Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-12
UNDERGRADUATE
KILLED IN AREO
BATTLE SEPTIC
Lieutenant Arthur T. Johnson of
thCSteTtOn. Ind Meets Death
In Message.
WRITES TO MOLINE CHUM
@ThoSe Who Say Air Service Pro-
gram Was Failure Are Darned
Liars lie Writes.

Lieutenant Arthur T Johnson Of
Chesterton, Ind, a former Angus
taua college student. was killed in
an aerial combat Sept. -. according
90 word received by his mother and
forwarded 10 officers of the local
institution
lie graduated from Augustana
with the class Of 1917 He was a
member OF the college band and on
the outbreak of war between this
country and Germany enlisted in the
former Sixth Illinois regiment Lat
er he was transferred 10 the ayIa-
tiou school ct Fort Sill, Okla, as
one OF the two men selected from
the regiment as possible aviatOrs.
on completing his course in avIa-
tiOu lie was given a commission as
q second lieutenant. shortly after
his arrival in France during the
early part Of the present year ne
was granted a promotion and was
made a first Lieutenant
Lieutenant Johnson was a pOpU-
lar student at Augustana, the ma
jor.ag of his fellow students calling
him ~CGink." q nickname which he
carried throughout hi college life.
Receives Letter.
Anyone who told you our air
service program was "a failure is
darued liar" Lieutenant Johnson
wrote "Curley" Anderson of Moline,
one Of JOhnsOn's most intimate
friends during his years at Angus
taua The letter is dated Sept. 8,
and was written just five days prior
TO the battle which resulted in Lieu
tenant Johusou's death.
The letter complete as written by
Mr. Johnson is appended:
Sept Was ! glad to hear
from you aeain2 I'll leave that 10
you ! had been hoping that you
would find the time. | have been
very glad 70 hear from your moth
er, she writes wonderful letters I
was glad also when I heard that
She visited mother.
Il saw Ole OldstrOm's name IN
one Of the casualty lists. I have
heard from Edgar Severius Ander-
son couple Of times. Last time I
heard from him he said he was go
ing on leave Lucky boy I also
saw Red EckstrOm's name as a sec
Oud lieutenant in air service jour.
: nal Glad to hear it.
SteadinesS Wins.
Amy one who told you our air
service program was failure IS
GaTued liar. over here we are do
ing good work and d h. of a lot
better than some OF those desk war
Tiors back in Washington, ID. c. We
have had a beautiful job Weakening
them and l believe some have cast
irOu dOmes. But over here We are
On the job and l want the world I,
know il. AS for sensational work
that never wins, il is the steady
plug through thick and thin that
gets the bacon. The squadron | am
with has some beautiful busses and
we have put in lot of time We
are kept very busy when weather
permits
by the time you get this letter
some more history Will be maze.
Lots Of US viii not be on the job
and q lot more Huns will be S'%
foot under. The only Respectable
place for Hun except in another
decidedly warmer locality. I hope
10 be on the Job as l am fairly
lucky. Last Monday five Huns
jumped us as we were peacefully
mtandering along. 7 got in some
nine shots but did not score, and
neither did the Hun We only had
one bullet hole in our buss.
II sure am glad TO hear that the
people are coming to life. High
time as they have been sleeping for
over d year When I left New
York people asked us where we
were going and would no doubt
have been much surprised if We
had t0I dthem France
Job in Air.
souvenirs are a little out Of my
line. / do not intend to wander
over battIefelds as my job is above
them. When things are quiet we
like 20 stay in our little old shacks.
81 suppose this letter sounds a
little pessimistic. I do not feel
that way i'm the least We know
ge have their number and it is Only
a question Of time. They know it
also.
"IEI close now hoping that YOU
VIII write often Best love to your
mother. Lots of luck. old boy