The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-10
CORP. ARTHUR G. GREER
IN CHARGE OF HOSPITAL
Has No Idea When He Will Return
Tells of Accident to John Glen
of Caldwell in Trenches.

his parents who live near CALDWELL
Dear Father: AS this is Dads
Xmas letter day. l will endeavor to
scribble few lines to let you know
that | think of you many times every
day and want you to know that
whenever / show my pictures l al
ways show "the best girl in the
worlds picture" and then right away
| show the boys that little kodak
picture of you and mother and say
here is the best people in the world"
and most of them don't hesitate to
agree, but of course they are thinking
of their own particular best people in
the world.
Well. father, have had an expert
ence that hope none of my sons will
ever go through for although it is
surely the test of fire" in two ways |
am happy to say that | don't believe |
have been damaged by the flame. |
am on detached service here at the
| hospital and have been for about
three weeks. l have charge OF two
convalescent wards each holding 90
men and am pretty busy most of the
time, which | find an excellent anti
! dote for the blues.
would like to have gotten back
with my outfit" as We speak of it
over here, meaning our individual
regiments, in my case the ll1th Inf.
The main reason being that | was
recommended by Co.'S commander
to the regimental office for promo
ton to a sergeancy and of course I
would liked to have carried the three
wrinkles" as the boys call a nom
CONS stripes, home with me- Now
of course you know that it is not be-
cause of my knowledge of military
dope that is, my ability to bring a
company from a column of squade to
company front in the shortest possible
| time or anything of that sort, but it
| was because | was able to stand the
test of fire. l think the reason l was
getting the other wrinkle" was the
fact that my squad was the only one
of our company to hold the strong
point we were assigned to during four
days hard fighting and what kept me
cool was knowing that way back in
Idaho Cody father and mother were
praying for my safety. But about
my promotion two days after my name
was sent in l was sent to the hospital
on account of a severe case of stom-
ach trouble. Of course when my
service record i. e., that little piece of
paper that tells how many times you
have been in the guard house, when
you enlisted and where from, etc,
catches UP with me it may show me to
be Sergeant Greer, but until then |
am corporal and of course me being
sent to the hospital so soon might
make difference.
| am hoping that | shall be back in
Idaho before many moons but good
ness knows whether I will or not but
I keep hearing all kinds of favorable
rumors. Am writing this in R. c.
Hut, frame building about 40 feet
wide, 100 long. Some of the fellows
are reading, others writing and some
of them playing the grafanola, but
most of them are refighting the bat
ties of Argonne, ST. Mihiel and
Chateau-Thierry, and of course every
mans particular division did more to
win the war than any other unit that
set foot on French soil.
By the way, you probably knew of
John Glenn from Caldwell Remember
he sent some things back in my suit
case to be given to his sister who lives
there. Well his left leg was broken
by shrapnell about five weeks ago
today and he and were laying in a
dugout, jam up against each other
when it happened. so don't be SUR
prised if have few gray hairs when
4 come back.
am going to Chalons tomorrow on
pass and will try to bring back few
little articles to remember France by,
but not many as have just 46 Frances
or about nine dollars and of course
that don't go vary far. Have only
been paid for two months service so
have not made the French population
very rich since coming over.
Another thing about being away
from my company, | have not re-
ceived any mail addressed to me since
you knew | was on this side, the last
word from home being Helen's letter
OF August 9th.
| wish I knew whether John had
been sent over or not but of course
just have to hope and trust for the
best, Well it is getting near nine
o'clock. the hut's closing time, so |
must close too which makes me think
how | have missed that little watch
that you were all so kind to give me
and wonder il it was returned to you
| wrote Homer and told him would
stop and visit him on my way home
il he would promise to sell me Lily
and Lena but otherwise I would moi
even say hello at ALL
But then all these questions that
keep thinking about will be answered
soon. and hoping and trusting to see
vou all within sixty days, am your
loving son,
CORP. ARTHUR G.. GREER.