France Feb. 25.

Dear Mother & all,
         Received you letter of Feb.12
and was glad to hear from you.
Yes, I happened to remember about
Lincoln's birthday, but this week
I completely forgot about the
22nd being Washingtons birthday.
        Well maybe bly by the
time Freeman gets his training
all in this war will be over
with. I sure hope so anyway.
I am getting tired of being over
here on this side of the world.
     I guess you folks have had
plenty of snow lately and all winter
long. We had snow during January
but Feb. has been about the
nicest month I have seen for
a long time. The sun has

shone almost everyday this
month. The last few mornings
it has been rather foggy but
in the after noon it is real
clear.
      I haven't been doing much
writing lately. I just didn't have
much to write about. Did you
read abou the Yank I sent home?
We get quite a few magazines
over here to read, and of course
the daily Stars & Stripes.
      Yes I like to hear about all
the little news around home.
Your letters almost seem as
if you are right here talking
with me.
    I received a letter from Harley
today. He is ok and of course
he is very busy now also.

I guess everyone will have a
family by the time I get home. It
seems so long ago that I was home
I just consider some of the young
kids as kids yet.
      The war news is rather good
again tonight. Maybe this will
be over this summer and then
where we go and what we do
will be something to look forward
to. I guess no one knows what
will come next. I don't know
how our chances are on returning
to the States. I sure hope we
do. I know it will seem like
a strange place for awhile.
   Harley mentioned about Cliff
being reclassified in 1A. Doesn't
his job defer him from the
draft? Gosh I hope he won't

to come in and leave his family.
Has Harold heard anymore about
his classification?
     Well I can't think of much
more to write about. Here is
a little clipping showing how a
group of men can work if they
have to. Sometimes we get in a
pinch and have to put out for
quite a few hours at a time.
   Goodnight for now.
                                Love Ralph


The next letter will be posted on March 4th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here are the ages of Ralph's brothers when he wrote this letter: Harold (34, married, 2 children); Cliff (32, married 1 child); Freeman (19)
• This is some of the war news for Feb. 23 and 24:

Germany

• A raid of 379 British bombers attacked the German town of Pforzheim, killing 17,000 people and destroying 80% of the town's buildings. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

• Adolf Hitler made what was to be his last speech to Reischsleiters and Gauleiters in the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Main Article | Facility | TH]
• Soviet troops attacked toward the eastern Pommern region of Germany (occupied Poland). ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

• Here is the article he enclosed:

France. Feb. 17, 1945

                   1
Dear Mother & all,
        Saturday night in the E.T O
and not much to do so I will
visit with you for a few lines.
   This week has been one of the
best weeks of weather I have
seen outside the U.S. It has
warmed up and the mud is
actually drying up. Then again
what made it so grand I received
four letters from you. They were
Jan. 17, 26, 31, and Feb. 6. Gee it
was sure good to hear from
you again. It seems as if the
mail must have been held up
somewhere. The Vmail are slow
in comeing through. Airmail seems
faster now. Also received two
letters from Harley this week.

                2
Also two from Marie, one from
Luella, one from Donna Staup and
one from Lenore. So I guess I will
be busy writing for awhile.
     In one of your letters you said
about the way things were changeing
at home, especially in the looks of
the young people. I doubt if I will
know very many of them when I
get back there. I don't suppose
any of them would know me either.
    It is just 19 months that I last
saw that land called U.S. Gosh it
seems ages ago. I am wondering
if I will be able to see it this
year. I sure hope so. I suppose
you didn't know Gilbert Sanderson
when he arrived home. I am
wondering if Gail is ok. I never
hear from him anymore at all.

                    3
    Did you see Morgan when he
was home? I suppose he asked all
about me. He wrote me a letter and
I answered it, but haven't received an
answer as of yet. I bet he was
surprised to get to see snow
again. He sure is lucky to be in
the states yet. I expect this means
he will be shipping soon.
     Yes, Charlie keeps me informed
on all the happenings at the home
front. I received a letter a while
ago from Irene and I am not
even bothering to answer it. It
doesn't even bother me anymore.
It seems so long ago anyway
that I probably wouldn't reconize
her if we did meet.
     I wrote to Pearl Meyers the
other night. It is to bad about

                   4
Armond. It seems that it was
just a short time ago that he came
over seas.
       I bet Harold does look different
with glasses on. I suppose they
keep him busy at the Cement plant
now. Do they consider that as a
war plant now? As much cement
as they use in this war it seems
as if it would be considered a
vital war plant.
      I was rather surprised to hear
about Frank. Gee that makes about
four or five that have gone since
I left home. It comes when a person
least expects it. I suppose it was
quite a shock to everyone. Is Donald
over in France or in England yet?
      I sure would enjoy setting
down to a table with the food

                5
all set on the table before me.
All our meals are handed out
cafertia style and of course it
is proportioned out.
     I suppose the kids all enjoy
getting over to Grandma's . Well I
don't think I would kick any if
I could just get home for awhile.
       No I never did get a box from
Virginia. I guess that is the only
box I didn't get. I received a package
from Cliff's yesterday.
        This will have to be a letter
for tonight. Goodnight for now.
                       Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on February 25th.

Background Information (and comments):

• E.T.O. is European Theater of Operation.
• The cement plant was Medusa Cement located on Silica Dr. (off Sylvania Ave. in Sylvania Township, OH). Ralph, his brother Freeman, and Harold would all eventually work there.
• Ralph's comments on the food led me to a bit of research. Here is an interesting site and the first of many pieces of information on the topic: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/food_service_program.htm

Food Service Program Lt. Col. Ward B. Cleaves, Q.M.C. The Quartermaster Review July-August 1945  The Office of The Quartermaster General, as staff agency of the Army Service Forces, organized a Food Service Program which went into effect on 31 July, 1943. Since that time tremendous strides have been made in food service. Soldiers today are much better fed. Waste has been reduced at least fifty per cent. Hundreds of progressive ideas have been put into effect and have saved millions of dollars. How was this done?  Its actual accomplishment rests upon constant attention to training and supervision. Trained, qualified personnel, supplemented by supervisory assistance, is the heart of the program. Capable officer and non-commissioned-officer technicians from the Office of The Quartermaster General; from the offices of the Directors of Food Service in Service Commands; from the many Army-operated schools for bakers and cooks, and leading civilians in the food industry-men with years of food experience, who have been appointed as civilian consultants to the Secretary of War-have done much to make food service a vital force.  Maintaining high standards of food service in Army messes is their never-ending job.  This is a photo I found of the 381st bomb squad group mess hall:

France Feb. 10, 1945

                        1

Dear Mother & all,
     Received your letter of Jan 31 today.
That is bad at all for the mail
now. I guess you folks must of
had a real winter this season.
We didn't have too much snow
here this season. It was a mild
winter if I could say so. Our
snow is all gone now and it has
warmed up considerably. It has
started into raining again so you
know how muddy it is.
       Luella told me about your
trip over to her house. Yes mother
I had forgotten your anniversary.
I guess we just have too much
on our minds to think back

                   2
about the past. There is always
something to keep ones mind in a
whirl all the while. If it isn't the
war it is the work. If not work
then maybe the meals or no
mail has come through recently.
If you ask me it is a very
discussing [sic] life.
     Does Glenn still use my
car? I sure do miss a car. I
do drive a jeep or truck once
in awhile. I guess I won't forget
how to drive. Remember how I use
to drive so much while working on
the road and bridge jobs?
       I suppose you know by now
if Freeman passed his physical.
Well don't worry to much about it.

                  3
Maybe by the time he finishes his
training this war will be over. Then
again he might not pass it this
time.
     So. Harold is wearing glasses now.
Seems like everytime someone gets
to working inside they have to wear
glasses. If it helps him so much
the better. I suppose it does change
his looks quite a bit.
     I haven't heard from Charles S.
for a long time now. I guess he
was getting ready to go across.
There has been so many according
to the paper anyway, that have
been transferred from the Air
Force into the Infantry back there
in the States. Sometimes I wonder
if he wasn't one of them.

                 4
   He told me that Irene had
changed quite a bit since I was home
last. Since she worked in the office
he said she seemed different. But he
said he still thought things would
be the same once I am back. Well
I don't care, how they are. I have
almost completely forgotten it and
don't feel as if I am ready to
settle down once I am home.
    Had a letter from Donna Staup
today. She writes to me quite
often. I guess Ruth must be to
busy to write me. Tell her I
said so.
   I will try to send something
from Paris once I get in there
again. I have been looking
around quite a bit and I am

               5
getting so I can make people
understand what I want to buy now.
I received the big chain letter from
you folks and sent it on to
Harley. It seemed good to see that
Dad had added a few lines to it.
   Today was my day off so I haven't
done very much today. I was
out on a small scouting job this
morning for a while We need a
tank for water storage. I found on
but guess it is to big.
    I sent Luella some pictures
of the town that is near our
camp. You can see how some
of the places are over here. I think
that damage was done in 1940.
It is all cleaned up by now.

                6
But still there isn't much to see
if one does go to town. There is or
I should say there was a village
nearer the field that was totally
destroyed by artillery in this
war. There is nothing there but
a road. They went through the
sector so fast there wasn't much
damage done.
    I must have another letter later
than this one. Luella told me
about Armond. She just mentioned
it and said you had probably told
me about it. I wrote to Pearl
today also. Also a letter to
Sis so you probably have
quite a bit of reading to do
again. The most writing I have

              7
done for a long time. I guess
your letter will finish me for
today.
   Our chaplain is out of the
hospital again. He got along ok. It
seems good to have him back with
us again. Last week we had a
U.S.O show. The people or cast
ate there evening meal with us
and then wee back to visit
during our work and had dinner
with us. It seemed good to talk
to an American girl again. They
put on a very good show for us.
    Our projector went on the blink
so we haven't had any good movies
this past week. Hope they have
it fixed by now because the

               8
movies out here is about our
only entertainment.
    Well I guess this is about all
for now. I have run out of paper
and I am getting the writers cramps.
   Hope to hear from you soon.
Tell Ruth I had better hear from
her once in awhile. She owes
me a letter too.
                       Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on Feb. 17th.

Background Information (and comments):

• I have no idea who some of these people are - Donna, Charles S. Armond & Ruth. I am guessing that most were neighbors or friends from church.
• My dad would always mention that he helped build a bridge when we drove north on Route 223 in Michigan. As I recall, the bridge was near a drive-in movie theater (near Adrian?). Perhaps someone in my family will still know its location and be able to pinpoint it for me.

France. Feb. 4, 1945.

Dear Mother & all,
       Received your letter yesterday
dated Jan. 9. I guess the mail is
slow in getting through either way
right now. Also had a letter from
Clifford and one from Luella. The
day before I received a letter from
Harley of Jan. 28. He said he was
well and getting good meals.
      We have gotten rid of our
snow now. It warmed up and
rained now we have this
darn mud to contend with. I
would just as soon have the
snow.
      I was in Paris yesterday. I
took some pictures and did

quite a bit of sightseeing. I visited
Napoleon's tomb. This is a big
dome building and it is really a
beautiful place. Paris is so much
nicer looking than London. There
are hardly any marks of the war
in Paris. In Pairs there are 34
bridges across the Seine river in
Paris and not one has been
damaged. I would like to buy some
souvenirs to send home but things
seem to be so high. Would you
like some perfume?
      Yes I had my tooth filled and
I had one more that needed it.
This is the first time I ever had
to have any work done to my
teeth. I don't care for anymore

   I sure wish I was home to
enjoy some of that fresh pork and
beef. The people on the farms are
lucky they can have all the meat
they want.
      Has Rev. Meyer decided to stay
at Berkey? I sent a letter to him
the other day. Our chaplain is in
the hospital so I don't know if they
had services today or not. I was
to busy at the time to attend
today.
     Yes I guess all the young fellows
at home are getting married. I will
have to begin all over again. Oh
well I am glad it turned out this
way. I have been gone so long now
and both of us have changed.

    What I can't see is how so
many of the fellows are staying out
of the Army. Has Homer Ford gone
into the Army yet? I notice by the
paper Bob Ziss is out yet, also
Junior Carr. Well, one thing I am
seeing a lot of places and countries,
that I never would have seen
before.
    I guess this will have to be
a letter for tonight. There isn't much
to write about anymore. Goodnight
for now.
                                       Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on February 10th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here is a picture I found on the internet of Napoleon's tomb (it is NOT Ralph's photo).