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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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