The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1918-03-08
LETTERS RECEIVED
FROM OVER THERE

FROM OVER THERE
Athena people this week received
letters from their boys near the front,
and have kindly given them to the
Press for publication. AS was conjec-
tured by local people, our contingent
were undoubtedly in the convoy which
accompanied the Tuscania, as plainly
indicated by the following two letters,
passed by the censor:
"On Active Service with American
Expeditionary Force, Feb. 8, 1918.
Dear Mother: We are here in Eng
land, safe. after some excitement but
nevertheless, all together. We slipped
something good over on Kaiser Bill,
but can not say what it was but will
give you all the details when get
back. Maybe he thought we were
asleep. for he sure got surprise, for
we got one of his U-boats. You have
maybe seen it in the papers by this
time.
"We are not going to stay long here.
just few days, then we go over to
France to train. We will all be glad
when we get to the front. We have
been talking with some of the boys
from the front. They think the Artil-
lery is the only branch of service to
be in.
"We had good time on the boat,
plenty to eat and not great deal to
do. We had boat drill every day, so if
anything had happened to us we could
have gotten off in a few minutes. We
saw some great looking country COM
ing overland, but they are hundred
years behind the times. Believe me.
there's no country as up-to-date as the
good old U. s. A.
81 suppose you got the card sent
from the port of embarkment. We
were allowed to say only that we were
going. got the sweater 0. K. and
the boys sure thought it was great.
We were in quarantine up to the day
we left and did not get chance to get
glimpse of little old New York be-
fore we left; but we will sure let them
know we are there when we get back.
l think we will go to the same place
Ernie Boynton and the rest of the
bunch are. Sam Starr, "Windy" and
all of the bunch are feeling fine. As
for myself, l could not feel better.
Tell all the gang hello for me, and be
sure and tell Father O'Hagan | got
a glimpse of the Emerald Isle.
Edward Sebasky,
148 F. A., Al Div A. E. F."
Sergeant Winship Tells Story,
Somewhere in England, Feb. 2.
Dear Mother and all: Arrived in Eng
land Yesterday and sent you caSle-
gram from (deleted) SO suppose you
know that am safe by this time; am
lucky in not being hit by submarine,
for they sure tried to get us. Was
on the ocean 10 days and sure did get
tired of it; did not get sick, though
lots of the boys did, and they were
very sick. Rode on train all night,
and had two and a-half mile hike to
camp this morning in the mud. The
trains here are queer looking, one of
our coaches would make four of these.
Only eight can ride in compartment
and the engine looks like toy, by
the side of ours.
"The buildings here are of the old
model and streets set in odd ways.
This is large camp, but don't expect
to be here long. We are allowed a
bucket of coal every "a hours and a
pound of wood week. That has to
do for 30 of US.
II have lots to tell you but am not al
lowed to write it. The weather is
warm here now but it is raining. Sol
diers from all parts of the world are
here. and German prisoners also.
"We will only have field rations fr m
now on, but if others can live on it, |
sure can, for believe me, | could stand
anything now. Send mail via New
York City. A. E. F.
Ord. Sgt. Winship, l4S F. A., Al Div. :"
Dr. PlamOndon Writes.
DR.. Plamondon, writing from France
to Mr.. and Mrs. H. |. Watts, under
date of Feb. 6 says:
"Today am in receipt of the fine
package of cigarettes and tobacco that
you were so thoughtful as to send. You
could not have selected anything more
appropriate, for American tobacco is
very hard to get here.
"The winter has been very disagree
able but not so very cold, and not to
exceed six inches of snow at any one
time. Unfortunately, had an attack
of acute bronchitis that got me off my
feet for some time, but after about
two weeks in the Roosevelt Base, /
was greatly improved and have been
feeling fairly well since.
/ "Have been busy all the time and
was detached from my own organiza-
tion for about five weeks and given an
opportunity to visit other organiza-
tions so as to become familiar with
things medical and surgical as they
are done over here. 1t was valuable
experience both for this work and civil
practice
| Thanksgiving ! was attending an
officers school near the front; Christ
mas | was with the medical depart
ment of heavy artillery regiment,
and New Years day was travelling
back to my own company, 80 you see
my holiday season was rather an unus-
ual one, to what it has been IN the
past.
| "When | have little more time am
going to write you somsthing Of what
we are doing and about conditions
here. Lieut.. Jas. d. Plamondon,
167 F. H., III S. IT,, A. Z. +. /"
Offered a Lieutenancy