04 June 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 339 % Postmaster, N.Y.

4 June, 1945      0815

Leipzig

Dearest darling Wilma –

I could do with a couple of nice letters from you. For some reason or other – I haven’t heard from you in 4 days. I guess the trouble must be with mail coming out of Boston at this particular time – because mail has been coming in quite regularly for the other fellows. But, I’m due for some today – for sure.

Yesterday, Sunday, was a quiet day, and just about warm enough to be comfortable. As per my usual routine this past week, I played 3 sets of tennis and then did some swimming. If I didn’t have that diversion, I don’t know what I’d do, darling. I could easily become batty in the realization of how stagnant I am and how stagnant I’m continuing to be. But when I remember that what I wanted most of all was to come thru the campaign alive and well – I feel better. The medical angle will just have to take care of itself, sweetheart. You’ll just have to marry me – rusty or no.

Last night – we went to the movies again. They are held downtown in a large place – called the Capital. The only difference from our movie houses is that – like the English – the better seats are upstairs. The officers have that reserved for them. A new picture is shown every second day – and to our surprise, last nite, Special Service put on a German movie. I don’t know where they got it, but it was an excellent musical comedy production – in technicolor – and you didn’t have to know German to enjoy it. Incidentally – we all agreed that their technicolor has Hollywood’s beat a mile. It’s just like real life and not for one moment did it seem artificial. The leading lady sang, danced, acted etc. and could easily get a job in Hollywood. But I didn’t see any possibilities for a new leading man. The music was excellent and one song in particular – given a plug in the States – would make the Hit Parade in no time.

Sweetheart – I re-read an old letter of yours last night and I came across something you’ve mentioned a few times in the past – our first meeting when I get back. You seem to worry that we’ll seem strange to one another, awkward, embarrassed. Darling – I don’t feel that way at all – and I don’t think you will – either. You aren’t and couldn’t be a stranger to me, dear – after the way I’ve gotten to know you during all this time, from your letters alone – I mean. If I hadn’t ever met you and by chance we had taken up a correspondence – I believe I could come home, take you in my arms, tell you I love you, ask you to marry me. But I do know you, and I did learn to love you before I went away. Our separation has only enhanced my love for you – sweetheart – and strangeness and embarrassment don’t enter into the question at all. Now – remember that!

By the way – a couple of the fellows are planning to marry as soon as they get back – Stan Sargent (N.H.) and his fiancée from New Haven; Hi Morley – Norwalk, Conn. and his girl from the same city; Bill Brown from Chicago and his fiancée from Bridgeport. I said that if we get back in July – it would be too hot to get married and they said “Not if you go to the Mountains”. Well – we may all meet there.

Today – we have a big inspection of all our equipment – by a team from Corps, but I don’t believe it has any significance; probably routine – just to see how much equipment was lost in combat. We lost quite a bit. But it’s a step in the right direction. I’ve got to go downstairs now and run over my property book with my Supply Sergeant. You may not know it, dear, but I’ve signed for about $50,000 worth of stuff.

So for now, sweetheart, I’ll have to say so long. I love you more and more each day, dear, if that is at all possible – and I’m going to love you even more when I get back to you. Love to the folks, regards to Mary – and

All my deepest love and affection

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Nevada Divorces

From TIME magazine, 4 June 1945, Vol. XLV, No. 23, comes this article about how the Nevada divorce law may be considered across the United States.

Legal Minds at Work. For 14 years sober-sided U.S. judges have muttered about the legality of Nevada's easy divorces. But armies of U.S. citizens went to Reno anyhow. Eventually, like the bull market of the fabulous '20s, Nevada divorce was accepted as a sound and logical American institution. Last week the crash came. The U.S. Supreme Court gave other states the right to deny Nevada's most cherished legal doctrine: that anyone spending six weeks within its borders has established a legal domicile, is thus entitled to a quick-won divorce.

The earthquake which opened this spectacular fissure under Nevada's gaudy divorce mills had its beginning in a frame store at Granite Falls, N.C. (pop. 1,873). The storekeeper, one Otis Baxter Williams, a greying, middle-aged father of four, fell in love with Mrs. Lillie Hendrix, the plump, bespectacled wife of the store's handy man. In 1940, stirred by their autumnal romance, they stole out of Granite Falls, drove west to a Las Vegas auto court, won Nevada divorces. They married and headed for home, expecting nothing but happy days.

Hell Hath No Fury. But the storekeeper's aging first wife was waiting. She also knew her North Carolina law. Shortly after they entered the state she had them arrested. A jury found them guilty of bigamous cohabitation. Reviewing the case in 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the North Carolina courts. In doing so it ruled that citizens of one state may establish a legal domicile in another state for no other reason than getting a divorce.

U.S. lawyers and newspapers hailed the ruling as proof that Nevada and Florida divorces had achieved final, legal respectability. Nevada's toiling judges, their position secured, ground out divorces for Doris Duke, Gypsy Rose Lee, Gloria Vanderbilt and thousands of other U.S. women of all stations. But the Supreme Court had left one loophole — it had not defined the term "legal domicile." A hawk-eyed North Carolina attorney general spotted it.

Jealous of his state's strait-laced divorce law, he charged that Otis Williams & wife were still living in sin. Once again they were arrested, tried, found guilty. Once more they took refuge in appeal. But last week the Supreme Court ruled against them. Said Justice Felix Frankfurter for the 6-to-3 majority: each state can determine for itself whether it will accept the divorce procedures of another, or reject them.

Muscular Prose. Dissenting justices stated their objections in muscular prose. Said Hugo La Fayette Black: "The Williamses have been convicted under a statute so uncertain in its application that not even the most learned member of the bar could have advised them in advance as to whether their conduct would violate the law. . . . [This] will cast a cloud over the lives of countless . . . divorced persons in the U.S."

All over the U.S., battalions of Nevada divorcees asked: "How will this affect me?" The minority whose divorce suits had been contested had nothing to worry about. Neither did those who had won uncontested divorce suits at which their defendant husbands or wives had been legally represented. But holders of default decrees (i.e., those whose mates had not been served with divorce papers in Nevada, or had not been legally represented at the trial) faced potential difficulties. If their former mates sued them, if their home states refused to honor Nevada's perfunctory theory of legal domicile, they might become involved in endless tangles (property settlements, wills, etc.). If they remarried, they might face bigamy charges, or find the children of their second marriages adjudged bastards. The effects of the decision might make themselves felt for years.

But other people's potential troubles were academic to hapless Otis Williams and Lillie Hendrix. Despite the fact that Williams' first wife had died, that Lillie's former husband had remarried twice, both faced penitentiary sentences.

03 June 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 339 % Postmaster, N.Y.

3 June, 1945      0900

Leipzig

My dearest sweetheart –

Chalk up another Sunday morning wasted, dear. It’s such a swell day here for making plans to spend the day with you. Of course, we could have talked it all over last night when we went to bed, but something always turns up on Sunday mornings – and it’s better to wait.

That’s the only time I really and truly get angry, darling, when I realize how time can be wasted and is being wasted. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you or the thought of you to console me. I love you strongly, sweetheart, and knowing you feel the same way about me – makes all the difference in the world – between going buggy – or sticking the whole damned thing out. Fortunately, the greatest part of the sticking it out is behind us.

Over here – we suddenly realized yesterday that on the 6th of June – not only was it D-Day anniversary – but also it was the 3rd anniversary of this battalion. It was activated in 1942 – with a cadre of about 50 men and 10 officers. I joined the outfit shortly afterwards - and for some time – that’s all there were of us. There are only a few of us left – the others having been transferred out, reassigned, etc. Anyway – the anniversary calls for a celebration. We had just come back from maneuvers the 1st year - and everyone was interested in getting home. Last year – we were alerted. So this is it. Besides – we haven’t had a binge for quite a spell now – so darling – will you excuse me if I get a bit drunk on Wednesday? Now – don’t worry that I’ll be like that when I get home. I won’t. I guess you know that drinking is definitely not one of my obsessions – or do you? I can truthfully say I never miss it and when I get home – you’ll see. (Hope I don’t get tight on that train ride home to Boston.) All of us have saved a bottle of Cognac apiece for New York or Boston – wherever it is we dock.

Darling – I was just interrupted – and I was quite moved. I had to say “good-bye” to the 1st soldier in my detachment to be discharged – a Sgt who is over 42. He leaves in a short time. He was an excellent soldier and I hate to see him go. There were tears in his eyes. I wished him luck and told him if he ever needed a recommendation for anything at all – not to fail to write me, in or out of the service. Gosh, sweetheart, it’s going to be tough to see this outfit break up – I’ve seen it together for so long – 35 months today, to be exact.

Meanwhile – aside from the mornings – when I’m usually fairly busy, the rest of the day is practically my own – and I’m doing my best to get into prime condition. The paradox is that a soldier gets soft in combat. He isn’t made to drill, he isn’t regimented in the ordinary sense of the word. He’s allowed to relax in every way possible when he can. So we’re all pretty soft. I’m going to keep up with the tennis and swimming as long as I can. In that respect – we’re lucky we stopped in a nice spot like Leipzig. Other troops ended the war in small towns and stayed there.

Oh, dear – they’ve come to get me. There’s a bunch of soldiers downstairs who think they’re sick - so I’ll have to go. By the way – it’s a few days now – and no mail – so I’m expecting a nice bunch – any day now. And the enclosed picture, darling – I haven’t gone native. I’m down in our swimming pool which has just been emptied, helping to sweep it out. I just happened to be around and the boys were working hard – so I peeled off my shirt and helped. Some one of the fellows came by and snapped this and gave me two of them. I sent one home.

Leipzig - Greg Cleaning Swimming Pool - June 1945

And now, sweetheart, I’ll stop. I hope all is well at home, dear; My love to the folks – and

All my deepest everlasting love,

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the 10th Mountain Division

On 8 December 1941, the Army activated its first mountain unit, the 87th Mountain Infantry Battalion (this unit was later reactivated as headquarters for the 87th Mountain Regiment) at Fort Lewis, Washington. The 87th Mountain trained on Mount Rainier's 14,408 foot peak. The National Ski Patrol took on the unique role of recruiting for the 87th Infantry Regiment and later the Division. After returning from the Kiska Campaign in the Aleutian Islands near Alaska the 87th Mountain formed the core of the new Division.

This unique organization came into being on 13 July 1943, at Camp Hale, Colorado as the 10th Light Division (Alpine). The combat power of the Division was contained in the 85th, 86th, and 87th Infantry Regiments. The Division's year training at the 9,200 foot high Camp Hale honed the skills of its soldiers to fight and survive under the most brutal mountain conditions. On 22 June 1944, the Division was shipped to Camp Swift, Texas to prepare for the Louisiana maneuvers of 1944, which were later canceled. A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for this training. On 6 November 1944, the 10th Division was re-designated the 10th Mountain Division. That same month the blue and white "Mountain" tab was authorized.

The Division entered combat on 28 January 1945 in the North Apennine Mountains of Italy. The division faced German positions arrayed along the 5 mile long Monte Belvedere-Monte della Torraccia ridge. Other divisions had attempted to assault Mount Belvedere 3 times, even holding it temporarily, but none had succeeded. To get to Mount Belvedere the Division first had to take a ridge line to the west known to the Americans as the Riva Ridge.

Riva Ridge

The Germans on Riva Ridge protected the approaches to Mount Belvedere. The assault on Riva Ridge was the task of the 1st Battalion and F Company, 2nd Battalion, 86th Mountain Infantry. After much scouting, it was decided the assault would be at night, a 1,500-vertical-assent. The Germans considered the ridge to be impossible to scale and manned it with only one battalion of mountain troops. The attack by the 86th on 18 February 1945, was a complete success and an unwelcome surprise to the Germans.

10th Mountain Division in Battle

Mount Belvedere was assaulted next. Belvedere was heavily manned and protected with minefields. Shortly after the 86th assault on the Riva Ridge, the 85th and 87th Regiments made a bayonet attack without covering artillery fire on Belvedere beginning on 19 February 1945. Again the surprise of the assault was successful and after a hard fight, the peak was captured.

Realizing the importance of the peak, the Germans made 7 counterattacks over 2 days. After the first 3 days of intense combat, the division lost 850 casualties to include 195 dead. The 10th had captured over 1,000 prisoners. The 10th was now in a position to breach the German's Apennine Mountain line, take Highway 65 and open the way to the Po Valley.

One of the major battles on March 4 involved the taking of a mountain known as MonteDella Spe. The 1st Battalion of the 85th took the mountain. Germans committed their major reserve, the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division, to the battle but, after four German counterattacks, the mountain was still in American hands. Sgt. Werner von Trapp, of the famous Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music”fame, was a member of the 10th Mountain Division and was in a forward position on DellaSpe. Von Trapp could hear the enemy, just yards away, planning its assault. With Sgt.von Trapp translating the German commands, his company shifted positions each time to meet the Germans head on and stymie all 8 counterattacks.

On 14 April 1945, the final phase of the war in Italy began. With the 85th and 87th Infantry leading, the 10th Mountain Division attacked toward the Po Valley spearheading the Fifth Army drive. The fighting was fierce with the loss of 553 mountain infantryman killed, wounded, or missing in the first day.

During that attack ex-United States Senator and former presidential candidate Bob Dole, then a 21-year-old 2nd Lieutenant with the 10th, was seriously wounded. He was leading a patrol to capture a prisoner when a machine gun protected by a minefield blocked their path. Dole was hit by machine gun fire, and the two men with him were killed. Dole's injuries resulted in the nearly total loss of his right arm.

That night, the American and German units settled into defensive positions. One of the 10th Mountain men carried a guitar with him and another had a violin. They accompanied the GIs as they sang into the night. When they sang "Lili Marlene", the Germans on the other side of the hill sang along with them. Then the Germans would sing a song and the guitar and violin would try to accompany them. The next morning, the two sides got up and started killing each other again.

Guitar Player of the 10th Mountain Division

Early on 20 April 1945, the seventh day of the attack, the first units of the 85th Infantry broke out into Po Valley. Five days of attack had cost 1,283 casualties. With the German's mountain line broken, the next objective was to cross the Po River. On the morning of 23 April 1945, the 10th was the first division to reach the Po River. The first battalion of the 87th Mountain Infantry, the original mountain infantry unit, made the crossing under fire in 50 light canvas assault boats.

The final combat for the 10th Division took place in the vicinity of Lake Garda, a canyon lake at the foothills of the Alps. On 27 April 1945, the first troops reached the south end of the lake, cutting off the German Army's main escape route to the Brenner Pass. The drive was delayed by destroyed tunnels and road blocks. Using amphibious DUKWs, these obstacles were bypassed and the towns of Riva and Tarbole at the head of the lake were captured.

Organized resistance in Italy ended on 2 May 1945. The 10th had completely destroyed 5 elite German divisions. In 114 days of combat, the 10th Division had suffered casualties of 992 killed in action and 4,154 wounded.

On 3 June 1945, on the crusty summer snows covering the steep slopes of 8,927-foot Mt. Mangart, where the borders of Italy, Austria and the former Yugoslavia come together, the 10th's best skiers challenged each other. 1st Sergeant Walter Prager, the Dartmouth ski coach, won. It seemed a fitting way not only to end the war but to begin the peace.

A racer on Mount Mangart

Veterans of the 10th Mountain Division were in a large part responsible for the development of skiing into a big name sport and popular vacation industry after World War II. Ex-soldiers from the 10th laid out ski hills, built ski lodges, designed ski lifts and improved ski equipment. They started ski magazines and opened ski schools. Vail, Aspen, Sugarbush, Crystal Mountain, and Whiteface Mountain were but a few of the ski resorts built by 10th Mountain veterans.

[NOTE: The pictures here were copied from Brian Kealy's Lecture at the Imperial War Museum in London in March of 2011, but can no longer be seen there.]

02 June 1945

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 339 % Postmaster, N.Y.

2 June, 1945      0800

Leipzig

Good morning, sweetheart –

I’m off to an early start and probably a busy day. It’s Saturday again and although we are living a good bit in the garrison style – where oh where are those weekends off?? A week-end off – over here – would mean nothing of course, but it’s nice to think about, anyway.

About two years ago this time I was on leave at home. I was dissatisfied, unhappy – and a lot of other things, darling. And just think – it was all leading up to my meeting you – several weeks later. That was a lucky day for me! Sure – and I’ve been loving you for about two years, now, dear – isn’t it about time we did something about it!! Yes! Yes! Meet me at the docks!

Well, excuse it, darling, but it’s early in the day – and I love you – and love makes a guy balmy. So that’s it for now, love to the folks and

All my deepest love.

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Strange Fruit

In yesterday's letter, Greg mentioned that he thought the book "Strange Fruit" by Lillian Smith was banned in Boston. From eNotes comes this...

Lillian Smith’s first novel, Strange Fruit, tells the story of an interracial love affair in the South between a white boy and an educated African American woman. The novel contains several descriptions of sexual intercourse and masturbation and ends with a murder and a lynching. Massachusetts state authorities banned the book, but the literary scholar Bernard DeVoto challenged the ban. A judge found that Smith’s book violated the state law barring material that either was “obscene, indecent, impure” or that tended to “corrupt the morals of youth.” In his view, the work raised “lascivious thoughts” in the mind of the reader and aroused “lustful desire,” so it should not be sold in the state. When the U.S. Post Office tried to prohibit shipping the book between states by mail, Eleanor Roosevelt intervened and got the order rescinded.

A few years later the author and her sister, Esther, adapted the novel into a play, which had a successful run on Broadway and in Canada. Irish authorities, however, refused to let the book be sold or the play be performed in Dublin. The original novel sold more than 200,000 copies in the United States, though most bookstores took it off their shelves after the ruling in Massachusetts and refused to sell it any more.

The book was re-published in 1992.

Here is how it was more recently described:

When it was first published in 1944, this novel with a curious title - taken from a Billie Holiday song about a lynching - sparked immediate controversy: It horrified some critics, prompted booksellers in Boston and Detroit to ban its sale, caused the U.S. postal service to seize copies, and tempted the public enough to make it the years's No. 1 fiction best-seller.

01 June 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 339 % Postmaster, N.Y.

1 June, 1945      0815

Leipzig

My darling fiancée –

Eternal recurrence – the same old drab lined paper that I used so long. Well – it turns out to be the old reliable when all else gives out. The was is over, we don’t have many new CP’s – and you can readily see, dear, the new sources of supply have been cut off.

Well here it is June – a perfect month for marriage, and I’m stuck just a few thousand miles away from you – that’s all. I guess any month in the calendar is a good one now, though. Boy we were really sweating it out a year ago. I don’t suppose I was able to write you very much about my reactions – but we knew that D-Day was imminent and that we would be with 7th Corps. We were being alerted and de-alerted twice a day – but all our stuff was packed, excess equipment turned in and everyone was ready to leave on one hour’s notice.

Our original date of landing was to be D+4, when Corps Artillery was to land – and whom we were supposed to protect. But things got jammed on the beaches and it was changed to D+6. However – we lost two days in Southampton due to congestion and another day in the Channel and we landed D+9 – as I remember it. The actual landing was mild – but the crossing was hot. There were submarine scares all night, one false gas attack, and nothing false about the bombs the Luftwaffe dropped the night before we landed – when we were anchored 2 or 3 hundred yards off the beach. Some of the Liberty ships were hit – we were on one of the Libertys, too – but nothing touched us. We finally transferred to barges and the tide was right for us to land about 1400 that next afternoon. I didn’t even get my feet wet. But that’s one experience and one year that I’m glad are behind me. It was no fun.

It rained almost all of yesterday and the only thing to break the monotony was the movies in the morning. We watched “Music for Millions” – and although it was a little sad for an all soldier audience – most of us enjoyed it. I liked the music and would gladly have listed to more. Pictures like that must be hard for the public to take – with so many casualty reports drifting in.

We got a new bunch of Special Service books in yesterday and five of them were Lillian Smith’s “Strange Fruit”. I believe that was one that was banned in Boston – so I don’t suppose you’ve read it. I’ve started it and it looks interesting.

No mail from you, sweetheart, for a couple of days – no, just one day; well it seems like a couple of days. I really miss you, darling, when I don’t hear – but I can’t complain. As you say – it surely will be wonderful when we don’t have to write. An old letter of yours asked me to remember not to be away from you in the Spring – and I’ve made a mental note of that, dear. I can’t see why I should want to be away from you at any time for the year, for that matter. I’ve been away for a long enough time already. I was thinking such pleasant thoughts – yesterday – about getting married, getting my office going, finding a place to live and getting settled in Salem, you and I, taking our place in community life. We’ve got some exciting, livable times to look forward to, sweetheart – and it’s going to be wonderful – I know – for we love each other – and that’s such a nice way to start. And right now – I have to stop. One of the boys has just been up to call me. So long for awhile, sweetheart, love to the folks – and

All my everlasting love,

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about "Music for Millions"

Here is the New York Times review of "Music for Millions" written by Bosley Crowther and published on 22 December 1944.

Much of the same tender feeling and melodic felicity which Producer Joe Pasternak and Director Henry Koster got into their early Deanna Durbin films some years ago has been recaptured by those two gentlemen, now reunited on the Metro lot, in their new picture, "Music for Millions," which came to the Capitol yesterday. Only some of the old zing is missing, and some new things have been added, too. "Music for Millions" is a hybrid creation of the Pasternak-Koster team.

Oh, yes, they have a gentle, youthful story in this new musical romance dipped in tears and they have a couple of youngsters to play it, though not sing it, in a tender, wistful style. It is the story of a war bride, played most sweetly by June Allyson, who scrapes a 'cello in a symphony band while her husband is away in the Pacific, and suffers torments because she is going to have a baby and doesn't hear from him. And it is the story of her little sister, played by tiny Margaret O'Brien, who tries to comfort her in her anxiety, and of several girl musicians who likewise try to cheer.

Messrs. Pasternak and Koster also bring in the sort of musical atmosphere that distinguished their previous pictures, with José Iturbi as the artist in the piece. Mr. Iturbi, supposedly conducting the orchestra, leads that symphonic group in the playing of several exquisite numbers by Dvorak, Grieg, Tchaikovsky and kindred souls. And he does one lovely piano solo of Debussy's "Claire de Lune."

But there the similarity to their former tender films stops and considerable extraneous matter rather carelessly begins. Most confusing is the aimless and sporadic use that has been made of the talents of Jimmy Durante, one of the grandest and most lovable people alive. Mr. Durante appears in this picture as a manager for Mr. Iturbi, and he is allowed to do two dandy numbers, "Umbriago" and "Toscanini, Iturbi and Me." In both of these numbers Mr. Durante individually stops the show. But his genial relation to the story, which might have been so graciously applied, is never revealed in full proportion and his character remains haphazard and obscure.

The same might be said of the character which little Miss O'Brien plays. She is a wistful and generally appealing youngster, but her function in the film remains obscure—except as nudger of emotion in a couple of heavily sentimental scenes.

It appears the chief fault with this picture is that its makers were never quite sure whether they were giving the show to Miss Allyson, Miss O'Brien, Mr. Iturbi or to our boy James. And, as a consequence, it drifts this and that way for something onto two hours. Otherwise, it makes up for shortcomings with its gorgeous music and individual scenes.

Here is the trailer for Music for Millions...

31 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 339 % Postmaster, N.Y.

31 May, 1945      0820

Leipzig

My dearest sweetheart –

In case you haven’t already noticed, our APO had been changed to 339 – the Ninth Army number. There’s not much significance to the change – as I see it. The First Army headquarters is no longer in Europe so we had to give up our First Army APO. But our attachment to the Ninth – is administrative only, and when the time comes I’m pretty certain that this outfit and this corps will be right back with the First Army – the best Army of them all. With this change, by the way, dear – this outfit has had something like two dozen APO numbers. For one reason or another we seem to have been attached to more outfits than you can shake a stick at. Don’t forget that for a while in England and in Normandy, our APO was 403 – and that, dear, is the Third Army APO.

Well – we finally got a rainy day here – and it’s quite refreshing. I guess this section of Germany needed it, too, if the crops were to get going.

We had a short, but very impressive ceremony for Memorial Day yesterday, darling. We held it out front and had a group down from each of the batteries. A symbolic casket was made and covered with the American Flag. Flowers were all around it. Our executive officer made a speech and then the chaplain spoke – honoring the dead of past wars and particularly those of our own battalion. Then he called out the separate batteries and as he did – one soldier from that battery came forward, knelt, picked up a wreath and waited while the Chaplain spoke out the names of the dead of that battery. Then the wreath was placed on the “casket”. It was all very well done and left a good impression on everyone.

I still have a few of your letters dear – as yet unanswered. I’ve just re-read one of them written 19 March. I mention that one particularly because in it you tell me your reaction to what I had written you – about going into business. When I wrote that, sweetheart – I can’t say honestly that I was purely kidding, although by no means was I entirely serious. I suppose I wrote it when I was particularly blue, fed up with the Army – and what not. But I have become terrifically rusty as a physician, darling, although I’ve been managing to read my medical journals which still come to me. They help a lot in keeping my medical vocabulary from becoming entirely extinct.

1100

Sorry, dear. I was called away and I’ve just got back. Looks like a busy day coming up – but nothing especially important. I see that the barometer on my desk has climbed since I left – which means the weather ought to clear up later today.

Hell – we haven’t had a decent rumor in 2 or 3 days now. The question of points has died down in the discussions – and now the subject of when we get home leads them all. Most seem to think it will be sometime in July – which seems like a pretty good guess. It’s a sure bet the First Army won’t do a thing without 7th Corps.

Well, sweetheart, it’s a sure thing anyway – that one of these very fine days I will actually be on my way home to show you how much I love and want you. Tomorrow is June, it can’t be very far off now! I’ll have to stop now, dear, but keep thinking over and over again that I love only you and waiting perhaps won’t be so difficult.

Love to the folks – sweetheart

All my deepest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Deciding to Use the Atomic Bomb

From the Notes of the Interim Committee Meeting, 31 May 1945 comes this section titled "EFFECT OF THE BOMBING ON THE JAPANESE AND THEIR WILL TO FIGHT", written before the bomb was tested, and continuing to demonstrate that its effects were under-estimated...

It was pointed out that one atomic bomb on an arsenal would not be much different from the effect caused by any Air Corps strike of present dimensions. However, Dr. [Robert] Oppenheimer [lead scientist on the atomic bomb project] stated that the visual effect of an atomic bombing would be tremendous. It would be accompanied by a brilliant luminescence which would rise to a height of 10,000 to 20,000 feet. The neutron effect of the explosion would be dangerous to life for a radius of at least two-thirds of a mile.

After much discussion concerning various types of targets and the effects to be produced, the Secretary [i.e., Secretary of War Henry Stimson] expressed the conclusion, on which there was general agreement, that we could not give the Japanese any warning; that we could not concentrate on a civilian area; but that we should seek to make a profound psychological impression on as many of the inhabitants as possible. At the suggestion of Dr. [James B.] Conant [Director of the National Defense Research Committee] the Secretary agreed that the most desirable target would be a vital war plant employing a large number of workers and closely surrounded by workers’ houses.

There was some discussion of the desirability of attempting several strikes at the same time. Dr. Oppenheimer’s judgment was that several strikes would be feasible. General [Leslie R.] Groves [military director of the project], however, expressed doubt about this proposal and pointed out the following objections: (1) We would lose the advantage of gaining additional knowledge concerning the weapon at each successive bombing; (2) such a program would require a rush job on the part of those assembling the bombs and might, therefore, be ineffective; (3) the effect would not be sufficiently distinct from our regular Air Force bombing program.

30 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

30 May, 1945      0820

Leipzig

Wilma, darling –

When I wrote yesterday that today makes 3 yrs. Away from Boston – if I did write that – I was wrong of course. I meant merely that it was the 3rd Memorial Day – and that’s long enough. Here at Battalion we’re going to have our own Memorial Services at 1600. I believe the whole Army is doing the same. It will be to honor and remember the boys of this battalion who were killed in action.

Yesterday I had a pleasant afternoon. We “found” some tennis racquets and balls and played some tennis! They have a beautiful Sport Club – private – near here and they keep their courts in excellent condition. I was pretty rusty – but so was the other fellow and I got a good work-out. Then we came back here and had a nice swim. Furthermore – we learned yesterday that there was a golf course not far from here – open to the Military. If we can get some golf balls – we’re all set. I might as well take up where I left off, darling. By the time I get back – I’ll be all set in several sports – and at home, as I’ve told you before, dear, I’m planning on taking up wrestling. Now – don’t be frightened!

I got 3 V-mails yesterday – one from Stan in Washington, and 2 from you – 17 and 21 May. The service has definitely picked up in this direction. I hope the reverse is true. A funny thing about your writing me your telephone number, darling, is that I was thinking about it one day – and for the life of me – I couldn’t think of the exchange. I finally had to look it up. I ought to be ashamed of myself. And I haven’t forgotten the Holyoke number – because I had that written down too.

Stan had little to say in his letter except that Bernie Covich had been down to visit him and was now on his way to Dutch Harbor. As I remember it, he had been on sick leave – wasn’t it, dear? Just what was the matter with him?

I don’t remember whether I’ve already told you – but I certainly laughed when I read about Mother A. worrying already about my coming home in July and not having any place for me. If that isn’t like my mother, I don’t know what is. Of course – I could always pitch my pup tent anywhere; I’m really pretty good at that – having had a fair amount of experience. But if your offer to stay at your house, darling, still holds, – well I hope I get home in July so that I can take advantage of it. But then people would talk – and you’d just have to marry me. Oh Boy !!

I did enjoy Bennet Serf’s “Try and Stop Me”. I read it some time ago – one of the boys who used to proof-read for a publishing house, had it sent to him. I never did quite finish it – we started to move swiftly then – but it certainly was packed with a lot of laughs.

Well darling – so many words already this morning and I didn’t tell you yet that I love you and you alone! I do, sweetheart – so very very much I can hardly wait to see you and tell you about it. These next weeks – maybe months – are going to be really tough waiting out, but heck, the war is over here, and I am coming back – and that’s so much more than I had to look forward to even a month ago. So hold tight, darling and we’ll soon be together. For now, so long and love to the folks.

Yours alone for always, dear –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Yamamoto Loses in Burma

The below maps show Burma in 1945 and Myanmar today.
As Burma's name was changed to Myanmar, so have city names changed.

[Click to enlarge]

  

From the WWII Database website comes this Battle of Rangoon Timeline:

2 Apr 1945	Louis Mountbatten announced that the planning for Operation Dracula against Rangoon, Burma was to be resumed, with a target execution date of 5 May 1945 at the latest.
11 Apr 1945	Anglo-Indian troops captured Pyabwe, Burma at dawn; 2,000 dead Japanese bodies were counted in the region after the fierce battle. To the southwest, mechanized Anglo-Indian troops reached the Taungdwingyi area.
14 Apr 1945	Anglo-Indian troops captured Taungdwingyi, Burma.
16 Apr 1945	Indian 5th Division captured Shwemyo, Burma during the day, while by nightfall the Anglo-Indian 4th Corps reached within 240 miles of Rangoon.
21 Apr 1945	Louis Mountbatten scheduled Operation Dracula against Rangoon, Burma for 2 May 1945. William Slim hastened his units overland toward Rangoon in an attempt to reach Rangoon before Dracula commenced.
22 Apr 1945	In Burma, Indian 7th Division attacked Yenangyaung while Indian 5th Division attacked Toungoo.
23 Apr 1945	The 150 officers and 3,000 men of the 1st Division of the Indian National Army, an anti-British resistance group aided by the Japanese, surrendered to the Allies at Pyu, Burma. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Heitaro Kimura, despite having been given orders of defend Rangoon, Burma to the death, ignominiously abandoned the city without issuing any orders to the Burma Area army.
24 Apr 1945	Indian 5th Division captured Toungoo, Burma and advanced further to Penwegu.
26 Apr 1945	Indian 17th Division reached Daiku, Burma.
27 Apr 1945	The British East Indies Fleet sailed from Trincomalee, Ceylon to begin a series of strikes prior to the capture of Rangoon, Burma; this force of battleships, cruisers and destroyers would take it in turns to fuel and then screen the carriers hitting airfields, installations and coastal shipping in the Nicobars, the Andamans and along the Burma coast. Meanwhile, on land, Indian 17th Division was attacked by a Japanese suicide offensive north of Pegu; it was repulsed after the Japanese suffered 500 killed.
28 Apr 1945	Anglo-Indian troops captured Allanmyo, Burma. Elsewhere, Indian 17th Division reached the heavily-defended Pegu, where the Japanese built the final major stronghold north of Rangoon, which was 47 miles to the south.
29 Apr 1945	The two-prong assault by Indian 17th Division on Pegu, Burma was repulsed.
30 Apr 1945	Anglo-Indian forces gained a beachhead on the west bank of the Pegu River at Pegu, Burma.
1 May 1945	Indian 50th Parachute Regiment was dropped near Rangoon, Burma as the spearhead to Operation Dracula. Meanwhile, determined to preempt Operation Dracula in the conquest of Rangoon, William Slim carelessly attempted to enter the city himself by air; his aircraft was damaged by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and the American pilot, Captain Robert Fullerton, sustained injuries in his leg so severe that it had to be amputated later.
2 May 1945	In Burma, Indian 26th Division of the Anglo-Indian XV Corps made an amphibious landing near Rangoon, Burma. To the north, Indian 17th Division secured Pegu and advanced toward Rangoon; it would not beat Indian 26th Division in the race for Rangoon.
3 May 1945	Rangoon, Burma was captured by Indian 26th Division with little resistance. Fleeing Japanese were slaughtered not just by British and Commonwealth troops but by Burmese guerrillas and tribesmen who rose up against their former occupiers.
6 May 1945	In Burma, Anglo-Indian XV Corps linked up with IV Corps, which had been advancing down the Sittang River, and effectively cut off 20,000 sick, hungry and increasingly desperate Japanese from their bases in Indo-China.
30 May 1945	The remainder of General Seiei Yamamoto's troops in Burma was effectively wiped out.

29 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

29 May, 1945      0820

Leipzig

My darling fianceé –

It’s a start of a warm day here today and I’ll bet the weather at home must be swell about now. It usually is around Memorial Day time. Tomorrow will make the third one away from Boston, because 3 years ago we were on a train out of South Carolina and heading for Camp Edwards. I’d like to be heading for there right now. It will be nice if we get to Edwards or Devens rather than to one of the New York camps. I’ll have you in my arms that much sooner, darling. I saw “Brewster’s Millions” the other night (it smelled, I thought), but at the start of the picture – a soldier gets home after a couple of years overseas. I watched the scene of his homecoming very carefully – because it’s what I’m going to do one of these days – not that I need any coaching, dear. Did you see the picture? There’s no getting away from it – that will be a tense moment – but I’m sure we’ll all master it without difficulty – and then we’ll talk and ask each other a bunch of foolish questions – that have no bearing on anything at all. It probably won’t be until the next day that we can sit down, look each other into the eye and realize that we’re together again. That’s the time I’m looking forward to, darling. Don’t get me wrong when I say “foolish questions”; I don’t mean that – or that you and I will necessarily ask them. I mean questions like “I’ll bet you didn’t have any dinner yet”; or “Was it a rough ocean crossing”; or “I’ll bet you’re tired from carrying that bag”. All solicitous and kind, sweetheart – and human, too – but it will take several hours for us to realize what we’ve wanted to realize for so long – and then we’ll talk as we’ve wanted to talk. Anyway, darling, that’s the way I see it now – and it may be entirely different. I don’t care how it is; all I know is that when I finally lay my eyes upon you and I know that I’m back – even for a little while, I’ll be the happiest guy in the world.

We played Bridge last night – and the Chaplain and I won again. We seem to hit it off as partners pretty well. He’s a keen player. I fouled up a couple of hands – but we managed two bids and made one grand and 2 small slams. Someday I ought to read up on the stuff. I started playing by watching at first. I ought to begin to learn some of the fine points.

It was funny – your dreaming of my things in Liverpool and Wilma Too etc – as you wrote me in a recent letter. And you piloting the plane! It was all due to that late ice-cream at St. Clair’s – I’m sure. About our trunks in Liverpool – we heard recently that all of them are in Soissons, France – and I think arrangements are begin made to have them picked up. I’ve nothing in mine except some khaki trousers and shirts – which we don’t wear here – anyway.

And by the way – thank Shirley G. for the note – and what in the world is a rum-butter coke?

Have to leave you now, sweetheart. I’m arranging for the showing of a Sex film – so called – to the Bn. Oh yes – fraternization or non-frat. – the V.D. problem is a major one here. The Sex Film shows the boys the horrors etc.

Darling, I love you more and more! When am I finally going to be able to show you!!

Love to the folks –

All my sincerest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Moscrip Miller's Favorite War Story


Moscrip Miller
LOOK War Correspondent

The following, written by Moscrip Miller and published in LOOK magazine on 29 May 1945 with the title "My Favorite War Story".

It was on my way back from China that I heard my favorite story of the war. Several of General Chennault's fighter pilots going home on the rotation plan were shooting the breeze. Lt. Col. EdwardD. McComas, an old-time Chennault ace at 26 and commanding officer of the Black Lightning Squadron, was talking with pride of "his boys." Here is the story:

Twenty-one-year-old Capt. John E. Meyer of Birmingham, Ala., with four Jap planes to his credit, was leading a flight of P-51's in a raid on Jap shipping at Kurkiang. The ack-ack was heavy as the planes, flying in formation, dropped their bombs on the target with pin-point precision, then swung around in a sharp bank to go back and finish off the job with low-level strafing.

It was on the steeply-banked turn that a 40-mm shell hit the nose of Meyer's ship, exploding on impact and blinding the young pilot with shattered glass. Miraculously, he was not killed - but his plane was falling out of control as he called calmly over the inter-plane radio, "I'm out of it, boys. That hit blinded me. Polish off the - - - - for me."

But Meyer's wingman, Lt. John F. Egan, also just 21, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had other ideas. Sizing up the situation at a glance, he called to Meyer, the only casualty of this bomb run, to follow his instructions.

As Egan gave the orders by radio, the blinded Meyer, responding almost automatically, pulled back on the stick while bringing his left wing up, and leveled off the falling plane. But then the blind pilot faced a new threat - from a flight of Jap Tojos and Oscars coming in to finish off the obviously crippled plane.

The alert Egan saw them and called a warning. He had Meyer continue on course, but the other planes of his flight rallied around the crippled ship, as if they were running interference in a football game. The other Japs hesitated, in spite of their numerical advantage, and that hesitation saved Meyer again.

Egan was now flying side by side with his blinded pal, keeping up a steady stream of conversation over the inter-plane radio.

"How you doing, Stinky? This ought to be a cinch for you. You always were good at blind flying, and this is it - but good! More right rudder, there. Nose down a bit. You're doing fine. Only another half hour and we'll be home." It was a one-sided conversation. Meyer was too weak from loss of blood, too shaken to do more than just follow the instructions that kept ringing in his ears. Egan's voice was serving as his eyes.

Then, suddenly, he heard Egan talking to the control tower at the home field. They were going to land. The realization roused Meyer.

Once around the field with half flaps into the wind. Egan was calling out the air speed and altimeter readings as he flew alongside Meyer. Then the ground came up gently to meet the approaching planes. Egan had guided the sightless pilot squarely onto the runway.

John Meyer crouches on the wing of "Stinky, Jr.,"
a P-51, 118th T.R.S.

Warned in advance by the control tower, medics were waiting for Meyer. Eventually, he would regain his sight. But two days later, while Meyer was resting in a hospital, Jack Egan was lost over Hong Kong.