Letters To Home - July 15, 1951

Schweinfurt, Germany
July 16, 1951

We got back from Grafenwohr yesterday afternoon, will be staying here for at least three weeks. On August 5, we'll be going out again for a few maneuvers. I enjoy living out in the field; no foolish inspections, more informal than garrison life. The weather has been good, but we did have quite a bit of rain during the nights last week. No trouble, though.

Last night I went to the E. M. Club (Enlisted Men's Club), ate two steaks with all the fixings. We rode all day yesterday getting back, didn't have much for lunch. The steaks are the biggest I've seen in a restaurant, and you get toast, fried potatoes and a salad along with each steak. A steak dinner costs us $1.00. Back home, the whole thing would probably cost at least $3.00 for the same meal.

At about 10 p.m. every Saturday at the club, there's a floor show, and the shows are usually pretty good. The band starts playing at 7, and keeps up all evening. It's just a 5-piece German band, but they play as well as most little American bands. On Wednesday nights there is bingo, with a jackpot of either $50.00 or 250 German marks, your choice. The club is closed on Fridays. It's a good place to spend an evening.

The 2nd Armored Division started landing in Bremerhaven yesterday. I understand the 28th Division (Pennsylvania National Guard) and the 43rd Division are due to arrive soon. Germany will be quite crowded when they all arrive.

We went through Bamburg and Bayreuth yesterday on the way back here. They both look like very nice cities. The big German cities remind me of our large cities, although not so crowded. I'd like to go visit Berlin some day, but Berlin is in the Russian zone, and I hear it's hard to get a permit to visit.

The newspapers are still going to Fort Benning, then being transferred here. They're beginning to catch up, though. Your letters usually get here from 5 to 8 days after they are post marked.