May 18, 1945
Gresse, Germany
North of Boizenburg
On the Elbe
My darling;
New regulations are out on censorship so I guess maybe I’ll be able to write a little better letter. I’ll try and let you know more what I’m doing each day.
Now for my location. I’m about fifty miles south from Lubeck, which is a port city on the Baltic. We finished our fighting about forty miles east of there on the banks of the sea. When everyone got there you heard more remarks about wishing that there was a boat there to meet us. Since then we have moved three times. Ravkindorf, Roggensdorf and now Gresse.
Now for our work. It is trying to get all these Germany people in houses and off the roads. In my area I have three towns all with normal populations of 500-700. Well I’ve got 1,600 in all of them now. And fifty more people coming tomorrow. Food is the big problem to handle. Then I would think the Poles are next. All the Russians we are sending to Weimar as fast as we can to get them loaded up. It is surprising to find the member of Poles that want to stay in this country.
One of the most puzzling problems or maybe I should say the most peculiar was a polish girl who came in and said her breast would not give enough milk and she must had to have more for her 3 week old baby. We got her the milk.
Betty the other day you mention in one of your letters that you were a little hurt because you hadn’t received any cloth. Honey I sure wish I would have been able to get some but I wasn’t. If I ever get someplace I’m sure going to buy you something. I’ve got a lot of things to make up for. Birthday, Christmas, etc…
Last night your husband was sick. I don’t know what it was but my temperature went up to 102 and broke, ever since then I been okay, but I sure felt lousy for awhile.
Betty take good care of yourself and figure out some way to keep me out of the Jap war. I want to come back to the states and be with you.
Honestly I miss you twice as much now that it is all over here. Last night we had quite a discussion on whether the army was going to allow wives to come over. Many of us are hoping so if we have to stay.
I love you very much my darling.
All my love
Jack