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• I\li• •,1-4ServiceParadePHONE 105COVINGTON SOLDIER PENS INTERESTING STORY ABOUT CHRISTMAS DAY WITH YANKS IN ITALYIEditor's Note: Everyone will remember the interesting let-I ter reprinted in this column before from Ralph Holsinger of ^Covington, who is with the U. S. Army in Italy. Below is another interesting and humorous letter written by him Christ-fmas Day.f Christmas really started before sunset last night It had 5been a grey,-cloudy day and there had been some rain. Not Jmuch, but a drizzling mist that made you feel miserable ifj,you had to bs out in it.1, The iv.in stopped about three o'clock and the clouds started to fshow signs of breaking up. Just before supper time the cLouds above -the mountains over in the west flared up with a fierce orange glow Vwhite the vidge to the east caught the last light of the sun. The clouds ^were solid blue-grey overhead and the valley remained in purple twilight. It was as though the sun were poking its head out to say, “I'm i^orry I didn't see you today, boys, but 111 call in the morning.”* The sunset changed things. Whenft went to get my mess kit, Frank I a Catholic prayer because I’m VMartin, my neighbor in pup tent vil- I a Catholic and that's the only kind .page, said, “Hey, Prof., let’s go to 1 know. But I guess it'll serve the fj.own tonight.” Not being very quick purpose.”,:m the up-take, I asked “Why? Any* ah of us mud-spattered“:hing going .on?” “Oh I thought you men- Catholic, Protestant, Jew, and n ight-Varifc. to go to a^l^j^M^Unce 1 Up^heyer, tookjoiT our helmets and iVhd'maybesometfungr to’Ieat.”' bhw'ed otir heads * while'’a Catholic\l caught on then andfrank, but I promised my girlIsaid, “Sorry, prayer went to the God of all. my girl I'd 55jloH’,hbR1u.X?(jsaround to her house.” It was aorazy bit of talk for we’ve seen one fihow in three and a half monthsIRISH GREEN*It’s great to be in Ireland,”fond left our girls behind nearly a w^€s Bfc. Howard Wells, to his.|/ear ago but it was the right kind ofWariness for Christmas eve. i *•« uuvft »Wi «u»:d After supper I went over to the ah’ raid shelter eveTy few minutes.” * * . I Hrtttorrf TX'VlKx Vvr, .. _______wife. Joan of 404 South Main street, for it’s a relief not to duck for anifjivuck, as I always do, to write let- . Howard, who has been overseasActs and read. Only this time I took *or months was due for a rest, jjilong some nuts and some candy J?r . P1 A ■ t: . ? hasliars that I’d been hoarding from a Sicily, and left Saler-ftift package. It wouldn’t be Christ- ? Tan^ Naples when traveled toftJnas eve without candy. It helped 'l 5gts. Jurkus, Payne and me re- f'-nember other Christmas eves. I Blamel stone’A little later on I dropped in onIreland.Since being in the land of thehe says lie understands why their favorite color isboys next door. Their celebra- f°Vhe, wh?'e countryside isasiaFCi:j ashioned from paper that had come I £ anl^6 onnnrfn ^ th /?UPPT | „ gift boxes. A record player was ha^° X‘•* cratching out “Indian Love Call”Continuing, he writes, “Several of us from the band got a week-end.•uid a gallon bottle of Dago Red I na._ flnd . ',luI't'Ct the I0Un‘,!- ThC boys ‘o » show that really had soft seati• vcre happy.|;l Thoughts of PastWe stayed all night at the RedAbout ten- o’clock I stashed,hrough the mud to my pup tent, rea| springs yuc-s anuttb1-obrawled into my blankets, and lay here on the ground for a. littlefliThis place is the best yet as, - , ■ , n. /-i - * il0,lg 85 we mus* here, but we arehmking of o her Christmases. Very , all hoping and ,00111 learned that the Italians were S00n be on our ~av h7,mp »»observing the season, too. All the lie 11s in the village started ringing.our way home.As for both Mr. and Mrs. Wells, they’re very proud of their fourassures’here was one bell that sounded month old daughter, and he lot like the Presbyterian church his wife, Joan, that he'll soon 1 ell in Covington. It tolled majes- I ......tically while a lot of little bells langed out a background.We got to He abed an extra hourhome to push that buggy.marine trains.. , , , ., | Being put through boot traininghis morning. At seven o clock the at Parris Island, South Carolina isi.c4c'irst Sergeant went through the pvt. Joel J. Hixson, who left a week rea, shouting. “First call! Every- ago for the Marine Corps station.ody up I Merry Christmas!For his address, call his parents,i1 I crawled out into the promise of Mr. and Mrs. John Hixson of 1206 j; unshine. As I headed for breakr South street, Main 1817.ast the-first “Angels” droned over -carrying to Jerry the only kind i f ueace he seems to understand.We had our big Christmas dinner t 2:30 this afternoon. To work up n appetite I took a walk up through Jjmc farm land. It was warm liner the sun. I saw some purple flow-Vs blooming on a hedge and I saw [i\ butterfly. It was beautiful out of iVoors today.Bow la Prayeraiiii*.s Before we ate, our Company Commander gave us the high spots of j reside nt Roosevelt’s speech and inphasized the change in the high bmmand.• Then, while we were gathered to-ether, one of the Medics, Peter uss, stepped out and said, “When 3U were home, I imagine most of 3U said a little prayer before you c Christmas dinner, so I’m going“MUST WRITES”Here’s another address to add to your file of “must writes.” Tt is Virgil A. Mertz, A/S (Bud), Co. 82. Tj. S. N. T. s., Great Lakes, 111. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mertz of 411 s. Wayne street.WIFE RETURNS HO.ME Life isn’t quite so bright at Great Lakes these days for John D. Liv- j ingston, petty officer 2/c, for his wife, who resides at 712 Vine street, has returned home after a three week visit with him.RETURN TO FLORIDA5gt. and Mrs. George B. Erhardt have returned to Gainsville, Florida after A two weeks furlough with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Erhardt of second street and Mr.
Newspaper Details
Piqua Daily Call
Piqua, Ohio, US
Thu, Jan 27, 1944
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Richard E.
OH, USA 28 Jun 2023
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