| Welzheim, Germany: April 23 – Aug. 17, 1945 |
| The 51st Evac. set up in a field of clover just outside the little village of Welzheim. This was to be our "home’ for the next 3 months. |
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| Aerial views show the hospital layout, with the little town of Welzheim in the background. |
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Map by Staff Sgt. Jack Crouse |
| Our captured big German tents ... |
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| ... which were used for Pre-Op., X-ray and Surgery, were a wonderful improvement and the whole unit now worked with more confidence and efficiency than ever before. |
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| However, our "C.O." apparently was still was not satisfied with the performance of the unit as indicated in excerpts of a letter written by Capt. Howard Kehrer, 51st transportation officer, to his wife, Tillie, one of the 51st Evac’s. O.R. nurses, who had been transferred to another hospital in Germany: |
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Welzheim, Germany |
| 11 August 1945 - 2315 hours |
| "Dear Tillie: |
| We had another one of those classic officers’ calls again today. One of the subjects was conservation of food. It went something like this: |
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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. |
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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!" |
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| In nearby Goppingen, as white flags flew from windows, the armored divisions continued to roll forward. | |
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