The following letter was published in the West Schuylkill Press-Herald of Tremont, Pennsylvania in July 1944.
It was written by Randolph Umbenhauer of Pine Grove Township who was serving in the 83rd Division of the US Army on the front lines in France during the Second World War. The letter was addressed to the Pine Grove manager of the Press-Herald, Horace Reber.
It relates some fascinating anecdotes, including a meet-up of two Schuylkill County soldiers near the front lines, when they spoke in the Pennsylvania dialect of German known as Pennsylvania Dutch.
Somewhere In France
July 19, 1944
Dear Mr. Reber:
I guess this is a surprise to you, for this is the first letter I am writing to you since I am in the Army, and I am in the Army 23 months. I want to thank you and your staff for sending me the [West Schuylkill] Press.
It takes about four weeks for the paper to come over here, but I am really glad when I get it. It is like a letter from home. I can read about the men that are over here in service and back in the states.
The other day while I was at work somebody said ‘Hello, Umbenhauer.’ I looked around and who stood there but Paul Zimmerman from Pine Grove. I went over to him and then we started to talk the good old Pennsylvania Dutch and we talked for almost three hours. We were talking about the people back home.
There is only one boy in my company that I knew before I was in service, and he is Lawrence Tobin of Tremont. He is with us since we were stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. From there we went to Tennessee, then up to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, from there we came over to England. Stayed in England for a few months, then came to France.
I was in the front line and was wounded on July 5th. Stayed in the hospital for 7 days. Just before I left the hospital they gave me the Purple Heart Medal.
I am sending you some French money. It is two 100 franc bills and one 10 and a 5. The 100 bill is supposed to be two dollars, and the ten is twenty cents. The five is ten cents. Now you can see how money is over here. It is nothing like our good old U. S. A. money.
I guess I must close for now. Again I want to thank you and your staff for sending the Press. Wish you all the best of luck.
Sincerely yours,
Sgt. Randolph Umbenhauer.
Umbenhauer was wounded again while in the service. He fought his way through Europe and returned home to Schuylkill County in October 1945.