Letters To Home - February 8, 1952

This letter is out of sequence since some were misplaced and found a few days ago.
Please excuse me.

Baumholder, Germany
February 8, 1952

We got here the day before yesterday after two days on the road in convoy. This is really a hole, believe me. The place is just being built, and everything is in quite a mess.

Besides the 2nd Armored Division, which is stationed here, there are quite a few French soldiers, and a few from the new German army. The Germans will surely be all right after they get some training.

Today was the first day we could get in any firing. We fired with C-harge 7, which is maximum for the 105, at a range of about 6 miles. Pretty noisy day. Saturday is supposed to be our last day here, but we might stay a few more days to get in some more firing, if the ammo holds out. Our sergeants from the 1st Division in the war cant' seem to get over the amount of ammo we're burning up in practice, but I'm sure, if we ever get into it with the Russians, this practice will pay for itself.
One of the sergeants, Sgt. Carson, put on a wonderful demonstration of how to shoot the 105. He took over the loader's job. If you hadn't been able to see the gun, just heard it, you would think that it was a semi-automatic gun. Amazing.

This place is about half-way into the French zone of Germany, south-west of Weisbaden. The country is pretty rough, with quite a few mountains. It's probably very pretty when the weather is clear, but, so far, it has been snowing almost all the time. There is more snow here than we've had in Schweinfurt all winter. It isn't too cold, though, just cold and windy. I got myself a beautiful wind burn today. Shaving tomorrow will be rough.

I've been eating some of the tuna you sent in the last package. Just about the best you've ever sent. The sardines came in handy on the trip down, too. Jerry likes that puffed wheat candy.

We have enough radios with us this time. I brought mine, the 5th section brought theirs, and so did a guy from the 4th section. We're all bunking in the same room.

Time to get some rest, so will close. Write soon.