The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1919-03-27
LIEUT.. RILEY TO
VISIT GREENWOOD
Pilot Who Was In Aeroplane When
Lieut.. keesler Was Fatally
Wounded, Will Visit Here.

! IcUcIdl anu MIS. .. H. hccSlSI Will
entertain as their guest next week.
Lieutenant H. w. Riley of St. Cloud,
| Minnesota, who was the pilot in the
| aeroplane with their son Lieut. S. R.
| Keesler, Jr., when it was shot down
behind the lines in the war zone and
at which time Lieutenant Keesler
received mortal wounds. Lieutenant
Riley is expected to reach Green
wood the middle of next week.
General Keesler is in receipt of
letter from him, which was written
after his landing in America An in
Vitation was Immediately extended to
him by wire to visit Greenwood and
he has telegraphed his acceptance.
His letter follows:
"St. Cloud, Minnesota.
March Goth, 1919.
"Dear Mr.. Keesler:
II have been trying to find your
address ever since / got back from
Germany but as l did not have the
opportunity to go back to the squad
ron before leaving France, l was fore
ed to wait until l should be able to
get it from over here. l just arrived
home this noon and found your let
ter to my mother and will answer at
once. l am sorry that there should
be such delay, as l appreciate how
you must feel.
81 learned to know Sammy very
well in the time that we spent at
the front together and as l did a lot
| Of my work with him, l knew him not
only as companion but as man and
soldier. will always remember
Sammy as a quiet chap, not loud but
the sort of a boy a person can de-
pend on to Go what is right at the
right time. l know of no one l would
sooner cross the lines with in my ma
chine than him, in fact l was always
sure that if we were put into tight
hole and had half chance to get out
we were safe. l have met some
| mighty fine brave men in the time
| spent in France but l have yet to
meet finer, cleaner and braver man
than your son proved himself to be,
and it is Sammy, who will always be
my ideal of brave boy. Just before
we took off on the last trip we made
together, / did not feel too strong the
outcome and told Sammy did not
He quite agreed with me but said
| that it was up to US to see the thing
| through and the sooner we got start
| ed the sooner we would get through.
after l left him at the dressing
station, l was told by Boche Lieu
tenant that he had died and that he
was buried in a small village near
Landres, France. Landres is east of
Verdm and a little north. If there
is anything that l can tell you about
Sammy, please let me know as l am
only too glad to answer any of your
questions. l am sure that l have not
given you al 1.-The information you
would like to have so please write and
let me know what you wish to know
am enclosing copy Of letter l
sent to the Chief of the A. E. F. Air
Service. l hope that something may
come of it.
| 81 am sorry that l am so late in
writing this letter, but hope that you
may understand the circumstances of
the situation. Let me express my
| sincere SVmnathv in the loss of 81
fine a son, a man so we'll liked by
everyone that came in contact with
him., and one who would have gone
far had not this war come into his
life and taken from him, that which
is the greatest thing a man can
offer, life as true soldier.
"Very sincerely,
! (Signed) III. w. Riley"