May 25, 1943
Dearest Mary,
It is now about 6:00 P.M. we just jot back from the field and are we ever corked, we had to work all last night, the whole battalion went out, and driving with black out lights, it was pretty tough on the drivers, anyway, while it was raining, two trucks and Howitzers skidded and landed in a ditch, we thought we were going to make it, and just as we were going to pull into our position, our truck his a culvert and our 4½ ton Howitzer flew up in the air, and turned upside down in a ditch, it was 11:30 then and we were supposed to be ready to fire the guns at 6:00 in the morning, there we were all standing and in the rain, all the men felt pretty low, especially with mud up to their necks, ha, ha, it was really a sight. It took us four hours to get out, to prepare for action, slit fox holes and slit trenches boy what a job that is, it so happened that they wouldn’t let out gun fire, cause they thought the Breech mechanism was disturbed and it may cause an explosion, all in all it was good training tho I guess this sounds boring but at the present, that’s all I can write about.
Guess what Mary now that our Battalion Commander has left, we can let our hair grow, pretty good huh, I know all the fellows, feel a lot better now, cause we really did look funny, that is one way people could tell the 335th Battalion, because of their short hair cuts.
How goes everything at home little girl? still disgusted? well don’t worry cause I’ll be home in a little while, and take care of you! ha, don’t take it the wrong way now! Gee I do hope its soon tho. We are wearing khaki uniforms now and they sure feel swell, they look pretty sharp too, at least some of them.
Gee Mary I’m so darn tired, and I don’t know what the heck to write, so I’ll sign off now O.K.?
Tell your folks I said hello, and when you write to R.J. again tell him I hope he gets in a sub!
Love,
Bob
THINKING OF YOU
ALWAYS