"I can't describe the feeling exactly. It wasn't fear, and it wasn't excitement. Just a funny feeling — nervousness, expectancy, and wondering what was going to happen next. Then we sailed. The sea was rough, windy, and miserable. I was seasick most of the time. Everyone expected bombing, submarines, battleships, and all hell to break loose at any moment. But the first attempt was called off because the sea was too rough, and we returned to the harbor. That was a real letdown," Rose continued to read.
"The next day, we sailed again. Near the coast of France, we could see flashes in the distance and hear the explosions continuously. In went the landing craft. We expected terrible destruction, as there was shelling, and men died. But not all of us," he read.
"Then our work truly began: back and forth, day and night, bringing in equipment, medical supplies, and ammunition. What had once been just another stretch of French coast had suddenly become a vast harbor filled with hundreds of ships and thousands of men."
At this point, Arthur stopped reading and said aloud, "I don't remember writing this," before continuing.
"I will always be grateful to my commander for taking me along. Don't worry about me. I am well, and whole, and happy. Love, Art," he concluded.