Grants Pass daily courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1919-1931, 1919-01-18

Received your letter OF October {
20, Il being the first addressed to
the A. L. +. ! didn't write to Dad
on Dads day" but hope he got the
one / did write some weeks before.
You spoke OF the Xmas box, Well,
l thought would be homo for
Christmas-guess that thought was
for 1919, Everything is fine and
dandy though. was In the hospital
at Angers with a touch of the flu
when those said coupons were issued
so of course didn't get one. But
don't worry-I don't. That is the
way the bunch have been with do.
This frog" country is certainly
great place. l don't blame anyone
for wanting to get away from here.
We have n nice cold rain every day
and inspection every Saturday. Tho
rest Of the time We spend In fighting
formations and the mess" line and
work from morning till night
have had It rather soft 80 far.
Working German prisoners. will
have a pretty good idea about every
thing and everybody. All kinds OF
small jobs.
imagine you are having some
cold weather In the states. The
prisoners speak OF the "sna" they
would be sleighing on II they we're
home. They speak Of home very
often and expect to be going any
time.
Mother dear, / sailed out of New
York harbor on the George Washing
ton, one OF the big transports taken
from Germany when war was declar-
ed. Eight transports escorted by
several destroyers and the battleship
Michigan. the South Dakota behind.
Until dark (leaving about 1880 y.
Im.) the water all around was scout
ed with dozens of subchasers, air
lplanes and sausage balloons kept
watch from shore.
The George Washington being the
Flagship led the transports. II was
la grand procession. Everyone was
lin high spirits not knowing OF the
many flu germs on board. | viii
never forget that trip-fourteen
long days of zig-zagging. About the
third or fourth day out the Destroy
ers left us and then a few days lat
er the Michigan couldn't be seen In
scanning the water to the rear.
Water, water and water!
We had unit of Red Cross
nurses on board who made US masks
to wear over our mouths and noses
, to keep away the flu germs. At the
best many died-about 20. Beside;
the nurses there were a bunch oi
field clerks-first and second lieu
ltenants-and about the rest coons.
Talk about lodging subs. AT one
time we went due west for whole
lday. Every day the ship published
, paper, which was very interesting
and took away the monotony OF tn
trip. One day about noon the al
gunner on starboard side fired
Icouple OF shots at a floating box o.
Isomething to make big story ou
of, for some people. One night an
other shot was fired apd all tn
coons got out Of their hunks ant
stood at attention for an hour.
Some four or five days out we go
| Ia convoy OF French destroyers. Wei
the next thing was land-Frencl
soil. 1t looked pretty good then. w
landed in Brest on Sunday, Octobe
12. There we worked in the mud TO
= three days. Then we jammed our
;, selves into a French cattle car ant
went to Angers and were issued ney
guns, helmets and gas masks. W.
drilled hard for ten days and then al
lat once we're were shipped here $
10. s. And we are still here al
), though split up in different com
. lpanies and regiments.
Saw Shorty" Gravel at Angers
but haven't heard from his since
q Can say I am well, except col
which everybody has. Hoping 20
a are all we'll I will close. Tell every
n body hello for me.
r Ever your son. WILBUR
WILBUR BEARSS,
: Co. B, 129 Engineers,
A .Amarican Elk E0rcaa France.