Friday · Feb. 26, 1943
So you really have heard of me.
A 35-mile march, a mountain, and a promotion in the works.
Feb. 26, 1943
My Darling Wife
I wrote to you a few days ago but still have the letter in my pocket. We have been really moving around and I get no time to write—and they are not taking it out anyway.
Two days ago we got some mail—all V-mail & packages. I got a package from Aunty Em mailed in October from Atlantic City—sandwich spread, bullion cubes. I wish everyone had sent me candy & food often—because when it comes to us in the field we really enjoy it. I got my Infantry Journal, and several December copies of the Newspress.
We have been going to town lately—and our battalion is in good repute. We have contacted the enemy and the effect has been on worldwide broadcasts so you really have heard of me. I am forwarding a souvenir I took off a dead German—in the Africa corps.
Incidentally the radio news is pretty good right now and we hope that things keep moving right along as they have been. Yesterday it was my experience to walk from 6:30 A.M to 11 P.M.—a distance of about 35 miles—but we scaled a mountain 3500 feet—straight up. The mountain was much steeper than the one …
… overlooking Glendale. We went to find some enemy but he wasn’t there—so we walked home. We only had one meal during the day so the hot chow we got when we got home was a great relief. Frankly I didn’t think I had it in me to be able to do it—with rifle, ammunition, belt, etc.
Today I took a sponge bath, put on clean cotton underwear—for first time in over a month. My woolen underwear is full of dirt but I have no change and had to put it on over my clean cotton.
Darling, I hope you don’t worry too much about me. I’m taking good care of myself and I’m too tough now for them to do anything to me. I’m making sure that I’ll get home to you—so here’s hoping.
The Colonel has put in for my promotion. Our Bn did such a good job recently that the Generals are in a good mood—so who knows—maybe I won’t end this war a 1st Lt.
Honey I can only repeat what is in my heart always. I love you. It’s the same old phrase but I do know what it means. Take good care of yourself & my princess and someday—soon, I hope—I’ll be home to demonstrate.
All my love
Your
John
About this letter
Two large pages in ink, a week after Kasserine.
“OUR BATTALION IS IN GOOD REPUTE”He later wrote that after the German breakthrough at Kasserine, a counterattack by the 16th forced the Germans to withdraw.
BEFORE YOU READHe mentions taking a souvenir from a dead German soldier. His words are kept exactly as he wrote them.
READING CLOSELY
“I’m too tough now for them to do anything to me. I’m making sure that I’ll get home to you.” “The Colonel has put in for my promotion.”
The mountain “overlooking Glendale” is the Verdugo range.
Aunty Em is his mother’s sister Emma.
The Africa corps is the German Afrika Korps. Does the souvenir survive?
The Big Picture
Learning the hard way
The Germans pulled back, and on Feb. 25 American troops took Kasserine Pass again.
The battle showed what was wrong. American units were spread too far apart to help each other, and soldiers dug foxholes too shallow. Gen. Omar Bradley later called it the worst performance of the U.S. Army in its history.
The Army changed its tactics, its training and some of its commanders. British Gen. Harold Alexander now led the Allied armies in Tunisia.
Where he was
Central Tunisia, near Kasserine Pass. He later wrote that his battalion rejoined the regiment near Tebessa, and that the 16th counterattacked after the German breakthrough at Kasserine.
In this letter. His battalion’s fight “on worldwide broadcasts” fits the end of Kasserine: the Germans pulled back, and American troops reoccupied the pass on Feb. 25.