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Letters from Harold J. Dahl

November 15, 1942

PictureHallie Paul's portrait of Harold Dahl
Courtesy of Janet Freeman Dahl
U.S. Army
Fort George G. Meade, MD.
Sunday
[November 15, 1942]
 
Dear Lou,
​
Got your letter today - we get mail on Sunday around here.  It has been a quiet week-end spent preparing to leave tomorrow morning.  We are not going far away & will be on the rifle range during the day, which should be interesting. I only hope I shoot a good score and keep up with the other Towaco boys.
 
This morning our Tech. Sergeant, who happens to be Hallie Paul, painted a portrait of me, using a knife from the kitchen instead of a brush.  Up close it looks awful - but from a ways away it is remarkable.  I’ll be bringing it home after it dries. 
 
I’m glad you took the camera up to H. & F. [Haber & Fink]. -Terry showed me the pictures you sent him - I got mine & will have instructions to add. -As for me, I’d like you to get a few enlargements of the head & shoulders of the one of me alone. Send one to Mr. Ellerhusen [HJD’s sculpture teacher], & if the first couple are good it might be a good idea to get several more to keep around - also Norman & George [Dahl - brothers] might like to have copies.
 
We didn’t need any eats this week - the barracks was full of food to say the least.
 
I spoke to Clint [Scilapoti] today to congratulate him on the birth of his new son.  If we get back in time I may get part of Sunday off in which case I’ll go down to see him.
 
We are all excited about the news of Africa, it makes quite a difference to have some offensive action under way.  Funny thing - we have all along had a hunch that Africa would be our spot.  Next week we get bayonets and start training with them.  Just another thing to clean, says I.
 
I am enclosing a clipping about our Colonel - save it for my scrapbook, will you?
 
Well, I’m going to run off now to see if I can find Terry re the picture. I’ll add a P.S.
 
I guess you & Mom won’t hear from me for a week or so, now - but I’ll tell you all about the bivouac when I get back.
 
Harold
 
P.S. Terry has marked the ones he wants & I have too - also he put in the dollar - let me know how much more Terry’s cost.

  • Home
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    • Mapping The Ghost ARmy
    • Operation Bettembourg
    • Operation Brest
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    • Honoring the Dead
    • Secrecy and Leaks
    • Links
    • Photographs
  • Archive
    • Archive Overview
    • Official History
    • Selected Interviews
    • Curtis Collection
    • Nussenbaum Scrapbooks >
      • Nussenbaum Book 1
      • Nussenbaum Book 2
    • Dahl Letters >
      • Training in the USA
      • Overseas
      • Back in the USA
      • Postscript: Love and Loss
    • Tompkins Diary
    • National History Day
    • Selected Documents
  • Gold Medal
    • Overview
    • What Can I do ?
    • Letters of Support
  • About Us
    • Board
    • Contact
  • Donate
  • Multimedia