The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-05
Aubrey Mcleod Lost Two Legs, But He Is Cheer
 full and Happy
WOUNDS CAUSED BY BOMBS FROM PLANE
Says He Still Has Two Good Arms and Wants to Do Something to
 Help Whip Germany
By HOWARD KAHN nf st- Pnui. Minn

A Port in France, January l0.-(Spe- cial Correspondence the trans port sails from this harbor In few days it will carry the happiest boy in the world. This is the war he charac- terizes himself. I would call him tne nerviest boy in the world.
 His name Is Aubrey Mcleod. He Is a former student at Purdue university, resident of Boston. and he served In an Indiana battery on the Mexican border last year.
 All of which has nothing to do with why he Is the happiest and the nerviest boy in the world.
 When histories of the present war are written Aubrey McLeod's name will go down as the first American casualty The air raid on base hospital No. l2. Ameri- can expeditionary forces, which re- suited in tho death of Lieut.. Fitzsim-- mons of the medical corps and three prl- yates early in July, injured Mcleod so seriously that his two legs had to be amputated six inches above the knees This much has been briefly mentioned in official newspaper dispatches. But noth- ing has been said about Mcleod himself or his hopes for the future. I met a hospital sergeant on train bound for this port the other day. We're taking Aubrey Mcleod home ! he said. Would you like to see him? was not sure. I had seen lot or French and German "mutiles' during four months at the French front, and the memory of some of them was still with me. I did not know whether I wanted to see a spale-faced, drawn and suffering | American. I had known some of Me- Leod's friends on the Mexican border last summer however, and l thought some news of them might cheer him bit I entered his compartment. Two sol- diers W ere there. Both were hearty, red checked fresh-lookine Americans. neith- CT of whom appeared to have known what a days illness meant. Where's McLeod?" I asked.
 | My ram eis Mcleod" replied one of them. smilipg
 Then I noticed that the lower part of his body was covered with rug. | If the American wounded and the American people accept their misfortuncs . like Aubrey Mcleod has accepted his. the receipt of the long casualty lists which l are sure to come will cause no alarm as | to American morale.
 Looking for a sick man?" laughed Mcleod, reading my thoughts. There's nobody sick around here. I may get a little seasck in few days. but there
 won't be anything. serious about 1t"
 Just ygAat happened?"
 "A fleet of Boche planes They dropped six bombs. One of 'em got me. Now I'm minus two legs
 Mcleod said all this with smile on his face.
 1T had been on guard Somebody re- In for sleep. I heard commoton and jumped to my feet Two bombs went off and I knew 1t was an air raid. Then a third exploded very near to me. Another man in my unit began yelling. Help me- and l saw that he was wounded. Then looked down and saw that my right leg was almost cut in two. didn't feel q bit of pain. but I began yelling, too, just like the other fellow was doing. re- men Der the colonel ran In and looked at me ard held me up until two men came vito stretcher.
 Next thing knew was when I woke lup the following day. I remembered about my right leg dangling as if ready to drop off. I reached down and found that it was gone. Then reached for my left leg. It was gone. too.'
 Please remember that Mcleod was not telling this with tragedy In his voice. There were no signs. no seif-pity. There
 
 faction at having done his duty. He did not show the least indication that he con- sidered that he had done more.
 "I called for my nurse" he continued. "and I remember that had lon9 largument with her before I sank off to sleep again. I told her that she had promised they wouldn't amputate my leg, and here they had amputated both of them I told her that I thought it was not fair to be lied to like that Hut there was no heart-breakins realization that was cripple for life was too full of morphine for that. And by the time tho morphine had worn of sup pose I had quit worrying about the fu- ture."
 And now?"
 Well. I'm going home. I want to hear , 'em speak English like Americans. : want the kind of food my mother knows how to cook. When they get me pretty we'll patched up I'm going to try to find something else I can do for the govern , ment. I don't know what 1t will be, but } I've got two good arms. and I know something will turn up. I'm far from , being ready for the junk pile" . And Aubrey Mcleod smiled again-a l smile that brought confidence to the ] other Americans who had crowded intc l his compartment during his recital. For 5 American soldier, and if typical Amer , lean soldier has this philosophy of life , what Is there to fear?