Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, October 23, 1945

Well honey from all appearances I will be home in about a month I am now at the 2nd Reinforcement Depot at the above address which is about 35 miles South of Brussels. Its a hell of a place as are all Repple Depples but the trip this far has been wonderful. We left Munich the following morning after my writing you on an Army C-47 and flew to Paris. The trip took 3 hrs and we landed in Paris about 11:30 A.M. We had chow at this air field and then checked for planes to Namur only to find there were none. We took the bus to downtown Paris, went to the Air Transport command and found we could get reservations for Brussels so did that. We stayed all night at Orly Field, had good beds,   a swell shower and shave and good food at their beautiful snack bar. We left Paris at 10:25 and arrived at Brussels in one hour. We ate at the transient mess and then took off for the Railroad Station. Its only a one hour train ride to Namur so here we are in the process of being processed. Believe it or not we stand Revellie and retreat, the first I have done that since Basic training. They don’t get too rough because most of the boys are high pointers and say what they think if the chicken gets too tough. It reminds me of just coming in the Army, orienation talks — issue of new clothing and what not. I told them today I had more clothing than I could carry now but they still issued me more. I left one bag full at Munich because I was only allowed 65 lbs by Air and knew I was overweight. I did get a new field jacket today which I really needed so now I have more   sewing to do. Honey, I hope you got my Cablegram from Paris. It was the first and only chance I had to wire you about my furlough. I wanted to send a Radiogram but couldn’t find a location in Paris, it being Sunday. I am going to try and got them to change my orders for Ft. Leavenworth if possible, it would be so much closer home for me. If things work out as I have them planned, I should be home for Xmas this year. I understand we will ride a small ship either a Victory or Liberty and these take about 12 to 14 days for crossing. We will probably be here for about a week to ten days and then we leave for Camp Top Hat at Antwerp, Belgium. We shouldn’t be there over a week before sailing if things go at normal speed. I hope you received the money orders   I sent as they will help for a little spending money and etc.

I had a funny thing happen tonite while standing in the chow line. I was waiting partially when I heard some one holler real loud, “Williams.” I look across in another line and there stood Dan Nelson who used to work at the Co. Bluffs Gas Co. He is also coming home on furlough but has reenlisted for 3 years and is now at T/Sgt. We had quite a chat and I am to meet him here at the Red Cross Club at 8:00 P.M. It is now 7:30 so he should be here in half an hour. Said he could hardly believe it was me as I was the 1st he had seen from C.B. and of course he was the 1st for me also. Its a grand feeling to see some one from your old home town after such a long time. He is in the 11th Armored Div. and we rec’d a bunch of their boys some time back in our Division.

The only really nice thing   about this place is the billets. All the buildings are permanent and of brick. I think it was previously a garrison for the Belgium Army. We have double bunks and are so crowded one can hardly walk between the beds.

Belgium is a very pretty country and reminds me more of the states than any place I have seen over here. Even the stores seem well stocked from the window displays I have seen. I saw the King’s Palace and church while in Brussels, the palace is very beautiful, more so than Buckingham Palace in London.

Well darling thats about all the news but am surely thinking of you and missing you. Anyway I’ll see you before too long —

Honey, I just finished reading Earth and High Heaven this evening and like it very much. It brings out several points that I had never thot of before. It also reminded me of or made me think of some of the happenings in our own lives.

Bye Again

C —

P.S. Better be getting in condition honey — “Thats a threat.” Ha!

Please don’t write me anymore as I won’t receive them. You probably knew that but tho’t I would remind you just in case.