Claude "Gabby" Hall

1936 Shelby baseball team

The following Jan. 7, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 6, column 4:

Millard Hall received a letter from his son Claude, stating that he has advanced to Pfc. and is also the camp cook.

The following February 25, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:

Pfc. Claude Hall has been promoted to Mess Sergeant.

The following April 8, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, column 1:

Hall Bros. Home Over Week-End

This April 15, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:

Sgt. Claude Hall returned to camp Saturday. His brother, Pvt. Millard Hall, returned a few days before.

This January 13, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:

In a recent letter to his parents, the Millard Halls of Shelby, S/Sgt. Claud Hall writes that he is well but that it is getting "hotter," but (not from the weather). He says: "We are in the Fifth Army so you can see by the papers that we are not on a picnic here." In addition to not having a peaceful night for some time, they have rain and mud to contend with. Recently the mud froze but he said he would like to trade it all for some good old zero weather in Indiana. Claud wishes to have all his old friends write. His address can be obtained from his parents, or by calling this office. The Halls also received a Christmas card from Claud recently.

This February 3, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:

Staff Sgt. Claude Hall writes the following to his folks from somewhere in Italy:

Dear Mom and Dad:

A little spare time this A.M., so will drop you a few lines. Received more Xmas cards today from several friends there. Three of my cooks and I dug a big hole in an old stone bank. It was hard digging but we feel a lot safer in the hole than in an old building, at night. We filled it with straw and it's as soft as a feather bed. Glad you sent the flashlight--maybe it will be here by next Xmas. Packages are very slow coming. Old Joe E. Brown gave a show up here today. He sure is a card--first good laugh I've had in a long time. You all have seen him in the movies--the guy with the big mouth.

Tell all my friends hello, and have them write to me.

Gabby

The following May 25, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:

Still "In Good Health"

Tribune

Guess it's about time I threw a little ink your way again. This finds me in good health-- yet-but it's dry as____ here. No beer to drink because what little there was, old Jerry drank and then blew up the breweries. The Italians are getting rich off the soldiers selling imitation champagne and cognac which is about one-third gasoline. Brutal stuff!

We were on the Cassino front for five months without relief. No good either. The Germans are still plenty tough. They can and do throw over a lot of stuff in a short time. After we were relieved up there, we had a few weeks of rest, but as all good things come to an end we are back up again.

Get the Lowell paper quite regularly now and sure do enjoy it -- read it from front to back.

I haven't seen any of the boys from around Lowell yet.

Gabby

The following June 8, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, columns 1-2:

Writes from Italian War Zone

"Have some time tonight, so will send a few lines your way before you think I have forgotten you. We have been very busy lately, moving most of the time to keep up with the front as you have already heard over the radio. We have met the blockhead forces and are pushing on to Rome. The front sure moved fast when it got started. Sure caught old Jerry by surprise. The other day we were to take dinner out to the boys on the road, and were told it was about 15 miles, but when we got back, we had traveled 96 miles. We were the first Americans to travel one of the roads we took, and the people were sure happy to see us -- they threw flowers and clapped their hands, and the old people got on their knees and cried. It was a pitiful sight. These people didn't want this war but they have to pay for it anyway.

"Got a letter from Bob Sirois tonight. He is a long way from here now, but I was fairly close to him before the big push. Did you see any pictures in the papers where the Germans flooded all the country when they left? Dad, you know how the marsh smells in spring - that's the way it is here now.

"Well, guess I'd better sign off for now. Hope to stay in this place for a few days.

Love,
Gabby"

Claude "Gabby" Hall, stationed in Italy, wrote his parents the following letter, which appeared in the July 6, 1944, Lowell Tribune on page 2, columns 1-2:

Sorry I haven't written for quite a while, but we have been busy. Sure don't mind it either, for every move is that much closer to home. Can't tell you where I am or anything else about the big push, but you can guess where we are. If you listen to the news every day you know we are not at rest. Have seen many historical places I never dreamed of seeing.

Got Myrtle's box of candy last night and it was sure good. Our mail is not as fast now as our supply lines are longer.

There are lots of things I would like to tell you but can't just yet. The weather is very nice -- guess all the rain came last winter. The country here is good farming land. See plenty of wheat and oats but very little corn. Will close for now and write again soon as possible.

As ever,
Gabby

The following letter was printed in the Sept. 7, 1944 Lowell Tribune on page 2 column 2:

Have some time today so I'll send you a few lines. Just finished frying 700 doughnuts and it was rather warm job, too. Had a good rain yesterday and last night, but the sun is out hot today and it is very sultry.

Heard from Bob Sirois today. He is not so far from here. Will try to see him when I go on rest.

Went over to see Cop Press last night, but he had been transferred the day before to another engineer outfit. He is still operating a truck mounted crane.

Had a pretty good dinner today -- roast turkey, brown gravy, dressing, peas and carrots, cake, ice cream, lemonade and bread. An outfit made the ice cream for us and it sure was good. Every time we have a good meal, the boys say we must be fattening them up for the kill. Ha!

Have three pins now and would send them home but have to keep them for dress formations, etc. One is for good behavior in the army. Ha! Ha! Another is for the Mediterranean theatre of war with a battle star in it, and the other is a presidential citation. They are very few and far between. Our outfit is the only Engineers over here who have the citation pin. To ____ with the medals -- just let me get back to the States!

Sorry I haven't been writing very often lately, but there is hardly any news to write about and I have been chasing around the country getting a few things fixed up and went to a few softball games. Our company team went to the finals in the tourney last week and got beat 9 - 4. They are to start a baseball team here soon, but suppose about the time we get going good, things will start in again and break it up.

Not much mail lately, but finally got a letter from Dick Barton. What part of Texas is Chub in? I think the war will be over before he has to go to the army. Hope so, anyway.

Yes, I did have pneumonia when in the hospital, but I have been out for some time now and feel O.K. again. Don't worry about me.

Meme, our little 14-year-old Italian boy, is shaving a fellow who has two sore hands. Will see what the fellow looks like when he gets done and I may let him shave me.

Hope you're all well. Keep writing me and I'll write again soon.

As ever,
Gabby

The following Sept. 21, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2 column 1:

Hold Reunion in Rome, Italy

Robert Sirois

Earl Sirois

Robert Dickerson

This May 31, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, columns 1-2:

Millard

I'm sorry I haven't written for a few days but I have been very busy and haven't felt like writing. Well, now that the war is over here we can tell just about anything.

At present we are in a town by the name of Monya, which is about 10 miles from Milan. It's located in the northwestern part of Italy. Milan is the place where Mussolini spent his last days. It is off the limits at present for all enlisted men, but officers can go there. Don't have any idea how long we will stay in Italy or where we will go when we do leave. Looks like it'll be Japan, though. Sure would like to have a furlough before we go to that war--I think we derserve one.

We were up on Lake Garda for ten days. It's a beautiful lake--and plenty of fish in it. We didn't have a pole or hook, but we got fish and eels anyway--we used T.N.T. and that brought them up to the top. This part of Italy is more modern. I even saw some farmers using horses to plow with instead of oxen.

I now have a few more souvenirs to send home soon--a Jerry belt, two sets of their silverware, and some other things.

Our mail has slowed up since the war ended. Guess this place doesn't call for boats anymore. But that's all right, I only want to take one more boat ride--back to the States. The way I look at it, the longer we stay here in Italy, the less time we will spend in the Pacific. I wouldn't mind staying here another six months or a year if they would let me go home then. I have been through one war and that's enough for me. We were lucky in this one and at times I didn't think it was so healthy. Didn't mind the planes so much, but the big shells they threw at us made us uncomfortable. I still jump when I hear a loud noise.

Two of my boys in the kitchen went home today, and was happy to see them get to go.

I'm going out tonight and eat some of this northern Dago spaghetti. The people up here aren't nearly as friendly as the ones farther back. This is where the real Fascist party was. Even though they liked Jerry and Mussolini, they know enough to keep their place.

Have seen many Dago men and boys returning from Austria and Germany, where they were in forced labor. They sure are a bunch of beaten and tired men and boys. Some of them are only 14 or 15 years old. All were walking home, dirty and hungry and worn out, but they keep on going. Some live a long way from here and they say the only thing that keeps them going is the thought of home.

Francis Cronkhite

During the final big push here, we sometimes moved two or three times a day or at night, but I didn't mind because I figured each move we made put us that much closer to home. Had some experiences and saw many things that I shall never forget. We had everything loaded in a truck and trailer and would pull into a place and have a meal cooked for 160 men in an hour and a half, and sometimes sooner than that. Not bad, huh?

If anyone asks why I don't write, tell them I'm very busy and will do it as soon as I have time.

See you sometime in the next 24 months maybe!

Gabby

The following December 14, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2 columns 1-2:

Writes from Italy

Dear Mom and Dad:

Will send a few lines your way tonight in answer to your five letters I received today which were written Nov. 1, 5, 6, 8, and 11. Had letters from Max and Myrtle, too. So June is in Belgium now. Bet he is at Antwerp, a big port there.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The cooks cleaned the turkeys tonight. We are to have roast turkey, cranberries, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, creamed peas, olives, hot rolls, butter, cake, pears, coffee, nuts and candy. Not such a bad dinner for being in this Dago land.

We are quite a long way from Herbie Solomon's mother's name now. We are trying to get that ring of meat now. Sure is hard though.

Old Hing is still with us and he is a case. He tries to talk to us and gets English, Chinese and Dago all mixed up together -- but he still is a good worker. Does anything I tell him. The other Chinese boy is very smart and a real cook, too. He is quiet and seldom says a thing. He was only in the U.S. 3 years before coming into the army. He left China to get out of the war and got into it anyway.

We are still living in the jail house. It's better than out in a pup tent. Meme and I have a cell to ourselves. Ha! Ha! I'm the only one in the jail now -- the police and boys have gone to bed. Another boy and I sat here by the fire for a long time tonight talking about baseball. The fire went out so he went to bed.

Think Cop Press will come up for dinner tomorrow if he doesn't have to work. They keep him busy on the shovel.

You were certainly right. My thoughts were of Indiana on the 10th when pheasant season opened. One of my K.P.'s went hunting today and got two rabbits. I was to go along but was too busy getting things lined out for Thanksgiving.

Did you ever eat any chestnuts? The Dagos go out and pick them up here and at night they cook them. They taste good too. One night they roast them and the next night they fry or boil them. They also let them dry till they are real hard and then make flour out of them. A lot of people will have to live on nothing but nuts this winter. Some people in America growl because of rationing, but they should live here for awhile and eat the food the Dagos have. They don't know what a store looks like anymore.

Got another battle star the other day -- which makes two now. So far I have a campaign ribbon, two battle stars, conduct medal, and the Presidential citation pin. To h ____ with all the pins, medals and stars -- just let me get back to the States!

Did you ever subscribe for the Lowell Tribune for me again? I hope you did.

Believe I had a birthday the 19th. It was just another day to me over here. Made the 3rd birthday I have celebrated in the army -- and I think I was 28 this year but am not sure. To celebrate, the Dago policemen had a big macaroni supper for me and my cooks and it was sure good,

Now I'll lock up the jail and hit the hay, too. Don't worry abut June and me as we will take care of ourselves. Write as often as you can and I'll do the same.

As ever,
Gabby

P.S.: Have you received the box I sent you with the German helmet, camera, dagger, etc., in it? Meme is sending you a beautiful umbrella he found in a house that was blown to pieces. He said: "Sarge Hall, I want to send this to Mrs. Hall and she can use it when she goes to the postoffice."

This September 20, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:

S 2/c James W. Hall wrote his parents, the Millard Halls of Shelby that he is in Pearl Harbor. He said he didn't think a Hall would ever tire of water, but he was sick of it now and preferred dry land.

The Halls also received news of their son, S/Sgt. Claude (Gabby) Hall, who was in the Pacific at the time he wrote. Since then the radio reports his outfit has landed in Toky Bay.

This November 8, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 3:

A card from S/Sgt. Claude (Gabby) Hall says that from now on his Lowell Tribune can be sent to Shelby as he hopes to be home soon. He added that he had enjoyed the paper very much and that it had followed him almost around the world. Most of his time in service was spent in Africa and Italy, and about three months ago was sent to the Pacific.

This November 22, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:

The following letter was received last week by the Millard Halls of Shelby from their son, S/Sgt. Claude (Gabby) Hall:

Manila, Nov. 9

Dear Mom and Dad:

Just a line to let you know I am one more step closer to home. I am now in the 21st Repel Depot. Left the 235th Engrs. this morn. We get all new clothes and a couple of shots here, and just wait on the boat. Some say we will be here only a few days and then we'll go aboard.

Don't write to me any more because I will not get any more mail over here. Sure feels good to sit here and know that at last I am on my way home. I should make it by Christmas for sure.

"Gabby"

Last updated on March 15, 2007.

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Claude “Gabby” Hall