June 17, 1944
No. 30 (conclusion)
Anzio, Italy
Dear Folksies,
Our “friends” have bothered us several nights since we have been here — not quite like Morocco and Sicily, when they paid the 59th one visit and that was finis for the 59th’s stay in those places. Why they bother us here when they are being chased so rapidly so far north, I know not. ‘Tis a waste as far as I can see, for they do not seem to be very successful in hitting things.
In going through the country throughout Italy, the destruction is amazing. Some of these towns are really leveled. The only thing to do with most of them is to take a wrecker and bull-dozer and knock down the few remaining walls and start from scratch. The Nazis did a fine job of wrecking railroads also: they tear up track everywhere, ruin bridges, etc. But, by golly, it doesn’t take our railway companies long to get in and do some amazing repair work. We saw some of these outfits in action and they really go to work.
I visited a hospital train a couple of weeks ago and they had quite a nice set-up. They had several nurses, a few doctors, and a Red Cross gal, and quite a number of enlisted men. It had been made over from some Italian 2nd Class coaches, and our construction men did O.K.
Some of the stories we have picked up from patients are truly amazing and appalling, particularly from some of the boys who have been prisoners and then left behind by the fleeing Nazis — i.e. wounded boys that were in German hospitals and left behind.
The news the last few days has been mighty good, especially from the South Pacific. They’re doing O.K. there!
Hope you all have plenty of fun at Tahoe.
Loads of love,
.
