July 16, 1918
Somewhere in France
Dear Mother –
Received quite a few letters from you and Mayme lately and it did certainly seem good. I also received a letter from Aunt Vinnie, written by Pauline Taylor. The papers that you wrote me that you sent, I have not as yet received any of them. Mayme sent me some clippings from the news. I showed them to Frank Rowley and he had a piece about the railroad wreck near the fairgrounds. It must have been some wreck.
Well, I’ll have lots of trades when I get back. They are digging trenches, cleaning streets, night watchmen, kitchen mechanics, pack mules, wood choppers, cracking stone in a quarry, guard, messenger boy, also know how to handle high explosives. Frank Rowley is hunting cooties in his undershirt. We call it shirt reading. We are camping out near the front lines in a beautiful patch of woods. It seems like a picnic at Putnam Park, only the shells disturb the quietness especially at night. We don’t expect to be here much longer. Will probably be in and out of the lines before you get this. The other day I saw a big French gun in position for firing, and I almost walked on to it before I could see it. They certainly can cover them up, so you can’t hardly see them. Today, we saw four or five German aeroplanes, but they didn’t dare come down too close. We could hardly see them. I guess they didn’t accomplish much. Albert Johnson is in the machine gun company, but haven’t seen him to speak to lately, he is with our battalion. I haven’t received my pictures yet but hope to soon.
How is Grandma and Grandpa? Is it very hot in the states this summer? This is the hottest day we have had since I have been over here, and it isn’t so very hot. We are still wearing our winter underclothes and uniforms. Have been in swimming a couple of times. We go as often as we can find a stream to go in. Well, hoping you and Father are feeling fine. I never felt better in my life. Best regards. I remain,
Your Son
