We had a small air raid last night. Boy the people here are sure scared of planes. Wellman took off the first thing this morning and didn’t come back until chow time that night. We covered the town of Naples from one end to the other. Did a little shopping and in all, we had a good time. Went to the show and then to bed.
They dropped a few shells in last night, Boy I’ll be glad to get away for a while. We left this morning at 7:30 and no sooner had we started when over came the Jerries. One plane was shot down. We went to the QM where General Truscott gave us a speech. We then left. Arrived in Naples at the Naples college at 2:30 PM we ate some dinner and then took off. We walked all over town and then came back in time for supper. After supper we went to a show. Read a few books and went to bed. We are only here actually about three days. You spend a day coming and a day going. And the rest of the time is yours. You can get up when you want to, eat when you want, and go any place you please.
They shelled about the same as last night. Not close but just enough to make you sweat. The sun was out today but it’s still cold. I was told today that I was to go to Naples tomorrow on a five day furlough and rest. It will be a relief for awhile anyway. These damn 88’s is enough to scare hell out of anyone. I got ready to go. Wrote some letters & went to bed.
One year ago today I landed in Africa. Since then I have come a long way. They dropped the shells a little short last night so we didn’t get up, but if one came any closer than the last one that was fired we would have got up as they were working right down the road. It is still raining and there is little to do. The Germans are dug in and it will be pretty hard to get them out. It’s been four day’s now and we are still in the same spot. It also sleeted today. I have been cold all day maybe I can get warm in bed.
Leonard Werner
Boy they threw the shells at us last night. It was really cold when I got up. We went up and stood in a cave until they strafed, then went back to bed. It started raining today and rained all day. Boy it’s really miserable, Your all wet, cold and can’t dry out. We mainly tried to warm & dry. I played a little chess and then went to bed. It is still raining. I sure hope they don’t shell us tonight.
We moved the first thing this morning about four miles. We set up our tent and I had to get out a few requisitions. The English 10th Corp. is moving in and as is the 34th and 45th division. Boy the artillery we have here now. Many new outfits have moved in from the front. Jerry is also shelling us but they are landing about 500 ft away, just enough to keep you on your toes.
Donald Kelly
Got in some more winter clothes today Mackinaw’s, wool shirts & trousers. Worked around issuing them out all day. Traded soap & C rations for potatoes & onions. Not much else happened today. Wrote a few letters and went to bed.
Noriss Butts
Today we went after more clothes. More winter overcoats and wool drawers. They started giving 7 day furloughs today to the men in the line platoons. Some of the fellows came back with tales of the Germans “booby trapping” there own dead. They are now putting “booby” traps everywhere and that’s bad. The second platoon were shelled bad today, but not a man was hurt.
Not much doing today. Wellman and I went down to get some clothes today. All we received was small overcoats and knit caps. We issued them all out. Five more me got hit by “S” mines today. Sgt. Stamp was killed and about three other fellows were seriously wounded. We sure are having tough luck. If we don’t get relieved soon we all will be killed off. We got in 9 more replacements. No Engr. training at all. Fresh from the States. Poor kids I feel sorry for them. The artillery opened up a barrage and you should have seen them take off. I know just how they felt.
Dear Mother & Dad,
I have a few clippings to send you and also I haven’t answered your questions in your letters for about three months so I will catch up now. The letters date Aug. 14, 17, 25, 27, 29, 31, Sept. 6, 7, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, Oct. 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 18. That’s all so far. The V-mail comes much faster to me, but I like to read your long letters also. Like I told :”Gee”, I’ll try and find that Mc Queen boy the first chance I get. I can’t at the present time. I received the four rolls of film. Thanks a million. Listen mom & dad, quit thinking that I will be home after my year is up because that’s out of the question. They need us, so we will stay till the war is over. I don’t think you will have long to wait. I think I’ll be home by next 
June. I don’t think they can stand the pounding much more. The papers are over a month old, but I can at least follow things up even though they are late. Old Charlie Miller is safe, he will never have to leave the states. I would just like to see him once, whenever a strafing plane would come over or an 88 shelled go whistling in the air. Believe me it’s scares the cr– out of me, but I bet he would faint, ha, ha. Get me a little Mary’s address I would like to write to her? Yes, mom, that’s all I’d did in Sicily, was eat watermelon. They are not like our melons though. They are yellow and seemed to be a cross between two or three kinds of melons. They are plenty good. No mom the keys were mine, and the pipe I bought in Rabat Africa. I think you were fooled to sell that cooker 
at that price too. They would have really charged you if you were buying it. But it’s passed now. The candy was swell. All you have to do is be sure it’s well wrapped and won’t break open. I received the pipe and at this moment and smoking it. It is the best pipe I ever owned. I don’t know how I will ever thank you. Betty Carpenter’s husband was killed and Sicily. He had made a landing behind enemy territory as you have read in the paper and of course was fired upon. He did a brave thing, by taking a machine gun up on direct line of fire so that he is platoon could get to safety. I would like to see the pictures but don’t send the enlarged copies. Say mom I have something for you to do. My boyfriend Norbert Breunig wants a copy of all of my photographs that I have taken over here so far. Have them made and send them to his mother and dad. Because you always hang onto the negatives as a lot of fellows want them. Tell me how much they cost and he will pay me for them. The address is Mr. Alois Breuning, Sauk City, Wisconsin.. Yes I wrote two Sister Jane, but have never heard from her as yet. I have only receive one comic book so far. Maybe I will get the rest later. So Bud maybe getting ready to come across. They should send a lot of those U.S.O. soldiers over here and give them a taste of what we have been through for a year. So Bernard expects me to go into business with him. Or maybe I will but that’s a long way off. He had better save his money now and make a go of his business. After the war it should be very good. Yes I know that Mrs. Hinton. I always waited on her at the store. She is very nice. I received a letter from her and answered in already. Well I guess that takes care of all of your questions. I have little else to say. I think I told Gee just about all I could think of so you read her letter. I have so many letters and have so little time to write them in. I just don’t know where my time goes. Things are moving pretty good here. The damn Germans ruin everything in sight, steal all of the food available, blow up the people’s homes. What they can’t use they destroy. Break all the wine bottles, kill the cattle and horses. Everything imaginable. It’s a horrible thing, but someday it will all stop. Goodbye to you both & I’ll write again soon.
Your Son,
“Chick”
