Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-09-27

everybody hello for me. Yours !
truly, FLOYD HARDY.
Co. I, 168th U. S. Inf, Camp
Mills, Hampstead, N. Y.
LETTER FROM
FRANCIS M'DERMoTT
Somewhere in France, Aug. 80.
Dear Mother:
haven't told you much about
the trip coming over. I was
afraid the censor would throw it
away, but some of the fellows told
about it in their letters, and it
went by, so I'll tell you all the law
allows. l felt pretty blue the day
we left Chicago. Everyone was
bidding their friends goodbye, and
they were given packages of lunch
and cigars to the boys. All l
could do was to laugh at the fell
lows when they kissed their girls
goodbye. Lots of them hung onto
the cars after we started. We
had thirteen coaches, every one
filled with 18th Engineers. was
detailed to lifeboat 13, and with
all the 1875, landed o. K, so it
will be hard to make me believe
10 is an unlucky number.
They sure gave us good send
off at Chicago and all the way to
New York City. When we were
pulling into New York the whis-
ties blew and bells rang. 1t
looked like everyone in the city
was at the docks to give us a
farewell goodbye. The girls gave
us several boxes of tobacco, but it
didn't last long. There are about
three in the regiment that have
American tobacco. l got enough
to make cigarette tonight and
before | had it rolled there were
six asked me for the butts. We
have tin can nailed up with a
sign above it, Drop your butts
here" What mean, you have to
be on the job or someone else
beats you to it. When we landed
here an American aviator walked
seven miles to get some American
tobacco. So if you know of any
one that is coming over here, tell
them to leave the junk at home
and bring all the tobacco they
can carry. We sure can't smoke
the stuff they have here. Well,
I'm getting away from what
started to tell you, so will back
up. We were on board a large
ocean liner for about an hour.
When they pulled anchor and
started for somewhere nobody
knew. We pulled into a British
port after few days and laid
there. l can't say, but it was
long enough. When we left there
we had quite a fleet. After sew
eral days without sight of land,
they commenced to pat the life
boats out over the edge. We all
knew we were in the danger zone
Then they detailed a number oil
us as submarine watchers. was
among them, of course. We were
up most of the night, but got a
midnight lunch and had a good
place to sleep the next day. When
we were on duty we couldn't talk
to anyone or take our eyes off the
water. One day when it was roll
ing the worst, | was on deck
where the guns were mounted, the
worst place on the ship.
thought l was going to feed the
fish, but managed to keep what
they fed me. | was afraid if
missed meal, would be sc
weak l wouldn't be able to gel
downstairs for the next one, anC
then l would starve to death. Coo
knows they didn't overfeed US
Feed or no feed, you'll never see
a happier bunch than we were
the night a number of little tor
pedo boat destroyers came over
the horizon flashing a light to
signal us they were coming to
help us through. Then one morn
ing several days later we woke uL
in a harbor. The town looked
like a toy town. There is only
one place in the world more beau
tiful and that il Mo. Valley. They
unloaded us at this toy town, put
us into what they call cars, six
teen in car. Isn't that some toy
railroad? Then they took US
we'll, Iii tell you in 193O-right
after the war; l mean in 1913
when | come home. Well moth
er, hope they let the Fritzies
rest tonight SO Mac can get some
"shut-eye.' They keep me awake
nearly all night from the sound
OF it. Fritzie was awake all night
too, from the bunch the French
marched in.- They weren't fool
ing, either.
am getting Shy on Daner sr