Letter #48 from Wilbur C Garner 1 December 1944

XIX Corps attacked for the line of the Roer. The enemy had had time to dig in well, and the resistance they offered was bitter. But the Divisions of the XIX Corps, working under the Corps plan, refused to hit him where he was strongest, by frontal attacks on the line of low ridges parallel to the river. The 2nd Armored lashed out northeast with crushing power, overcoming the muddy terrain and inferiority in tanks by sheer fighting guts. This attack drew most of the German armor, and the enemy threw in the best he had. Against the 2nd Armored he threw the 9th Panzer and the 15th Panzer Grenadier, but the 2nd Armored and the Corps Artillery and Tank Destroyers knocked out 118 of their tanks. As the armor flanked each ridge, the attached infantry cleaned out the Germans from its flanks. At the same time in the center the 29th drove east toward Juelich. Meanwhile the 3rd Panzer Grenadier and elements of the 116th Panzer Division smashed at our right flank where the 30th Division turned them back. By the 28th of November all three divisions were at the Roer, and the plans for crossing were begun. Higher headquarters had to hold up any such operations until possession of the Roer River dams was assured. With these dams under German control a wall of water could be sent down the Roer to wash out any crossing operations, and isolate our bridgeheads beyond rescue. So the Corps held at the Roer to wait for the dams to be taken.     (Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

                                     
S/Sergent Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK2c
Supply Department
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, 6, Minnesota

U.S.A. "Somewhere in Holland"
1 December 1944

Dear Sis,

How is Henri these days? I've heard tell of people getting letters mixed up but that is the first time I've experienced it. Well OK let me in on it. So you are worried about Henri. Have you heard from him yet?

I got a letter from Mother, Souil and you all dated 26th-28th of October and a letter from Gwen dated 16th Nov. Gwen is still feeling fine. I told you she expects the baby about the 8th of February. Gwen is hoping it is born on the 14th then all three of our birthdays will be on the 14th. Gwen's Birthday is 14th October. She is also hoping it is a boy. If a boy we are naming it Wilbur C. (Charles) Garner, Jr. I've suggested several names, if a girl, but we haven't decided about that yet. 

I saw the picture "Janie" last night and that was a really swell picture. I enjoyed it. It sorta took a guys mind off of the war for a few minutes.
I hear the Army-Navy game is being played in Baltimore this year. Boy I'd like to be back there to see it. I'm glad you will be able to get home for Christmas. I'd call that very fortunate.

I'm glad to know that Souil & Harriet have been able to find a nice place. I guess she thinks she is up in the top bracket. Spending the winter in Florida. Well it is much better. Harriet was lucky to get a job there also. Well more power to them. I don't know but I imagine Souil will be coming over some of these days, if it is only after it is all over.

Thanks for sending that stuff for Gwen. I'll see that she gets it.
The weather has been fairly nice here lately, I mean for 24 hours. Darn fortunate if it is nice for any longer than that at one time. A little sunshine looks good once in a while. I guess it has gotten rather cold where you are now.

Well, Sis, I guess I'll close for now and hope to hear from you soon again. Take it easy on that Christmas leave. How many days did you get? Let me know how Baltimore looks. Goodnight for now.

Loads of Love from Gwen and me,
Bill
P.S. Got any more of those good nuts or sardines or cheese. Thanks

Letter #47 from Henri C Romieux 22 November 1944

Again assigned to Admiral Barbey's assault force, the troop ship steamed to Aitape, New Guinea, where she loaded elements of the 3d Battalion Landing Team, 172d Infantry Regiment, 43d Division, U.S. Army. Getting underway on 28 December 1944, John Land rendezvoused with other warships in Leyte Gulf and proceeded through the Philippines to Lingayan Gulf.  (DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060)

H. Romieux, Sk2c USNR.
USS JOHN LAND
C/o Fleet P.O.
San Francisco, Calif

Mary Garner, SK2c USNR
C/o Supply Office
U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION
Wold-Chamberlain Field
Minneapolis, Minnesota 

22 November 1944

Mary Dear,

Just received your letter and of course as usual was looking forward to it and am now happy again. And for your information and guidance I will tell you — that I am not going to worry about 'from that point of view' as you say, and what ever gives you the idea that I will ever want you to forget ma any way? I guess I at least will have something to say in that regard, or won't I?

Yes I too am damn glad the election is over and now maybe, the politicians will leave things alone and the war can go forward without them very nicely. Since in the service especially - I find politics in these days most disgusting to say the least. Would say more but I know it would never in the world pass these censors, so that will have to do for the present - but just you wait till this thing is over and the enlisted man can put some pressure on politics. (yes the enlisted women too, of course- I did not mean to slight you all.) 

Had a letter from Mother at the same time as yours too and she has been visiting my brother in Scarsdale, NY but by now is back in Ontario with her niece and believe she will stay there through the winter, which I believe is the best place for her and where she will be the happiest I know. 

Yes I can just see you doing the shopping for the baby things and getting a big kick out of it. So your mind is really made up and you don't plan to get out if you can in January - well if that's the way you feel that's the thing to do, otherwise you would not be content with yourself. You speaking of the first snowfall and I know you don't like it a bit - but I wish I was there as that is just what time of year I really do like in Minnesota - guess its just born in me, but I never could live where there is snow all year - I really like the cold too, if I don't have to stay out in it too long, of course.

No your guess is wrong about November, but I still have hopes before too long. Thanks for offering to get Mom something for Christmas, but as she is in Canada and there is always the nuisance of customs duty, I thought best to send her a money order which I did a week ago. 

Well dear, just in case you don't get any more of my mail till the holiday time - here is wishing you the Merriest Christmas of all and I hope you have a nice time with your folks at home. Keep those letters coming along - cause I just thrive on them - really -

Loads of love and then some,
                                        Henri

Letter #46 from Wilbur C Garner 22 November 1944

Planning for the drive across the Roer was well under way in the Corps when the German counter-offensive in the Ardennes forced a postponement, and finally a change to the defensive for the first time since the Corps had come into action in Europe.
(Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

S/Sergent Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270 c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK1c
Supply Department
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota

U.S.A. "Somewhere in Holland"
22 November 1944

Dear Mary,

Well one more Christmas away from home. Just a little note to let you know I'm OK. Haven't heard from you lately.
Here's hoping we will all be able to be together for next Christmas. I'll be thinking of you all.

Merry Christmas and God Bless you,
Lots of Luck and Love from Gwen and me,

Bill

Back of Card

Letter #45 from Wilbur C Garner 17 - 19 November 1944

More enemy armor fell before the attacks of the 29th and 30th. Captured German staff officers were unanimous in their praise of the tactics employed in this Corps drive - complaining that they were constantly confused as to the direction and strength of the effort by our refusing to plunge head-on into their planned defenses, and by our unexpected maneuver and feints. Model tactics executed by hard fighting veteran troops crushed one of the enemy's most concentrated efforts since D-Day, and by the 28th of November the 2nd Armored, 29th and 30th Divisions were on the Roer River. Some Germans held out in the Sportsplatz of Juelich, and a little pocket in Hasenfeld Gut farther north. These pockets took a few more days of desperate in-fighting to eliminate.(Text from the Corps Newsletter "The Tomahawk Strikes" From Siegfried line to victory)

Making the Army's main effort, General McLain's XIX Corps was to prepare plans for seizing a bridgehead over the Roer River at Juelich. In line with the mission of protecting the First Army's left flank, General McLain was to make his main effort close alongside the First Army. (Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

S/Sergent Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK2c
Supply Dept.
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota

U.S.A. "Somewhere in Holland"
17 November 1944

Dear Sis,

Good afternoon, kid. How are you doing these days? Boy I sure hope you've been getting my mail better than I've been getting yours. I haven't had any mail or packages from home for about two weeks now. I know it is tied up here on the continent though because Gwen writes every day and I haven't received any letters from her for almost the same length of time. I can't give you any news of her? Gwen was fine on 27th of Oct.

Have you received the small bottle of perfume I sent you? It was a bottle the Colonel brought back from Paris. Boy I sure hope you receive it in good shape. I got a bottle for Gwen too. Hers was a little larger.

How is the weather out your way these days? I imagine it has started to get rather cold. It has not been so cold here but it has been nasty and rainy.

"Somewhere in Holland"
19 November 1944

Hello. I didn't get a chance to finish this letter the other night but will before I go to bed tonight. Boy I feel fine tonight. I finally got a letter from Gwen dated November 3rd. There are six before that one, that are still missing. Gwen is feeling fine, "I'm feeling fine-never felt better in all my life", which is just how things should be. And if it is double trouble honey - just you look out - when I meet you again - for not warning me!! There are twins in her family also and due this generation. Ha! ha! Wouldn't that be something? What a man. Well we shall see. Gwen is very anxious for time to pass quickly so that we can get back to the States.

Well kid I'll close for now and hope to hear from you real soon. No mail from the States for a couple of weeks. Got any more nuts or canned meats/ Boy sure could use some. So long for now. Take it easy and don't work too hard.

Loads of Love from Gwen and me.
Bill

Letter #44 from Wilbur C Garner 11 November 1944

Jumping off on the 16th of November, the 29th and 30th infantry and the 2nd Armored Divisions drove forward over the flat, scarred, muddy countryside against desperate German resistance made from long prepared defensive positions. To halt this drive the German's command committed his best - 9th and 15th Panzer Grenadier Divisions against out left flank and 3rd Panzer Grenadier and elements of 116th Panzer Divisions on our right, together with three infantry divisions. As an example of the intensity of enemy resistance, the 2nd Armored Division and Corps Artillery and Anti Tank units knocked out 118 German tanks in badly defeating the 9th Panzer and 15th Panzer Grenadier Divisions. 

(Text from the Corps Newsletter "The Tomahawk Strikes" From Siegfried line to victory)

S/Sergent Wilbur C. Garner 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK2c
Supply Department
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota (6)

U.S.A. "Somewhere in Holland"
11 November 1944

Dear Sis,

Howdy stranger. I received your letter of the 16th Oct. today and sure was glad to hear from you once more. It has been about 2 weeks since I got any mail from the states. I got some mail from Gwen about 4 days ago but that must have piled up someplace also. I know what happened the Air Mail, They sent it by boat.

I sent you a small bottle of Gardenia perfume from Paris. It is supposed to be the real stuff. I believe it was Corday's stuff. I hope you get it OK and like it. I'll be looking out for those six packages you said were on the way and let you know how they arrive.

I went around town today looking for something to send home but all I could find was a small pair of wooden Dutch shoes. I'm sending them to Bernard & Jane. I've sorta neglected them. I hope they like them.

How is the weather out there? It is rather chilly here. We had our first snow this week. It didn’t amount to much but surely made it miserable and uncomfortable for the boys. You asked me if I could use a sweater, yes if it is not too heavy to wear under my shirt. It will probably be a nice cold winter and I'll sure be glad to see spring once more.

Well, Sis, I guess I'll close for now. It is 9:45 P.M. and I've finished listening to the Army Notre Dame football game. Army sure plastered them. So long for now, if you have any more sardines or canned goods you can send them along. Incidentally how about a jar of mayonnaise. Mother sent me some ham spread. Thanks a lot. Good night.

Lots of Love and Luck

from Gwen & Me,
Bill

The little wooden shoes Bill sent home from Holland

Letter #43 from Henri Romiuex 7 November 1944

Anchoring in San Pedro Bay on the 14th, her boats unloaded all troops by that afternoon and the transport retired to Manus, arriving there on 20 November.

H.C. Romieux, SK1c USNR
USS JOHN LAND
C.O Fleet P.O.
San Francisco, Calif

Mary Garner, SK2c, USNR
c/o Supply Office
U.S. Naval Air Station
Wold-Chamberlain Field
Minneapolis, Minnesota 

7 November 1944

Mary Dear,

Just received your letter which as usual was most welcome. No need to worry about the likes of me cause as you know I'm always fine and not a thing will happen to me. I appreciated your little narrative regarding the fifteen cows, and have come to the same conclusion as you — how about the cost of the cows? All sounds good though with but a few exceptions. The price of milk might drop by that time and only bring in $2.50. Then what would we do? And why the 25% discount by that time? Please let me hear further in this regard. Well at last, sounds to me like your working in an old folks home, or just about at any rate if that is what has become of the Naval Air Station. Sounds logical though. Do you plan to stay there or are you going to get transferred? Better stick around don't sound like such a bad place after all.

At long last the Navy Censors have become a little more lenient in what we can converse about now so here goes.- Have seen quite some of the Pacific by this time. We participated in the invasion of Saipan and Tinian. Have been on the Marshalls also Guadal Canal and New Hebridies. 

We also participated on the invasion of Palau and later on the Phillipines at Layete. So as you can plainly see, the war has progressed in a large way since yours truly took an active part in it, how about it? 

However in all my wanderings have not had a decent liberty, so might just as well be stuck on any one of these desolate places as far as that goes. These invasions are really like a picture show and hard to believe. One can just look out and see the battles going on step by step and still be almost an outsider in a way, or at least a spectator. Those capital ships of ours sure did throw in the works at Layete. It is hard to see how a single thing can survive after such a shelling.

Well dear you know I sure am getting homesick or something and hope that maybe some way or another I'll get back to good old U.S.A. for a little spell before too long. But at that I would not have missed all this for anything.

Will say good nite for this time and go get in my sack, as it's about that time.

Much Love
Henri

Forgot to tell you but we carried the Phillipine President and cabinet to Leyete also saw with my own eyes Doug. MacArthur go ashore.

Letter #42 from Wilbur C Garner 2 November 1944

The main effort of the American Army in the Fall campaign was centered farther south, but when the jump-off came in the middle of November, XIX Corps attacked for the line of the Roer. The enemy had had time to dig in well, and the resistance they offered was bitter. But the Divisions of the XIX Corps, working under the Corps plan, refused to hit him where he was strongest, by frontal attacks on the line of low ridges parallel to the river. The 2nd Armored lashed out northeast with crushing power, overcoming the muddy terrain and inferiority in tanks by sheer fighting guts. This attack drew most of the German armor, and the enemy threw in the best he had. Against the 2nd Armored he threw the 9th Panzer and the 15th Panzer Grenadier, but the 2nd Armored and the Corps Artillery and Tank Destroyers knocked out 118 of their tanks. As the armor flanked each ridge, the attached infantry cleaned out the Germans from its flanks. At the same time in the center the 29th drove east toward Juelich. Meanwhile the 3rd Panzer Grenadier and elements of the 116th Panzer Division smashed at our right flank where the 30th Division turned them back. By the 28th of November all three divisions were at the Roer, and the plans for crossing were begun. Higher headquarters had to hold up any such operations until possession of the Roer River dams was assured. With these dams under German control a wall of water could be sent down the Roer to wash out any crossing operations, and isolate our bridgeheads beyond rescue. So the Corps held at the Roer to wait for the dams to be taken.
(Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

Bill and buddy Herleen Holland October 1944

Benny Henderson Herleen Holland 1944

Buddies Herleen Holland 1944

Castle Neubourg, Holland Command post for US Army's XIX Corps

S/Sergent Wilbur C. Garner, 33377528
G-1 Section. Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W Garner, SK2c
Supply Office
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota

U.S.A. "Somewhere in Holland"
2 November 1944

Dear Sis, 

Well what do you know, Sis? How has the world been treating you lately? I hope not too rough. I haven't heard from you for about a week but thought I'd write you a few lines tonight.
Well one more month has passed and that means we are one month closer to getting home once more. That will really be the day. Its hard to realize just what that day will be like. 

I hope Gwen will be able to be in the states by that time. She is looking forward very anxiously to meeting the family and setting up a home for me in the states.
 
It has been another beautiful fall day today, rather chilly though. I dread to think of winter over here because I'm certain they are long and drawn out. 

I got a letter from Gwen today and she is feeling fine. She asked me to send you her love. I'm enclosing a replica of my insignia and a little card I think you will get a little laugh from. 

I thought it was rather cute. I sent one to Souil & Harriet & one to Gwen. I'm going to enclose one in my next letter to Dad & Bernard.
 
Gee it is a beautiful night tonight. The moon is very brilliant.

Well, Sis, I guess I'll close for now and hope to hear from you soon again. Say, Sis, if you can find anymore of those good salted nuts, I'd like to have some more. 

Well I'll say goodnight for now. 
Take care of yourself.
Loads of Love from
Gwen and Me,
Bill