13 May, 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

13 May, 1944

Hello darling!

Well I didn’t think I’d get a chance to write today either. Yesterday, dear, I was away all day and so for the first time in some while I couldn’t even get a V-mail off to you. I’m busy as all get-out today too – but I’m taking a few minutes off to jot you and my folks a line. It must sound awfully important, sweetheart. It really isn’t, but the fact is I’ve just been hopping around for the past 36 hours – but I think I’ll be able to write you a regular letter tomorrow. That’s all for now, dear.

Love to the folks – and

All my love

Greg

P.S.
I love you!

* TIDBIT *

about Anne Frank's Tree

On May 13, 1944, only three months before her family was rounded up, Anne wrote in her diary: “Our chestnut tree is in full bloom. It is covered with leaves and is even more beautiful than last year.” On Feb. 23, 1944, she had written: “Nearly every morning I go to the attic to blow the stuffy air out of my lungs. From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind... As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be."

Sixty-two years after dying of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, Anne Frank continues to haunt countless readers of her diary, with its youthful exuberance, dry humor and shattering hints of the violence that would sweep away her world. But fewer people know of the soaring chestnut tree that gave comfort to Anne while she and her family hid for more than two years during the German occupation. The tree, in the backyard of the house where Anne hid, gained fame more than a decade ago when it was damaged in 1990 by an underground oil spill and other toxic pollutants. For 17 years, the city government tried to save the tree, spending $200,000 to pump out the polluted water surrounding it, as well as trying other methods to preserve its roots. Nothing worked.

In the ensuing years, fresh ills befell the tree: fungi turned almost half its trunk to white rot, and a moth infestation attacked its crown. The German news magazine Der Spiegel reported in 2006 that botanists had spent months running tests and observing the tree, but their efforts did not improve its condition significantly. When local officials deemed it a safety hazard and ordered it felled in 2007, a global campaign to save the chestnut, widely known as The Anne Frank Tree, was launched. The tree was granted a last-minute reprieve after a battle in court. In 2009, city workmen encased the trunk in a steel support system to prevent it from falling.

However, the steel support failed under rain and gale force winds on Monday, 23 August, 2010. The once mighty tree, diseased and rotted through the trunk, snapped about 3 feet (1 meter) above ground and crashed across several gardens. It damaged several sheds, but nearby buildings — including the Anne Frank House museum — escaped unscathed. No one was injured, a museum spokeswoman said. On 24 August 2010 it was reported that a small side shoot was growing out of the stump below where it broke, and there was hope that it would grow into a new tree.

But before its fall, many clones of the tree had been taken, and a plan developed to plant 11 in the U.S. as well as 150 at a park in Amsterdam. The 11 sites in the U.S. were to be chosen largely because they were places that exhibited “the consequences of intolerance — and that includes racism, discrimination and hatred.” A call went out and 34 applications were received. Three locations were chosen ahead of time:

* The White House

* The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, where Anne Frank was already honored, and

* The World Trade Center site in New York.

Here's the planting in Indianapolis:

Here is the dedication at the US Capitol:

* Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas was chosen because it was there that black students fought for school integration under the guard of 1,200 soldiers in 1957.

Among the other sites are Holocaust centers in

* Seattle

* Farmington Hills, Mich.

* Sonoma State University in California, whose exhibit was created by an Auschwitz survivor who attended school with Anne, and

* Boise, Idaho, (whose statue of Anne was vandalized by a white supremacist group).

Here is the dedication in Boise:

The remaining sites are:

* The William J. Clinton Foundation in Little Rock, home of the former president’s library, which was chosen, the Anne Frank Center said, because of Mr. Clinton’s and the foundation’s commitment to social justice.

* Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts, which has monuments to liberty; an 11-year-old researching what project she might undertake for her bat mitzvah asked Boston’s mayor, Thomas M. Menino, to ask for the sapling.

* The Southern Cayuga Central School District in upstate New York, which based its case on nearby landmarks like Seneca Falls, regarded as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement.

It turns out the saplings selected for sites in the United States were temporarily caged themselves. When they arrived in the country in December of 2009, the young trees were seized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because of sicknesses ravaging horse chestnuts in Europe, the trees needed to be in quarantine for three years.

12 May, 1944 (Orders)

No letter today. Just this:

* TIDBIT *

about Orders Authorized on 6 May, 1944

TOP SECRET
HEADQUARTERS
SOUTHERN BASE SECTION
SOS ETOUSA

SUBJECT: Concentration Camp           Date: 12 May 1944

TO:   CO, Med Det, 438 AAA AW BN
      Priority List No A--2277  

   The Priority Lists and the Embarco plan indicates that your unit is now in its concentration camp (Sherborne). After complying with POM-SSV (vehicle waterproofing, acquisition of required equipment and supplies, and other preparatory functions) you will be prepared to move on or after   31 May    on six (6) hours notice. You will receive further instructions on Exercise "Hornpipe" through command channels.

EMBARCO

E.R. YOUNG, Lt. Col. CE

Embarkation Control Officer

TOP SECRET

ORIGINAL

CLICK ON ORDERS TO ENLARGE

[Notes: CO = Commanding Officer (Greg was CO of the 438th AAA AW BN Medical Detachment). POM-SSV = Preparation for Overseas Movement - Short Sea Voyage. "Hornpipe" was the code word for the airborne element of "Overlord," which was the code word for the Invasion of Normandy. This was evidenced in a signal that was sent on May 23rd from General Eisenhower's Headquarters to the operational Commanders-in-Chief. When deciphered it read: "Exercise Hornpipe Bigot Halcyon Y plus four." Hornpipe meant "Overlord". Bigot was a code word used to express the highest degree of secrecy, Halcyon indicated D-day, and Y had been fixed as the 1st of June. The signal thus fixed D-day as the 5th June.]

11 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

11 May, 1944       1040

Dearest darling Wilma –

I’m back at the Castle now – a little bit earlier than usual but I have a few things to take care of before tomorrow and I wanted to get an early start.

Yesterday, dearest, I got your letter postmarked May 3 and 4th – and really when you asked me if I were in England, I really had to stop to think. Your getting a letter of mine in 4 days time is really amazing. The best in this direction has been 5 days – and that was once. But where I used to hear regularly in 2½ to 3 weeks – now it is usually 7-10 days. It certainly does help to make things easier, darling, and it’s a pity I can’t call you as easily as I can write you. I haven’t left this place – and it is impossible to make a call from here – and as I wrote before, my chances of getting to London – are very, very slim. But I love you very much, anyway, sweetheart – even if I can’t call you now – and that is really what matters most.

So you thought my eye incident was funny, huh?? Well you wouldn’t have thought so had you seen it! Anyway – it really was funny and did have to do with the Reverend.

Darling I’m glad you went over to visit Ruth and I’m glad you like her. I know she does you – as do all my family. Irv must really be busy from what I hear. I don’t suppose I was ever that busy. And as for planning whether to do general medicine or surgery exclusively – I guess many factors will enter into that and what medicine will have to offer post-war – is still a question to be answered. I’m not too concerned, though – and whatever comes, I won’t let it run me or you into the ground. We’ll both love life too much for that.

Yes, dear, I remember the Cohens. They seemed like a jolly couple – he rather slim and she – shall I say, heavy set? Say you really ran off a list of liquor that your Dad has. What a brawl that would make! I guess it’s getting quite difficult to get it all over the world. I’m the proud possessor of ½ a bottle of Haig and Haig – and I’m treasuring it.

Yesterday – in addition to your two letters, I got one from Barbara – written all over the page – and urging me to hurry up and come home so that I could marry Auntie Wilma. I also got one from Mrs. Gardner – who is now back in Salem, Dr. Gardner – by coincidence on the same day – who is back at San Francisco, and finally one from Barbara Tucker. The latter told me about your visit to Salem which she said she enjoyed. She thought you very O.K. and that’s a lot from her, dear. The Gardners just had local news etc. – but it was nice hearing from them. Gosh – darling – I have a bunch of letters to answer – and I just feel too lazy to or don’t get the time. I’ll get around to it, though.

Well – sweetheart – I’ll stop now. It’s so wonderful to hear from you regularly and to know that you still loved me only 5-6 days ago! It makes me love you even more than I do already. Altogether – it’s a satisfying feeling and I know darling that we’re going to be very, very happy. Love to the folks and

All my love forever, dear

Greg

CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE

10 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

10 May, 1944       0930

My dearest Sweetheart,

I got 3 very sweet letters from you last night – dated April 28, May 1 and 2nd. You seem to have had a heat wave in Boston, dear, and I’m glad to read that you’re getting out into the sun and getting some vitamins in nature’s form. Our weather here seems to be more even – just pleasantly warm days, with not much variation.

I’m sorry to read about your mother’s ‘nerves’ – but no matter how much you think you’re being irritated, darling, you still have to excuse it. Even the most even-tempered woman in the world becomes a mental wreck during the menopause – not all of them, of course. But when they are affected, it hits them bad. I hope her doctor can do something for her – but at any rate – bear with her, dear.

Talking about doctors – reminds me of your question about neo-hombreal. That product – it seems to me – was just hitting the market when I was leaving practice, so I have had no practical experience with it. But more and more we were beginning to use various extracts and in some cases the hormones did help. This product sounds very expensive. You write, dear, that you have to take 2 a day. The directions must include more than that, by that I mean – 2 a day for how long? Probably for several days before the next expected period, I should say for a guess. I suppose it’s worth trying – although that’s a rather expensive sounding tablet.

By the way, sweetheart, it seems to me I’ve gotten my dates all mixed up about Mother’s day. I was certain it was last Sunday, the 7th – but I’ve been informed otherwise. I wrote your mother and mine a V mail on that day – but I don’t suppose it makes much difference. The sentiment is the same, one week or the other.

And before I forget it, darling, I wish you’d tell the folks to forget about a gift for me. The only gift I wanted, dear, from them, was you – and I have you and I’m thankful for that. There’s nothing else I want or need. Will you tell them that for me, dear?

I was interested in your reaction to your change in feeling about things you used to think your own and which now seem mutual. That’s the way I feel, too, of course, and I often think of how natural it is now to consider that something is not mine – but ours. I’ve been fairly independent for the past few years. What I earned, I earned alone; what I banked was solely mine and what I spent was entirely on my own. And do you know, darling, it will be a hell of a lot more fun and satisfaction doing everything like that for someone else other than myself, someone who will derive the same enjoyments, concerns and who will be able to share my problems. It will be wonderful to have a partner – for that’s what it will be like. Sweetheart – loving you and marrying you – will make me the happiest guy in the world, and don’t think I don’t know it. It will be wonderful and we’ll do our darndest to make the most of it! Got to close now – darling. Love to the folks and to you.

My deepest love for always

Greg

P.S. Enclosed snaps I’ve been waiting to have enlarged. I got tired of waiting and decided to send them anyway. I’ll send the others along and you can give either set to my mother.

Love

Greg

Major General Lawton Collins - VII Corps
Speaking to 438th at Sherborne Castle
England - May, 1944


Baker Battery in review before Major General Collins
in front to Sherborne Castle
England - May, 1944

* TIDBIT *

about The Menopause and The Nerves, 1944

This extract is from a reprint from Vol. 2, No. 3; July, 1944 of the Permanente Foundation Medical Bulletin, edited by Dr. Morris Collen from 1943 to 1953, entitled "Management of the Menopause," by Dr. David James. The full reprint can be read by clicking here.

Some of the more distressing and serious manifestations of the menopause are expressed through the nervous system. These vary from increased nervousness and irritability to a definite psychosis or involutional melancholia. Such changes may result in transforming a placid, well controlled and well adjusted woman into one who is excitable, irritable, and emotionally unstable. As a result, she may be easily angered, argumentative, suspicious, apprehensive, tending to worry over trivial things, and frequently confused and frightened by the changes taking place. These symptoms may be so mild that the patient is able to conceal them entirely. On the other hand, the symptoms may be so marked that unless their significance is understood by her family and friends, there may be disruption of domestic and social ties. Headaches, pressure sensations, and occipitocervical pain are frequently the symptoms responsible for the patient seeking medical attention.

Personality changes may occur and these may be either minor or approach a true psychosis. That involutional melancholia is part of the syndrome and is produced by the same endocrine dysfunction which is the apparent causative factor responsible for the rest of the menopausal state is not completely accepted..However, the divergent views held in regards to this point seems to rest largely on definition or diagnosis. The consensus seems to be that estrogenic therapy in involutional melancholia of the milder type is of value and is indicated certainly in those cases presenting many of the other symptoms of the syndrome.

Just a few years ago, before the availability of potent estrogenic preparations made the treatment of menopausal symptoms more certain, some clinicians doubted the real existence of the menopausal syndrome. At the present time nearly everyone agrees that such a syndrome does exist and that estrogens provide dependable therapy. There is disagreement as to the exact percentage of women that experience menopausal symptoms severe enough to require treatment. Unquestionably there are many patients suffering from manifestations of the menopause who deserve the relief which accompanies properly administered estrogen therapy.

09 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

9 May, 1944        0930

Wilma, darling –

The early morning’s work is just about over right now and I thought I’d start the day off right by writing you. Yesterday p.m. when I finished writing I called my men and had them meet me at the playground near the Castle. We had a pretty good game of scrub soft-ball. In the evening we had some visiting officers to entertain – a nice bunch of fellows. One of them, a Lt. Colonel, slept in my room. He’s from N. Dakota and a regular fellow. I’ll be seeing him again.

Today is just another day in the schedule, with perhaps a B.C. meeting later in the day.

Last night I got a letter from you dated April 29th and one from Doc. Finnegan and Lil Zetlan in Salem. Dr. Finnegan’s letter made no mention of our Engagement – it was written some time ago and he probably didn’t know it. Lil gave me the local news of some of the doctors in town, stuff about the hospital, recent golf scores at Tedesco etc.

Lil’s letter was one of congratulations, dear. It was very sweet. She said she was tickled about it and so pleased that she had already had the opportunity of meeting you – and looked forward to our return together – to Salem. I also got some news about the Kerrs – and as usual – it has to do with trouble. It seems that Joe Levine, son-in-law to the elder Mrs. Kerr – has had a “nervous breakdown”, has been treated by Myerson and is now living with his wife, Arlene, at the Sheraton – in Boston – upon advice of Myerson. There has apparently been some ugly talk about his cracking up because he was due to be called soon, and Lil writes that gossip has gone so far as to say that Mrs. Kerr allegedly gave Mr. Myerson $20,000 to keep Joe out of the Army – not that she couldn’t afford that much, but the whole thing is vicious. The fact is, darling, that knowing the family back-ground – it is easy to understand that Joe would eventually crack-up. There’s been constant conflict, sometimes subdued – other times not – between Ray Kerr, his mother, Joe, Ethel, separately and together. I don’t remember whether I told you much about it, dear, but altogether it makes a long story. As family physician – I was often in the middle of it – and believe me, it was a problem at times to stay friendly with all of them. Anyway, dear, Lil implies that all is mixed up for them right now. In addition – Ethel’s kids (Ethel Kerr – Ray’s wife) have scarlet fever and the house is quarantined – with Ray now living at the Hawthorne. It’s really a mess – but typical of the Kerrs, in a way.

Well, sweetheart, I’ve gossiped along and not told you how much I love and miss you.

But I want you to keep pace with what’s going on back in Salem – so that when we go back there to live – you’ll not feel as if you don’t know what or whom I’m talking about. Darling I love you very very much – remember? The moon was terrific last night, too, and that didn’t help either – but there’ll be others and we’ll enjoy them all – even, darling, on cloudy nights! Love to the folks dear – and Pete was asking for you, yesterday, and sent his love.

All my love for always – dear

Greg

* TIDBIT *

How the wreck of the Ship Tedesco
gave its name to a Country Club


The Bark Tedesco

When Greg mentioned golf scores at Tedesco, he was referring to the Country Club in Swampscott. Here is how it got its name.

The most famous shipwreck in Swampscott was the Tedesco. On January 18, 1857, the bark Tedesco of Portland, Maine wrecked in waters close to the Swampscott shore, after the ship struck a boulder when a blizzard swept the coast after an unusually calm day. The boat's cargo was sherry wine, salt and raisins. All 12 aboard, the crew and captain, were lost. Their bodies came ashore at Whale Beach and were buried at the Swampscott Cemetery. According to the book Storms and Shipwrecks of New England

"The day had been so clam that fisherman returning to shore had left their dories only a little above the high water mark. In the morning splinters remained."

Today, you can find what is believed to be one of two Tedesco anchors near Fisherman's beach. The anchor is a memorial to Swampscott mariners who lost their lives at sea and is in the park above Fisherman's Beach near the boulder dedicated to Marine Corps Lieutenant General John C. Chaisson.

An article in "Golf Course Trades" magazine tells of the sinking of the Tedesco, and this story of the naming of the Country Club.

—Swampscott, Massachusetts, 1899 The summer home of Mr. H. O. Houghton, Jr.—

The three were in splendid agreement. The two ladies from Cambridge and their gentleman friend would commission a few holes of golf along the Swampscott shore, 65 acres between Little’s Point and Puran Road. 15 local residents had pledged the princely sum of $500.00 apiece, and construction would soon begin on a clubhouse, a bathhouse for beachgoers, and a shed for the members’ horses.

“What shall we call it?” asked Mrs. Arthur Little.

Henry Oscar Houghton, Jr. scratched his aquiline nose. He looked around the drawing-room. On one wall hung a portrait of his father, the founder of Houghton-Mifflin Publishing, and later, the Mayor of Cambridge. Across the room, the wall was dominated by an enormous map of eastern Massachusetts. On another wall hung an oil painting of a three-masted ship floating on the waves, its sails full and billowing.

“Tedesco,” Houghton said, nodding. “We’ll name it after the ship that wrecked upon Long Rock.”

“Tedesco Rock,” corrected Mrs. Little.

“Tedesco Rock,” repeated Houghton, ignoring the minor social faux pas. Correcting a gentleman was a lady’s privilege. “In memory of those who lost their lives,” he concluded.

The ladies agreed, it was a glowing tribute and a worthy foundation upon which to build the club. It was done and handsomely done at that.

08 May, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

8 May, 1944

My dearest sweetheart –

Well, another day and I feel a little better than I did yesterday. You may or may not have received my V-mail I wrote yesterday. If not I’ll explain again that Charlie is no longer with us. Darling – it was a tough thing and even more difficult to write about. I can’t tell you exactly what was wrong – but some of Freud’s theories were certainly involved. I’ve known about it for about 18 months, and a few others also – but it was one of those things that you don’t like to bring up, and nothing was done about it. But since our arrival in England – matters became worse and worse and things finally came to a head this week-end. You’re probably very surprised at all this, dear, because I never mentioned it before – but I saw no point in bringing it up before.

Well – enough of that. We’ve got a requisition in for another man to take his place. I hope we get someone nice. Yesterday evening I cleaned my room and stayed in it all night. I just didn’t feel like going downstairs – although they were putting on a movie. But everything’s O.K. today, darling.

I re-read you letter about your trip to Salem – this morning. I’m glad you went along and met Barbara and Mrs. T. You can’t really imagine how swell they were to me, in the early days of my practice, particularly. They were both so darned helpful and helped chase away many a lonesome spell I had. Just thinking about Salem, sweetheart, makes my mouth water. It was so stimulating to start a practice alone, dear – imagine what fun we’ll have together. Oh – there’ll be worries and problems no doubt. You know – there’s no fun for a doctor – sitting around waiting for someone to call him and you never know how long the wait can be. But somehow I can’t seem to let that worry me one bit – and with you around me all the time – it will be easy to wait.

I can’t understand, sweetheart, what Mrs. Tucker meant when she said I liked the ladies and liked to have lots of them around. I think more likely than not she was trying to tease you. I did have a good many women patients, but honey – that wasn’t my fault, was it? As long as I could help them – I didn’t care who my patients were. Anyway – it will be so wonderful to have you as a wife – to tell you about things that come up during a day. I never had anyone like that and the fact is I missed it. Gosh I get so nostalgic when I start writing like that – I’d better stop – but not before I remind you again that it’s you and only you that I love, darling. Always remember that! When I get home, dear, you won’t have to be reminded – you’ll know!

That’s all for now, dear. Love to the folks and darling, you have

All my love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the Countdown to D-Day

On 8 May General Eisenhower set D-Day for Y plus 4, or 5 June. The plans were made (though changes would be introduced up to the last minute), the troops were trained, the preparatory softening up of the enemy was well under way. What remained was to get the men on ships and give the order to go. The vastly complicated process of organizing and equipping the assault units for embarkation began in April. It followed, in general, the pattern worked out in British exercises in the fall of 1943 which broke down the mounting into a series of movements bringing the troops successively nearer embarkation and at the same time providing for their equipment and assault organization.

Unless the troops were already stationed near the south coast of England, they were moved first to concentration areas where they received special equipment, waterproofed their vehicles, and lost certain administrative overhead considered unessential during the assault. The second move would bring the troops to marshaling areas located close to the embarkation points. There, final supplies were to be issued for the voyage, maps distributed, briefing for the operation accomplished, and the units broken down into boatloads to await the final move down to the ships.

The 438th AAA AW BN was already stationed near the south coast of England, and therefore did not participate in the first move to concentration areas.

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

Location of Sherborne, Dorset, UK
Near the South Coast

07 May, 1944 (to her Mother)

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.

England

Sunday, 7 May, 1944

Happy Mother’s Day – Mother!

I do wish I could be home to say that to you in person. I always enjoyed saying it to Mother and I would have a double pleasure now. Well – maybe next year.

I enjoyed your last letter very much, as I do all the letters I receive from you – and believe me – I do appreciate them. I’ll show you how much when I get back. Meanwhile I do feel that I’m getting to know and love my new set of parents for their thoughtfulness and sincerity towards me. I couldn’t wish for anything better!

Best regards to the family – and to you – again – my sincerest wishes for a pleasant Mothers’ day with many more to come.

Love

Greg