#may 1944

[bleedingcoffee42]

May 3, 1944 Easy Company Roster. Winters Files, Winters Personal, USAHEC

[theworldatwar]

An Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) Churchill tank with petard mortar. The projectile used for blasting gaps and holes in buildings and defences can be seen in the picture - south coast of England, May 1944

[blackcatfilmprod]

Shoutout #HappyBirthday🎂 to George Lucas.

[hjmarseille]

L–R: Freddy Crouch, Jock Cree, Lieutenant Nobby Clarke, Duggie Pomford and Doug Wright have a breather on boat during their destructive campaign of piracy in May 1944. (Courtesy of the SBS Archive)

Photo and caption featured in The SBS in World War II by Gavin Mortimer

[theworldatwar]

Polish soldiers throw grenades at enemy positions - Monte Cassino, May 1944

[hjmarseille]

May 1944: Martin Conby, John Lodwick, Sean O’Reilly, Hank Hancock, Tig Harrison, (middle) Lynch, Porter Jarrell, Mick D’Arcy, Bartie, Jock Cree, Grainger Laverick, (front) Malorie, Patsy Henderson. (Courtesy of the SBS Archive)

Photo and caption featured in The SBS in World War II by Gavin Mortimer

[wellmeetagaiin]

An original 3 page Will and Testament from Lawrence Wild, dated  May 19, 1944. It was sent from the Headquarters of the 405th Infantry in regards to his affairs before getting sent overseas. He died some a little less than a year later on April 22, 1945.

[wellmeetagaiin]

A letter from Lawrence Wild (February 22, 1921 - April 22, 1945) to his wife, Dorothy (Dot) Wild (née ; Sundstrand) dated May 18th, 1944. These are unique in that Larry was killed in action at 23 years old. 

Of note, in this letter he describes seeing the death of another soldier. 

Transcribed under the cut.

5/18/44

        Dear Dot,

        Here I am out in the woods. We have been out since Saturday, I mean Monday afternoon. 

        We have been [??] a problem. We are off til this afternoon, then we start again. We have been doing a lot of hiking. We hiked about 20 miles yesterday. 

        Yesterday one of our men was killed. He fell on some T.N.T. He was ripped all apart. He was a swell fellow. Everyone liked him.

        How is my doll, baby? Are you well? I have not heard from you all week. 

        Is Sandy well? has she been sick? I miss her very much and love her. Is she walking yet? I hope I see her before she starts to walk. I wish I was there so I could teach her to walk. 

        It is hot now. It looks like we’re going to have rain [???] night. 

        We go out this afternoon til 5 o’click then we have off til morning. Then we start more problem. Boy I am so tired of them. 

        There goes a lot of [???] past now. They are on a hike. They look so tired. It’s hard walking in that sand. 

        Well darling I guess I will have to close now. Its soon time to go. 

        [???] I got a letter from my brother. Boy was I surprised. 

        Sending all my love to my darling wife and baby. 

        All my love, 

           Larry

Love. Kiss

xxxxx

xxxxx

xxxxx

        Hope I get a letter from you today. I miss you so much and love you.