Overseas

To: Mrs. Anna M. Dahl
Towaco
New Jersey

From: Sgt. H. J. Dahl 12151982
Co. D - 603 Eng. Cam. Bn. Sp.
23rd Hq. Sp. Trs.
A.P.O. 655 c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

[Monday]
April 9, 1945
VMail
France

Dear Mom & Lou,

Perhaps the cathedral that

Harold mentions in this letter

This may stretch itself on to two V-Mails - there seems to be quite a lot to say.  For a long time there was no mail from you - now I have 5 letters, the latest of which was written on Easter Sunday [4/1/1945]. Also received 2 packages - one from George [Dahl] and the other containing the children’s things, etc. from you.  I’ll do what I can to forward them.  They are at the moment excited about their caps.  I wrote to Walt the other night so should hear from him soon.

I certainly would like to see the springtime at home.  However, they have a spring here, too, and it really is beautiful.  Recently I visited my “second home-town” - marveled at the unbelievably neat garden that terrace down the steep gorges where the fortifications once were, - sat for a group picture as we dunked doughnuts on the terrace of the Red Cross Club, drinking in the warmest sunshine so far and resplendent in our 2 overseas (Hershey) bars and our bright red, white & blue shoulder patches (as pictured on the Xmas card I sent you).  It did my heart good to see how the place has perked up now that the war has gone so far away and so many citizens have been sent home from German camps, emaciated and weak but among the world’s happiest men.  It is far more costly to love liberty on Germany’s border than it is in the kind of place we know at home.

[cont’d on 2nd Vmail]

I’m glad to hear that Sarita is stronger now. It will be nice for all if she can join you soon in Towaco.  And I’m sure Thelma’s “taste” is O.K.

Yes, I’ve seen about all of the cathedral you mention.  It is very nice, has a wonderful organ.  Some months ago some German contraption knocked a chunk out of one spire but that should be easy to fix.

Some more instructions - when the Mauser arrives it might be well to soak off some of the grease in kerosene before you take it to the Colonel.  It must be a mess, the way I packed it.  Also when it arrives, Lou, please telephone Lou Kane at Kirtland Bros. and ask him to get a rough “Peerless” (Stoeger Arms) or equivalent stock for it. Should be $6.00 - I’m asking the favor of him not with the idea of cutting down on the price but because I know I can trust him to make sure the grain runs correctly, etc.  I’m sure he’ll understand.  When I get home I can have some fun fitting it to the rifle.

I’m all out of tea - will you send some, please?  And thanks for the music - we’ll have fun with it.  I sent home a small package - the buckle is for Kent or Dan [Van Duyne] - the buttons would make drawer pulls - the little box contains a cuff link and 2 coins for another.  Save the S.& S. and the flag, too -
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Love
Harold