Year: 1945

                                                          May 5, 1945
                                         Here’s what I almost wrote
                                                          May 5, 1925
Dear Family,
    I’ve been hoping that the war would be over or something big would happen today. But the big surrender of the Germans in the north and in Holland and Denmark that we got news of last night was about as much of a birthday present as I could expect. Last year at this time I was wondering when I was going to get my furlough and this time I’m wondering when the war is going to be over in Europe. And come to think of it, it’s only ten days less than a year since I was home. I sort of hope that the war here will be over before ten more days.
     I’ve sort of been on a vacation for a couple of days now since I’ve been back at cannon company. I can’t quite understand why they wanted me back here but since it’s such a holiday I’m not complaining. There sure is a big difference just to be even no further back than this. Maybe if we were in the midst of the war instead of the tail end of things wouldn’t be quite so settled back here but its almost like having a rest period to me. I am learning a little and sure am hoping that I never have any real need to use my knowledge.
    This is really a crazy war now. You don’t know whether to expect it to be over soon or not. You know what sort of stories you hear about victory etc. at home and you can just about imagine how much worse it is here. Really the big question in our minds now is what will happen after Germany is finished. Everyone is dreading the thought about going to the other half of the war. And then if you want to hear some big rumors you should you listen to them about this. I hate to think about it but I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself among those that do go from here to Asia. As far as the army is concerned I guess there’s no big reason why I shouldn’t . The Lord is supreme there too so I’ll just trust him as I have thus far.
    As far as my birthday goes, I have received three or four cards from you. If I could get back to the company this evening I expect I would have a couple of letters. And to be truthful a letter with a little news in it is appreciated as much or more than anything that could come.
                                                         Mon. Night1May 7 
    Well I didn’t get this finished at the time I was writing it for the simple reason that I sort of relaxed for a minute and went right to sleep. Then when I awoke we were receiving orders to shove off so that fixed the letter writing. So much has taken place between then and now that I’m just going to sign off on this and start a completely new letter.
                    Love,  Donald

This is scanned in color because it is written on the back of a letter from his father¹also scanned, see the post for April 14 and is more legible in color.

                                                         April 29,45
Hello again (this is Jack Benny)
   I have often thought of this but never actually did it before. But since this is airmail paper and my supply is just a little short, I hope you won’t mind. I feel sure that you will be writing to me today so since I can, I guess it’s only fair that I should write you.
   In my last letter I mentioned all the mail from you up to the one I am writing on (April 16): I can’t complain too much when write you on the first of the month and before the month is over hear that you received it.
   Perhaps I might try answering a few of your questions. Daddy wanted to know if stories about prison camps are true. I have never seen any of these that our boys have been in but from what I have seen of the way the Russian prisoners were treated, there is little doubt in my mind about the truth of the stories. There have been scores of times that we have found American Red Cross packages in German hands. They were intended for our boys but never reached them.
   About sending me sox once in a while. We are usually pretty fortunate in getting clean sox. We trade our dirty pairs for clean ones and they are sent back to be laundered. We generally get changes about twice a week and I try to keep an extra pair in my pocket so that I can do a little laundering for myself once in a while. However, sometimes things slip and it’s a good while before you get a chance. I won’t say not to send a pair occasionally but just to use your own judgement. 
   Mother mentioned how nice it would be to meet someone I knew and if I’ve told you about either one of these just overlook my forgetfulness. I didn’t know either one of these but I have run onto (in this regiment) a boy from Muncie and one from down around Markleville somewhere. You might even recognize the guy’s name from Muncie; I’m pretty sure I do. It is McKenzie and he played on the Burris basketball team. He also went to Ball State and played basketball there. Guess what was just about the first thing he asked me when he heard the word Orestes. Did I know Muff Davis. 
The other fellow I met in Cannon Company. His dad is a big farmer and he said that he had been to Alex several times for 4H affairs. He also said that his mother was great for home economics stuff so you might have seen her name in the paper. His name was Whistler, Joe Whistler  I believe. If it’s possible to find people from that close to home, one might run into anybody.
   I’m sure glad to hear that you have made a start toward fixing the back part of the house. I’d like to be helping on that deal but since I can’t, I’m just glad that it is being taken care of. It sounds sort of familiar to hear Richard tell about his class getting ready for Senior week. I guess it’s just about as much fun to plan for an occasion like that as the actual thing is.
Well I hope things are running along as well as usual back there. I guess summer vacation has started now. God bless you all
        Your son & brother, 
          Donald
Oh yes I got to go to church this morning

                                                        April 26,45
                                                        Germany
Hello Folks,
   Well I must say that I’ve done pretty well lately getting letters from my brother James. Guess I’d do well to write to him a little more often. I got his Vmail a couple of days ago and yesterday evening I got the regular letter that he had written. One of these summer days when you can’t find anything to do I’ll be very glad to hear from you again, Jim.
   I also got another birthday card from you people last night. Considering everything I don’t expect mail very hard this afternoon but who knows. No doubt I’ll still be here when the mail comes today. I can let you know.
   In my last letter I was crabbing about the weather but sometimes like today it can clear up and really be beautiful. Then maybe you think I don’t get just a  little longing to be back in Indiana. The sun is shining so brightly this evening that I could enjoy doing most any kind of peaceful work out in it - even riding a tractor. By rights this seems like an afternoon that might be spent plowing corn about six inches high.
   If I was guessing I would say that tomorrow will the last day of school for Dad and Jim. Of course, last Friday would have been the 20th so it would have been impossible for it to have ended then. I expect you’ve told me at least a couple of times when it would be out but I’ve forgotten.
   I saw the mail man come in with the mail just now so I’m going to sign off ‘till after it’s sorted. I may have more to write about then.

                                                              8PM
   You may think it funny that I am writing at this time of night when we are living in pup tents but it is just beginning to get dusk and I’ve a good bit of light yet. Anyway I go on guard duty at 9 so there is no use going to bed. I intended to get at this earlier but I sort of messed around and didn’t get to it - read my mail twice, fixed a telephone for one of the platoons, etc.
   I sure struck it rich on the mail tonight. I got three letters from you - April 8, 12 and 14. As mother wrote to me once, it sure is good to get mail especially when you hardly expect it. I was proud as a peacock when Richard told me about planning to start at Purdue. I’ll sure be thinking about him and hoping and praying for his good luck. I just hope the war is over before six months roll around (another physical). Have the bees been sold yet? I just about hit the mail on the head when I guessed about school’s being out, didn’t I?
   I understand that our division is now part of the 1st Army. So even if I’m not in the same army with some of the Orestes boys, I guess I am in the same one as Charlie1"Charlie" is probably the same Charles Johnson as wrote the March 29 letter. 
Apparently the Division was moved from the 3rd Army (Patton) to the 1st Army, because the entire VIII Corp, of which the 87th Division was a part, was moved. That likely didn't make a practical difference at the time. In early May the VIII Corp was moved to the 9th Army. Apparently the Army was planning ahead: the 3rd Army ended up occupying Germany, so they were probably shifting around units that would not stay in Europe.
.
   Well before it does get dark, I’d better sign off. Thanks for the clippings.
Be good and God bless you all,  
       Donald

                                                      April 23,'45
Good Morning,
   I’ve just looked over a few old letters to find something to say but I guess some of them have already been answered. Since I wrote last I’ve received three letters from you but two of them were older than some that had come before. The latest one to date was dated April 4. That was the first one addressed Sgt.
   On the same day that I wrote last I got a box but since the mail just goes out before it comes in I didn’t get a chance to tell you about it. I couldn’t read the date on the postmark so I can’t exactly tell you how old it was. It contained mostly English walnuts and divinity fudge and got here in excellent shape. It couldn’t have arrived at a better time and we sure got a lot of enjoyment from it.
   Well things look better all the time but so far it's not over yet. One of these times, though, I’m going to say something like that and it’s going to be before the letter reaches home. Maybe that’ll happen before this one gets there, who knows. It’s a cinch that if we should cover ground in proportion as we have the last month it wouldn’t last much longer than a week. A month ago this time I was back with Cannon Company on the other side of the Mozel and now I’m almost in Czechoslovakia.
   This letter possibly will be sort of messed up but when you are living in the rough this writing is uphill business. In the winter we were allowed to stay in houses whenever possible but now we have to pitch tents on a hill outside of town. It has to be near a town so the big shots can stay in houses. When the weather’s nice is OK outside, but we’ve really had more unpleasant weather in April than we did in March. In fact is almost been miserable the last few days. I can’t complain too much though. I’ve sweat out lots worse things than this - not only worse weather but also worse other things.
   Hope everything is O.K. back there. I’m sort of expecting a letter today. It’s been a couple of days now since I got any. God bless you.
       Love, 
        Donald
P.S. Evening. I didn’t get this sent out today so I’ll tell you that I got a birthday card from you this afternoon. Thanks a bushel. Thanks too for the stamps.   DVT

This letter, from his father, Willis Tappan, was on the back side of the paper Donald used for his April 29 letter, where he also references some of the questions his father asks in this letter. The date of April 14 is inferred, because it was written shortly after Franklin Roosevelt’s death (April 12, 1945)

                                            Saturday Eve.
Dear Donald,
    I am going to surprise you and start my Sunday letter tonight. There hasn’t been much work accomplished out of doors to-day as we had planned as it has been raining a cold chilly rain to-day. I was going to finish planting potatoes if it hadn’t rained. This is earlier than usual but everything here is two to four week ahead of its self. Jimmie & I planted two rows last night with the shovel. We are putting them on the east side of the east this time. I expect you will recall you were here and helped plant them last year &  just look where you are now. We have all the garden planted. It really looks nice for this time of year. The peas are about 1.5 inches high and the onions are 4 or 5 in. high. We hope no cold spell will come along and spoil things for us. Our early potatoes are not up yet but should be most any time now.
    We are laying out a big order for our spare time this summer. You remember mother has wanted the old bee house torn down for a long time, well Richard started on it the other evening and would have finished it today if it hadn’t rained. Don’t be surprised if when we get at it we cut down the size of the old big porch. This is another thing mother has wanted for some time. We may change the well house & porch into one room. I also want to build to the north of the garage and make the big doors on the south. If it is possible I will make a double garage out of it. The house should be painted & I hope to build some cement walks. Now don’t be excite we may not get all this done but one has to plan before anything is accomplished.   
     I expect you heard about the death of the President (Roosevelt) almost as soon as we did. It came in here about 5PM. It certainly was unexpected to all. I wonder what re-action you saw among the soldiers over the news. I just heard over the radio a minute ago that next week will be the last week of organized resistance among the Germans. We all certainly hope that that is true. But from what we hear, it will not be all over even then. However that certainly will be a big step toward the end.
    We received your April 1 letter to-day and was very happy to receive so recent a letter. It certainly would be a very joyous experience if you could be on hands to help liberate Wendell. I certainly hope all of the Allies soldiers are soon freed.
     I will sign off for this time. Take care of yourself. May the Lord watch over you at all times.
                        Your Daddy, Good Night son.

Sunday after Sunday School just before dinner.
The radio is on now: We are listening to a news broadcaster in Germany. Giving an account of underground German prisoners. We hear quite a bit of discussion as to whether many of the horror reports we hear are true or are they only the exception. Especially the starving of the soldiers in the camps. I’ll bet you know first hand about some of these things. Mary says the news reporter was George Hicks.
    To-day continues to be cool with a drizzling rain starting. As it coming from the east it will probably last a few days. Sunday School and church wasn’t crowded to-day as one might expect according to the weather.
    Tuesday night is Morris’ commencement. (If he is yet at home at that time.) They were to let us know if he had to leave soon. We haven’t heard anything recently so we assume he will get to be at  home for a while yet. Mother & I went to Alex. yesterday to get Morris a graduation present. It is a job to know what to buy  a person entering the service. We found a fountain pen at Baileys for $2.39. (It is difficult to find pens of any kind on the market now.) We don’t know if he has a pen or not, but we thought this would be good enough for him to take with him. We may call Everetts this afternoon to find out if they have heard things recently. If we do we will let you know in this letter. We want to attend his commencement.
May you always hold fast to your Faith,
                                   Your Daddy