Nebraska Soldiers & Letters Home

Aug. 7, 1945

Aug. 7, 1945

Near Ulm, Germany.

Dear Mom:

Since I haven’t written for about a week I guess I’d better start getting on the ball again. This is Monday morning and I have about 20 minutes yet so I’ll try and scribble a few lines.

I’ve been pretty busy the last week. Started going to school again. I suppose you read about the Army’s school program. I am taking up Crop Management & Soil Conservation and Auto Mechanics. I’ve only went twice now but I believe it is a pretty good course.

At least I hope to learn something. We have taken over a German schoolhouse and go to class just like in High School. We all have a certain seat to sit in and take tests and everything. Kind of helps break the monotony around here so I think I’ll like it.

Also had a softball game about every day last week. I play on the Company softball and volley ball team both. So far we’ve lost one softball game against give wins and we’ve won six volleyball games in a row.

Received your letter of July 25 last nite and also a nice letter from Chuck. He seems to like it okay but he says he don’t have much time to writ. When he writes me he always says Dear S/Sgt. ha I guess he thinks as much of Sgts now as about everyone else in the army. ha

Yes Gail and I had a good long visit. He told me he was going to try and get a discharge. I don’t see how he can do it though cause about the only way you can get out now is by points.

Didn’t get to Church yesterday. Had to go three miles and didn’t make it. Kind of slow when you have to walk. We really

do have a swell chaplain. The other day I was guarding a stockad and Father Murphy came down with some rosaries, missals, scapulars, etc. He told me, “Boy do I feel proud. I have more followers in there than any of the other chaplains. ha He’s always pulling some joke. No we don’t have a chapel of our own. If there isn’t a Catholic Church around Father makes a little alter on a table. While we were in combat we usually had mass in a field cause in most of the little towns the churches were wrecked. In Germany here the little towns are better off. I sent you a paper last week and it had a

picture of the cathedral in Ulm in it. It really is remarkable the way it didn’t get damaged and all the building for blocks around are wrecked. Another thing in many of the wrecked churches and houses I have been in, the crucifix is never damaged. Lot of time there is only one wall standing and there hangs the crucifix.

I suppose you’re about through harvesting. Sure seems good I’ll bet. How is the corn looking?
How many bushels of wheat, etc. did you get this year?

Well guess thats about all for right now. Got to go on a parade right away. I’m

glad you send Frances my letters cause I’d never get around to writing very often. I’ve kept saying I’d write oftener than I have been and this time I’ll promise to just to make sure. Goodby for now. Tell
all the kids and everyone hello. With lot of love.

Your son,

Gerald.

Aug. 10, 1945

Aug. 10, 1945

Near Ulm, Germany

Dear Mom:

Decided to scribble a few lines tonite[sic] cause there isn’t much else to do anyway. It raining to beat the dickens outside and I’m not going out unless I have to. Sure has been awful wet here the past week. Today makes the end of the fifth straight day of rain.

It hasn’t cleared up a bit yet either. I can understand now why these farmers have to cut their grain and haul it right into the barn cause it never gets dry enough to thresh. They do all their threshing in the wintertime. There’s usually one or two big barns in a town and they load their grain on wagons and haul it there to be threshed.

Oh yes I got another package, the one with the marshmallows, candy bars, and hard candy. I got it about four days ago and I’m still sucking on the hard candy. I like it that way cause it lasts longer and I’m just about lost if I don’t have some candy, it seems like. Thanks a lot and I’ll be looking for the next one.

Well the war news really does look good don’t you think? I don’t believe it will take too much longer to finish it up. That sure must be a powerful bomb they’re using. I hate to think of what another war would bring. The Russians entered just about the right time. The Japs got a double blow there and I imagine it kind of hurt.

That must have been a terrible crash in that Empire State Bldg. It must have been awful foggy if they couldn’t see it. I really did enjoy all those newspaper clippings. I sure hope you keep sending them. They kind of gave Tommy Harrison the works but I never did think he was worth much anyway. Florence sure did look cute in that picture. I’ll be she felt plenty proud, getting her picture in the state paper. The wheat up around Waunita [sic] must have been awful good. Rayak’s [sic] wheat was awful good to [sic]. How much did our best field make? I don’t suppose they liked the army chow too good when they were at the camp combining. Army chow has all got a funny taste to it I think. Our eats have been fair lately. We’re going to have southern fried chicken tomorrow. My best buddy is Mess Sergeant so I’m going to try and get seconds. ^ha There’s usually about all you can eat though so don’t have to worry about that.

Sure much be hot down there where Chuck’s at. I haven’t hear from him for about a week and he seemed to be doing all right and getting wise to the Army to [sic]. ^ha It just take a little while to get used to it and you can make it alright.

I’m still going to school or did I tell you that I was. I’m taking up Livestock Production, Crop Management and Soil Conservation. Our teacher graduated from U. of Agr. at Maryland so I think I’ll learn something.

Guess that’s about all the gab for tonite [sic]. I’ll try and write again tomorrow. Goodnite [sic] for now.

Lot of love to all,

Gerald

Aug. 14, 1945

Aug. 14, 1945

Near Ulm, Germany

Dear Mom:

Thought I’d scribble a few lines tonite [sic] just to say hello. Main news tonite[sic] I guess is that World War II is finished. It just seems too good to be true. I was getting on the truck coming back from school when I heard the news. Several of the boys are pretty high tonite [sic] but I really don’t think that’s the right way to celebrate. I think I’ll write a few letters and then go to bed. It sure didn’t take the Japs long to fold up after Germany quit. I think that atomic bomb must have encouraged them a little bit. That really must be a terrible weapon and I’d hate to think what the next war would be like.

Don’t know when I’ll get to come home as yet. There’s all kinds of rumors, flying around. This division has been over here since the start of the war practically so it looks like they’d be sending it home.That’s something none of us know though. There’s so many men overseas now it will be quite a while before it’s all straightened out. I just hope I can make it for Christmas. I’ve missed the last two now so I’ve got high hopes.

Received your letter of Aug. 1 today. It seems like the mail is terrible slow. I got a letter from Elmo in the Phillipines [sic] dated July 29. That isn’t too bad cause it sure travelled a long way. He don’t seem to mind it too much. I imagine he’ll get to help occupy Japan. We’ve been telling these people that Japan is whipped so they think we will leave right away. For some reason I don’t trust any of them but some of the guys seem to like the girls alright. 

S/Sgt. James of Michigan, one of my best buddies went to France to go to one of the University Centers. Would you try going if you was me? I don’t know whether to put in for it or not. Might not even get to go anyway cause they only let certain guys go.

I’d like to see Don driving the old Model A. I suppose he gets quite a buzz out of that. I imagine Tom and Nellie help him. Does Jim haul grain with the other truck? Well don’t know much to write about. I feel kind of lonesome here tonite [sic]. The guy I bunk with went to England on furlough. He’ll be gone for at least three weeks so I’ll be all by my little self. He’s a little Italian guy from Virginia but sure is a swell guy. He was baptized in the Church when he was a baby but his folks never did go so he don’t know much about it. He’s going to start going with me when he gets back. He had always kept mentioning about going to Church on Sunday but I always figured he was Protestant. He finally told me all about it the other day.

Guess that’s about enough gab for tonite [sic]. I’ll write again as soon as I can. Hope this finds you all well, as I am. Goodnite [sic] and sweet dreams.

Lot of love,

Gerald.

Aug. 19, 1945

Aug. 14, 1945

Near Ulm, Germany

Dear Mom:

Thought I’d scribble a few lines tonite [sic] just to say hello. Main news tonite[sic] I guess is that World War II is finished. It just seems too good to be true. I was getting on the truck coming back from school when I heard the news. Several of the boys are pretty high tonite [sic] but I really don’t think that’s the right way to celebrate. I think I’ll write a few letters and then go to bed. It sure didn’t take the Japs long to fold up after Germany quit. I think that atomic bomb must have encouraged them a little bit. That really must be a terrible weapon and I’d hate to think what the next war would be like.

Don’t know when I’ll get to come home as yet. There’s all kinds of rumors, flying around. This division has been over here since the start of the war practically so it looks like they’d be sending it home.That’s something none of us know though. There’s so many men overseas now it will be quite a while before it’s all straightened out. I just hope I can make it for Christmas. I’ve missed the last two now so I’ve got high hopes.

Received your letter of Aug. 1 today. It seems like the mail is terrible slow. I got a letter from Elmo in the Phillipines [sic] dated July 29. That isn’t too bad cause it sure travelled a long way. He don’t seem to mind it too much. I imagine he’ll get to help occupy Japan. We’ve been telling these people that Japan is whipped so they think we will leave right away. For some reason I don’t trust any of them but some of the guys seem to like the girls alright. 

S/Sgt. James of Michigan, one of my best buddies went to France to go to one of the University Centers. Would you try going if you was me? I don’t know whether to put in for it or not. Might not even get to go anyway cause they only let certain guys go.

I’d like to see Don driving the old Model A. I suppose he gets quite a buzz out of that. I imagine Tom and Nellie help him. Does Jim haul grain with the other truck? Well don’t know much to write about. I feel kind of lonesome here tonite [sic]. The guy I bunk with went to England on furlough. He’ll be gone for at least three weeks so I’ll be all by my little self. He’s a little Italian guy from Virginia but sure is a swell guy. He was baptized in the Church when he was a baby but his folks never did go so he don’t know much about it. He’s going to start going with me when he gets back. He had always kept mentioning about going to Church on Sunday but I always figured he was Protestant. He finally told me all about it the other day.

Guess that’s about enough gab for tonite [sic]. I’ll write again as soon as I can. Hope this finds you all well, as I am. Goodnite [sic] and sweet dreams.

Lot of love,

Gerald.