The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-09-26
BOYS
ON LAND AND SEA
TELL THE FOLKS HOW
THE BATTLES GO
LIFE ON A DESTROYER IS REAL WORK
And other Boys Tell OF Scenes
Around Where They Fight

Machinist Andrew Pultz writes a
couple of interesting letters to his
father and sisters, which will prove
good reading for his many friends:
France, Aug. IA. 1918.-Dear Folks:
Received your letters of 7th, 14th
and END today and seeing as how
you're grabbing about letters, I'll try
and write something and make you
think you're getting a letter anyway.
Was going to save this paper until
there was something to write about,
but the envelope is getting too dirty
and wearing out besides.
Last night was the first good sleep
I've had for a month. When | was
up with the guns the Dutch shells and
our guns shook the life out of me,
and when l came back to the picket
line to get a rest those pesky Dutch
avions would sail over and scare us
to death with bombs. We moved and
fooled EN- n night at least.
Sure made my mouth water when
you told about Leon eating that left
over pie. He might have sem it over.
This country is like a wilderness,
only there are a few small towns,
but most of them look like an old
ave dwellers' village-all tore to
pieces and no place to get anything
to eat. The people are coming back
slowly, that is the old e A few
are back looking downcast and | don't
blame 'em.
August 81, 1918-Dear Folks: Was
going to wait until we were relieved
before l wrote but they didn't give
us time. We found a good place to
stay but they only gave us n good
nights sleep and got a rumOr started
we were going to rest there five days,
but it was soon ruined. The next
night we left at eight bells and
travelled nearly all night and nov we
are at it again. Am at the picket
line now so 1t isn't so bad as being
up with the guns Thought for awhile
yesterday afternoon it was going to
be worse from what happened. The
French have so many airplanes here
that they claimed a Boche would get
over the lines some times but he new
er got back. We'd just moved in and
were camoufaging our wagons when
all at once machine guns and anti
aircraft guns started shooting from
every direction right over our heads
and there was a big Boche plane only
a little ways off but o an Allied
plane around. He soon beat it off
though and / thought I'd be hunting
a hole in about a half hour. II didn't
even take that long for in twenty min
utes something started singing over.
I only waited for the first and | was
gone. They came pretty fast for a
few minutes and then quit. | guess
they think they are such good shots
that they had cleaned up on US but
they we're fooled. Only three lit close
to us. One about a hundred yards
back Of the bank we were under and
another about so yards away. This
was a dud Ca shell that doesn't ex-
plode), however, as 1t didn't do any
damage. 1t tore a nice hole in the
ground, hit a big rock and came out
and started rolling down the bank.
Those. that hadn't moved before
moved when they saw that. They
were 1O5 nm. or about a 4k-inch
shell.
The Allied avions were on the job
last night though. About supper time
they started coming-I counted So
planes, and then didn't get them all,
and they were all headed for Ger
many.
Albert Johnson got wounded the
other night. Got it in the neck some
place. They say it wasn't very seri-
Gus though. His folks live on Sixth
street, next to Sam Johnson's. but
you probably didn't know him.
Well, they're hollering so u
quit. Am feeling good but the grub
is punk once in awhile. You can
slip across some chocolate If they
ever get so they'll let you. Lots of
love. Andrew.