Dear Elizabeth:

Just imagine this set up. Living in a nice hotel room which I share with three other fellows. My particular bed has an inner spring mattress — at least it feels like it. Adjoining the room is a bathroom with all conveniences including hot and cold running water. It sure feels good to take a bath in a tub again. The water here is soft too. Tomorrow I send my laundry out and it’s done free — by the Germans. We make them do it.

To make life complete, all I would need are sheets and pillowcases for my bed.

We eat in the same hotel and waitresses do the KP work. The meals are so good as any I’ve had in the Army. And it doesn’t detract from a meal when you eat it from real plates, and coffee from real cups.

But there’s a dark side too. No fraternizing. It may get a little monotonous after a while. But I understand the furloughs and passes will be pretty liberal after a bit.

This is a picturesque little place. It reminds me a little of Endicott – neat and clean. There is a beautiful park just across the street here with various healthfully good spring water, if you can stand the taste!! When you see all these things, you wonder why this country insists on making war all the time.

I saw it first-hand the results of much bomb damage though. You can’t imagine what it is to drive down a street amid mountains of rubble and ghost-like walls and shells of buildings.

There were big celebrations of victory in France. Some fireworks. Dancing whenever there was music in the middle of the street. I stayed out until 5:30AM. Was I fagged.

I’ll close off for now so I’ll have wind for the next letter. More later.

Russell

Germany