WWII Diary of Chick Bruns – 70 Years Ago

Christmas Tree

Today is Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone and may we find the next one at home. We had a merry time last night trimming the tree. We did not have a thing to decorate it with but soon it was loaded down with things. Here is some of the things we put on it. Tracing tape, Life savers, streamers of life savers, biscuits made into stars. Cigarettes, Bull Durham, matches, lemons, tangerines, candles, bullets cal 30 and 45, waste for snow, tinfoil. We also made a star out of candy and put on the top of the tree. When the gang saw it they sure looked funny. Last night the company commander just about cried when he saw it. We went to midnight mass and there was a large crowd. Way more than I expected. I went to mass again this morning and then we put some candles on tree. We had hamburgers & wine for Christmas dinner and cheese for supper. A good meal Ha, Ha. We are going to set around the tree tonight and sing. Most of the fellows of group three are arriving now so we are having quite a time greeting fellows. Merry Christmas again to everyone everywhere.

Here it is Christmas Eve and it just seems like another day. We tried to swipe a Christmas tree the other day but they were all in peoples yards so we haven’t one at all I went to confession today as the priest was using the supply room to hold confession we just laid around outside all afternoon. I’ll be dog gone if one of the officers didn’t come home with a tree so we are going to decorate it. I am also going to go to the midnight mass down at “H” company of the 15th Infantry. It sure is going to be a beautiful night, but cold.

Boy are the nights getting cold. Boy you just about freeze. We really had it easy today, we didn’t do a damn thing. I read a book part of the day and also did my laundry. Boy if my mother could only see my __?__ I take __?__ in my clothes. Badali and I went out to play a little ball and then Geise and I are to play Wellman & Badali a game of Cribbage. I always loose so maybe I will win to night.

There’s just not anything to write about these days as nothing is happening. Last night as we were sitting around the fire, some of the Frenchman that are with us were telling us of some of the troubles that they had gone threw in the year of 39. That was when Germany first came into France. they told us how they were treated and it wasn’t at all nice. We just issued out a few clothes today and called in all of the excess canteens. I read a book until bed time and then went to bed.

Today was a dull day and all we did was pass out a few clothes we had to issue out. We also had a physical inspection so that meant I had to take my weekly shower. eW played cards again and then went to bed. Boy the nights are sure getting cold. what do you thing we got some mail today but know one at home knows where I am.

Well it looks like it might be a nice day today. I am going to mass at 10:00AM today down at the third medics.” Here it is 5 days from Christmas and no mail and it also doesn’t even seem like Christmas. Oh! Oh! I take back what I said about the weather, it is starting to rain and we are to play “C” Co. a ball game. Well we played the game and I pitched. None of us had had any practice at all and C Company plays or practices every afternoon. We were to play 7 innings and I did pretty good for 6 innings but in the last of the 7th we were ahead 4 to 1. My arm was so tired and I was dead tired so the score was soon 6 to 4 and I just plain quit. I was the only pitcher we had but at least someone else could have thrown the ball in there. We played Cribbage again to night and as usual, I got beat but I am beginning to learn fast.

Boy did it ever storm last night. I believe it was the hardest rain we have had yet. Today is inspection day so we had better get ready. We had a full field inspection and the French were supposed to see how much clothing the American soldiers had. There wasn’t much doing the rest of the day so we read books and at night played cards.