The Last Letters

This is the first story that I actually got published. Enjoy! Please comment.

After an exhausting day, Sgt. Jack Nolan of the 28th Infantry Division, now positioned at the quiet front near the Ardennes forest, sat down to write a letter home to his wife, Katie Nolan. Taking out pen and paper he started:

My Dearest Kate,
The days since I last wrote you were long, hard, and miserable. After we lost so many men at Huertgen Forest it was decided that we be moved to this area to rest. You know, of course, why I can’t tell you our exact location, but I can tell you it is peaceful here. I wish it was like this all the time. From here I can see Nazis hanging up their laundry. How is little Joseph getting along? I don’t have to remind you that it had been three years since I’ve seen our baby. I wonder if he can remember me. I can’t tell you how I’ve longed to hold him in my arms, you too for that matter. Sometimes, I lie awake at night thinking about you, dear. Hopefully this war will soon be over and I’ll be able to come home. Well, I’ll have to end here for now. Until my next letter, darling, I love you.
Your devoted husband,
Jack

Jack slowly folded the letter and placed it into an envelope that he had already addressed. Putting on his helmet, Jack walked over to the company headquarters.
“Hi, Tim,” he said to the clerk on duty. “Will you be sure that this letter is in the mail tomorrow?”
“Sure thing, Jack,” replied the clerk. “You’d better go get some sleep.”
“I’ll do that,” said Sgt. Jack Nolan as he saluted and returned to his tent.

Then next morning, Sgt. Nolan’s letter was loaded into a jeep, along with all the other mail from the troops. From that jeep it was transported to a cargo truck headed to Normandy to pick up supplies. At Normandy, it was put aboard a boat heading for England. Once there it hopped another ship this time to the US.
Once it reached the US it took three days to reach Mrs. Nolan. Tearing open the letter, she read it breathless. Smiling, she pressed it to her heart.

Two weeks later, Mrs. Nolan received another letter. This one said:

Dear Mrs. Nolan,
I am sorry to inform you that your husband, Sgt. John L. Nolan, died when a German artillery shell entered his tent during a large German offensive…

© JPW – June 4, 2006