Chapter 8- Bill's Letters Home

Bill's Letters Home

“A ‘rugged combat’ soldier guarding an entrance to a C.P.”

“Results of a day’s hunting, lined up at our battalion C.P. Just a few of the Master Racers who didn’t run fast enough.”

France, September 1944
"This is what made Jerry run."

"The major's home. The clean doorway leads to the barn."

"Taken on the main street of ______, Luxenburg. All the animals live under the same
roof with the family, but you notice there are different entrances. In the barn live
the chickens, horses, cows, pigs, and G.I.'s."

"No, I didn't shoot the hole in the wall, but it was one of the minor bits of destruction
before the Luxenbourg flag could be flown."

"Typical Luxenbourg street scene taken from the door of a building where I once slept."

"The two most valuable weapons of the war- the jeep and the G.I., Just feed them both
well and they'll go anyplace."

"Now it can be told. Here's Gen. Ike's secret weapon- V-13 the German's call it.
Those in the Russian army have various names- most unprintable."

(Bill Allen is calling himself “Gen. Ike’s secret weapon- V-13.” Hitler referred to the Nazi secret weapon as V-1 and V-2. G.I.’s to mock Hitler’s “secret weapon” would refer to themselves as V-13’s- indicating they were more powerful than any German weapon weapons.)

"Hail the conquoring heroes came!"

Eulogy presented by R.V. Lindsey, Supt. of Galesburg Schools