Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, May 1, 1945

What a day this has been, colder than H— and snowing like the devil outside right now. I have been wearing the sweater you sent me for a couple of weeks now and think I shall dig out the helmet from my duffle bag. The ground is practically white outside now, this is one country where the farther South we go, the colder it get. Guess it is because of the Bavarian Alps. We have seen more cheering and waving in this vicinity than any other place to date. Seems rather odd being in the places where the Nazi party was founded but perhaps they are getting tired of war. We saw several of the prisoners from the concentration camp today most of them carrying a bag of new clothing over   their shoulder they had apparently looted from some warehouse. Many of them were stopping the German civilians on the streets and taking their bicycles. One Russian came up to shake my hand and then kissed it. I gave him some cigarettes and believe he was one of the happiest people I have ever seen. You can imagine their feeling at being released from such a place after being in there five and six years and looking forward to being killed each day. We talked with several Frenchmen, English, New Zealanders and Italians as well as Poles and Russians. This city is one of the largest in Germany and has really been bombed. In the heart of   the city there is hardly a building left that isnt badly damaged. Some of the English boys told us our planes had been bombing here for a year. I could tell some of the damage was old as they had tried to patch the lower floors of many big buildings without rebuilding same. We see long lines of prisoners marching in every day now and according to some of the boys, they give up quite readily. Some times one see groups come in with out guards or any one with them. One group of about forty wanted to surrender to us but we told them to go on down the road and some one would take them prisoners. It is really funny in a way but I guess most of the organized resistance   has ceased. We expect to hit more if we go further South in the mountains. I wrote you yesterday about receiving the box from the girls. It was the one containing the candy bars, hot chocolate and soup mixtures. I have almost lived on the candy today and it really was delicious. Please thank them for me until I get a chance to write them. Tomorrow I understand we get “B” rations so perhaps we will have a couple of hot meals our first in four days.

Well sweet it is getting quite late so think I shall turn in. Will be dreaming of you —

Please send a box of food. Thanks honey.