Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, February 23, 1945 Dotan, Lisabeth Kohen, Ari Transcription and encoding Roberts, Lindsay A. Tylski, Ethan S. Weakly, Laura K. Bergantzel, Katrina 2020 Nebraska Stories of Humanity University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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 Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams February 23, 1945 Institute for Holocaust Education Clarence Williams Collection Folder 5, Item h English Stories Clarence Williams Dorothy Otto Alvin Charlotte Martin, J. F. Alsace, France Omaha, Nebraska Williams, Clarence Williams, Gretchen Council Bluffs, Iowa Encoding Fixed typo Review Transcription and initial encoding Tag cleanup Part I Friday 23 February 45. My Dearest Darling —

I received two letters from you last nite and also one from Dorothy. I am sorry I didn’t state on the letter you received that I was in France but had written it on so many previous to that one and naturally assumed you would receive those first.

I can write you now that we are in action in the Alsace region and in the 7th Army as you have no doubt read in the papers. We are treating and evacuating the casualties in our vicinity and I am working as records clerk or in other words making a record of each casualty showing his name, rank, organization, types of injury, where sent, etc. It is interesting work and I am getting a little more accustomed to seeing blood and suffering from injuries. It kinda gets you down at first. Its really surprising how much punishment the human body can take and still keep going. I think the reaction after administration of plasma is one of the most miraculous things I have seen. Our station is set up in an old building formally used as a post office and telephone office.

(Contd) Part II 23 February 45.

From your letter it sounds as though they are bidding for steno’s in Omaha. I’ll bet that is almost true too and imagine you can almost take your choice.

I’m glad to hear Otto is to get his furlough, it will be so much nicer for him to come home rather than for Charlotte to go there. See how I wish I were back, I’d be due for one now also.

This is really a beautiful day and Jerries are apparently catching hell from the air again. The sky is humming with planes as it was yesterday when they started they gave them the heaviest bombing to date, over 6000 planes were used. The weather has been much better the past few days which is really in our favor.

I had quite an experience yesterday afternoon when Cpl Beaunier and I visited an old castle near this town where we are stationed. It has a high stone wall all the way around it and in places it must be about 75 feet high. It has had an old draw bridge at the entrance operated by chains which I suppose has rotted away over a period of years. We also went down into the dungeons and looked around. It is certainly an eerie old place. The only date we could find was one on a statue dated 1831. It was evidently built by the Germans as at Part III that time I believe this part of Alsace was a part of Germany. Practically all the inhabitants here speak German. We have a little fellow by the name of Jon who calls on us each day. He is about six years old I think but very smart and cute as can be. We taught him to say okay so everything said to him he answered okay. The children here are really healthy looking with clean faces and rosy cheeks. Its surprising with the scarcity of food. Of course they all wear the wooden shoes.

So Alvin is still in Belgium. I would surely love to see him but doubt that we shall ever come together as he is in a different army. I thought perhaps I may see some one from C.B. but to date I have not.

We all got quite a bang out of reading the clipping you mailed regarding the decision. From all appearances the boys did a grand job for being shoved in so soon and against the best German troops.

Well darling think I better quit for today and get to work. Ill be thinking of you and loving you.

Bye for now. Forever yours Clarence.

Tell all the folks hello
To: Mrs. C.O. Williams 1303 Ave. B. Council Bluffs, Iowa
From Pfc C.O. Williams 37738878 Co A - 122nd Med. Bn. A.P.O. #411 c/o P.M. New York, N.Y.
Passed by US Army Examiner Capt JF Martin
WAR & NAVY DEPARTMENTS V-MAIL SERVICE OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Rec'd 3/6/45 U.S. Postal Service MAR 4 PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300 2/23/45 24