One of the trucks hit a mine last night. One fellow had his legs blown off and Tolliver was only slightly hurt. We unloaded the supply truck today. They started throwing shells in again so we spent the rest of the day in the dugout. Had a mail call so will answer a few letters tonight.
My Dear Mother & Dad,
Just got through having a mail call. Wasn’t much, I received a flock of papers and a package of comic books and pop corn from Es and Harry. So we popped us up a pan full. Man that’s something that money can’t buy. Money means nothing to a fellow over here. I’m on my third month now without being paid and I haven’t even spent one red cent. Could you see me do that at home, ha, ha. I was broke all the time. What do you know, the sun has been shinning the last few days. Makes a fellow feel pretty good for a change. Guess this is all I have to say for now so goodbye and I’ll write again soon. Please send me some “hot tamales” if you can get them.
All my love
“Chick”
Kitchen Crew
The kitchen had been shot up last night. They only have one can that will hold water. We or the SS troops had to dig the kitchen in. We worked all day on it. They layed in a few shells tonight but not many.
Had a big air raid the first thing this morning. Didn’t see any planes shot down at all. Vince and I cleaned up the empty mine boxes around the area. The SS troops had to sand bag the Co’s tent in today also. Not much else today. Man did they lay them in this evening. Wow! I was down at the kitchen and two came in so close that one knocked me down. Three men were hurt, but none killed. It’s 8:30pm now and they’re still dropping them in. Melgard just came in and he had been hit in the hand. Good night.
My Dear Mother & Dad,
Guess I have been a little slow in writing lately but I get tired of saying the same thing over and over. You said in your last letter that Joe had wrote home Feb 3rd. Well I was on demolition guard out on a bridge at that time, and didn’t get to write for about a week after that. I’ll bet you both sure worried about me until my first letter got home. I’ve told you time and time again I can take care of myself. I haven’t been able to see Snook as yet, and probably won’t for some time. What all have you and dad been doing. Say dad how did you make out on your picking of the basketball tournament? Did you have any luck. I follow the sports in the News Gazette. It’s always a little late but I enjoy it anyway. Goodbye to you both and love you very much.
Your Son
“Chick”
It rained all night last night and it was dark as could be. We got all of the mines put away and were soon in bed. We worked cleaning rifles and other odd jobs around the supply room. Jerry shelled us for about an hour. No one was hurt.
Stayed in today. Worked around the supply all day. The whole valley is full of smoke so Jerry doesn’t have very good observation. Lucky for us. We heard that the Cassino front was broke. I surely hope so as it might relieve the pressure on us. We have to go over to the battalion and pick up 900 mines tonight.
Late last night DeCesare & I went in no mans land to pick up some mines that were by a bridge. When we got them they all had been blown by an artillery shell. Not only that, but Jerry opened up with his machine guns and kept us pinned down for a while. When the mortars started falling we crawled along the bank and got back to the jeep and came home. Scared, I was scared to death. I thought of standing up and hollering “Comrade” and give up. I hope I never get in that tight a spot again. We cut brush all day today and I was quite tired when I got home. Most of the machine gun nests are finished. Went to bed early.
Worked around the supply room all day, also got in a few letters. They shelled our bivouac area. No one was hurt though which was pretty lucky, because they really threw in the shells. Not much else happened. Cleaned up a little. Wrote a few letters and went to bed.
We had to go out and cut brush today for machine gun fire. It was a miserable day. Rained all day long. Boy when I got home I was ring and wet and felt like hell. I changed clothes and went right to bed. Wrote a few letters and went to sleep.
