Vittel, France
Aug 4-8, 1945

Dear Sis,
Well, I almost got a letter started, I’d just finished the salutation when one one of the fellows burst in and asked me to take a trip to Bar-le-Duc about 50 miles away so I guess I’ll have to run along. It’s 11:00 PM now, so I probably won’t get back till about 2:00, so I’ll have to do my writing tomorrow afternoon, if I get it done.
I got a letter from Bob yesterday and one from Laverne. I answered Bob last night and the other one this evening. I have 3 letters from you, about 6 from Mom, one from Eileen, and a couple from Judy to answer. I’ve gotten letters from Judy about every other day since I’ve been here. She figures I’m coming home, I guess, and is getting right on the ball. Maybe I’ll invite her up home for a vacation when I get back, she’s never been in Pa.

Here we go again, quite a lapse between pages, about like a “continued next week” serial.
It wasn’t 50 miles to Bar-le-Duc, it was 68 and tho l drove like all hell was after me, I didn’t get in ‘till after three. I made that 68 miles in 80 minutes – at night over crooked, rough, blacktop roads that I’ve never been over but twice. That Jeep took a beaten for once, at least.
Sunday I went back up early enough to go on up to Mourmelon and see some of the boys. I could only stay a couple of hours but it was worth the trip. I pick the boys up in Bar-le-Duc on the way back and we took our time coming in. In all I put over 500 miles on that Jeep over the weekend.
Yesterday I didn’t do much of anything except play cards and sleep. I was
kind of tired and there was nothing to do unless I finished this letter and I didn’t feel in the mood.
I hauled wood for the “Frogs” today. You know the kind hearted Uncle Sam has gotta keep these people fed and warm this winter. It beats the hell outa me – some of the things I see over here. I’m all for taking the whole shebang over and pull a Hitler on them, they were just about as well off and a lot of the French like the Jerries better than they do us. I sometimes feel like beating up about 6 of the chicken hearted souls.
I have a trip to Nancy tomorrow, at least I get out of hauling out of those woods. I’ve got to get a couple hundred gallons of 100 och gas to clean clothes with. I go after gas about once a week.

I got a v-mail from Loretta yesterday. She says “Say, I’m going back to Mansfield in September. That will be over in your direction if you get home. Not that I’m hinting anything!!, Just thot I’d mention it”. Something tells me I’m gonna like that kid.
“Pops” Shastil has a furlough to the UK. He got married about four months ago and his wife is having a baby. I never said anything about it before, kinda figured it was his business. He got a furlough from Mourmelon to go marry her. I was surprised when he did. I know he had always got out of fixes like that before, but I guess her family decided he danced long enough without paying the fiddler. It doesn’t seem to have affected him a whole lot – he’s the same old “Pop”.
We still haven’t any idea when we’ll pull out of here, it could be anytime from tomorrow ‘till November, it all depends on transportation. I don’t mind this so much except it gets a little lonesome at times, I like to keep moving.
I’ve been getting some of my mail in as little as five days lately but they say that all of the mail going from here to the States is going by boat. I still use airmail stamps on letters a long ways from New York but as there’s no airmail services from New York to Whitneyville I may as well send this “Free”.
Your brother, Wayne

P. S. Tell all the folks “Hello”
WAS
P. P. S. By the way, where is R.R.now, I might drop her a line, doncha know! Just for old times sake. (

Note: I believe R.R is likely Ruth Rogers who was in his high school class.