Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-11-13
OSCAR THOMPSON
WRITES PARENTS
Sends Them AN Interesting Letter
About How Things are Going
Over i'm France
MET NUMBER OF
WINNESHIEK BOYS
Says There Are so Many American
Soldiers Oevr There They Don't
Know Where to Put Them
Somewhere in France

Somewhere in France
Oct. Z, 1918
My Dear Father and Mother:
How are you now? l am fine and
dandy, hoping you are the same.
Received your most welcome letter
yesterday and was glad to get it.
Can't exchange letters as often as we
cid when | was at Camp Dodge, but
will write as often as l have tina,
as you are always in my thoughts,
and l will never forget that / have
got mother and father left at home
in the good old United States. Glad
to see that you have received the
card stating that l got across safe
and suppose you have received
letters / wrote when | was on the
great boat going across the pond. I
also sent two letters since l got to
France. Received your two letters
from Camp Mills. Thanks for same
i will come home big and strong. !
will not run any chances on the
Boches, as l am going to be very
careful and look out for myself, ana
get the Boche before he gets me.
would like to write you long letter
Ibut as you know | am a poor letter
dictator and furthermore we are not
allowed to tell much about France,
but will do the best | can. Had
very nice trip coming over here and
had good boat. Didn't see any IT.
boats, and it was best for them to
stay away from us, as we would have
run them down. We landed somc-
where in England and in three days
were in France. Have camped four
different places since arriving here.
We have only been at this place since
yesterday. France is a nice country
but is about 100 years behind the
good old United States, but like it
so far. We have good sleeping quar-
tiers and plenty to eat. Am now at
the Y. NJ C. A. writing. Harry
Grindeland is with me so you see
have good company.
Well / could not finish this letter
last night, as Arthur Findholt came
along, and as / had not seen him
since we left Camp Mills / had to
stop writing to have long talk with
him, and was sure glad to see him..
1t has been raining all day, so we
haven't been doing anything today.
! We have our overcoats now. We got
them at Camp Mills before we went
across, but We gave them in again
after we came across, and we also
! got our gas masks back again, SO
we are well protected if a German
should come along for a gyisit.
understand Willie Fadness is al
Camp Dodge and Joseph Ford al
San Francisco. Peter Hendrickson
was at Camp Dodge when | was
there, but have not seen him since
/ left, SO don't know if he is across
or not. Lars Onsager / have no.
seen at all. see you have had a
letter from brother Ted and also one
from Albert H. Sent Ted letter
few days ago.
/ There are so many American SOL
diers over here that they don't know
where to put them all. They are
big. strong fellows too; We will sure
run the Germans back when We get
at them. How is Gerhard getting
along. Tell him hello from me and
| tell him that / will write him letter
! soon. How is sister Amanda, tell her
hello and also tell her to write. |
see you have written the photograph
err at Dodge City concerning my pic
i lures, but have not received an an
swer. I don't see why you should
not get an answer from them, Am
enclosing a receipt for them in this
letter. Send it to them. II / get a
chance to have my picture taken IN
| France will send you one. Well |
cant think of any more to write, 81
will close for this time, hoping this
letter will find you all o. X. AMI
dandy, and hoping to hear from you
soon.
| Your loving son
OSCAR S. THOMPSON.
Co. F. 352 Infantry.