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Blue paper cover pamphlet containing Mr. Lewis's Independence Day oration before the Connecticut Society in Cincinnati; first several pages separated from cover; cover has tears and stains with some handwriting

1 score (40 pages)

This folder contains more daily letters from Barron to his wife. He accuses the American newspapers of spreading more "fairy tales" than news, and believes that civilians are too disconnected from the reality of the war. He also describes his dealings with the Irish more, and believes that they use the word "wee" too much and are overly argumentative about religion. He is fearful that he could be sent to the Pacific after European operations are concluded. He reacts to the Montgomery Ward seizure and states that he will not vote for Roosevelt again because of it.

Barron describes his observations of German civilians and the war destruction that he sees in Aachen and Duren. His supply outfit receives a group of Italian prisoners, and they are used for labor. He comments that the Italians were so recently enemies of the United States, and that it is odd to see them happy to be in American hands. They have the same privileges as the American soldiers and are not under guard. He speculates that war is just a phase of politics, and that the Americans and Germans will soon be "falling on each other's shoulders in brotherhood to keep the Russians in their place." He describes the German V-1 bomb, or "buzz bomb", and the experiences he had in Belgium of taking cover from them.

This folder contains more personal communication from Barron while he works with his supply outfit in France. He describes his daily life, the environment and destruction he sees around him, and his interactions with French civilians. Barron encounters a liberated Polish person who tells him stories of life under the Germans, but he does not go into specifics in his letter. He also encounters a group of cigarette-smoking French children whom he believes to be ages two to three who had attached themselves to the soldiers. He encounters more German soldiers, including a small group which he oversaw to help with supplies, and remarks that they seem to be happy to be in American hands. They sing drinking and marching songs as they walk to and from their work. He recommends that his wife read Ernie Pyle in order to receive the best impression of what life as a G.I. is like. As he moves through France, he describes people lining the roads to wave as the American vehicles and soldiers pass. He grows depressed again about the war, believing that even though it is about to end, the United States will still have to "do it all over again" and that he is wasting his time and losing part of his life to a cause that he does not identify with. He says that he feels this way after seeing the greed of the French locals whom he encounters. He says that his only positive encounter comes from August 26th, when he has dinner with a French farming family below the poverty threshold.

In his August 2nd letter, Barron explains more of his D-Day experience. He landed on Utah beach with Force U of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade. He mentions that there was "either an attempted invasion or a dry run" in the weeks before his landing and remarks that a boat carrying combat engineers from his brigade was sunk and most of the engineers were killed. He is likely referring to Exercise Tiger, though he does not name it such or show any other knowledge of it. His unit was brought down from Ireland to replace the engineers lost, presumably during Exercise Tiger, in time for the D-Day invasion, and he received no amphibious landing training. His August 3rd letter includes more information on German prisoners. He says that they are nearly starved to death and fight over discarded cigarette butts from American soldiers. They are fed soup, but Barron says this is not enough for the work that they have to do. He remarks that the United States has "taken more pages out of Hitler's book", and mentions that he has seen things which he cannot speak about until he is discharged. He again mentions being upset about seeing African American soldiers with white women. He reacts to the news of Japan's surrender and the use of the atomic bomb, which he remarks "may be out destruction at some future date." His unit receives the Meritorious Unit Commendation and a Presidential Citation, and he discusses that he is finally eligible for discharge with a total of 75 points.

Barron writes to his wife about his continuing experiences in Belgium.  He is concerned by the lack of cigarettes and inconsistency of his mail.  He mentions his outfit being visited by a group of congressmen, including Clare Luce, early in the month. This likely was the House Military Affairs Committee.  In his December 22nd letter Barron presumably reacts to the ongoing Battle of the Bulge and the Malmedy Massacre, though he is still censored and only refers to the news as something that he's sure his wife has already read about.