The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-12-26
OVERSEE SOLDIER
BOYS HAVING AN
INTERESTINGLIFE
HUGH WALLACE, CARL GINGERY
AND JOHN HANSON TELL
OF EXPERIENCES.
AOVERSEA TRIPS DESCRIBED
CENSORSHIP RELAXATION PER-
MITS BOYS TO GIVE INSIDE
GLIMPSE OF ARMY LIFE.

The Herald readers have read let
tiers from the boys overseas with so
much relish in the past that several
columns have been given over to this
feature this week.
Now that the censorship lid has
been relaxed somewhat the boys are
able to go more into detail relative
z to their daily life, and also tell the
story of their trips across.
This week the contributors are
Hugs Wallace, son of one of the Her
aid publishers, Carl Gingery, son of
i L. w. Gingery and John Hanson, for.
many years employed by G. Hillerud
as& Co. Each one is a home boy and
The ''home folks" will no doubt en-
$50 their letters.
se have other letters to be pub
1900 u next week-they came to hand
hi,,sat ate to handle in this issue.
sionaT *N*
lie VIE ship upon which Hugh Wallace
crossed arrived at Halifax the morn
ing following the big catastrophe last
December, and arrived at Liverpool,
Christmas day, 1917. He explains
somewhat in detail the trip and
more recent activities. A summary
of his letter written on "Dad's Day"
follows:
Issoudin, France, Nov. "a, 1918.
Dear Dad: Today has been set
aside by the Stars and Stripes for the
fellows in France Ter rather the A.
E. FL to write their dads. / have
not written often and there are three
main reasons: One is that every
evening is taken up with something
or other; the second is that I have
really not taken advantage of the OPP
portunities I have had, and its so
blamed hard for me to write long
\ hand.
/ am now s'buck private" was
not "busted," but resigned as my re-
cord will show. My heutenants have
told me that 1 have been recommended
seven times for promotion, but so far
J nothing has developed. I was told
the men in the shops were more en-
titled to promotion. I turned down
on office job. The squad leaders were
sergeants and was acting squad
leader at the times Some time ago
we were informed that an examina-
ton would be given for the grade of
aviation mechanic, and promotion
made according to the ability of
man to pass the examination. 1t was
stated that only about IL aviation me-
chanics were allowed to each squad
ron, but that present rank had moth
ing to do with promotion; if a man
passed the exam and received one of
the IL highest marks he would be
rated as an aviation mechanic. That
was "soup and nuts for me, and /
stood fourthh on the list with 90 per
cent out Of possibleA 100. There
were 230 men at this post and all were
allowed to take the exam. All but
very few tried it. Ny marks were
~ out of possible so on planes (the
highest mark on planes,) and 43 out
of possible SO on motors, and there
wern't many higher than that on mo-
tors. One of our sergeants, first-class,
led the list with 95; another sergeant
was second with IS, and chuck priv
ate" like myself but who had two
years at Cornell and some practical
experience, was third with mark of
SO; was fourth with 90 and fifth
place was held by corporal with 80.
+ Although the examination was given
in July no one has been rated as avia-
ton mechanic at this field yet.
have made few innovations" or
Inventions" if you wish to call them
such. One is being used quite ex-
tensively on this field; another one
was used entirely at one time but we
have changed types of planes. It is
not used on the new types but is still
used on the old. A first-class serg-
cant received the credit but I can
prove by many men that it was my
idea. / developed another idea made
in black smith shop when it sholiuld
have been made in tool-making
plant but stuck to it until got it
accurate. 1t was Vurned down at the
field by an M. S. E. whom had in
!. structed in that kind of work, but it is
being used at another field. The idea
is good enough so that intend to
have it patented when get back to
the states. I am working on several
(Continued on Page 2.l