Branson Van Fleet

ASN:35891712

Excerpt from 319th Newsletter - October 1968

Sorry I’ve put off writing for so long but I assure you I have enjoyed receiving the “319th News” and reading items of the various fellow members.  The letters have refreshed my memory of many persons and situations that I hadn’t thought of for a long time.  The address you have for me is wrong – although the local P.O. has always forwarded your mail to me.  I seem to be pretty much of a stay-at-home but surely would enjoy seeing any of the fellows if ever in this area.  Branson Van Fleet

Diary Below

 1945

Feb 6 Moved from position from German border back to Abby Chateau Fontaine. Now we are billited in Chateau for a day or two of rest.

Feb 7 Cleaning up gun. Got rations. Taking showers at Stavelot. Wrote mother.

Feb 8 Left Abby Fontaine for Aachen. Was all nite on road because of bad roads. Froze all nite, slept in a hayloft.

Feb ? Left Aachen for new position 24 miles in Germany. Seen Sigfred line, went in position where 460 pt artillery was so far so good. Lt. Vilesko (Velasco on February 9th) wounded at CP.

Feb 10 Raining and miserable. Payday today. I drew five thousand eight hundred + 84 franks. Belgium Frances sent 50.00 home. Paid off my Paris debt.

Feb 11 Moved to new position about 1000 yds up. Done without breakfast till 12 o'clock, than ate two meals together and got a headache. John Q birthday, 33 years old. (reference to John Qualls) We have nice shack and really need it, for it is snowing and blowing.

Feb 12 Another good day for Hitler, rained all day Stabenow(Raymond) left for Paris. Three eggs this morning. War will be over soon.

Three letters today Flasch is playing his accordian and here we are some setting around the old auxiliary gas tank, we made a stove out of two old tarps and its raining and blowing and am expecting it to fall in any minute. It's a heck of a life and I am getting tired of it. We had church services today.

 Feb 13

Blue Danube a song I hope will last. better day. We did a lot more firing than previous days. Received one letter and Journal( Caldwell newspaper).