Wwii 102nd Infantry Division Letter With Battle Content. For Sale

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This isvery interesting original WWIIletter, written inGermany on the 5th of May, 1945,by an Americancombat infantryman. There is excellent content in this 2 page letter, including segments about guarding German prisoners, andalsoabout the anticipated surrender of Germany.There is also excellent content about the effectiveness of German artillery and tanksin battle. This soldier writes of one battle in particular, at Loverich (in November 1944). He writesoffour soldierswhohad brokendown completelyas a result ofGerman artillery fireduring the battle and whohad to be evacuated, and ofa fifthsoldier who had shothimself in the foot during the same battleso that he too could be evacuated.

There is much more. This soldier was expecting to be redeployed to the Pacific. Heknew that the Japanese were very good soldiersbut he expected that fighting them might be easier than fighting the Germans,principallybecause the Japanese had less artillery than the Germans:

"The German 88 was a damneffective weapon... I don't think the J_ps, or us as far as that goes,have anything to compare with it as an all purpose weapon. In case you didn't know, it could be used in direct or indirect artillery fire, as an anti-aircraft weapon or as an anti-tank gun.

When we talk about our rough times in the E.T.O. we never fail to mention Loverich, which was our toughest and most gruelling fight. Early the first morning we moved in there the company was subjected to direct fire from tanks mounting 88's. They really plunked them in all around us and it was just an act of God that no one was hurt, though three had to be evacuated at the time because they blew their tops, and after we pulled back out of that place another broke down, and a second shot himself through the foot.

I knew after that I could never be bothered by shells, because they couldn't come closer than that and not drop into the hole with me. I was picking shrapnel out of my pants 'till hell wouldn't have it.

As I say, the J_ps just don't have artillery in quantity like that, and while they are good, thorough, and instinctive soldiers, they haven't got the Kra_t brains or equipment, nor the Kra_t's knowledge of the various ways to dupe the Americans."

*** The letter was written by Private First Class Paul A. Pfretzschner, who served inCannon Company, 406th Infantry Regiment. There is interesting biographical information available online about Paul Pfretzschner, wholater became a prominent law professor.

There is much more. Pfretzschner believed that the war would soon be over, probably by the time this letter reached it's destination. He hoped that the Germans would not be able to establish a final line of resistance in the Alps, whichmight potentially be able to hold out for months:

"I dare say that by the time this reaches you hostilities will have ceased in Europe, for after the surrender of the Germans in the North, and in Italy a few days ago, I scarcely see how there can be anything but token resistance in Austria and Norway to battle. News reports today say that the 7th Army has met very little resistance in it's drive through Austria, and that is the area to watch, for if the Kra_ts manage to hole up there it might take a couple of months to root them out."

Pfretzschner explains that he was guarding a hospital in which a number of wounded German soldiers were patients:

"At present I am in a German hospital. Now don't get the wrong idea right away. I'm not a patient in the place, I'm guarding it. You never can tell what the army will have you doing next, but in our area here there isa Kra_t hospital with something like thirteen Jerry soldiers recuperating in it, so pending their removal from it Cannon Company is stuck with the job of guarding the gate to keep any of the amputation cases from running out the front door - or the diptheria cases from jumping out of their beds and rejoining their brothers at the front."

Pfretzschner wrote this2 page letter onthe 5th of May,1945.The letter istypewritten. It comes in it's original censored cover.

An excellentoriginal WWIIletter, written in Germanyin December,1944, by a combat soldier in the 102nd Infantry pays shipping, $1.50 in Canada, $2.00 to the United States, $2.50 Overseas. Shipping costs maybe combined with my other sales ending in the same week, as far as package size and weight permit. Payment must be received within 5 calendar days of the end of the sale. The winning buyer must contact me within 2 days of the end of the sale. I accept Paypal only. Thank you.

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This item has been shown 65 times. Wwii 102nd Infantry Division Letter With Battle Content.: $88