World War II, chapter 69, And Baby Makes Three

World War II

Chapter 69

And Baby Makes Three

Dad Wrote “This is us. I could name a few but “Vi” will know some and we all have Cognac.” Dad is the one in the back on the right downing his bottle. . . Look at how happy they all look or is that drunk? You can click on any picture to see it bigger.

My oldest sibling is now 9 days old and Dad still has no word that it has been born. It seems as though the Quartermaster is on the move once again. Since he is on the move I bet it will be harder to get a message to him, or will it? I hope there isn’t snow in Mitz so these soldiers can get warmed up.

I have searched the internet to see where Mitz is but found nothing. When you type that name in you get Metz. So I went back and rechecked both the original document called “Stations and area’s occupied by the 35^th Quartermaster since its induction” and also I have a Yoo Hoo reunion brochure and checked it. It also says Mitz. I am not sure where it is but it looks like the 35^th Quartermaster moved there on a cold day in 1945.

20 January 1945 Quartermaster moved to Mitz, France

20 January, Mitz, France

My Darling Wife, Hi honey hows [sic] Junior? Boy I’ll bet he is here by now huh? Well we got a little mail today. But none from you. Perhaps Tuesday. I heard from Bob and Norma and Harold and Rosa. They didn’t have much to say. I guess everything there was ok. The letters were a month old. I also got a Christmas card from Madelyn. But all I wanted was a little one from you and it didn’t come. And did I feel bad. Perhaps next month. Would you like to be here? Have a nice fireplace and good coals in it and could we roast some wieners. In fact I just did have a couple that way. Sure were good. Well maybe you can’t be here but I have your picture here in front of me and it sure is nice. That’s the only part of you I want in a place like this. Now of course if I were there that would be nice too. Oh Darling I love you. Well the hot dogs tasted so good [a] while  ago I had to have another. Then did a little thinking and still haven’t anything to think about. I have been in about all kinds of weather here now. From a small blizzard to a good warm day and even a little to [sic] much rain. Its [sic] nice now though. Well anyway better than usual. Gosh here I’m going to have to stop on two pages again tonight. I just can’t seem to write when I haven’t a letter to answer and sometimes not then. But I sure wish some would come so I could try. I love you my Darling. I love you so much honey. I love you I love you Mommie. Don’t let Jr whip you-? I love you. All my love Darling, Lefty

Dad wrote “Imagine Pop will be interested in this cognac. All the cases in the picture is just that. Lots of drinking stuff huh? We drew five loads.” If you click on the picture you can see there are heck of a lot of cases there.

21 January, Mitz, France

My Darling Wife and Daughter, Congratulations honey. I got your telegram today and was I ever glad to receive it. Gosh I just don’t know what to say. I have been sitting here thinking of something nice and gosh I still don’t know anything nice enough. I’m like Bob I guess. I showed him the telegram and he said “now we can both breathe easier.” Gee honey I’m so happy and you know a month ago I told Bob I hoped it would be a girl. Why I don’t know. I guess I’ve always wanted that. Well now I have to get home and damn soon. I also got two letters from you and one from Mom. The 9^th & 10^th. Boy it was sure good to get them also. I hadn’t gotten mail from you in so long I guess I had even forgotten how you wrote. All in all today wasn’t a half bad day. Everything turned out swell. And am I happy. Now would be a swell time to open that quart of Cognac I have been saving and get gooseawaled.

I am including the pictures I have of Dad, his Company, and their cognac. Although he does not talk about it in any of his letters what I know is that his Company “drew five loads” of the liquid gold. I bet that was one Company who had one hell of a party.  I am not sure exactly when they got this detail but with him having some left over it had to be before now. I would have to say that this was a good time for these soldiers because they sure look happy in the pictures.

 Wow if I were only home now. Bob just said Madeline wrote and she had just received a long letter from you and that by now I should be daddy. Well she didn’t know how right she was. That is all he said about it. Oh yes if you have gotten the letter I wrote last night forget about the fireplace. It wasn’t bad but two other burned through and we had a little fun. So today I found a stove. The darn thing is made of concrete but is sure putting out the you know what. The two fires didn’t do any damage but sure stunk up the place. The stove makes a lot more than that anyway. The picture you sent is good but as you say it doesn’t look like you. You do look rather fat though.

He has got to stop talking about Mom’s weight. I can’t imagine how much this hurt her. For goodness sake didn’t she just carry his baby for nine months?

Bob said you looked  like you had all your teeth pulled. But I informed him you were only catching flies and had to have your mouth open. I was sure glad you sent the picture though. Now I have a change of scenery for a while. I have looked at all the rest so much I believe I know every wrinkle by heart.  Now I can start learning this one. Of course its [sic] like the map of Europe now, changed considerably. But oh my what a change. Do you realize when I get home I’ll have someone to tell my tales too. It sure seems like it will take that long. They had a U.S.O. show today. It wasn’t to [sic] bad. I was kinda disgusted until the last picture they had and I nearly died laughing at that. So that raised the average of the show a little. Sounds like my mail kinda got to you all at once. 10 Letters in two days. Well I have gotten 6 but only two from you. In them should have been the names I picked for the daughter. I’m sure they were sent along about that time. I hope you liked them. I imagine you had different ideas and if so swell. Mom wrote Gerald was back in the states. That’s sure swell. I hope he did get to the hospital he wanted. It will sure be nice for Aunt Dick if he can make it. Then she can be near him. Its [sic] nice Ralph can be too. But I’m awful sorry they were hurt. I’ve been lucky I guess. I’m in a good outfit too. Have you been spending any money I have been sending home. It sure doesn’t sound like it. Gosh honey if we had been married when I first wanted to clear back in Robinson we would have been millionaires by now. I love you Darling. Well honey I had something else to write but sure can’t think of it now. Bob wrote a note to go with this. I love you darling. Take care of the little one. I love you honey. I love you so much. Must write to Mom tonight and its after 10 now. I love you Darling. I love you so much so very much. All my love Darling, Lefty. I never did hear from the correspondence school. Its 7 weeks today since I sent it. Sure wish it would come and glad you like what I took.

Eleven days until he got his telegram announcing the baby’s arrival.  What I did find interesting is although he knows it is a girl he still does not know which name Mom decided on. I wonder how long it will be before he knows the name of his child.

See what I mean? Rough in the ETO.”

How awesome! In this next letter from Dad there is a letter to Mom from Robert “Bob” Winter. It is fun to see his handwriting. I feel like I know Bob even though I have never met him. I say never but I can almost bet that I met him at one time or another growing up. I just wish I remembered him.  I do want to add a note here. I found the names of Bob’s son’s names in a roundabout way. I then looked online and found a possible address for one of them. I wrote and sent a letter 14 May 2013 explaining who I am and a bit of the story. I have hopes I may find Bob’s family.

 

Letter From Bob, You can click on it to make it larger

 

Dear Mama Woodside & Daughter, Just returned from a busy day and received the glad tidings a little bit ago. May I take this means to congratulate you. (Confidentially I was looking for twins) but mighty happy for the daughter. I have congratulated Mr. Papa now. I only hope I can do as well some day.  Madeline said she had a mighty fine letter from you. I’m pretty happy for the present. Two letters from her today. My morale  is up. 99 ½ now. Will be for the next ten minutes then it will die clear to a -10. Say hello to Mom and Pop for me and I shall remain with Love always Bob

22 January, Mitz, France

My Darling Wife & Daughter. Gee that sure makes a heading for a letter. Sure hope the letter gets here soon so I’ll have something to call our girl. I know what she’ll be called if you got my letter but if not I don’t know. Well I am waiting anyway. I got three more letters from you today. Dec 2 and Jan 4 & 5. Boy was I glad to get them. Its [sic] like old times now. Having some mail. Of course the ones that aren’t from you don’t count so I neglect to consider them. I also got a Christmas greeting from George Wagner Jr. So I’ll send that to you and you can do what you want with it. I imagine you have seen enough of them but if you haven’t perhaps you would like to see this. We went to another show today. It was all G.I’s but good. Now if they would stop this old bull and put on some picture shows we would be satisfied. Also we have a rumor they might have a dance sometime.  I think that will be swell. Well I want a dance so any kind will do. I’ll take Bob for a chaperon so I’ll have to be good. Boy sounds like you got the works for Xmas. I haven’t had a list like that since I left Grocery business. People used to bring in orders for a months [sic] supply (I think) and have us put things up. Now where are you going to put all of that. You got your Evening in Paris perfume huh? Well that saves me from buying it. It would probably be all over when it got there anyway. Well enough of that. I sure hope Moms [sic] throat got well. Man I can sure feel for her. I haven’t had one but some of the fellows have and have really gotten down with it. I don’t believe it was quite 15 days between the letters I got from you but it seemed lots longer. Now I’m like you. I’m getting them all at once. But I like it. Bob and I have been building houses. Man have we been having a time. Of course we have it all on paper and now that’s torn up. But I sure have been disagreeing with him. Well honey I guess I better stop for now. I love you my Darling. I love you so much honey. Gee Darling I hope the baby and you are ok and all those things. I love you honey. I love you I love you I love you. All my love Darling, Lefty

Dad wrote “Cognac”

23 January 1945 Quartermaster moved to Moyenvic approximately twenty (20) miles NE of Nancy, France Seventh Army Sector

24 January 1945 Quartermaster moved to Gungwiller, France

25 January, Gungwiller, France

My Darling Wife and Daughter, Hi Mommie. Hows [sic] my daughter today. Mom said she had red hair and Rosa said she was born on the same day as their boy. So now I know two things. Perhaps the mail will have some glad tidings I hope? I haven’t written the last couple days. Just haven’t found time until it was to [sic] dark and I can’t write then so I haven’t gotten it done. Perhaps I can do better now. Anyway I am thinking I should. Another thing I haven’t gotten a letter written to Mom & Pop. I should get that done soon too. From the Cablegram you sent I figured the baby to be born about the 16 but I guess Rosa got a letter from you the same day she was writing me and added that they were both born the same day.

Not only does Dad not know what his daughter’s name is but he also is not sure about the date she was born. She arrived on the 11^th of January, the day before my mother turned 21.

Dad wrote “Same here Rough in the ETO.” Dad standing in the back blond hair on the mid-right

So in other words the Cablegram was dated the 16^th and got here the 21 so that’s not traveling very fast. It was dated over here. And yet all the papers over there say the mail and news from home are reaching the troops in good time.  Bull Shit. . I’m sure glad I got it when I did though. Sure hope everything was well at that time and from now on. You know if I keep on the mail might get here before I finish this. I sure hope so because then I’ll have something to write about all I can think of now is you and the baby and I guess that is enough. Just think honey next month we will be married a year. But lots has happened since then. Are you sorry you got married? I’m sure not. Not with you and a daughter to greet me when I get home. Boy am I looking forward to that. I love you darling. Say I’ve been finding out things. Ray Linden has a boy don’t know anymore [sic] about it than that but its[sic] almost official. He is keeping it more a secret than I did. Bob and Ben was all I told and they put out from there on. Not to [sic] many knew it before she was born. I think you knew Ray. He rode with Ben once in awhile.  His baby was born about the same time as Harvey’s. The mail hasn’t come and I’m not sure it is tonight. So I’m going to finish this and go to bed. Am pretty sleepy. I was on guard last night and when I finished this morning at 6:45 I came in and went to bed and you know my feet were cold and didn’t warm up until I got up at noon, or about that time. Well honey I love you so much. I’m all run down now my Darling. Be good to our daughter and don’t let her kick you around to [sic] much.  I love you so much honey. I love you I love you so much. All my love, Lefty

I have to wonder what that was like for Dad. I wish I had the cablegram to know what information he got when the news came. It must have been bare essentials; it’s a girl and not much more.  I wonder why they did not include the baby’s name and why was it sent 5 days after the baby was born. Was it because Mom wanted to send it herself and had to wait until she was out of the hospital to get it done?  It seems as though the more I learn the more questions I have.

© 2013 notsofancynancy

Robert “Bob” Winter, Raymond E. Linden, Truman “Ben” Howard, Hawker Harvey