The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-03-05
ORV|LLE CLOUGH
TELLS A REAL
WARTIME STORY

taitit IihtE " Viii
w. w. Woodwork OF Ringing, |
recently received the following in
teresting letter from Orville c. |
Clough, regimental sergeant-maior, !
Hath Infantry, S6th division. Sergt. |
Maj. Clough is we'll known in Ard
more. He was connected with the
State National Bank here for some
time, but shortly before entering
The service he had resigned his posi-
ton and had gone to Ringing. His
letter is replete with interesting facts
concerning the activities of the 144th
Infantry, and is as follows:
.anlay, Department OF Yonne,
France, 10Th January, 1910.
Dear Mr. Woodwork: You are
justified in thinking that I did not
appreciate your letter OF some
months ago. But I did, very much,
and wish that it had been followed
by many others. Doubtless you have
been very busy, as is your wont,
and | must beg the same excuse.
For | have been a very, very busy
man since landing in France.
Perhaps a brief history OF my
travels since leaving Camp Bowie
would not be amiss at this time.
At any rate, here goes:
left Camp Bowie on the after
noon of July 9, after five weeks in
camp, 20 days of which was spent
in the detention camp. We left over
the Frisco for St. Louis, then the
Clover Leaf to Conneaut, Ohio. then
The Nickel Plate to Buffalo, then
The Lackawanna to New York City
tHIoboken). We stopped for exer-
else at many places along the way
nd had several hours in Buffalo,
y. Y, having a real supper at the
Statler We detraned at Lacka-
wanna Pier and were ferried over
TO Brooklyn, where We again en-
'ra'ned and were whisked out to
Camp Mills. There we STAYED Just
two nights and one day, when we
again cntrained for Brooklyn, fer
ricd to Army Transport Pier and
boarded the Nood ship George
Washington, which, by the way, was
the one chosen to bring the presi-
dent to France. We left New York
on July Is. Had a very smooth voy-
age, was not seasick minute
pending almost the entire time in
Major Hills stateroom. We had
three or four brushes with real or
imaginary submarines, but reached
The harbor OF Brest, France, on the
afternoon OF July 80, after twelve
days OF water, water, everywhere,
etc. In our convoy were some fiji
teen boats, to say nothing OF the
ao,illa of destroyors that met us
three days out from Brest
We disembarked on the morning
OF the 3lst and marched to Pom
tonezon rest camp grossly mis-
named), wbare we spent two days
and nights in pup tents, in the
rain and mud. There are a lot OF
barracks here, built by Napoleon,
hut they we're all full. Then we
marched back to Brest and eutra;n-
ed, destination unknown. You'd
'augh to see the dinky French
rains, but We Gods how they can
run! Many of the men drew S:40s,
,o-callcd because all are labeled s
thcvcauX-40 hommes e horses or
40 mem, but being on the regiment
al staff, drew 3rd class passage
French passenger coach - very
comfortable and very enjoyable,
save ior loss OF sleep, it being al
most impossible for six men to sleep
in the little compartments. After
two days and nights on this cain,
vistin Orleans. lie Mans, Chartre.
and other large cities, we detrained
at Bar-Sur-Aube, in the Department
OF Aube. Have YOU a good map
Of France; Ii you have, YOU ,an
follow me, From Bar-sur-Aub", we
hiked 10 kilometers north to a
quaint little French village, Vile
,ur-Tcrre, where we went into ir-
'ensive training until September %.
While here we had numerous lrob-
lem, to work out which took us
all over that beautiful country-the
prettiest I've seen in France. [
really enjoyed my stay at Nille-sur-
Terre. On the date last named, we
left, headed toward the front, en-
training at Brienne-le-Chat -
drawing an $40 this time, and de-
training at Epernay-the home OF
NUNS Extra Dry,-largest cham
pagne factory in France, The town
was deserted, having been badly
torn up by artillery fire and bombs.
From here we marched into reserve,
billeting at Juvigny-sur-Marne,
where we stayed until October O.
1t was here we had our first Boche