The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-09-20
Richard Eddy, in Engineer Corps
Writes While Crossing Dam
ger Zone Near France.

The following letter was received
last week from Sergeant Eddy Of tn
Railway Engineers, who is serving
his country Somewhere in Europe
The letter is dated August % and ar
rived September IL, after passing
through the hands of the censor a
Washington. 1t is headed Some
where at Sea-" None of the letter was
cut out by the censor, showing that
the sergeant complied with all rules
required by the government.
"This will be written at different
stages of the trip, whenever l have
any ideas and mailed as soon as
can.
"We left Somewhere in U. S. A.,
on August 13 at Sis and put to sea-
/ cannot tell you the name OF the
port.
"On the short end Of our coast
cruise l had very unpleasant ex-
perience. On the day in question l
ate a hearty breakfast and retired to
my room for little bunk fatigue or
nap. l haa sudden and urgent call
10 the rail where l had the pleasure
-of dissolving partnership with the "a
foresaid hearty breakfast. l don't
by any means recommend this action
as any kind of indoor sport. l was
simply sea sick, that's all. 1t is an
experience you must have to be able
to appreciate, but have never felt so
useless, worthless, ambitionless, UNI
necessary and entirely absent in all
my life. l did not have any of the
wish-I-Inight-die feelings; in fact l
had no feelings or thoughts at all. My
mind was a blank. 1t only lasted a
day though and l have had perfect
health since then. l like the sea air
very much.
'Men are queer animals. No, l do
not claim that statement as original,
b. t keen thinking of it. We are now
out on the high seas and in the So
called danger zone. Previous to COM
ing here | had lots of fun thinking of
the many different and thrilling
thoughts one would have when pas
sing through the zone. AS matter
of fact, the only thrills l have are
the three bugle calls to meals each
day. The sea air makes eating a real
pleasure.
Undoubtedly am having the big
gest experience | will ever live
through, but l cannot make myself
realize it. Everything goes on the
same each day just as though we were
in the midst of friends However, do
not let me lead you to believe that l
want submarine to hit US or any,
thing like that! l am perfectly salts
fed to have a quiet trip. 1t seems
strange, though, after reading and
talking so much about submarines,
not to be able to realize their prox-
unity. We are taking all the precau-
lions possible. All men on shipboard
have to wear life belts at all times
when not in bed. When in bed belts
must be very near us and we are or
dered to sleep in all our clothes except
our shoes. 1t is not exactly the most
comfortable way to sleep, but l guess
it is the best. We have and have had
for some time, life boat drill real Of
ten. I believe there would not be a
bit of confusion or riot if any emer-
gency, as the colonel calls it, did
arise. There are three sergeants and
one commissioned officer in charge of
each boat. The boats are swung out
and lowered to the side of the ship
now so that we can get away quick
ly.
"We have considerable idle time on
our hands here. The E company SER
geants are taking up different books
on engineer work as well as learning
the two arm semaphore and the In
ternational Morse code of wigwag-
ging. The officers heard of our work
and offered to help SO now we have
a class every afternoon and study in
the morning. All the things we are
working on will be big help to US.
.sThe sea is the most beautiful
sight we could ask for tonight. The
wind is blowing hard making regular
mountains of water on all sides of US.
A white cap bedecks each big wave
and the PHOSPHORUS in the water il
Eliminates each white cap and spray
as though it were studded with in
candescent lights. l cannot begin to
describe it's splendor.
'sThere are four hunks in each state
room and eight of the E company SER
peants have two rooms opposite at
the end of the hall. 1t makes dam
dy arrangements. Sgt's Shocker, Dorr,
Lutkenhouse and Eddy are in one Of
t 20 rooms and Sergeants Graves, VIM
cell, Hughes and Swift are in the
other. Dorr is from Oregon; Winzell
from Detroit, Mich; Hughes from
Chicago; Shocker from Cleveland;
Swift from St. Paul; Graves from
Ric=s, Mimi, and Eddy from the best
spot on earth. They are an excellent
crowd of boys, most of them few
years older than l, but no old men.
The rules say all sergeants should be
30 years old, but rs seems to be the
are necessary to be sergeant here.
There are two in the regiment under