438th AAA AW BN
APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.
Germany
7 December, 1944 1100
My dearest sweetheart –
This being the 7th – I suppose it is somewhat of a Holiday or something back home – or maybe just a few speeches will mark the day. There’s nothing going on here, dear, except the war – and that just keeps going on. It will soon be six months for us in a combat area and we’re already entitled to two stripes on our left sleeves – for one year overseas. What with the campaign stars we’ve earned for taking part in the Normandy and Northern France Campaign, plus one for our activity in the Battle of Germany – I’ll have a whole mess of stuff to wear. Oh hum! What glory!
I’ve just finished sick call, I hope, and should be free now until noon. Then I must trek out and do a bit of inspecting. Last night I played a bit of Bridge and lost 38 marks – the most I’ve lost at any one time since we started playing. We just couldn’t seem to get decent hands together – no matter who my partner was.
We’ve been sweating out our monthly liquor ration – but it hasn’t come in as yet. We wanted to have a bit of a brawl on Saturday night. We have a good place for it, but how can you tie one on without spirits?
I don’t remember whether I told you or not, dear, but we had a pretty nice movie the other night which you’ve undoubtedly seen – Bing Crosby in “Going My Way”. We were just in the mood for that sort of picture - and I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a picture so much. Barry Fitzgerald as Father Fitzgibbons was excellent.
Gee – I read about your being at Nancy’s one night when she had a half dozen couples over. I didn’t know any of the ones you mentioned – except Verna and Irv, of course, but somehow it made my mouth water – just the thought of it. It seems so long since I’ve done anything like that, Sweetheart, I wonder if I’ll know how to act in the company of gentlemen and ladies, just spending an evening together. When you’ve been in the Army long enough, you get used to having only men around and your conversation deteriorates in character and vocabulary – as a result. Blasphemy and profanity are taken for granted and it almost seems as if it’s impossible to say something without using a couple of profane words – at least. Well – I’ll be able to overcome it, I guess. Life is going to be enjoyable after the war Sweetheart – no matter what hardships may or may not be in store. First of all and most important – I’ll have you – my own and all to myself; that alone is going to be wonderful, darling – and honestly, I find it difficult to believe or even imagine at times. Then we’ll have some nice friends and places to visit. Things like that – from this point – seem like treasures. I’ll stop at this point or I’ll get too nostalgic and now is not the time for it. There’s a war to get over with first. I’ll say only, Sweetheart, that I love you so deeply – it hurts – the hurt coming from the fact that I can’t have you yet. But I will!
Love to the folks, darling and
This being the 7th – I suppose it is somewhat of a Holiday or something back home – or maybe just a few speeches will mark the day. There’s nothing going on here, dear, except the war – and that just keeps going on. It will soon be six months for us in a combat area and we’re already entitled to two stripes on our left sleeves – for one year overseas. What with the campaign stars we’ve earned for taking part in the Normandy and Northern France Campaign, plus one for our activity in the Battle of Germany – I’ll have a whole mess of stuff to wear. Oh hum! What glory!
I’ve just finished sick call, I hope, and should be free now until noon. Then I must trek out and do a bit of inspecting. Last night I played a bit of Bridge and lost 38 marks – the most I’ve lost at any one time since we started playing. We just couldn’t seem to get decent hands together – no matter who my partner was.
We’ve been sweating out our monthly liquor ration – but it hasn’t come in as yet. We wanted to have a bit of a brawl on Saturday night. We have a good place for it, but how can you tie one on without spirits?
I don’t remember whether I told you or not, dear, but we had a pretty nice movie the other night which you’ve undoubtedly seen – Bing Crosby in “Going My Way”. We were just in the mood for that sort of picture - and I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a picture so much. Barry Fitzgerald as Father Fitzgibbons was excellent.
Gee – I read about your being at Nancy’s one night when she had a half dozen couples over. I didn’t know any of the ones you mentioned – except Verna and Irv, of course, but somehow it made my mouth water – just the thought of it. It seems so long since I’ve done anything like that, Sweetheart, I wonder if I’ll know how to act in the company of gentlemen and ladies, just spending an evening together. When you’ve been in the Army long enough, you get used to having only men around and your conversation deteriorates in character and vocabulary – as a result. Blasphemy and profanity are taken for granted and it almost seems as if it’s impossible to say something without using a couple of profane words – at least. Well – I’ll be able to overcome it, I guess. Life is going to be enjoyable after the war Sweetheart – no matter what hardships may or may not be in store. First of all and most important – I’ll have you – my own and all to myself; that alone is going to be wonderful, darling – and honestly, I find it difficult to believe or even imagine at times. Then we’ll have some nice friends and places to visit. Things like that – from this point – seem like treasures. I’ll stop at this point or I’ll get too nostalgic and now is not the time for it. There’s a war to get over with first. I’ll say only, Sweetheart, that I love you so deeply – it hurts – the hurt coming from the fact that I can’t have you yet. But I will!
Love to the folks, darling and
All my sincerest love.
Greg
* TIDBIT *
about "Going My Way"
about "Going My Way"
Greg mentioned that he saw the movie "Going My Way" with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Tom Keogh on Amazon's website briefly describes the movie this way:
Here is the trailer, followed first by one of the well-known tunes in this movie - the Academy Award winner for "Best Original Song" - Swinging on a Star. That is followed by another sung in the movie, Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's An Irish Lullaby)
This irresistible Oscar winner from writer-director Leo McCarey (An Affair to Remember) stars Bing Crosby as a low-key, crooning priest who joins the parish of a no-nonsense but sweet old Irish man of the cloth (Barry Fitzgerald). While Bing turns local toughs into a choir, the elder priest worries over the church building fund and whether he'll get a chance to see his old mother back in Ireland before she dies. One would have to have a heart of stone not to be won over by this charmer, with a lovely ending guaranteed to make you bawl for a week.
Here is the trailer, followed first by one of the well-known tunes in this movie - the Academy Award winner for "Best Original Song" - Swinging on a Star. That is followed by another sung in the movie, Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's An Irish Lullaby)
No comments:
Post a Comment