Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, October 15, 1945

Just previous to writing my first letter to you tonight honey, we returned from seeing one of the best shows I have seen over here, in Salzburg. It was “Kiss and Tell” with Shirley Temple and was one grand comedy. Thats the first I have seen her in years and she is really growing up. Lupa, Miller, Lobodyinski and myself went in with a jeep to see it.

Honey I am inclosing another money order for you and hope it arrives okay. Please let me know the dates on the ones you receive and I can then check them against my receipts to be sure they all arrive. The way my letters are coming through to you I am a little leary about sending them in my letters but guess they will all arrive in time.

Well honey, I guess the furlough deal is off from all appearances. Cap’t Benton stated today that apparently USFET had robbed the division of the furloughs some how as there had been no further information on same. I planned to send   a Radiogram to tell you that you can continue to send the packages as I suppose by this time you have my letters telling you to hold them back for awhile. Cap’t Benton also told me I would go back in the Supply room and would get a Staff Sergeants rating so will have some more money to send you. Believe me honey, if I’m here for three or four more months, I am going to send home all the money I possibly can and Im not particular from what source it comes from. I don’t feel badly about making a little extra if possible as feel we are getting screwed plenty in being left over here. Incidentally will you please send me a little more of that stuff you and Dorothy sent me, it was wonderful. Now that I am to be here for a while I may again get the chance to go to Switzerland, at least I hope to. Plane trips from here to the Riviera and to England have been stopped however one can still go by train. Very few of the boys will fight the crowd by train so turn down the passes. Switzerland is the only trip I would take by train and that only because I would like to get each of us a nice watch. Paper too thin

I received four letters from you today and one from Chuck B. He is now at Marseilles in a Transportation Corps. He was pulled out of the 36th because of only one point, needed 60 and had only 59. I can imagine how he feels but seems to like his new work very much.

Honey, I hope the folks are right in assuming I will be home for Easter. If I knew positively I would be there by then I wouldn’t mind nearly so much. I really hadn’t planned too strongly on the furlough deal as I know how the Army can screw things up, naturally I was hoping for it but actually I feel it was too good to come true.

I got a bang out of Elsie’s letter. She is surely enthused about Frank’s homecoming and I hope she isn’t disappointed in the time of his arrival. She must be a busy girl with her work, classes and every thing else. It was nice to hear about the Ambristers and was glad to hear they are now all safe and sound.

Well darling its 10:30 so think I better close and turn in — Bye for now