WW2 Era Letter Typed by G.I. Detailing His Journey Throughout the Country. He details Visiting Hitlers Eagles Nest, Hitlers House, Königsse, and various other places.

[Heartfeltzero]

This letter was typed by a Sgt. Everett L. Howe. He was born on March 4th 1908 in Wakeeney, Kansas. During the war, Everett served with the 52nd Air Disarmament Squadron. Based on what I could find online, this squadron was involved in “Operation Lusty”, which was the United States Army Air Forces effort to capture German Aircraft. The squadron was involved in the identification, testing, and assessment of various German aircraft, including jets and other advanced prototypes, contributing to the Allies' understanding of German aviation advancements.

The letter reads:

“ Kunzelsau, Germany, Sunday Eve.

August 26th 1945

Dearest Honey:
Well how is my Sweetie tonight? I am pretty good. I feel that I sure have neglected you for three days now but I am going to try and do justice in the next two letters any way. Sweetie, I didn't write while I was gone but I kept notes so I could think of it all when I got back here. We got back here at 4:30 and I had four letters August 13, 14, 16 & 17. So I felt that I done real well for something to come back too. Sweetie I’ll start in at the begining and see if I can tell you all of it right now and then later I’ll comment on some of the things you mentioned in your letters today that I got.

See we left on the 23nd at 6:30 and went to Stuttgart to get on the autobahn there. We went on that thru Um, Augsburg, Munich and Salzburg. We made darn good time and the weather was grand. It was cloudy but the sun came out here and there and was just right to travel. After we got to Munich, it was noon and we came on to an air field and we went over there and got our dinner. It was a fighter base with mostly of eighth airforce boys that was sent over from England. From Munich we kinda went more south and went right along the mountains to Salzburg and looked around there and then took off to the south for Berghtesgaden.

As soon as we left Salzburg and see that is in Austria by the way, we went right up a real nice canyon with real nice mountains like we have back home. We went all the way to Berchtesgaden in the mountains. Just after we went up the canyon aways, we run right out of Austria back into Germany again. We got there about 2:30 and went down to the railway station where the army has a place fixed for us to go to get rooms to stay in and eat. We got a good place to eat and the place we got to room in was just fair but just as good as most Red Cross clubs are but we got along.

After we got our room we went back down the canyon and got our gas for the car so we would have a full tank to run around on the next day and came back and it was time for chow by the time we washed up. We went to the Belleview hotel to eat and we stayed in the Bavarian hotel. They are both run by GIs. We went right in when we ate and sat down and they had waiters to wait on us. We had soup and then a regular course and then icecream for desert. It was all very good. After supper we went to the show but I didn't care much for the thing and went to sleep, I was so tired as I didn't sleep very good the night before. We got up the next morning about 7:30 and went and had breakfast about 8:30.

It was cloudy and rained off and on all morning. But we knew that we had to go on just the same as we only had two days to mess around there and it rained on the other fellow when they were down there so we decided to go right on up to Hitler's Hideout. The road that we had to take went right by the place we stayed at. As we went up the clouds seem to open up so we could get a good look at the country side as we went up. We went up right by the buildings and Hitler's home but we didn't stop there and went right on up. As we went by the MP, he asked if we were the only cars that were coming and we told him that there was one more and he said there was no other ones had gone up that morning so he let us go on up.

We went thru the coulds and they opened up so we took a few pictures and we got up to where he had a tunnel that went into a elevater that took him on up to his egle nest but in the door way they had a sign that you will notice in the Yank that said only Field grade officers could go up the thing. But if we wanted to we could walk up and it was raining and did that ever make us mad and I mean mad. We messed around there for a little while so I went on back in the tunnel and started to talk to the MP and he wanted to know if there was any more cars coming up and we told him we were the only ones and he said that he would let us ride up, if we got caught up there just tell them we walked up, so we rode up and look the whole thing over.

The elevator is a long one and a kraut run the thing. It was real nice and the fellows said that you could see six different countries from there on a clear day but it was cloudy and we couldn't see a thing from there. We were there for about an hour and came on down and no officers came so we didn't have to be bothered with them. As we went down we got some beautiful pictures, if they turn out lookin down on the country going over to Konigssee lake. When we got back to the MP there was a bunch of cars with all kinds of officers including Cols and I heard the MP tell them he was sorry but they weren’t letting anymore go up that day but they could walk up if they wanted too. So we were lucky on that. We went down and looked over Hitlers home and all the buildings or rather that were buildings before the English bombed the place and they sure did hit the buildings but they didn't hit the eagle nest.

They said he never had less than a thousand people working there all the time. By the time we got back it was time for dinner so we went to dinner. After dinner the clouds began to break and the sun came out. We went to Konigsse lake after dinner and that sure was nice. We had to go back in the mountaina from the town about five miles and left the car and walked about a quarter of a mile and got on a boat. The mountains and the lake reminded me of the way they were there at the Teton national park. There was some snow on the mountains and they real steep and they came right down to the water's edge. It wasn't very wide but real nice and long.

When we got about half way to the place where got off at St. Bartholona the fellow that run the boat blew a Trumpet and we listened to the echo and it sure was plan. Then we went on to St. Bartholoma and got off and went over to look at it. It is a little Catholic church and it sure was a beautiful thing in side. We were there for about ten minute and then went on up to the end of the lake and turned around and went back. The water was sure nice and clear. They said that it froze over in the winter to about 50 or 60 feet. That seems to me like that is pretty deep but that is what they said. It was nice and clear all the time we were out on the trip and then when we came back we went on another road as we had time before supper and I'll be darn it started to cloud up in this canyon and it rained like everything. It was real nice and pretty.

The houses are real nice down there and they have large eves and are nearly all two stories. On the second floor they have a little porch with a fancy railling on it that comes right out even with the eves and they sure do look nice. I took a picture of them so you could see them so we could have an idea some time if we might build a cabin some time. They don't live in small village so much and are spread out and things a lot cleaner. They remind you of the Swiss more down there and they wear small hats with a feather or some kind of a plum I'd call it and the men wear short leather pants with socks up to their knees. After we had supper, I went to the Red Cross and the other fellows went back to the room and played poker. They had a really nice program that I'd give two dollars any day to see. It was twenty five people that sang and danced Bavarian folk songs and dances.

There were several of them that were movie stars over here in Germany and they got this all up for the GI’s now. They started the program out at 7:30 and it lasted until nine thirty and they were supposed to have a USO Show come in and give something and they didn't get there so one of fellows in the other program played the piano until about eleven when we left so you know they were pretty good to hold the GIs that long and every one liking them. We got up the next morning about seven thirty again and went and ate breakfast and then went to what they call table top mountain and went up it in a car drawn up with a cable. That was the only thing we could find that we could spent any money at all. That cost us two and a half marks apeice. There were sixteen in the car and that sure was a nice ride. It went right up and I mean up and we rode right up under a big cable. When we got up there we could sure look all around and it reminded me of when we have went up and there at Bear Lake and then look down in the valleys and country sides. We could see Salzburg from there too. By the time we got back from there and back to the hotel it was time to eat dinner.

Then after dinner we took out for Austria and rod all afternoon and got back just in time for supper. We went to Salzburg and went Volkstom or some name and then to Gmund and then back to Ciejel and Salzburg and back to our hotel. When we went, we went right along the edge of the mountains and it was rolling and when we started back we went right in the mountains and up a valley and was the lakes beautiful, the mountains too. It reminded me of the mountains and the trips we took around there at home. We went 268 KM and there is 5/8 of a KM to a mile so you see how far we went.

The fellows were all good to go with and they liked to just ride and see and there wasn't a thing you could buy or drink and that sure did make it nice. I went to the Red Cross again after supper and they had a small program put on by some GI’s that was pretty good and then I got back to the hotel about ten and went to bed and we got up this morning about the same time and ate and was on the road about 8:30 for camp. It was a nice cool day to ride and we got back at 4:30 and I read my sweeties letters and then ate chow and the fellows were going down town to take a show so I went and now I am all and hungry for my sweetie, and I mean hungry.

After I read your letters Long came over and started to talk and wanted to know if I had heard the latest. Right after we got in, there was a radio gram came in wanting all the fellows that had 85 and over points names into the group by Tuesday morning to make up a list of fellows to start back Wednesday. See he has got 91 points by having two kids so that puts him over the hump and he is almost ready to go nuts and sat right down and wrote his wife. After we talked a little bit he wanted to know what was the matter with me and if I didn't have a very good time or if something was wrong. And I told him I had a good time but I was home sick when I got back here and read my Sweeties letters and then he telling about him going home made me more than ever home sick. See he came in the army after I did and he came over the same time and it sure does hurt to think like he gets to go back and I don't. See he has two kids. I am glad to see him get to go back but that doesn't make me not want to go back with him.

Sweetie I have a little surprise. I wish I had have had my good jacket on when I had it takon. I had it taken the day I went over to see Hicks. I didn't know they were goint to get their pictures taken and I would have a chance to have mine taken or I’d have worn my Ike jacket that day but it turned out real nice I thought. Sweetie I didn't sleep very good last night and I am tired and I have quite run down as yet but it is late and you don't mind I'll quit for this time and then write some more tomorrow and comment on some of the things you wrote in the letter I got today. I forgot I got a letter from Dales and I haven't read it yet. So you see how you rate. My Sweetie is always first in my mind and everything.

It is ten now so I'll close for now. Sweetie I sure do love you so much and I sure am in hopes that things will end up for here this month and we will be on our way by the first of next month so I'll be with you. I sure do feel home sick for my Sweetie and our home tonight. Like you say that sure is going to be the day in our life when I get back and we get to living again. Well Goodnight Sweetie and may God bless us both and take good care of us both and see this guy home for sure by the first of November with his Sweetie. Sweetie I sure do love you and I sure did think of you all the time on our trip and wished for you. I sure hope you are well and everything is going alright and you will forgive me for not writing while I was gone.

Your Sweetheart,
Honey. “

The back of the photo reads:

“Some of the fellows in the squadron. The guy in the lower left happens to be me.”

Everett would soon return home to his family. He would pass away on [May 24th 1999](Everett Lee Howe (1908-1999) - Find a Grave Memorial) aged 91. He is buried at the Riverside National Cemetery in California.

[helmet2id]

With the advent of e-mails and electronic communication we have lost these amazing primary sources of history. I was lucky enough to fall in to a cache of letters saved by the parents of a GI who was killed in France, letters from the soldier's army buddies, a condolence letter to his parents from the family with whom he bivouacked in England during the buildup for the Normandy invasion, friends of his who wrote to his parents for various reasons. An amazing window into the past, touching, heartbreaking. We have lost all of that. Thanks for sharing this. Jim G.

[Heartfeltzero]

That’s awesome!

And no problem! Always happy to share.

JB