The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-06-07

second letter to you in as many
days. For the first time since I
have been over here I have some
thing to write about that the
censors won't cut to ribbons. Il
hopeo }
I have had one of the most in
teresting experiences of my life
today. One I'm sure that I will
never forget. The Eighth Air
Force is taking its ground men
on tour of its most important
targets in Germany to show them
what their efforts on the ground
have accomplished. I went on
one of these tours today.
We flew across the North Sea
and hit the European coast at the
Hague in Holland. It's the capital
of Holland and the seat Of the
World Court. Sort Of the Supreme
Court of the League of Nations.
There is a beautiful beach there,
one of the most fashionable in
Europe. One of the first things
I noticed in Holland were the
tulip fields, with all the colors
of the rainbow. I thought Of you
Nom and how you would have
enjoyed such a sight. The war
seemed far away with nothing
marring the horizon but dykes
and 1azily turning windmills. This
peaceful scene didn't last long
though, because we soon ran into
the area the Germans had flooded
in their retreat by blowing up the
dykes. Huge bomb craters were
everywhere, most of them ours
because we were forced to bomb
the railroads and German air
fields. I think the Dutch have
suffered more at the hands Of
the Germans than any other peo-
pie of Europe. Starvation is not
uncommon in Holland today.
We went on east to Anthem,
where British and Canadian Air
borne troops were dropped be-
hind the German lines to seize
the Anthem bridge. know you
read about it in the papers and
how they were forced to with
draw, with heavy losses, because
the ground forces weren't able
to break through and link up with
them. The whole area is Uttered
with burned and wrecked elders.
The next point Of interest was
in Germany itself, at Munster. It
is an important railway center
between the Ruhr and Northwest
Germany so naturally was bomb
ed many times by us as well as
the Raj. It's city about twice
as large as Oklahoma City and
as incredible as it may seem,
everything has been completely
destroyed.
Bremen was next and its ship
yards, docks, and sub pens made
it a target visited by the Eighth
Air Force many times. It's larger
than Munster, but it shared the
same fate. The harbor was
cluttered with sunken barges and
/ saw one submarine laying on
its side.
We went on up to Hamburg, the
largest port in Europe. It's a city
of 100000 people and it too has
been completely destroyed. Sounds
impossible but there it lay before
us in ruins. We then turned south
and flew over Brunswick, Han
over, Bielefield, Hamm and bort
mond. All of them are railroad
centers and have been just as
thoroughly demolished as the 9TH
ers we had seen.
As we turned back west we be-
gan to enter the Ruhr Valley. I
know you have read about It. It is
the center Of steel production and
is the arsenal Of Germany. ! can't
describe how it has been laid
waste, but picture an area Of 800
square miles, with millions Of peo-
pie, and hundreds of coal mines,
factories and plants all crowded
together as tight as they can be
packed, completely wiped out. The
city Of Essen in the heart Of the
Ruhr Just isn't there anymore.
From there we came back to the
base.
The whole route was flown at
1000 feet so We could see every
thing plainly. Funny thing, but in
all this territory Of Germany, I
never saw over ten or eleven civil.
ians. Don't know where they have
all gone. Gives you kinda peculiar
feeling. The only vehicles on the
highways, and Germany has many
that would do us credit, were our
own army trucks and jeeps. I'm
convinced now, more than ever,
that if it hadn't been for our air
power we might never have won
this war. England has been hard
hit, but not one hundredth as bad
as Germany.
GOSH could 60 on forever, but
have to stop sometime. I'm still
looking for your letters. Take care
of yourselves and give thanks with
me that my home can never be
touched by enemy bombers.
Your devoted son,
- Buy Another Bond -
Restaurant Problems
To Be Aired at Meeting
The Restaurant and Tavern own
ers will have meeting at the Pas
co High School on June IL, at 2
pm. Mr.. H. A. Haden, a food
specialist with the OPA, and Mr..
Ambrose, who is a price specialist
will be present to help the owners
with their problems. All owners