First Post on "This Business of FIghting"

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I expect much of what I post here will be excerpts from my father's letters. I'll start with one he wrote to his parents from England on D-Day, June 6, 1944.  He hasn't been in any combat yet but he is clearly thinking about the issues.


                                                                                                        England
                                                                                                        June 6, 1944

Dear Mom and Pop: -

I’m pretty God-damn fed-up, - and kinda tired too, so I’m just going to say “hello”, - and good night.

That’s a pretty auspicious date, - that one up in the right hand corner, - “D-day”!  We were out on an RSOP[1] (in the field) this morning when an old duffer walked thru the field we were occupying to tell us that the invasion had begun.  Excitement ran high for a little while, but it’s beginning to taper off a little now.  The British seem to be taking it well in their stride, and to all outward appearance the day might be a normal week-day, - uneventful and just chilly enough for comment.  The usually great air activity has increased, of course, and for hours at a time the sky will be filled with the drone of planes.  I got up for reveille this morning to the full-throated roar of the 4 motored jobs going out with their load, and a guard passed the comment that they’d been roaring over since three in the morning.  It’s a great day, - but oddly quite unexciting to me, - I’m afraid I can’t get too happy about it all.

I can’t discuss our part in the thing, of course, - when I anticipate it might be, that is.  But I can say that I’m quite undisturbed about it, - and as yet have only one death to die, - even if it comes to that! (I’m not being grim, - just want to try to acquaint you with my feelings.  Not a Helluva lot of sense in beating round the bush is there?)  If we get into it, I shall undoubtedly be scared half to death for a while, but I’m quite confident of an ability to overcome that!

So, trust me, have some faith in me, don’t worry unnecessarily, (you’ll do some of that I know, regardless of my pleadings to the contrary) and lay in a Helluva big supply of rye!

G’night,

Anton

I’ll try to write a decent letter this weekend.  I suspect that mail is being or has been, delayed somewhat, so have patience?

A.

The only package I’ve received to date is the one with the two boxes of chocolates in it.

Can you start another on the way, - candy, gum, Lifesavers etc. etc.?

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[1] “Reconnaissance, Selection, and Occupation of Position”.  The term appears to still be in use in today’s military; see http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/accp/ad0717/index.html