The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-01-30
Two Letters From
Frank Rundahl
In Germany

Alderman and Mrs. A. J. Rundahl OF
letters from their son. Private Frank
Rundahl of Company E. Sixth Epgi-
neers. United States army, now at
Achtsndung, Germany. One OF the
letters is dated December % and the
other Christmas eve. In the first be
says:
We'll, ] have pulled through all
right. as ] always said l would. and
am coming home with wider views of
life than would have been possible II
! had not come over here and taken
part in this war Ny experiences
have taught me things that ] never
would have learned otherwise. One is
that a fellow can endure about 10
times the hardship he thinks he can
ard another is that will know how
TO appreciate home. You know how
little cared for home before left g.
! have entirely changed my viewpoint
on such matters You can depend on
that.
Il would like 10 tell you all OF my
observations and experiences. but il
would take too long. and / shall have
TO content myself by telling you where
was at the end Of October. or the
last time ! was in the lines We
were in the Argonne forest. which you
know was very lively place at that
period. Before l proceed any further
] must tell you what are a combat en-
gineer's Job. He is supposed 10 put
up wire entangiements and then cut
them when the infantry advances. dig
trenches and be used as an infantry
man whenever necessary. We get the
big shells most OF the time Now for
the Argonne fight
I'VE went into the woods and dug
in about a mile from the front trench
ss of the enemy. but "Jerry's" air
scouts saw us and we moved up
closer to the lines. We put some
barbed wire up and waited day. II
was very wet and muddy. and orders
were Issued for the engineers to 20
into the fighting lines. We went in
and at dsybreak October 10 we went
over the top. We ran into a bunch
OF machine guns the first thing. but
our capita, or machine Johnny. as
he is called. showed us how TO handle
them. We took Hills 297 and 2s9 and
bunch OF prisoners. We held that
part OF the line for eight days. being
relieved on October 81.
Our captain was awarded the dis
tinguished service medal for his brav-
cry on the firing line. That man does
not know what fear is and ia deserv-
ing OF the honor given him.
| The second letter OF Private Run
dahl, which was addressed to his
mother, follows:
Il have just received my Christmas
box from home. and it makes me feel
like was a close relative OF Santa
Claus. That box was appreciated by
me as much as peace to the German
people. or just about. The candy re-
minds me of the time when. as lit
tie fellow, Dad used to bring me
piece of candy every night cannot
express my feelings and delight at
these Christmas goodies by writing,
SO will close the subject.
Il am now living with a German
family in which there are four small
children. Their ages range from to
years. All OF them are talking ard
yelling at once. The noise they are
making this evening is IN expectation
Of their Christmas celebration tomor-
row.
This being my fret Christmas
away from home ! cannot help but
have sort OF lonesome feeling on ac-
count Of it. l can. In my imagination.
see you folks at home and the Kids
waiting for Santa Claus. but, as ] told
Mr.. Steely in a letter. we too are GO
ing to have big feed tomorrow which
will run that lonely feeling away. VIII
tell you what our Christmas feed con-
sisted In my next letter.
II received 10 or IL letters day be-
fore yesterday. which told OF the ceIe-
bration Of the signing OF the armis-
fice Wish could have been there TO
help celebrate II. because ] sure like
noise. Speaking OF noise. ! wish you
could have head the bangs that our
artillery put ovor Halloween night.
There must have bsan = Thousand or
more pieces OF artillery nring IT once.
| The LONG range guns hogan the music
about $50 O'Clock N the evpninE and
Tire root go( n ebout 81, hooF later. u
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