© 2021 Patricia Jean Patten Evans
All rights reserved
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Dutchie Darling . . . Love, Bob |
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| A Love Story © 2021 Patricia Jean Patten Evans All rights reserved |
| After a month of training in South Wales, the men crossed the Channel to France. Jean’s letters still have not caught up with him and there have been no packages.
He comments that he doesn't care how she manages the money, "as long as there are three square meals a day on the table and that the finance people don’t reclaim their house." Jean managed their money all the way thru their marriage. For a woman at that time in history, it was very progressive of them both to have her in charge of the family finances. Many women of that generation didn't have any knowledge of the family's finances. In the late 70's, when women could have charge cards in their own name and begin to develop their own credit history, Bob encouraged Jean and both his daughters to apply for credit on their own histories. After Bob's death in 1987, Jean was better prepared than most of the women of her generation to manage their investments. He mentions wanting to eat apple pie and angel food cake with fudge frosting. Once he returned home, every year for his birthday, Jean made an angel food cake with fudge frosting. He always loved Charlotte Smith's, his mother in law's apple pie. The letters written between the end of December, 1944 and January 13, 1945 are dirty, wrinkled and smudged. He apologizes in one for the smears, due to melting snow. He has probably written several of these while sitting in a foxhole. He declares his love for her, knowing that he might be killed at any moment, but he can't share that fear with her. According to his discharge papers, Bob fought in the Battle of the Bulge (the Ardennes) and at Rhineland. A history of the 75th Infantry, posted to the internet by LONE SENTRY.COM, covers the history of the 75th. The author shares that on DEC 27, 1944, the 75th was attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps. A message from Major General Ridgway, Corps Commander read: "I want every man imbued with the idea that here in this sector is where the decision of this war will be reached. Every man will contribute his utmost to putting the 75th up alongside the best divisions in the American Army." The 75th 's tradition was ---"Always get There Somehow". |
| 12/16/1944 | 12/24/1944 | 12/25/1944 | 12/29/1944 | 01/01/1945 | 01/03/1945 | 01/05/1945 | 01/07/1945 | 01/10/1945 |