May 10, 12, and 14, 1945

On May 10, 1945, Johnnie wrote a letter to Lucile, sharing the news that he was sending several German items back to the states. He also expressed concerned about his sister’s well-being and the possibility she was facing financial difficulties.

My Dear Darling,

Just a few lines to let you know I am well and alright and hope that this finds you the same. Honey, about the watch I sent to have fixed. Just forget about it. I have another watch. So, put it away till I call for it, OK? Honey, I am sending a German blanket which is new, also I am sending a German rifle and a German bunt pistol. I want you to put them up for me. Not the blanket though. That is yours to do whatever you want to with it. Be sure and let no one fool with the guns. They are not to play with. Or to be messed with. Regardless whoever it may be. I hope you understand, OK? We are not doing much now except guard duty. And getting rested up and I can grant you, we really need the rest. How are the folks there at home taking the ending of the war here in Italy and on the other fronts over here? I guess everybody is pretty happy about it and are praying that soon we will have peace all over the world once more and I just hope and pray it won’t be long off. How is the rest of the family? O yeah honey, how is our bank account? Or rather yours. Let me know. Louise wrote me and said that Kate sent her a letter wanting to borrow some money. She must be having trouble. I hope she isn’t out of a job. Especially with those two kids. I wish you would check up on her and if she needs any money or that you can help her any at all, do so. She’s still my sister and I know you understand. Let me know the result and also if you let her have any money let me know. Well honey, I will have to close for now. But be sure to let me know what the result is of our bank account before you do anything OK? And remember about those guns. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie and Lucile (before the war)

Johnnie’s unit is finally enjoying a well-deserved rest now that the war has ended. In his letter to Lucile dated May 12, 1945, he mentioned craving several sweets—something he likely had not tasted in quite some time.

Hello Babe,

Just a few lines to let you know I am thinking of you and I hope this finds you in the best of health as I am OK. Just wanting to be with you is my only trouble at the present. Well, I guess you want to know what we are doing since the war has ended over here. Well, mostly just resting up and doing a little general duty. O yeah honey, just before we started this last push over here, which ended the war here in Italy and elsewhere, I was at the rest hotel and a buddy of mine took a couple of pictures of me. One isn’t no good at all but the reason I am sending it is to show you one of our rest hotels of our own outfit. Do you think the pictures look like the guy that left you at the train station the last time we were together? I don’t. These pictures were made sometime in March, which are about two months old now. I haven’t heard from you in almost a week now. I hope to get some mail from you today. Say, how quick could you get me a box off? I would like to have some hair tonic because my hair is getting pretty dry. Get some of the rose hair oil if you can. Also, what I would like to have is some marshmallows, which I haven’t had in a long time, and a few candy bars! And whatever else you can think of I would like, OK? Well honey, I will close for now. Tell all the family I said hello. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

We have not been able to verify the specific rest hotel where Johnnie spent time after liberation. However, among his personal belongings, we discovered a booklet titled City Plan of Florence, Italy: Compliments of Fifth Army Officer’s Rest Hotel, along with a placement-style map titled Firenze, which translates to Florence. Below, you will find select images from these artifacts.

Map on the back side of the Fifth Army Officers’ Rest Hotel placemat

 

Enlarged to see ‘Fifth Army’

Johnnie shared a grim statistic with Lucile in his May 14, 1945 letter from Italy—only 47 out of 198 men in his unit were left—some still hospitalized, some back home crippled for life, and many that did not survive.

My Dear Darling,

I received your letter that was written May second. Sure was glad to hear that you are alright. As for myself, I am OK. Yes, I still can’t believe the war is over here. It really seems funny and makes you have some kind of a feeling not to hear shells busting and machine guns firing after being around them so long. Thank God I was spared through all of this horrible war or seeing your buddies getting killed around you or hurt and seeing people suffer as I have. I wouldn’t think a person could stand it all. But there is something in you that just keeps you going. I wasn’t able to write this till now. Because the censor wouldn’t let it go through. But it’s those people back there that aren’t helping in war work or anything to help put a stop to all of this with Japan I am talking about now. They should see or go through the horrors of war and I will grant you they will do something about helping us end it all. Lucile, when I came overseas, I was with a hundred and ninety-eight men which was in my company. And I knew them all pretty well and some of them who discussed their family with me, and their troubles. Well, most of all the old men that came over with me are gone now. Some are still in hospitals, some are back home crippled up for life, and a lot that won’t see home no more. There are just forty-seven men that I came over with left out of a hundred and ninety-eight. We might have won this war with Germany, but a lot of us lost too, right? But they didn’t die in vain or get crippled up for nothing. They just didn’t want their family to suffer like what the Germans did to these people over here. They wanted their family to live without being in fear like Germany had the people over here. I could tell you a lot more but that’s not for me. I just want to forget all of this. I hope you understand me. This picture you sent of Drex looks like the same old Drex to me. He hasn’t changed much at all. He really looked good. O yeah, that gift of your Mother, when I sent it, I was hoping it would get to her around Mother’s Day and yours I was thinking of your birthday. But I see it missed that day a long way off, right? Sure glad to hear that Dot got a nice set of teeth. How does she like them? Well honey, I will close for now. So, keep writing. I can answer any question now as they don’t censor my mail anymore. I think you are swell. And I miss you a lot and I love you a million.

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie in Italy (unknown whether it was taken
at the aforementioned rest hotel)

On May 15, 1945, a mass evacuation began, escorting 18,532 troops and 540 enemy vehicles to Bassano.