Mrs. Philip R. Cohen

Sept. 5, 1944
Sept 10 1944 (postmarked)
France
Dear Mom,

Just a few hurried lines to let you know that I am feeling fine and that all is O:K here.

We have been moving so much and so fast that I feel that I have become a real gypsy. All I need is a violin and an ear for music.

I would like to tell you of the places I have been but because of military importance of keeping quiet you will have to wait until I can. That is the one reason why it is quite difficult to write letters. When things are fresh in your mind you can’t and then later you have forgotten them. At least I have been able to sleep.

This letter in by chance, I will have to save the things you would like to know till later.

I can say that the people so far are delirious in their joy at having the Boches driven out.

The way things are going I hope to be in Berlin before to long. I’d like to be at the opening of the first synagogue there as I was at one in a small town in France.

Give my regards to all and till then I’ll write later. Take care of yourself Love Louie

Mrs. Philip R. Cohen

Sept. 15, 1944
Sept 17 1944 (postmarked)
Somewhere in Germany
Dear Mom,

I meant to write much sooner but as you can understand I have been very busy and on the move so much and so fast that I haven’t had much time to myself. As a matter of fact we travel so fast that I haven’t had any mail from home in about two weeks. I hope you all are well at home. As for myself I am O.K.

As you probably know by now my outfit was the first to get to Paris and we all h ad expectations of staying a little while but that went up the flue. We arrived there on my birthday at noon and stayed till about 8 that evening. We all felt like animals in a circus menagerie as the crowds gathered around and stared, shook hands, kissed and talked with us.

We that evening moved to a suburb and it was there that I attended the opening of a synagogue which had been closed for over four years. It was a real touching and heart warming ceremony and it made me feel very humble to see how people can stand up against all kinds of adversity and still have faith.

We left the Paris surroundings and then went through Belgium where we also were the first to get there.

This outfit of mine is getting in a lot of firsts and I hope that it is the first to be sent back home after this war is over.

I’d like to write lots more but there are things that just can’t be written and put aside (?) other than by voice so I am trying to keep all those things stored in order to tell you of them when I get home.

Please tell the rest of the family that I will try to write them as soon as I can and that it isn’t because I am to lazy that I don’t write them. My best regards to all of them and as for yourself you look well in the snapshots as do the rest of the gang. Take care of yourself As always Love Louie

Mrs. Philip R. Cohen

Sept. 19, 1944
Sept 20 1944 (postmarked)
in
Germany
Dear Mom,

I have been so damn busy I forgot all about the Holy Days and so I wish you and the rest of the whole family a somewhat belated Happy New Year and a lots more of them for all of us.

I have been getting yours and the rest of the gang’s mail a little bit faster lately and so I am about up to date with the news from home but I know I owe the gang a bunch of letters in answer the ones they sent.

I received your package sent out July 16th and everything in it was great. The cookies kept wonderfully well and the boys liked them very much.

I am surprised that you haven’t received the money I sent home about the first week of July! It should have gotten to you a little while back. Maybe by the time you get this it will have arrived.

Tell Ellie I was very much pleased to get his letters and feel awfully about the way the store is perking itself up. As for the tenant in the block you did the surest thing. The difference in money won’t mean much and yet it still gives us an income which helps maintain the building.

As for me over here I am well and with God’s help I hope to stay that way. This is no picnic and we will all be happy when it is over.

Please tell the girls and Sid that as soon as possible I’ll try to write them. Until then to all the family my best wishes for good health and many more Happy New Years.

And you take care of yourself and Happy New Years again and many many more of them.

Love Louie

V-MAIL
Sept 21, 1944
Dear Helen

Have been so much on the move that my time for writing has been very limited. Am well and everything is OK and am happy to learn from you and Henry that both of you and the Kids are well also.

As you know we were the first in Paris. This First Army I am in has been first in a lot of places and I hope it continues that way when it comes time to go home. Please God.

We didn’t stay long enough in Paris to see much of it but at least I can say I was there. Belgium was so much like France that one could hardly tell when he left one country and entered the other.

I hope from now on that I can find more time to keep up with my correspondence. My best regards to all and best wishes for a Happy New Year. Yours Louie

V-MAIL
Mrs. Sam Moskowitz

Sept. 29, 1944
Dear Millie,

Received your recent letter and am very happy to learn that you are all well. I also am fine and everything is going along O.K.

It must be nice and quiet with Rose off to school and Phillip getting to be quite a young man. Of course Sam is busy all the time and if it means that you are able to find time to do lots of things you weren’t able to do before.

How did you make out with the garden?

Did you get enough potatoes to make a couple of good kugels? I could go for one right now. (Don’t rush to mail me one as the Lord only knows what it would look like by the time it got here.) I guess I have written enough baloney for one letter. I’ll write more in my next one before too long. Until then my regards to Sam.
Take care of yourself. Yours Louie
P.S. Have the R’s heard from Humpy?

Mrs. Philip R. Cohen
E.T.O.
Sept. 28, 1944
Mar 17 1945 (stamped)

Dear Mom,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am swell and that everything is O.K. here. I have been getting your letters and am happy to learn that you are all well at home.

It has been rainy and cold here and thus it hasn’t been very comfortable. I am relieved to learn that the hurricane didn’t cause very much damage at home. The way the first reports sounded I though it might be like the last one and that would mean plenty of damage.

I didn’t have the opportunity of attending any services this year and so will have to wait till next year, if god wills it, to celebrate the holy days.

I expect to hear that with the school opening and fall weather that business has picked up good but at least I hope it is that way as I am getting a money order for 25 and will mail it home in a few days. We got paid and money doesn’t mean anything here.

I would like a nice long knitted muffler if you can find one as I think it will come in very handy this cool weather.

How are the shops running at home? I suppose quite a few people have been laid-off due to cutting down on war production. I hope that it won’t take to long to get them working on consumer goods.

I mailed in my ballot the other day and after thinking of F.D.R. all the time my Republican background wouldn’t let me and so I voted for Dewey. I don’t see how he can win but I felt that the war wouldn’t last forever and that it is time to have a new man in charge. Don’t let me influence your vote.

As for the situation here there isn’t much to say except that feeling is running to an early end to this war and I hope it is so.

Not much else to say so give my regards to all the family and as for yourself take good care of yourself. As ever Love Louie.

V-MAIL
Mr. Ellis Cohen

Sept. 29, 1944
Dear Ellie,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and that all is O.K. here. Mom writes me that business is fair. I hope that it is even better as I expect that with election this year the usual business slump is on. I hope not.

How did you do for fall underwear? I suppose you must have managed all right. And did you get the suits worked down some? I don’t feel like coming back and seeing the same dogs on the racks. So if you have to burn the damn things.

Not much else to write at present so my best regards to Mimi and tell Mom I’ll write her in a few days. Also regards to the store help.
Take care of yourself. Yours Louie

V-MAIL
Sept 29, 1944
Dear Helen

What with painters, kids and what have you all over your house, I hope you can find a corner to read this letter. I am fine and hope you are still sane after the hubbub you went thru the past few weeks. I bet your home must look swell. I’d like to spend a few days there with you but unfortunately previous commitments and that kind of bull won’t let me.

It’s getting cold here and the rains came and my can hasn’t dried out yet. So have gotten into long johns which make me feel that I am back in the good old days. To complete the picture I am growing a handle bar moustache and learning to sing “Daisy”.

I hope you have a nice fall season and that Henry is home and the kids all well. That’s about all. As ever, Louie