Letters from Home

These are the first in what I am planning to be a series of letters between Winters and DeEtta. Let me know what you think!

Dear Dick,

I have no hope that you will be able to respond to this quickly at all. I only hope that this letter reaches you and finds you safe and sound wherever you may be. There is not much to tell about what has been going on here at home. The war effort has picked up significantly and not a day goes by that I do not see a dozen or more young men lined up at the recruiting station in town, all of them eager to join up and do their part to defend their country.

So, tell me about how you are, what you are doing, where you are. I am not so naïve that I expect specifics but I would enjoy hearing anything you might have to share.

I have been thinking about joining the Red Cross or some other organization so that I may do my part in helping to win the war. However, I have yet to make up my mind as to what I am going to do at the moment. By the way, all the folks back home are thinking of you and are so proud of what you are doing. You are in all of our prayers.

I miss you Dick. You were always my dearest friend, the one I could talk to about anything and everything. I knew it would be hard not seeing you for such a long time but so far our separation has been more difficult than I originally anticipated.

Well, I should close this letter before I find myself becoming even mushier than I am at the moment. Know that I am thinking of you always.

Yours Always,

DeEtta

Dear DeEtta,

It was only yesterday that I received your letter. Let me tell you, it was a mighty fine thing to get a note such as that from home. Concerning your desire to support the war effort, if it is something you really want to do consider looking into the Navy, they have a department containing a female support staff known as the Waves. Knowing you, this sounds like it might be right up your alley.

Unfortunately, I am unable to share any information that would be of any real interest to you due to the extensive censoring of letters that has been taking place. However, I can tell you we are in somewhere in England, though probably not for much longer. The tempo of our day to day activities has increased along with the intensity of our field problems, both of which are good indications that something big is afoot. I wish I knew more, but at the moment I feel as if those higher in the chain of command are purposely trying to keep us in the dark.

England is beautiful this time of year – I have never seen fields so thick and green and lush anywhere else. It is an admirably pleasant place and one I will almost hate to leave.

While on pass last weekend, I had the singular opportunity to go to a small village market and while there I found a most becoming scarf that reminded me immediately of you. I have already placed it in the mail and hope that it reaches you before too much time has elapsed.

As you know, I have never been good with sentimental stuff and the like, but I want you to know that I miss you dearly also and look forward to the day when I can once again talk to you face to face. Until then, though, I bid you to take care of yourself and not worry after me.

Always,

Dick

Dear Dick,

Yesterday I got the scarf you sent me in the mail. It is absolutely wonderful – I cannot find the words to describe how much having this from you means to me. I wore it this morning and somehow felt just a little bit closer to you.

I took your advice and looked at joining up with the Waves, they seem to be a swell outfit and I hope to make a difference.

So, England. Meet any dashing young ladies who have stolen your heart yet? If you do, you have to promise to tell me all about it. I may be one of your best friends but that does not mean I am above trying to extract gossip and tales from you.

I am hoping that by the time this gets to you, you will have not yet moved out to a new location. I cannot even begin to imagine the thoughts that must be going through your head at this point in time, the uncertainty you must feel knowing you are heading into an already raging battle. Oh, Dick, please do promise me that you will try and be safe, that you will at least take care of yourself the best you can. You are the most unselfish, caring person I know but those are also the traits that make me worry after you so.

Well, I best close this letter before it turns into an epic. Remember, my thoughts and prayers are with you always.

Yours Always,

DeEtta

Dear DeEtta,

I realize I have allowed a great deal of time to elapse between your last letter and this one but I have just not had a chance to take a minute and write to you. Well, I guess if I am completely honest with myself and you, even if I had had the time, I do not know what I would have written.

We are no longer in England. The most I can tell you is that we are somewhere in France and that every inch of ground we have taken here has been a struggle in some form. Easy Company completed its first combat jump here in France, a jump that cost us the lives of too many good men, including that of First Lieutenant Meehan, CO of Easy. I have now become, by default, the new CO of this company. I enjoy being able to interact with the men and lead them in combat, but I live every day with a deep fear that I will one day make a fatal error that will be paid for with these young men's lives.

On a bit of a different note, you will be surprised to find that the tee totaling young fellow you sent off to war took his first drink of alcohol on our first night in France. Before that moment, I had never felt the need to touch the stuff, but for some reason I just needed to escape for a moment and there someone was offering it to me. Didn't notice that it made much of a difference but just goes to show you how war can begin to change all of us on different levels.

If at night you are ever feeling lonely, just gaze up at the stars and know that wherever you are I am sleeping under the same sky as you and one day we will see each other again. Until that day, though, take care and know that I am thinking of you.

Always,

Dick