1946 LETTERS
489th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (Self-Propelled)

Dear Folks:
.....A few lines this quiet winter evening from Pontresina, Switzerland, a cold little village nestled high in the Alps, covered with a luxurious blanket of snow. The days here are clear, sunny and warm. This is my third day here. I've been skiing, skating and resting. Sure having a swell old time. This afternoon I went to the famous winter resort of St. Moritz, it's only a few miles from here and sure is a swanky place. I took my camera along and took several pictures. I hope they come out good, although me not being an expert photographer they may not look so good. I've spent nearly 50 francs out of my 200 allowance and haven't bought a thing except in between dinner snacks. The food they serve here is plentiful and very tasty, but a person works up such an appetite skiing and skating in ths invigorating mountain air that you can't eat enough at one meal to hold out
.....I hope you can follow me on this scribble, I'm not used to writing on this paper and I don't know where to write first.
.....I won't give you all the details now of my trip, but I'll save them to tell you in person in about a month and a half. As soon as I return to my outfit I'm scheduled to ship out. It's going to be along and arduous journey through the redeployment pipeline, but will be worth whatever hardships one encounters. I'm supposed to go with the 71st division.
.....Well, I guess I've scribbled enough for one evening. I don't know how long it will take this letter to reach home, but I hope not too long. Hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying life.

Dear Lloyd,
.....Good grief!! Things have sure been happening to you. You really made one big jump to get that Sgt. in front of your name. That should call for three or four congratulations, so here they are. It really is swell though. Is it worth all of the work? You sound as though you are keeping the whole country of Germany straightened out.

.....A few important things have happened on the home front around Spokane since I've written to you last too. The most important you can guess from the return address on the envelope. Berne got home the day before Thanksgiving and about three weeks later were were married. We had a beautiful wedding in a little church here in Reardan. The whole thing was decorated in white. I wore a white velvet formal and carried white orchids. The attendants wore pink and blue formals, and Berne's brother came up from California to be the best man. We sneaked away right after the ceremony without attending the reception, so got away with no ill effects. And we haven't been home long enought to have a chairvari.

.....We bought a resaurant here in town with the money we had saved during the war, so we are completely on our own. We have a lot of fun running the place. I bake all of the pies for it and work about three hours during the noon rush. I'm getting to be quite a waitress. Business has been picking up ever since we took it over too, which is very encouraging.

.....Up to last night our winter consisted of rain every day, though we did have a white Christmas. Then it snowed all last night until about 9 this morning, and really played havoc with travel. Every road and all of the highway is practically impassable.

.....Then we had some bad news along with everything good that has happned. My grandfather Nielson has been very ill for some time and he died last night. This is the first time that Daddy can ever remember of all his sisters (5) being together at one time, and it had to be something like this to do it. He has three brothers too and he can't remember when the whole family has ever been together.

.....Most of the fellows from Readan are home now. It seems almost like old times again to see them all around. We have all grown up though, and when we did it alone we all noctice the change in each other.

.....Yes Lloyd, I am terribly sorry to say I did forget about the roller skating date we had when you get home. I have been having a hard time keeping up with myself just living for the present, much less plan a few days, weeks or months ahead. At least now that I am settled you won't have to worry about my always changing jobs. As you can tell by trying to read this letter, it has been a long time since I was on the working end of one of these machines. Anyway, this is an old one and is very tempermental.

.....I don't know what Schnopps or Cognac is, but it must be pretty powerful. Does it taste good too? I suppose it is a federal offense to bring German liquor back to the states. Berne had some pretty good times on that while he was in Germany too. How do you like to dance with German girls? He didn't seem to think much of them. I take that back - he thought a lot of them, but none of it was good.

.....Here it is the next day already. I've held this letter over hoping I could think of some more news, but I find it practically impossible for me to thing of anything at all.

.....Anway, here's hoping you can get rid of that Sgt, and have Mr. in front of your name pretty quick. when you get back, let us know and we'll get some kids together and have a roller skating party anyway.

Dear Folks:
.....A few lines tonight to let you know the status of your son on this redeployment deal. A group of 5 of us 53 pointers left the 489th yesterday morning about 9:30 A.M. and traveled by truck a distance of approximately 75 miles to a little town named Prien, a few kilometers east of Rosenheim. We're living in a large hotel here on Lake Chiemsee. It's a nice setup and for as the chow, it's about the best Army chow I've eaten in the E.T.O. Our ready date, (that's the date we're supposed to be ready to leave for the Port), is the 1st of February. Our sailing date (which of course, is subject to last minute changes) is the 10th of February. All I hope is now that my clothing forms and all that are up-to-date, because if they aren't I'm very likely to miss this boat. I've known of a couple boys whose papers and all their forms and things weren't quite up-to-date and they were delayed several weeks.
.....If you happen to see Will and Mary, or anyone that says I owe them a letter, tell them not to expect one as I am getting out of the habit fast. Also be sure to tell them not to write me as I probably won't receive their mail.
.....I and two other fellows that came down with me are siting in the dining room here, writing and listening to the German band and watching the G.I.s and the Frauliens dancing.
.....I'll quit for tonight and write more in a day or so.

As Always.............
Love................
Lloyd..........