The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-08-28
Harold Norman.

Navy Club House, New York,
Aug. 10, 1918
l wrote you a letter about three days
ago telling you that I was home again
and then l promised letter to follow
shortly. This is the letter and I apollo
giZe for not writing sooner as I know
you were earnestly and expectingly
waiting for this one. re ;sals, i5Atts sgEt
You are happy, no doubt that am
nipresence. in guiding me safely home,
but your happiness is no greater than
mine for to be home again, to be with
the people you love, fills my soul with
You will see from the heading that
am in New York. This was to be our
home port, but we, had to proceed to
the dear people in New York that / met
while-I was stationed here at the naval
hospital. My trip was none too pleasant
and hope the next trip will be more
pleasing. First We left on Saturday,
a little late and expecting to catch a
convoy, but we travelled for week and
we did not meet the convoy. We did
meet a battleship and we were ordered
to turn AROUND and proceed to Halifax
to wait for the next convoy. At Halifax
we stayed about ten days and left with
an English and American convoy. When
We neared the war zone the; u. S. de-
strooyers met us, and it was very COM
L
baker and I was turning in" when I
heard two distinct rumbles, and the ship
quivered. knew it was depth charges.
! ran out on deck to see IL I could see
anything, but 1t was so dark 1 returned
in bed when the general alarm bell rang
and was out again on deck. This time
the ship was making twists and turns
yards off and was rather frightened. I
eNperlenced a feeling of dread. feel
ing as though you were waiting to be
ttorpedoed and there was nowhere to go.
ped about eighteen depth bombs and al
though it is hard to say whether they
really destroyed any submarines or not,
It is dubious The only manner of ascer-
tanning whether or not a submarine is
destroyed Is to notice if any debris, oil
or air bubbles come up from the approx
innate T. portion of where they thought
they saw oil and debris on the water at
the places so We are quite satisfied in
the report Of the sinking of the subma-
rine.
We were fortunate in not losing any
ships from the submarines, but we lost
a small ship coming over in the heavy
seas seas by becoming "swamped" and one
-, can speak, none to well for France.
The country is very beautiful but the
people are peculiar to our ways and GUS
toms and their ideals are not as high
war spirit is very wonderful ard i'm
pressive and I admire them for it.
When we reached Bordeaux the third
Or July we We're given general liberty
the following day, and being; Independ-
ence day there was large Americar
parade in Bordeaux, so 1 went to see it.
1t was wonderful and the city was
crowded and the French people were
wild with excitement They are so
conndent IN the American army and they
are returning to their own happiness
withheld from the huns. f
Morally France is very low and her
women have small ideals of woman
hood and motherhood. Everything is
open and unrestricted and the American
Many fall but the men who have had
good home training and parents whose
love was rendered to them, remain clean,
and will hold the ideal of the American
women before him. 1t is not the place
to make a man of yourself, but a place
Of an American man. l am sorry to say
THIS, but you must have a clear con-
ceptlon or what our boys are up against,
so If you can do your bit" I'd help the
American Y. M. c. a., do it with SIM
tuition is doing wonderful work for
the boys who are there. thank God
many times for the true women l have
met. who have given me encouragement
and taught me the ideals to stand for.
Those Ideals are the highest and l would
not have them lowered for the sake of
personal satisfaction and pleasure. as
please do not think Of me as erring, %
am sorry II must close, but / will
finish in a letter soon to follow
with GODS love and mine to YOU all,
HI s Harold.