August 18, 1944
Dear Dad,
France is just as I would have expected to find it in peace time with it side walk cafes in full swing, the menu all painted and dressed to the hilt. American + EUropean cars on the streets (run by charcoal) currlian, travel by train, butcher shops full as are the [unreadable], beauty shops, and all others. The people don’t beg as they did where we came from. France after 4 years of occupation by the Germans doesnt seem to have suffered as we were told. However, when the people begin to tell you of the Germans treatment of them, by the way they tell it you know it did have its effect. We were talking to our french man who was hid by nuns for 2 years because the Germans were looking for him. I’ve spoken to members of the F.F.I. and they to me how they organized long ago and how they waited for the American to come. On a hole the people of France are forgetting the war fast and are complaining when American became [unreadable] and some of their fruit trees are broken or we use a little of their wood, some people forget quickly on a hole however the people treat us swell, everyone waves to you when you’re riding by, we have had everything from grapes to flowers thrown into our trucks. When you walk every one greets you with “Bon Jour” which is “Good Day”. The people have more manners than those of the French in Africa. THey never ask you for cigarettes or candy, but never refuse when you offer.
I’d like to see Paris but it is far away besides it looks like we’ll be here for some time. I have seen Marselle, and you probably know it is part of the famous Riveria, the beach of which are the finest in Europe. They say you can swim here all the year but to me it seems even to cold to swim them as there is a strong cold wind come in from the sea there.
The mail is very poor probably both ways at least we haven’t been getting much. What is to be expected after all of there [unreadable] load of mail and a loaf of “Ammo” the shells should go first for it then that are going to win the war for us, not the mail.
You can’t realize how true General “OK” recent [unreadable] on supply is until you’ve been over here. It is the most important thing now. There for we are not “bitching” about the mail.
Yes France is free and greatful to us but she must not forget, as the rest of us, that her war and our own war is not yet over.
Till tomorrow,
“Bonne Chance”
Love,
Bill
P.S. Dad I decided not to enclose the two pictures I mention in the beginning as I’m quite sure they wouldn’t pass