Letters To Home - July 27, 1951

Schweinfurt, Germany
July 27, 1951

The weather has turned hot; almost like Georgia when we left.

One of the our sergeants told me today that the new rumor is that some of us might get transferred to the Coast Artillery in either France or England. The coast artillery shoots 240 m.m. guns, mounted on railway cars, with an 18-man crew. That would be a good deal, if it is true. I'd like to see England while I'm over here.

We went out patrolling yesterday, pulling our guns, and one jet fighter kept attacking us all morning. He'd come in as fast as possible, about 100 feet over our heads. We didn't see him coming the first time; woke some of us up very fast.

Our First Sergeant bought a new car the other day. It's a 4-cylinder German Ford, and cost him $1200.00 dollars. Doesn't look at all like any American Ford. It's named, I believe, a Taunus.

In this part of Germany, you don't see houses scattered around the country side as you do in the States. Most of the people here are farmers, live in towns, and either walk or ride their bicycles out to the fields in the mornings. If they are doing any field work, such as plowing or mowing, they seem to use oxen more than horses. The animals are also kept in town, usually in the basements of the houses. Most of the mowing is done with scythes. If you do see a team of horses, the harness is decorated with emblems or other things.

On Sundays, the people wear their best clothes, even when they go into the fields. The crops here are mainly potatoes, wheat, and some sugar beets.

Not much more to say today, so will close.