Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-07-17
SOLDIER BOY LETTERS
VERNON U ID LETTER.
France, June 8, 1918.

Dearest Mother
Today is Sunday, our first day of
rest, but it looks like I would have
to keep jumping to get caught up with
my correspondence. l was away to
school for a week and didn't get time
to write any letters as vie attended
classes day and night and had to
write up our notes in between times
which kept us pretty busy even on
decoration day but we managed to get
out and see the parade. The French
and Americans both celebrated the
day and had about the same program
as we do in the states. General Pc
tain reviewed our troops as they
marched down the main street. Then
the procession marched out to the
cemetery and decorated the graves of
the first Americans that fell for the
great cause. They are just beginning
to realize now that the Americans
are in to fight to the finish and fight
ing they are according to the latest
reports.
One year ago yesterday the first of
the American Expedftionary Forces
consisting of General Pershing and
one hundred and sixty-eight others
set foot On English soil so you can
readily see we were among the first
ones over here as we left New York
harbor July 8, 1917; n month more
and we will be entitled to wear two
service stripes which indicate six
months foreign service apiece. but
sincerely hope we get home before
we are entitled to another one.
When | returned from school your
letter No. &c dated May 5 was awaiting
my return, but as yet have heard no
thing from the bank. If they would
just send a money order [ could get
it cashed at the Y. NJ. G. A. Of course
our money over here is always in
French which is based on what they
call a Franc and for easy circulation
we call it $40. Yes, mother, I certain
ly was glad to see Mike. You see we
had just finished our work at that
place when Mike came clear across
the pond and arrived in camp just
two weeks after we had left. OF
course we had left a few fellows be-
hind and he found out from them
where I was and by gentle hints he
told me where he was, so / was lucky
enough to get on a truck detail and
WS1C OoCh W CA1C O1O CdL1p olIO1 II uChO
and visited with Mike for about three
days. 1t certainly was good to talk
to someone just from the States but
that was quite a while ago now.
One Of the fellows from Pittsburg
just received a letter telling that they
had received his second allotment
which was, made the same time as
mine so it may be you have received
it by this time.
So you think you are living on bor-
owed time. What do you think Of us?
Some of the fellows at school told us
our life was only As minutes but
somehow we've managed to live ten
months out of the As minutes SO you
just keep On borrowing time for many
years to come and we'll have a good
time yet after this camping trip is ov-
err.
We had a baseball game the other
night between s%ergeants and the End
Platoon. We met our Waterloo in our
first game 9 to s but that wasn't bad
for old bald headed men as none Of us
had played for three or four years.
1t makes a fellow feel young again Cv-
en- if we were sore for a few days.
Well it's nearly time for dinner so
with lots of love and hoping to see you
soon, | am still in the best of health,
Your loving son,