Letter from Melvin Thielbar to Guy and Della Thielbar, May 8, 1945

Well the day that we have all been waiting and hoping for day after day has finally come. I really don't know how to explain just how a fellow feels way down deep inside but I know one thing sure is that it isn't a sickening feeling. We all have so much to be thankful for. We got the news on the radio right after it happened. Mom we are really all so excited that this letter won't make too much sense I don't imagine. When we heard the news we all drank a toast to a speedy end to the other war and a speedy return home for all of us.

Well how are all of you by this time? As well and feeling as good as I am I hope. I feel different today than any day since I have been overseas. The news cencorships isn't quite so strict now so maybe I will be able to tell you more from now on. First of all I want to tell you that we had 499 days of combat when the war ended. That is a long time to be on the lines if you ask me. Our battalion has fired 165,199 rounds of 155 ammunition at the enemy with each shell weighing close to 100 Pounds each. That is quite a lot of stuff. And that is only for one battalion so there was quite a lot altogether.

Right at the present time we have a swell setup the best since leaving home I do believe. We are living in a swell house. We have a generator so have our own electric lights. We also have hot and cold running water all the time. A bathtub so that you can take a bath whenever you please. We also have nice beds and a radio that is going nearly 24 hours a day. So you see at the present time we aren't suffering a heck of a lot.

Gee I got a very nice box from you last night and was surely glad to hear from you. The box was mailed March 12, so Wasn't too bad I didn't think- It contained the box of candy that you had to cut into to get into the box. It was very nice and came just in time to help us celebrate V-E day. I also got a very nice letter from Fay Laidig last night. She surely has been faithful about writing to me. No one in the world could beat you when it comes to faithfulness about writing letters though. Believe me every last one of them has been appreciated to the utmost and if it hadn't been for those very letters there has been several times that I believe I would have just give up trying. Sometimes it was dark enough to do just that believe me. About the time that things were the darkest they would have a nice big mail call and I would get some of those cheerful letters from you and   everything would be okay. Honest mom you will never know how much they meant to me if I tried to tell you for a week.

Gee It surely is a beautiful day out today. The sun is shining so nice and bright and it makes a fellow start thinking it is time we started out on one of those nice long drives and those picnic dinners that we used to do so many Sundays. As soon as I get home we are going to start doing that again to if there is anything that I have to say about it. Well what kind of weather are you having by this time? I suppose it is about time for the boys to start thinking of going swimming again. I surely wish that I could be there to go with them. Maybe it won't be too long before part of us get to come back to God's country again. I certainly hope it won't be at least.

We got a hold of twenty-five rolls of films so now I will try to send you more pictures. We can get them developed over here but we can't get them printed so will just send the negatives to you and you can get them finished up for me. We took some the other day and we sent them to my buddies mother to have them printed and as soon as he gets them back I will send them to you to. I think they will turn out pretty good just from the looks of the negatives. They are only pictures of the section but that is about the only ones that I care anything about anyway. I think that if I ever get the chance I will get some pictures of the bombed out cities around here. I would like to get a picture of the famous beer garden. Gee mom here we have been over here for two years and now we are right where this whole thing originated from. I do wish that you could see some of these towns over here. A fellow could never believe it if someone told him about it. You Can hardly believe it when you see it with your own eyes. Some of the towns that we have gone through we had to wait until the engineers cleaned up the rubble in the streets with a bulldozer before we could get through. Yes this time I would say that Germany really knows what war is all about. It may start them to thinking a little before they get ready to start another one. At least they are going to be busy a few days building up their homes. Gee It sure seems funny to hear all those planes going overhead and know that they aren't Jerries. Mom the sound of those planes and those bombs falling and screaming through the air will remain with a fellow as long as he lives. Also the sound of those whining shells coming through the area where you are at. This German gun the 88 (I imagine you have heard of it in the news) is one of the worst things that they have got to make things seem pretty dark.

What do you think of the story about Hitler being dead? Personally I don't think that he is dead yet and won't believe it until they find his body. I think that he was too big a coward to commit suicide. Of course I could be wrong but you know every man is entitled to his own opinion.

Mom the way these people are walking around here they act if they still weren't beaten. They seem to me as though they think that they are still a little better than anything else or anyone else in the world. It looks as though this unconditional surrender would take a little of the wind out of their sales but I am beginning to wonder.

I got a nice letter from Nada last night. She sent me one of her announcements and also a small graduation picture. It was real nice I thought but gee it seemed to me as though she has sure changed a lot. I told you before but I don't know if you got the letter or not that I received Max's announcement and picture. Boy Max is sure a swell looking guy. I guess if he makes good use of it he shouldn't have any trouble in this old world.

Well mom I guess I could write all gay today and never say anything but then it probably wouldn't be very interesting to you so will sign off for this time. Keep those letters coming as we are probably stuck here for quite awhile yet until they find out where they want to put us. and don't forget to thank God for all that he has done for the whole world including me and you in the past and what he has in store for us in the future. Bye for noe