DIY History | Transcribe | World War II Diaries and Letters | John William Graham letters, May-June 1945 | 1945-06-02 John W. Graham to Mr. & Mrs. William J. Graham Page 1

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John William Graham letters, May-June 1945

1945-06-02 John W. Graham to Mr. & Mrs. William J. Graham Page 1

June 2, 1945
Naples, Italy
Dear Dad & Mom:
Had a big day yesterday, climbed to the top of Mt. Vesuvius and viewed the crater from close up. I'd seen it from a plane before but it is far more realistic when you are right on the top. We stopped at Pugliano a small town at the base of the mountain and transferred to a funny little trolley car which went three or four miles up the more gentle slopes, then changed to a cog wheel car which carried us up to a point where the lava from last years eruption had wrecked the tracks. Formerly it wasnt much of a climb but now it takes over an hour and the going is tough. I sweat and puffed like a good fellow and wasnt alone in that respect, a couple of the guys had to stop and recuperate before the could make the top. Our guide was a character a little old geezer about five feet tall and said he was sixty five years old. He was spry as a cricket and could have worn any of us out I think. He only had two or three teeth and chewed on a small rock incessantly to keep from getting thirsty so he said. Spoke a queer combination of Italian, French

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June 2, 1945 Naples, Italy Dear Dad & Mom: Had a big day yesterday, climbed to the top of Mt. Vesuvius and viewed the crater from close up. I'd seen it from a plane before but it is far more realistic when you are right on the top. We stopped at Pugliano a small town at the base of the mountain and transferred to a funny little trolley car which went three or four miles up the more gentle slopes, then changed to a cog wheel car which carried us up to a point where the lava from last years eruption had wrecked the tracks. Formerly it wasnt much of a climb but now it takes over an hour and the going is tough. I sweat and puffed like a good fellow and wasnt alone in that respect, a couple of the guys had to stop and recuperate before the could make the top. Our guide was a character a little old geezer about five feet tall and said he was sixty five years old. He was spry as a cricket and could have worn any of us out I think. He only had two or three teeth and chewed on a small rock incessantly to keep from getting thirsty so he said. Spoke a queer combination of Italian, French