"Dear Sallie,
I am truly sorry for not being able to write to you sooner! I hope that you are doing well back at home living safely, comfortably and peacefully. After all, I want you to keep your head up and look forward to the great things tomorrow and many days after in times like these and when this is all finally done and over with.
The horrors of war turned out to have been far more daunting and treacherous than I could have ever imagined at first. In just a quick few seconds, men right before me fall down dead in their tracks as we traveled across the harsh environment of Italy. The land was mountainous, the temperatures were almost unbearable, and to top it all off, we had inaccurate maps to use when navigating the lands- all while Germans constantly served as a risk factor for us trying to get through the country. The muscles of my body ached, and my mentality worsened with each passing minute as this trek exhausts my mental and physical energies, and the injuries that I've sustained(mostly on my arms and legs) I can still feel burning. My ears ring from the weaponry being used, my own heartbeat and gunfire pound my ears, and the smells are revolting. Recently here in Ortona, we had to "mousehole" through walls and buildings because the streets couldn't fit the tanks and artillery. We startled, and even injured some of the families which resided in these buildings, which I do feel guilty for.
Alongside myself in the times of war, I had made friends, learned about them, their families, why they were there, and overall, had gotten to know them. War, however, showed no mercy. It was an unfeeling element that fed on the evil born from negative emotions, opinions, and surely did not have any regards to the innocent who did not wish to partake in it. Among the small talks and even emotional discussions with the other soldiers in the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, I've learned of some of their heart-wrenching stories. One story of which I listened to was of Marlon, a 16 year old boy who needed the funds to support his desperate family consisting of his 9 year old sister and disabled 35 year old mother. He was not eager to fight, and wanted continue his education to become a famous athlete someday. However, war comes and mercilessly wrenches his hopes, dreams, and breath away as he was shot and killed just a few days ago as I was told by another soldier. He did not deserve it. How many other lives that are out there and here in the battlefields looked forward to a brighter future to which happy lives are just what they had wanted for them and their families, just when hatred greedily snatches it all away? What an awful thing born of hatred war is. It will eat away at what sanity you dare keep; there are no proper words to fully describe how terrifying and horrendous it is. At any given moment, an explosion could go off anywhere around you. Another, a bullet or a bayonet could pierce any place on your bodice. Left and right, there are people dying, but you've no choice but to push forward with all of your willpower and strength and fight right back. It is all extremely unpredictable and startling and I wouldn't wish this on anybody.
My heart goes out to all of the brave souls who sacrificed their lives to this cause, and who didn't manage to make it this far. I had known many of them, and may they never be forgotten for as long as I live, and I hope that you will be sure to do the same. We're still fighting, but let's hope to fight until the Germans surrender, which I pray will come soon. Until then, I'll be sure to write to you again, my love.
Love, Kirk"
I am truly sorry for not being able to write to you sooner! I hope that you are doing well back at home living safely, comfortably and peacefully. After all, I want you to keep your head up and look forward to the great things tomorrow and many days after in times like these and when this is all finally done and over with.
The horrors of war turned out to have been far more daunting and treacherous than I could have ever imagined at first. In just a quick few seconds, men right before me fall down dead in their tracks as we traveled across the harsh environment of Italy. The land was mountainous, the temperatures were almost unbearable, and to top it all off, we had inaccurate maps to use when navigating the lands- all while Germans constantly served as a risk factor for us trying to get through the country. The muscles of my body ached, and my mentality worsened with each passing minute as this trek exhausts my mental and physical energies, and the injuries that I've sustained(mostly on my arms and legs) I can still feel burning. My ears ring from the weaponry being used, my own heartbeat and gunfire pound my ears, and the smells are revolting. Recently here in Ortona, we had to "mousehole" through walls and buildings because the streets couldn't fit the tanks and artillery. We startled, and even injured some of the families which resided in these buildings, which I do feel guilty for.
Alongside myself in the times of war, I had made friends, learned about them, their families, why they were there, and overall, had gotten to know them. War, however, showed no mercy. It was an unfeeling element that fed on the evil born from negative emotions, opinions, and surely did not have any regards to the innocent who did not wish to partake in it. Among the small talks and even emotional discussions with the other soldiers in the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, I've learned of some of their heart-wrenching stories. One story of which I listened to was of Marlon, a 16 year old boy who needed the funds to support his desperate family consisting of his 9 year old sister and disabled 35 year old mother. He was not eager to fight, and wanted continue his education to become a famous athlete someday. However, war comes and mercilessly wrenches his hopes, dreams, and breath away as he was shot and killed just a few days ago as I was told by another soldier. He did not deserve it. How many other lives that are out there and here in the battlefields looked forward to a brighter future to which happy lives are just what they had wanted for them and their families, just when hatred greedily snatches it all away? What an awful thing born of hatred war is. It will eat away at what sanity you dare keep; there are no proper words to fully describe how terrifying and horrendous it is. At any given moment, an explosion could go off anywhere around you. Another, a bullet or a bayonet could pierce any place on your bodice. Left and right, there are people dying, but you've no choice but to push forward with all of your willpower and strength and fight right back. It is all extremely unpredictable and startling and I wouldn't wish this on anybody.
My heart goes out to all of the brave souls who sacrificed their lives to this cause, and who didn't manage to make it this far. I had known many of them, and may they never be forgotten for as long as I live, and I hope that you will be sure to do the same. We're still fighting, but let's hope to fight until the Germans surrender, which I pray will come soon. Until then, I'll be sure to write to you again, my love.
Love, Kirk"