[Continued from previous page] I stood in one of the holes caused by the shells and it was so deep I could not see out of it. The 8th F.O. had one tent ruined by shrapnel. The second they have lost in the same manner. They were well dug in, so suffered no personnel casualties. We are preparing for a counter attack tonight. It may or may not materialize but we will be ready in either event. Received two letters today. Hit the sack at 2100.
Monday, 12 February [1945] Auw, Germany
Up at 0700. Enemy failed to counter attack last night but did send over his heavy artillery. These tremendous projectiles have a great range but travel so slowly, it is possible to see them in daylight. They do not whistle like the smaller shells but seem to whoosh along. We can hear them long before they hit, which is fortunate because when they explode, hundreds of pieces of shrapnel from a few ounces to many lbs. cover a radius of 500 yards. Some pieces of shrapnel cut down whole trees. We got two men back today who had been hospitalized. One of them, PFC Reuber, has been awarded the Purple Heart.1Private First Class Raymond Reuber. We are making steady but difficult progress in our sector and it is a real incentive to know that every yard we gain is a yard more of German soil. It means much more when each yard gained can be measured in German blood, German industry, German property loss and German morale loss. Hitler had his day in the Sun. Now let him bathe in a rain of German sweat, blood, and tears. [Continued on next page]