France. Christmas Day, 1944.

Dear Mother & all,
         Christmas day in 42 Texas, 43
England, 44 France, 45? I am just
wondering where I will be then. Last
year I said I would be home. This
year I still say I will be home
next Christmas. A lot has happened
to me since these three Christmas
away from home. I have spent each
one of them as comfortable as could
be expected. This is about the only
one that was cold as we have it
at home. Yes a couple of days ago it
quit raining and the ground has
frozen solid. The sun has shone
brightly for the last two days, of which
we are very thankful for. As the
news sounds now our planes are
able to help the boys out up on
the front lines. I hope the news

                  continues to get better all
                  along now. For awhile it
looked dark for us. But now the
surprise push is over.
           I have just finished dinner. This
was our menu for this Christmas.
Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, giblet
gravy, sweetcorn, dressing, beets,
sliced peaches, ice cream, bread
butter, coffee, apples and candy. It
really was a grand meal. The
French people whom pick up the
garbage from the mess hall were here
at noon. They really loaded down
the little girl with apples, candy
and gave her all the ice cream
she could eat. The French kids all
like the Yank swell. The other night
one little girl asked me Amiricon.
I said "oui, oui". She then said
English no goot,  no chewing gum
or chocolate. I guess our shareing

                   our gum and candy with
                   them have really made
them think the Yanks are ok.
       I received all of my packages now
that I knew I had comeing. It has
really been a very nice Christmas for
me, although I am many hundreds
miles away from home.
       I suppose all of the family are home
today except Harley and I. I don't know
where he is spending his Christmas
but I suppose his will be spend in
a foxhole. I really can say that those
boys are the ones to get out of this
army first.
          I hope all of you folks write me
one of those long letters that everyone
writes a little bit in. It has been
quite some time since I have have
received any letters from home. I
realize that the Christmas mails
have been heavy. So now maybe

                      Christmas is over our
                      mail will come through
a little more oftener now.
       One of the fellows here in my
tent just came back from the front. He
had some rations left over from his
trip so today being my day off I
got up and made breakfast in the tent.
We had fried bacon, fresh fried postatoes
and he also had three fresh eggs, and
canned grapefruit. Coffee and french
bread. I guess it was almost a
Christmas present for him by haveing
breakfast in bed for a change. I sure
don't want to get anywhere near the
front from what he says he went thru.
I guess he has had enough of it too.
   Well this is about all for now.
Please write as often as possible. A
letter is always welcome.
                                       Love Ralph.
Here is how generous
the Yanks over here are. Enclosed clipping.

The next letter will be posted on December 28th

Background Information (and comments):

• I imagine Ralph's talk about the front lines and news of the planes helping out is still in reference to the Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 16, 1944 - Jan. 25, 1945).

• Here is the news clipping. Below it, I have typed up the article to make it easier to read.

                                         Chance to Walk Again Is Gift to Yvette

                              First TAF Men Present 128,000 Francs to 'Adopted' Girl

   A 17-year-old, legless French girl, adopted by a U.S. fighter-bomber group of the First TAF, yesterday received the biggest Christmas present of her life - 128,000 francs and the hope of walking again - from the men who have watched over her since last July.

   The girl, Yvette Hamel, is in a Paris Red Cross hospital, and her Christmas present will be used to pay the expenses of fitting her with artificial legs and for her future education.

   Yvette lost her legs in Normandy during the July battles, when fragments of a German shell injured them so badly that doctors in an American field hospital were forced to amputate to save her life.

   Men of a fighter-bomber group commanded by Col. Bingham Kleine, of Gonzles, Tex., unofficially adopted her, and took her with them when the field hospital moved on with the front lines.

                                                          Moved with Outfit

   She moved with the group five times as it advanced deeper into France. Each time her tent, lined with parachute silk contributed by the fliers, was set up near group headquarters and Yvette was made comfortable.

   Then the group learned that she might be fitted with artificial legs, following an operation, if she were returned to Paris. "The boys were sorry to see her go," said Capt. Lenoci, group flight surgeon, "but they knew it was the best thing for her."

   Yesterday, with Christmas two days away, four men from the group - on pass in Paris - came to see Yvette in the hospital. The men, Sgts. Rock A. Drouin, of Newburyport, Mass., and Clifford G. Trussel, of New Orleans; Cpl. Roland T. Potvin, of Fall River, Mass., and Pfc Anthony Kopaz, of Chicago, brought her candy, oranges, fruit juices, and flowers. They also brought her news of the 128,000-franc gift and the promise that she would be able to walk again.