Author’s note: In from mid-September to mid-October the Germans were retreating so quickly that the Allied forces were straining their supply lines just to keep up. Fighting was only sporadic for John’s unit. In his written history of the unit, Col. Ronald Martin describes the daily marches as fairly uneventful, except for “[T]he cheering Frenchmen, who dared to bestow all types of favors, including wine and kisses, on the American soldiers.” From September 19 to October 2nd, the unit was attached to the 30th Division and dug in near Aachen, Germany in the Rhineland. The attack on the Siegfried Line began on October 2nd, to seal off Aachen, and in the course of the battle over several days there were 25,000 rounds fired and 30 casualties. The unit had another break until the next assault which began on November 7th.
10/9/44-10/19/44: Churchill and Stalin meet in the “Fourth Moscow Conference” where they secretly agree to partition Europe after the war. No Americans are present for this agreement. See: https://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=141
10/12/44 Germany
From John Shaw to Nena Shaw
Hi Honey
I received two letters from you yesterday—one air mail from the 22nd and a V-mail the 26th. The V-mail comes faster but they are all so short you only get started when they end. I ask for that sweater and scarf in a letter before. Suppose you have not received it yet. How about sending some of that Jelly I always got for nose colds. It is Harts or something or other, if you don’t remember ask Ollie, he should know.
So Chuck [Charles Sharrard] is all signed up for the Air Corps. That is much better for if he likes that branch and is lucky enough to get in now he will have a better deal when his time is up to go in and most are going in the infantry that come in now. I think most of it will be over before he gets through training but it should be good for him to have that much anyway, and remind him he is going to have to work like hell if he makes it in that branch and he won’t have time to be going around with a girl on his mind. If he wants to make a go of it, one has to wait. That depends on how he wants it. I personally think he would be better off to let the love life wait till he gets through with the army, but everyone has a right to their own opinion to do as he likes.
So you feel pretty good that you came in first with 109. Well I don’t blame you. You should. I will help you celebrate that too if you buy the bottle and keep it till I get there. It is no news to me. I always knew you could do it if you made up your mind to do it. And it must agree with you if you are getting as fat as you say. Keep it up for you know that is the way I love you and I will be there to take charge in a short time.
Well there is no news, so will quit for now. All my love and a couple kisses till later. Yours, John
