December 1944--Rumors of German Counter-attack

December 2--Drove up to Doason, which was just taken the morning before.  Dead Germans were lying in the streets.  They hadn't been dead long--their blood was still red.  Saw lots of German prisoners.
December 5 & 6--Got up at 4:30 a.m. and drove to a new area in the town of Kindmiller.  The next day, I drove to Pleophefen, then back to Obermodern.  There I saw the tallest man in the world--he is 8 feet, six inches tall.
December 8--Drove up to Engmieller and past Gumbrechtshafen, which is 100 yards from the Front Line.
December 10--Drove the Colonel around all day.  Drove past Gum to two kilometers from the town we were taking.  I drove up as far as I could drive and watched the tanks come out of the town.  I saw the Infantry move up and take the town.  I drove until dark.
December 12--Moved up to Woerth.  Saw four German tanks that had just been knocked out.  All the Germans were dead inside the tanks.
December 15--Drove to a new position in Birlenbach.  I got lost coming up and got on a bad road and broke the back axle of my Jeep.  Walked into a room of a house nearby, and there was a First Lieutenant dead on the floor, killed by a mortar shell.
December 21--All indicators are pointing to a strong German counter-attack.
December 24--Moved to Wissembourg.  We got pushed back by the Germans, and had to move back to Birlenbach (to the rear).
December 25--Day off.  See personal letter below.
December 26--Ten percent of the Battery went into the Infantry (two from our section).
December 27--Drove up a road to find an Observation Point.  Ten minutes later, another Jeep came behind me and caught on a trip wire, and set off a mine.
December 30--Drove all day.  Planes strafing and bombing all day.

Letter Home From Robert to His Family:  "December 7, 1944--Dear Folks--This evening, I received two packages--one from Uncle Lonard, and one from you. In Lonard's package, there were two pair of white socks, a pair of garters, hankies, three bars of soap, candy, peanuts, gum, and cough drops. Then I opened your package-Oh! You had it wrapped up so very pretty, and the card was beautiful, too.  The writing paper is what I really needed, and the soap and candy were great.  I was just wishing that I was opening up my packages at home, where I could really enjoy them. Three years ago today, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  We sure have come a long way since then. 

Letter Home From Robert to His Family:  "December 25, 1944--Here it is Christmas evening, and I am on duty here in the office from 6-9 p.m. I got a package from the Great Northern Railroad--it was a very large package.  In it was a jack knife, playing cards, a cribbage board, a fruitcake, candy, toothbrush, shoe polish, a dictionary, and a world map.  Love from Your Son, Robert"

Tallest Man in the World