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 intrepret from the very yellowed and
faded letter. I think the letter gives some incite 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.
Nello R. Arterburn War Letter
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.
Page
1
May 22, 1945
Tuesday Eve.
Hi Sweet,
I hope you arn’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 kenw 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 theres 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 Sothern 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 overruning 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.
The Envelope
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, Illinois
The return address
is: S/Sgt. Nello Arterburn
05483685
Co. G. 517
Prcht.Inf.
A.P.O. 333 % P.M. New York, N.Y.
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