Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-27
FRITZ WENT FLYING
BEFORE DELAWARE
OFFICERS TROOPS
Capt ]. w. O'Danicl in Command
Of Company hich Routed
Boche at the Finish.
REWARDED FOR BRAVERY

The Boche went flying before the on
rush of a company Of the Eleventh U. :.
Infantry, commanded by Captain J.
Wilson O'Daniel. a Delaware officer, in
the thick of the fight when the armistice
was signed.
This was learned from letter from
Capt. O'Daniel. which has been received
by DIR. Samuel c. Mitchell, president of
Delaware College.
CAPTAIN O'Daniel left Delaware College
in his senior year to go to the Mexican
border with Company l., Delaware Militia
When this country entered the war he went
to the Officers Training Camp at Fort
Myer, where he received a commission
as second lieutenant and was assigned to
the l1th Infantry, regular army. lie was
sent to France late last winter and has
been through some Of the hardest fighting
Last summer Captain ODaniel was
decorated with the Distinguished Se-vlce
Cross for bravery IN action. With bullet
wound through ono side OF his face he
continued TO lead his men for several hours
For this he received the cross and later
was promoted to captain. tie was IN the
hospital for several weeks, but got out IN
time TO return to his company and take
part in the last battles Of the war. Cap
tain O'Daniel is brother Of Lieutenant
] Allison O'Daniel. who was killed in an
airship accident in France last July
In his letter 10 DR.. Mitchell he says
Iongwy, France, Noy. %.
NV Dear DIR. Mitchell Your two kind
letters | received while on the line They
were great too as Ut that time every little
bit did help some. got the last ono the
day before we went over the top or rather
the day VIC crossed the Meuse River.
You will have 10 pardon me II ] use
little slang now and then 20 express my
self. feel that | would like TO tell YOU
about our last little scrap. 1t lasted
from November 5 10 ii and consisted Of
chasing the BoChc for all we were worth.
We had them bluffcd and on the rln when
the bell rang VIC had chased them and
fought them for 20 kilomcters in the FIVE
days through rain and cold Our boys
never complained once but kept right
after him. My company had the honor
OF being the advance guard on the crossing
OF our regiment over the Meuse rlver and
also OF capturing Hill No. 200, which was
great point Of vantage. The last time
we went over the top was on November
10, at town called Louppy. My com
pany captured most OF the town and IN 1t
q wonderful old chateau with paintings,
bright walls, 3 wonderful terrace, notes,
iItlitilSG EdttS anu GtA1t4 tAAAs%S NstAs 80
TO make up chateau.
The bows went over that last time with
a veil Fritz went a flying and our men
after them. When night came we found
ourselves through the town with the
Boche dug in on the far side OF II. My
company was dug in inside a httle church
ward with Fritz about 300 yards away.
Machine guns were popping and every
thing setting pretty when night came on
and then plenty Of shells Morning at
$50 some one came to my p G., and told
those Of US there that the armistlce was on
and things would be over soon.
One Of my sergeants, who has been
awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery,
said In his characteristic slow drawl,
wal what it takes to make peace We
got buckled around me" He had II too:
100 rounds of U. ;. ammunition on the
outside and $50 pounds of solid American
all the way through. That Is the way
We all felt about il when the end came.
Orders came TO 20 after ammunition.
Six men went for it. We knew what that
meant-over the top again. Ten o clock,
and a runner came putting in with q mes
sage. 1t read 'Ar1nistice officially an
nounced; takes effect at IL u. m. Fire
shot for shotp ! read it aloud. No one
said q word We just looked at each other
and then sent the word TO the men around
us There wasn't q sound. At IL q. N.
we heard noise out front and upon look
ing over the wall Of the cemetery saw about
200 Boche without arms walking around
laughing and talking. All was over 1t
reads like novel, but true it is. a com
cidence is the dates on which the armis-
tice came-llth month, llth day, llth
hour and llth Infantry. All noise had
ceased The world was at peace and here
we are on our way 10 the Rhine.
1t might interest you to know that |
have been promoted to the rank OF captain
and have been fortunate enough to have
been decorated with the Distinguished
Service Cross
] have only the1.ord to thank for it all.
can't realize it, but here we are. You
may notice that ] have mentioned my
company ! do 50 because | am proud
of that little bunch Of men. Why shouldn t
/ ] be, with one man with the Medal Of
Honor, three with ID. S. c. S, and IL with
citations. They all deserve it too All
Americans are the same; the most wonder
full fighters and the best Of fellows ON
earth
This is captured Boche paper and it
happens TO be all that have at present,
so excuse everything.
Thanking you again for your kind letters
best regards to the Old Institution and
all my friends.
Sincerely, ). Wilson O'Daniel.