The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1919-05-15
John J. MANTHEY's STORY OF
OVERSEAS SERVICE.

| NeZperce FURNISHED tno ' =
cd here last Sunday evening from RI.
D. A. Russell, Wyoming, where .'ne
! ,eeantlv arrived from overseas army
service and received his discharge. he
was a member of the 3l6th Amniu,a-
t;on Trains, 91st Division and tellsSof
b;s mart in the war as follows: .&@
In going abroad with the army a
man meets with lot of incidents that
civilian can never hope for. When
he comes back everybody wants TO
know all about the trip and the rare
things he has experienced-qmte nat-
urally.
will try and tell of few OF the
things I've seen while in france
We left Camp Lewis, Wash, Friday,
June %, 1918, and after JOY l1de
across the States, arrived at Camp
Mills. Long Island, Friday, July 0, at
40 a. m. The following Thursday
we boarded the Olympia White star
liner, then transformed into troop
ship-and with 5000 American sol
| d;ers aboard we left America, Friday,
July u. for foreign land called
France, to fight with other nations'the
battles for freedom and justice.
Everyone was on deck as we gliaed
tbronoh the waters of New York har-
Dor and past the Statue of Liberty, but
not sound. All faces were turned
westward. The Statue OF Liberty
Grew smaller and smaller and finally
disappeared in the haze. A few hours
later all signs of America were left
behind and we were alone on the briney
deep.
At irregular times the call ito
arms'' was sounded which meant
s'everyone on deck. I"
A little incident happened in mid
ocean that might be of interest. One
morning "call to arms" was sounded.
A submarine had been sighted to star
board at some distance. In jiffy
all of our six guns on board were di-
rected toward the object ready for
instant fire. The boat swung around
to the right at full speed. Everyone
on board crowded toward the railing to
see the fight and I never saw more
disguised bunch of boys in my life
when it was found that the "subma-
rine'' was only piece of wreckage.
The trip across was made without
mishap.
Two days out from England we were
met by 5 American cruisers who es
corted us into the harbor at South
Hampton, Friday, the 10Th of July.
On the 21st we saw French soil for the
first time after lodging submarines
the night before through the English
channel
The place where we landed had high
walls around it, built Of rock and so
you can imagine what the Americans
first impression of France was.
Then came three and one-half
days. privilege to ride on a French
railroad and the experience was worth
all of the inconvenience it caused us
that little 4x8 compartment in third
class coach (a) was room (a) for to
eat, sleep and live in.
We remained in Central France for
several months and while there I visit
ed the American base hospital at Roy
at several times. 1t was there I got
the first real impression of what war
meant. To see the boys come in by
the trainload from the front, wounded
and gassed, then going to them and
having them tell their little story of
how they got their man, the picture
Of the grim horrors of few days be-
fore still written in their features, I'M
complaining of their own disability and !
with sparkle in their eyes which |
said: eyes and I'll get another one
when I get WE'LL"
After making several attempts to
move to the front but being compelled
to remain on account of congestion of
traffic, the day finally came for us to
move and everyone was "rarin' to gou
to the assistance of the other Amer;.
cans but unfortunately the armistice
was agreed upon in the meantime and
the war was over.
After visiting Paris, Orleans, Tours
and other important cities we at last
left for the good old U. s. A.. and m
Easter morning we once more siobted
the Statue of Liberty.
The band greeted us with nHoma
Sweet, Home" and it was hard 70 no.
ileve, but true, we were again at homo
A little lump that was hard to swallow
rose in our Threats and we could ne;tb.
er shout nor laugh for joy.
"A few weeks later we were musteroa
out OF the service and thus ended onr
trip which will be long remembered
by gu
I1l-