Man is it ever cold this morning. Wow! everything is froze solid. Stayed in the supply room most of the day. Paul Wilson dropped in to see me today. I was surely surprised to see him. I straightened up the truck and that was about all for today. We played cards a little and I wrote a few letters.
It’s getting a little colder to day. Not much going on around the supply room. We got in a few clothes, chopped some wood and played poker. About 8 o’clock I received a long distance phone call Paul Wilson. I was surely surprised.
Dear Mother & Dad,
How’s everything back home? OK I hope. The weather here is pretty miserable but not too badly. We live in a large Pyramidal tent now so it not so bad at all. Nothing much happening now to write about so its pretty hard to write a letter. Mail is awful slow. I haven’t had any mail for some time. We get to see a show once in awhile and that’s about all of the recreation we get besides playing cards. I read in most of my spare time. What all have you and dad been doing? Here I was talking about mail, and we had mail call. I received a letter and your Christmas card thanks a million. I also received a card from John Collins and he is sending me a subscription to the Coronet magazine. I also got a few other cards. I saw am I sure have been sweating out whether or not my bedspreads ever got home in time for Christmas. Goodbye and write.
Your Son,
“Chick”
Today was a pretty dull day. I fixed our lights and chopped a little wood for the stove. We had a mail call and pay call today also. Tonight we are going on a hike. We walked about 6 miles in the rain and I got pretty wet. Guess I’ll write a couple of letters and go to bed.
Worked around the supply room all morning and in the afternoon I went out with the 2nd platoon and pulled mines. They are clearing the beaches so we can get ready to practice landings. It looks like Southern France for us. The company is working tonight. I am going to read a book.
We worked today. I tried to go to Mass but couldn’t make it. Boy is it ever cold. It has rained off and on all day. I tried to write a few letters and soon went to bed I wind is still blowing hard out.
Dear Mother & Dad,
Well I had better start the new year off with a letter. I have spent most of the day thinking about both of you. Did you both go out to dinner today. We had another swell dinner. All the Turkey you wanted. I stayed up last night to see the new year in. We had been playing cards until just about 12, then I went over to the kitchen and Joe Waters, one of the cooks and I talked till about 1:30 AM. Let’s hope and pray that this time next year we will all be back together or at least that I’m back in the good old United States. I’ve had more than enough of this country. I had a letter from Paul Wilson and he is here in Italy now also. Goodbye mother and dad and I will be loving you both very much.
Your Son,
“Chick”
Up at 7:00AM this morning. The wind blowed all night and it’s cold & snowing this morning. We chopped a lot of wood for our fire and then sweated out chow. We had a real dinner. Turkey, same as Christmas. It has been pretty dull around here all day. Everyone seems to be thinking of home. I took a bath, wrote some letters and went to bed.
New Year’s Eve. We had to move our tent over to the other side of the road. It has been cold and rainy all day. We sat around and drank wine and played cards until midnight. And then everyone but myself went to bed. I went over to the kitchen and Frenchy gave me a big turkey leg to eat. I brought it back over to the tent and woke everyone up to give them a bite. Then went back to the kitchen. Joe Watters and I sat and talked till about 1:30am and then I went to bed. Happy New Year.
We worked all morning packing the trucks and tearing down the tents. We left at 11:45 AM. I rode up on top of the truck and just about froze. We are just about a mile and a half 30from the Sea and about six or seven miles from Naples. We put up our tents and went to bed. I ate only one meal today and I was sure hungry.
