The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-11-01
write often. Wish l could write more
often, but it is hard to find time and
news.-Loye to All, Kenneth.

MCtnef. Am now SlIllHS III our PIT
waiting for an enemy plane to at
tack our balloon. I am now in the
machine gun crew; we have six
Hotchkiss machine guns with three
men to gun, one gunner, one load
er and lookout man. This is a
very interesting part of the company,
| in fact the only part that has AMY
excitement connected with it. We are
right UP where the big guns roar and
they sure keep us awake at night.
We can see the German trenches with
the glasses and the German balloons
without them. Our planes go over
the German lines and we watch the
Germans fire at them with shrapnel;
their planes come over our lines and
they get the same thing, only more,
we open up on them whenever they
come close to our balloon.
We have a nice place Barracks
and so FORTH and are very comfort
able. Last night German bombing
party came right over our barracks
and the artilleries were pouring
'hrarnel ct them. They went over to-
wards city not far away, suppose
to bomb it..
The other day we went over to a
neighboring village and went through
1.-THE gas chamber to test our gas
masks. When we got through we
Fstopped at the Salvation Army rest
rooms and got everything you could
Imagine to eat at very reasonable
prices. They are also right up in
the trenches making coffee and
doughnuts for the boys which they
all appreciate very much.
l received several letters from you
and others while at the balloon
school but none while at the front.
II haven't written to you for some
time, but really / haven't had time
! to get little sleep say nothing
, about writing letters. We get up at
$3.50 and have cup of coffee and
take the balloon out and have it out
all day until after dark. Every
fourth night we keep it up all night.
Oh tell you it is great sitting out in
the hot sun all day beside the machine
gun straining our eyes for boche air.
planes. Maybe you think we don't
sleep when we hit our hunks The
only time we have to write and clean
up is when it rains and today is the
first time it has rained since we've
been here.
|, Our company hasn't a personal car
as yet but when we do get one ]
expect to drive it as the commanding
officer and manoeuvering officer have
both promised me the job. Our
'manoeuverj1g officer is peach, Ed
Adams, the former race driver. He
Traced with all the big drivers at the
Indianapolis speedway. He is a
first lieutenant and has been at the
/ front before. When we were shelled
the other night he and l beat it for
some dugouts close by and slept there
all night. We were expecting the
Germans to fire for destruction. He
had his bed-ro and big leather coat,
he made me put on his coat and gave
me one of his blankets, said that |
might get cold. 1t sure does get
damp here at night, our blankets
were wringing wet when we woke
up. The boche planes were flying
real close to the ground right over
our trench.
| Oh l must tell you about our lovely
trips on this side on the French
trains. Their engines and cars arc
about a third as large as ours. We
are unfortunate enough to get box :
cars both times that had just taken
horses to the front; they sure did
smell fine. Those that could find
room slept Con the floor of course)
but there were forty three men in
each car so there weren't many that
had sleep. For four days and four
nights on those things, too, can you
! imagine it?
! / think / better bring this letter to
a close or the censor may tear it up
Write often. Your loving son, Ken
Meth
Paul V. Hoerr, writes from a point
in France that he is getting along
nicely. He is all ready to do his
I duty as an aviator. He likes the
work very much. He is very anxious
| to get into that part of the game
HE speaks of having read Mankato
news in Paris papers. Learned OF
the county going dry from The Paris
Mail.
The following was taken from a
letter written by Grant Willard:
France, September &c, 1871 am
again in hospital or rather, home
! for convalescents. It's merely the
! Jaundice this time and l am about
cured of the miserable stuff. Have
been in Paris just week and this is
Lay first day out of bed and my second
on regular ofet.
| We carry on our convalescing in a
little Swiss chalet located in the
gardens behind he main pension. We
number about twelve in. all GALL am
bulance men from various sections
with as many different ailments
/ The place is now run for this OK
press purpose-taking care of con
valescing ambulance men after they
are well enough to leave the hospital
making it as honey and as comfort
able as possible. The idea of the
thing is splendid for us and the SUI
pervision is of the best.
| One can't help admiring the way
our plucky little boys tore off that
boche salient. Miserable weather
with roads in bad condition but moi
once did they falter. AS far as l car
Isee the papers are right in sayins
that it was complete victory for the
Americans. And $4,000 prisoners