Postmark: 09/02/1944

Return Address:

Pvt. V. Misitano
Co. A. 350th Inf APO 88c
c/o Postmaster N.Y.

Aug 30, 1944
Italian Rest Camp

Dearest Mother,

    Just a few lines letting you know that I'm O.K. and in the best of health and hoping that all at home are the same.

   Mother, today I received a nice long letter from you and enjoyed reading it very much. It was the one you wrote on the 14th in ans. to my V-Mail and Air Mail letter that you received from me that day.

   In your letter you told me about Tony just going back for camp. I hope he had a good time while he was home.

   You also told me about receiving a souvenir from Phil from England. I sent you a cross mother, that I bought at the Vatican City, but I guess you didn't receive it yet. I also sent one to Rosie but she never said anything about receiving hers yet either and it seems mine would get there before Phil's would because I sent it before he was in England, but I guess that mail is running pretty slow from here.

   In your letter was the pictures you had sent me, that were taken while Tony was home on furlough. The pictures really are nice mother, and I always wanted a picture of just you and daddy.

   Mother, about Joe being in a non-combat unit and still wearing a star in his ribbon is probably because when he first came to Italy he was in the Infantry and probably got it there. When he found out that I was fighting, he wrote and told me that it looked like I was taking up where he left off, and that gave me the idea there that he was no longer in a combat outfit, and then every Red Cross I'd try and locate him by would tell me that they couldn't locate his outfit and that was because he's way behind the lines. And then I asked a fellow from another eng. outfit if he know where Joe's outfit was and he said that it was a non-combatant unit but didn't know where it was. But mother, until you find out different, that so far is good news to me and I know it is to you.

   Mother, about the star and combat badge I got, well, I had to laugh about what you said about all you know about them, but then about Rich's wings, and his mother not even knowing that he's connected with the air corps really made me laugh. When I come home mother, I'll tell you all about my star and badge.

   Well mother, I guess this is all for now so I'll close with lots of love to you mother dear, daddy, Pauline and the kids.

   Your loving Son,

"Jimmy"

P.S.

   I haven't received the pkg from Pauline yet, but I guess it will soon get here. That's one reason why I don't like to ask for pkgs and that's because it takes so long for them to get here.

   Love, Son,

"Jimmy"

Rest and Training

Declassified Headquarters Reports, 350th Infantry, August 1944:

A day of rest was had by the regiment on 20 August with religious services held throughout the day.

The following morning, the combat team started moving with the first group leaving at 0230. The road followed was sixty miles long and quite dusty, but the convoy arrived on time, in orderly fashion and with no accidents; the last group closed into the new bivouac area at 1230. While in this area the regiment operated as a combat team in the Fifth Army Reserve. While in this area all troops received four hours training and four hours of swimming and supervised athletics daily.

August 22 to 31: Emphasis was placed on training of the individual soldier and finally developed into squad and platoon problems being presented before a selected group of officers who acted as judges; squad and platoon were started on 28 August and continued until the last squad and platoon had finished the course.

Through these last eight days organized athletics developed morale to its highest state, as schedules were played and a great competitive spirit was noted.

The close of the month finds the health and morale of the troops at a very high level. All personnel of this regiment are again looking forward to closing with the enemy and hastening the termination of the war in Europe.