Dear Ma and Pa. Well I finally got here. First day out of the Replacement Depot and saw some action. Sure was wild. Everybody around here amazed at this morning's "entertainment." We was gettin ready to go after some Krauts up in some little hilly area. Al of a sudden here come some more down the road. So the Captain and the L. T.s figure this is gonna change the day. Maybe a little less humping. But we got words we needed to clean out these guys and get our butts up there in the hilly side mos skosh.

So we just waited for these knockwursters to get a bit closer and then started to try and pick 'em off. Maybe get 'em to go back t'other way. The Cap had everybod in a nice place under some trees. We started rippin' at 'em but for 15 mins we didn't even seem to distract those wieners. Well we all wanted to move out after them but the brass said no, lets just see what they think they want to do and we can really fix 'em up.

Anyway some Sgt. of their's takes a platoon up into the hills and some dingaling Looie comes at us with another bunch of clod hoppers and a couple or four big machine guns. Waltzes right up to us and you could see the bayonetts going on. I about crapped my shorts Dad. Was just like you told us about your war. We opened up on 'em again and the Cap took a few shots at the Seargent and his flock. The guys we was shootin' at and the other group just hunkered down a bit a stayed put. Our lead just didn't seem to bother them at all.That big blond Lt just spoutin that Furher this, and Furher that, stuff. Then it hit the fan. That Sgt. took his guys up into the hills, right where we was to go and seemed to just disappear. But, those guys next to us, damn, the just came wailing in. We shot everything we had. Next thing you know it's Katy bar the door. They only had about half the guys we had but they knew what they was about.

We opened up and got a squad of the doggies and another of the Machine gunners. That should had really sent them a shock. Maybe even some of 'em run. Nope. They took it like hogs to sweet corn. That warn't the worst of it though. We took a lot of on target crap. Our heavies really pi... errr, upset the Captain. He'd brought a platoon over of our own HMG guys. Some of them started sceaming "they got boxcars of ammo." We thought they had pretty good moral over there. Just like us. Nope. They went from a real tight group to a pack of running bunnies tootsweet. Yeah Dad that's still a popular word over here. Captain kicked a tree so hard when he saw that he busted a toe. A L.T. said that's a Purple Heart fer sure. Capt almost ripped his bal... shorts off.

Then jus as we wuz gonna start up again, there was a helluva noise. I never heard anything like it before. Then there was this almigty flashing and explosions, dirt flying up all over the road, the hills, I was about ready to crap my ... um sorry. I asked my buddy what the heck was that that all about? He said it was some arty guys covering up our "six." He said it was real unusual we got support that fast. Anyway the end of it was, that Jerry Lt and what was left of his guys took off. They wuz a smaart butt group. They just saluted and away they went like off to a parade. As a Bit I met a few weeks back said - "all in good order. That[s how to do it." An' we just waited for lunch. Never did get upn those hills tahday. Guess we'll do it tomorrow. Maybe we can get some better chow tomorrow. It says on the can that Spam is Ham. Don't taste like ham to me.

Tell Sally Jane I miss her a good bit. How's my dog? I miss Rufus most terrible.

Your Son Willy