Major Robert F. Burns90th Division, U.S. ArmyWar Letters from EuropeNormandy to Germany |
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Letters from France June 22, 1944June 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, 1945January 16, 1945 January 20, 1945 Letter from Belgium February 7, 1945Letters from Germany February 9, 1945February 21, 1945 February 23, 1945 February 26, 1945 April 5, 1945 May 5, 1945 Letters from Czechoslovakia May 10, 1945May 16, 1945 Letters from Germany May 19, 1945May 20, 1945 May 24, 1945 June 3, 1945 June 22, 1945 Letters from France June 30, 1945July 3, 1945 Letters from Germany July 14, 1945July 27, 1945 July 30, 1945 August 3, 1945 August 14, 1945 Letters from France August 26, 1945August 28, 1945 August 29, 1945 Letters from Germany September 9, 1945September 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, 1945October 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, 1946January 15, 1946 January 17, 1946 January 17, 1946 (2nd) Letters from France January 21, 1946January 24, 1946 |
Le Havre, France January 21, 1946 Dear Mom, We left Namur on Saturday morning on a direct train to Paris. It was not a particularly fast train. We left at 10 AM and reached Paris about 8 PM. However, it was a civilian train and stopped one hour at the Belgium border for customs inspection and a second hour across the border in France for French inspection. We reached Paris too late to go on that night so we booked the next train at 1:30 PM Sunday. This gave me a chance to see the Lequiens again where I had a fine dinner of oysters and chicken. I don't know yet how Paulette cooked the chicken so fast. It was not much more than 30 minutes as her mother only found one in mid-morning. But it was really delicious. The trip to Le Havre (Camp Herbert Tareyton) was somewhat worse than the others. We rode in English coaches 3rd class with stiff straight backs on a narrow, hard seat. There were 8 officers in a compartment. A good dog probably could have outdistanced the train at any point. We were supposed to arrive at 8:30 PM. We pulled in about 10 PM and reached camp an hour later. Ironically the civilian train which left Paris at five o'clock, passed us en route, and arrived ahead of us - about 9 PM! Fortunately, Paulette had fixed me some more sandwiches or I'd have had nothing to eat. Only three of us had anything, which we shared with the others so everyone had a little. Except at a halt, you couldn't move from the compartment. On the Belgian train you could go from car to car and there was a diner with a fair meal for about a dollar. I had some enlisted men along, most of whom hadn't had anything to eat. After I pressed the camp people, they produced some hot coffee, hot canned chicken and hot potatoes with bread shortly before midnight. We were lucky to get in as we did, for we completed one packet which has only one other ahead of it for shipment. Some officers have been here 4 or 5 days and are in this same group. However, the most optimistic opinions give us about 5 days here. We began processing today. Now once more we just wait. I will go to the Separation Center at Camp Grant. I thought possibly I might get to Ft. Sheridan since it's closer, but that's only going to Wisc. or Mich. This is no place to linger long. It's a tent camp with some stoves but not too much fuel. Everyone is around scavenging boxes, etc. to burn. We managed to dig up a stove today after changing areas and had a fire all laid ready to light. But while everyone was out getting processed someone walked off with the stove intact! I had four blankets last night and was none too warm. Although we have canvas cots and the tent is floored it is rather damp from melting snow. I have another blanket for tonight. Tomorrow I'm to get a flu shot which I'll probably need if I'm here five days. The camp seems well supplied with theatres and Red Cross Clubs. I am writing from one of these now. It is just for officers and is packed tight. I imagine the enlisted clubs are the same. It is very warm here, which is why everyone comes here. Love, Bob |
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