Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, July 25, 1945

Honey it seems ages since I last wrote you and has been three days. I think the last two days were my hardest in the Army to date and I really had the work. As I wrote you Sunday I was picked for court reporter on the court martial starting Monday. Believe me never again do I want that job. The court opened at 9:00 AM and closed at 5:00 PM and then I worked until after midnight rewriting from my notes. Bob Cloud helped me all day yesterday and while I dictated from my notes, he typed the thing. When we finished about 11:00 last night we had nine full pages (legal size) of testimony plus about ten sworn statements and we were both so tired we went right to bed. It was very interesting to sit in on in a way but I hope I never again get that job. Bob and I took this afternoon off, went into Salzburg and went swimming and had a nice shower. While there we ran into Watson, Drake, and Guistolise from Personnel so went from the pool to the Red Cross Club for coffee and doughnuts. They had a beautiful club in Salzburg in fact the nicest I have yet seen. It is the first club I have yet seen where you could sit at the table and be waited upon. They even had white table clothes too. Ha!

Insull left yesterday for England so will be gone for approximately three weeks. I think perhaps I will be in the next group to leave as almost everyone has now had passes. I could have gone to the Riviera this week but refused to hold off for the deal in England. I think it would be far more interesting and am quite sure I would enjoy it more. I would like to have gone with Insull and I enjoy his company and he is really a swell fellow. I miss him very much as he very witty and keeps me laughing a good share of the time.

So Fran is now in Nuremberg, I didn’t know the 1st Div was in that neighborhood. He is still a long way from me in and it is pretty sure we are moving even further South and East next Monday or Tuesday. We lost one man to the 1st Div a few days ago, Al Geise, I believe you met him at Gruber. He had 81 points so was transferred to them, perhaps Fran will come to us. I would sure like to see him. We are still in category II so still don’t know what the scare is, perhaps if we are here a couple more months they will change our category. If we are ever established as actually an army of occupation in a different category I will write you to start packing honey. As we   now stand we are still sweating out the transportation problem.

I was surprised at that bank account honey, you have really been building it up fast. As you say it will surely come in handy when we can get together. I want to send some more to help as soon as I find out about my trip to England.

I got quite a kick out of the inclosure from the Army regarding “C” and “K” rations. I can hardly look at either of them. The “typical “C” ration supper of chicken and vegetables,” I have never had but I did see one of them once. Usually its beans and hash or meat and vegetables stew in fact thats about all we ever had and I can't go for that.

I havn’t received any mail from you since last Saturday so should be getting some tonight. Incidentally you have never mentioned receiving the package I sent from Bayrischzell. I am wondering if some one else decided they wanted it and I didn’t have it insured. If it disappears, I am really going to be unhappy.

Well darling guess that is all for today —