France

November 12, 1944

Dear Mom,

Haven't heard from you for several weeks but I suspect it's partly because I've changed jobs and my mail hasn't caught up with me. Then, too, it's been very uncertain of late. I got one of your letters from Sept. 14 and two of Grace's from the same time together with one from Grace of Oct. 15 all at the same time, during which period I got yours of later date.

I got summoned to my new job very abruptly one morning recently and I've been on the go ever since. It came as a surprise to me, but apparently has been under consideration for some time by the powers that be. I am now Assistant G-3, which means I am now right hand man to the Division G-3, whose job is the same in the Division as mine was in the Battalion.

However, my work is considerably increased in some ways and lessened in others. I have more assistants to do the actual labor, but I also need to know many more items. I've had to learn a lot of stuff in a hurry and that, together with our small staff, has me putting in about 20 hours a day. It's a rat race on a big scale, but it's fun.

My new boss, Lt. Col. Stilwell, asked for me particularly, so he's easy to work for as you might expect. I, of course, know him well from my former job.

Big disadvantage is that it gets you removed from the actual war. Down in Battalion wasn't so bad, for you could see things happening on the ground, but up here you have to depend largely on reports for that sort of thing.

We don't eat as well as "Olson's Cookery", but it doesn't matter for I get far less exercise and don't need the fat.

In some ways Americans are an expressionless people. Recently I was billeted with a Polish family. They insisted I come into the kitchen for a chat though I couldn't speak Polish or French and they couldn't speak English. The two children, a boy 14 and a girl 15, were smart as whips and acted more or less as interpreters. But it was hardly necessary. I sat there for four hours and it was so entertaining I hated to leave to go to bed.

They were wonderful actors and when I wouldn't understand, which was often, they would tell me by gesture and pantomime so I could hardly mistake them. I, lacking their ability, seemed quite dumb by comparison. If I didn't get their first attempt, they'd take counsel and try a new tack, which would work. In the course of the evening I learned their whole history.

Love,

Bob

NEW ADDRESS:

Capt. Robert F. Burns, 0384203
Hq. 90th Inf. Div. - G-3 Sec.
APO 90, c/o Postmaster
New York, New York