March 14, 1945

Dear Mom,

Guess I’m the one that’s been slipping up on writing but I haven’t any good excuse so here’s few lines anyway. Mail has been a little slow lately. Tonight I got a V-Mail from Alf, which he wrote on board a ship. I sure hope he didn’t tell these rats how to spell his name. Well, [a] clear has come now so I suppose we can expect another three months of bad weather. It was clear last night and clear today, except for a haze which finally roze (sic) by afternoon. It was warm all day and we finally got our blankets aired out. It’s clear tonight to (sic) (1:30) Everybody’s still [O.A.] and [xxx] are to (sic) so I guess I’ll close, I have to because the bottom says so. Goodnight, goodluck with love and regards to all,

Al.

March 4, 1945

Dear Marge,

Nothing much has developed around here since last night except a lot of mud puddles but I’ll write anyway. Somebody said all there was was papers in the mail tonight so there was no use waiting for that. (4:30am) There wasn’t any mail last night expect Stars and Stripes so this will be a little stale from here. Before I forget, how’s the music lessons coming along? Does Charles and Danny still take them? It hasn’t been mentioned lately so I was afraid they quit. The rain has stopped but it is still cloudy and getting cold. The change was so quick I suppose a lot of guys will catch colds but that remains to be seen. I’m on guard tomorrow—guarding a “krauts” house so nobody will take anything. Did you ever hear anything like that [in your] life. We’re killing them and protecting their property. I’ll have to close now be good and take care of yourself, Love to all,

Al.

March 9, 1945 —-Germany

Dear Fran,

I started to write to mother this afternoon but we didn’t get any mail tonight so I can’t finish without something to write about. I believe you wrote some time ago, Feb 23, so I’ll put an “X” on that now instead. I just finished writing to the Ms.so the letter will be about [the] same, mostly the weather. It’s still raining here but it did clear up this afternoon for about three hours. Plenty of mud but get along, we have to. Pretty quiet at the present and if we don’t hurry up our shooting days will be over. I just heard the news and it sounds pretty good but there’s plenty of blackout yet. Everything still O.K. in the house? Everybody still well? Here’s the bottom so solong tell [father?] with love to all.