Friday11 May 45.
Dearest Gretchen —
We just came back from swimming in the lake and surely enjoyed same. The water was very cold but the sun was bright and hot so after swimming awhile we took sun baths on blankets. I sure wish I had brought along my swim trunks but know it is too late to get some now. You should have seen the costumes we were wearing, I wore my shorts, Miller wore some long John’s that he had cut off above the knee (we told him he looked like Daisy Mae), Sgt. Hall had on AD trousers, cut off, and Beaulieu wore some pink ladies panties. What a sight, fortunately there were very few civilians around.
Honey I didn’t mean we were in a town
named Gretchen. That was merely the name of
the lady who owned the cafe by the name
of Gretchen Henning. I am enclosing a picture
of the place which is exactly how it looked
except for the tables and chairs in the yard.
Over to the right you can see a small village
which Tom Slavin and I walked to one Sunday
afternoon. On the far right is the “Main” River
where I went fishing but didn’t have any
luck. The porch or sun room with all the
windows is where I was drinking brandy
and writing you. The other two pictures of
are part of the same grounds. They are also
one of the places we stopped and occupied
both buildings. That was the children’s school
and hospital I wrote you about. That was
also the place where the German obstacle
course was located.
The band visited us this afternoon and played a few numbers. We really had a crowd of local inhabitants around listening to their music.
We heard the point system announced on the radio last night and it looks as though I’ll be a 30 year man before getting out of the Army. My only chance will be for an early defeat of Japan. I surely gets disgusting wasting the best years of ones life in this mess. I know definitely I could do more outside than in but that doesn’t mean a thing, you still sit around and wait for Army Red tape.
Well darling, guess that’s about all for today so will say “Goodnite for now”
Loving you Always, Clarence.
Pfc. C. O. Williams 37738878
Co A - 122d Med Bn. AP.O #411
c/o P.M. New York, N. Y.
U.S. Army Postal Service MAY 17 1945
