The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1919-01-03


about the mechanism, operation and
repair of the instruments he handles
| if he would insure the lines of his
| comrades by delivering a request
message for protective barage fire
| to fall at some appointed second
| The signal men are selected on ac-
count of special qualifications and
theirs is work rendering the best
| of service, and a work for which
any signal man may be justly proud
| have never regretted that my OPP
| portunity to 60 to the officers train
| ing camp was sacrificed and that
came across instead of going to the
camp as was recommended. We
| have men In our work who deserve
much higher rank than they now
| hold, who are content to serve as
| they are, because they fully realize
| the importance of their work. II Is
easy to see much difference In re-
gard to rank over here from the way
| it is thought of back in the states.
Especially by people who are mex
perienced and do not understand ac-
cording to real spirit OF service
| first. About all the American f. F.
| is composed of all American soldiers
| but other bloods as well as pure
Americans wear the khaki and ue-
hold the cause for which the u. S.
| called them to defend. Plenty OF
hard work in the camps behind the
| lines, and Chateau Thierry and st.
Mihiel have taught our boys some
| lessons of real value. But had only
six of my last ten days training be-
| fore going to the front when armis
| tice No. was signed, and the big
game was called off. | will attempt
no camouflage hearsay in place OF
the livid natural descriptions you
| will in time get from men who have
experienced and survived the almost
guaranteed result of modern warfare.
/, | wanted to see the front and | may
be sent into the army of occupation
! had much curiousity about going
over the top, but all men have had
] that experience say you get cured
of all that In single trip over to
meet Fritz According to some of
the wounded men, Sherman's idea
was mild to what this war has been
] We certainly owe a great deal to
the men whose lives have won this
war and | can feel how much that
their valorous deeds deserve to be
remembered long after we survivors
have all passed away.
There is much discussion among
the men as to who is going home
and who is going to remain here to
assist in the reconstruction work.
There is much needed. France shows
effects of this. and even previous
wars am patiently willing to do
whatever service | am needed for. I
want to see the wounded and such
classes go home soon. AS for me. IL
Uncle Sam needs me longer. | am
ready to drink his army coffee yet
awhile. That just reminds me-the
coffee pot will have to be replaced
by a much larger one when | get
home or l will have to have one OF
my own. Coffee is never turned
down by A. E. F.. men, nor the
chocolate served each night by the
'Y." 1t would take a whole book 10
tell what the Red Cross and Y are
, worth to us over here. Those who
work in that line are certainly de-
serving of an immense amount of
credit in the prosecution of the war.
Much enthusiastic joy must have
been shown in the States when Ger
many capitulated. Some stunts were
pulled off here, but the soldiers took
it quietly. Lots of their emotional
traits have been turned into disci-
pline by systematic training.
have not seen any of the boys
| from my home in N. c.. though
know many of them are with the A.
e. r. Only one boy, Jesse G.. Willis,
still with me. He is a mighty fine
fellow like his brother Robert, was.
And he has been as true a comrade
to me in service as was Robert a
friend in the University of Arkansas.
All the others who went to camp
with me are scattered, | know not
where.
| have been stationed Tor snort
times at several different places
since | came over. | am at present
located about two hundred miles
from the French coast and about
one hundred and twenty-five miles
south southwest of Paris Our drill
work is not so intense as 1t has been.
Many interesting games are played
instead of so much drill. | have
learned so many field games that
I'll never be bothered again in direct
ing a school in lines of field or out
door amusements Some games are
real food for thought as well as be-
ing good exercise Work has In
some respects been reduced to play
and it seems to matter not how a
/ 81 r&t<x ID