WWII Diary of Chick Bruns – 70 Years Ago

People we stayed with in Oyew

We went to mass at the church this morning. After mass we took some pictures. The Priest invited us in and we drank the wine that was used in the mass. It was very good. The people followed us every where. I could have ran for town mayor and made it. They all knew me by name, and when they found out that I was leaving they hated to see us go. Ray, Mimi, Florence and I went for a walk in the afternoon. We are to leave at about 8 pm. We went for a small walk around the country side. It is really beautiful. So peaceful and quiet. I’m glad I’m leaving because I think I might be falling in love myself. Poor Florence was ready to cry all afternoon and then when we left she cried like a baby. It made me feel a little sad myself. We went back to the truck and got ready to go. Lawson said he wouldn’t be back until morning so Ray and I took off again. Florence thought I was staying and she ran and threw her arms around me but when I told her we were leaving in the morning she grew sad again. We said good-bye to everyone all over again. The Boyers hated to see us leave also. We had ate dinner with them and what a meal it was. For the last time I told Florence good-bye. It was getting harder to tell her good-bye all the time so I’m glad I’m leaving. Tomorrow I will be 200 miles from here. I’ll never forget the village of Oyeu.

Chick & Florence

Boy, we don’t have to worry about getting food. They bring eggs and milk from all over. We layed around most of the morning and in the afternoon Florence and I went for a walk. It would be much better if we knew what one another was talking about but we get along okay. She is really a swell kid. 23 years old. I also went up to the Boyer’s at night & was with Florence for a while. The moon is full & the night is beautiful. For the first time I have forgotten the war and every thing else. I do believe the poor girl had fallen in love with me. Ha, ha. I told her as soon as the war was over I would be back for her and then take her to the States. Boy, that suited her fine.

Chick & people of Oyew

We slept late this morning as we were out late last night. The French farmers were bringing us milk and eggs and bread. In the afternoon it started raining and it really rained. Florence came down to visit me. She is really a nice girl. I wish I was stationed close by here. It rained too hard to go see Florence tonight so we went up to the Boyer’s. We talked till way late. The Boyer’s are the richest people in town. He owns the shirt and scarf factory there. They gave us all a beautiful scarf. We had Champagne and cake. The best Champagne I have ever drank. It sure has turned cold.

We left today ahead of the company as we have to pull a trailer full of lumber. The scenery is surely beautiful. I can’t get over it. The truck has been missing all day so we had to be shoved the last six miles, then pulled off to the side of the road to wait until we could fix the truck. Lt. Lawson took off with the other truck and told us to stay there till he came back. Castanze and I met a boy that could speak English so we went up to his house. We talked for some time and then started for camp. Outside the house he introduced us to two two girls. So the rest of the evening was spent with the girls.

Durgen & Chick,
Kraut Truck

I don’t know if we will move or not today. I wrote a few letters and received a couple of packages from home. One was from I.C. Collins with a 1/2 pint of whiskey in it. We stayed here tonight we are to move over 100 miles tomorrow.

Here we are waiting to go again. Boy this is the life. Move, move, move. The infantry just keeps rolling along. We moved after supper to the other side of Montelimar. The infantry had just shoved the Germans out and the dead were laying all over. We passed one convoy of German trucks that was parked double on the road that was about 1 km long. They really lost the stuff. Stayed in town a little while. I talked to a beautiful girl there. She was 21. She wanted to know if we were going to bivouac there for the night. If so, she invited me to sleep at her house. She said I looked as if I needed a nice soft bed to sleep in for a change. I met her mother and father and we had a little wine to drink. We talked till time to move out. They all kissed me on both cheeks and wished that I could come back to visit them some, but that’s the last I will ever see to them. God but the girl was sure pretty. She looked better than some of the movie stars I have seen. Her complexion was perfect. We pulled into our area and went to bed. It looks like rain so we stretched a tarp out.

We are to move some time today – how far, I don’t know. We went about 10 more miles and stayed all night. Played some cards and wrote a couple of letters.

We moved this morning about 10 miles. Pulled into an area and expected to move any minute but we stayed all day. Played cards and had my second mail call. Read my letters in bed.

They had quite a scrap here at this house we are staying at. One German was hit pretty hard and was just about split in two. Maggots were crawling all over him and he stank something awful. There was also a few dead horses laying around. We stayed all night and are to move tomorrow.