From his high school graduation in 1941 to his
discharge from the Army in 1945, Edsel Colvin, of Gold Beach, Oregon
wrote over 300 letters to his dad and sisters, many of them from the
front lines of France and Germany.
Edsel's letters follow him from his kicked-back
summer job as a fire lookout on Rocky Peak and Grizzly Mountain, to his
short-lived (thanks to Pearl Harbor) college career at Pacific University,
to boot camp in California and Texas (with a year-long return to college
compliments of the Army), and finally to his time as a point man in the
Infantry.
Edsel returned to Oregon after the war, finished
college, married, and after teaching for many years, became superintendent
of schools in his hometown of Gold Beach.
If you would like to order the book, go to 1stBooks
or call 1-888-280-7715. More info about Edsel and Paul's book is available
at Letters from the European front
and He carried a rifle and pen into battle
On December 7, 1941 I recall very vividly someone coming to our sleeping
porch at Mac Hall and yelling that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.
My first reaction was like "so what." And then, "where
the hell is Pearl Harbor?"
It didn’t take long to find out, though, and then our attitudes changed
from the "so what" to "let’s kill the bastards."
My diary for that day: "Japs bombed Pearl Harbor". A later entry
for that same day, December 7, states that "Rocky Peterson was on
the U. S. S. Arizona which was sunk. Rocky was a friend of mine from Crescent
City.
It also wasn’t long until we all knew the severity of what had happened
and that it was going to bring about a change in our lives. We were all
from 18 to 22 years old and eligible for service.
I returned home to Gold Beach for Christmas in 1941 hell bent on joining
the service, but Dad talked me out of it and said that it would be better
if I returned to Pacific and finish out the year. I agreed and have always
been glad that I did because at least I am here today and God only knows
if I would be if I had joined some branch of the service then.
McCormick Hall
Forest Grove, Oregon
December 11, 1941
Dear Pops,
I received the letter, card, and money some time ago and really meant
to answer sooner but with all of this war excitement, six-week tests,
etc. going on I just couldn’t seem to find time.
This war is certainly awful isn’t it? I only hope we can blow those
damnedable Japs, Germans, and Dagos off the face of this earth. A lot
of the kids here that are eligible for the draft have joined the Navy,
Army, etc. I guess a quite a few aren’t coming back next semester
either.
That was quite a blow the Japs dealt the Navy at Pearl Harbor, wasn’t
it? I guess the Marines are really going to town now though. I heard they
sunk three Jap ships today. Hope they keep it up!
Do you have blackouts down there? We have to dress in the dark, eat in
the dark and everything up here. It’s a fifty-dollar fine for anyone
violating the blackout law.
I guess that’s enough for the war.
You don’t need to send that blanket Dad. It’s been pretty cold
up here but I’ve been staying warm enough. It froze here nite before
last.
I’m all through with my six-week tests now. I got good grades in
everything. My lowest grade was in Math and it was a C, which is Average.
In Speech I got a B+, Chemistry a B+, English is an A, and History a B-.
I think I can do even better from now on. At least I’m trying to.
I got a letter from Nete and she said they had bought a car. She didn’t
say what kind it was though. Everybody there is fine also.
Well Dad I’ll close for now and get this mailed.
As ever,
Edsel
Forest Grove, Oregon
January 6, 1942
Dear Dad,
I received my stuff today at noon. Pretty quick service I would say. Thanks
a lot for sending it so quickly.
Boy, is it ever cold up here. It started snowing here at 11:15 and snowed
steady for about three hours then it sleeted for awhile and then started
snowing again. Everything is all white now and I’m about half-frozen.
It really looks pretty though—from inside of the hall looking out!
There must be about four inches now.
It surely is hard for me to get up at 7:00 now. If it wasn’t for
the bell they ring I probably wouldn’t ever wake up.
Have you been fishing anymore? It should be pretty good by now, hadn’t
it?
Fritz [Smith] brought me clear in to Forest Grove and the only money I
spent was for dinner. I paid for all of them and it cost $2.15. Marjorie
and Maxine Sutton and Clayton Trivett came up with Fritz [Smith] too.
They all bought some gas so I thought I ought to pay for something. I
put the rest—$5.00—on my room and board. Every little bit helps.
By the way, instead of five months room and board left I’ve only
got four–on account of our days off for vacations.
I guess the Japs aren’t doing quite as well now. At least we are
beginning to sink some boats, etc. There are a quite a few kids here joining
the Air Corps, Navy, Army, etc. Most of them are Juniors and Seniors and
they get a pretty good rating when they join.
Well Dad guess I’d better close for now and get to studying. Tests
are coming pretty soon now.
Don’t catch too many fish!
As ever,
Edsel
This is the first letter Edsel wrote
after seeing combat. It is one of the shortest letters he wrote and
speaks volumes. His company was pushing through the Vosges Mountains
in eastern France near the German border a month or so before the Germans
started their infamous Battle of the Bulge offenisve. See
the original.
November 14, 1944
Somewhere in France
Dear Dad and Family,
I’m
okay and getting along fine. No time at all to write now and hard to tell
when there will be.
Don’t worry about me as I’ll make it thru’ in flying
colors. Got to go now.
Love,
Edsel
The following letter from the Spring
of 1945 tells about an all-out Allied offensive near the end of the war.
March 21, 1945
Somewhere in Germany
Dear Dad and Sis,
I hope
you’ll be able to read this letter that I am writing you from my
foxhole "somewhere in Germany" as it will be quite a mess. My
desk is a K ration box, my seat is the ground, and I have an oak tree
for a backrest. Directly behind me the artillery is set up and the big
guns are really roaring now–giving those Krauts hell. Overhead the
airplanes are on their way to blast the railroads, tanks, and pillboxes,
and I do mean blast them. We are really having super support in this attack–planes,
tanks, artillery, tank destroyers, and everything else imaginable. It
looks as though this will be about all for the Jerries in this war. Surely
hope so anyway.
The weather has really been on our side for a change ever since this
attack started. It’s not like it was last winter in the Vosges when
we had to fight the rain & cold as well as Germans. It’s a little
cold at nite sleeping out in a foxhole, but I don’t mind that as
long as I can stay warm & dry in the day.
You should see the hole my buddy, George Prohaska, and I have built.
It’s about three and a half feet deep, covered with logs, pine boughs,
and a shelter half. The bottom is covered with boughs and leaves and we
have our sleeping bags to sleep in so we should keep warm tonite.
I’m keeping a map showing some of the towns we’ve taken,
etc. and when this war is over we’ll compare maps. You have probably
read something in the paper the last few days about the 103rd so maybe
you know pretty close to where I am.
Must close as it's getting dark. Oh yes, received another letter
from you today, number 39, and two papers. Also got a letter from Nete.
Love,
Edsel
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