Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, July 4, 1945

What a day for the 4th of July. It has never ceased raining since yesterday and is really pouring down outside today. It is so cold here in the office that my hand is stiff and I can hardly write. I am wearing my field jacket and am still uncomfortable. I wrote you yesterday that our office would be closed today however we must keep a C.Q. and it so happened it was Stacy’s and my turn. It isn’t bad since it is only for ½ day and you get the time off later in the week. I was off this morning so did some laundry. I washed out a uniform, underwear, socks and hankies but don’t know whether they will ever dry. I built a good fire in my room and put up a line in hopes they will be dry enough for pressing tonite after work. I really only have one pair of trousers now since one pair is practically worn out and full of holes. I wear those only long enough to get my others cleaned up. I slept until 9:30 this morning so really had to move fast when I did get up. I heated the water, did my laundry, shaved and made my bed before noon so I could eat early and relieve Stacy as C.Q. I just noticed out the window that the clouds are so low they are half way down the side of the mountain. It is impossible to see the peaks of any of them and it looks so odd.

I received your letter of June 27th this morning and was very happy to hear you managed to get hold of some rolls of film. I think perhaps I will try and save them for a while just in case I might be lucky enough to get a pass into London. If by chance I get to go, I’m going up into Scotland also as I would like to visit Edinburgh and Glasgow. I talked with one fellow who had just returned from there and he said it was really beautiful and also that the Scots treated the GI’s much more friendly than the British.

I was very happy to hear that you are feeling so much better since moving to the apt and also that you have had no more fainting spells. Naturally I was upset about it but am very glad you wrote me about same.

I am not so sure you will have to acquaint yourself with a new Rainbow patch as I have heard no more about it recently and think it was another of those latrine rumors. I think your suggestion of meeting in Kansas City a very good one if and when we come back. I understand they are ordinarily at the reception stations only about 24 hrs and am sure in that time I could get a phone call though. I also understand they allow calls from the stations in the East so perhaps I could notify you of the approximate time of my arrival at Leavenworth. Anyway I am sure it will all work out okay. For the time being, we could plan on either the President, Pickwick or Merelbach Hotels in   that order and surely a reservation could be had at one of them. I don’t know of any other hotels there besides those three. Perhaps we are rushing through a bit but I still think it doesn’t hurt any thing to plan ahead just in case things break soon.

I am inclosing a picture of the boys of Personnel taken at Wertheim, Germany. We want one now with all of us in our ETO jackets so will probably be sending you one of those soon.

Well darling, guess I had better close as I am completely run down for news.