Major Robert F. Burns

90th Division, U.S. Army

 

War Letters from Europe

Normandy to Germany

Home  |  Military Career  |  Letters  |  Photos  |  Battles  |  References

Letters from France

June 22, 1944
June 29, 1944
June 29, 1944 (2nd)
July 6, 1944
July 17, 1944
August 10, 1944
August 14, 1944
August 25, 1944
September 1, 1944
September 2, 1944
September 3, 1944
September 3, 1944 (2nd)
September 14, 1944
September 16, 1944
September 16, 1944 (2nd)
September 17, 1944
September 28, 1944
October 2, 1944
October 14, 1944
October 22, 1944
November 2, 1944
November 12, 1944
November 24, 1944
December 2, 1944
December 27, 1944

Letters from Luxembourg

January 9, 1945
January 16, 1945
January 20, 1945

Letter from Belgium

February 7, 1945

Letters from Germany

February 9, 1945
February 21, 1945
February 23, 1945
February 26, 1945
April 5, 1945
May 5, 1945

Letters from Czechoslovakia

May 10, 1945
May 16, 1945

Letters from Germany

May 19, 1945
May 20, 1945
May 24, 1945
June 3, 1945
June 22, 1945

Letters from France

June 30, 1945
July 3, 1945

Letters from Germany

July 14, 1945
July 27, 1945
July 30, 1945
August 3, 1945
August 14, 1945

Letters from France

August 26, 1945
August 28, 1945
August 29, 1945

Letters from Germany

September 9, 1945
September 11, 1945
September 13, 1945
September 15, 1945
September 17, 1945
September 23, 1945
September 27, 1945
October 1, 1945
October 9, 1945

Letters from France

October 13, 1945
October 15, 1945
October 22, 1945
November 5, 1945
November 17, 1945
November 17, 1945 (2nd)
November 23, 1945
November 30, 1945
December 17, 1945
December 17, 1945 (2nd)
December 18, 1945
December 26, 1945
January 2, 1946

Letters from Belgium

January 14, 1946
January 15, 1946
January 17, 1946
January 17, 1946 (2nd)

Letters from France

January 21, 1946
January 24, 1946

Paris, France

November 30, 1945

Dear Mom,

Winter is certainly coming - and fast. It continues to get colder and stays pretty gray and hazy.

The coffee came last Saturday and I certainly was surprised to find the pajamas with it. I've been wearing them since and find them almost too warm! Many thanks for the package. I'm glad you bought the Barrington coffee and not the G. Washington. This is by far the better.

Things are still confused about continuation of the work. It seems now that it may continue until Dec. 31. The French Ministry of Education is interested in continuing the program and may do so if the Army does not.

The Director asked the other day how many would want to continue their studies on a civilian basis. He is trying to set it up on the same basis as people discharged to work here in that you still get transportation home. Also he wants to get payments under the G.I. Bill of Rights inasmuch as our Army pay will stop. I put my name in as there is nothing binding about it and it may work out. What I hope is that I can use my terminal leave to stay here. I have about three months coming.

My painting is a little better but still comes and goes. I am working now on a portrait of a little French girl. It started well but I am rapidly getting discouraged with it and she is getting quite fed up with posing and wants an end to it. As a result she jumps around a great deal which doesn't make things easier. She's only nine years old and doesn't talk any English so unless her mother is around to keep her quiet, I have my hands full. Today I got rather angry and though she didn't understand my English she grasped my tone and sat as if petrified for 20 minutes. I despise portraiture.

With another painting I had some bad luck of another sort. The first edition didn't go so well and I was working on a new painting of the same thing. It was coming along fine and I hoped to have it done for the show of students' work. Then yesterday, the weather tightened the canvas too much and the under painting began to crack. Today almost the whole canvas is in the same condition. The painting is quite ruined and useless. I don't think I can finish a third painting in time.

I'd like to be there to celebrate your birthday next week. Since that can't be, I hope you'll have a good day and many of them.

Love,

Bob

  Home  |  Military Career  |  Letters  |  Photos  |  Battles  |  References
Copyright © 2013-2018 Marie T. Burns