The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-06-11
THEY QUIT
SICKBEDS
TOFIGHT
BY G. G. Lyon
Special Staff Dispatch.

against the front OF Dullulng III
a little French village, waiting,
along with the rest of his battal-
ion. for the word to advance into
the first line American trenches.
The village was just three miles
behind the lines and all day the
roads leading to 1t from the south
and west had been choked with
American soldiers, American sup
ply trains, American machine guns
and American motors.
The troops for one particular
part of the line were to assemble
in the village and then go to their
trench positions under cover OF
darkness.
This 1S-year-old boy, leaning
against the building, attracted my
attention, because he looked so
much out of place. He lacked
that hardy, rough and ready ply
sique that was characteristic OF
his fellow soldiers.
just Out of Bed
boy" I said to him. you don't
look very we'll. What's the mat
ter with you-sick or scared?"
He pulled himself together in
an instant, looked me squarely in
the eye and replied:
mo, I'm not scared. But I just
got out OF the hospital four days
ago, and haven't got my strength
back vet. When we were up in
the trenches the first time for
training one of those boches put
a bullet thru my side, and it sort
of took the pep out of me-"
"Thea what are you doing here
now?" pursued. why didn't
you stay in the hospital until you
were fully recovered"
"And miss all this? Why, this
is the greatest honor that can
come to a soldier-to be in the
first regiment to be sent into the
line. Gen. Pershing must have
thot we were the best he had, or
he wouldn't have picked us, would
ne?
Lied to Get Into Fight
81 lied to 'em at the hospital. /
told 'em | was ready for duty
again. and they let me out. Say.
this will be something for me to
talk about the rest Of my life IL
I come thru all right"
This boy, better than any OF
scores of others with whom |
talked that day, expressed the
spirit of the American troops as
they waited for the word actually
to go into battle!
He got out OF sick bed and
shouldered his gun, because he
felt his commander in chief had
honored him by sending him in
FIRST and he didn't want to miss
the chance!
No More Joshing.
An old sergeant-20 years In
the regular army-also gave me
a clear insight into the morale OF
our troops that day.
"These fellows know exactly
what they are going up against"
he said when we were back in
the training camps there was a
lot of horse-play and joshing, but
you don't see any of that going
on around here today. do you?
"These boys realize that 1t is up
to them to demonstrate that an
American can be as good a SOL
der, IL not better, than either a
Britisher or a Frenchman, and the
Lord knows both of them are
wonders. Every one Of US has a
sneakin' idea that we are smarter
than German, and that we're
going to put one over on him
when we get accustomed to our
surroundings at the front"
Balloon Battle.
Early in the afternoon a Ger
man balloon took a position, not
Ear beyond the German lines, and
when French airplanes went up to
puncture 1t a thrilling air battle
ensued.
The balloon came down quickly
to escape being destroyed, but the
machine gun potting of the op-
posing airplanes could be heard
long after rapidly drifting clouds
had hidden them from view.
Warns Of SHIPPER.
All afternoon French trucks
and wagons kept coming back
from the front lines, moving
French supplies and equipment,
preparatory for the entrance of
the Americans.
At one time, an ambulance
stopped in the village and
French poilu with a freshly
bandaged arm stepped out. He
asked the American boys for a
cigaret, and at least 10 packages
were showed at him. He became
the center Of an interesting group.
"A sniper got me-" he said.
s.He must have been hiding some
where in No Mans Land. Look
out for that fellow. He hit an
other of our men yesterday"
Shortly after 4 o'clock, the
order was given to get ready, and
at 4:30 the march to the trenches
began.
They went In squads Of eight
1t . time, with 80 yards separat-
Ing each squad. Very little talk
Ing. no singing, nolevity. every
body deeply serious.
marched out with the first
squad for some distance. Then n
Btopped and waited for the rest