Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, April 4, 1945
- Date
- Creator
- Williams, Clarence
- Format
- letter
- Category
- Stories
- Subcategory
- Clarence Williams
- Repository
- Institute for Holocaust Education
- Collection
- Clarence Williams Collection
- Bibliographic ID
- Folder 8, Item g
- Data URI
- soh.sto002.00076.xml
- Sender(s)
- Williams, Clarence
- Recipient(s)
- Williams, Gretchen
- Received at
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Correspondence Delivered Date
Wednesday4 April 45
Dearest Gretchen —
My second letter to you today but just
received three more from you and the
package of food from Muskogee so
thought I should write again and
let you know, Also to thank you for the
box. It contained the note, brownies and
sausages. Havn’t had a chance to eat
as yet but boy do they ever look delicious
and I know they will be. As
I stated in my previous letter we are
now on “K” Rations only which is similar
to a small box lunch. It is made
in three types, breakfast, dinner and
supper. The main difference is the
canned products. The breakfast contains
cooked eggs (powdered) and ham, the
dinner, cheese, and the supper canned
crackers, a fruit bar or small candy
bar, powdered imitation fruit juice or
coffee (imitation), one stick of gum and
four cigarettes. They taste good for a
few days but soon get very tiresome.
I have really been giving my little
stove hell the past few days as we
find eggs to boil here and there along
the route. Some other boys even
manage to find chickens and potatoes
for frying. Its truly surprising the
things you can find over here.
Honey if I stated gold star in my letter to you it was an error as it was a bronze star. Perhaps that will clear up things for you. Decided I didn’t like that pen so will use my own.
You mentioned your Dad’s arm bothering yet. I hope he didn’t fracture the elbow. He must have had quite a hard fall.
I hope Charley manages to get his release and there is certainly no doubt as to him deserving same. Think the Red Cross could get it for him or at least start proceeding. Omaha Cold Storage could also help a lot by requesting. I saw one that serves in Personnel that included affidavits from the boy’s mother, his employer, the local pastor, Red Cross and one from the Commander of the Local American Legion Post. He was granted the discharge.
I was sorry to hear of the Hotel Gedney burning I planned on stopping there when next at Independence. I don’t think I will ever forget the ballroom Dorothy and Charlotte slept in.
Regarding the old Sol game, I tried one nite while on C2 for about an hour and never won so quit. Guess I need your moral support. I hope you have better luck next time.
We captured our first prisoner yesterday. A German came in dressed in civilian clothes with a leg injury. Upon questioning we found he had been shot and was treated by the German Army doctor. He said they sent him to a hospital but before he arrived the Americans had captured same. I guess he got disgusted and went home and changed clothes. Any way he’s a prisoner of war now.
I was glad to hear you finally received the dicky. I wasn’t much but about the only thing I could find in France. Didn’t know whether you could even wear the thing or not but it was some thing from over here. All we hear since coming into Germany is no looting, and no fraternizing. We can’t buy any thing so guess I can’t send anything as a gift from here.
Well darling I must close and get to work again. Bye again for now.
Worlds of Love Clarence.
Pfc. C. O. Williams 37738878
Co A - 122d Medical Bn.
A.P.O. #411 - c/o P.M.
New York, New York.