Germany
23 May 1945

Dear Miss Thompson,

Several days ago I received your letter of May 7th.

In answer to your question my address is still the same. The mix up was due to the fact that I was in the hospital several months recovering from wounds.

I rejoined my division shortly after they crossed the Roer River. They were in Munchen-Gladbach. While we were there I visited the country estate of Propoganda Minister Goebles. The Natzies lived very well.

Later we moved on to the Elbe River where we waited the arrival of the Russians. Our Regiment was relieved several days before they got there but we felt very happy to have made it.

We celebrated V-E Day in Bremen by drinking gallons of champagne. We were lucky there as we dug up about 90 qts of it. I am afraid this army is going to give some of us expensive habits.

Since V-E Day we have been wondering just what we are to do next. A lot of our men are undoubtedly going to be discharged as they have been in a lot of combat and have a great deal of service.

The past few weeks we have started the Army Educational program. As you know the idea of this program is to provide a means for the members of the armed forces to adjust themselves to civilian life.

We are primarily concerned with the unit school which will be set up in every battalion. It is so planned that we have a regular school staff recruited from personnel of the organization. I have been made librarian for our unit.

We have been having the men fill out questionnaires which indicate their interests in the program ie. Courses they desire, educational background works they have done and wish to go back to. Some of the results have been surprising and rather discouraging. A large percentage of the men are not interested in improving themselves at all. Usually they are also poorly educated many without a complete grammar school education.

There is however a definite interest in vocational education by most men. The most disheartening fact is though that so many of them seem never to have learned things for themselves or to have the least bit idea how to solve their own social and economic problems. I fear that the schools of our country have a definite challenge in that respect.

Yours,

Edw. H. Cahill