The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-07-29
Libby Soldier
Writes From
North Africa
Continued from page y

| didn't stay long in the first city
| was in as we moved north where
we guarded an airport for some
time. From there we moved UP te
Algeria and stayed there while.
Algeria is far prettier than Morocco
and far richer in agriculture.
Orchards and vineyards are almost
everywhere. | liked the country
much better as it was more noun
famous and reminded me of hoEc.
The weather is warm during tho
dav and colder than heck at night.
In some places the sand was always
blowing and when we got to Al
geria it was rain and mud, making
il very miserable When sleeping on
the ground in a. little cid pup ten.
that leaked every time you touched
it.
We stayed in Algeria for a little
while and then We moved to the
front. We were and are part OF
the Second Army.
There are really some desolate
looking sights up here Towns
have been literally blown off the
map by shells and bombs The
shelled towns are ghost towns and
no one is around except soldiers
with the exception Of an occasional
Arab. Now that its over they're
moving back il but there's nothing
to 60 back TO- 1t isn't pretty sight
but that's war. One big city is
Jeveled right TO the ground, so you
can imagine the terrific battling
that went on. Our artillery is
probably the most accurate in the
world and the infantry and armored
division and artillery deserve all
the glory for they did the hard
part If you could see the hills they
had to take, you would realize why
it was a hard fight Our outfit was
always to 20 miles behind the
front line SO We had it much easier.
Our air superiority made it pretty
easy for us in the long run. AS ID
the German soldier. he's a good
fighter when he is winning but not
worth damn when he's up agains.
it. I've seen thousands Of German
and Italian prisoners and they all
seemed glad to be captured. | guess
they're getting tired Of war too.
also saw row after row of good
Germans, which over here means a
dead German. Also, there were
some of our brave boys who unfor-
tunately were lost in battle, but our
losses were very light in COMPARE
son to those of the army
Say, I'd like to mention an Incl
dent that was rather comical. There
were some colored boys operating
one OF our heavy guns and they JUS.
Worshipped their gun and were all
ways patting 1t and babying it, A
colored boy always is comical and
these were no exception. When they
got ready TO pull the string, they'd
all holler, "Rommel you'd better
count your personnel and they'd
let it 60 and believe me there was q
lot of truth in that little phrase.
The Germans were starving the
people here and they were very
happy to see them driven out.
guess they stripped the country O.
everything.
As far as our food is concerned
! could say lots about it and i
wouldn't exactly be complimentary
but what's the use! I'm so sick o.
chlI and Vienna sausage that i
turns my stomach to look at it anc
I've almost forgotten the taste 0
coffee.
Well, boodbye for now, ant
though I'm somewhere in Tunisii
you can be sure that my heart is a
home and | hope | can get back t,
my wife and son soon, cause Ir
sure lonesome for them.
Be sure and write me soon be
cause | look forward to all letter
and they mean a great deal way on
here Goodbye again and may Hit
ler's regime be shnrtlived and / be
lieve it will.
As ever,