June 19, 1945

June 19, 1945

Germany

Dear Mother, Dad, & Girls:

            We are still in the same place as last time I write and it is sure dull here with nothing to do. Boy if we do get in the occupational army and have to stay here, we are all going to go crazy quick. They keep telling us that we will know for sure in a few days what we are going to do and keep putting it off so we still don’t know any more than we did.

            I got a letter from John last night and he is in a hospital in California and said that he was to get a furlough soon, so I guess he had already got it by now cause the letter was dated back in May. He got to see his Sister as he went through El Paso on the way to California. I guess you have already heard this though. It was sure too bad about his brother. John doesn’t seem to think there is any hopes for him since he went down over enemy waters and his plane exploding in the air too. I still haven’t’ heard from Kenneth yet. He better write to me and let me know where he is at, I wish I knew, I may be able to go see him.

            Here is a map that I got out of today’s paper. I have traced on it just about where we have been as we came across Germany. It isn’t exact, of course, but it is near enough to show about where I have been.

            Our battery is spread out in two towns and our platoon is about three miles from the other half of the outfit. I walked down there this morning and had a good bath in one of their bath tubs. We haven’t got any way to take bathes down here except when we go find a swimming hole some place. If we stay here, they will fix us up a lot better and have things for us to do to pass the time. Now that the war is over, we can’t do anything like we used to be able to do. We were so used to doing as we pleased that it is hard to settle down and play little tin soldier. Hell, we used to be able to go through a town just like we owned it and do anything we wanted to. If we felt like having friend chicken for supper, several of us went chicken hunting through the town with our rifle. It seemed like we just had a lot more fun before.

            Well how is the trout fishing this year Dad? Did you catch your limit and was it hard to do? I would like to go trout fishing up in the grahams this summer. It would seem funny fishing with a line after just throwing a hand grenade in for them. We were out for the fish over here and not for the sport in it.

            How is the house shaping up by now? Well I hope you are all well and everything is alright. Is your leg getting better Dad or is it still bothering you? It is time for supper so I will close for now.

Love to all,
Your son,
Max

P.S. – Send me some oatmeal cookies when you get time Mama. Ha.