Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-21
THE + lbs Il SHOT
6y CORPORAL OSBORNE DEWARllA
SIXTH JUSTIFIED ARTILLERY
.kNvho Fi4edlhe FIRST Shot Of the AraeFiean Army
ad to be able to see the world once
: MPlLA

Flcan Army SM0%Azl1l1
lad to be able to see the world ono
more. -o
weeks and was then sent to a casualty
camp. While there doing light duty, =
was picked with thirteen others OF tne
First division to return to the States
and help out in the third Liberty Loan
campaign. Thirty-seven others from
various branches. of General Pershings
overseas forces We're also selected 70
go back. In this Liberty Loan con-
ftingent were artillerymen,
men, machine gunners and signal
corps mon, representing every section
Of the United States from New York
to San Francisco.
One of the lucky lads, Private Lang
horne Barbour, seventeen years olq,
of Chatham, Va. was in that vicious
fight on the Swiss border, November
2, 1917, when the Germans box-bar-
ragged a tiny sector and killed that trio
of American soldiers whose names VIII
go down in history as the earliest
martyrs of the war-Enright, Gres-
ham and Hay.
I was picked to go because I "a
fired the first shot for Uncle sam IN
! the war, but when I was told l was
going back toAthe good old U: 5. A.
to boom the bonds, l couldn't beleve
it until 1 was actually aboard the
transport and saw the coastline OF
France disappearing in the distance.
Then I knew it was true and fairly
Rugged myself for Joy.
The trip back was an excursion for
us war battered men. All Of us had
been gassed or wounded, and every
man-jack of Is was seasoned to our
toes in modern trench warfare. Rigid
training and the hardest of knocks
had been our lot for many months, so
that the life of luxury and ease on
the transport was as balm to US. Tne
chow would have satisfied the palate
of a millionaire. Our menu included
turkey, chicken, pie and cake. And
that pie was wonderful; / ate a whole
one at every meal. During my nine
months in France I hadn't even caught
| sight of a pie. Every afternoon we
were treated to a movie show aboard
the transport. and again we saw the
friendly faces of Douglas Fairbanks,
Charley Chaplin and Mary Pickford.
Many Of us could not restrain our
tears when we sighted the coastline of
good old .Yankeedon1. All of us had
for our country and never expected to
see America again. Yet there it was
looming up on the horizon. 3D..
When we reached New York har-
Dor. April 49,, 1918, transport was
guided to the transport docks and re-
manned there all night. The next day
we were taken to Fort Jay. Governors
Island, and that evening we were al
lowed to go into New York. The fol-
good old Broadway, the best thor
oughfare in the world. We were greet
ed by the Mayor of New York and
then escorted to the Stock Exchange,
where we were given a royal recep-
ton. We were dined by the Bankers
association and the Harvard club, then
cur unit was split into teams and sent
to different cities to boost the third
Liberty Loan. l went to Philadelphia
with eleven others Of Pershing's men.
I am happy hat 1 played my little
part in this big war by firing the first
shot for liberty. I think it was fitting
that I should be SEN to Philadelphia,
the birthplace of liberty and the
shrine of that wonderful old relic, the
Liberty Bell. Every man-jack of us
who came over is going to put in more
it is u duty to do this, and, besides,
the fascination of war has its grip
upon us. :,
In Philadelphia I met the best girl
in the world, and now I have her to
fight for as we'll as my country when
I return to France. The Hun peril is 3
real one, as every American will soon
realize If they do not put their full
weight in this war. The boys over on
the other side are getting splendid
treatment. and since the putting over
of the last two Liberty Loans there
has been plenty Of food and clothing.
The Yank who fails to get into this
war with both feet is losing the oppor-
tunity of his life. l will not rest con-
tent until I am fighting with my bat
terry again over there in France on
the front line. It is my burning de.
sire to send over many more shots
for liberty into the boche trenches.
(The End:)