Journal Entry Jan 4- Letting off Steam

Jan 4 Traverse up Hwy N-15 to Bastogne-Town shot to pieces. Shells still landing at intervals-Civilian came by carrying mortar dud-German prisoners working in wreckage-

G. S. tried to tell me I forgot to write down an angle so I blew my top.

Hope brought the record player over to our place in Wiedmont station. Listened to records and danced with Cristine till 11:00 Darn cute gal & dances as well as any I've ever danced with.

Cliff Hope: My diary entries for the next several days contain a curious mixture of reports about Bastogne and its environs, the snow and bitter cold, and, of course, Christine. On the third day of the year, survey started out in the morning but dense fog turned us back before we had gone more than a block. "Spent the day doing nothing--what a heavenly feeling, " I told my diary. I also spent a lot of time with Christine and her aunt and uncle.

At midnight I stood guard for an hour out in the cold, a strong wind driving the falling snow. In a heavy snowfall the next day, we surveyed from previous stations into Bastogne, I carried an umbrella for Peltz, who was operating the transit. Bastogne was pretty well wrecked. About half the buildings were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. It was extra sad to see a town, which you once saw intact, in ruins.

The day's chores and the devastation of war were forgotten that night as Christine and I danced to the music of our section's record player. She was quite a good dancer but my feet were so frozen they seemed like two stumps. As I wrote in my diary, "I had a helluva time dancing."

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Journal Entry March 27, 28th And Battalion history

March 27 Crashed B-24 March 28 Put in mike base-taped-Jeep broke tape at road intersection. Put in flash OPs. Picked up Helmet, leather. Battalion History: On 28 March, headquarters of the Barnstorming 16th crossed the Rhine, followed the next day by the Letter Batteries. With advancing armor taking the fight out of the Germans, the 16th found itself scouring the woods around Henmethal --- for prisoners, souvenirs and eggs. Souvenirs and eggs were more plentiful than prisoners. From Ray Hight's book: By the time the 285th crossed the Rhine toward the end of March, much of the area was in American hands and things were moving so quickly we hardly had time to set up. The German forces were pulling back, and there was very little opposition as we crossed the southern part of Germany almost up to the boundary of Czechoslovakia.

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Nov 26th 1945 To Leona from Wes Hill

Nov 26, 1945 Luzon Dear Leona: Well here I am still but not for long. No kidding a dream. A long worn out Dream is coming nearer to reality. I will be home some time in January. Unless orders change. But up to now we sail or get on a boat on the 10th of December. I'm about going Nuts for that is only 15 Days away. All the 70 bomber have gone to Manila last week & we are the first to go as a Unit. with 60 to 69 pointers exclusive. So you know what that means from now on there is no use in writing for the Post Office readdresses to my home address. so here I am. and not a darn thing to write about. Our old Outfit Broke up and so I'm in the 736th AAA Gun Bn. which is second on the list. for shipment. 43,000 men are going to shipped from the AAA this December on 147 Troop Transports. So I'll see you after I walk out of the Gates of Fort Douglas or should I call you up for Instruction on how to get around Salt Lake. Well that's too far ahead to think clear...

Winsor War Notes-Luther Snow Winsor's WW II experiences

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