July 23, 26, 28, August 1 and 2, 1944

Johnnie wrote a V-mail to Lucile on July 23, 1944 and asked that she treat herself with money he sent her.

My Dearest Darling Wife,

Just a few lines to let you know I am well and hope that this finds my Baby the same. I am so sorry to hear that you lost so much sleep here lately on account of staying with Grandma. I hope you get rested up good before you go back to work. Have you ever received the money I sent you? I don’t want you to put any of it in the bank. I want you to use it on yourself on whatever you need. I hope you like the pictures of me I sent you. You know I am getting pretty old looking here lately and I doubt if there can be any changes made, Ha Ha. I guess you will just have to bear with me, Ha Ha. I will close for now. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie in Italy

Johnnie’s July 26, 1944 letter to Lucile was written on American Red Cross stationery. As usual, he was concerned for Lucile’s health, as well as the health of another family member.

My Dear Darling

Received two letters from you today telling me that you have received the pictures I sent you. I am glad you like them. Honey, by the time you get this you shall have the money I sent you, being as things are in such bad shape it will help you some. Darling, this picture of you I just received, you look so tired and worried and your face looks so thin. Gee honey, please watch your health and take care of yourself. I wouldn’t know what to do if anything happened to you. You have just got to believe me Lou. God knows how much I love you, and how many times I have told you that. So, honey please take care of yourself for me. Will you? I am glad Doc and Mom like the picture also. Give them my love. Honey in this letter I just received from you, you said Drextel was in the hospital. But I have never got a letter from you saying what was wrong with him. I guess this letter just beat the other one that you wrote telling me about his sickness. I am sure to get it in a day or two. Tell Nell not to worry about Robert. He must be OK. I am sure. Darling about you and me talking about the baby, you know what I mean? You are right I guess, so let’s forget about it, my mistake. So sorry. Will close for this time. I miss you a lot Darling and I love you a million. 

Always Johnnie

Johnnie sat down at noon on Saturday, July 28, 1944 to write Lucile. He was not happy about the mailman back home that day.

My Dearest Darling,

Received a letter from you yesterday with the pictures of your Mother, Aunt Agnes and Grandma. They are really nice of all three of them. I understand about you not writing me here lately on  account of Grandma. I just pray that with all you have been through that you are alright. I am sorry to hear about Woodrow. I hope he is much better now. How is Frances and the baby? I haven’t heard from them in a long time. I guess the reason you can’t find that piece in the paper I want is because they might have stopped it. Lou, that mailman is crazy about you not being able to send me a paper over here on account of my A.P.O. number. The reason I say that is because Dad has been sending the Journal to me all the time. You can’t listen to them guys, they will tell you anything. The reason is they don’t want to be bothered with it if they can get out of it. I just wish some of these guys in the States had to go through what we have too. Some of the others don’t even know what war is like. It really burns me up the way some people are taking this war. Well honey, I will have to close for this time. Thanks for the nice words here at the end of your letter about the way things may be after the war. I miss you a lot Darling and I love you a million.

Always, Johnnie

Woodrow and Frances (Stacks) Oglesby (Johnnie’s brother- and sister-in-law)

The Regiment moved again on July 30, this time to an area near Volterra.

Volterra is in the vicinity circled in red. Source: https://mapcruzin.com/free-italy-maps.htm.

During the month of July, 28 Silver Stars (2 posthumously, 1 missing in action), 114 Bronze Stars (3 posthumously, 2 missing in action), 192 Purple Hearts, 7 Clusters to Purple Heart, and 486 Combat Infantryman Badges were awarded. There were four casualties from German anti-personnel mines. The Regiment now consisted of 170 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3452 enlisted men.

Click here to read the Operations Report by the 337th Infantry Regiment for August 1944.

Johnnie was still using the American Red Cross stationery when he wrote Lucile on August 1, 1944 in which he was not very happy with his sister. 

My Dear Darling,

I received a letter from your Mother today, and one from Evelyn. I was very disappointed in not getting any from you. I haven’t heard from you in almost a week now. Your Mother’s letter got to me in twelve days, not bad is it? Evelyn wrote me an eight-page letter and what she said in it really burnt me up. It was mostly about her and Bill, and her getting a divorce from Ray. Honey, I hate to say this about my own sister, but she did wrong to Ray. And she will have to pay for it some day. I hope you get what I mean in this letter Lou? I am glad now you didn’t go down. I wrote her and told her what I thought about how she did Ray. I really told her too. I am never going to Miami again. Well it’s getting where I can’t see what I am writing. Will close. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

Evelyn and Johnnie

If Lucile were alive today, Johnnie’s comment in his August 2, 1944 letter about her being a woman might not go over so well. But in this case, she was probably just happy to hear from him and to know he was alive.

Please excuse envelope

My Dear Darling,

Receive letter from you today, also one from Dad and his wife. Sure was glad to hear from you after not hearing from you in ten or twelve days. Honey, the reason I wrote Dad to get me a pipe is being he knows a lot more about good pipes than you do. I know you would try and get me the best you could. But being as you are a woman, all pipes look the same to you, Ha Ha. Am I not right so please don’t be mad about it. I will write Dad and tell him the reason I wanted him to get it instead of you. I wouldn’t want them to get the wrong impression of you. You have done wonders for me, in case I have never told you, and you are above everything else, regardless of what it is, and as long as I know you are for me, that all that matters. Honey, you can send me four packs of Prince Albert pipe tobacco and some of the cheese crackers, and homemade fudge candy. The reason I haven’t been asking you to send me things is I know you are low on money and haven’t been working here lately. I am sure by the time you get this you will have the money I sent you and it will help you out a little. How do you like the way I end my letter to you since I have been over here? I mean every word of it to. You have never said anything about it. Well, as this is all the paper I have I will close for now. I miss you a lot Darling and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie