France. Nov. 28, 1944.

Dear Mother & all,
          I guessed I missed writing to you Sunday
night so will try to write a short letter to you
tonight. We are still haveing winter rainy weather
here. No snow as yet, but just that cold wet
rain.
     My mail from home is slow in comeing through.
I haven't had a letter from you for over two
weeks now. I sure don't know where it is
getting tied up. I hope it will soon start to
comeing in again. None of my Christmas packages
have arrive yet. So I guess all the mail is
slow.
     There isn't much to write about around here.
Pass have been opened for Paris so maybe I will
be able to visit that fine city some day soon. I will
tell you all about it after I get back from my
pass.
      I had a letter from Luella just a few days ago
and it was over a month old. I don't know where

it had gone before it got to me. She was telling me
about the hunting season opening. Sure wish I could
go hunting again for a change. It is pretty scarce
of game around here. I guess the fighting and bombing
drove most of it out of here.
       I really don't have much to write about tonight.
Last night we had to listen to the Articles of War.
They are the rules that govern us and we hear
them every six months. After they were read to us
they had a movie. "The Adventures of Mark Twain".
It was very good. I sure miss seeing the movies.
Well I guess this is about all I can think of
for now. Please write soon and often.
                                                   Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on December 1st.

Background Information (and comments):

• I wonder how long it took to read the 69 Articles of War?

On June 30, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established 69 Articles of War to govern the conduct of the Continental Army. On April 10, 1806, the first United States Congress enacted 101 Articles of War, which were not significantly revised until over a century later. The military justice system continued to operate under the Articles of War until May 31, 1951, when the Uniform Code of Military Justice went into effect.

• Here's background information on the movie, and a link to the original trailer for it:

This biopic tells the story of how Samuel Clemens (Fredric March) became the renowned author Mark Twain. Growing up in the 1830s in Hannibal, Miss., Clemens works as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River. After he finds a picture of a beautiful girl (Alexis Smith) and vows to marry her, he quits his job and travels to Nevada in search of gold with his friend Steve (Alan Hale). In the midst of the Civil War, Clemens begins writing prolifically, thus beginning his famed career.

Initial release: July 22, 1944

Director: Irving Rapper

Music composed by: Max Steiner

Producer: Jesse L. Lasky

Screenplay: Harold Sherman, Alan Le May

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/96369/Adventures-of-Mark-Twain-The-Original-Trailer-.html

France. Nov. 23, 1944.

Dear Mother & all,
         Thanksgiving Day 1944 will soon be a day
of the past. Today was my day off so I thought
I would take a little trip. One of the fellows
had to take a wing to another base so I went
with him for the trip. It wasn't a very
good day for traveling but we made it.
        When ever we would go through a small
town or village everyone would stare at us
to see what we had, of course they all waved
and threw us the V sign. They really seeem
glad to see us.
       Over here you aren't allowed to buy any food
to eat so of course haveing a little trouble getting
over a pontoon we missed our dinner but they
saved the turkey until the evening me [sic] so
we just missed out on the steak they had for
dinner. I was really ready to eat supper tonight.
It really made me hungry to take a trip and
also miss out on my dinner, but I think it

was worth missing a meal. I wish I could go
more often. It really is a good chance to see the
country. Over here they have sugar beets and
today I went through the town where the
factory was. I reconized it by the smell.
The farmers are haveing quite a time getting their
beets out over here. It rains most of the time.
      What did you do today? Was there any of the
others home? I sure wish I could get home for
Christmas even. Gosh, I won't know any of the kids.
It will soon be two years since I saw any of
you folks.
       The war news sounds pretty good now. Maybe
by next Christmas I will be able to make it. They
should be in Germany doing all the fighting by this
Christmas.
         I still haven't had a letter from Harley telling
me that he has moved. Maybe he doesn't
have time to write to me or my mail hasn't
caught up with him yet. I doubt very much if
he knows I am in France yet. I looked it up on
the map where Cliff & Marie said he was

stationed at. He was quite a ways west of me.
I would have liked to found him before he was
moved.
        An editorial appeared in the Stars & Stripes a
while ago but I can't find the one. It was a very good
so here is one about the person who wrote it.
I thought it was very good. I will enclose it in
this letter. Where she mentions mud ankle deep
you can just figure she isn't lyeing about it either.
It is the worst I have seen any weather.
     I guess this is about all for now. Please
write soon. Your letters are always welcome.
                                                 Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on Nov. 28th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here is the clipping included with the letter:
  

• Found this photo online of some French people flashing the V sign
  

France. Sunday. Nov. 19.

Dear Mother & all,
           Sunday again and another week has gone by.
It was a week that saw all our armies on
the move anyway. From the sound of the news
tonight it sounds pretty good.
         I have received letters from Luella and Marie
this past week. It is the first I knew that Harley
was in Belgium. I haven't had a letter from him
yet. Maybe he is to busy moveing so he hasn't
time to write. Although he seems to be writing
to most of you folks back home.
     Today we had the afternoon off. They bring our
PX rations out from town and we have to get
them and then we have church in the afternoon
also. About all we could get today was candy at
the PX. Tobacco is very scarce over here. I don't
smoke only an occassional cigar. All I was able
to get today was two American brands and one
German cigar. Guess I will have to save one
of them for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Gee I hope
we will be able to have enough turkey to eat.

The PX was using the tent we most usually
hold church in. So today it was a nice day and
we just had it out under the great open spaces.
It really is open here to. We are about two miles
back from any traffic and six miles from town.
You might just as well say we are backwoods
men. I have only had one pass to town since
I have been here. If a person would leave camp
for any time over one day he would starve to
death. Food can't be bought by any person in uniform.
So a person has to keep near camp.
        A few of the Christmas packages are beginning
to arrive now. I haven't received any yet but what
packages have come in some of them are almost
wrecked. Some of them are wet but we sure to
to salvage most everything. Some of the candy is
sticky but we eat it just the same.
         I attended the movie tonight. It was the first
movie I have seen since leaving England. It was very
good. The name of it was "Make Your Own Bed". I have
been doing that same thing for almost three years
now. I sure hope I will be able to get away from
it soon now. But this war will probably continue.

      Had a letter from Lenore today I guess she is
never satisfied with Harold's work. If he isn't working
she isn't satisfied if he is the hours are to long. If the
hours aren't to long then he is on the wrong shift.
She can be mighty glad he is still at home with
her. There are plenty over here would be glad to
trade places. I would be willing to work his
hours and be able to have a life of freedom. I am
getting plenty tried of all this routine stuff. Anytime
you go anywhere they tell you how to go, what your
dress will be, how far you are allowed , how long
you can stay out, and when you get there everytime
you look around theres an MP looking you over.
Get up and go to bed is even told to you. I guess this
is about the loniest [sic] spot a man could pick to
live and work in. we do have a radio for
entertainment and a movie once in awhile. You can't
even talk with any civilians because you don't
know the language. Whenever you listen to the news
you always hear about someone planning how to release
the soldiers and where he will work. I think they
are just trying to keep us in. These guys going on
strike all the time should be shipped over

here and then they would appreciate working
back in the states. Now they want military training
for everyone. They have to many soldiers already.
     Well I guess this is about all I can write for
now. Please write whenever you can. I hope some
of your letters will soon arrive for me. Goodnight
for now.
                                                Love Bill.

The next letter will be posted on Nov. 23rd.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here's what I found about the movie:
• Make Your Own Bed is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Francis Swann, Edmund Joseph and Richard Weil. The film stars Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Irene Manning, Alan Hale, Sr., George Tobias and Robert Shayne. The film was released by Warner Bros. on June 10, 1944.
• Walter and Vivian live in the country and have a difficult time keeping servants. Walter hires an private detective who has been fired for arresting the District Attorney. They only way that Walter can get Jerry to work for him is to tell Jerry that his life is in danger; the neighbor is trying to take his wife; and that Nazi spies are everywhere. Jerry needs a cook for his 'cover' so he gets his fiancée Susan to work with him. To keep Jerry working, Walter sends the threatening letters to himself and hires actors to play the spies. It soon becomes apparent that Susan cannot cook and Jerry could not find a spy if he tripped over him.
• Here are some of the recent events that probably led Ralph to write that the news sounds good:
• Nov. 12, 1944: British Lancaster bombers sink German battleship Tirpitz in Tromsø Fjord, Norway; 902 killed.
• Nov. 13, 1944: In the Vosges Mountains in France, US Seventh Army launches offensive on German Siegfried Line.
• Nov. 14, 1944: French First Army opens assault toward Belfort Gap in France. 
• Nov. 15, 1944: The U.S. Fifth Army in Italy captured Modigliana.
• Nov. 16, 1944: The U.S. First and Ninth Armies began Operation Queen, an offensive at the German Siegfried Line. US 9th division & 1st Army attacks at Geilenkirchen

• Nov. 17, 1944: The British Second Army captured Wessem.
• Nov. 18, 1944: During the Battle of Metz, American forces entered Metz itself.
• Nov. 19, 1944: The British Second Army captured Geilenkirchen.

France Nov. 12, 1944.

Dear Mother & all,
         Received your letter of Nov. 1 yesterday so will
answer it now. I have just come from church. It
is held in one of our mess tents at 4:00 in the
afternoons. I guess the chaplain has to many
places to hold services that he can't get around
any earlier.
         I had a letter from Freeman yesterday and one
from Cliff's today. Some Christmas packages are
beginning to come in now. I haven't received any
yet but hope to in a few days.
         I suppose by this time winter is beginning to
set in at home now. It froze the ground here
last night. It reminds me of our Michigan
weather.
     Well Halloween here was just another day. There
are no little houses to upset over here. We
have a deluxe model which is a twelve holer
out in the woods so if anyone did bother it they
would just be cutting there own throats. I don't
think I even thought of it being Halloween.

     You mentioned about getting a picture of me. Well
maybe I haven't changed in looks any, but if this
war don't end soon I will look like an old man.
I feel like one anyway.
     No, I don't know why Harley used two different
numbers. He must have made a mistake. Mine
have been comeing through from him as 583. I
haven't heard from him for sometime now.
     Time seems to fly for me since arriving in
France, but in the evening it really drags. It
is almost dark by 5:30 and lights go out at
11:00 o'clock. It makes the evenings so long.
     Maybe I am asking you to send to many
packages lately. But now I am in a place I can't
go out and buy much. Please send me some
wash clothes [sic] and also put anything esle in
it you want to. Peanuts, candy or anything you think
I would like.
     Well this is all for now. Please write as
often as possible. Have your ever received the
cedar chest yet? I got the ring ok.
                                              Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on November 19th.

Background Information (and comments):

• If you've been following the letters, you know that Ralph's family lives on a farm. I'm not sure if they were still using an outhouse in 1944, but it's likely that they were. Here are 2 explanations about the Halloween practice of "little houses to upset".

"Outhouse tipping is a prank consisting of overturning an outhouse or a portable toilet, usually onto the door. It allegedly used to be performed as revenge for not being given a treat at Halloween."

• Tipping Outhouses
  Halloween to Indiana farm kids doesn’t mean going around from house to house yelling, “Trick or Treat !” cause the nearest neighbor may be a half mile away. If you’re a teenage kid, you’re bored cause there must be something a kid can do on Halloween other than staying home at night and listening to the radio. That’s why a bunch of us got together to tip over outhouses. 
  
  Now, if you’re a city kid or you were born after World War 2 then you should know that an “outhouse” means an outdoor toilet. First a big hole was dug real deep and then they’d build a little house right over the top of the hole. When you go inside of an outhouse be prepared to hold your breath for as long as you can cause it’s like smelling everybody’s poop piled up for the past two months. Inside, there’s usually one or two toilet seats…come to think of it I don’t know why anyone would want to go in and sit next to someone else when they’re doing their business, but the two seaters were real popular. Way back in the real old days everybody didn’t use toilet paper, they used pages from a catalog. You can imagine how scratchy that was ! Even back then people liked to sit and read, but I would have run out of holding my breath. To keep the place clean people would pour a white powder lime or lye down the holes once in a while. Sometimes, if the outhouse was used a lot where it started to fill up, the hole was filled in and the outhouse moved to a new location.
• For those who have never seen (or used) an outhouse, here's a humorous look at one:

France Nov. 8.

Dear Mother & all,
              It is just about time I wrote another
letter to you. Well I guess we have another four
years of the same president. Well I guess no matter
who is in this office the war will continue
to go on until we can really beat the Germans.
         We are back in our rainy season again. I
guess it rains here just as it did in England. I
guess we were in a rainy spot in England.
Gosh how I miss London. We were only about
25 miles from London. It didn't take long to go or
come from there.
         Soon after arriving here in France I visited an
American cemetery     {censored}.     It is really
fixed up nice and it will really be grand when it
is finished. This is close to be beach where the
invasion took place. At the time I thought about
George Bostley then I heard later on he was just
wounded. Some of the fellows found some graves
of boys they knew. I also visited Cherbough one
evening. It really is quite a place now. It is about
the same as I expected it to look.

       Some of the towns near there are just gone.
I know now just how some of the fighting went.
I sure hope I don't have to go through anything like
I have seen around there. But almost everywhere
you go in France it is battered up.
       I don't go into town on pass here. I can't talk
the language and there isn't any entertainment but
a few cafes, and they just sell drinks.
       Our mail has been very scarce in comeing
through. I guess it must be with our Christmas
packages. I haven't received any of them yet either.
I had a letter from Luella and she just mentioned
the fire at Driggs. I suppose your letter will
contain more about it and I hope some there
will be some clippings.
       Well it soon will be Thanksgiving again. Last
year I was on a five day furlough. I don't know
how we will celebrate it this year. I hope we
will have a good dinner anyway. They say there
will be plenty of turkey for the soldiers. I sure
hope so.
       Our rations have been cut over here now.

They use to have four bars of candy and one
pack of gum. Seven packs of cigars[sic] or 10 cigars.
Of course I can do with cigarettes but I do enjoy
a cigar once in awhile. Now they have cut it
to 5 packs of cigarettes a week. It is hitting a lot
of the heavy smokers. I don't know how much the
candy has been cut.
       Well I guess this is about all for this letter.
I hope the mail will be better soon. Haven't heard
from Harley for quite some time now.
       Goodnight for now. Please write as often
as you can.
                                           Love Ralph.
       Please send me some six cent airmail
stamps and envelopes. They are hard to get
over here. Also send me some shoe strings to
fit work shoes, and anything esle you think I
might need. I have plenty of razor blades and soap.


The next letter will be posted on November 12th.

Background Information (and comments):

• The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. It was fought immediately after the successful Allied landings on June 6, 1944. Allied troops, mainly American, isolated and captured the fortified port, which was considered vital to the campaign in Western Europe, in a hard-fought, month-long campaign.
• Here is a photo I found online of Cherbourg

• Driggs Dairy Farm was located in Palmyra, MI. If anyone has a photo or memories to share, please comment on this post.
• This photo is one that Ralph sent in a letter. I imagine he took it at the cemetery he mentioned (but the location was censored). On the back he wrote "General McNorris grave".

France Nov. 3, 1944

Dear Mother & all,
       I guess it is about time for me to get another
letter into the mail to you. We are haveing typical
fall weather now. It almost reminds me of
the weather we have in Michigan.
     Received your letter of Oct 17 this Monday. Lenore
had told me about Irene's grandmother. I should
write her a letter but I just haven't been in a
writting mood this week. Gosh I guess the sugar
factory at home can't run without me. They sure
have quite a few sugar beets in this part of the
country. It has been rather wet for the harvest of
them.
      I don't know yet where Harley is. But, if the girls
around where he is are as cute as they are
around here he didn't kid anybody. I was in
town on a pass last night. Maybe I will be
about to give out with some French talk by
the time I am able to get home. I was able to
converse enough to get by with while I was in
town. There isn't much going on in town over here.

     About the only time we can go is at night. The
only places open are the small cafes. A G.I. can't
buy any food. So all there is left is drinks.
I tried out there champagne but it isn't so
good. I guess the Germans took the best with them.
     Had a letter from Donna Staup today. She
sent me some pictures. Gosh everyone looks
about the same but the kids. They sure have
changed.
     I would have liked to have been home for
the class meeting. I guess I won't know very many
of the young folks when I get home. Seems as if
everytime I read one of the papers I get everyone
is getting married. It seems as if the ones getting
married are the one I considered kids when I
was home.
     From what Freeman writes to me it must be
rather lonesome for him up there. He says he
would like to come into the army. The army life
is ok for anyone. If they just had the training and
that would be all. But overseas it is really
rough. We are getting some of the roughness ironed out now.

     Have you seen Morgan Ford while he is home
on his furlough? I never hear from him. What is
he now?
       You were wondering if my clothes at home would
fit me. They probably will, but I probably will be
to old to wear that style. It seems as if this
war is always going to hang on. It is really much
tougher than most of the people back in the states
think it is. I think I have lost weight since comeing
to France. I feel ok though.
       Mother, it is tough to get shoe string
and the G.I. gloves are no good. Please send me
some of each. Also in the package you can include
some other things such as can soup and some stuff
like that if it isn't rationed. We like to cook some
things before we go to bed. The evenings are so long
here. By five thirty is is rather dusky.
       I bet your really enjoyed your trip through
Cliff's shops. I know you would hardly believe
a place could be so immense in size if you don't
see it yourself. I sure would like to have Dad

to see the place I use to work in Sandusky. I hope
it will run after the war. I would like towork
there again.
       Well I guess I have written enough for this
letter. We have the Yank magazine to read tonight.
If you can get some of these pocket book novel
stories please send me some to read. It is a long
evening and I am quite sure I won't be out very
many nights. I probably will save quite a bit of
money here in France. I have taken out a
soldiers deposit here. Our money draws 4%
interest and we get it upon discharge. So I should
have a good sum saved by the time I get home.
    The news sounds darn good tonight. This will
all end some day. Goodnight for now. Hope to
hear from you soon.
                                               Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on Nov. 8th.

Background Information (and comments):

• This is a photo I found of Yank magazine (published Nov. 3, 1944)

• Here's some information about the pocket books Ralph requested:

"During World War II, American publishers wanted to support the troops," author Molly Guptill Manning tells NPR's Renee Montagne. "And so they decided that the best they could do was print miniature paperback books that were small enough that they could fit in a pocket so the men could carry these books with them anywhere."

"They're about the size of a smartphone, and they were tucked into the pockets of uniforms," Guptill Manning explains. "The paper that they were printed was about the strength of newsprint. And so it was believed that each book would probably withstand about six readings before it would start to fall into pieces."

• Perhaps this is the good news Ralph refers to:

• Allied commandos land at Westkapelle, on the Dutch island of Walcheren
• German troops in Vlissingen surrender
• Pro-German government of Hungary flees
• US 28th Infantry division occupies Schmidt Hurtgenwald