World War II in the Words of My Uncle: July 24, 1944 "Little Room" (Post #61)

From the 15th Field Artillery Regiment Yearbook

STAFF SERGEANT HANFORD MAURICE RICE DIARY
1st Battalion of the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division

July 25, 1944 (Tuesday): "2900 allied heavy bombers came over.

The Jerries shot down five of them. The allied attack for the Brest peninsula started."

Somewhere In France

July 24, 1944

Dear Mother,

Things are just about the same here and I'm still well. As I write it makes me think one year ago. I was on my way back to Camp McCoy [Where he went to be trained in the army for 9 months before going to Europe] as you remember. Sure never dreamed that a year from then I'd be in France and who knows by another year I'll be home. I'd like to tell you about things that are going on as I write but you know how some things you can't tell.

Know we're not having weather hot as that back home, as by what you write it sure must be hot. As the papers printed, troops in Normandy are getting plenty of rain which is a little handy cap. When we do get a few good days they're like dog days back home.

Received your letter with the clipping last night and it was very good. We got a notice that mail had been slowed up a little but soon would straighten out.

If I ever do any trading with Eugene [his brother] guess I'll watch my step. Seems to me he's quite the guy for putting over a deal. So the fellow wanted $7.50 and he'd put it in the bag. haha Eugene put it in himself for $7.00. [One dollar in 1944 had the same buying power as $14.17 in 2018. So saving 50 cents in 1944 would be saving $7.08 in 2018.]

I bet it won't be long before Joe [his brother in law married to Helen] is on his own, yes, and Eugene too. As you say it's hard to work for a man after he starts making a little money and that's all he thinks of. [Joe's boss was known not to pay his workers well.] Even what he's paying now he'll make plenty of money. You tell the boys to keep up courage things will be different someday. Guess most people around home don't care much about Claude's crew [Claude was Joe's boss. He was a potato farmer.]

So you are doing a lot of sewing. Well, how do you like it? By the way don't get any ideas haha. You won't have many shirts for me when I get home as I wear them a month now haha- one shirt a month.

Your letter last night was the first one that said anything about being in combat or in France, then you were only guessing. Don't forget to listen or watch for news of my outfit as some already has been printed. That is what Pauline said. She saw in the paper that this division was in France.

Enclosed is some more money. A franc in French money is about two cents. You'll find three notes, five, ten, and one hundred francs, three dollars and ten cents in all. Funny thing but money is not all the same size, not even some the same evaluation, for example, another hundred francs note is almost half again the size as I am sending you but this one I had on me when coming ashore in France, in fact, all this money. The fifty and hundred-bill is real French money but the small one [five francs] is invasion money printed by the Allies. The French hid a lot of their money when the Germans moved in and some was sent out of the country. Maybe I can get hold of some French coins later on, if so, I'll send them home. For two months here we were paid four dollars a month but as there was no place to spend it things worked out alright. Now, I'll have a little extra money coming up whenever they pay me, so guess I'll send it home and maybe Eugene could put it in the bank for me if you don't need it. Might need a little when I first get home [Gorham, Maine, USA] to buy a few clothes etc.

Yes, my birthday is about here [Aug 14] but I hate to ask for anything. I don't want anything that will be in the way or make my pack too heavy. Of course, I can leave it on the truck but many times that's not around and you know how things sometimes go, then again the truck might get hit and burn up. Here are a few things you could send as I will need them or will. Writing paper, Shaeffer ink, Shaeffer super fine pencil lead, few small tubes of toothpaste. You see I can put one tube in my pack and leave the others in the truck. Every little bit lightens your pack and we have no barrack bags to put them in. Extra shoes and a very few other things we put in a burlap bag on the truck. When I came over I even cut a bath towel in two so as to make my pack smaller. If you can find it put in some candy. I do not need any shaving cream.

Guess I'll say good night. Everything is alright. Don't forget the clipping you sent me. Hello to Dad and all. Had to take some money back as you can't send more than fifty francs in one letter. Wait I'll send you more mail.

Love Charles