The Lavigne Letters
Chapter 6
Northern Franceee
Most of the letters my father wrote home during July and August were in the form of VMAIL, they were photographs of original letters that were sized down to fit in a very small envelope. The writing on the letters were very small, hard to read and very heavily censored. A lot of the VMAIL letters were undated.
Lt. Col. C.T. McEniry writes:
The month of August was inaugurated by a rather severe bombing of the air strip, the battalion suffering a number of casualties and damage to equipment.
On 6 August, elements of the battalion began moving from Airstrip ALG No. 12 to the area south of St. Lo for a defense of Vire River crossings. On 9 August the entire unit moved to the Forest of St. Sever, near St Sever, Calvados, where a First Army supply dump was to be established.
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VMAIL Undated
Dear Sis,
How are you these fine days, as for me I’m ok. Believe it or not I played football the other day and boy was I stiff the next day, could hardly move around, I hadn’t played for so long.
I received a letter from Woody yesterday, says he expects to make Seaman First Class any day now since he is all done with his studies.
Sometimes it is so peaceful that it seems like there’s no war going on and sometimes it’s just like hell.
I see that Dad has decided to draw his pension, I’ve been after him for so long. I know very well that he just couldn’t stand the long hours at the store.
I ‘m all through reading the book Bull Dog Drummond Comes Back, pretty good story too!
I see Ralph went on another trip to Boston, wish I was pulling in to the North Station now. I bet that would be the happiest moment of my life. I also wish I had a big batch full of good old fried clams. Well, got to leave now, good bye and good luck.
Valmore
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VMAIL
August 4, 1944
Dear Sis,
Here I am writing I you another letter, received one from you yesterday, glad to hear that your all feeling fine. I’ve sent home about sixty dollars, have you received it yet? When you do get money from me wished you’d tell me about it, do that will you?
While in my fox hole last night I was bothered by something that was jumping all over me. I put on my flashlight and there sitting pretty was a big fat frog. I banged him over the dome with my flashlight and that was the end of the miserable creature and I slept in peace after that.
I got the card which Aunt Kate sent to me. I promised to carry it with me at all times and if my luck holds out I’m sure that I’ll be able to return it to her.
Did Ralph enjoy his vacation in Boston?
I get the baseball scores every day so you don’t have to worry about that.
Any good movies in town lately?
Pretty soon I’m going to send you some French money, a ten dollar bill is about three times the size of ours.
How is Yolande getting along, I guess Henry should be having a leave soon, heck he’s been away for so long. Well, keep up the good spirit, hoping and praying that I may see you again some day soon. Good bye and a big kiss to you.
Valmore
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VMAIL Undated
Dear Sis,
Received another letter from you today but no sign of any package. Golly, I don’t know what they do with our mail. I got a letter from Calvin today, he’s stationed in Corsica and he’s still cooking, says it is pretty hot in the kitchen these days. I sure miss the old boy.
Oh! But I had a swell dream last night, I dreamt that I was in my own bed, nice clean sheets, and a good soft pillow, it almost seemed real but when I woke up I was in the same gosh darn fox hole. What a heck of a place to sleep, my body is covered with insect bites, man oh man how it itches.
Now instead of cheese they are shoving at us corn beef right and left, morning, noon and night the menu is the same, corn beef. But sometimes there’s a change we have green peas with it. I tell you I’ve ate so much of it that the mere smell of it makes me sick.
I got another Record yesterday. I betcha I read it from cover to cover. Well so long, wish you lots of luck, here’s a big kiss.
Valmore
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VMAIL
August 16, 1944
Dear Sis,
How’s everything going at home these days, hope your all in good health. Received a letter from Calvin today, the old boy is still cooking, says its plenty hot in the kitchen, he’s now stationed in Corsica, wonder what it looks like over there.
Still waiting for my packages, gosh darn it, don’t know what the hold up is.
Yolande said the *World of Mirth Shows *were in Bath lately, did you do and see it?
Our heavy and medium bombers are playing havoc with the Germans, the Air Force are doing a great job. German plane hardly come over in the daytime, only at night that he comes over, you can hear the funny sound of his motor way in the distance, it sounds like an old washing machine.
I just got through washing some clothes near an old French farmhouse, the old man gave me a dozen eggs and about 4 glasses of cider.
You don’t have to send me baseball scores cause I get them every day.
Yolande says she expects Henry home any day now, boy he sure deserves a leave.
I hope he gets a least thirty days. I believe that’s all for today, good bye, lots of luck, and God bless you.
Valmore
*World of Mirth Shows were traveling carnival side shows.
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VMAIL
Undated
Dear Claudia,
Yesterday was quite a day, whiles on guard, the old French farmer brought over eggs. Then at two in the afternoon he showed up with a jug of cider which contained at least four quarts and a bottle of wine. While off guard me and one of the boys went over and helped him load his wagon with wheat then went up to the farmhouse and helped him unload it into the hay loft. He seem appreciative of the help we gave him, after we got through he went into the house and came out with a bottle of cognac, and believe me, that stuff is powerful, I took only a small glass and I started seeing stars. That drink is strong enough to kill a mule. We expect him up here any time now with more eggs and he’s got the cutest daughters too. I guess that’s why we hang around there.
Did you go to Old Orchard Beach again lately? Still waiting patiently for packages glad that your all feeling fine. Getting used to sleeping in fox holes now. Good bye and here’s a big kiss.
Valmore
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VMAIL Undated
Dear Claudia,
Got a letter from you yesterday and tonight as well answer you right away, I’m on guard duty now and boy is it hot, reminds me of Texas. I think I know where Woody is, he’s either at the Norfolk Naval Training Station or at Camp Bradford. He might be going on amphibious training.
The old farmer just came up to our area, brought me a dozen eggs, says he’s coming up later with a jug of cider. Yesterday he came up here with two jugs. While off guard yesterday me and one of the boys went up to the field where he was working and sort of helped him load some wheat on the wagon. Sure glad I can keep my crops this year he said, if you weren’t here, I’d have to give everything to the Boches, meaning Germans, so they could send it into their own country.
Boy it’s hot, I’m sweating like a cucumber. These Frenchmen don’t work today, it’s a day of obligation, it’s the feast of the Blessed Virgin.
Boy I sure miss Dad too. I hope that he’s feeling fine. I wonder what ice cream taste like now.
We received a citation for knocking down the first enemy plane. I’m going to send mine home to you soon. So long, lots of luck, Here’s a big kiss.
Valmore
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VMAIL
Undated but the envelope this VMAIL was in was dated August 31, 1944
Dear Sis,
Received two letters this morning one from you and one from Yolande. No signs of any packages yet.
I hope you found the route to Mrs. Atwood’s cottage, I’m sure you had a good time and I bet he you had a good old lobster there too.
I haven’t hear from Woody for quite a while now too. I wouldn’t worry, he can take care of himself.
We had a stage show here the other day, Dinah Shore, the radio and screen star was here in person, she’s not so hot, she looks like my barracks bag.
Tell Dad if he keeps washing dishes that he’ll have a case of dish pan hands. The Wellington girl says that Dad goes to Marton’s Newstand every morning to get the paper.
Our Frenchmen was around yesterday with more cider, one of them has a funny laugh, it’s wort than Julien’s, we get a kick out of him.
I haven’t heard from Gene for about four months now and I can’t write him cause I lost his address again, he must be quite a boy now. Well so long, keep your chin up. Lots of luck, here’s a big kiss.
Valmore
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The end of August 1944 finds my Dad’s battalion moving near Colbert, South of Paris.
Lt. Col. C.T. McEniry writes:
August 25th C and D Batteries moved to the east, finally setting up with ASP No. 113 near Coubert, south of Paris. Enemy air activity was extremely light during this period. However the battalion began to take a large number of prisoners.