Pvt. W.D. Johnson Jr 34945847
G Co. 26th Inf.
APO # 1 c/o Postmaster
New York N.Y.
March 12, 1945
Germany
Dearest Mother & Dad:
Have had numerous letters from you all lately, the most recent being today when I got one from Mom and one from Dad both dated Feb 27th. I surely was happy to get them. Also enjoyed your Air Mail of Feb 26th Mom. It came 4 or 5 days ago. Air Mail always beats Vmail anywhere from 4 days to a week. Sometimes V-Mail is stuck together from being folded while wet and I can’t read all the letter. I’d rather have a short Air Mail (of the same length) than a V-Mail. It’s more personal. Also I’ve gotten 10 or 15 old letters from you all lately written in Dec and Jan so I guess mail has pretty well caught me now. But no more boxes.
Mom, I’m sure I mentioned my scarf in a letter. I wear it all the time and wrap it around my head when I sleep.
I got a swell box from Rip the other day and a swell letter. He sent 3 cartons of cigs, candy and gum hdkfs, tooth paste, soap etc. It was most welcome and I surely thought it sweet of him. From his letters he sounded like he’s ok.
I had a letter from Macey the other day. He was put back in ack ack and is down in Luxumbourg. I breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t put in the infantry as I’d been worrying ever since he’d started over here. One of us in this branch of the Army is enuf. The ack ack boys get in some danger now and then but its not too bad and they play a very vital part right on. So I’m thrilled at his assignment and I can’t help but think that once again our prayers have been answered. I certainly prayed hard enuf that he would get some kind of break when he got over here. Macey’s address is Hq. Btry, 489th aaa AW Bn., APO 403, c/o PM. N.Y. N.Y.
I think the pictures are swell and I’m so proud of them. I think they are grand of you and Dad and Mr & Mrs Mac but not too good of Louise and Julie. But I was happy to get them all and I treasure them all.
I’m still fine despite the fact that I’m a part of a very fast moving war and the resultant loss of sleep and rest. We do a lot of work at nite, it keeps casualties down and keeps us from losing men in the open approaches to a town. But entering a town and fighting from house to house in the dark is a pretty rugged assignment. You can imagine how little the Jerries like it too so the advantage is usually with us despite what you might at first think.
Our outfit has done a good job of feeding us since we’ve been moving so fast. Lots of time we’ll take a town and before all the smoke has died down and while the Jerries are still shelling it (they usually don’t shell but use pinpointed mortar fire on us while we’re taking it, then shell the town as soon as we take it) our jeep will roll in from the rear bringing hot chow. Sometimes its just too hot for them to get to us and then we have to eat C and D rations which we carry in our combat pack, but most of the time we eat. After a hard day & nite of fighting there’s nothing that can put you back together quicker than hot food and hot coffee. The cooks have big Thermos cans which keep the food hot while it is being transported. If they could just figure some way to stop the war about every 36 hours & let you get a nite’s rest, it wouldn’t be such a bad war. Tough hikes with heavy combat eqpt., weapons and ammunition and loss of sleep are the items that I find the roughest. I used to think I toted a lot in basic training but I find now it waren’t nawthin! One of our guys pointed to a picture in a german home of the man who was head arms & shoulders man and the rest horse (It wasn’t Pegasus was it – wasn’t Pegasus the winged horse?) Anyhow he said that scientists ought to figure out some way to cross breed and produce an infantry soldier built like that. I think he’s got something.
Well, folks, you all keep on writing and keeping the home fires burning and maybe the war will end soon. I think of you constantly and it’s good to know you all are doing well and that I have you all as well as Louise and Julie to come back to. Roots! They mean a lot when all you see from day are people, families, cities which have been uprooted. Theres really no describing the full havoc of artillery and bombs. And the Germans are really getting a dose. Such destruction is worse than shameful and I’ll be happy when it all ends.
Take care of yourselves and don’t forget I’m loving you always.
David Jr.