The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-03-14
LETTERS FROM THE
BOYS IN ARMY CAMPS

Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Murtaugh re
ceived the following letter from theil
son Claude with the A. e. F. il
Fance.
Dear Dad and Mother: Well a
last we left our old field where mut
was SO plentiful. We are at swell
field now. We have nice barrack.
and this is sure a fine flying field
We came down to this new field il
trucks and believe me it sure wa!
some "trip. The truck came dowI
on it took two days to make the trip
Sunday / went TO football game
1t was a good game, at least l 1though
SO, as it has been a long time since
/ have witnessed game Wei
mother | must tell you of surprise
had before l left the old field. Il
was the day before 4 left. was or
KIP. duty and was cutting wood ant
looked up and who did see but Phi
Heydon. You can't imagine how GLAD
| was to see him. We had fine Wis
it and after supper went down to {
little village and later came back tC
camp, Phil stayed all night with me
and went back to his Ncamp mex
morning. / sure felt bad to see him
go: ! watched him until he was ouj
of sight and then~wen to work.
think l will be home in July, some
time.
1t is showing here tonight, look fol
about six inches of snow in the morn
4 a r-n N n -
sure are getting good eats, but DOM
know when we will start for home
Some stink we will start soon but
don't think so. The way it looks tc
me we will be here two or three
months. | am going to stay with my
squadron and come home with them
l want to stay with the boys as long
as / can. We are all anxious to get
home. We viii all feel little blue
after We get out of the army We
will sure miss each other. 1t has
turned very cold and the wind goes
through a fellow. We had a swell
supper last night. Some of the boys
went out in the woods and shot a
wild boar. / didn't think it would
be good to eat but l tried a piece OF
it and it was fine. They went out
after more this afternoon. Suppose
We will have pork tomorrow Well
one of the Boys just came in and
said We got two more hogs. We will
get some feed tomorrow. So you
think some of the boys are not sat
istied when they doget >home, but
believe me will be glad to get home
/ sure know good home when ]
see cne and l will sure stick close
to home with you and Dad when ]
do get back. / am sure glad am in
the army. Well, mother i will close
Best regards to ell, Claud Murtaugh
Mr.. and Mrs. Claus Swanson re
ceived the following interesting let
tiers. from their son Robert.
Brest, France. February 6, 1919
My Dear Mother: As have some
more news fer .evI saess-I had beit
ter tell you all about IL.
The first and most important is
the report i got from the hospital
where Oscar has been. when \
came here wrote the first day tc
OscGr and didn't get any answer sc
thought / would write to the hos
pital authorities and find out.
asked them TO tell me about his con
dition. Enclosed you can read the
answer | received. 1t surely(was good
news, for me because when / heard
Oscar had pneumonia and the gas
too th@t looked pretty bad. Many a
night / have prayed to God that He
might protect Oscar and bring back
his good health again. But it seems
as If God has answered my PRAYERS
and l. suppose yours too. Probably
he is on his way back to the United
States by this time. They are send
ing soldiers back very.<fast now and
there are several ships arriving and
leaving with big loads every day We
are located right here so we see ev-
cry ship that comes and goes from
Brest.
| haven't been in Paris yet, but
may get chance as there is going tc
be one more Paris party" When
was ashore last time went through
an old CASTLE or chateau that was
used by julius Caesar. 1t was started
four years before Christ and Spanish
French and English all helped build
it. 1t is very large one and of won
derful construction Our guide tool
us down into the dungeons where
the prisoners wefe kept. That sure
was some place. will tell you al
about it when l get home. / have
also got quite few souvenirs. We
leave here next week and probably
will take some soldiers on board.
am feeling fine and hope you all are
the same. Must go to dinner now
From your loving son, Robert.
/ am on shore liberty today too
/ don't like very well to go but it's
little different then being on the
ship all the time, so just go for q
diversion. Everything person buys
the dealers soak" you right and left
Nearly everything is franc. / car
realize now why France was made
to suffer so much in this war. She
is a large country and undoubtedly
the most rottenest country in the
world. They have one motto wine
and women" and they sure stick t.
it. NeAone ever drinks water II
is always wine. All can see where
ever look is hogsheads, barrels anC
they are full of wine and are beins
unloaded from ships by the German.
prisoners.
l inquired where Base hospital No
"a was and found out it was quite q
ways from here. 1t would take me
about one and half days to gel
there. | am going to ask for a five
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