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Letters from Harold J. Dahl

September 3, 1944

PictureThe label that Harold enclosed with his letter
[Saturday]
France, Sept 3rd [1944]
 
Dear Mom & Lou,
The label is from a bottle the Germans left me for the celebration of my birthday [HJD was 31 years old on 9/3/44].  While it was not the best of cognac, it still was a pleasure to have it.  Also I had a real, honest-to-goodness Hershey bar in my PX ration this week and I’m going to eat that later on.
 
I went for water this afternoon so I saw a little of this vicinity and I must say it is the most beautiful country I have ever seen. No wonder they call this “La Belle France”!
 
The news makes everyone talk about prospects of getting home by Christmas.  Let’s hope that one comes true.
 
I was glad to get the Bury’s cookies and the cinnamon the other day.  They are both pretty good.  Yesterday I made a little applesauce in spare time.  It was not like home but it was O.K.
 
It is too bad that I can’t tell you about the places I’ve seen - I hope I’ll be able to remember it all after I get home.  Probably I will, bit by bit.  One day I went thru a town and saw the subject of an etching by a man Mr. Ellerhusen once introduced me to.  It is one of my favorites so I was thrilled to see the original.  And many places are mentioned in Dumas [Alexander Dumas] or have been spoken of by the Van Duynes [Towaco neighbors] so they are like old friends.
 
I know you are thinking about me today as I am of you and home.  Things for the world look better now than they have for many years so that is the best birthday present I could have.
Love
Harold
Thanks for the cards.


​

  • Home
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  • The Unit
    • Overview
    • Mapping The Ghost ARmy
    • Operation Bettembourg
    • Operation Brest
    • Sonic Deception
    • Rosters
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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