That sure got to me and to the pit of my stomach. Made me lonely just reading it. Trying to imagine a week or two or maybe a month. Imagining two years in those same conditions is well, undefinable for me.
For the married man is must be 10 times as hard. As you said, moving to that house, being estactically happy and then being torn away from it so soon after and thrust into the Anzio Invasion. Hard for any of us civilians to comprehend all the emotions that ran through your body and soul.
So very difficult to see so many die around you and then trying to tell yourself, it won't happen to me. It would appear that it was just a matter of time before the grim reaper was grinning down on you and telling you, hey buddy, it's YOUR time.
I still am amazed that SO many did survive. I'm amazed that my dad survived from spring of 1943 through May of 1945 and lived to tell his tales when he arrived home in November of that same year. Think of the odds. I'm sure he did and I know you ran that scenario over and over in your head. What are the odds? Is it going to be me?
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"