No. 185 – Page Two

I was talking with Ham’s sister on the phone yesterday and she asked me whether Ham had told me all about things that happened while he was a prisoner. I said that he was only with me about twenty minutes because he had to catch a train out to Port Washington, so all about it the next time she saw me. She did say, however, that Ham was in a regular concentration camp, including 1900 American prisoners of war. She said at first they used to shoot them, but at the end they killed them with bayonets. The batch ham was in was the next to be killed, but the British got there just in time.

I guess they must have been practically starved, because Ham said all the bread they were given was a half a slice of sawdust bread a day.

I was talking with Eileen yesterday and one of her brothers is back in the states. He phoned Massachusetts some place and said he would be home in a few days. Of course, they’re so happy they don’t know what to do. He’s the one who has been in England with the 8^th Air Force. He’s the head of a ground crew.

Most of the boys coming back from overseas land over at Staten Island. Eileen says that all the people who live near where the boats come in go down to welcome the boys. Eileen says that right where the boys come off the boat they have a table about the size of a ping pong table filled with Earth and planted with grass, and the table is decorated with red, white, and blue. She said all the boys kiss the Earth when they get off the boats, they’re so happy.

Eileen is also expecting one of her other brothers to come home. He has been overseas a couple of years and he never had a furlough before he went over, so they haven’t seen him in over three years. As a matter of fact, they’ve never seen him since the day he went to be inducted. They’re hoping he gets home before her other brother leaves.

As I told you in my other letter this week, I mailed your blouse on Wednesday. I have another fruit cake and a half pound of walnut tobacco ready to send and as soon as I get a couple of more things, I’ll mail the package. I’ll let you know as soon as I have done so.

By for now, Honey Lamb.

Any special.

Let me know if you want

Squeeze