Belgium April 29.

Dear Mother & all,
      Received your letter yesterday
of April 17. It sure didn't take it
very long in comeing through.
     Well I am a little bit under
the weather today. I guess I have
a slight case of intestinal flu.
I haven't ate anything for the last
three meals now. My head is all
plugged up and I cough quite a bit.
I feel a little better now. Lenore
sent me a package and I ate the
can of chicken noodle soup which
she sent me. I think I am going
to keep it down ok.
     I guess I guess this weather
would make anyone sick. The wind
is blowing a gale and it rains
and snows off and on all day long.
It really is a cold sharp wind.

     I guess from all the news
we are receiving lately this war
on this side will soon be over.
I sure hope so. Although there
will be a lot of work before I can
even think about getting home. I
sure am glad it is about finished.
Rumors of peace is all you hear
on the radio now. I suppose it
is the same way at home.
     Yes, I sure would like to sit
down to one of those party meals
again. Although we are eating very
good here. We have two fresh eggs
each morning for breakfast and then
have ice cream twice during the
week for dinner. We have plenty
of meat to eat. Yesterday noon we
had steak. Today they had boiled
ham. Although I didn't eat today.
Everyone said it was very good.

     I received a very nice letter from
Audrey a few days ago. I must also
answer it soon. It keeps me busy
trying to write to everyone. I don't
know how I wrote so much to
Irene before. Now I can't find time
to write to my own family.
     Well it will soon be the first
of May and next will be my
birthday. It really doesn't seem possible
that time rolls around so fast.
I can't think of much more news
at this time so I guess I will have
to call this finish for now. Please
keep your letters coming this way.
                                      Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on May 7th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Ralph was born on May 30, 1919. He will be 26 years old.

Belgium April 22.

Dear Mother & all,
      Received your letter of April
9th today. I am glad you have
received my letter telling you of my
arrival in Belgium. I like Belgium
very much. Much better than I
did France. The people here have
very clean homes. There is one
woman here that does my laundry
for me. I was at her house after
it the other night and was inside.
She really had things spick & span.
They seem so much friendiler
here also.
      I was in Brussels for a short
while and what I seen of it I want
to go back there again. It really is
a neat city. They have real modern
apartment houses and it looks

more like a city back in the
states.
      I sure wish that the story
you heard about me, was true.
I would give almost anything to get
back, and you can bet I would
come home first before I would
stop off anywhere else.
      I guess the nation is being
hit hard by deaths lately. First
Roosevelt and then Pyle. He sure
was the soldiers friend. I read
quite a few of his articles and things
happen just as he wrote about
them.
      I had a letter from Morgan F. telling
me he was in England. But I haven't
heard from him since I wrote to him.
I hope I will be able to see him, some-
way and somehow. Maybe make contact.

     Our nice weather has left
us today. The wind really blows
hard and rains and the sunshines
once in ahwile. The lilacs are in
bloom here now. It sure seems good
to see spring again. We are living in
an old apple orchard and the trees are
in bloom now. It really is a
scented place now.
      I wish Dad would write a little
oftener. He always writes quite a
bit of news in the letters that every
one writes Harley sent me his chain
letter to me and I sent him mine.
      I suppose Morgan Meham looks
quite a bit different now. I sure hope
this war will end soon. I am writing
this letter now and waiting for the
news to say the Yanks and Russians
have linked up. We try to listen

to most of the new broadcasts. We
have a radio in the shop next
to us even.
      Do you read about the things they
are beginning to uncover in Germany
now? How they treated there prisoners
and the slave labors. There was
a fellow in a town that was a
slave labor. He was freed and he
walked almost five hundred miles to
his home. Quite a few have told
me things that happened. Some of them
almost seem impossible.
      I guess this is about all for tonight.
Please send me my OD overseas
cap. The one I sent home when I was
in Texas. It has braid on the top and
a leather sweat band on the inside.
Not the one with a visor on it.
These can not be worn over here now.

I think you will under stand the
one I am talking about. Also include
anything esle you want to.
      Goodnight for now. Please write
soon and often.
                                   Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on April 29th.

Background Information (and comments):

During World War II, journalist Ernie Pyle, America’s most popular war correspondent, is killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of Ie Shima in the Pacific.

• Pyle, born in Dana, Indiana, first began writing a column for the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain in 1935. Eventually syndicated to some 200 U.S. newspapers, Pyle’s column, which related the lives and hopes of typical citizens, captured America’s affection. In 1942, after the United States entered World War II, Pyle went overseas as a war correspondent. He covered the North Africa campaign, the invasions of Sicily and Italy, and on June 7, 1944, went ashore at Normandy the day after Allied forces landed. Pyle, who always wrote about the experiences of enlisted men rather than the battles they participated in, described the D-Day scene: “It was a lovely day for strolling along the seashore. Men were sleeping on the sand, some of them sleeping forever. Men were floating in the water, but they didn’t know they were in the water, for they were dead.” The same year, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished correspondence and in 1945 traveled to the Pacific to cover the war against Japan.
  On April 18, 1945, Ernie Pyle was killed by enemy fire on the island of Ie Shima. After his death, President Harry S. Truman spoke of how Pyle “told the story of the American fighting man as the American fighting men wanted it told.”
  Pyle is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
• This may be the cap Ralph was referring to:

Garrison Cap in WW II

The Garrison Cap originated during World War I. The French soldiers wore a cloth cap that was the inspiration for the U.S. Army "overseas cap" adopted during World War I, but that cap was not used inside the U.S. By the late 1930s the cap was altered for use by both officers and enlisted men, and piping was added to indicate the branch of service. Since it was used in the U.S. as well as overseas, it became known as the Garrison Cap.

     
Two officers in wool and khaki garrison caps.

Belgium April 15

Dear Mother & all,
       A very beautiful and busy
Sunday again. I have missed
services four Sundays straight
now. I hope I won't be so busy
next Sunday and I can attend.
      Well, we had some very
bad and shocking news this
week. It really was a shock
when I heard the news. Over
here in Belgium no matter
where they have a picture of
Roosevelt they have it edged
with a black ribbon now. All
the Belgium people speak to you
about it and say. "It is to bad."
      Here in Belgium they speak
French as it was in France. I believe
there is more English spoken also.
We have Belgium men working

at K P and also have a chef
working in the kitchen. He really
makes some grand dishes. Even
C rations taste different now.
    Today was a feast for me in
mail. I received three of your letters
of Mar. 21 & 28 and April 5. Two
from Luella and two from Lenore. They
all were very interesting and I wish
I could have written each one a
letter before, but I really have been
busy and tired.
        We have received the citation
of the Meritorious Service Plaque.
This is for extraordinary performance
of duties during 1944. It is a gold
wreath which will be worn on the
right sleeve of our uniform. I guess
I will have to do a lot of sewing
soon. I will be sewing on four
overseas stripes and a hash mark.

When I came in I never thought
I would ever be in three years.
     The chain letter you folks
wrote Easter Sunday was very
interesting. Easter Sunday was just an-
other day to me. We were very
busy, but I sure hope I will be
able to be home with all of you
next Easter.
     I am sending you some snapshots
I have taken while I was in Paris
and in France. I hope to have some
more soon.
     We have had a few days of rain
and cold but now it is nice again.
We have the door of the tent open
and the sides rolled up.
     I sure would like to see Morgan
Ford. He is in England and has
written to me from there. I might
get a furlough back to England again and
if I do I am going to look him up.

     I imagine Morgan Meham does
look older. Too bad he couldn't have
arrived in time to see his
grandfather before he died. I guess
all the old folks in the neighborhood
are passing away.
      I guess this is about all for now.
I must write to a few others yet
tonight. I hope you don't have trouble
like you did last spring and summer.
Goodnight for now.
                                Love Ralph.

The next letter will be posted on April 24th.

Background Information (and comments):

• President FDR died on April 12th.
• Here is what C rations may have looked like during WWII:

• Here are photos of the Meritorious Service Plaque and overseas stripes and hash marks:

• Here are 2 photos that Ralph took while in France:

Belgium April 9.

Dear Mother & all,
       Time has gone by so fast I
really forgot to write a letter last
night. I have been busy and by
the time night gets here I really
am too tired to try to write. It
really is a lot of hard work getting
a place going again. No mail has
arrived for a few days now, but
I expect it will catch up with me
soon. Received a package from Luella
the other day. It really came in
in good shape. I had worked till
ten that night and then when I
came to my tent I discovered the
package. I guess we ate most of it
that night. The crackers and cookies
wee real fresh and crisp. I sure
will be glad when I can get the fresh

from the store again. How are the
things on ration over there now?
    I wrote Vmail to most of the folks
the other night. I hope they don't
think I have forgotten them. After I
get settled I will try to write every
one a nice long letter.
    I can't think of any more to write
just now, so I guess I will turn
in and call it a day. Goodnight.
                           Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on April 15th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here is some information on rationing:

CREDIT

 

National Archives

Elaine Norwich showing bushel of beans she just picked.

• The events on December 7, 1941 catapulted the United States into World War II. The country’s entrance into the war meant many changes on the home front. Chief among these alterations was the introduction of food rationing in 1942. On January 30th of that year, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the Emergency Price Control Act, which enabled the Office of Price Administration (OPA) to lay the ground work for food rationing, which was begun in the spring.

  Food Rationing

  

  CREDIT

   

  Library of Congress

  Signing up for sugar and food rationing in 1943

  Signing up for sugar and food rationing in 1943

  Under the food rationing system, everyone, including men, women, and children, was issued their own ration books. Rationed foods were categorized as either needing red or blue points. Individuals wishing to purchase foods under the red points scheme, which included meat, fish and dairy, were issued with 64 points to use per month. For blue points goods, including canned and bottled foods, people were given 48 points per person for each month. The OPA determined the number of points needed for goods based on availability and demand. The points values could be raised or lowered accordingly. Sugar was one of the first and longest items rationed, starting in 1942 and ending in 1947. Other foods rationed included coffee, cheese, and dried and processed foods.

Belgium April 1, 1945

Dear Mother & all,
         Easter Sunday again and still
the war goes on. Remember last year
there was a man predicted it would
be over by Easter? I wonder what he
thinks about it now?
        I have been putting in a lot
of hours of hard work lately. I haven't
had much time for writing to any
one. In a few more nights I will
be able to get around to writing
to all of them again. I guess
they will just have to bear with
me.
      We had a liberty run into
town last night. I was able to
see a little more of Belgium. It
really is a nice country. It
looks so neat and clean.

   I have had ice cream to eat
almost every night now. It really
is a treat to be able to buy it.
    Well, Easter Sunday this year
was just a day of hard work for
me. Our chaplain isn't here yet,
so of course I wasn't able to attend
services today. I would have liked
to have been able to attend
services at Berkey today. I know
you folks had nice services.
    I received a v mail from Freeman
today and also an airmail from
Luella. I have been holding off
a little about writing to Freeman.
I thought maybe he would be
called. I am sure glad he was
able to get another deferrement. I
know he is needed more back

there more than he is needed
here. I notice by the papers from
home that there are quite a few
from around home going into the
army.
      Well this is about all for now.
Please write when you can. I hope
you are over your sickness.
      Goodnight for now. I will try
to write later in the week.
                                   Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on April 9th.

Background Information (and comments):

• I could not find an explanation of his phrase "liberty run", but I did find a liberty pass from a sailor and the following definition of a pass or liberty:
• One of the entitlements most new military personnel want to learn about is LEAVE. ... A "pass" (called "liberty" in the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps) is time-off, not chargeable as leave. Leave is a RIGHT (not a privilege) that is granted by Congress under Federal Law.