Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 26)

I continue with the transcriptions of the letters my dad, Herbert Miller, wrote home while serving his country during WWII. The war was over by the time he wrote these letters and he was serving in the Occupation Force in Germany until he had enough time and points to be honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. [1]

During this time he was stationed at an Army post office in Weinhiem, Germany, a job he seemed to like very much. I remember him mentioning that he worked at an Army post office in Germany while in the service.

These letters were written to his sister Em and her husband Norval “Jack.”

12 November 1945
Weinheim, Germany

Dear Em & Jack,
Received your packages and two letters from youins today. I’m still cracking nuts and eating them.

This makes my fifth letter tonight and I’m almost ready to hit the hay.

I’m going to take a bath and shave and then go to bed as soon as I finish writing.

You ought to see the leather bands I have for my wrist watches.

There isn’t much news over here, only rumors going around and I hate to print or write all the different things I hear.

You know they cut us on rations. About every third week they ship them, or at least for enlisted men. Officers can always buy them.

You can’t get cigarette lighters, watches, pipes, popular brands of cigarettes, good fountain pens or any things overseas. All I heard back in the states is that all that stuff is going overseas ad I never see any of it.

Guess I’d better close for now.

Love,
Herbie

 

24 November 1945
Weinheim, Germany

Dear Em & Jack,
It’s Saturday evening and I’m going to try and write quite a few letters tonight.

I saw the show this afternoon so I’ll be staying at home tonight. I saw “Tarzan and the Amazons.” It was pretty good.

I’ve received three or four packages since I’ve written you last including the small one which had a tag on it saying “Don’t open until Christmas.” That is pretty hard to do.

Have you seen Dale Caffee yet?

How is the farming coming along? I sure wish I could get home for good. I don’t know what I’ll do after I get out but I can decide that after I’m out.

Can’t think of any more to write so I’d better close.

Love,
Herbie

Herbert M. Miller

A few weeks later he was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. I remember him saying he was at Heidelberg for a time. By this time dad had a new nephew, Em and Jack’s son.

19 December 1945
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Em, Jack, & son,
It’s high time I wrote you and let you know that I’m O.K. and still in the Army.

How’s the Boy coming along? You said he’s got a double chin? A little chubby one, eh? I sure hope everything is coming O.K. Norval sure has a right to be proud. I would be, too.

This makes my third letter tonight and its getting along about 11 o’clock. Almost time for me to hit the hay.

I wrote to Don Hoblet again about two weeks ago. Every other one that I wrote to him came back. I’m going to write to him again tomorrow night so that he has my new address.

Must close for now. Good night and lots of luck.

Love,
Herbie

By the time he wrote the next letter he had been in Europe for a year. What a difference a year makes! The year before he was getting to ready to enter combat in the Battle of the Bulge. Now the war was over. Although the next letter was written on 26 December, the inside postmark is stamped 4 February.

26 December 1945
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Em, Jack, & son,
It’s Wednesday night and everything is calm and peaceful again. I’m on C.O. [?] at the C.P. here in Heidelberg.

I’m sending two bottles of perfume in a box by registered mail. It’s from Paris. I’m also sending mom two. The same perfume imported to the States would cost about $15-25 a bottle. Keep one bottle for yourself and save the other till I come home. I hated to send so much to one person so I divided it up and sent half to you and half to mom.

Everything is coming along pretty good. Finance [?] at the C.P. isn’t so bad, only the officers and there are lots of them.

It sure was a quiet Christmas. I spent Christmas back at Co. L. Had turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, ice cream, cookies, candy bar, cigar, gravy and corn.

There is a Christmas tree about 25 feet tall outside the building and they really have it decorated up.

I can’t think of much more to write so will close.

Love,
Herbie

P.S. Please send a package.

To be continued…

 

[1] My dad, Herbert Miller, trained as a replacement troop during the fall of 1944, arrived in Europe in December of that same year, and was assigned to Company L, 333rd Regiment, 84th Infantry Division. The 84th was known as the Railsplitters. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and later in parts of Luxembourg, Germany, and France.

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