Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-02-26
DecOrahian Who Recently Landed in
This Country From Overseas
Writes Interesting Letter
SEA WAS ROUGH
But DIDN'T GET SEA SICK
BY the Time He Reaches Camp
Dodge He VIII Have Travelled
in the NeighbOrhoOd Of H.
900 Miles
Camp Merritt, n. ].

an awful trip but we got here all
safe and feeling fine, which was the
main thing. | sure have been lucky
on my little overseas voyage. Never
even got sea sick coming back, ana
we saw some pretty rough sea too.
The water came clear over the boat.
or at least it looked that way, as
lots of the fellows got soaked to the
hide, anyway. 1t sure did rock some.
Was on the water 1 days. Believe
me We were a glad bunch when we
unloaded at New York yesterday
morning. 1t felt so good to be back
in Gods country that l could not
hardly believe | was in the United
States. The Red Cross gave us a
nice big cup of real coffee and a nice
bun and a package of candy. That
coffee and bun was worth more than
all the grub we got on the boat for
/ 6 days, so you can think for your
self what kind of grub we had. But
We sure have been treated fine since
We got back. Well after we got that
coffee dOwned the Y. NJ. c. A. came
around with apples by the barrels.
Got our pockets filled with them,
then came the chocolate bars. Got
two of them. Then cigarettes, so We
had our empty stomachs satisfied.
Then we loaded on a ferry and went
across the Hudson river to New Jer-
sey and got on the Erie railroad
this time not in box cars, and came
to this camp about ? p. m. yesterday.
Got a big dinner shortly afterwards
and we bought some pie. First time
We had pie since we left Camp Mills
last fall You should have seen the
boys go after them. Didn't stop to
slice or cut the pie, went to the
whole thing We are now waiting to
go through the mill to see if We got
any OF those soldiers friends.
Coolies" or crabs, or whatever it
may be. Then we expect to be on our
way to Camp Dodge. Expect to be on
my way there when you receive this
letter. AS | understand now the rest
of the 339th regiment is already in
Camp Dodge, or on their way. There
are only about so or so here out Of
Headquarters Co. and Battery f.
339th.
Expect to get some mail when we
arrive there as this advanced bunch
was so kind as to take our mail to
Camp Dodge with them. l don't
know a thing about how things are
at home. as the last letter l received
was from Henrietta mailed Dec. I'd.
OF course l know quite well that |
did not write only about one or two
letters in that time but we were ex-
pecting to leave any minute for
weeks before we left old France Sc
that accounts for it, But thank our
lucky stars that it will not be long
now before l can come home.
You may have seen the writeup'
in the papers about the boat Duca d
Aosta arriving Feb. Is. Well that's
the boat was on anyway.
Joseph Valenta was still in France
when l left and they did not expect
to leave for 5 or days after We did,
and at that he beat me back and its
that bunch that's on their way to
Camp Dodge now, so I feel little
defeated now, but I'll get there some
time too. But we may go home to-
gether, as I don't think they will get
out of the army until we all get to-
gether again. Still they may be home
when We get there, can't always tell.
Did you get the telegram l sent you
yesterday? Great way to send tele-
gram without paying for it, but
did not make as much money as l
expected to while I was in those
foreign countries. Well the rumor
just came in now that our mail was
still here which do hope as l know
I have some mail from you.
Well I saw six foreign countries
on my trip, even if did not see very
much. Saw Scotland, Ireland. Eng
land, France, Spain and Africa. or
course only went through the two
England and France. Sure have made
some miles on my trip. By the time
I reach Camp Dodge I will have
travelled in miles half way around
the world nearly, or in the neighbor-
hood of 10000 miles.
Saw the Rock of Gibralter, also
the town of Gibralter on the coast
of Spain on my way back. We were
there in the harbor from about
a. m. until p. m, II hours; loaded
up coal in the boat that day. We had
then already sailed two days. Left
Marcellie, France Jan. 20; LETT
Bordeaux, France the 18th, went
through a few large towns in France.
ne ooucsa tbiS trim was made on rail