighters -
and they just Loved knocking out Machine guns.. but
we always kicked hell out of them - enough of
that stuff -- I Love you Honey!
    Honey give our Son a little kiss for
his Pa & take take care of yourself -- god
Bless you!
        I Love you!
        Love & Kisses
        Johnnie

 

 

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2 comments:

  1. Transcript corrections:
    Peak 0 Wounded -> Peak - Wounded
    E Co -> E Co.
    Nov 13th -> Nov 14th
    Machine guns.. but -> Machine guns, but

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  2. History of the 95th Infantry Division (including the taking of Fort St. Hubert): https://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/95thinfantry/index.html

    ReplyDelete