Here we are at last at old General Hospital no. 21[Mirecourt, France*]. I left the evacuation hospital, you know, and rode an ambulance to a R.R. station. There I waited in an officers’ ward for one whole day before the train came. That is where I wrote my last letter from. The train was a beautiful job – a hospital train, with a nurse and ward boys in each car. We took quite a long ride on it, and I would have written you from it, but it jiggled a little too much. The Red Cross kept morale up with cigarettes, magazines, and big old cookies all the way.
This hospital is a modern structure with all possible facilities. I am in a room with two other Lieutenants and the set-up looks very good. I already have 3 or 4 books picked out to read. It appears from here as tho I may spend as much as a month in the hospital. However, my address will not change they say.
Aerial view of Mirecourt, France (Hôpital Psychiatrique de Ravenel), where the 21st General Hospital was established from October 21, 1944 to September 12, 1945. [https://www.med-dept.com/unit-histories/21st-general-hospital/]
21st General Hospital, Mirecourt, France
Pocketbooks and the even smaller Special Service books are wonderful things. We have here a library of all the recent best sellers and hundreds of other good books in all fields. The standards of the books are high, and are much better than the old “magazine collections” they had at Wheeler.
The Russians are still rolling on today, and it sure would be nice if they kept rolling right up to the Rhine River!
Just as soon as I can I will send your letters by air mail, Hon; right now I can’t get stamps. But that will be ironed out all right soon.
Well, they took advantage of me the other day when I was under anesthesia. In order to get the cast on my arm they had to take off my wedding ring! They taped it onto the little finger of my right hand, and there it stands today. Whenever the guy comes around changing dressings, I have him re-tape my wedding ring, too. I shall take very good care of it until I can put it back in its proper place. And don’t for a minute think that I am any less your husband because I haven’t it on. Having it on my right hand only reminds me more frequently that I have the best wife in the world waiting for me. I do dream of seeing you again so often, Bunny. I know I won’t be able to take my eyes and arms off you for days when we do meet once more. It will be so like heaven – just to be with you again. It surely is something to live for, isn’t it, Hon? Never fear it will come – and soon, I hope.
All my love forever,
Wallace
*"The pressure continued as the Allies now crossed the border into Germany itself. In January 1945, the 21st expanded to 4,040 beds, and treated its 50,000th patient. The facilities at Mirecourt were used to their fullest extent. Sick and wounded were cared for even in the attics of buildings."
7 January 1945 > 45,000th patient received
30 January 1945 > 50,000th patient received
19 June 1945 > 60,000th patient re
from https://www.med-dept.com/unit-histories/21st-general-hospital/
7 January 1945 > 45,000th patient received
30 January 1945 > 50,000th patient received
19 June 1945 > 60,000th patient re
from https://www.med-dept.com/unit-histories/21st-general-hospital/
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