REGENSBURG
We arrived at Regensburg, Germany on the 30th day of April, 1945 to set up our hospital on the banks of the Regen River which is a tributary of the Danube River. It had been a short rip by ambulances and aside from a little dust and dirt and a few anxious appetites everything was up to par. The advance party had a come a few days ahead of us to make the place more livable. To see the nurses come tumbling out of the ambulances with excess baggage, buckets, mirros, hat boxes and boxes of food is really one sight to be seen. Where did they ever collect such a conglomeration of "junk"? It isn't much of a surprise to see the extra food, for that is saved up for these trips from delicacies sent from home. As long as other food is obtainable, the Army C and K rations remain untouched.
We found, upon our arrival, that the nurses would occupy a house and the enlisted men and officers would live in tents along the banks of the river. I guess they though the ground to boggy for the nurses. The fact that we had waded around in mud for two months back at Clervaux must have been forgotten or perhaps this was to be a reward.
For a few hours there were many disgruntled looking faces and somewhat rebellious, too. That didn't last long though and after a good meal everyone was in good spirits and ready to "pitch in". There was some skepticism amongst the nurses about living sandwiched between German families. This was something new! The families had not all departed from the apartment houses and cartloads of personal belongings were still in the process of being hauled away. Since the indoor "water closets" were the cause of many unpleasant odors, the usual latrine was erected in the back yard. The famous "Lister Bag" was hitched to a tree in the garden.
Allow me to introduce "Cup Cake" who is a small white bunny with blue eyes belonging to one our nurses nicknamed "Bunny" who also has blue eyes. Bunny's (the nurse, I mean) eyes were quite pronounced for she never hops out of bed without first curling her eyelashes. Yes! We all had and still have our own idiosyncracies. It is what makes the outfit "Tick".
"Cup Cake" usually received a fond greeting from everyone. There were time when she would escape from her orange crate with it's slatted roof and scamper about the apartment, leaving a trail behind her. One day she was found peacefully snoozing on a pile of clean underwear. That day, little "Cup Cake" was put back into her box pronto.
The nurses who occupied the kitchens (w had to use all the available rooms) has quite an advantage. A few of them even tried out their domesticity on some pies. It must be a well-formed American habit to eat before retiring and we never shirked on that deal. If there wasn't any other food left, the trusty old K-ration biscuits would appear.
Much to the chagrin and annoyance of a few nurses, bed bugs were found and the rooms had to be fumigated.
During our stay one of our members took a trip to Rheims and married her favorite boy-friend. A wedding within the unit is always quite an event for more than the usual amount of apparel must be borrowed and everyone is ready and willing to help.
Down along the river bank other activities transpired. During time off duty, much time was spent in absorbing the sun's rays. Some went swimming while others went boating.
About two weeks after our arrival we didn't think there would be any more river bank for the stream started rising rapidly inch by inch. We all wondered whether the storms would be abated or if we would have to move out. Sunny days appeared again and everything was all "rosy".
Daisy mae, a curly-haired, white and tan spotted dof, of Brest ancestry, had a litter of five pups and there was a well-beaten trail to see Daisy and her family. Now, Mike was the aristocrat of the dog pound and belonged to Headquarters. It wasn't an unusual sight to see Mike and Calvados chasing birds or aeroplanes, or everything that had the power to fly. Incidentally "Mike", "Calvados" and "Daisy Mae" were all acquired by the 107th at Brest.
On the 8th day of May we were greeted with some very good news. V-E Day was at hand. Yes! It was the best news we had heard in a long time. Even before V-E Day bells stopped tolling, rumors were thick as fleas on a dog's back as where we would go or just what would happen to us.
Even though the war was over in Europe we had some of our busiest days on duty. Soldiers were being brought in for those concentration camps of horror. Despite all we had seen previously of war's horrors, this was the worst. To see someone half-starved and sick really tears at one's heart strings.
About every fourth case which was admitted to the hospital was an S.I.W. (self inflicted wound) case. This all happened after V-E Day. It really looked as though the soldiers had more time to play with German souvenirs which they knew little about. Too, we admitted a number of civilian children who were victims of German booby traps and mines.
It is one great feeling to have had the war over here rather than in our own Unites States, when one sees all the destruction, starvation, with the ever present disease and filth which follows war ravaged towns and cities. Yes, I for one, am glad I'm an American and will some day go home! While at that delightful River Bank set up, we serviced mainly the 20th Corps.
We found, upon our arrival, that the nurses would occupy a house and the enlisted men and officers would live in tents along the banks of the river. I guess they though the ground to boggy for the nurses. The fact that we had waded around in mud for two months back at Clervaux must have been forgotten or perhaps this was to be a reward.
For a few hours there were many disgruntled looking faces and somewhat rebellious, too. That didn't last long though and after a good meal everyone was in good spirits and ready to "pitch in". There was some skepticism amongst the nurses about living sandwiched between German families. This was something new! The families had not all departed from the apartment houses and cartloads of personal belongings were still in the process of being hauled away. Since the indoor "water closets" were the cause of many unpleasant odors, the usual latrine was erected in the back yard. The famous "Lister Bag" was hitched to a tree in the garden.
Allow me to introduce "Cup Cake" who is a small white bunny with blue eyes belonging to one our nurses nicknamed "Bunny" who also has blue eyes. Bunny's (the nurse, I mean) eyes were quite pronounced for she never hops out of bed without first curling her eyelashes. Yes! We all had and still have our own idiosyncracies. It is what makes the outfit "Tick".
"Cup Cake" usually received a fond greeting from everyone. There were time when she would escape from her orange crate with it's slatted roof and scamper about the apartment, leaving a trail behind her. One day she was found peacefully snoozing on a pile of clean underwear. That day, little "Cup Cake" was put back into her box pronto.
The nurses who occupied the kitchens (w had to use all the available rooms) has quite an advantage. A few of them even tried out their domesticity on some pies. It must be a well-formed American habit to eat before retiring and we never shirked on that deal. If there wasn't any other food left, the trusty old K-ration biscuits would appear.
Much to the chagrin and annoyance of a few nurses, bed bugs were found and the rooms had to be fumigated.
During our stay one of our members took a trip to Rheims and married her favorite boy-friend. A wedding within the unit is always quite an event for more than the usual amount of apparel must be borrowed and everyone is ready and willing to help.
Down along the river bank other activities transpired. During time off duty, much time was spent in absorbing the sun's rays. Some went swimming while others went boating.
About two weeks after our arrival we didn't think there would be any more river bank for the stream started rising rapidly inch by inch. We all wondered whether the storms would be abated or if we would have to move out. Sunny days appeared again and everything was all "rosy".
Daisy mae, a curly-haired, white and tan spotted dof, of Brest ancestry, had a litter of five pups and there was a well-beaten trail to see Daisy and her family. Now, Mike was the aristocrat of the dog pound and belonged to Headquarters. It wasn't an unusual sight to see Mike and Calvados chasing birds or aeroplanes, or everything that had the power to fly. Incidentally "Mike", "Calvados" and "Daisy Mae" were all acquired by the 107th at Brest.
On the 8th day of May we were greeted with some very good news. V-E Day was at hand. Yes! It was the best news we had heard in a long time. Even before V-E Day bells stopped tolling, rumors were thick as fleas on a dog's back as where we would go or just what would happen to us.
Even though the war was over in Europe we had some of our busiest days on duty. Soldiers were being brought in for those concentration camps of horror. Despite all we had seen previously of war's horrors, this was the worst. To see someone half-starved and sick really tears at one's heart strings.
About every fourth case which was admitted to the hospital was an S.I.W. (self inflicted wound) case. This all happened after V-E Day. It really looked as though the soldiers had more time to play with German souvenirs which they knew little about. Too, we admitted a number of civilian children who were victims of German booby traps and mines.
It is one great feeling to have had the war over here rather than in our own Unites States, when one sees all the destruction, starvation, with the ever present disease and filth which follows war ravaged towns and cities. Yes, I for one, am glad I'm an American and will some day go home! While at that delightful River Bank set up, we serviced mainly the 20th Corps.