Monday, July 2, 1945

Dearest Gee.

Lordy, the mail is sure coming in now and I hope it continues like this. Yesterday I got three packages of funnies and this tablet and comic book. As you probably have noticed, I’ve been using that Jerry paper. Then I got your swell letters of June 9, 15, and 16th, one from Mom, and a long letter from Coe. I sure have to write her. She sent me a four leaf clover too, the other day Sis sent one. I should have plenty of luck, huh? Today, I got your letters of the 10th, 18, and 20th and one more from Mom. I sure enjoyed everyone of yours kid, and especially the one of the 20th when you gave me the big snow job and in the same breath asked me to get you suthin in the line of silverware and knitted things. I sure wish I could get you something, honey, but as I explained before we aren’t allowed to buy a thing. They relaxed enough for us to buy beer but that’s all. However, when our P.X. opens up I’ll see what they have. They may have some surplus stuff from the Norwegians that would be nice. I doubt the silver end of it tho. After all, the Germans were here for five years. Things are still pretty tough for them but at that they aren’t hurting as much as the others.

I’m glad you finally heard from Chick. He told me about his little Austrian gal. What does Rita think of that, or does she know? How is it that Chick is getting a Purple Heart, kid? Was he wounded and no one ever told me? It will be mighty fine if he gets the bronze and silver stars. He never told me anything about that. They have taken all the honor of getting one of those anymore tho. One guy in our old outfit got one from merely bringing the mail up front. It seems that the guys who were really in there pitching got left out. It was a case of who you knew.

I also got those pictures I set to the Special Service to have developed last March. They turned out pretty good. I’ll send them letters by themselves. You’ll think you’re getting more mail that way. Some were take at Antibes, France, some at Caen and others I don’t know myself. I’m getting so far ahead on these negatives. I’ll have to start sending them home too. They always want to curl up so that they are hard to put in an envelope. They still won’t let you enclose them in a package. Speaking of packages, I guess you have the package of Jerry flying jackets and stuff I sent. I haven’t the letter yet telling me you got it but in one of your letters today you said you sent it to the cleaners. Did it stink, kid? What did you think of it? I’ll be I got a cussing. No, I didn’t send any Jerry rifle. There is no use having all that junk around the house. I still have three pistols but whether I get home with them or not is another story. Two of them I registered.

Went to Oslo yesterday but didn’t do anything exciting. I went with Prosise. We took in the P.X. snack bar which is pretty snazzy. Had four sandwiches apiece with three other guys Prosise knew. These Norwegians who run the bar for them can make four sandwiches from one thin slice of bread. They not only can but do. Had lettuce with them too — and I ate it and another guys too! Ain’t that suthin? Guess I was lettuce hungry. Went wandering around to find a place to drink our quart in and finally found a nice bar that sits out in the water. We snuck back in a booth and had a few quiet ones until some more G.I.’s came around — then it disappeared. About all I got out of it was another hunger so we went to the Red Cross snack bar and I had two Vienna sausage sandwiches, a dehydrated egg sandwich, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a corn willy sandwich with one cup of coffee. Was a little hungry, kid.

No, honey, Bob Pettit didn’t have anything to do with moving that bullion in Germany. That was part of our 99th Battalion who did that. Don’t pay any attention to that lingo. She sure must love to spread the malarky. I see him most every day in the chow line but just speak and that’s about all. I don’t go for him at all. He spreads the bull too.

I got paid yesterday. Two months worth. Something around eighty bucks.

They have Oslo all decorated for the parade Wednesday. Signs on the lampposts saying in three languages (Norwegian, English, and Russian) “Norway Thanks You.” They have a funny way. I guess we’re just soured on the world in general.

Robbing Bernard’s station is getting to be a habit, isn’t it? That cop had better take a few lessons in target practice. No hits out of five is pretty bad.

I’d better lay off now. Sure love you and miss you like the devil honey.

So long.

Snook