Richard Lee Holt Sr. letter to his wife Minneford Francis Holt, October 8, 1944

Sunday Afternoon October 8, 1944 My Dearest Sweetheart. Honey I will try and write a decent letter for a change. The last three or four days has sure been bad, and I really havent had the heart to do anything. To day I came back to the rear eschlon to take care of a little paper work and from the looks of thing will spend the night here. It took me three hours to get back here this morning and I dont intend to drive eight or ten miles in blackout over these roads tonight. It is still raining as it has ben for the week or ten days now, and the mud is about knee deep. We moved night before last and it took us twelve hours to get out of the place were were in so you can imagine about how bad it really is. I spent a very enjoyable night of it. there was one good thing about it though old Jerry dident bother us any. Honey I dont have any of your late letters with me so will have to try and remember some of the things you said. I got your air mail of I believe it was the 16th anyhow it was the one that all the kinfolks wrote a few lines in. From the sound of the letter you must have had plenty to eat, We are getting plenty to eat over here also, of course it isnt always what we would like to have, but then we are lucky to get it. This business of supplying the Army with the weather conditions like they are sure is a problem. But I think there are doing a good job of it. Boy this sure is a long sheet of paper and I am going to have to do a lot of thinking to try and fill it up. Well well what do you know the sun is trying to come out. I can hardley believe my eyes. We are so far up in the mountains that we are really up in the clouds most of the time, that is one reason we are getting so much rain I think. This morning on the way back I counted 21 trucks and cars off the road. Some of them were turned upside down and others were just off the road with the wheels out of sight. I have seen lots of dead jerries along the roads the last few days, our Artillery fire has sure taken its toll. There are some places where there is as much as 15 or 20 acres of pine trees just mowed to the ground. And among them are of course a lot of bodies. It isnt a very pleasant sight even tho we are fighting a war. Our casualties dont seem to be as many as we have had. I think it is because the Infantry has had much better support in the breaking of the Gothic line than any of the battles yet. The Artillery has played an important part, of course I would naturally think so, us being in it. But we really had forward obser- vers up there to put the fire where they wanted it. And as a result was given credit for breaking up several counter attacks and knocking out several enemy strong points. It is amazing how the Germans have prepared positions up in these mountains. I have seen lots of what are called Pill Boxes. They are built of concrete and stell and are sometimes 6 or 8 feet thick. In fact I am told that on one of them we had to use 100 rounds of HE to destroy it, so you can see what we are up against over here. Honey I guess I had better shut up about the war before I get something in this that the censor will cut out. I guess you get all the stories about stuff like that anyhow, or maby they dont let stuf like that get into the papers, Some of the news commentators are call ing the front the forgotten front and consider the war over as far as Italy is con- cerned but I think they are all wrong. I personally believe we will be fighting here when the war in Germany ends. Well I am going to shut up now and get on some other subject that is more enjoyable. How are all the youngsters getting along. I am Sure that the Twins are getting to be quite a pair. Have you been able to get any late pictures of them. I am sure there has been a big change in them since the last ones I got. I hope Richard Lee dosent get to many arms and legs broken while playing foot ball. I am afraid he is one of those boys that is going to pay more attention to sports that he is his studies. I dont suppose that Joe will be very interest in them, it takes to much effort. How is Charles Wesley getting along in school. I still havent heard from Milford, I guess I will one of these days. I should write Wylie but Guess I will wait a few days. I also havent written to Mother & Dad for a long time. You tell them that I will one of these days soon. I just havent written to anyone but you lately. Honey I sure hope the apples come through ok, I know they will sure taste good. Sweetheart I have taken up almost an hour writeing this and and as it is getting along toward supper time and I still have to find me a place to sleep tonight. So, I guess I had better sign off for this time. This leaves me OK and I hope you and all the rest are the same. Honey everyone thinks that I have a very good loooking wife and I know that I have, the Maj. was the only that had to make any wise cracks. And he said to tell you he dident know how you held your age so well and put up with me as long as you had, but then you know the Maj. Well so long for this time sweet. I love you with all my heart Sweetheart Le