Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-07-04
TWO YEARS
IN FRANCE
Sergeant Major J. C. DOmitio-One
Of the First WauseOn Boys In
France Among the Last to leave
Summary of Interesting Expert
ences
General Headquarters A. E. F
Chaumont, France

To the Members of the Bring Elm
Back Club of Ohio,
Care of Z. E. Grimm,
Wauseon, Ohio
My Dear Friends:
Your letter regarding the chapter
of the Bring En- Back cub which
you have named in my honor was
awaiting me on my return to Head
quarters, after being on temporary
duty with the Stars and Stripes in
Paris, therefore this letter will no
doubt be late in reaching you.
am much pleased and honored
to know that my many friends in
Wauseon have my welfare so much
in mind and right now want to
thank you one and all for the many
considerations and kindnesses shown
me by all Of you during my sojourn
In this mans army.
Was one of the first to come over
seas and guess | shall be one of the
last to leave, but nevertheless / am
quite content with things for am
quite certain to leave France about
the goth of June. This should bring
me back to the old home town about
July sometime and you can bet no
one viii be happier than myself 10
be back with my relatives and
friends.
You asked me for some personal
experiences so will give you a short
sketch of my army career. AS
most of my friends will remember
Roy Donat and ] left Wauseon for
the Army on Nav 9th 1917 and
after a trip thru Toledo and Colum-
bus Barracks. found ourselves
assigned to Cos. A and B respec-
lively OF the 1st Engineers at Wash
ington ID. C. After much hard
training here and at Belvoir, Va,
we sailed for overseas as part OF
ths 1st Division the first part of
August 1917. The trip across was
quite uneventful until we reached the
coast of France where a hot two
hours fight with Submarines took
place, our Sub. schasers and defensive
guns on the transport together with
two French bombing planes did very
good work and we suffered no loss
what ever while being credited with
getting submarine. This finished
we proceeded into the port of St
Nazaire where we received quite q
reception. After leaving here we
seemed to travel all over France m
the 40 Hommes Chevaiux" box
cars. Finally after several months
while encamped at Gondrecourt or
ders came transferring myself and
several others to General Head
quarters. Here after several weeks
7 was assigned to DUTY with General
ID. Il. Nolan. Chief of the Intelligence
Section with whom j have .nesil on
duty up to the present time.
Altho | was not able to take part
IN active fighting in the trenches
was on duty with the General wher
he commanded the 55th, Inf, Bti.
gade of the 2Sth Division during the
Meuse Argonne offensive and alsC
during the St. Miheil scrap so has
plenty Of real excitement in the big
nirEan engagements, My work
during the entire war has been very
interesting bot being in the SectioT
of the General Staff which required
the greatest secrecy never was able
to write much about the work
Mnere the fellows on the line knew
about the little sector near them We
at Headquarters could know what
was going on all over and much be
fore hand. The aero RECONNAISSANCE,
also comes under this Section anC
II was my good luck to make sew
eral fights In the great Frencl
bombing planes, it surely is a won
derful sensation and one of the de
ciding factors of the war.
Then you come, to the othe
phase of the soldiers life in Franc
the trips and leaves YOU are able G
take For myself | have been abl
to visit the beautiful and oldes
parts of Southern France; Araeon
Mines, Avignon, Marseilles, Mic
the country conquered by the Ro
mans which contain arenas an
buildings built during the time o
Christ. Trips to the Capitol Paris
which is really the Hub of Franc
with all its interesting building
monuments and parks and grea
(. llevards, to the ruined towns Q
Rheims and Verdun where there
not a single building in a D ace Q
100000 inhabitants which is an
ways disable. Then l have enioye
the privilege Of the area of Arm
~ Occupation, Of Trier and Coz
lentz without being part of it, to r.
main for several months to come an
now ut last / am quite ready to RI
turn to the best of all, the land {
liberty, my 'own U. s. A.
With best regards and wishes
/ am yours truly
J. C. Domitio.