arterburn war letter

I often read in the Ben's 517th E-mail that many relatives wonder why our father's, uncle's, grandfather's, etc. did not discuss their experiences in the war. In searching through my Mom's papers, I found this War Letter sent by my father to my mother towards the end of the war. My father and mother have both passed away and I believe they would approve of sharing the contents of this letter with members of the 517th family. I was born on December 21, 1944 at the time the 517th was beginning the "Battle of the Bulge". Below, I have rewritten the letter as close to the original spelling and wording as I can interpret from the very yellowed and faded letter. I think the letter gives some insight into what was going on with the men of the 517th. My father was known to be a relatively quiet man and not one to show his emotions. He was always in control, never cursed but loved challenges and was very athletic to the day he passed away at age 65 in 1985. I have also attached a WinZip File of the scanned original letter which you may publish on the 517th web site.

The following are the words of Nello R. Arterburn sent in a letter dated May 22, 1945 to his wife Dorothy M. Arterburn (Schaumburg). The original letter was written in pencil on 6-1/2” by 9” paper stationery and consists of five pages. The letter was sent from somewhere in France at the end of a long campaign by the 517th Parachute Infantry Division. The letter is reproduced here with punctuation and spelling as accurately as can be determined from the original letter.

	The envelope is postmarked May 24, 1945 from the Army Post Office with a Red, White and Blue striped ‘VIA AIR MAIL’ pasted across the postmark. An orangish yellow embossed 6 cent U.S. Air Mail Postage stamp is in the upper right hand corner of the envelope. The embossed stamp is a one inch circular stamp with the outline of a single wing piper cub type of airplane in the center. The letter is addressed to: Mrs. Nello Arterburn 322 East Oak Street Watseka, Illinoi The return address is: S/Sgt. Nello Arterburn 05483685 Co. G. 517 Prcht.Inf. A.P.O. 333 % P.M. New York, N.Y.
	Page 1 May 22, 1945 Tuesday Eve. Hi Sweet, I hope you aren't angry with me. I have had a pass, or rather a furlough, I went to nice for 7 days. I got back last night, it sure is a swell place to go, on this side of the water. They have swimming, Boat riding, and trips around in that section all sponsored by the americans. It was a pretty nice furlough but would have been much better at home. O well maby I will get to come home one of these days. O by the way our mail isn’t censored anymore, except Just spot censored once in-a-while, so we can write
	Page 2 II anything we want too. So I am going to tell you a few things, This is one thing I can write better than I can tell you and I would rather you wouldn’t ask me about them when I get home. I had rather not talk about it. You understand don’t you sweetheart. Well we left Camp Patrick Henery for overseas, May 17th. 1944. and reached Naples, Italy May 31th. we went into combat June 17th. and fought for 14 days then came back to Rome, Italy and got ready for a Jump, we left there and went to an air-port. about Aug. 12th. And Aug. 15th. About 1-o.clock in the morning we
	Page 3 III loaded into planes, and took to the air, at 4:30 we Jumped, and we fought all through Southern France, up until about the middle of Nov. we had lot of rough going, I had many of close calls I said a many a time some-one must be praying for me, and I knew there were. I’ve seen a many of them get killed, I wont name any of them because you wouldn't know them, except one You remember Goswick don’t you the one that drove the car for us when we got married, He got shot in the back, when he fell, he said “They got me,” and the same day in about an hours time they got (4) of my men
	Page 4 IV O there's lots of times Sweetheart when it was hard going, I might tell you all about it some times when I’m in the mood. Well after 97 days of straight fighting in Southern France, we went to Belgium, and fought all through the Bulge, and lost lots of men there, and then went to Germany, and fought for about a week, and lost most all of our men, then we came back through Holland, and to France and got ready for three more Jumps, But thinks to Gen. Patten for overrunning them, we didn’t have to Jump. now we are in Joigny France, waiting and wondering where we are going to the South P. or the the U.S.A.
	Page 5 V We don’t know yet where we are going, I hope I come home but don’t get your hopes up to much. Say you kind of miss figured my points, I have 83 to bad I couldn’t have 2 more little points. if you want to count them, I had 34 mo. Service, is 34 P, and 12 mo. Overseas, is 12 Points, 4 Battle Stars is 20 P. a Bronze Star is 5 P. and a child which is 12 Points, how many is that? Well Sweetheart that is enough about me. How’s my love one and the big boy, I sure wish I could see my little family. well take good care of yourself and Micky, and maybe I’ll see you soon, I don’t know. Stay sweet for Daddy, and be patient, I’ll be home to you some day. I hope. So long Sweet, With all my love, Nell.

P.S. My father referred to his son (me) by the name of Micky in the letter. Originally, my mother and father named me Micky (I have a baby bib with this name on it). When my father returned from the war in 1945, they changed my first name to Michael. My middle name is Nell after my father.

Michael Nell Arterburn
Eldest Son of Nello Renic Arterburn, Ssgt, 3rd Bat., Co G.
210 Marywood Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Capt Mike
CaptMike97@aol.com