Letters from the Brown Jug

Sept. 5, 1944 France   Dear Grandmother:   Well just drop you a few lines to let you know that I am in the best of health at present, and hope you and the tribe are the same. I have seen quite a lot of France by now and most of the rural sections are very nice country. Nearly every field has a hedgerow around it and right now these hedgerows are full of ripe blackberries. They really have a lot of apple orchards over here too. If I had a dollar for every apple I can see from where I’m writing this letter, I’d sure have a pile of money.   Well I see that the guys are lining up for chow so I guess I’ll drift up that way. It’s about five thirty P.M. now. Give Marie, Myrtle, and the Dude my regards and Dot’s gang also, when you see them. So long and take care of yourself. The new A.P.O. number is 562.   Love, Mel

France September 16, 1944   Dear Dad:   Received several letters from you in the past few days and will answer now as this is the first chance I’ve had since receiving them. I am in the best of health at present and hope that you and all are the same.   I received a letter from Porter the other day and he is in England. He was wounded in the leg by a morter shell. He will probably be a while recovering but he said they told him he would be as good as ever when they turn him loose. I haven’t heard from Kenny Dickerman for a long time and don’t know his whereabouts.   Well that’s about all I know for now. Looks like the Browns are slipping. Too bad. I wish you would send me a couple cartons of Kool cigarettes. You can’t get them over here. Use this letter as a request. So long and howdy to all of your kind.   Brown Jug

France Sept. 21, 1944   Howdy Dude:   How’s my old Buddy, ok I hope. As for me I’m in the best of health at present. I was just thinking that it was just ten years ago the nineteenth that you and I went out and bought old Bob. A lot has happened since then. It seems like them ten years have sure rolled by fast and I don’t feel much older now than I was then. I guess it will be a couple more years before I can get back to the old standard again. I used to think it was a long time when you told me you were in the army fourteen months in the last war. By gosh in January I’ll be in three years. I guess if the democrats stay in I’ll have five years in before I get out.   Well Dude I hope this letter finds you and the tribe all in the best of health. Tell them all howdy for me. So long.   Your pardner, Brown Jug   P.S. New A.P.O. 562

October 20, 1944 France   Dear Grandmother:   Received your welcome letter today and was very pleased to hear from you. Glad to hear Marie’s eye is coming along and also the Dudes paw that he got caught in the trap.   I am in the best of health at present and hope you and the tribe are the same. I listened to the World Series games and was hoping the Browns would win, but guess the Cards outclassed them. The announcer said the weather in good old St. Louis was nice and warm and ideal for baseball. It never dries up enough over here to play baseball and with the exception of a few days I’ve wore a mackinaw all summer. Well so long and take good care of yourself. Howdy to all.   Love Brown Jug

A happy birthday card to his aunt Marie.  

October 28, 1944 France   Howdy Dude:   How’s my old buddy today. Fine I hope. As for me I’m in the best of health at present. Winter is getting pretty close over hear now. Boy I’d sure like to be in Southern California now. Spending last winter out there has sure got me spoiled. I’ll take the sand of the desert any day, in place of this mud over here. We had a big drouth over here the other day it didn’t rain for a whole eight hours. They don’t raise hogs over here either on account of it’s too muddy for them. I’ve still got that jack knife you gave me and it sure has good steel in it. I’ve used it for a lot of different things and it sure has come in handy. Well so long for now. I hope that you and the tribe are well.   Your pard Brown Jug

France Nov. 3, 1944   Dear Grandmother:   Hope this letter finds you and the tribe in the best of health. As for me I’m in the best of health at present. Winter is beginning to catch up with us now. It don’t get very cold as long as it stays cloudy, but when it clears off the wind gets pretty raw in the mornings.   Don’t know much to write about. They have a lot of chestnuts over here and in the evenings we usually get a bunch and roast them, and talk about the good old day when we were civilians. So long.   Love, Brown Jug