Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, May 19, 1945

Happy day, I received four letters from you tonite including the one with your picture. Honey I think it is really swell of you, has that smile on your face that you always have. I hadn’t expected one nearly so good after what you had written about them. I am going to include some pictures that I have taken of places we have stayed, and things I have seen including some of the sights at Dachau Concentration Camp. I have written on the back of the pictures so you can get a general idea of where they were taken.

Well darling, for the first time I can write you without having my letters censored. It really won’t make a lot of difference however as since the ending of the war they have allowed us to write practically everything.

Insull is a happy boy tonite, he received a cablegram from his wife stating he is papa of a 9 lb girl. They have a boy about two years old so now have one of each.

Oh yes, I meant to mention, I showed your picture to Cap’t Martin and told him it was my oldest daughter. He looked at it and asked seriously, how old is she? I stated to laugh and he says why she looks 21 or 22 yrs old, then I told him the truth. The picture I am enclosing of me with our station in the background (in Austria) is where we are now living.

I am really worn down tonite, we played a game of softball right after dinner, then went   swimming for a couple hours, came back and ate supper and then played more ball. I think all that exercise will hold me for a couple of days. I am feeling so much better again now in fact the day that picture was taken, I was so weak I could hardly walk hence the lack of pep in my expression. It was the last on the roll and I wanted to get them developed.

We had ice cream again today for dinner, also fried doughnuts as the boy from the Red Cross stopped to eat with us. They both really hit the spot. Another big feature we got our Px rations today (2 bars of candy and 2 cans of Budweiser Beer) and the beer was wonderful. Of course I still had some candy, thanks to you honey.

I think your check of 91.15 was swell darling only I hope you won’t overwork yourself on the over time.

Regarding the coffee bags, I still have some left and as long as we are located in one spot as we are here, I won’t need them. Its when we are on the move daily that they came in handy. There shouldn’t be any more of that for some time now, I hope.

I didn’t know George was in the Old Rainbow Div. you can tell him I think they did a swell job for the short period of time over here. I don’t think any of the old Rainbowers can say their traditions were not upheld. The boys did a grand job.

I’m hoping the typewriter doesn’t revert back to the Army, it was given to me to do my work but I feel it belongs to me. Of course   it was liberated from Germany so I don’t know whether I can get off the boat with same.

Honey, as yet we don’t know where we are going from here but this is the story we now hear. We are to stay in our present location for at least one month, possibly two or three or until we are relieved by the Regular Army of Occupation. We then are to go to CBI with a furlough enroute to the States. Please don’t plan definitely on any thing as you know the Army and personally, I don’t believe even the General knows for sure as yet. Your attitude toward the downfall of Germany was exactly the same as all G.I’s in this theatre. No one was hyped up over the surrender.

So Fran landed in the 1st Div. That is a very good outfit in fact one of the best. Sure would like to see him and will drop him a line when I receive his address. Incidentally, I have never heard from Pete since writing him, perhaps he has been busy.

Well honey, think I better close for now or use 12¢ postage. Goodnite sweet -

Honey I could use some Air Mail Stamps if you can stick some in an envelope. There seems to be a shortage of them over here. Thanks.