February 27, 1944 – Dad writes home from Anzio

Published by Walt Larimore at February 27, 2024

From February 23-28, the 3rd Infantry Division continued to hold on to all positions and the usual aggressive patrolling was carried out. … The enemy was shifting considerable strength … in preparation for a huge attack. It would occur on February 29. Five German divisions against one U.S. Division. The Germans chose the wrong division to attack. But, more on that in a few days. Before the attack, Phil wrote home — twice.

27 Feb 44

Lt. P.B. Larimore 0-511609, A.P.O 15148, c/o Postmaster New York, N.Y.

Dearest Mother;

At last I get a chance to write. But I don’t know what about. There just isn’t much that I can say. I sure do wish my mail would start coming. I expect I will be getting some in by the middle of the month. At least I hope so.

I guess one of the best things about this place is the food in the officers mess. We eat very well, so much better than I expected and have steak some times. You can always buy fresh fruit or run out to a tree and pick some.

I have had quite [a] time visiting around to places. I will be able to tell you about them in later letters but not now. I wrote June, Marilyn & Eloise a note on the boat over here but I don’t guess they will get them for some time yet.

The paper always seems out before I do but maybe I’ll get better before long.

Your son, Phil

UNDATED, Anzio Beach, Italy

Dearest Mother & Dad

Don’t know if I will be able to fill all this but will try hard. Will try to tell you about the outfit I am in. The 3rd Division is made up of troops from the West Coast (or rather it was when they first came over. The 30th Infantry is mostly Calif men and officers. It has been (the 30th Infantry) the lead outfit into every fight the Americans have been into in this part of the world always spearheading for the rest of the troops. Of course there have been many replacements, in both the officers and men so now there are few men left that have been over all the time. Out of the 26 men I am supposed to have in my platoon, of which I have 8 privates and 3 non-comms, five of them are old men that hit the beaches in Africa.

Major Bacon commands the 3rd Battalion is my C.O. [commanding officer] and a darn good one, but he is a very tough man and very hard to get along with. When he gives you a job to do, it’s a sure bet that you had better get it done, cause there is no mercy for you if it isn’t done. He isn’t to[o] young but not too old either, I would say somewhere in his middle 30’s.

Captain Boddy is one of our staff officers. He is from Calif also. He used to command one of the Inf Companies, but was so good they brought him up on the staff. He knows his work well. He is a swell officer.

I am hoping you got my letter asking for candy. Call up Eloise and ask her what it was she sent me for Christmas, then make me about 4 pounds wrap it up well so it won’t get busted up and send it on.

Don’t even worry about smokes or writing paper because we can get all we want here. In fact except for candy we can get most of any thing else.

We eat better that we should for the position we are in. Arty [artillery] is all the time killing a cow, so when we start running out of meat, we just keep our eyes open. When we see a cow fall over one of our boys who was a butcher runs out and does the work. Then we have fresh meat for a while longer. Nice steaks 2” thick and all the other stuff.

Not too long ago we killed a pig so we had ribs, pork chops and ham for some time. We get bacon in the cans that come in our rations.

In fact we have very good rations. We get can[n]ed roast beef, beets, corn, beans, stringed beans, pork. We are trying to get fresh fruit but so far haven’t had much luck. Maybe after we move inland further we will be able to get that stuff. Oh yes we do get canned grapefruit sometimes.

As yet I still haven’t gotten a letter, but I am sure my mail is coming out to you. Bet when my mail does get here there will be a lot of it. Hope I will be able to find time to read all the darn stuff.

By the time you get this it will be April and from the time you get this it will be only a month until you go to Gulfport for Marilyn[’s] Graduation. Boy how I would like to be there. Wish you would buy her something very nice for me and give it to her?

That starts me thinking how much money do I have in the Bank? I must have at least $200. By the time I get back maybe that can be built up bigger. After I get $500.00 in my drawing account, open me a savings account and every month put in it $100.00. But be sure and keep $500.00 in my drawing account.

Well honey I must close now and get to work. I miss you all but we will be together before too long. Write when you can.

With all my love, Phil.