March 17, 1945

Dear Mother, Dad, and Grandpa,

               Well, here it is St. Patrick’s Day, and to be sure now, I’m wearing a bit ‘o green—my beautiful green fatigues (what the well dressed G.I. will wear this spring!)

               Please send some food, if you care to do so. I have made a number of moves since living in the mountain villa. Will write about them in detail when I am able to do so. We’re now taking it easy for a while. From the clipping you sent me and from what you write, I see that you have been keeping up on our activities in this theater. Everyone is extremely proud of the division which is rapidly making a name for itself. Perhaps I should say that the men in it are making it famous. It is [undecipherable] quite a glamourous outfit. I can remember seeing newsreels and short subjects about the U.S. ski-troopers on numerous occasions. Of course it is a little late in the season for skiing now. We are authorized to wear the African-European-Middle Eastern campaign ribbon. Of course everyone is entitled to wear a ribbon upon landing on foreign soil. More important, however, is the fact that we all wear a bronze star on the ribbon for participation in a very important part of the Rome-Anzio campaign.

Also we are now allowed to wear the division patch, being issued 2 apiece. The word “Mountain,” or rather the patch with the word on it to be worn above the regular patch has not been issued yet. Some of the fellows came back from pass, however, with some made by the Italians. Some of them, they said, are of regulation size and colors, but others are all sizes and colors of the rainbow.

____

                                                                                                         Sunday, March 18, 1945

I did not get to finish this letter yesterday, but will do so this morning.

               I imagine that by now the weather is beautiful at home. I think I would be out playing golf bright and early at the club if I were home.

               Friday your letters of the 9^th came—only 7 days!

               Harry, Jr. got a break. I see that for the next 3 months all are going into the Army except Navy radar applicants.

               Is Phil Weisman still at Cincinnati? Also where does Joyce plan to be married?

               I had another letter from Harry Daniels. He is taking a horrible course, I think.

               Please send some food if and whenever you wish to do so.

               Mother, I imagine your Victory garden[1] will be awfully nice. It was last year.

               Has Bob left the country yet? Of course they can’t tell the exact time he leaves, but should be able to judge approximately. Just what type of work does he do? Is it a desk job?

               That scrapbook[2] sounds swell, Mother. I’ll have to send you more souvenirs to put in it.

               Edward Lee has certainly been shifted around the country. I think they are satisfied with it all, but they aren’t the type of people who will ever admit it.

               Mother, I think I wrote you that your V-mail took a day longer than the air-mail.

               I’ll write Rosella M. and thank her for the cigarettes. They haven’t come yet. But please don’t send any more cigarettes, for we get a pack a day as a regular issue. You need them all at home. The same goes for toilet articles. As for chewing gum, we get a stick a day, so send it if you care to.

               Jim D[undecipherable] and Dick Barrar must have had thrilling experiences. They are fortunate in getting back to the States every now and then.

               Please send some food if you wish to do so.

Had a very nice letter from Aunt Fannie. She sent me Harry Bremen’s address. Said she sent a box to me from Freida which is very thoughtful.

               Well, I’m running out of topics, so I must come to a close. Love to all of you.