The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-12-26
thought that we had lost man over
toord h,,t IF nroved false.

1
all the way over though there was
w-eckage in the water which was
| from torpedoed boats. A very strict
watch was kept all the time and both
guns on the bow and aft were always
ready, men in the crows nest would
sway clear over into air below, which
there would be nothing but the water,
but we came through fine and when I
first saw that rock out of the harbor
of Brest it seemed that could live
on that barren stuff the rest of my
life and feel happy after the trip.
We stayed aboard two days after
the anchoring in the harbor, then
ashore, through the town of Brest up
a very winding hill to the railroad
yards where we loaded into some box
cars for long journey to ST. Maxient.
While in those yards at Brest we
would get the young French kids to
run after bread for us which they
got from a bakery about a block away.
Some would run so fast that their
wooden shoes would fly off and then
they genela ally ran in their stocking
feet carrying shoes and an arnlful of
bread. We were so hungry that the
bread was like cake.
1t was here that some of the boys
got lickered up; after very hard boat
trip that was not sc much to be
wondered at, also our last two DAYS
lying in the harbor had found us with
no fresh water to drink, something
having gotten into one of the fresh
water wells. Salt water coffee is
rotten too.
On our way to st. Maxient we near
ly froze, had very little to eat, never
laid down taking what rest we could
sitting up. When you crowd forty
men into one of these French box cars
which are marked Hommes (men) 40
and Chevaus (horses) you are doing
your bit to win the war and I guess
that our entire squadron did that. AZ
st. Maxient We were CHARTERED in
some of Napoleon's old headquarters.
l only hope he didn't keep his sold
lers locked up as we were for we were
kept inside of those stone walls for
nearly month, having strange city
all around us in strange land and
after we had been having veiy hard
times for a month.
At st. Maxient I played little base
ball and made the team there, being
picked from bunch of about eight
hundred men in all.
A month in that hole and then to
this place of which you know a fair
amount already.
This is the largest place of its kind
as to transportation in France also.
We have more transportation avail
able for us than there is at any other
place, everywhere we hear of the First
Air Depot and calls come, in here from
all over for trucks which does not
mean that we give them all they want.
but we do have it going all over
the country. There are about 200
trucks, 80 cars and 80 motorcycles
here. When you hear all of those
heavy trucks going out of morning
there is roar which nearly deafens
you. All is done along big lines and
wonderful progress has been made
here during the past year in every
way. Where there were only four
hangers when we hit the field there
now are about rs and we also have a
supply depot in the woods where we
keep all the spare parts essential to
keep the Squadrons at different fields
supplied. Love to all,
Carl,
645th Aero Sqdn. A. E. F. A.
P.o. 7a1-A.
John Hanson in a letter to his
former employer graphically describes
some of his experiences and the things
with which he has come in contact,
as follows:
Dear Friend Hillrud:
Now that the war is over, guess
that can take few minutes time to
write you just few lines to let You
know that I am still evry much alive
and feeling fine. Everything has gone
0. K. with me so far and I am very
well satisfied with my experiences.
If I am not very much mistaken I
wrote you letter from the training
camp, at which was located in the
U. S. A. and told you about my army
life up to. that time. sss
While at that camp I was working
in the orderly room as assistant COM
pany clerk up to about two weeks be-
fore we left there. From the orderly
room job went to a non-commission-
ed officers school for one week and
then drilled with the company as
corporal for the week following.
Then came our trip across the con-
tinent. The Red Cross treated us fine
all along the route. Just to give Won
an idea of how fast we travelled, win
give you a few dates. We left the
training camp July Both, in the even
ing, and arrived at the camp at the
port of enbarkation on the morning
OF August 9th. We are not yet per-
mitted to pive names or onxY dat.;,s