Czechoslovakia

May 16, 1945

Dear Mom,

You'd enjoy this country's climate as well as Tucson's I believe. It's about like Southern California and most of the natives are already deeply tanned. Both boys and girls wear a good deal of shorts. The bright sun is a real relief from the miserable cold weeks we had in Germany just across the mountains. I don't wonder the Germans wanted to get out.

Although clothes here are pretty much like everywhere else, the younger people especially wear a lot of solid bright red and white in combination. The skirt or shorts are usually solid red and the blouse white. Makes a very gay note on the street.

This is a very pretty town. I had a chance to walk around the other day. There is a swift flowing clear river on one edge of town, paralleling its length. The banks are lined with trees which are just now beginning to bud. The town proper is quite old except for the factory area where we are which is rather modern.

There is a huge town square with all brick pavement except a small section in front of the city hall which has a stone fountain and a few green trees. Loudspeakers set up around the square carry music or announcements to the town. There are several churches and a monastery high up on a hill overlooking the town.

I went to mass at one church and found it so crowded I couldn't get much of a look at it. It was quite small with rather over-ornate altars. By coincidence, the chaplain who read the mass was one we had back at Camp Roberts. He is with another unit that is here with us. I couldn't see him at first but thought I recognized his voice. After I edged around to where I could get a look-see, I found to my surprise who he was.

Since the war's end we do not have to observe blackout regulations, but there are still not too many lights apparent at night and these people go to bed very early. They think we are real night owls for staying up until ten and eleven o'clock.

This morning an English-speaking Czech, after discussing some other business, pointed to an old Post and Collier's that I had and said shyly, "If you are through with these I wonder if I might have them?" "Why of course," I said, "Would you like them?" and I handed them to him. He was positively ecstatic. "This is the first English reading we have had for a long time" and he clutched them tight as if afraid I would change my mind. "If you have any others or any of those little pocket books would you leave them for me?" "I have read all my books five times and over." He went out beaming.

Love,

Bob