[continued from previous page] decided on an orchard with some overhead concealment. It is well located, tactically and scenically, we will leave tomorrow morning after breakfast. I am taking a few bottles of wine as a protection from frost bite – air activity was on a large scale today. The 1st PLT and 2D PL each took 1 prisoner today. The weather has been beautifully clear and warm. Hitler is probably shaking but not from the cold. I worked on our situation maps for a while tonight, had a shave and haircut by one of the men. Hit the sack at 2200.
Tuesday, 20 March [1945] 8 miles N.E. of Obern
Up at 0600. Shaved and had breakfast by 0730. Spent a couple of hours loading our trucks and were on our way by 1100. We went through a chain of high hills and past many infantry and F.H. Bivouacs to a spot only two miles from the Rhine. It has been a beautiful day and we were glad to get out in the field again. Our area is in a large forest and we share it with a large number of deer and other animals. I hope they don’t object to us. A Fringe of pine trees shelter us from prying eyes. Within this boundary is a park like area used by the Germans as a rest camp. Many graves attest to the fact that they effected permanent cures. We lost no time pitching our tents and digging fox holes. We are expecting counter battery fire and in a wooded area this means tree bursts. Worked like a beaver all afternoon and hit the sack as soon as it grew dark.
