Print, Photographic

Print. Black and white photographic print of a window display at the J.L. Hudson Company Department Store. A large mural affixed to the background of the display depicts soldiers in the midst of battle. In the foreground, a soldier lays facedown neighboring a mounted machine gun, helmet and shovel. Signage in the left foreground reads, "AFTERMATH... Depp in your heart you know the answer - more guns... more tanks... more of everything that your WAR BONDS will buy. Buy all you can afford, that you may walk with head high and conscience clear… and know that you've done your part!" Also, signage in the right foreground reads, "Aftermath of Battle. Letter of Love Tells Real Story of St. Lo. By James McGlincy. With U.S. forces in Normandy -(UP)- A photographer had just finished shooting a picture of it and there it lay - a helmet with a clip of cartridges net to it, and sticking out from under the helmet a letter in which I saw the words, 'God bless you and keep you until you are home in my arms again.' This is the road to St. Lo, the road down which our task force stormed into the town Tuesday. The helmet, the cartridges and the latter lay behind this hedgerow where the Americans had dug in for a while. On the other side of the hedgerow were German foxholes. On this side were ours. *** Now all around them lines the debris of battle, yet it is more than that, because the articles strewn about are such small, warm, personal possessions. There are tubes of shaving cream, packets of cigarettes, razor blades, postcards of French towns, foot powder, newspaper clipping - and those letters. I shouldn't read other people's mail, but somehow it seems that these letters ought to be mentioned - plain, everyday letter that people write to the ones they love. *** Most pathetic of all was that letter under the helmet which said, 'Goodnight, sweetheart. God bless you and keep you until you are home in my arms again. I love you more than anything or anyone in this world. Always, Lillian.' This is the story behind the headline: 'Yanks Take St. Lo." The date, photographic sequence number and photographer's name are printed on the bottom of the recto, "8-29-44; 19022-2x; Davis B. Hillmer."