As shared to me by Glynn Raby Jr, a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, "Peter, After we crossed into Germany, our forward progress increased, due to less and less opposition. One factor was that we didn't dig holes in the ground at night, but used the houses in the villages. I have forgotten the names of many towns, but we entered one just after dawn. The Platoon Sgt. got word that we would stop there for some time and picked a house for some of our Platoon. He directed me to check the cellar while he checked the second floor. I encountered some enemy and ordered them to come up the stairs with their hands up. I quickly informed the Sgt. We went outside and 7 enemy soldiers came up and surrendered. I think they were weary and just waiting.
A day or two later, a widespread siege of diarrhea hit many of the 2nd Infantry Division, and as we advanced, we could see signs that the enemy had the same problem. I was one of 3 or 4 in the Platoon that it skipped. The chief medic in the 2ndID ordered that hot tea be substituted for coffee. That helped."
The 9th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division arrived at the bridge March 10 and did guard duty until they crossed the Rhine March 21st.
Somewhere In Germany
First U.S. Army
Sec. Inf. Div.
March 15, 1945
Dear Mother and All at Home,
These few lines leave me in good health. Sure hope that Dad is feeling much better since I have been thinking about him most of the time since his accident.
Received a letter from you yesterday dated March 1 which is the best traveling time in a long while, another came in March 13 and was mailed February 28.
It seems you were very much full of fun in your letter dated March ,1 but don't ever write something and then tell me I don't dare to read it to the other boys. ha ha
Don't think I told you in my last letter that I had received another roll of paper you sent, also two small newspapers.
The two pictures of sister and baby were swell. Gee, what a boy. I wouldn't blame her if she enters him in the baby show at Miami. (His sister Helen and her 7 month old son Joseph Borek Jr.) It seems the people down there (Homestead, Florida) like her or that's the impression I have from your letters.
Gee, we have been taking more of a licking from the weather than the Jerries. I never in my life remember when I've been so muddy and wet at different times than in the pass. On the other hand, I must admit the last three days have been swell, something like spring.
Yesterday, I had a hundred percent clean up, washed clothes (didn't have any clean ones to wear) with a hot pail of water cleaned up myself, had a shave, haircut, cleaned rifle and hung bed roll out to dry and air out.
So Ruth Berry is a nurse in France. Guess I should know her; I went bowling a couple times and out to dinner once while she was training (as a nurse) in Portland (Maine). oh oh - The only trouble was she had to be in so early which were the rules of the nurses' home where she stayed. (Always the ladies' man was my dear uncle.)
When it is so wet we can't dig a hole. We just stay on top of the ground or scoop out a little dirt and pile it around the sides.
Yes, you may be sure I had many packages for Christmas. Everything was okay, even Helen's Ladd except for two or three bars. She sent two large and one small box of raisins. Guess she remembered how much I liked them.
You have me guessing, what are you going to do with that five dollars I sent? Maybe I'll think of it before my next letter - maybe.
Only I can say is that Claude (a local farmer that was getting richer by the day while not treating his workers well) sure looks after Claude but I hope he doesn't think he's fooling everyone. Guess you know what I mean.
Still haven't seen Zip but feel everything is okay. You may realize we hear news here about things going around us. We see what's going on or who's being shelled etc. but never can write about it. I haven't heard anything about him or where he is but most of the time he is behind me as he's in a heavy outfit cooking.
Did that door cool you off? I see you were pretty hot around the collar when you wrote one letter. ha ha. Mike said "Nina foolish." (Nina, my grandmother, didn't take any guff if you know what I mean.)
I wrote you about my new teeth but I never knew where the others went.
It's been a long time since the invasion but nearly every day has been on the (front) line so you see how much we go. The fellows that stay in the rear are lucky but some one has to fight, so why not me.
Don't you worry about me over here as I intend starting life where and in the same way as I left off. Oh yes, some things will be different but sailing home the same way as when I left is my hope which gives me courage.
I am sending you some pictures but they aren't worth a darn. They were taken two different times with two different cameras. Some look as if the paper was put on the film before the film had dried. I would like to tell you a few things about a couple of the pictures but I guess I can't now. If you hold the pictures backside to them put your finger at the point of the arrow you'll be able to find the boys and their names. I'll have more to send later.
It's now 10:30 and I must be going so will sign off. Hello to Dad and Brother and best of health.
Love
Charles
Well, other than the concern about his father in the first paragraph, Uncle Charlie appears to be feeling upbeat in this letter. He's funny at times and a little "sure of himself" in a good way when he shares about the ladies and his future.
He definitely showed confidence and shared how he felt about issues around him. He wasn't timid to share his mind with his mother. They appeared to have had a very close and comfortable relationship.
Knowing what Charles B. MacDonald said in Company Commander it did seem some units did most of the fighting in WW II. Not a great deal of rotation, but at least in this letter Uncle Charlie sounded as if "Someone has to be in the frontline, so why not me."
As both Charles B. MacDonald and Glynn Raby Jr. shared, this was the time when our soldiers sometimes housed themselves in the town they had entered. They would just go in and if there were no houses empty then they made the family move out and go to their neighbor. I wonder if my uncle was in one of those towns when he spent all day washing, shaving, cleaning his gun etc.?
Boy was he itching to share some information with his mother. He made a telling remark in my opinion when he wrote "they were getting more of a licking from the weather than the Jerries." Our boys are moving right along by this time.
I have said enough for this post.
Video #2
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