Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, June 8, 1945

Much to our surprise it looks as though we maybe here in our present location for a couple more days yet. Our plans were for moving today but it seems we were to move into territory occupied by the 103d Div and as yet they havn’t been notified to move. We were all very happy of course as we are quite sure we won’t find another place with all the comforts we now have. From all indications, we will be fortunate to find any houses whatever as they say that territory is really crowded with GI’s.

Stern the fellow is our company who formally lived in Germany, returned last night from a trip to his old home town. He left last Monday and they covered slightly more than 1100 miles. I say they as Snover[?], our mechanic, went with him. I felt rather sorry for him as he had no idea as to what he might find upon arrival. However, he stated upon return that his home was not damaged but that he could find no trace of his parents. He found many   people he had known when living here and they informed him his folks were sent to a concentration camp in July of 42, so naturally he doesn’t have much hope of their being alive. (They were Jewish). He said one of the neighbors had clothes, jewelry and many other things his mother had given her to save, and she wanted to give them to him but as he stated, he had no way of carrying same so refused to accept. He did get to talk with a cousin (a girl) who had been in a concentration camp for 8 months but was freed when the Americans came along. He said everyone was surely surprised to see him and that there must of been at least a hundred people drop in to see him.

I have been appointed to a new job effective this date. Ha! I am now sports editor for our softball team. It seems they want a flowery report at Bn Hqs for each game played and I’m the unlucky guy. I havn’t tried to play since spraining my ankle so guess they decided to use me for reports. You can easily see how little talent we have in our company when they pick me for that job. I told   Insull I was going to stick a card on the front of my helmet with the word “PRESS” or “War correspondent” printed on same. Already they are calling me Ernie, after Ernie Pyle. They made Insull go out for a track meet yesterday and was he ever burnt up. His feet are so flat he can’t run but he is really pouring it on the officers now. When they mention doing some thing he states he is now a track star and his training schedule prohibits him doing outside or rather other activities.

I didn’t receive any mail from you again yesterday so am quite sure I will have some today, at least hoping so. After writing you yesterday, I wrote a few lines to Earl White and today. I want to try and answer Charlotte’s letter. As I said before its difficult to write the girls anything of interest without duplicating my letters to you however I will try and think of something.

Well darling it is now time for classes so must close.