The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-01-16
NEWS OF OUR SOLDIER
BOYS
Interesting Letters from Our
Boys at Home Camps
and Abroad.
From Bugler c. c. Coonrod.

Dec. 17-Our unit was late in get
ting into action because we did not
set foot on European soil until Au-
gust 20, in Liverpool, and it was as
late as September 18 before we re-
ceived orders at Reamicourt, France,
to go into action, as an evacuation
hospital The medical is a non-com-
bative branch of the service and for
this reason many think that those in
such branch are not exposed to risk
or danger. We have been under strag-
Cling shell fire, have experienced three
air raids and are daily exposed to
contagion in the course of duty. No
one is exposed to greater danger than
field medical men in action, for their
only defense is side arm, while their
duty seldom permits any consideration
to be given to the shelter of trench
or dugout.
Our first duty in action was at a
point near Froidos in the state of
Meuse, France, and not more than
IL kilometers from the German line
at the nearest point. Two days after
our arrival the drive in the Argonne
began. The world fairly shook as in
an earthquake. The air was alive
with the roar of aeromotors, not all
allied, either. There are she'll holes
all around us today where poorly di-
rected shell bit the dirt in great holes
that soon filled with rain water. On
fairly clear days we could see line
of observation balloons at regular in
tervals marking the battle line. We
saw three of these burned down in one
day. Then our work came. The next
three weeks we were too busy to sleep
except in cat maps and then it was
disturbed by the roar of battle; so
fatigued that we would fall asleep
when lull afforded and permission {
was given us and we were not partic-
1lar whether there were any beds in '
France or not.
The boches say they fight for the
1aiser, that the French fight for their
country and the Yanks fight for SOU
,enirs. You can judge for yourself i
low erroneous this was as regards
he boys here after reading the his
ory of the drive in the hills and for
sts of Argonne, one of the hardest
ectors on the entire front in which n
o make an advance.
Our unit has handled upwards of
S 700 patients during the drive, most
Y wounded and mostly from the Ar
onne sector. We have record of over ar
welve thousand operations during this m
nsh. Can you blame US for sporting vi
nampagne headaches when the ar M
listice was signed? To top it all off nv
lie sun broke through the clouds for w,
day or two, some real American ri
Gather, and quite variation from fo
le gloom and roar of artillery we III.
I'd experienced so long.
Yes, we will be truly glad when we On
IN sing it "Hallo Broadway, Good no
re France" but the kaiser is still at We,
rye and it seems to be hard to ,oo
nvince Jerry that he is licked We 90,
II at least spend Christmas here and
may be many moons before we can
embark on the "Big Salty" this ]
ne for America, the symbol and en- VIII
diment of hope, wealth, progress, his
portunity and pretty girls. son
For the second time in succession VIII
,an do no more than send you the to
ason's greetings, Merry Christmas eau
d Happy New Year, with my best lou
Cd wishes for each and all, ope
-- sici