So here is another letter from our research project to 1st Lieutenant Orvin E. Nelson from the 10th Infantry Regiment. In this letter you’ll read that he was in the 28th Division before joining the 5th Infantry Division. After his basic training he joined A Company of the 110th Infantry in 8 Nov 1942. On July 6 1943 Nelson joined the Officer Candidate School, but he got his overseas order in October 1944. Two months later, on December 10th, he got his first action with M Company of the 10th regiment.

The previous letter was written on Dec 12 and should give you a general idea of how our 1st Lieutenant (then 2nd) felt at the time. We were clearly able to see that he was holding to his wife as a sign of hope. Nelson loved his wife Jeannette very very muchIn the first letter, written on December 17th, this factor is still clearly visible. At the time of writing the Battle of the Bulge had begun, but the 5th Division was positioned near Saarlautern at the time and was preparing to cross the Saar river there.

His letter reads:

Dec. 17, 1944

To the sweetest wife in the world who I love so very very much.

Darling, here it is another Sunday. And it’s still a working day over here. No matter what day it is dearest, my love is still with you. Oh you/see honey, but I love you so very much. Mama., they just don’t come any better than you. Dearest, we have been so very happy together. We sure were met to be married honey. You me? were really met for each other. See darling I’m so in love with you. And dear, I miss you so. Dear, I could go on & on just telling you how much I love you & miss you.

Honey, I went back to the rear today, and dearest I just stopped to think I could be in the same position way back in the rear if I had stayed with my old 28th as an E.M. (Enlisted Men) But then I figure honey that I am doing a way better job where I am now at now. I have more responsibility anyway.

Last night, all the officers had to go to an old beer salon & have a get together and it was almost 4 black down the street. And you know honey we have blackout & dear you have to watch your step. You just have to feel your way along. The beer they have is way flat. I guess it came from Metz. 3 of us had one glass & shipped out & came back & hit the sack (bed to you honey)

Honey, I wish you could see me now. I’ve got my hair cut way short. You never did like it that way did you honey?

And honey, I have my doubt if it will grow back in the same way you last saw it. But this way, I don’t have to comb it or nothing. And my pants are too tight for me. Besides my long johns taking up room. I’ve gotten fat. Dear it’s hard to believe, but we got better chow here than I did back in the states. Steaks tonite, but we had some weinies this noon. And there is plenty of it too.

Well dearest, there is no more news, so I guess I’ll close for now. Keep up with the news honey & watch the 5th Div & especially the 10th infantry. Bye for now dearest & honey remember that I love you with all my heart, and I’m thinking of you every ?single? minute. Don’t worry dear, just pray for me every night. Tell Popp hello + Pet Mitzy

Your loving husband, Orvin/Jim

As you can see the sentence between the red question marks contains some dots and red words. I wasn’t able to figure out what he was saying here. So feel free to comment the actual words written by Orvin.

I hope you liked this other letter written by Orvin E. Nelson. His words are a real inspiration to me and I think his letters should be read by thousands of people across the world.

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