[The Germans surrendered on May 8, 1945. Three days after this letter was written the Japanese surrendered and World War II was over.]

 

Letter written by Howard Kehrer, 51^st transportation officer, to his wife, Tillie, one of the 51^st O.R. nurses who had returned to the U.S.

                                                                                    Welzheim, Germany

                                                                           11 August 1945  - 2315 hours

 

Dear Tillie:

          I’ve just finished inspecting the guards and closing the club—yes, I’m the “O.D.” again today.  There wasn’t much doing today.  I spent all of it in my office.  I’m finding out a few of the records are messed up and I’m straightening them out myself.  We are getting equipment together to turn in.   I’m expecting to turn in several truckloads on Monday.  It will all be excess equipment, of course.

          We had another one of those classic officers’ calls again today.  One of the subjects was conservation of food.  It went something like this: 

Col. Weller:  “At the present…..pause……time the food…….pause ……supply is being…….pause…….cut 10%.  That…….long pause…….. means that we ……..pause…….will have to go light……… pause………on our consumption of food.  Now I…….pause……..don’t want ……….. pause…….anyone………pause………to go………pause……..hungry. 

Do not ……..pause………take …….pause……..more food than……pause.

you can eat.  Do you know……….pause…….that after……pause…….. yesterday’s supper……..pause…….there were ……..long, long pause ………..twelve meat balls left.”  Oh, my God, Honey, I almost burst out laughing.  Gad, it was really funny!

          Among other subjects, moldy tents came up.  He also told us he found out nothing when he was in Paris.

          Colonels Cook and McNeil went out this afternoon to look for buildings.  I was just talking to Col. Cook, and he seems to think we will find something very good.  He said he found a modern school building for the men and I suppose the officers will be housed in private homes.   The nurses would be housed the same way.   The town is Esslingen, just south of Schorndorf.  It’s practically a suburb of Stuttgart.  I think it would be a very nice set up.  Now if the Colonel will just okay it.

          Boy, the news sounds better every hour!

            Love, 

                      Howard