Letters To Home - April 5, 1952

Schweinfurt, Germany
April 5, 1952

The weather is still a bit chilly this week, and we're back at Munnerstadt on border patrol. The Russians have come back south again for their Spring maneuvers, so that means we have to sit around on the border until they decide to leave. That's good, because I still like being in the field.

We watched the Russian tanks running around yesterday, about 4 miles across the valley. Our gun sights are quite powerful; it was almost like being there. This time we're set up in a beautiful position, probably the best one we've ever found. We're just off the edge of Highway 19, right on the edge of a pine woods. We can see for miles in three directions. After the sun burns off the haze some morning, I'm going to take some pictures through the gunner's sight. I hope the Russians will be running their tanks when I do.

I'm writing this letter back in camp. The Thains (my German family) are having a late birthday party for me in town tonight. I have an over-night pass so that I could come in from Munnerstadt. They wanted me to come down on the 27th, but that was the day before a big inspection and I couldn't make it.

The package came the day before yesterday, but I haven't opened it yet because Sarah's came the day before yours, and we're still working on it. She sent some of her molasses cookies and some fudge. Jerry really likes those cookies. We should be finished with the package Monday, and I'll open yours.

Is Sonny Hagerman in the 47th Division or the 82nd? We ran up against the 82nd at Fort Benning one night. They were dropped by mistake on our convoy while we were heading back to Sand Hill after shooting a night problem. Some of them wanted to fight us, even though we didn't have anything to do with their problem.

I have a pretty fair map of this section of Germany, so I will mark off the sections we travel through most of the time.

Guess I'll start out for the party, so will close. Please thank Sarah for me, and write soon.