While reading through the journal entries from the 540th, you start to see a trend of "antziness". I can imagine how badly they wanted to go home at that point. Here's an excerpt from July records on the period from 20 - 30 June 1945, Mannheim, Germany

"...The wait for a trip home is having its effect on the men. On the night of the 28th a group were drinking at the Enlisted Men's Club. A fight developed, and one man was severely wounded with a knife..."

Marion: I cant help but think this was a childrens temper tandrem. The ETO war was

only about 7 weeks done, fighting in the PTO was still going on and everyone knew damn right well we had signed for the duration of hostilities plus 6 months and the

war was not over, in fact hoting up and talk about the Japanese Invasion. From what

I saw, we were just glad we were not being shot at lately, and most of our worries were

about being sent to the PTO to continue fighting after a nice long R&R period. I guess

it depends on ones point of view and mine was as a Infantry rifleman not under fire

and adverse conditions of living. To us, we just waited, hoped and prayed we would not

get into combat again. Sure, we were all anxious to get home but the waiting was just

part of war. Cant help but wonder how many line outfits had a Enlisted Mans Club 6

weeks after the war in ETO ended.. We sure didnt. A war was still going on, remember.

Joe:

Actually my dad's battalion, the 2833rd, was supposed to go to the Pacific. It was all planned out. I'm sure as hell glad they didn't have to go, because we might not be speaking to each other right now. Thank God that bomb dropped!

I agree, I'm sure many of these "outbreaks" were just childish tantrums. Young guys with raging hormones, having too much to drink. Just an interesting observation how I saw more of this as I read on in '45.