Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, June 27, 1945

This is another of those gloomy old rainy days in fact I believe it has missed raining only one day since I arrived in Kufstein a week ago. It is also very cool today, cool enough for our field jackets. I can understand now why these mountains are always so beautiful and green, they stay so wet and moist they cannot be otherwise.

I just returned from chow and because of the rain decided not to walk over to our house. We had poor chow today, “C” rations and rice. The chow here has never been as good as our company serves for some reason. I was telling the boys today that I was going down to the company occasionally to get something to eat. This morning we had pancakes and ham. I got two little pancakes, half cold, and a very small piece of ham. I was so disgusted I went back for seconds and received one more little pancake. Had I more time I could have gone for 3rds and 4ths. Its so seldom they have any food that tastes good and when they do they never have enough. Oh well, why bore you with my gripes. It does burn one up though when they holler the best of everything goes to the Army and that you can have all you want to eat. Both are damn lies. We have had fresh meat twice in 21 meals, once pork and once beef.

I was glad to hear you received the money order okay and perhaps I can send more later. I have made up my mind however if I get a chance to go to England or   the Riviera, that I will take it. It will probably be my only chance to ever see either of them but of course I first must be lucky enough to draw the pass. Honey, that old bank account is really climbing isn’t it, I think you are doing swell and am glad you have it in case you need money for something.

I finally finished the book Strange Fruit and have now started another comic novel. I believe the name of it is “The Passionate Witch” but havn’t read enough of it as yet to tell much about it. I enjoyed Strange Fruit very much but thought it a queer book for a Southerner to write.

We still havn’t had any information as to where we are going. I see where Gen. Mark Clark is to command the troops in Austria and I still believe we will be here for a couple of months. I think Sgt. Bell and Sgt. Boyce from our Co. will be headed home soon as they both have over 100 points.

Ill bet Dorothy is happy in a way that her position in the Insurance girls has expired. I hope she and Ruth have a nice vacation trip and think it swell you and Charlotte can stay together while she is gone.

Well honey its time to go back to work and I’m out of news anyway. Didn’t do any thing last night except read a while and go to bed. Will inclose a few more pictures for our collection. Incidentally I managed to get a roll of 127 film in the Px rations so will send some more pictures one of these days.