Friday Evening
Jan. 12, 1945
Dear Family,
I sure would like to write you a chatty letter once again. I am happy every time I get to write a V-mail but when something better can be done I’d like to do it. I hope you can feel that the little letters I do get written once in a while are at least a partial substitute. As you probably have guessed by this time even when we do get back for a little rest there is very little spare time. In the first place ther wouldn’t be a rest period even now if we weren’t in desperate need of rest so every minute could be put to very profitable use just in resting. Then of course there are always a million other things to do like cleaning up etc. so there just can’t be too much time spent in letter writing. And while I’m on the subject of being busy, now that I’m pretty deep into the communications work, a good bit of my rest time is taken getting the equipment back into workable condition. If I should fall asleep in the middle of this & then not get it finished for two weeks I think you’ll see the reason. I suppose we must average about a couple days a week in at least partial rest but there is so little time during the rest of the days that this is really a necessity.
I want to tell you a little about what I have been doing. Under conditions like this the people doing different jobs change so fast that you are lucky to be dooing one thing very long. If you are lucky enough to be in after a month of this it is very unlikely you are doing the same thing you started out doing. I thought I would be a rifle soldier but the first couple of engagements found me carrying one of the little radios I was trained in using. Then pretty soon it became necessary for me to begin operating a good bit bigger type of radio which I had to learn to use from first hand experience. It’s really a big job to fight carrying that 60lbs of radio on your back but it’s got to be done by someone. Now things have changed so that I’ve got to do a good bit towards looking after the wire and communications needed in the company. I’m getting experience and plenty of it even though it has to be the hard way.
You can see by my address that we jumped around a lot but we always go at night and never get to see much of the country except where we stop. I’ve seen lots of places now – U.S., Scotland, England, France, Germany, Luxemburg and Belgium. Belgium has some of the mosst beautiful scenery anyone could ever want to see but we are in no position to get much of a kick out of that.
We get mail every few days now so you can rest easy on that. It generally comes up to us with our food. I sure am thankful that my stationary & box of goodies got here when I have a little time to enjoy and use them.
I believe that there are only a couple more subjects now that I want to tell you about. One is that whenever it is possible we get the best food. We even get more candy and gum than we did before we hit combat.
The other important thing to us is our trust in the Lord. When we are in a tight spot there is no one that I’ve heard talking that doesn’t pray. And they aren’t ashamed to admit it either. II sort of got wobbly on this page). The main trouble, of course, a lot of the religion doesn’t go any further then the immediate need for help. They don’t comprehend any other side of it. Those of us who really are interested (no reflections on the rest) are really glad when we get back where the chaplain can hold services. I was hoping there would be one today but when I saw him this evening he promised one tomorrow (if we’re still here, of course). Scripture verses also give me a lot of encouragement. Give me any special ones you happen to run across.
I’ve got to turn in but I sure am glad that I have been able to write this one real letter. Bear with Vmails till I can do it again. God bless you and take care of yourselves.
Love, Your son and brother, Donald