Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-10-28
GOT AHEAD OF REST
AND WERE "MISSING"
One Company In Teal TO Do Full
Duty Gets Away From Battalion
and Fights Alone Three Days.

On the western front. where the
war plays havoc with our precon-
ceived OF the order OF things, and
freaks OF nature and human conduct
are usual occurrences instead OF the
unusual, whole battalion OF Amer
lean soldiers became lost in re-
cent drive, among them was at least
one Tulsa boy. John H. Larson, "A
young oil worker OF this city.
His parents Mr.. and Mrs. J. II.
Larson Of the Barnsdall oil COM
pany's lease north OF this city, first
received news OF their boy being
missing in action through the news
paper casualty lists. A short time
later they received a wire from the
var department stating that their
son had been reported IN issing In
action" No further news was re
ceiyed until Thursday OF THIS week.
when they received the following
letter from their son giving the rea-
son that they were missing. war
news OF that particular drives gives
more detailed report of this par
ticular battalion. In a recent drive
the men in the front line trenches
were given tho Command to go
over the top" The boys OF this bat
tIlIon, practically all OF them Okla
homans. went over with such zeal
Gus vigor that they were soon so far
ahead OF the pursuing army that
they were lost to sight. Nothing
dluntcd, they kept up their chase
for three days and nights. forging
ahead, and firm in the belief that
the main body OF their troops were
n hAhin1
many casualties. despite their dang
erous ! osition, being In the enemy's
country. which was very nearly
evacuated. however.
The Germans were forced 70 flee
all along their front. and the brave
battalion was discovered after two
weeks still fighting. The following
letter Is OF particular interest to
many friends Of the young man, who
is well known to the oil fraternity in
this vicinity:
Somewhere in France. Aug 25. 1918.
Hello. MAJ am answering your
letter / got a couple Of days ago.
! did not think l would ever get
any more letters. This is the first
chance have got to write as we Just
came back TO rest camp. We have
been in the front 20 days. | guess
YOU have read about the drive.
Well we were in It, We sure had
some exciting times but we Just put
the boches on the run. We could
not keep up with them. We took a
lot OF prisoners. We run them out
OF one camp where they were just
getting a meal; they did not have
time to finish IL, 50 we finished II.
We had SOME dinner. Ha, ha!
got a big piece OF their cheese and
war bread. We stayed there a day
The reason was. we had been chas-
ing them for a couple OF days and
we knew they were getting tired.
SO the next day we took out after
them again. l got some souvenirs
got blanket, a pair Of socks, belt
and dagger and some post cards
We were all loaded down with junk.
We would run them out OF their dug
outs and we would then go in and
get their things that was worth
carrying.
One company got a German wagon
to haul their rations in. One COM
pany got a big cow-they keep her
with their kitchen so the boys have
milk for their coffee. We have a
hard time to hide our kitchen from
the boches Every time they see one
they send a G.. |. can at II Chat is
what we call the big shells). I have
had them hitting all around me. A
piece of one hit me on the finger
and knocked the skin off. I picked
it up for souvenir. I have jumped
in trench many a time to dodge
them: a person can dodge the big
ones, as they sound like a freight
train coming. | guess when I get
home every time hear a train COM
ing I will run for hole. Ha! ha!
have had everything they could
shoot out OF gun or cannon shot at
me. Some OF the boys got gassed !;
they went to the hospital and came
back in a few days. Ihave not had a
gas mask on and have been on the
front 20 days. We are sure a dirty
bunch I have not washed my hands
or face all the time | have been on
the front. | pulled my shoes off
once. | Just wanted to see IL still
had my feet l don't think Glenn
will have to come over here as
think we will have them whipped
before then. Don't you worry about
me as I am getting along fine. You
don't need to send me any money,
as we have no place to spend II now.
We get all the tobacco we want for
nothing. Tell witt he ought to be
over here; he could get job digging
trenches. Tell him I can sure dig
when n German is shooting at me
with n machine gun. I am sending
you some postal cards got off a
German prisoner.
The Germans are afraid of us
Yanks: when we went over the top
the Boch officers told the men to
beat 1t as the bloody Yanks are
coming. That is what some OF the
prisoners said.
will close. You want to write
often and tell the others to write.
J. II. LARSON,
Company A, 3H NJ. G. Bn., American
Expeditionary Force.