May 18, 1945 Hello Folks, Could you guess what I’ve been doing? I’ve been to Paris. I didn’t intend to let all the time slip by without writing at least one letter but I just didn’t get it done. When I wrote you on the morning of the eighth I had no idea when I was leaving. But no sooner than I got the letter finished and I was off. I just got back yesterday evening so you can see that there is a good bit of traveling time to spend three days in Paris. We did spend one night going each way at a rest camp in Belgium. Trucks took us from here to the rest camp and then it was a train ride from there on. Five hundred miles by truck sure was a long, hard, dirty ride. I did have an enjoyable stay though in Paris. The Red Cross furnished a place to stay and your meals. It only cost me 40c a day for a room and 20c for each meal. With food conditions like they are, eating would be quite a problem if it weren’t for this. There was nothing that one would want to buy except some souvenirs and you can just about guess what sort of a hold-up price they charge for things like this - about six times what it is worth. You could see movies for nothing, ride the subways for nothing and get your necessities through the army or the Red Cross so the trip cost very little. Lots of army men spend enormous sums in Paris but it’s always on something to drink or something along that line that’s no good at all to them. I spent one afternoon on a sight seeing trip so that I could see the interesting places that I might never find for myself. THe Red Cross sponsored this also so you can see they do a pretty good job of making your pass interesting. I'll send you the leaflet telling about the trip rather than try to list the places myself. In the letter you wrote on V-E day you wondered how I would be spending the day. I believe that starting to Paris was a pretty good way of ending the war. I got eight letters and a package from you last night but I'm not going to try to answer the letters this time. I want to be sure this gets in the mail today I was happy to hear about Richard’s scholarship. Congratulations. The package was mailed April 6. I have opened one of the cases inside of it and it turned out to be divinity fudge. That sure made me mad! We’re living a pretty easy life right now. Most of the outfit is guarding captured equipment. I don’t know anything about the future and don’t suppose I could tell you if I did. Of course, everyone is trying to guess about it. I’m going to sign off on this and get it started on its way. I think I’ll start another letter to you before the day is over. Be good and God bless you. Love, Donald
