Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, July 29, 1945

After writing you last night we had a hell of a storm, the first we have had that was really a wind storm. It blew down six or eight of the big ward tents and some mess tents as well as several large trees. Some kid from one of the other companies received a fractured skull when either a big limb or a tree fell on him. Fortunately our tent withstood the storm but the thing was really bouncing up and down on the ground. It did pull some of the stakes out of the ground but we put on our raincoats and drove them in again. After and during the high wind the rain was falling in sheets and continued for about 1 1/2 hours. It also rained off and on all night. We spent some Saturday night, I layed down and went to sleep about 7:30 but the boys got me up about 9:00 to play some bridge. It was so cold I wrapped up in a blanket like an Indian and Mr. Tollefson and I Played Cooper and Beittel. We got the hell beat out of us too, about 2500 points. We played until almost 1:00 AM and I think we won only two rubbers. We did bid and make one small slam which was really the only decent hands we held all evening. That was the first bridge I had played in ages and I was certainly rusty on it. Mr. Tollefson said it was the first he had played since playing with me back in Cirey, France. That was in early February and at that time we got so we could bid pretty well together.

I heard a good radio program this morning between 11 and 12:00. It was Sammy Kaye’s Orchestra and the same program we used to listen to on Sunday afternoons when I was home. I couldn’t help but think how wonderful things were then when one could sit at home in a nice comfortable chair after eating a marvelous dinner and read the paper while listening to his program. It seems more like a dream than a reality now but honey I’m hoping it won’t be long before it can again be real.

No one awakened us for breakfast this morning and no one in our tent got up until 11:00, consequently we missed breakfast. We were all as hungry as pigs at dinner and they had some very good fried chicken. I really had my fill and ate nothing but bread and butter an chicken. Of course I missed that good chicken gravy and mashed potatoes of yours, also those good salads.

I see by our paper where you have had some terribly hot weather in the middle west. We had also had some hot weather, I believe the hottest was around 90 but there seems to be a lot of humidity in the air. There are lakes, streams, creeks and rivers almost everywhere over here so that is no doubt the reason for so much moisture in both the air and the ground.

Lt. Zander left us yesterday to accept a new job of some type in Paris. I understand it is connection with operation of the German factories for optical instruments. Because of his experience with American Optical, he got the job.

I am inclosing a couple of clippings from the Stars & Stripes of yesterday telling of the 86th at Gruber and of the wreck of the city of Los Angeles near Dunlap, Iowa. No doubt you have read them both but boy did it seem so good just to read of something happening at a place in the states that one is acquainted with.

I got quite a bang out of your clipping “Post-combat Discipline Protested.” I did read the full article in S & S and agree with the editorial whole-heartedly. I believe there is a lot of unnecessary discipline especially considering the war is now over. The S & S is very good about printing things like that for the EM and their articles quite often create investigations by higher officials to alleviate the conditions.

Well darling by the time I get this letter addressed it will be time for chow so until tomorrow —