Letter written November 2, 1946 on Hotel Harrington, Washington D.C. stationary 

Sunday

11/17/46

Dear families,

I’m sorry I haven’t written earlier, but after you read this you will understand why.

One week ago, yesterday, about 75 men from Company C piled sp. Into trucks and were droven to a place called A.P. Hill. This is the place I wrote you about some time ago.

Well! the following week was one of new Army life and little sleep. Saturday we put up camp. Pup tents with two fellows in each tent. Another Company was there two, but since neither one had many men the two companice combined into one. Well! To continue! Saturday we also dug prone shelters, (which are 2’x2’xyou) laterine, and garbage pits. For lunch and dinner we ate the famous K rations which contain a can of meat, cigarettes, candy, coffee, gum, and a envelope of bounion which was promptly thrown in the fire by all. Saturday night wasn’t too cold so I got some sleep.

Sunday we had hot food for breakfast, and got this till the following Thursday. Sunday we put up some comoflog sp. Nets over the kitchen tent. We got sleeping bags that day so sleeping came easy.

Monday, being a holiday, no work was done, by me, that is. So I can’t give you too much information about that day. Although I will say that I got every thing settled and found it rather confortible.

Tuesday our schedule really began. In the morning we were given maps and told to go to a certain place and see what we could see. It was just to get us used to the lay of the land. This was the beginning of a week of walking. It was a mile and a half to the place the patrol I was in had to go to, so as we weren’t very accustomed to the territory we were late for lunch. That afternoon we walked about a mile to a place where we were told to take our maps and go to a certain point and find out all there was about the place we were going to. Well the place the patrol I was in, had to go was the same place I had gone in the morning. I wasn’t as lucky as I though. For the Patrol Leader was stubborn and wouldn’t just write his reports according to my dictation and then sleep the rest of the time, but he had to drag me to that darned spot and then just get us back to camp in time to eat. Was I ever boiling for having to go to the same spot twice.

Well! Wednesday was another day for punishment. It started by a 1 ½ mile hike to no other place I had allready been to twice before. I sure was tired of that. Well, by this time we had recieved blanks and we were told to go on a combat patrol, doing at the same time some reconicence on a certain spot. Well before the morning was over the patrol was surrounded once, and ambushed twice. We lost two men on each of the ambushes, (captured) and just barely escaped with what we called our lifes when we were surrounded. Wednesday afternoon we were given a demonstration on a war attack. This one demonstration really made me glad I had been in the War, and greatly wonder how our country came out of the War without lossing more lifes than we did.

After that demonstration we packed up our bedding and recieved C rations for the following day. We then were fed and marched to that nights sleeping place. Having had only my sleeping bag I spent that night with only a couple hours of sleep,

I literaly froze.

Wednesday morning I really got lucky. For that morning three of the platoons out of the Company were going to attack the fourth one at my little three time visited spot. Well I was given the duty to guard the sleeping bags and go with them wherever they went. (The sleeping bags that is). Well! The sleeping bags were put on a truck and taken to a spot some three miles from that precent spot. So I went along and loafed till the troops arrived arround three o’clock that afternoon.

Well! After three the Fourth Platoon or my platoon went on a little hike, (about 6 miles) to the banks of the river where we set up defensive positions. For Friday the other three Platoons were going to land in Higins boats and come charging at our positions. After getting our positions we ate the last of our C rations, and again froze all night.

Friday morning found us up early and eating our breakfast K rations, (which we had recieved the day before) Blank ammunition was handed out and we prepared for the attack.

At 9:15 on the nose the first wave came towards us, and landed on the beach which was about 10 feet long. One boat came in on each wave. Tear gas and smoke bombs were thrown and the firing was heavy. Barbed wire implacements slowed down the advancing troops and we wiped them out. I shot about 50 shells (blanks) at the first wave so it didn’t leave me much for the second and third wave. Ten minutes after the first wave had landed the second wave came in. They were also wiped out. I had 16 shells left for the third wave That came in 10 minutes later. So after firing all my shell I started throwing my empty cartages at them and hit many on top of their helmets.

The intire attack was over by 10:00 and the fourth platoon started on a force march of 8 miles back to the base camp and it was little after 12:00 when we pulled in.

Friday afternoon we prepared to leave A.P. Hill and come back to For Belvoir. The K rations were finished that night and we were frozen all night. No sleep for me.

Saturday we left A. P. Hill at 6:00 and got back to Camp in time to get passes which brings me here. <

There is no news pertaining to schools or shipping orders at the present time, but will know by the 21st

I am going to close now as its past one and I haven’t eaten yet, and after spending a week of K and C rations you are really hungry.

I remain

Your

Jerry

P.S. Will send you the map of A.P. Hill when I get to Camp again.

Isn’t this a cute letter, folks.

Am leaving now for work-have you gotten my letters?

Love

B