The Mankato free press., 1918-07-12
Mankato Young Man Cuts
Capers In the Ozone
READY FOR THE BOMBING
Gallant Defender of Freedom
+. And Liberty Has Achieved
Great Success

Mother, Father and All: RecelVeu
your letter no. L of April % some
thine ago so must hurry up and ans
Iwer it, l hope you have received all
N.Y. letters by this time and you can
tell because they are all numbered.
j Well mother, / have received my
commission at last and was sworn in
on Memorial day. Everybody who
enlisted after October 25 or graduated
from ground school in the states on
or after that got second lieutenants,
all others firsts. / enlisted October
j26 SOL got second We were all
promised firsts but were kept over
here so long without getting our
training that lot of trouble arose
out of it and they had to do some.
thing We were all promised first
| llieutenants when we enlisted and
certainly deserve them. But such are
the fortunes of war and we must be
satisfied. AS soon as my active or
ders come | will be full-hedged
lieutenant, can wear my officers in
sigma and censor my own mail Some
of the boys got their active orders to-
day and l expect mine any day now.
! Memorial day was observed here by
all the Americans. All the cadets
marched down to the base hospital
and were joined there by some more
Uncle Sam soldiers. We then march
ed to the French cemetery where the
Americans are buried. We have one
corner of the cemetery to ourselves.
There were lot of French and Unit
ed States officers, American nurses
and a lot of French people there. Al
SO a French priest from town., the
mayor and the United States army
chaplain who conducted the services.
All the highest officers spoke, also
the French priest and the mayor. The
Frenchmen all spoke in French
got very little of their talks but know
they praised America and her soldiers
in the highest terms. The Americans
did the singing. The graves were all
decorated and each had a little flag
7, on it. After this was over we had the
rest OF the day to spend in town.
Am getting along nicely in flying,
being in the advanced double con-
troll class. From here go on a ma
chine alone. l certainly like flying
l
danger. l used to be scared to get up
high, but now in machine l feel as
much at ease as if l was sitting in
a chair on the ground l love to look
around and you can't imagine more
wonderful than to see the country
from an airplane. The country looks
like one immense garden. There have
been a number of fatal accidents
since l got here and two of our boys
badly smashed up in the hospital now,
while we buried one the other day
don't like to go to so many funer-
ais. But death has no effect on
US, nobody stops flying and in a few
minutes you forget all about it. It's
part of war, a person getting killed
lis nothing. You can be sure / will
be careful and not do foolish things.
Are the casualty lists very large these
Idays?
] Will have some pictures taken very
soon and will also send you some ko-
dak pictures. / got two letters from
Clyde recently, one was written
while she was in Sioux Falls. Said
she had mighty good time
The meals are served by the French
and are not very good Fer break
fast We get coffee. and bread. We
furnish them condensed milk and su-
gar for the coffee and furnish baker
Idown town -four and get white bread.
At noon VIC get meat, potatoes or big
white beans, cheese or figs. At night
soup, meat, potatoes or beans, some-
times salad and cheese. The food is
not cooked any too tasty. We eat lots
or extra stuff that we can buy, eggs,
milk, jam, fruit, etc. Get plenty to
Ieat. Whenever l am down town !
get good meals and enjoy them. |
spend quite a lot for things to eat
that is the only enjoyment I get out
of life these days. Food is awfully
nigh. For instance a typical meal /
get down town is three fried eggs.
lsteak, French fried potatoes, peas
bread and butter and ice cream costs
SIX and a half francs or $130 nearly
/ The Bull is no longer published be-
lcause the boys are now scattered all
over at flying schools. Our fellows
are all college men and professional
men between 20 and 80, lots of them
are married. All officers material.
!, Tie weather is wonderful now. ]
like the life here We are treated
like gentlemen and do no work ex-
cept fly. 1t is easy, will tell you what
We do in another letter.
Il All the men in the United States
Iarmy think about are the meals they
are going to have when they get
back. So the women are going to
nave busy time cooking / will say.
WMl write again soon. Lots of love
Paul.