Well, we spent all day and until 11 o’clock on the road. We traveled 85 miles and most of it was on the super highway. Prisoners, prisoners, prisoners that’s all you can see. They are coming in from everywhere. You see them walking down the roads by themselves. One line was so long you could not see the end of it. I so was tired I went right to sleep.
Not much to do this morning as we are going to move after dinner and you can’t unload any thing if you are always moving. After dinner we moved to a new area. We set up the radio and played some cards. They came in and told us that we were going on another task force and was leaving at 2 am. Boy, I’m getting sick of this night driving. So I went right to bed.
I went to Hq to pick up some lumber this morning. We are going to move after dinner. We moved to the other side of Munich and into a nice big house. Here we thought we were going to stay and then we pulled out right after supper for a new area. It was getting dark, and we had to drive black out on this cow path. Boy, it was some ride. We sat on the highway until 1:30 am and then they found a bivouac for us. So I got to bed about 2:30 am.
We moved in to the suburbs of Munich this morning. I had to go to HQ to pick up some lumber. It snowed most of the day today. We set up the radio and played cards. I wrote a letter home. We went to bed.
Dear Mother & Dad;
Well mother here it is your birthday. Mine passed and was just another day. In fact it was a pretty hectic day for me. We moved to three different times. If you could see the equipment we haul you could well understand.
We’re still moving against light opposition. Boy you should see the prisoners. It is just like Sicily. They are surrendering now a by the Battalions so maybe it will end in another month. Hope so anyway. I know you want me home but I’m afraid if I get home too soon I’ll wind up in the south Pacific. So if I get home by next Christmas, I should be home for good. I’m having a hard 
time finding time to write to you. I still owe a lot of letters so tell everyone hello for me. Oh Yes, you should see it snow here now. Wow! She’s plenty cold and the snow is flying. But in the day time when the sun is out it gets nice and warm. Sorry this is all I have time for now, but I’ll write again soon. By By & I’ll be thinking of you all the time
All My Love
Your Son,
“Chick”
During this day, April 29, 1945, Chick Bruns visited Dachaw Concentration Camp. Only officers were allowed cameras so Chick gave his camera to the officer accompanying him. This audio clip was from an interview with his son John.
[sc_embed_player_template1 fileurl=”https://70yearsago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Dachow-1945.mp3″]
We left this morning at six and was on the road all day. We stopped at Furstenfeldbruck and ate chow. Then decided to stay all night. We were strafed once today but no one was hurt. We followed the infantry and whenever they would run into a fire fight we would have to wait a little while. It was sure tiresome ride. Most of the towns that put up any resistance was left burning when we left them. Went to bed early as I was tired.
We were in an airfield so I spent most of the morning looking over the airplanes. We moved right after dinner into Augsburg. Boy, did they catch a lot of prisoners. They were little young kids or old men. Some of them looked to be between 12 and 50 years of age. We celebrated my birthday and went to bed as we are leaving at six o’clock in the morning on a task force for Munich.
Today is my birthday. I am 26, but I feel like a million. I have really changed since I left home. We are going to celebrate it tonight. Two of my chickens got away so I turned the 3rd one loose. We moved right after chow tonight to a new area. We no sooner got set up, when we had to move out again. We stayed this time in some German barracks just outside of Augsburg.
Dear Mother & Dad;
Here I am late again. But I know you know the reason. Move, move, move, that’s all we know, but as long as it brings this war two in and, I’m all for it. I have even been trying to typed letters off in carbon copies to try and catch up on my letter writing but I just can’t do it. I still have about 40 letters to write yet. When I’ll get the time I don’t know.
At the present time we are set up in a small village. We moved in right after the infantry, so we were the only troops in town. I suppose everyone will be moving and tonight. Ha, ha, I really get a kick out of these people. 
They think we are going to kill them. At least that’s what their told by the SS troopers. We go up to the houses & ask for guns and eggs. We seldom get any guns, but boy do they snap to. We use to give the French & Italian people every thing we had for eggs & chickens. Here we just ask and they bring them to us. We say thanks and take off. They just give you a grin, but I bet they would like to slit your throat, ha, ha. Anything you ask for if they have it you get it. They are really scared of us.
I feel sorry for the kids, but it was the kids in the last war that are fighting us now. They are some good families, but you don’t know the good from the bad so you just don’t trust any of them.
Guess this will be all for now so I’ll say good-bye & tell everyone a low for me & I’ll write them when I can. By By All my Love.
Your Son,
“Chick”
