Letter from Germany, 1944 December 23

Creator

Robert D. Davis

Files

Creation Date

12-23-1944

Keywords

WWII, letters, World War 2, Christmas, food, Army

Subject

World War, 1939-1945; foods; United States--Army; Xmas

Description

Davis describes meals, stating he is not allowed to talk about work.He mentions a surprise meal planned for Christmas. He notes that he receives a pack of cigarettes a day. He writes of Germany's differences from France. He mentions pretending that gun fire is thunder. He received new gloves and a sweater.

Transcription:

Cpl Robert Davis 18107121

6237, Co.F, 3^rd MGR

APO 403

c/o Pm. N.Y.

Mrs. R.L. Davis

1619 Boston

Muskogee, Oklahoma

AIR MAIL

1^st xmas

Menu 25^th

23^rd December 1944

Germany

Dear Folks:

What a cook! (Since I can’t write of work of work, and there’s no social activity, I’ll rave about the food. Probably to your relish, mom, after my long inattention to it in my letters.) Tonight we had creamed chicken, and was it creamed! For dessert there was a custard pudding served up beautifully in transparent glasses and 3 kinds in 3 layers- the top chocolate, the middle custard, and the bottom raspberry red. Terrific. She slaves unceasingly to make anything tempting- even rolls the butter into balls as big as you thumbnail- and puts parsley springs around. This morning she waxed over enthusiastic, over-stepped a little. We had cream of wheat cereal for breakfast-scheduled that was. When we got down a completely new addition to the ways of serving cereals greeted our astonished eyes. She had cooked the cereal into balls, about ½ as big as your first, aud on each plate were several such balls, absolutely inundated in a thick chocolate sauce.

Now the average American, susceptible as he may be in his readied moments for culinary niceties, just doesn’t like any adjustments made in what he regards as basic breakfast items. And cereal, milk and cream is basic. When I came down into the room, a couple of the boys were rather unhappily dabbing with their spoons into their chocolate filled soup bowls. As a matter of fact, it was very good, at least to me who is so enthusiastic about sweets. I had one of their loudest laughs of weeks at the spectacle of these healthy Americans, appreciative of the skill, and yet appalled at having so flamboyant a morning menu.

We’ll have a surprise for x-mas, as the cook has been mysteriously making cookies, in quantity- and hiding them from interested GI eyes. It should be a great meal.

We now get one pack of cigarettes issued to us a day. They only read about the cigarette shortage up here.

Life here is different from back in France naturally. As the sign says on the border: “You are now entering enemy territory. Be careful!” And we are. Blackout, so perfumetory in England and France, is stringent here. Not only because of the supervision, but because every one is interested in his own 14 ½ neck.

All day and night we hear the guns- boom boom boom. They shake the house and ear with their intermittent dueling. Because it sounds so much like thunder, one pretends it is.

Lots of love-

Bob

P.S. Oh yes: a day after my arrival one of the boys “arranged” for me (1) a new pair of gloves (2) overshoes, new (3.) a pullover sweater, army issue, with sleeves and a neck that covers up to the ears, and buttons over the throat.