On D-Day +7, one week after the D-Day landing in southern France, Dad finally had time to write home.
22 Aug 44 [1,2]
Lt. P. B. Larimore
Hq Co 3rd BN. 30th Inf A.P.O. #3
c/o P.M. NY NY.
Southern France
Dearest Mom.
Just a short note to let you know I arrived in France in good condition. “Having a fine time, wish you were here.” But as you can see by the newspapers we are doing quite well.
We caught them when they wern’t(sic) expecting us, and have kept them on the run. As long as we keep pressing them they don’t have time to dig in, and we can make a good show.
This, compared to Anzio, is the way to fight a war.
The country of France is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful to us. But I can’t see all the starvation that people say there was. Of course the(y) don’t have to(sic) much.
The women still have lipstick, and nice clothes, and plenty of wine. So all and all it’s not so bad.
No mater how late we come through a town moving up, all the people get up and cheer us. When the rest of my baggage come in I will write you a long letter.
Love Phil
~~~~~
[1] Handwritten V-Mail – Original Copy. Not Post marked.
[2] From the cover of the V-Mail: V-Mail service provides the most expeditious dispatch and reduces the weight of mail to and from personnel of our Armed Forces outside the continental United States. When addressed to points where micro-film equipment is operated, a miniature photographic negative of the message will be made and sent by the most expeditious transportation available for reproduction and delivery. The original message will be destroyed after the reproduction has been delivered. Messages addressed to or from points where micro-film equipment is not operated will be transmitted in their original form by the most expeditious means available.
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