The following article appeared in an unidentified newsprint publication describing an anecdote that demonstrates my mother’s sense of humor. Besides her petite figure and good looks, undoubtedly, this was one of the reasons my dad was attracted to her.
“’Tis said that tadpoles grow up to be frogs in just no time at all, but we hear that when fed vitamins they grow in leaps and bounds. Friday night the Jaycee Jaynes invited their husbands to a dinner-dance at Lake Linge and to the dinner table, Charles L. Davis Jr. carted a little tadpole which just couldn’t be restrained in a saucer with water, determined to have its freedom. Finally, Jean (Mrs. Glenn) Cogswell wrapped the little tadpole up in her napkin and took it outside. She returned a short while later and to the amazement of Charlie and the other guests, presented him with her napkin inside of which was a large frog. Jean assured him that she “fed the tadpole vitamins” while outside, but we hear he and the other guests were skeptical of the story! At any rate there was no lack of entertainment at the dinner table and we’re surprised that someone didn’t end up ordering a nice fresh dish of fried frog legs.”
'Most Decorative'
This photo appeared in the 1942 Washburn University yearbook when Glenn Cogswell was named "Most Decorative."
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tribute to Peggy, the wife of Dad's old age
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, we buried Peggy, the wife of Dad's old age. I told her many times, "You are the best thing that ever happened to Dad," and I meant it.
When he was with Anne, she had decided she only wanted to see Dad's children, David and me, "one at a time," so the year my niece Rosamund was about 3, I didn't get to see her, because that was the year Anne allowed Dad to see David and not me.
When Dad married Peggy, I was getting my Ph. D. in Knoxville, so whenever I got vacations, I was able to spend about five consecutive days with Dad and Peggy.
I got to see him in his pajamas and drink coffee with him in the morning. I got to kiss him goodnight. All these things I missed when he was married to Irene and when he was married to Judy.
"This has been so healing for me, Peggy," I told her. "I appreciate so much that you care about my relationship with Dad." Seems like that was not so much the case with the others.
I had many good moments with her before she died. I believe I got to tell her everything I had wanted to tell her. I told her, "He loved you so much. You're so good."
I remember eating Thanksgiving dinner with them in 2010. Dad sitting across from Peggy and me. He looked across the table at her and so earnestly spoke these words:
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do."
I will never forget it. I don't think he was ever as happy as he was with Peggy. And for that I am eternally grateful.
One day, a few weeks ago,suddenly, the thing I wanted most to do was to grieve Dad with Peggy. I went by the nursing home, where she was sitting on the side of her bed. I held her and wept, and she held me. Afterwards, she said, "When you get hom, if you can't sleep, you can sleep here." Of course, that would have been impossible, unless I slept on the couch. She had an actual apartment in this facility.
Anyway, she's gone now, and I didn't get to tell all the family and friends how much she meant to me, so this is that little moment in time where I tried to do that.
She was the bullseye. She was the homerun. Nothing against the others. I loved them all. Just that this one, well, she was just special, that's all.
I know that's not very eloquent, but that was the only way I could say it in five minutes. More later.
http://www.penwellgabeltopeka.com/obituary-pg.asp?src=choice&obitid=49663&name=Peggy+Jean+Cogswell&city=Topeka&st=KS
Peggy Anderson Cogswell, 80, Topeka, passed away on Saturday, July 16, 2011, at Homestead of Topeka.
Peggy was born June 7, 1931, in Topeka, the daughter of James and Bessie Allen. She was a graduate of Washburn Rural High School.
She had been a member of First Christian Church.
Peggy married M.D. Drummond. He preceded her in death. She married Arthur D. Anderson in June 1970. He preceded her in death on February 10. 1993. She then married Glenn D. Cogswell. He died February 7, 2011.
Survivors include daughter, Pamela J. (Drummond) Hatfield and husband Dean, Tonganoxie; son, Bradley Drummond and wife, Kelly, Topeka; step-daughters, Lisa Smith and husband, Robert, Lawrence, Mary Lynn Anderson, Texarkana, AR; granddaughters, Paige Hatfield, Mallory Hatfield, Jillian Drummond, all of Topeka; step-granddaughters, Christina Smith, Jessica Smith, both of Lawrence; and step-grandson, Andrew Pryor, Texarkana, AR. She was preceded in death by a brother, Neal Powell; and sister, Ruth Duckworth.
When he was with Anne, she had decided she only wanted to see Dad's children, David and me, "one at a time," so the year my niece Rosamund was about 3, I didn't get to see her, because that was the year Anne allowed Dad to see David and not me.
When Dad married Peggy, I was getting my Ph. D. in Knoxville, so whenever I got vacations, I was able to spend about five consecutive days with Dad and Peggy.
I got to see him in his pajamas and drink coffee with him in the morning. I got to kiss him goodnight. All these things I missed when he was married to Irene and when he was married to Judy.
"This has been so healing for me, Peggy," I told her. "I appreciate so much that you care about my relationship with Dad." Seems like that was not so much the case with the others.
I had many good moments with her before she died. I believe I got to tell her everything I had wanted to tell her. I told her, "He loved you so much. You're so good."
I remember eating Thanksgiving dinner with them in 2010. Dad sitting across from Peggy and me. He looked across the table at her and so earnestly spoke these words:
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do."
I will never forget it. I don't think he was ever as happy as he was with Peggy. And for that I am eternally grateful.
One day, a few weeks ago,suddenly, the thing I wanted most to do was to grieve Dad with Peggy. I went by the nursing home, where she was sitting on the side of her bed. I held her and wept, and she held me. Afterwards, she said, "When you get hom, if you can't sleep, you can sleep here." Of course, that would have been impossible, unless I slept on the couch. She had an actual apartment in this facility.
Anyway, she's gone now, and I didn't get to tell all the family and friends how much she meant to me, so this is that little moment in time where I tried to do that.
She was the bullseye. She was the homerun. Nothing against the others. I loved them all. Just that this one, well, she was just special, that's all.
I know that's not very eloquent, but that was the only way I could say it in five minutes. More later.
http://www.penwellgabeltopeka.com/obituary-pg.asp?src=choice&obitid=49663&name=Peggy+Jean+Cogswell&city=Topeka&st=KS
Peggy Anderson Cogswell, 80, Topeka, passed away on Saturday, July 16, 2011, at Homestead of Topeka.
Peggy was born June 7, 1931, in Topeka, the daughter of James and Bessie Allen. She was a graduate of Washburn Rural High School.
She had been a member of First Christian Church.
Peggy married M.D. Drummond. He preceded her in death. She married Arthur D. Anderson in June 1970. He preceded her in death on February 10. 1993. She then married Glenn D. Cogswell. He died February 7, 2011.
Survivors include daughter, Pamela J. (Drummond) Hatfield and husband Dean, Tonganoxie; son, Bradley Drummond and wife, Kelly, Topeka; step-daughters, Lisa Smith and husband, Robert, Lawrence, Mary Lynn Anderson, Texarkana, AR; granddaughters, Paige Hatfield, Mallory Hatfield, Jillian Drummond, all of Topeka; step-granddaughters, Christina Smith, Jessica Smith, both of Lawrence; and step-grandson, Andrew Pryor, Texarkana, AR. She was preceded in death by a brother, Neal Powell; and sister, Ruth Duckworth.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Wedding Letter
Editor's note: Apparently, this letter is what Glenn's dad turned into the newspaper for the story that carried the wedding picture. More later...
22 May 1945
England
My Dear parents –
I hope those affidavits are on the way because I think I'll need them quite soon. I guess you know what I mean.
Altho it’s a little delayed, I know, here’s the information about the wedding A group picture of the bride and groom plus the naval officers in attendance will come as soon as I can get it. I asked for one suitable for newspaper cut ahead of the regular order, I’ll send it as soon as possible – may be nearly two weeks.
Wedding:
The bride wore a white lace and satin gown, with orange blossoms in her hair and lashings of white tulle veiling. She carried a shower bouquet of white lilies of the valley; crimson rose buds and red carnations with a mist of asparagus fern.
Her maid of honor – Miss Roana Billett of Highfield, So’ton was floral silk, with navy blue accessories and wore a large spray of lily of the valley.
The bride’s mother wore navy blue with a silver fox fur and a spray of lily of the valley and pink carnations. The bride was given in marriage by her father who wore dark brown and wore a white carnation buttonhole. The bridegroom and best man were in Naval (blue) uniform.
Travel difficulties prevented most of the bride’s relatives from attending, tho two aunts from London were present. Thirty other guests were present including Naval officer friends of the groom and the fiancé of the maid of honor, Lt. Arvel Gruefel, U.S. Army – adding a splash of uniform to the gathering.
The ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. Leslie Clarke at the Church of the Ascension, Bitterne Park, So’ton, at 10:00 o’clock on May 1st. It was a cold morning but the sun was brilliant.
The church was pretty – decorated with masses of flowering shrubs, including guild rose, pink double cherry blossom and (hydrangea).
The usual wedding march was replaced by “Trumpet Voluntry” – (at the bride’s request) and played by Mr. W. Brattle, organist and choir-master of the church. Other music included Shubert’s “Serenade” and Brahms “Lullaby.”
Among the hymns were “Oh Perfect Love” (don’t remember any of the others)
Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was exit. The reception was at the Castle Inn (Hotel) in Midanbury.
The cake was two tiered beautifully iced – surprisingly “pre-war” – both in looks and taste (miraculously procured – usually iced cakes are a memory in England these days). There apparently was plenty of food and drink for all – and all seemed to have a fine time (!).
The Honeymoon, as you know, was in Bournemouth – a seaside resort on the South Coast of old L’Angleterre!
The end of the 7-day leave was V-E Day (8th) that night the old 506 and old Cogswell was churning toward France – such a life.
All that info is bolony – but you can have what you want of it. Sorry it wasn’t sooner but we just couldn’t seem to get time to sit down and figure it all out.
There may be some rather fast developments on coming home so please rush those affidavits if you haven’t sent them.
Lots of love –
Jean & Glenn
P.S. Jean just received your letter, Dad – It didn’t go airmail because of “insufficient postage.” Should have been 8 cents I guess.
22 May 1945
England
My Dear parents –
I hope those affidavits are on the way because I think I'll need them quite soon. I guess you know what I mean.
Altho it’s a little delayed, I know, here’s the information about the wedding A group picture of the bride and groom plus the naval officers in attendance will come as soon as I can get it. I asked for one suitable for newspaper cut ahead of the regular order, I’ll send it as soon as possible – may be nearly two weeks.
Wedding:
The bride wore a white lace and satin gown, with orange blossoms in her hair and lashings of white tulle veiling. She carried a shower bouquet of white lilies of the valley; crimson rose buds and red carnations with a mist of asparagus fern.
Her maid of honor – Miss Roana Billett of Highfield, So’ton was floral silk, with navy blue accessories and wore a large spray of lily of the valley.
The bride’s mother wore navy blue with a silver fox fur and a spray of lily of the valley and pink carnations. The bride was given in marriage by her father who wore dark brown and wore a white carnation buttonhole. The bridegroom and best man were in Naval (blue) uniform.
Travel difficulties prevented most of the bride’s relatives from attending, tho two aunts from London were present. Thirty other guests were present including Naval officer friends of the groom and the fiancé of the maid of honor, Lt. Arvel Gruefel, U.S. Army – adding a splash of uniform to the gathering.
The ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. Leslie Clarke at the Church of the Ascension, Bitterne Park, So’ton, at 10:00 o’clock on May 1st. It was a cold morning but the sun was brilliant.
The church was pretty – decorated with masses of flowering shrubs, including guild rose, pink double cherry blossom and (hydrangea).
The usual wedding march was replaced by “Trumpet Voluntry” – (at the bride’s request) and played by Mr. W. Brattle, organist and choir-master of the church. Other music included Shubert’s “Serenade” and Brahms “Lullaby.”
Among the hymns were “Oh Perfect Love” (don’t remember any of the others)
Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was exit. The reception was at the Castle Inn (Hotel) in Midanbury.
The cake was two tiered beautifully iced – surprisingly “pre-war” – both in looks and taste (miraculously procured – usually iced cakes are a memory in England these days). There apparently was plenty of food and drink for all – and all seemed to have a fine time (!).
The Honeymoon, as you know, was in Bournemouth – a seaside resort on the South Coast of old L’Angleterre!
The end of the 7-day leave was V-E Day (8th) that night the old 506 and old Cogswell was churning toward France – such a life.
All that info is bolony – but you can have what you want of it. Sorry it wasn’t sooner but we just couldn’t seem to get time to sit down and figure it all out.
There may be some rather fast developments on coming home so please rush those affidavits if you haven’t sent them.
Lots of love –
Jean & Glenn
P.S. Jean just received your letter, Dad – It didn’t go airmail because of “insufficient postage.” Should have been 8 cents I guess.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Lots of Things are Different Now
1944 July 16
Dear Folks,
Sunday afternoon, like any other, is indistinguishable from the afternoon before; a little different from the old days when the gang would congregate at White’s. Lots of things are different now. They tell me now the censorship regulations will allow us to say where we’ve been in England, so long as we don’t mention any place within the county we are operating from now. So…here goes.
As you know, I called home from Boston the one night we were there. We left early the next morning. I guess you got all my postcards from New Orleans and New York. I could have come home in either of those ports, except that they never let us know how long we’d be there.
We went from Boston to Halifax, N.S. Boy, that was a cold spot! Much more American than British, though, as far as the people were concerned. We came across by way of the North Atlantic, and it was plenty cold, but we had good foul weather gear and were never subjected to any system longer watches than were necessary, that is, we worked out a relief system within the watch. We had to wear facemasks and even then, our breath would freeze.
Thank goodness we didn’t have to get into that water – a normal person could last only about five minutes in it. Well, we saw no submarines, in fact we sighted no enemy at all, although our convoy course was changed several times to miss zones of enemy operation. The LST convoys before and after us, in a matter of days, both lost a couple of ships.
We came around North of Ireland into the Irish sea which is as green as clover. Very pretty sight though. We first landed at Milford Haven, Wales. It was a little mining town almost exactly like the Welsh village in the show “How Green Was My Valley.” The high cliffs were beautiful, and the hills presented a pretty picture with little old castles here and there.
There were no vehicles in the street but military ones, jeeps, command cars, etc. The thing that really was noticeable was, despite the serenity of the setting, little anti-aircraft pillboxes everywhere, and some rather large guns. These soon became common sights as well as rather extensive anti-invasion obstacles and anti-tank defenses, as we got to England.
We went from there to Plymouth, England, which was the terrifically bombed-out city I mentioned. Of course, we saw, and landed with my assault boat at Pilgrim’s Pier, from which the Pilgrims embarked for America.
Falmouth was our base for quite awhile, and it was a pretty fair city – of course, nothing like our own, but you could buy a few things there, and for an English town was pretty well advanced.
Fowie was our next base. It was a little berg, but loaded down with supplies and amphibious craft.
A few days before the invasion we went to Plymouth again. You could never hope to see so many ships in one place in all your life. Destroyers were a dime a dozen, a couple of battleships, lots of cruisers, mostly British, and innumerable landing craft. It was there we were loaded with infantrymen and AA artillery.
We were the first ship, along with another LST in the follow-up phase, which immediately follows the Assault…as I’ve told you, we hit about H plus 8, or about four in the afternoon of D-Day. We had started out a day earlier, and had gotten about a third of the way and were sent back, because the weather had not permitted aircraft operations. This was bad for the morale, and we were beginning to think there wasn’t going to be an invasion after all. We were relieved when we were ordered out again, just 24 hours later.
I told you already of our experiences D-Day and shortly following. We operated from Southampton until a short time ago, and are now operating frm the base to which we were supposed to return after D-day. Southampton was not very far from Wilts county, but I didn’t have a chance to get up there. In fact, our first liberty since about June 1st was our last trip.
Well, that gives you an idea of where I’ve been in England. We’ve not been in Northern England, but they say there’s not a lot of difference.
I still deeply respect the English civilians in many ways, but am getting plenty fed up with the outfit as a whole. Whenever we take English across, we about go nuts before we get them off. And seeing the way they handle mechanical vehicles, I don’t have much faith in them.
A Warrant officer in port last time sad a woman came up to him a while back and asked him if he wasn’t a technician. He said yes, he guessed he was…
”Well,” she said, “You Americans are supposed to be technicians…when are you going to do something about these flying bombs – they’ve been coming over now for three weeks, and you haven’t done a thing about them!” He told her to duck, that’s what he’d do.
Another Limey, a pilot (navigational) told us seriously over a cup of coffee, that he thought the US should become one of the Dominions, after the War. One damn fool Wren (Wave) thought because American seamen are allowed to raise mustaches that, “They have no discipline – they do as they please.” They don’t allow mustaches in the “Royal Navy.” Of course, they can, and many of them do raise long dirty beards, and let their hair grow over their ears. They think our “BUTCH” haircuts look like convicts – they wouldn’t think of such an undignified thing (nor sanitary one).
So much for the “Bloody blokes.” Personally, I think they’re a simple bunch who are riding for a terrific fall, and I think it’s about time.
We’re making quite regular trips, and the Isle is beginning to raise out of the water again as we’re getting the American equipment across the Channel. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently; the American soldier and sailor is by far the best equipped, best paid, and best looked out for of any in the world. And the German is next. Actually, I have more respect for the German soldier in many ways than of any of our Allies. Of course, I know nothing first hand about the “Russ.”
I surely appreciate the ‘Capitals’ and I want you to let me know if and when my watch arrives. I’m beginning to worry a little about it.
I weighed the other night and weighed 13 stones and 10 pounds, which is 192 pounds. Feeling fine, but getting out if condition. Hope everything is OK at home. Write often.
OCEANS OF LOVE.
Glenn
Dear Folks,
Sunday afternoon, like any other, is indistinguishable from the afternoon before; a little different from the old days when the gang would congregate at White’s. Lots of things are different now. They tell me now the censorship regulations will allow us to say where we’ve been in England, so long as we don’t mention any place within the county we are operating from now. So…here goes.
As you know, I called home from Boston the one night we were there. We left early the next morning. I guess you got all my postcards from New Orleans and New York. I could have come home in either of those ports, except that they never let us know how long we’d be there.
We went from Boston to Halifax, N.S. Boy, that was a cold spot! Much more American than British, though, as far as the people were concerned. We came across by way of the North Atlantic, and it was plenty cold, but we had good foul weather gear and were never subjected to any system longer watches than were necessary, that is, we worked out a relief system within the watch. We had to wear facemasks and even then, our breath would freeze.
Thank goodness we didn’t have to get into that water – a normal person could last only about five minutes in it. Well, we saw no submarines, in fact we sighted no enemy at all, although our convoy course was changed several times to miss zones of enemy operation. The LST convoys before and after us, in a matter of days, both lost a couple of ships.
We came around North of Ireland into the Irish sea which is as green as clover. Very pretty sight though. We first landed at Milford Haven, Wales. It was a little mining town almost exactly like the Welsh village in the show “How Green Was My Valley.” The high cliffs were beautiful, and the hills presented a pretty picture with little old castles here and there.
There were no vehicles in the street but military ones, jeeps, command cars, etc. The thing that really was noticeable was, despite the serenity of the setting, little anti-aircraft pillboxes everywhere, and some rather large guns. These soon became common sights as well as rather extensive anti-invasion obstacles and anti-tank defenses, as we got to England.
We went from there to Plymouth, England, which was the terrifically bombed-out city I mentioned. Of course, we saw, and landed with my assault boat at Pilgrim’s Pier, from which the Pilgrims embarked for America.
Falmouth was our base for quite awhile, and it was a pretty fair city – of course, nothing like our own, but you could buy a few things there, and for an English town was pretty well advanced.
Fowie was our next base. It was a little berg, but loaded down with supplies and amphibious craft.
A few days before the invasion we went to Plymouth again. You could never hope to see so many ships in one place in all your life. Destroyers were a dime a dozen, a couple of battleships, lots of cruisers, mostly British, and innumerable landing craft. It was there we were loaded with infantrymen and AA artillery.
We were the first ship, along with another LST in the follow-up phase, which immediately follows the Assault…as I’ve told you, we hit about H plus 8, or about four in the afternoon of D-Day. We had started out a day earlier, and had gotten about a third of the way and were sent back, because the weather had not permitted aircraft operations. This was bad for the morale, and we were beginning to think there wasn’t going to be an invasion after all. We were relieved when we were ordered out again, just 24 hours later.
I told you already of our experiences D-Day and shortly following. We operated from Southampton until a short time ago, and are now operating frm the base to which we were supposed to return after D-day. Southampton was not very far from Wilts county, but I didn’t have a chance to get up there. In fact, our first liberty since about June 1st was our last trip.
Well, that gives you an idea of where I’ve been in England. We’ve not been in Northern England, but they say there’s not a lot of difference.
I still deeply respect the English civilians in many ways, but am getting plenty fed up with the outfit as a whole. Whenever we take English across, we about go nuts before we get them off. And seeing the way they handle mechanical vehicles, I don’t have much faith in them.
A Warrant officer in port last time sad a woman came up to him a while back and asked him if he wasn’t a technician. He said yes, he guessed he was…
”Well,” she said, “You Americans are supposed to be technicians…when are you going to do something about these flying bombs – they’ve been coming over now for three weeks, and you haven’t done a thing about them!” He told her to duck, that’s what he’d do.
Another Limey, a pilot (navigational) told us seriously over a cup of coffee, that he thought the US should become one of the Dominions, after the War. One damn fool Wren (Wave) thought because American seamen are allowed to raise mustaches that, “They have no discipline – they do as they please.” They don’t allow mustaches in the “Royal Navy.” Of course, they can, and many of them do raise long dirty beards, and let their hair grow over their ears. They think our “BUTCH” haircuts look like convicts – they wouldn’t think of such an undignified thing (nor sanitary one).
So much for the “Bloody blokes.” Personally, I think they’re a simple bunch who are riding for a terrific fall, and I think it’s about time.
We’re making quite regular trips, and the Isle is beginning to raise out of the water again as we’re getting the American equipment across the Channel. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently; the American soldier and sailor is by far the best equipped, best paid, and best looked out for of any in the world. And the German is next. Actually, I have more respect for the German soldier in many ways than of any of our Allies. Of course, I know nothing first hand about the “Russ.”
I surely appreciate the ‘Capitals’ and I want you to let me know if and when my watch arrives. I’m beginning to worry a little about it.
I weighed the other night and weighed 13 stones and 10 pounds, which is 192 pounds. Feeling fine, but getting out if condition. Hope everything is OK at home. Write often.
OCEANS OF LOVE.
Glenn
Sunday, July 3, 2011
'Never thought the coast of England could look so good to me...'
Editor's Note: This letter, written four days after D-Day.
Back in England, June 10 (1944)
Dear Folks –
I never thought the coast of England could look so good to me as it did last night when we pulled in. It was wonderful.
Believe me, War IS Hell – with a capital “H.” And I’ve about had my fill of it. I’m only thankful I’m not in the Army – although, I guess the soldiers feel just the opposite. I’m thankful, too, for the first time, that I’m aboard an LST instead of a Troop Transport (P.A.) with my assault boats.
In fact, I’m thankful for a good many things right now. We have a wonderful skipper, and I think we had a little help from above, too. Anyway, the worst is over, now – so don’t worry. I won’t see anything I haven’t seen the last six days.
Dad, my shaver’s monitor was a real comfort to me a couple of times – I mean that.
We’ve been getting so little sleep that until now I haven’t been able to sleep over two hours at a time. Well, there are lots of things to tell you – if you want to hear them – but I can’t write much at the present time.
Anyway – “I was there—“ and we’ll be keeping a constant shuttle service across the Channel for awhile.
We had some German prisoners – very interesting – one Holland Dutch. Drafted from the Netherlands, a German Jew, a 20 year soldier and a true “Superman” Luftwaffe officer – pilot – just like the movies show them (the Pilot, I mean) among others.
Well, enough for now – Pray for us and we’ll pull through. Tell Ralph “Happy Birthday” – I notice today is his day.
Love to all – and write I don’t know where our mail is being sent, but will catch up with us some time. Send my love to the rest of the family.
Your Son.
Back in England, June 10 (1944)
Dear Folks –
I never thought the coast of England could look so good to me as it did last night when we pulled in. It was wonderful.
Believe me, War IS Hell – with a capital “H.” And I’ve about had my fill of it. I’m only thankful I’m not in the Army – although, I guess the soldiers feel just the opposite. I’m thankful, too, for the first time, that I’m aboard an LST instead of a Troop Transport (P.A.) with my assault boats.
In fact, I’m thankful for a good many things right now. We have a wonderful skipper, and I think we had a little help from above, too. Anyway, the worst is over, now – so don’t worry. I won’t see anything I haven’t seen the last six days.
Dad, my shaver’s monitor was a real comfort to me a couple of times – I mean that.
We’ve been getting so little sleep that until now I haven’t been able to sleep over two hours at a time. Well, there are lots of things to tell you – if you want to hear them – but I can’t write much at the present time.
Anyway – “I was there—“ and we’ll be keeping a constant shuttle service across the Channel for awhile.
We had some German prisoners – very interesting – one Holland Dutch. Drafted from the Netherlands, a German Jew, a 20 year soldier and a true “Superman” Luftwaffe officer – pilot – just like the movies show them (the Pilot, I mean) among others.
Well, enough for now – Pray for us and we’ll pull through. Tell Ralph “Happy Birthday” – I notice today is his day.
Love to all – and write I don’t know where our mail is being sent, but will catch up with us some time. Send my love to the rest of the family.
Your Son.
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