Dec. 6, 1944

Left the United States at 4 p.m. out of Boston aboard the ship, West Point. It was a very nice ship. We had no other ships with us and so we traveled very fast. Leaving the states was a very hard thing but I know that we will come through everything alright and we will get back to the good old U.S. someday.

Dec. 7-15, 1944

We are on the high seas and much to my surprise the water was very calm. The men were seasick the first few days. the trip back home will be much better I am sure. There were plenty of P.X. supplies aboard the ship and the boys had a grand time standing in line buying smokes and candy. The men roamed the decks or had a good case of bunk fatigue. There were so many officers crowded in a cabin that it was almost impossible to move. Did you ever try to put six men in a room a little larger than a closet? Had lots of fun with nurses aboard the ship. Dec. 14th saw the "Rck of Gibralter" in all its glory.

Dec. 16, 1944

We arrived at the port of Marseilles at 8:00 in the morning. The sight of land after so many days at sea really looked good to everyone. The port was really torn up and I don't believe it was all by us boys. This was our first sight of a war torn country and it will be a lasting impression.

Dec. 17, 1944

We landed at 2:30 a.m. from landing barges, and then trucked to a staging area (C.P.2). It was a cold day and I will never forget the fact that we had to sleep on land until daylight and then we had to set up a city of tents.

Dec. 18, 1944

It's raining and it's very muddy, etc. This is to be sunny France but it looks like whoever said that was all wet. Two men were sent to sick hospital: Pvt. Edgar R. Gougeon, Pvt. Melvin C. Holtrof.

Dec. 19-22, 1944

Today we got our first pass to Marseilles. Boy are we seeing France's misery and corruption. We still live in a city of tents. Some of the troops have left for the front by way of train. We rode in 40x8 and we were packed like a bunch of fish. The cars are very airy and this led to a great many colds. On our trip we passed Valance. Pvt. Jim F. Lantz was injured (L.D.)

Dec. 23, 1944

Today we left for the front by way of motor convy. We stayed at St. Lambert. It was really a very small town. From St. Lambert we took a train to Lyon.

Dec. 24, 1944

It's Christmas eve. What a way to spend this day of all days. We convoyed in trucks to a public park in Dijon. No pass, no fire, plenty of snow and to top it all we had to sleep in the trucks. "Merry Christmas". We didn't stop in Dijon to long and not too much later we were in Nancy.

Dec. 25, 1944

Christmas Day- traveling on. Convoy to a French Barracks at Baccaret. Not good, but then not bad. Co. arrived at a brickyard in Gries, in Alsace-Lorraine.

Dec. 26, 1944

Convoy arrived in Gries and spent the night there. Boy, is it cold out. I dread th thought of having to go into battle at this time of year. As a matter of fact, it's a hell at any time of the year.

Dec. 27, 1944

The Exec. Officers moved the companies to the front by platoons. It was a march of eleven miles, to within 1,000 yards of the Rhine River. That march was really rough. We arrived at Wantzenau at 8:30.

Dec. 28 - 29, 1944

Our Co. C.P. is in a farm house.Our front is very quiet. I can only hope that it stays way for a very long time.

Dec. 30, 1944

We traveled in a motor convoy from the front to a school house at Schirrhoffen.

Dec. 31, 1944

General Orders - 275th Honor Roll