Dec. 24, 1944

Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel,

Tonight is Christmas Eve, and this is the big holiday of the year in Belgium. New Year’s Eve is not celebrated here, and, therefore, the night before Santa makes his popular visit garners the number one spot.

However, Belgium is very serious tonight, as she has been for the past few days. With one eye, the people will be enjoying the gaiety and the festivities, and with the other they’ll be watching all the doors and windows for fear that the Germans may return. The Germans are now in their front yard, and they know it only too well.

Atrocity stories are reaching here, intensifying their trepidation. Meanwhile, the parties and dances continue, with cautious people attending.

I recently received a sleeping bag. It is a nice, handy item to have on a cold night, although our rooms are presently well-heated.

Received a letter from Jerry which took an awful long time to get here. He was about ready to go on combat missions, and, perhaps by this time, he has had a taste of it. He praises his pilot, but he’s not so keen on the other members of the crew. His brother Murray is doing fine and has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal and the Second Oak Leaf Cluster.

Jerry is in a Liberator, and I hope he’ll be all right. I’ll be sweating his missions out with him. I know he’ll pull through.

Love,

Don