21st General
France
Dear folks,
La belle France at least has shorter winters than the U.S.A., and milder ones. Every day is a little warmer now. The snow is all gone and even the worst of the spring freshets. My mail has been coming thru very well the past few days. Your Xmas cards at last came thru. The letters are mixes up as to dates, it’s like filling in a jig-saw puzzle to get your doings. The final picture is complete, tho, and I am up with you to the last of January now.
A few days ago I took a trip to division to be a witness and in so doing made one trip I can tell you about, since it didn’t involve a unit. We covered most of the ground I have been on since we came from St. Mards, near Dieppe, in Normandy. Luneville, Averycourt [Arracourt?], Chateau-Salins, and we covered much of the area between Nancy and Metz. Saw many of the men at the company. Of course, this was all well behind the lines, for we are resting now. Just barely within earshot of the artillery.
Dear mother, I did not come very close to Luzon!
Marjorie tells me you follow the map pretty closely. Our 7th Army front isn’t changing greatly right now, as you can see by the papers.
Oh, I made 1st Lt. the 1st of February. In the absence of silver bars I have had to make use of white tape! Means a little more money, and probably I’ll go to the first platoon when I go back. I’ll leave the hospital tomorrow, go to a replacement depot for a time and be re-assigned to the same outfit.
Yes, my arm is all better now, with just a little red line for a souvenir. Believe me, the medics in this war have a lot of know-how. They have licked infection completely with penicillin and sulfa-drugs. That makes it possible for them to heal wounds by leaving them open and starting the healing from the inside out. Then when they sew them up they know they have done a complete job. Also they use anesthetics liberally. I have never felt any real pain with this thing. Had morphine when I first got in, and when they worked on it they used a drug injected onto the right arm to put me completely out.
Marjorie sent me some pictures taken at Christmas time. Bet you had a good time with all those little ones around. Carlie looks as bright as ever, Merellyn as prim, and Greggie as lovable. Laura sent me a couple of her super pictures of Greggie. How in the world does she take such good pictures all the time? Develops them herself, too. She has talent.
Ma, I have practically reached the phenix of laundry facilities. In the company we have a rotation system on sox that enables me very simply to toss dirty sox into the supply room and pick up a new pair each day. As for other clothes, and even sleeping equipment, they are as a rule communal property. We just draw what we need and my friend Sgt. Fee always remembers me. So tho I have lost practically everything I came over with, I have found a new system that fits my temperament very well. No work, no worry.
The whole question of equipment at the front is beyond the imagination of capitalist Americans. Property has value only for what [if?] you can use it in the next few minutes. It’s not waste, it’s just a fact. An objective is so important that individual equipment is too small an item to consider, even, while taking it. When you are thru using a weapon or a blanket or what have you, you put it down and go ahead. Some guy behind you is probably looking for a blanket, so there it is when he comes along. We even use German equipment the same way. Actually thousands of dollars worth of stuff just lays around for whoever wants it to pick up. Curios, souvenirs, anything. But nobody touches most of it unless they can use it. What could they do with it? If it was a mile or two in the rear it would be worth a fortune, but there, nothing.
I’ll write when I can,
Love to all,
Wallace
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