1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, ²To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. ⁴Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.

⁶For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; ⁷for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Letter from Uncle Ken to my grandmother, Elizabeth Hall, March 10, 1944

Transcription of the Letter

March 10, 1944

“Fifth Army”  “Angio”

Dear Elizabeth,

Glad to hear from you and the news is something. That big lug of a brother, joining the Navy, ‘Ha Ha!’

Better off  than a dugout in the ground.  The B???? 4 planes to our credit now. Yesterday we had thirteen alerts,  got 2 planes than.  Took a beating. The first but now right down to brass tacts.  Its’ too quiet now lull before the storm. We’re field artillery too! You won’t hear from me so often now for “whistling Pete” the Nazis big gun to hell.  Don’t good times will be over soon. After seeing action, results your mind changes. Hope all the kids are fine and you. Any mail is great here. Getting mail here as good as in Naples. Our old position was nice, castle to live in. All my boys O.K. none hit by Nazi 88’s. It’s a good place here. Chow fair,  cigarettes free. Got lots of letters from Margaret & Home. Time goes faster here than anyplace I ever was in. Weather was very rainy but we can take it. We’re professional dugout diggers now.  Alert now. Be back soon. Got a 50 air cooled here with me. Everything is fine and hope you’ll keep me informed about everything. 

Love, Ken