Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-12-25
Decorah Boy Son of Mr.. and, Mrs. Ill.
VI. Cummings Tells About Some
OF the Big Drives Before
War Ended.
HE HAS BEEN IN
SOME OF THE BIG ONES
Mas Gassed i'm One Drive and Could
Not See for Two Days and
Couldn't Talk for Two
Months
Verdun, France
Nov. "a, 1918
My Dear Dad:


My Dear Dad:
Well this whole d. thing is over
and it seems too impossible to be
true. You know we can't seem to
realize that We don't have to hike
around by night and keep fires and
matches out and hide by day. And
the best part about it is that we are
coming home soon, perhaps ia time
to read this letter in my presence,
how would that be?
/ was worried when / heard Of
you being sick with the "au", for |
was in the hospital in Paris with it
for about month and was pretty
sick for while. l was still in the
hospital when the armistice was
signed and Paris went wild At first
they We're afraid that it wasn't true
and were undecided whether to cele-
brate or not, but it soon was con-
will tell you'all about it when i get
home. We. are. making preparations
now TO leave at any time. This town
OF Verdun is a great place and not
shot up as bad as lots Of places that
have seen four years of war. They
call it the underground city, They
have more than forty miles Of ex-
cavations, including bakeries, hos
pitals, dormitories with every mod
ern convenience; great place.
Our company has been IN every
drive the Americans have mede, ca
cept the st. Mehial drive. and then
we were in the line on the Ve6le
river, but came down in time to set
mixed mp in this Yerdun scrap. We
started in with the British in Bel
gium and Flanders in March and got
mixed in Fritz's spring drive and that
was where / got gassed. couid'nt
see for two days and could'nc talk
for nearly two months. However
am in A No. condition now and
raring to get back home and eat.
I read in the New York Herald the
other day that we were the first Of
fepsive American troops to take part
in action against the Boches. We
came out OF the line in May and went
back in again in two weeks in the
Toul sector and Lunesville sector,
came out of there and went into the
line at Chauteau Thierry on the 18th
of July and stayed in until after the
st. 8Iiehle drive and then came right
to Ayocort, west OF Verdun, and this
last push was hell personifed, cold,
exposure, rain and advanced so fast
that we ran out of rations. Its all
over now so we forget about what We
had to put up with when We were
trying to do our bit.
am sorry to hear that Cal B. is
having so much trouble; its too bad,
but this world is full of its ups and
downs, but it seems that some peo-
pie do get more than their share.
This is Dads day and so am
doing my share by writing all I can
that / think the censors will pass,
not too much though, for | want
something to talk about when get
home.
1t is quite coincidence about the
band getting their music from B. o.
Marsh; he must have quite busi-
ness.
They have got to give the states
credit for going over the top with
their Liberty Loans. That's what
helped the boys over here when
things looked dark. But we are
coming home soon, good job done
even il we are a few years older
and lots OF us grey. Must stop now
and write to Sally and Henry. Love
TO yourself and mother and all the
kids when you see them,
Your son,
uyADn C,TTNTNfINGG