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Letters From Oregon Boys 
 in France 
 
 FIRST EDITION 
 1917-1918 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 BY 
 GEORGE PHILLIPS 
 
 Press of 
 
 Glass & Prudhomme Company 
 
 Portland, Oregon 
 
-y< 
 
 }} 
 
 Lovingly Dedicated 
 
 to the 
 
 Mothers, Wives and Sisters 
 
 of 
 
 Oregon's Brave Soldiers 
 
 

 
 Let there he no misunderstanding. 
 
 Our present and immediate task is to win the war and 
 nothing shall turn us aside from it until it is accomplished. 
 Every power and resource we possess, whether of men or 
 money or of materials, is being devoted and will continue to 
 he devoted to that purpose until it is achieved. 
 
 WOODROW WILSON. 
 
 Decemher 4, 1917. 
 
JAMES WITHYCOMBE 
 Governor of Oregon 
 
State of Oregon^ Executive Department, Salem 
 
 December 18, 1917. 
 
 My dear Madam: 
 
 Anything which tends to the honor and credit of our 
 soldier boys is entitled to the full support of every loyal 
 American, and I am therefore glad to give my endorsement 
 to your booklet entitled, "Letters From Oregon Boys in 
 France." This book will certainly prove of great value and 
 interest in after years as it will be the means of preserving 
 an organized record of the experiences of the Oregon boys 
 who are upholding the honor of their country in a foreign 
 land. I sincerely trust that your booklet will meet with a 
 ready sale and that the Red Cross will profit through your 
 patriotic effort. 
 
 Very truly yours. 
 
 C^-T'-^'-l/Mil* 
 
 Governor. 
 
In compiling these letters from Portland boys now in France, 
 who were among the first to volunteer their services for their 
 country, a double purpose has been in view. 
 
 First, to enlarge, through the sale of these booklets, the 
 American Red Cross fund, of which our boys so often speak in 
 terms of deepest gratitude, and secondly, to give a clearer vision 
 to the ''home folks" of the chivalrous work our American boys 
 are doing in France. If it may prove a source of pleasure to 
 them to know that through their letters they are also rendering 
 financial aid to the Great Cause, this booklet has fulfilled its 
 purpose. 
 
 To the friends and relatives who have made this booklet pos- 
 sible, I, personally, extend my thanks. 
 
 M. E. W. 
 Dec. 24, 1917. 
 
USA 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys in France 
 
 Excerpts from a letter from Captain Kenneth D. Hauser, 
 Co. F, 18th Railway Engineers, to his father, E. V. 
 Hauser, Multnomah Hotel. 
 
 France, November, 1917. 
 
 Today we received 28 sacks of mail for Co. F, marked 
 Captain Kenneth D. Hauser. It filled the whole regimental 
 postoffice and was the envy of the camp. I decided to issue 
 it to the boys, as they needed it; so we got busy and doled 
 it out to them. Our orderly room is in one of the huts, and 
 the line filed in; we had it all systematized. First, I had 
 them checked over and totaled on paper; then we divided 
 it into the number of men and officers, share and share 
 alike. They made a sample test of what each man's share 
 was. One man took charge of each article and we would 
 call a man's name and the article. The man would hold 
 a box and the things were thrown into it from all corners 
 of the room. The line lasted three hours and it was better 
 than a vaudeville show. It was so rich I went up to head- 
 quarters and invited all the officers down to see it, and 
 they all came. 
 
10 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Afterward I got one of the boys from Port Angeles, 
 Larry Mason, with his tenor and guitar, and John Shaver, 
 with his ukelele, and our wonderful quartette, Jimmy 
 Clock, Killaly Green of Aberdeen, Cecil McNutt of Port 
 Angeles, and Dustin of Coos Bay, and we all sang the old 
 songs and cheered the auxiliary. 
 
 I declared no taps, and it is after 12 midnight now and 
 we have just quit. The officers all stayed to the finish 
 and said my boys were wonderful — so close together and 
 just like one big family and so talented and jolly. 
 
 Tell the auxiliary what a wonderful feeling of grati- 
 tude there is toward them. The football suits from Port- 
 land all arrived. 
 
 Note — Following are a few of the articles contained 
 in the 28 mail sacks mentioned above: 
 
 300 lbs. Assorted Tobacco 
 300 lbs. Assorted Candy 
 24 Football Suits 
 20 Boxes Chewing Gum 
 20 Boxes Chocolate 
 
 360 Corncob Pipes 
 
 500 Candles 
 
 400 Bars Soap 
 
 100 Sweaters 
 
 45 Doz. Pair All Wool Socks 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 1 1 
 
 Letters from Captain A. E. McKennett, \8th Regiment, 
 Engineer Railway, to his mother, Mrs. R. L. McKen- 
 nett, 185 Fifteenth street, Portland, Ore., and his son, 
 Robert. 
 
 Somewhere in France, November 5, 1917. 
 My Dear Mother: 
 
 Your letter in answer to my first in France received. 
 It had been some little time since we had received a big 
 mail and we were very glad to get them. I received the 
 first Oregonian that I had seen since I left the States. I 
 am still in good health and spirits and hope to continue 
 the same. The weather is about the same as at home, 
 so we experienced no difference that way. I received 
 a very nice letter from Mr. Lyons recently signed by nearly 
 all the officers and office help. We are getting quite used 
 to France and French customs. They don't seem as odd 
 as they did at first, but the other day when I saw an old 
 lady walking along the road, wearing wooden shoes, carry- 
 ing a large basketful of vegetables on her head and knitting 
 away on some garment, I had to stop and admire her 
 dexterity. I am getting along fine in French and talk con- 
 siderably. Tell Catherine I could read a French letter if 
 she wrote me one now. Tell Minnie hello for me and 
 tell Mrs. Way I would like some of her beans to eat with 
 our war bread, and oh how I wish I could have a good 
 drink of Bull Run water! 
 
 We keep busy. The war is not going as well as I should 
 like to see it and it may take us longer to finish it than we 
 figured on. We have a good-size man's job cut out for 
 us and I hope to be in it to the finish and I will be ready 
 to come home when victory is ours, but not before. Lieu- 
 tenant Saul left the regiment tonight. He has been trans- 
 ferred to another location on special work and has a very 
 
12 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 desirable post. We are very sorry to see him go. I have 
 now been on French soil for over two months and feel quite 
 at home. I can talk pretty well. Things are running along 
 quite smoothly and we are getting down to serious work. 
 Regards to Arthur and Catherine, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, 
 the Galligans, Minnie and her mother. Much love to you 
 and son. Lovingly, EARL. 
 
 My Dear Boy: 
 
 Your letters have been received with a greal deal of 
 pleasure and the reports I have received have been a 
 gratification to me. I am finding out what a man you 
 are, by my being away; however, I did not doubt at all 
 but what you would stand the test. Today is one of the 
 first nice days I have seen for some time. It does not 
 know how to rain in Portland. 
 
 I am today in the city of , and as I sit here in 
 
 the office with my window open I can hear at least a 
 dozen big church bells ringing. It is 2:30 P. M. (6:30 
 A. M. with you), and I presume some service is being 
 held. 
 
 These French cities have the grandest cathedrals one 
 can imagine. Some of them are centuries old; one I have 
 visited was begun some time in the 10th century. I would 
 like to send you some pictures, but it is not permitted. 
 When the weather is nice here it is delightful. There are 
 some chateaus and many of great historic interest. I pre- 
 sume you see a great deal of warlike sights now at home, 
 but one can only see the bright side there. We are not 
 far from a certain hospital — an old grand chateau and 
 grounds for soldiers who have lost limbs. It is always 
 full and one cannot walk far on the street without seeing 
 the terrible results of this dreadful conflict. Poor France 
 has suffered and the best of her men have gone. I tell 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 13 
 
 you, son, I cannot tell the evidence of havoc that this war 
 has produced. I have seen four girls, children under 12, 
 with their hands cut off at the wrists by Germans, so it is 
 claimed, because they were found working in munition 
 factories in places captured in Northern France in their 
 early drives. The Huns, or, as they are called "Bosches," 
 certainly have a lot to answer for, if half of the stories 
 are true. 
 
 Well, how are you getting along in Spanish? I have 
 been drilling in French and practice it on every victim 
 I can find and am making good progress. I have forgotten 
 a lot of my Spanish, or, rather, I have crowded it out of 
 my mind with French. My French commandant and his 
 wife, of whom I told you about and who spoke Spanish, 
 have refused to talk Spanish to me any more, and I have 
 to get along in French. It is good for me. I find the way 
 to learn the language is to talk it. 
 
 Well, son, I am glad you are getting along so well in 
 school and having a good time also. It is getting near 
 Christmas and it will be quite a task for Uncle Sam to 
 handle all the boxes coming to France. 
 
 Do you still attend the Junior Guards? You will soon 
 be an officer if you keep it up. I hope the U. S. troops 
 come fast, for by the looks of things in Russia and Italy 
 we will need all we can get and as quickly. 
 
 Now, son, write me whenever you can, and if there 
 is anything you want to know, ask me and I will tell you 
 if the censor will allow it. Regards to all my friends and 
 lots of love to you and grandma. DAD. 
 
14 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 In a letter written by Lieutenant Ben L. Norden, United 
 States Navy, former Coroner of Multnomah County, 
 lifts the censorship he has directed on the battleship 
 on which he is serving his country, and tells in a man- 
 ner highly enlightening of the visits to various South 
 American ports his boat has made. Incidentally, Lieu- 
 tenant Norden in this message, sent to Assistant Sur- 
 geon Eurides K. Scott, United States Navy, pays to 
 the boys from American homes now wearing the navy 
 blue a tribute which members of those homes will 
 read with welling pride and gratification. The more 
 interesting passages of the letter follow: 
 
 Today we were detached from the squadron and or- 
 dered to an Atlantic port, undoubtedly to begin a work 
 more serious than a diplomatic errand. We were under 
 way this evening and the executive officer has just an- 
 nounced in the wardroom that our destination is a certain 
 port in the good old U. S. A. Can you imagine the joy 
 and enthusiasm now running riot throughout the ship? 
 It is nearly seven months since we left the States. 
 
 I have acted as censor on this ship at different times 
 and have religiously observed the censorship, but now 
 that we are to join and be absorbed by the Atlantic fleet 
 I feel no compunction in writing of our cruise. 
 
 We visited Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and 
 Buenos Aires, going to each several times, except Buenos 
 Aires, where we made but one call, remaining but a 
 week. To say that we were well received is to put it too 
 mildly. Our hosts entertained us lavishly and enthusiast- 
 ically. Our treatment of Cuba helped much to gain the 
 confidence of South Americans, and, later, when we per- 
 sistently refused to go into Mexico, the "bogy" of our 
 intended future dominion over the Western Hemisphere 
 disappeared like chaff before the wind. I feel certain that 
 after the war the immense volume of trade between South 
 America and Europe, which has existed ever since the 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 15 
 
 Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch colonization of the south- 
 ern continent, will in large measure be diverted to the 
 United States. 
 
 We of North America little realize how well advanced 
 the southern republics are in all things — government, edu- 
 cation, commerce, in fact everything but railroad building. 
 They excel us in the splendor of their architecture, park 
 development and city beautifying, but are not very far 
 along in the manufactures. Their educational systems are, 
 in some instances, superior to ours. I must confess that 
 nowhere in the medical centers of the United States have 
 I seen an institution in any way superior to the University 
 of the Medical Sciences at Montevideo, and their medical 
 men are well equipped, able and intensely up to date. 
 
 In point of population, Buenos Aires is the leading city 
 we visited. It is wonderfully beautiful and very progres- 
 sive. Rio de Janeiro is the next largest, and although the 
 Portuguese type of architecture is vastly different from 
 our conceptions, still I count Rio a magnificent city. Mon- 
 tevideo, in some way or other, made us feel more as 
 though we were in a North American city, and we liked 
 it immensely. Bahia is the smallest of the four, and, in 
 development at least, brings to one's mind Quebec or New 
 Orleans because of the fact that the old city and the new 
 city are distinct in location, architecture and customs. 
 
 Everywhere we visited, in Brazil, Uruguay and Argen- 
 tina, the good citizens vied with each other in doing all 
 they could to welcome us. Receptions, banquets, balls, 
 operas, theaters, races, boxing matches, motor parties, teas 
 and dinner parties without end! We officers were detailed 
 to attend the different functions, and to say that we were 
 continually "on the go" is not the slightest exaggeration. 
 In fact, many times we have put to sea for the continuance 
 of the patrol with glad hearts because we felt that even 
 the monotonous grind of patrolling, with all its incon- 
 veniences, would give us some rest. 
 
16 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 And right here I want to say a word about the en- 
 listed men. Those American boys who have come from 
 the farms, the shops, the colleges and the homes of our 
 people, to don the blue jackets in the service of Uncle 
 Sam! I feel they have done a lion's share of the work 
 in helping to command the respect of these people for our 
 nation. Their conduct ashore has been exemplary, par- 
 ticularly in the abstinence from or temperate use of liquor 
 and their uniformly courteous and chivalrous conduct to- 
 ward women. Everywhere we had most gratifying reports 
 of their deportment, and when 1000 or 2000 men went 
 ashore on liberty the augmented police reserves, anticipat- 
 ing the usual results of Jack at play, found they had noth- 
 ing to do but bow and smile to the friendly salutations of 
 a multitude of manly boys. 
 
 And they fraternized with the people in a charming 
 way. Here is one instance: I was walking down the 
 Avenida Central in Rio one afternoon in "cits" when I 
 came upon a bluejacket sitting at a table out on the side- 
 walk in front of a cafe. He had four or five little chil- 
 dren at the table as his guests and they were all ferociously 
 attacking generous portions of ice cream and each had 
 a package of candy. Quite a number of people were 
 standing around them and seemed much pleased and 
 amused at the little gathering. He was a boy from my 
 own ship and when he recognized me and saluted I asked, 
 "Having a party, lad?" He smiled and replied, "Yes, 
 sir, helping to cement relations, sir." That was the spirit 
 that seemed to imbue them all and the South Americans 
 have come to know our seamen as clean, manly fellows. 
 We have had a very happy ship and, except for the separa- 
 tion from our families and friends, are quite content. The 
 long time between mails, a month or six weeks, is not 
 pleasant, but can't be helped. 
 
 Give the boys in the Rotary Club my heartiest good 
 wishes and tell Sig Sichel he doesn't need to fear any 
 real competition from the smoke shops of South America. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 17 
 
 Their tobacco would choke a goat! Tell Charley Bradley 
 the styles in cravats and socks down here make the rain- 
 bow look like a bunch of crepe. Well, it's bedtime, so guess 
 I'll call it a day and wrap the drapery of my couch about 
 me. Remember me as your sincere friend. 
 
 BEN L. NORDEN. 
 
 _MA — ^L 
 
18 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. W. L. Wood received the following letter from her 
 son, Lieutenant Lambert A. Wood, Machine Gun 
 Company, 9th United States Infantry: 
 
 France, November 4, 1917. 
 
 Dearest Mother: 
 
 Still no mail, but I have hopes that some will come 
 soon. I have just read a splendid article by George Pattullo 
 in the Saturday Evening Post, called "Come Through 
 With the Punch." That man is over here and knows the 
 job we have. There is one saying in there that should be 
 copied in every home in the country. It is this: "This 
 war is not going to be won by Y. M. C. A. workers, or relief 
 societies, or Red Cross workers, but by big, two-fisted 
 fighting men, six feet tall and wearing size 10 shoes, who 
 can fight and work for 18 hours, eat a huge meal, go to bed 
 and get up and do it all over again." 
 
 That is the truest thing that I have heard yet, and 
 the longer you are over in the thick of things here the 
 more you will know it is true. 
 
 One picks up a paper and reads :Podunk Relief Society 
 shows great patriotism by giving a chicken dinner, etc. 
 It is all right, of course, but they are side issues and tend 
 to give the men over here the idea that people at home 
 don't realize the job ahead. You people see what I mean; 
 it is letting the tail wag the dog. Ambulance corps are all 
 right, too ; but don't you see we have to get an army before 
 we can go to side issues. Why, even a wagon load of 
 beer going forward has the right of way over a string of 
 ambulances going back. Two of my classmates here are 
 Y. M. C. A. workers, but can't you see that any man in 
 the uniform of the line of the army is more of a comrade 
 than they are. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 19 
 
 The relief of soldiers is secondary to getting them fit 
 for fighting. They have comfortable quarters and fixed 
 hours and are safe, yet their letters are probably full of 
 their privations. The trouble is people don't get to the 
 bottom of things. In my estimation a man of good physique 
 who goes into any other hard work than the line of the 
 army, unless he is especially fitted for the job, is a slacker. 
 
 Our country can have more ambulances, more relief 
 societies and more Red Cross workers than all the other 
 nations in the world, yet we will have come no nearer 
 beating the Hun. It is the men with rifles on their shoul- 
 ders and packs on their backs who alone can beat the 
 Bosche. For women who are working on these things 
 there can be only the highest praise, but for sound, healthy 
 men only censure. Don't be misled by the hair-raising 
 experiences and frightful hardships that the ambulance 
 drivers tell or write about. Just tell them quietly that 
 my "Dough boy" (infantryman) who has been in an attack 
 has had experiences that would put theirs to shame, and 
 as to the hardships of driving a warm car on a cold night, 
 just remind them that when that was going on there were 
 men standing thigh deep in icy water, others crawling 
 on their bellies through the mud and slime and filth of 
 No Man's Land. Just remember that it is the man with 
 the bayonet who can win this war. All the other activities 
 help, of course, inasmuch as they help the man with the 
 bayonet; but let our people get to the bottom of things, 
 put your weight behind the man with his bayonet and 
 bomb; he is going to win this war and is going to go 
 through hell to do it. 
 
 The only good Bosche is a dead Bosche, and it is the 
 fighting men alone who kill! We are fighting a nation 
 that has no mercy and, by heaven, let's kill. 
 
 I am sorry, mother, dear, that I have bored you with 
 this tirade, but I have seen things that make me feel that 
 I should do all in my power to let you people know what 
 
20 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 I consider the fundamentals. Our country's motto should 
 be: "The nation is the servant of their fighting men." 
 
 Well, mother, dear, I am very well and happy and 
 working hard. It is no child's play. But my work would 
 be pleasant which had as its object to beat and kill the 
 Bosche. The weather is still cold but it is not as cold as 
 it was. 
 
 Well, dearest folks, I must stop now. Love to all you 
 dear ones. Your loving son, LAMBERT. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 21 
 
 Mrs. David Loring, 812 Marshall street, received the follow- 
 ing interesting letter from her son, David Loring, Jr., 
 Second Lieutenant Headquarters Company, 23d In- 
 fantry: 
 
 I brought my last letter to a close the day before we 
 sighted land, since it was announced we were to hand 
 them in for censorship. After arriving here it was re- 
 turned to me to seal up. I had only time to add the remark 
 that we had landed, and send it off; therefore, I shall 
 start this where the other left off. 
 
 I was sitting reading in the smoking room early in the 
 evening, when I noticed a decided list to the starboard side, 
 and, wondering what it was, went out on deck. It was 
 due to the congregation of everyone on that side of the 
 ship, all watching a blinking light shining through the fog. 
 It was the first lighthouse on the French coast. The fog 
 was heavy, but soon another light appeared, and in an 
 hour we were steaming past a long line of shore lights. 
 We dropped anchor about 10 P. M. and waited till daylight 
 to enter the harbor. 
 
 By daylight we were under way again, and, as the fog 
 lifted, the coast line came into view, low rolling dunes 
 dotted here and there by neat white houses, scarcely visible 
 in the distance. Soon we were surrounded by an aston- 
 ishing number of small fishing boats, gay and picturesque 
 with red, brown and blue sails. Personally, I doubt if 
 there was a fish apiece for them. "Vive 1' Amerique!" 
 they shouted, and we returned the compliment with in- 
 terest. The boat was all confusion with packing and 
 dressing to go ashore, but the tide was low and at 1 1 
 o'clock we anchored again to await its rise. At 3 P. M. 
 we were off again, and as we neared land the rail was 
 crowded, everyone getting their first impression of France. 
 A prettier shore I've never seen. Rocky bluffs covered 
 with bright vegetation, sandy beaches swarming with chil- 
 dren, impossibly neat cottages in toy gardens, every inch 
 
22 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 cared for to within an inch of its life. As we drew near 
 groups could be seen on the bluffs waving French and 
 American flags, and the men shouted with delight at every 
 new detail, queer two-wheeled carts, striped bathing tents, 
 etc. A Ford bouncing along a road brought forth a per- 
 fect roar. 
 
 The village was an inspiration. Picturesque houses, 
 small winding streets, and an esplanade along the bay. As 
 we approached our band struck up the "Marsallaise" and 
 was answered by another from the quay. We sailed through 
 a narrow canal with streets on each side, the houses as 
 close as though we were in a streetcar. An elevated would 
 be nearer the point, for our decks were well above the 
 street. 
 
 I wish I could adequately describe that scene. It was 
 as unreal as a stage setting. A back drop of wonderful 
 old houses was decorated with allied flags and the windows 
 and picturesque balconies were filled with prosperous 
 families who waved and tossed us flowers. Below the 
 doors of typical comic opera cafes and shops were over- 
 flowing, while the front of the stage swarmed with a 
 perfect stage mob, soldiers in various colored uniforms, 
 old men, girls and thousands of children, who, in striped 
 sweaters and with knees bare, hung over the iron railing. 
 I couldn't have believed France could be so French. And 
 the welcome they gave us! I'm not easily moved, but 
 I shall remember it for years. A perfect roar all along 
 the way, and a continuous bombardment of flowers and 
 fruit, the latter doing rather more harm than good. We 
 returned the fire with coins and packages of cigarettes, 
 both of which threatened to turn the scene into a riot. 
 No American crowd could have been so spontaneously 
 joyful and enthusiastic. A great crowd of young fellov/s 
 tried to give an American cheer. "Edp, eep, orray!" 
 they shouted, and our men howled. A great many were 
 shouting what sounded like "taydee" till we discovered 
 they were saying "Teddy." All this rot about calling us 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 23 
 
 Sammies and Jonathans and Yanks appears to have been 
 settled by the French, who have christened us "Teddies," 
 which is much more acceptable to the men. What a 
 scream it will be if, after refusing to let Roosevelt come 
 over, his name should be attached to the troops. 
 
 It was dark by the time we reached our dock, and 
 the last sight we had of the public square showed it filled 
 with a crowd of German prisoners who, under guard, 
 solemnly watched us steam by. They are everywhere here, 
 working on the roads and in the fields, but we are not 
 allowed to talk to them. After we had tied up and dark- 
 ness had fallen the other boats came in, bands playing, 
 and tied up against us. I climbed across the rail onto the 
 next one and ran square into Lambert Wood. We climbed 
 from boat to boat all evening, and met innumerable fel- 
 lows we knew, a great many whom I didn't even know 
 were on the expedition. Lights, of course, were allov/ed, 
 and we stayed up late exchanging visits. 
 
 The next morning was spent in debarking, and by 
 noon the streets were full of our men. Shortly after mess 
 the march began out to the camp. The streets were lined 
 with curious citizens, who considerably upset the decorum 
 of the march by tossing the men fruit and flowers. By 
 night we were comfortably settled in barracks, and as 
 far as outward appearances go might as well be in Syra- 
 cuse. Within the camp there's little to remind one of 
 France. 
 
 Yesterday afternoon we had off and spent the day 
 seeing the town. France is all I had expected and more. 
 The quaint streets, white villas and thatched cottages are 
 a continual source of surprise. My architectural instincts 
 have burst out anew and I feel I could fill Portland with 
 a hundred entirely new and different houses. They are 
 all too good to be true. The cafes more than uphold 
 the reputation of France. They are everywhere and no 
 one appears to have anything to do but patronize them. 
 Every farmhouse is labeled "Buvette" and aspires to be a 
 wayside inn. 
 
24 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 A strange polyglot language has grown up. We ad- 
 dress the natives in broken French and they reply in 
 broken English. Prices of things are given a combination 
 of systems. A thing may cost $2 3 francs, or 6 francs and 
 5 cents. American money is accepted and change given 
 in francs. Sometimes the opposite is the case. I gave 
 a 5-franc bill and received 25 cents American money in 
 change. All this causes a terrible amount of mental 
 arithmetic. 
 
 The effects of war are not apparent on the surface. 
 Everyone smiles and appears in the best of spirits. It is 
 only when you talk to them that there appears another 
 side. You can't help but admire them all, the spirit they 
 are showing and the bravery. There is never a word of 
 complaint or criticism. I only wish our country could 
 learn to pull together like this. 
 
 I don't know how long we shall be here, but believe 
 this stop is only temporary, as to what I can tell you. I 
 can give no names of places or anything concerning move- 
 ments of troops, numbers or names of organizations. 
 There may be times when I can't write, or when my mail 
 will be delayed, but never worry when you do not hear, 
 for, should anything happen, you would be notified through 
 the War Department long before I could send word. How- 
 ever, depend upon it, I shall write as often as possible. 
 I'm terribly sorry I couldn't send a cable, for it left you 
 a long time with no news from me; but the order was 
 issued just before we arrived that there would be no 
 cabling. 
 
 Now, to begin where I left off. We remained just 
 long enough at our last "depot" camp to get fully equipped. 
 The work was stiff but interesting, cramped a little for 
 want of adequate drill grounds, it being in no sense a 
 training camp, merely a station on the way. However, 
 we got some good work in, and I was able to get a little 
 closer in touch with my platoon. Many who appeared to 
 be without promise are showing up surprisingly. An un- 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 25 
 
 pretentious little Italian turned out to have had three 
 years' service in the Italian army during the war of 1911 
 against the Turks and to have been an instructor in hand 
 grenades. Others have come up also. 
 
 After a little good preliminary work, orders were re- 
 ceived to move, though no one knew where to. Officers 
 were sent ahead to arrange for the billeting of the troops 
 and speculation was rife as to our destination. We were 
 to leave a battalion at a time, and ours, being the first, 
 was to take a 6 A. M. train. This meant getting up a little 
 after 2. They use the daylight saving scheme here, so 
 that 2 o'clock is really 1, and there's eight hours' difference 
 between us. So at 6 P. M., just as you were thinking 
 about dinner, I was sleepily pulling on my trousers and 
 stumbling out into a very cold morning. It was, of course, 
 pitch dark, but by 4 o'clock breakfast of a sort had been 
 served, truckloads of baggage had been delivered at the 
 station and the company was formed with full packs an- 
 swering the rollcall. 
 
 As we marched out of the company street and joined 
 the column, bugles were just calling reveille and all over 
 camp the buglers were answering each other. The other 
 regiments stumbled out and waved us a sleepy good-bye, 
 as we swung out on the road to town. It really was a 
 wonderful night. As we topped a rise, I glanced back to 
 see that all was well, and caught a glimpse of the column, 
 all dark but for rows of guns cutting across the sky. A 
 red and almost full moon was just sinking behind the 
 camp and the first streaks of dawn were lighting the white 
 stucco of the village. An hour brought us into town. 
 Shopkeepers were just taking down their shutters, lights 
 were still burning, but half-dressed figures waved to us 
 from every window. One noticeable thing about the reg- 
 ular army, they never make any noise. At Plattsburg we 
 sang our lungs out, but these men march on silent and 
 almost expressionless. It is much more impressive, and 
 
26 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 in contrast to the chatter of the French, gives an appear- 
 ance of businesslike determination. 
 
 We lined up in the station square, were inspected, 
 joined by our working details, and a little before 6 crossed 
 the freight yards to the train. The toy engines amused 
 the men; Fords they called them. They are painted and 
 gilded and about as businesslike as, for instance, a Louis 
 XIV chair. The men didn't pay much attention to the 
 rather poor looking freight cars, open somewhat like a 
 cattle car, but I noticed they all bore a sign, "Hommes 
 36-40, Chevaux 8," and, sure enough, from 36 to 40 men 
 went in every car, and the remarkable part was they 
 weren't so bad, after all. The officers had second-class 
 coaches, except the colonel, who, of course, had a first- 
 class. We were very comfortable and spread ourselves 
 at ease. I can't tell how long the trip was, or it might 
 give away where we are, but it was five or six times as 
 long as we could expect from the distance. We jogged 
 comfortably along, stopping to let everything by, and in 
 an hour or so for every meal, where cans of steaming 
 coffee were served. We passed a number of interesting 
 chateaux I should enjoy describing. One I had intended 
 visiting that Sunday had we not moved so soon. 
 
 Another thing I had never seen nor imagined before 
 were the cliff dwellings through the vineyard district. 
 Homes all the way from caves and wine cellars up to great 
 inns, all built in the cliff with nothing showing but their 
 facades, chimneys sticking out of the vineyards way above. 
 I could have spent hours wandering among them. Alto- 
 gether, I'm crazy about the country. It is so much prettier 
 than I could have expected. 
 
 One afternoon we passed a great aviation field spread 
 out over a vast flat area, rows and rows of hangars and 
 the air literally full of machines. Another time we saw 
 a large prison camp and passed an almost endless row of 
 prisoners. They waved at us quite cheerfully, and grinned 
 all over. The Germans, they say, are quite content in 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 27 
 
 these camps. They are certainly safe. We often stopped 
 beside trains of Poilus returning "en permission" who 
 jabbered at us incessantly. 
 
 The last day of the trip we spent a couple of hours in 
 a town occupied by an American hospital unit, and the 
 train was surrounded by nurses. It certainly was a wel- 
 come sight. They grabbed all the officers and took us 
 uptown to a cafe, where we had a great meal. They also 
 told us the first real news we've had of the American 
 forces here, some of which was quite surprising. We 
 were told we would reach our destination the next morn- 
 ing. We did, but only by the narrowest margin could it 
 be called morning. It was only a little after 12 that we 
 were awakened and told to get our men out. A heavy fog 
 hung over everything and we could make out nothing. 
 The companies were lined up, the train unloaded and then 
 we were marched a short distance to some temporary 
 barracks, and v/e were up again and lining up. I had 
 the baggage detail again and set out for the train. The 
 fog slowly began to lift and I saw the greatest sight yet. 
 Nothing close to could be distinguished, but above the 
 fog and floating like a fairy palace appeared the roofs 
 of a town. It was built on a great hill, and the crowded 
 red-roofed houses, piled one above the other along steep 
 winding streets and terraces, the whole surmounted by 
 an old Norman tower, looked like nothing so much as 
 one of Maxfield Parrish's paintings. 
 
 Slowly the fog cleared at the base and disclosed a long 
 straggling street running almost to our feet. It was the 
 sort of city I used to dream about. By the time the bag- 
 gage was loaded on trucks the second train had arrived 
 and the company ready to march off and leave the field 
 to them. The mists were now drifting out of the hollows, 
 and a sight the opposite to the first appeared. The road 
 dipped into a valley, crossed an old stone bridge, and just 
 beyond was another and smaller village, nothing showing 
 but the ever present red tile roofs and one stone church 
 
28 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 spire. We marched over the bridge and under a great 
 "Welcome" banner, which incongruously reminded one 
 of Elks' conventions and old home weeks. 
 
 The town was nothing but a street, a square, and a 
 dozen courtyards, but I think it's been here since the 
 flood. There is an old stone cross in the square, in- 
 tricately carved with letters almost worn away. The 
 houses and courts run one into another in a hopeless jum- 
 ble, and the walls all slope at a different angle. If I 
 don't find material for sketching I shall consider myself 
 beyond hope. 
 
 We officers are billeted with families, but for the sake 
 of crisis, I'll describe the men's billets first. Some Eng- 
 lish book of the war describes a billet as a group of barns 
 with a rectangular smell in the middle. I'll grant that 
 the source of the smell is in the middle, it being a colossal 
 manure pile, placed usually in front of the door, but the 
 smell itself is everywhere. However, the quarters have 
 been scrupulously cleaned and they are as comfortable 
 as any we've had yet. 
 
 As for me, I'm in the height of luxury. No room I've 
 ever possessed has quite compared v/ith this. Even the 
 Lampoon pales beside it. It is in the house of an old lady 
 who must be at least 200, but who bobs about and jabbers 
 totally incomprehensible words in the pleasantest possible 
 manner. My room is large and high ceilinged with a 
 sort of anteroom, the floor of which is stone. The main 
 room has a wooden floor, beamed ceiling, a large hooded 
 fireplace, which has long ceased to work but which is 
 replaced by a stove. A great cupboard occupies the whole 
 of one wall. It would bring a fortune in America. There 
 is a weather-beaten grandfather's clock that was just what 
 I searched Boston for, for the D. U., but the bed is the 
 most colossal thing. It is set in a recess in the wall and 
 hung with one of those great brocaded canopies and the 
 feather mattress is at least ten feet high. Altogether, it's 
 the sort of room in which a general might die surrounded 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 29 
 
 by several regiments of cavalry. Lighting arrangements 
 are, of course, noticeable by their absence, but otherwise 
 it's beyond all expectations. I forgot to mention a French 
 window opening at the back on a little enclosed garden 
 which is at present full of various, and to me nameless, 
 flowers. 
 
 Our two captains are billeted together nearby in rooms 
 of equal grandeur, with also a large dining room, where 
 the company officers all eat. They have arranged to have 
 it cooked by the people, and so far it is excellent. 
 
 As yet nothing of importance has occurred here. We 
 have been getting the men settled and inspected, and this 
 morning drill was interrupted by a violent shower, which 
 so far has not let up. Last evening I climbed to the top 
 of the little hill city nearby. It is a town of about 1000 
 inhabitants and consists chiefly of one endless street, 
 v/hich runs straight up the hill, and upon approaching the 
 top starts spiralling and breaks into innumerable alleys 
 and terraced courts, leading at last to the Norman church 
 on top. Gardens and orchards mingle with the streets, 
 and tumble-down stone walls and covered gateways, sepa- 
 rate terraced vineyards, while long flights of steps lead 
 from place to place. Here and there a lookout place is 
 built where you can sit on an old wall and get a view of 
 the miles of rolling country below, or a cafe furnishes a 
 terrace on the edge of a bluff. 
 
 The country around is like a great golf links. Miles 
 of undulating meadow cut by clear white streaks of roads, 
 each with its double row of poplars, while every crossroad 
 is village, each identical with the one we occupy. 
 
30 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Oregon boy of Co. C, 18th Raihvay Engineers, writes to 
 his mother, Mrs. M. Prasil, 180 Lane street, of his 
 chat with British royalty. 
 
 Yesterday I put in all day going over London. It is 
 sure some village, old-fashioned and solid. Everything is 
 very dull here; every woman you meet is in mourning. 
 The people sure treat us fine. 
 
 I sure have it over the most. Landed in England Fri- 
 day and had a personal chat with the king and queen Sat- 
 urday. Keep your eye on Pathe's Weekly in the movies 
 and you will see me talking to them. Enclosed I send 
 you a clipping out of the Sunday Illustrated Herald, show- 
 ing me (your tramp) talking to the queen. That is going 
 some, don't you think so? 
 
 You see, we v/-ere challenged by the Royal Engineers 
 to a tug-of-war at Aldershot at the military tournament, 
 reviewed by the royal family. I got a game leg from 
 the pull. 
 
 After the games the queen gave us each a silver medal. 
 As soon as I think it safe I will send you mine, so I won't 
 lose it. I wouldn't take a farm for it. 
 
 There are quite a few wounded American soldiers in 
 England already. We don't know how many; in fact, we 
 can't find out. There are lots of things we can't write, 
 but after I get home you will know it all. 
 
 It seems funny that we are stationed now in barracks 
 dedicated by Kaiser Bill in 1910. 
 
 H 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 31 
 
 Morris Dargan, with the 18th Engineers, Railway, American 
 Expeditionary Forces, declares Red Cross is doing 
 wonderful work for the American boys on foreign soil. 
 Excerpts from his interesting letter to his sister fol- 
 lows: 
 
 You have asked me whether or not we saw any sub- 
 marines. No, we didn't see any, but all through the sub- 
 marine zone we wore life preservers at all times. We 
 wore them at meals, on the deck, in the hold and in bed. 
 
 We had lifeboat drill a couple of times each day and 
 were not allowed to throw anything overboard, lest a "sub" 
 would sight it and follow our trail. We were not per- 
 mitted to talk loudly or to smoke on deck after night, etc. 
 With all these precautions it was natural that we expected 
 almost anything. We didn't learn, however, until we 
 landed that we had been chased by "subs" on two different 
 nights — while we slept — and that only the wisdom of the 
 captain of the ship saved us. That came as quite a shock, 
 I assure you. 
 
 I wouldn't like to live that part of my experiences over 
 again. Though I did not worry at the time, I can realize 
 now that it was m.ore perilous than anything which we 
 have done since. It was a big chance and we were lucky 
 enough to win. We have since heard that the ship on 
 which we came over was sunk on her return voyage to New 
 York. We are not sure whether this is a rumor or not. 
 Do you remember the Carpathia, which saved the people 
 on the Titanic? It was her captain who brought us over. 
 He surely proved his knowledge of the Atlantic Ocean. I 
 guess he needed this knowledge. 
 
 Well, it's all over now and as yet we have not had to 
 face anything as trying as the trip, so you can see that 
 the danger is not great. Nor will the danger be great 
 until next spring. Then will mark the most momentous 
 hours of the whole war. I am writing by the light of a 
 candle. It isn't good for the eyes, neither are they good 
 for the pocketbook. This one cost me 90 centimes, almost 
 
32 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 a franc, and it will be practically gone before taps. You 
 can buy little ones at the Y. M. C. A. for 40 centimes, 
 but they don't last long enough for practical purposes. 
 
 They see the soldier coming, and when they do it 
 seems to be a signal to raise the price. It's the soldier's 
 own fault. He flashes too much money. They know he 
 has it and they know he'll spend it, so they get right on 
 and "ride." 
 
 You speak of sending me $10 a month to give to some 
 poor family that needs it. That's a mighty charitable 
 thought, mother, but if I were you I wouldn't do it, for 
 several reasons. Now, God knows, I see enough poverty, 
 suffering, sickness and destitution over here, but I am 
 not in a position to give anyone money, feeling it will 
 do them good. 
 
 I am in a position to make many mistakes as to 
 the right ones to give it to. Now if you give that money 
 to the Red Cross in the States they will get it to the people 
 who are really in need of it and they will make it buy 
 things those people actually need. Also, you may rest 
 assured that it will get here when given to that organiza- 
 tion. And, as far as that goes, you can render a thousand 
 good deeds to these people by helping the Red Cross in 
 every way possible. When they need money you can 
 contribute what you like, but, most of all, lend them your 
 actual assistance as much as possible. 
 
 Another thing, be careful of waste, especially flour, 
 and encourage others to be careful. Use corn meal and 
 other grains besides wheat as much as you can, because 
 every pound saved is another pound that will be exported 
 to France, and the Frenchman must have wheat bread. 
 Bread constituted 50 per cent of the diet of the French 
 people before the war and they can't be taught to eat any- 
 thing in the way of a substitute for it. 
 
 The English can eat corn meal, bran and bean meal, 
 but the little Poilui can't fight without wheat bread. Help 
 him to get it and you are performing a real service. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 33 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. James A. Clock, 3418 Fifty-fifth street South- 
 east, received the following letter from their son, 
 Bugler J. W. Clock, Co. F, 18th Engineers Railway: 
 
 November 7, 1917. 
 
 Dear Father and Mother: 
 
 Have just taken inventory of the many useful things 
 you have sent me and you can't imagine how happy and 
 grateful I am. As I have said before, American tobacco 
 is at a premium. We cannot buy it in France. Have been 
 out of handkerchiefs for some time. Both of you are 
 specialists at mental telepathy, or you have wonderful 
 foresight, as I had run out of everything the box con- 
 tained. I think that it was my birthday present, as it 
 came just as the right time, and I want to thank you and 
 Dad for all of it. The weather here continues warm and 
 rainy. A few of the fellows have colds and fever. I was 
 bothered a little last week, but am all right now, thanks 
 to the little medicine chest. Have had occasion to turn 
 to it many times and it has always proved a success. It 
 is well worth its trouble and transportation here. Tomor- 
 row night our quartette is going to sing at the opening of 
 a Y. M. C. A. branch near by. We are getting a pretty 
 good start and expect to make quite a few appearances 
 here. For a bunch of soldiers we do pretty good. The 
 only thing we lack is new music. By the way, last week 
 they took Thorny to the base hospital. He had a bad 
 case of the grippe. One of the boys returned today from 
 there and said he was getting along all right; expects 
 to be out in a week. The Co. F football team has won 
 the championship of the regiment, winning four games 
 and tying one. Captain Houser is very proud of the 
 boys. 
 
34 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Of course, there is no company like Co. F. Oh, yes, 
 I want to ask if mother knitted those socks? They are 
 very heavy and warm and are worth 20 pairs of cotton 
 sox; wouldn't trade them for a farm. Well, will have to 
 close. Take good care of yourselves and don't worry. 
 Will be home next summer. With love. 
 
 WHITCOMB. 
 
 mm 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 35 
 
 In a letter to his mother, Mrs. Margaret Conroy, 671 Gan- 
 tenhein avenue, Sergeant Conroy says: 
 
 I am enclosing a letter from a beautiful French girl 
 that I met in my travels over here. I am sure you will 
 be amused at it. She is trying very hard to be perfect in 
 English and makes some funny mistakes. So you see all 
 is not hard work and war over here. 
 
 The "pretty little French girl" finds it difficult to mas- 
 ter some of the American slang. "I have not in the least 
 found what 'kidding' means," she confesses. Her letter 
 was as follows: 
 
 "Saumur, September 29, 1917. — Dear Sir, My New 
 Friend : You are an amiable correspondent. I am glad of 
 your charming letter. I hope the sun will soon be more 
 gentle with you than now. Here the days are warm yet. 
 I like to read that you love our dear France, because I 
 believe it is the finest country of the world. If I knew 
 America, I should perhaps find it still more beautiful. It 
 is not? 
 
 "What town were you living to Stades United? Speak 
 me a little of your home, of your life yonder, will you? 
 Have you not too much the black spleen? Between our 
 two countrys the sea is so much large! 
 
 "I felicitate you to have quickly learned French! I 
 am also working English, and I find Shakespeare's lan- 
 guage as difficult as beautiful! Tell me if you understand 
 very well my letters. I am perhaps not writing very cor- 
 rectly? But I like you language and I try to know it quite 
 well! However, I have not in the least found what 'kid- 
 ding' means, and I shall be glad that you may explain this 
 word! 
 
 "Good luck, my friend. I send you the sweetest 
 thought of one little 'Flower of France.' " 
 
 Sergeant Conroy says he has taken a $200 Liberty 
 bond, which will be sent to his mother when paid for. 
 "Every American soldier in France has one or more," he 
 
36 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 says. "I made an allotment of $20 per month to the Fed- 
 eral Reserve Bank of New York for nine months and $27 
 the 10th month. It is to be delivered to you when it is 
 paid for. 
 
 'The major and General Pershing asked that each sol- 
 dier subscribe and I think that there has been a 100 per 
 cent subscription. Write to me often, as a letter is a god- 
 send. The weather here (October 20) is cold, but the sun 
 shines most of the time; that is, when it is not raining. 
 
 "I certainly hope you are not worrying about me, as 
 I am all o. k. and working hard. I have changed stations 
 again. Have been all over France now. I think this is 
 my last change though, as this will be a permanent station 
 for the pay office. 
 
 "Everything here is expensive. Soap is 4 franc 50, 
 or about 75 cents a pound, and everything else in propor- 
 tion." 
 
 ra 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 37 
 
 Some intimate word sketches of life at the front are con- 
 tained in a letter received recently by Mrs. C. B. Sim- 
 mons, of 495 Heights Terrace, from her son, Rouse 
 Simmons. 
 
 Nothing much has happened this week except the reg- 
 ular routine work. We went on four night trips up to 
 within four kilometers (two and a half miles) of the 
 trenches, and saw quite a bit of action, but even that is 
 growing monotonous now. 
 
 Of course, we are under shell fire for about three hours 
 on every one of these trips, but there is really little danger. 
 
 I was sure scared the first time we ran into German 
 shrapnel, but we are all so used to it now that we don't 
 even notice a bursting shell as long as it doesn't hit too 
 close. 
 
 We start out in convoy order about 3 P. M. and get 
 in at 3 or 4 A. M. the next day. First we go to the loading 
 depot, just outside of the fire zone, where our cars are 
 loaded with shells, grenades, or whatever the orders say, 
 and then we wait till dark before going on. We run along 
 about 50 meters apart, with all lights out and engines shut 
 down, until we reach the trench supply depot, at about 
 1 1 o'clock, where we are unloaded. There our work is 
 over, and we get home and to bed as fast as we can go. 
 
 All this would be simple if it were not for a few diffi- 
 culties. In the first place, the cannon are unwieldly and 
 hard to handle, and the roads are terrible, even for a tour- 
 ing car. Consequently, we simply get the "gizzards" 
 shaken out of us on every trip. Also, it is very easy to 
 lose the way when running in the dark, and sometimes a 
 car will take the wrong road and be lost till daylight. On 
 top of all this, the cars are in poor condition and are 
 continually getting out of whack and delaying the convoy 
 until they can be repaired. My driving-partner and I 
 have spent more time working on our car up till now than 
 we have in driving it. 
 
38 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Everything is, of course, in utter darkness until the 
 "barrage" starts. Then a star-shell will suddenly shoot 
 up in the air and flood everything with a sort of flickering 
 white light for five or 10 seconds. This, then, is followed 
 at rapidly decreasing intervals by others, until the stream 
 of light is almost continuous. These star-shells are ex- 
 actly like the fireworks kind, and would be beautiful if 
 one could keep from thinking about their purpose, which 
 is to get the range for the batteries, soon to begin their 
 work. 
 
 Yesterday we took a load of barbed wire (trench style, 
 with about two barbs to the inch) up to a supply depot 
 about five kilometers in the rear of the trenches. We 
 took the trip in daylight, as the hill country through which 
 we passed prevented any accurate Bouche shell-fire. We 
 passed two towns on the way that were literally nothing 
 but ruins. They were held for two years by the Germans, 
 who retreated last March. On our way back from the 
 depot we saw a whole drove of German prisoners being 
 marched back to the detention camp, and they were a 
 sorry-looking lot. Most of them were just boys about 16 
 and 17 years of age, and quite a few were wounded. 
 
 It is certainly great to hear that the United States is 
 getting ready for the war. 
 
 We are all anxious for magazines and papers of any 
 kind, and tobacco. Send as many and as often as you 
 can. 
 
 Later — Last night I v/itnessed the best thing I've seen 
 since arriving here — a night air raid by German planes 
 repulsed by French anti-aircraft guns and war planes. 
 About 11 P. M. somebody in camp saw it begin and woke 
 the rest of us to watch it. When we got up the whole sky 
 to the north of us was lit up by at least 20 giant search- 
 lights and hundreds of star shells. It reminded us strongly 
 of a fireworks exhibition and the San Francisco Fair com- 
 bined into one. The lights were all concentrated on one 
 point at times, where we could see aeroplanes wildly 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 39 
 
 looping and circling round and round. The anti-aircraft 
 guns were pounding away like mad and shrapnel shells 
 would burst all around the machines with loud explosions. 
 
 Gradually the machines got nearer and nearer camp 
 and we thought at first we were in for an attack. The 
 Frenchmen, as usual, got wildly excited and ran around 
 jabbering all sorts of things. However, the German planes 
 were soon beaten off and we went back to bed. 
 
 Things like this are happening around here all the 
 time but this is the first time I've had a chance to see a 
 real fight. It's about time (3:30 P. M.) for the convoy 
 to leave, so I'll have to cut this short and write a longer 
 letter next time. 
 
 War aeroplanes are continually flying overhead and 
 from a hill nearby, we can see the star bombs at night and 
 the captive observation balloons in daytime. 
 
 Of course, we can hear the guns booming day and night. 
 
 The most important change of all is that I have changed 
 services, as I have given up the ambulance work and am 
 now training to drive a "camien," or munition truck. 
 
 We came from Bordeaux to Paris Tuesday night (had 
 to sit up all night in over-crowded third-class carriages) 
 and when we got to the main ambulance headquarters at 
 Rue Rayneuard we found things altogether different from 
 what we expected. Everything was great as far as living 
 conditions were concerned, but the place v/as simply 
 jammed with drivers waiting for a chance to get a car to 
 run and many explained that they had already been wait- 
 ing a month and that there were so many ahead of us that 
 we would have to wait two months or more for a car. We 
 then learned that the American Ambulance Corps had 
 taken over a different kind of work to relieve the French 
 army. 
 
 I cannot tell you why it was necessary for the American 
 Ambulance Corps to do this because of an oath I had to 
 take before entering the war zone. Briefly, I joined the 
 
40 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 service with about 90 other Yale men who came over on 
 the La Touraine. 
 
 I am now a regularly enlisted soldier in the French 
 army and under fully commissioned French officers in 
 command, and in the part of the army called the army 
 service, or Transport Corps but we are all in an American 
 division and, by the way, I found my two cousins, Z. G. 
 Simmons and Lucien Lance, from Kenosha, Wis., in the 
 same corps. 
 
 The section to which I am attached is a movable one 
 and moves up and down the whole French battle front, 
 only being used where the increased fighting demands it, 
 so I expect to see the whole front before long, but have 
 the privilege of quitting at the end of six months if I wish. 
 
 The work of the transports consists, of course, in trans- 
 porting munitions from the depots to the big artillery em- 
 placements, or the smaller batteries, as the case may be. 
 
 The trucks are monstrous five-tonners but very easily 
 handled, as I have found out. We move along the roads 
 in convoy or "truck train" fashion, 20 trucks and 40 men 
 in each section (two drivers to a car). 
 
 The work is slightly more dangerous than the ambu- 
 lance work, as the convoys are under concentrated shell 
 fire about one-half the time their work is being done, and 
 as we sometimes have to carry tons of lyddite, ammonia 
 and dynamite for guns and trench mines, there is not much 
 chance if a truck should be hit, but really after all, the 
 percentage of chance is much in favor of the drivers, as 
 the work is all done at night. 
 
 It is almost pitiful to hear some of the French soldiers 
 talk about the "grande armee des Etats Unie," as they 
 expect it to take the place of the whole, or a great part of 
 the French army, to thus give France a relief. 
 
 Things have come to such a state that in the very front 
 French lines men of 50 are serving, side by side, with boys 
 younger than myself. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 41 
 
 An aviator who came out here with us on the troop 
 train told us that France had borne the whole brunt of the 
 war up till last September, when the English first really 
 got into action and that France has already lost 4,000,000 
 men. 
 
 You can have no conception of how beautiful this coun- 
 try is until you have actually seen it. The country is inde- 
 scribable in its perfect green cultivation and as for Paris, 
 there can be no other city in the world like it in beauty. 
 Riding through France today you would hardly know that 
 a war was going on if it were not for a few conspicuous 
 things — you see absolutely no men (unless physically un- 
 fit) who are not in uniform — the fields are cultivated, 
 street cars and subways and a thousand other things done 
 entirely by women. 
 
 Another thing that a visitor to Paris will notice is that 
 at least four out of every five women on the streets and 
 boulevards are dressed in deep mourning. 
 
 But here I go on writing a lot of stuff you could prob- 
 ably read in the paper any day, but these things impress 
 themselves on my mind so much that I can hardly help 
 telling about them. 
 
 Of course, you understand that I am not in action yet, 
 but am in a camp training, where I will be for 10 days 
 before leaving for the real work. 
 
 When I start in I will tell you more about it as I don't 
 know so very much as yet. In the meanwhile, I am really 
 enjoying myself immensely. 
 
 We have regular military discipline and the work is 
 mighty hard, but I never felt huskier in my life and I am 
 having a great time. 
 
 We have regular military drill with guns (each driver 
 carries one with him on the truck) and have to wear the 
 regular French army "casques" (light steel helmets) and 
 always carry gas masks with us, but all this is an added 
 precaution which we hope to have no need for. We are 
 
42 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 being prepared though (as all the French army always is) 
 for any emergencies. 
 
 Our camp is a beautiful little hollow in the woods and 
 very comfortable. About ten yards from my bed are some 
 old French trenches used against the Germans during the 
 French retreat in 1914. 
 
 The food is very good and abundant, regular French 
 army rations. 
 
 The only things we miss are candy and tobacco, neither 
 one of these things can be had around here, and, by the 
 way, no stationery, as you can see. 
 
 No one buys stamps inside the war zone, but just marks 
 the letter as I have. I am forced to stop writing now by 
 the darkness, as no lights are allowed. 
 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 43 
 
 The following letter was received by Mr. C. F. Hartman, 
 511 East Twentieth street North, from his son, Cor- 
 poral Otto C. Hartman, Co. F, 18th Engineers, Rail- 
 way: 
 
 The censor just stopped me to have some chocolate, 
 and as candy, etc., are at a premium, I permitted the in- 
 terruption, and considered it justifiable. 
 
 The best I can wish anyone who has not volunteered 
 is that he be caught in the draft. Thirty days over here 
 would convince him that the civilized world was very 
 near to destruction, through the insane ambition of his- 
 tory's greatest egotist and his gang of murderous cut- 
 throats. 
 
 The Allies surely have to thank their stars that Bis- 
 marck didn't live to mix his brains in this affair. The 
 colossal stupidity of the German higher-ups is beyond com- 
 prehension. 
 
 The Prussian hounds didn't even have the intelligence 
 to see that they couldn't base their knowledge of human 
 nature on the actions of their own well-trained slaves. 
 Their boasted kultur is a joke. The Germans to my mind 
 are utterly ignorant. The idea of thinking for themselves 
 has never entered their foolish heads. I'll bet Old Man 
 Satan has been sitting up nights for the last three years 
 figuring out a just reward for those who plunged the world 
 into this war. 
 
 Everything is coming out right, though, thanks to your 
 Uncle Sam. When the boys start on their big hike to 
 Berlin next summer they will soon put an end to this 
 reign of terror. But before this happens the American 
 people want to brace themselves for some frightful losses, 
 as it will take lots of men to put this over. 
 
 I am proud that I am an American. They are the 
 greatest people on earth, and the rest of the world will 
 soon realize it. You know when I get started on this 
 
44 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 line, I talk in bunches, so if I have rambled a little, just 
 remember I didn't come here to see the country. 
 
 Rex and I are both well and happy. We are being 
 treated fine, and though we haven't gotten "down to cases" 
 yet, hope to soon. 
 
 The rainy weather has set in, and we old Webfooters 
 feel perfectly at home. 
 
 This is a great country for contrasts: Tobacco, 60 cents 
 a can — for which we pay 10 cents in the United States. 
 Can you beat it! 
 
 Freight cars that only hold from five to ten tons; the 
 finest docks in the world; and drainage systems, that we 
 would have been ashamed of 50 years ago; women that 
 carry baskets on their heads, and wear wooden shoes dur- 
 ing the week and doll up like an American chicken on 
 Sunday. Inconsistency, your home is France. 
 
 You would laugh to hear us all trying to talk French. 
 If the French people were not the politest people in the 
 world I think they would spend most of their time laugh- 
 ing at us. Here is no conception of time. Speed is asso- 
 ciated with but one thing, and that is automobile driving. 
 The auto drivers never heard of the speed limit. Yours, 
 
 CORPORAL OTTO C. HARTMAN, 
 
 F Co., 18th Engineers, Railway. 
 
 # 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 45 
 
 Marion Kyle, a Portland boy, who went to France with the 
 American Ambulance Service, later transferring to 
 the French Aviation Service, writes the accompanying 
 letter descriptive of his training for the air service: 
 
 Our aviation training began at Avord, where there is 
 a huge camp with some 1000 machines. We trained first 
 on a Bleriot monoplane, then on a biplane, on which we 
 obtained our brevet, and then I was posted, on the decision 
 of the French army, to take Nieuport work and become a 
 "pilote de chasse." After thinking the matter over, how- 
 ever, I decided to go to the front at first on a bombard- 
 ment machine, and, accordingly, asked the commandant of 
 the camp to shift me, which he did. I was then put on a 
 Schmidt bombing plane, and given two weeks' training 
 on that and told I was finished and ready to go to Plessin- 
 Belleville to get the training in the machine we go to the 
 front in. 
 
 On arriving at Plessin several of us were immediately 
 shipped off to a center of aviation about 10 miles back of 
 the lines and given 10 days' more training on Paul Schmidt. 
 While here I was almost overtaken with disaster. I went 
 up with a passenger one foggy day, and before I knew it 
 was lost. We had no compass and steered in the direction 
 of what we supposed was the camp. After 15 minutes 
 1 nosed the machine down until I could see the ground 
 to make a reconaissance, and found we were over the Ger- 
 man lines, with the trenches about a mile in our rear. I 
 plunged back into the fog and came about face in short 
 order. We wasted no time in getting back into French 
 territory, and finally the fog lifted and we found the 
 aerodrome again. 
 
 Am now back at Plessin-Belleville flying the actual 
 machine we fly at the front, and am only waiting to be 
 assigned to an escadrille to go out. We do night flying 
 as well as day flying, and the machine surely is wonder- 
 ful. It carries two men, four machine guns and a ton of 
 
46 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 bombs, and with this load goes 107 miles an hour at a 
 height of 15,000 feet. The engine is 300 horsepower, and 
 is a Renault-Mercedes. The machine climbs a mile and 
 one-third in eight minutes. 
 
 The night flying is somewhat difficult, especially the 
 landing. We have a red light on one wing and a green 
 light on the other to signal and at the same time show us 
 the inclination of the wings. One has to steer by com- 
 pass, and on moonlight nights by rivers and canals, which 
 gleam far below as silvery ribbons. In the day bombing 
 we always go in formation of from 10 to 100, with "chasse 
 machines" hovering around as additional protection. One 
 cannot hear the shells from the anti-aircraft on account 
 of the roar of the motor which almost deafens one. All 
 you can see are fluffy bursts of smoke which seem very 
 impersonal unless one of them hits you and takes off a 
 wing, in which case there comes a drop of 15,000 feet to 
 the earth. We have to travel at that height on our expe- 
 ditions. Formation flying is very difficult, as one can 
 hardly keep his place exactly with so many other ma- 
 chines, but if one gets separated he will be picked off by 
 a squadron of Boche fighting planes. 
 
 The actual danger in flying is not very great. Avord 
 is a school which maintains 800 pilots and out of this 
 number there were 40 killed while I was there. Three 
 of the 200 American boys were killed in training. One 
 of these, Hanford, was a special friend of mine and was 
 killed while we were making a trip together. Part of our 
 brevet test was to make two 300-mile trips. Hanford 
 and I started out about the same time one afternoon to 
 make the first leg of the triangle, which was the aero- 
 drome at Chateau Roux, not far from Orleans. It took 
 us about one hour, passing over a beautiful pastoral coun- 
 try and watching the cattle grazing in the rich pastures 
 and the peasants in the fields. I was ahead, and had just 
 landed when I heard a terrific crash, and, looking up, saw 
 that Hanford had collided with a Farman biplane at a 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 47 
 
 height of 2000 feet. They both fell like stones, and ma- 
 chines and pilots were broken to bits. I didn't feel much 
 like continuing the trip, but had to and finished alone. 
 
 The boys used to have imaginary motor trouble and 
 make forced landings at the beautiful chateaus in which 
 the region abounds. Here they would be entertained for 
 two days until the mechanic crews from the aerodromes 
 could come out to see what was the trouble. Several had 
 very funny adventures in this way. The captain of the 
 school noticed, however, where all the forced landings 
 were occurring, and put a stop to the practice. 
 
 I had some landings like that and remained a couple of 
 days with a count and his family, comprising some beau- 
 tiful young madamoiselles. Of course an American aviator 
 was a novelty to have land at your front door, so we had 
 quite a time all around. I played tennis, drank tea, and 
 likewise forgot the war for 48 charming hours. 
 
48 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. J. F. Barrett, 266 North Twenty-first street, received 
 from her son, Gerald, the following letter: 
 
 France, October 2, 1917. 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 Today has been an unusual one for me. First, I went 
 to the funeral of the first man of this regiment to die 
 on the soil of France and I gained an insight into French 
 customs. He was taken sick with pneumonia and on Sun- 
 day evening died. I believe Jack knew him on the Coos 
 Bay job while he was with the S. P. He was an engineer 
 at the Marshfield headquarters. Allan V. Mercer was his 
 name. Everyone in the company liked him, so losing 
 him makes us feel it. The whole company marched out 
 and did him the last bit of respect he will be shown on 
 earth, for only the memory of him lives with us now. 
 The military funeral is much more inspiring than that of 
 civil life. The band came first, the firing squad next, and 
 the hearse, guarded by the members of Mercer's squad, 
 followed. The officers and men of the company, followed 
 by the nurses, ended the line. The sermon was short and 
 good, which is far better than the flowery efforts we some- 
 times hear. The service was completed by a volley and 
 "Taps." The French people show much more respect for 
 a funeral than we do at home. As it passes by, all traffic 
 stops and men take off their hats and incline their heads. 
 They say over here that we are too fast and work too 
 hard. The world over here moves slower. Every once 
 in a while some incident springs up that shows it. I was 
 using a tool and working hard for a few minutes and 
 when I looked up a small crowd of Chinese troops was 
 standing there gaping and laughing because I was sweat- 
 ing. Another time, a French army engineer asked us why 
 we worked so hard when the sun was so hot. Every day 
 as we return from work we climb a hill to the camp. The 
 weather here until November is like August at home, so 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 49 
 
 by the time we reach the top we are wet. The people 
 laugh at us for our hill-climbing efforts. "Why should 
 we get so uncomfortable and hot when we could keep 
 cool?" Nevertheless, things are beginning to move and 
 results are beginning to show. During the midday all 
 shops close for an hour and a half while the people eat. 
 Again at 6 they have a light meal, and between 7 and 8 
 have the day's big meal. Today I was asked if the inside 
 of my puttees were stuffed or was it the calf muscles. 
 The French take a slow, swinging gait, while our army 
 takes a fast, short step that is springy. Our legs are nat- 
 urally bigger than the French, who, as a rule, have thin 
 calves. Our walk was amusing to the people v/hen we 
 first landed here. If you want to do a favor to the 18th 
 tell a few people to put a one-cent stamp on their Ore- 
 gonians and Journals and address them to the 18th Engi- 
 neers, Railway, Army P. O. 705 A. E. F. Old Saturday 
 Evening Posts, etc., are m.ore than welcome. One thing 
 about the army life is that the high cost of shoe leather 
 affects us not. We are given good shoes and are not 
 supposed to have them half-soled. Before the war is over 
 the shoe bill will be a staggering affair. The shoes over 
 here are not the dress pattern, but are heavy boots built 
 for wear. Tents have been discontinued long ago over 
 here and portable huts replace them. My idea of an army 
 camp has always been associated with tents, but now it 
 is huts with fly-proof kitchens and baths. The system 
 nov/ is to have reserves and reliefs, while one brigade is 
 in the trenches another is resting at a camp. In a fort- 
 night they go in again. The plan of diving in and keep- 
 ing the men there until killed off is replaced by the plan 
 of reliefs, consequently the disease loss is greatly lessened. 
 The opportunity to see the front will be given us later, 
 but now we are getting ready for the army that is coming 
 next spring. An Australian has been with us for a few 
 days, and as he is on leave for ten days or more, he is 
 staying here. Troops from across the ocean cannot go 
 
50 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 home like others. He has been telling us of conditions 
 in the trenches and the various battles he has been in. 
 The Australians and Canadians and Americans have a 
 peculiarity of their own. Instead of holding a position 
 for months they become restless and take a few more. 
 The newer countries furnish the hardest fighting troops. 
 They can't accept a condition as it is, but sail in and raise 
 Hades to advance. The way the Canadians and Australians 
 handle bayonets is remarkable. More than one regiment 
 has suffered losses from its own artillery fire because it 
 advanced too fast. The "Princess Pats," a famous Canad- 
 ian regiment, has been annihilated because of its own 
 unstopable advances. I met a man from this troop not 
 long ago. Our Australian friend showed us a few bayonet 
 stunts the other day. I used to think I knew something 
 about bayonet defense, but if I ever met one of his 
 like I hope there is a bullet left in my rifle. The Austral- 
 ians go into a fight with the idea of getting three men, 
 and they usually do it, too. The Germans have saw-tooth 
 bayonets and knives on the butts of rifles, etc., but they 
 can't stand up before the clean hand drive of these fel- 
 lows. Troops that go into the fight to fight and those 
 that are driven in usually have a one-sided argument. 
 Americans have much the same pep, and I think when we 
 come here in force the German ebb will swing much 
 faster. The Germans are tricksters from way back. Some 
 will pick up a fine looking helmet and, Fowie! he and 
 his nearby comrades will be shattered to pieces. Another 
 trick is to sap a small mine so that when you kick a clod 
 of dirt or pick up anything you will be blown up. The ten- 
 dency of men prone is to pick anything that may be in the 
 v/ay. The Germans utilize this to kill us off. Another cute 
 trick is to play wounded. In days of yore, it was no more 
 than human to give a wounded enemy a drink. Now 
 your enemy pistles you while you are uncorking your 
 bottle. The Allies do not take so many prisoners. I 
 don't blame them and would not do so, either. An enemy 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 51 
 
 that stoops to inject disease of all kinds into the captured 
 women deserve anything they get. 
 
 It is not the individual that I despise, but the leaders 
 of the race who will force their subjects to do such deeds 
 and force into their minds such base and absolutely false 
 ideas of other civilized peoples. 
 
 If these subjects must be sacrificed to put this govern- 
 ment out of power they must go. Germany is an expand- 
 ing nation and is using scientific savagery to satisfy the 
 wild fancies of a brute. People are willing to die for 
 self-government, and reading of it in history, perhaps, 
 doesn't give us the full meaning of it. When one man 
 can make millions die to satisfy his desires, can you blame 
 those who go? I think I have raved enough for one 
 letter. Yours, lovingly, 
 
 PRIVATE GERALD BARRETT. 
 
52 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Clark, 900 Northrup street, received 
 the following letter from their son, Private A. B. 
 Clark, Co. F, 18th Regular Engineers, Railway: 
 
 Somewhere in France. 
 Dear Father and Mother: 
 
 I suppose you wondered why I did not cable when I 
 landed on this side, but it was because at the time I was 
 running low on cash. We spent so much on the boat for 
 "extras." Bought from a "canteen" (army word for 
 store) which they had on board and we practically lived 
 out of it. Then I knew you'd hear of our safe arrival 
 from different sources, so I let it go. We were two weeks 
 on the water and it got awfully tiresome, owing to our 
 "mode of travel," which was a far cry from the way we 
 crossed four years ago, but I suppose it was pretty fair for 
 a troop ship. 
 
 We stopped a day at three different "rest camps" after 
 landing, until we arrived at this place, and between two 
 of those places I got a letter from you, handed to me 
 while riding in a box car, which certainly looked good to 
 "yours truly," with the C. Lbr. C. heading, etc., and, last 
 but not least, the check that was in it. That put me on my 
 feet again, so I will be sailing from now on. I got it cashed 
 in camp yesterday with Captain Mauser's endorsement. 
 A representative from a bank in the nearest city came 
 out to cash and exchange money. Thanks very, very much 
 for it. We have been here at ostensibly our final destina- 
 tion three days now, and are just resting. 
 
 It's a beautiful spot and a very safe one, and from a 
 little talk that Captain Hauser gave informally last night, 
 the prospects ahead of us are very fine, so none of you 
 need to worry a m.inute about any of us. I am in the best 
 of health, feeling A-1 about everything. I find it easy to 
 acclimate myself to conditions and, like a good many of 
 the rest, I think it will just be a matter of time and not 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 53 
 
 too great a one either, before we shall see each other 
 again. This letter will be disappointing to you, I know, 
 because it will lack the many details which you all would 
 be interested in hearing about our trip and everything 
 about us, but all I can say is that we have very strict 
 censorship rules about writing. I hope they won't always 
 be so, but at present to overstep them would be to have 
 the letters thrown out en route. We may get a week-end 
 rate on cablegrams and answers soon, and I will probably 
 wire you once in a while. I've had a couple of glimpses 
 of General Pershing lately. He is the most military look- 
 ing person and has the most commanding personality of 
 anyone I have seen around here so far. Very strict and 
 particular about things military. There isn't an awful 
 lot of that painful "form" around here, though, because 
 practically everyone, officers and men, have come direct 
 from civil life. We all hope that next year will see the 
 end, but it is all a gamble. The recent blow on the 
 Italian front has been a very serious one. However, as 
 I said before, there is no cause to worry about us here. 
 We hardly know there is a war, so far. I don't feel any 
 nearer to it than I did at American Lake. I've been hear- 
 ing an unusual number of whistles on the this 
 
 morning. I think some troops are arriving. They say 
 some national guardsmen are on their way over here. I 
 wish you would wrap up a Sunday Oregonian once in a 
 while and send it over. We crave news of any kind. 
 
 We have a bunch of German prisoners working about 
 camp here and they are the most contented lot I have 
 ever seen. They have said that they are treated well and 
 prefer this much more than real war. The French people 
 that I have seen have been very cordial and, if you will 
 forgive the pun — their Cordial is very fine. I have had 
 some, but not plenty. Before long I think I will be able 
 to jabber a bit with them, and that will make things 
 pleasanter. I suppose mother had a nice visit over in 
 Spokane. I wish I would get the letter that she wrote 
 
54 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 me from there. I am very glad that she went for the 
 rest and the change. There is one thing I would like to 
 have very much from home. I came away without a 
 picture of any sort of any of you. Don't know how it 
 happened. I would like a medium-sized folding leather 
 case that will hold five pictures. I would like to have them 
 separate, if possible. If you will fix it up and send it 
 over for a Christmas present, you couldn't do anything 
 that would please me more. Tell me all about yourselves 
 and prospects. Write all the news of the town and people. 
 Please do it often. I want news more than ever in my 
 life before. Well, it is most time for mess, so I stop, but 
 will write you often and hope that you will do the same. 
 Tell me everything and anything from the weather to 
 whether the handle it still on the front door. With much 
 love to all of you. AL. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 55 
 
 Mrs. George A. Noyes received the following from her 
 son: 
 
 Somewhere in France, September 7, 1917. 
 
 Dear Little Mother and All: 
 
 I have been looking for a letter ever since I have been 
 in France, but our mail has been delayed somewhere. 
 However, I did receive a letter en route. 
 
 Europe is surely some country, all that I have seen 
 of it. London is a grand old city. I went to church at 
 Westminster Abbey. It surely is a beautiful structure — 
 very old and good for years to come. It is only one of 
 many interesting things. Such funny trains and trained 
 streetcars. The houses are all built of brick and all to- 
 gether. All the same apartments, with no yards. The 
 country also is beautiful; every bit of it utilized. France, 
 too, has her share of beauty. The French people, as a 
 race, are surely kind. Seems to be nothing too good for 
 the soldiers, and they are surely strong for the American 
 soldiers. We have a splendid camp here. Brand-new with 
 wooden barracks and very comfortable. We are near a 
 little French village, where I go each night. We are not 
 far from a large city and we can go there every fourth 
 day for over night, so you see our treatment is the very 
 best, so do not worry. I am far away from the firing line. 
 Please do not worry, but try to keep smiling. Austin 
 is still at home, or nearby, at least, and you can see him 
 once in a while. I haven't the slightest idea how long we 
 will be here. However, I shall not miss any time in 
 getting home when we are through, for the U. S. will look 
 good to Earlscourt. I am not disappointed, for the treat- 
 ment received is of the best. I must write to Austin, so 
 will close and say good-bye. 
 
 With v/orlds of love to you, I am, ever your son, 
 
 EARLSCOURT. 
 
56 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 From Private Renfro, Co. F, 18th Regular Engineers, 
 Railway, to his mother, Mrs. W. J. Renfro, 41 Jes- 
 sup street. 
 
 Somewhere in France, September 5, 1917. 
 
 Dear Folks: 
 
 We are at last in France, very comfortably situated. 
 This is a beautiful country. Fruit is very plentiful. The 
 French people are very kind to us. It is interesting to 
 watch the people in their different work. I went into a 
 cafe to buy some bread. They were serving snails. The 
 kind that crawl around with shells on their backs. Also 
 served frog legs. How would you like to sit down to 
 that? Not for me. I bought a loaf of bread for a half- 
 franc (10 cents). It was about two and a half feet long, 
 six inches wide. It sure was good with jam. 
 
 The Y. M. C. A. has opened up here in one camp. I 
 can use pen and ink once more. We have comfortable 
 benches and writing tablets; before I have done most of 
 my letter writing with my tablet balanced on my knee. 
 The Y. is doing great work among the boys here. The other 
 day when the truck drove into camp with a load of Y. sup- 
 plies a loud cheer was given out. 
 
 Be sure and tell the folks not to forget Christmas. It 
 is funny to write that, now, but you v/ill not receive this 
 letter until late in October. It will take a long time for 
 us to get things from home. Candy, fruit-cake, some of 
 your good raisin cookies sure would make me feel a? 
 though I were with you all at Christmas time. 
 
 Tomorrow is Sunday. I am going to church in town to 
 one of the old cathedrals, part of which was built in the 
 year 800. 
 
 September 28th — Another week has passed and this 
 Sunday finds me away from headquarters. I have been for 
 several days. Have not been able to get my mail. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 57 
 
 Grapes and peaches are plentiful around here and the 
 French drink but one thing, that is a very poor grade of 
 wine. The water here is very bad. I manage to get 
 along without it. 
 
 October 2nd — At last we have a Chaplain from Seattle, 
 Washington. He seems to be a very nice fellow. I had a 
 short talk with him after the service. We had a good 
 meeting. He made a good talk on the work of the Y. 
 
 It is raining today, but it is getting that time of the year 
 when we can expect it. I was in town yesterday with 
 James Benoit. We are both in the same company. It 
 seems so strange that we should meet after so many years. 
 Fifteen years ago we went to school together. We went 
 to see the ruins of an old amphitheatre that was built 1800 
 years ago. It has been nearly all destroyed. Nothing 
 much remaining but the massive arch-gateway and a small 
 part of the wall. It is wonderful the way it has stood all 
 these hundreds of years. 
 
 October 15th — Our quarters are very comfortable and 
 I am very glad as the rainy season has set in. It has 
 rained most every day for two weeks. I always try to come 
 in town for Sunday to get a good warm bath, also a good 
 dinner, which is good once a week. It is a pleasure to 
 come to the Y. to read and write and enjoy comforts of 
 home life. 
 
 October 27th — A large steamer came in from the States 
 a couple of days ago. I was sure I would get mail of some 
 kind. From all indications I expect to be home with you 
 in September, 1918. Of course it depends on the outcome 
 of the war. 
 
 The internal conditions of Germany are very bad, so we 
 hear. The German soldiers are deathly sick of war and 
 surrender themselves to the Allies at every opportunity. 
 Many mere boys. We can only hope and pray that this 
 terrible war will soon be over and peace shall reign once 
 more among the civilized nations of the world. 
 
58 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 I wish you would all write every week. You don't 
 know how much happiness it puts into a fellow's life. I 
 wish you could be around the camp on a day when the mail 
 comes in. The happiest bunch in the world, all except the 
 boy who didn't hear from home. 
 
 It makes a fellow want to be alone. He wonders why he 
 did not hear from home. 
 
 Dear Little June: So she understands where I am and 
 does she think I am building a bridge. I had a letter from 
 Guy, he said they were busy handling troop trains going 
 to American Lake. I am afraid that people have not awak- 
 ened to the fact that they are at war. I think they will by 
 the first of the year begin to realize it. I am looking for- 
 ward to some good home-made candy, fruit-cake and 
 cookies. I hope I get them before long. Sunday we had 
 service in the Y. tent. In the evening we had a short song 
 service, also a big camp-fire and sang after the minister 
 gave us a fine talk, which we all enjoyed. 
 
 If any one should come collecting to buy for the soldiers, 
 steer clear of everything but the Red Cross Society and 
 the Y. M. C. A. They are the only ones doing anything 
 for us. This is all for this time. 
 
 Your loving son, 
 
 E. S. RENFRO. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 59 
 
 Received by Mrs. E. A. Benoit, 836 East 29th street, Port- 
 land, Oregon. 
 
 Somewhere in France. 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 Received your welcome letter and a big box of candy 
 from the girls; also letters and papers from Winifred and 
 Anna. Believe me, I was glad "Fritz" did not get them. 
 
 I have missed going to church but one Sunday, the first 
 in France, as I was on guard. 
 
 The Y. M. C. A. is surely doing a great work here. 
 They have music, reading, refreshments, and everything 
 else a fellow would expect to find in his home. 
 
 I will try and answer a few of your questions: First, 
 about the weather, which I would say is somewhat on a par 
 with Oregon. It is a bit chilly as a rule when it rains, but 
 ordinary clothing will keep one warm. We have boots, 
 rubber trousers and slickers. Last week we used them 
 almost all the time but Sunday; yesterday and today have 
 been sunshiny. We have had our overcoats for over a 
 month and believe me, they are warm and fine. 
 
 I know everything will be done right, as all the boys 
 have faith in Capt. Hauser. Our mail has been coming 
 fine. I am lucky enough to get something in every mail. 
 Don't worry about us boys as we are in as good a situation 
 as could be expected and we have got the "family spirit" 
 in Company F. I think we are the most envied company 
 of the regiment. 
 
 Write as often as you can. Send anything you think 
 I will enjoy but do not go to much expense or trouble. 
 Give my best regards to all the friends and love to all you 
 folks. 
 
 Your loving son, 
 
 PRIVATE JAMES T. BENOIT, 
 Co. F, 18th Engineers, Railway. 
 
 P. S. — Don't worry. 
 
60 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Judge Robert 5. Bean, of the United States District Court, 
 has received a letter from his son, Harold C. Bean, 
 describing life in an advanced hospital dressing station 
 just behind the front line trenches of the British army 
 in France. 
 
 My Dear Father and Mother and Folks: 
 
 Here I am, down in a comfortable dugout, listening to 
 the pound of the Bosche's shells overhead and the joyful 
 sound of our big guns answering back, with many times the 
 number he sends over. As you know, I did not crave this 
 situation, but things fell so as to put me here according to 
 orders, so I am making the best of it, and it is not so very 
 bad, even when one thinks of being under fire, within a 
 few hundred yards of the German line. 
 
 We are stationed at what is called the advance dressing 
 station, usually located within a few hundred yards of all 
 the regimental posts, so the stretcher-bearers will not have 
 so long a distance to carry the wounded; and also so they 
 will reach us as soon as possible after they are injured. 
 
 All stations are not alike, some in houses, basements 
 or even tents, but this present one is in a large cellar that 
 has been reinforced with steel and concrete. We can 
 handle about 50 men at the same time, and quarters for as 
 many or more men of our unit. Have an improvised ope- 
 rating room where all dressings are put on and hemorrhages 
 checked. No real operations are attempted this far in 
 advance. 
 
 After a case is dressed and made a little more comfort- 
 able, he is placed in a waiting ambulance and driven back 
 some six or seven miles to the casualty clearing station, 
 where all operations are performed. The Bosche has ap- 
 parently taken a dislike to wounded and hospitals as you 
 have noticed in recent papers, so he gives us a reception 
 each evening with what the British Tommy calls "iron 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 61 
 
 rations," but I am glad to say usually without any injury 
 as our shelter is well made and strong. 
 
 There are three medical officers on duty here at a time, 
 and then we are relieved, week in and week out. But the 
 few days I have been up here we have been very busy, 
 especially with gas cases. They are throwing over now 
 a new gas, smelling like mustard, but very disabling if one 
 does not use the mask at once. All dugouts, etc., are 
 protected by large, heavy blankets saturated with chemicals 
 so as to keep the heavy vapor out. 
 
 Just day before yesterday he gave us a shower of gas 
 shells. Apparently the cloud gas is not used much now, 
 but instead he sends the gas in small shells that cause a 
 peculiar sound as they pass through the air and this helps 
 in warning us. They do not make much noise as they 
 explode, but at once give off this peculiar smoke. Usually 
 night time is the favorite chance, so the other evening he 
 began to throw them at us; at once our sentry spotted the 
 smell and warned everyone, yet in spite of this we all got 
 enough to have sore eyes, slight cough, sore throat and 
 groggy feeling, all day yesterday, but today am feeling fine. 
 
 All day we had many poor, tired men seriously affected 
 by this terrible stuff, and the sight is not easy to stand — 
 brave, young fellows who fight to the last and hate to give 
 in to the stuff, but are compelled to do so. I am glad to 
 say that after several days the majority of them recover 
 and can return to their regiments. 
 
 Just the night we had our gas attack they shelled our 
 ambulance standing in front here and destroyed the same, 
 but fortunately no one was in it at the time. We all live, 
 work, eat and sleep in this one place, so we are safe, and 
 the sound of our own artillery at our backs and near us is 
 wonderfully consoling, for "Fritz" is getting more than he is 
 giving our side. 
 
 But how eager every one is for this terrible struggle to 
 be over. Some of the men have not been on leave for two 
 years and others have been home and back again. I have 
 
62 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 only been here a few weeks, yet I have had plenty and am 
 eager to return to my own country. Wouldn't it be fine if 
 it were all over by Christmas, as the men often talk of? 
 
 As the Tommy says: "Cheer on," for everything is 
 coming out all right and I am coming back to you safe and 
 sound. Don't worry, and write when you can. 
 
 Your loving son, 
 
 HAL. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 63 
 
 From ''Somewhere on the Other Side" comes the following 
 letter to the family of Mrs. J. H. Urdahl from H. P. 
 Urdahl, now serving with the Eighteenth Engineers, 
 leaving Portland several weeks ago. 
 
 Dear Folks: 
 
 We have been traveling nearly a month and have not 
 arrived at our destination yet. I don't know where we are 
 going but I think we will be on our way in a day or two. 
 Things are very much different here than they are in the 
 States. We don't get any news from the front and I don't 
 think that we know as much about what is happening there 
 as you do, yourself. 
 
 Most of the boys got to visit London, but I was on guard 
 duty and didn't get to go. I think I will be off today to 
 visit this town this afternoon. I met an English soldier 
 who has been in the service for 16 years and had been all 
 around the world. He took me around and showed me 
 some of their big field guns which are surely wicked look- 
 ing and very heavy. All the trains and streets in all the 
 towns are full of soldiers and the people are all living war. 
 They are very glad to see American boys and surely treat 
 us fine. 
 
 I have not received any mail since I left American 
 Lake and I don't know when they will deliver any to us 
 boys. The effects of this war can be seen on most of the 
 people one meets. You can only have a certain amount 
 to eat in any of the restaurants, and if you don't have 
 enough to eat in one place you will have to go to another 
 place and finish your meal. They serve us with war 
 bread, which is very good. It is a little darker than our 
 coarse bread at home. 
 
 The construction work that has been done over here 
 surely is great. They don't have any very high buildings 
 and very little wood has been used here, mostly brick. The 
 railroads and docks are wonderful. The coaches are noth- 
 
64 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 ing like ours and freight equipment is not very heavy as 
 about 10 tons is the most they will carry. I don't know 
 how they move a piece of machinery weighing 50 or 100 
 tons unless they take it apart. 
 
 Say, when you people want to send me anything, send 
 me some cigarettes, as I have not been able to find any- 
 thing to smoke over here that I like. A friend of mine 
 wired his wife when we landed here and she was going to 
 call you up and let you know that we arrived safe. Let 
 me know if you received this news. I also heard that there 
 was report in the States that the Eighteenth Engineers were 
 attacked and sunk by the U-boats, but we didn't even see 
 one of them. The next time you hear from me it will 
 come from France unless we stay here longer than I expect. 
 You have my address so I won't write it again and will 
 close with love and kisses to you all. 
 
 HANS P. URDAHL. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 65 
 
 Mrs. D. H. Lyman, 305 East 70th street, received from her 
 son, J. D. Lyman, who is in active service with the 
 American Expeditionary Forces, the following letter: 
 
 On Active Service with American Expeditionary 
 Force, "Somewhere," Oct. 23, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 This is the first opportunity I have had to write you for 
 about a week and have been very busy and have seen some 
 very interesting things lately. I wish I could tell you about 
 them but it is impossible. 
 
 I am well and having everything I want to eat, etc. 
 Life in France is getting to be better every day and the 
 more you see the more you want to see everything. If the 
 war lasts long enough I will be a sure enough Frenchman 
 when I come back as I am learning it pretty fast — not to 
 speak it so much as to understand it. Where I am now 
 located I am more or less thrown in with the French people. 
 
 There is nothing I want that you can send me as you 
 said in your last letter. 
 
 The weather has been fine here for the last week or so 
 with one or two fogs, but today it rained the good old 
 Oregon rain, but it has cleared up tonight and the moon 
 shines fairly bright through the rifted clouds. 
 
 I got a letter today from the Captain and he says every- 
 thing is going on fine and all the boys are in good health 
 and working hard. Not saying that I am not, for I am 
 working pretty hard and am nearly "fatiqued" at night — 
 (French for "tired"). 
 
 You will notice from my new address that I am not 
 stationed with the Company. 
 
 There is an entertainment for the soldiers here tonight 
 so will close as it is about to begin. 
 
 Give my best regards to everybody. 
 
 Love to all, 
 
 DICK. 
 
66 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Miss Roxanna Shroyer, Tudor Arms Apartments, received 
 the following letter from her brother, James R. 
 Shroyer, 13th Regiment Engineers, Railway. 
 
 Somewhere in France. 
 
 Since leaving Liverpool have been very much on the 
 move. I will not be able to name places or go into much 
 detail. You, no doubt read in the papers of the reception 
 in London. The crowds went wild. The King and the 
 Queen were there. I was not there at the time. We being 
 the advance agents were there the morning before and 
 fixed it up with George. Our detachment of 34 men then 
 went to an English port and out to a large rest camp, a fine 
 place and clean. Spent from 2:30 to 6:00 soaking in a 
 bath ; stayed there two days till rest of regiment came along. 
 We boarded a captured German boat for France; arrived at 
 French port at dawn. The people all came running to the 
 water front and cheered, but we were not allowed to 
 answer. We worked all day until nine in the evening un- 
 loading boats and loading train. We marched to the train, 
 but could have no lights on account of danger of Zeps, 
 which were at large looking for Americans, either in Eng- 
 land or France; had a tiresome ride in these funny trains; 
 were met at the station by a French band and crowds of 
 people. We marched to the barracks amid much chatter 
 and funny music. Saw a real air battle yesterday and two 
 today and it was some sight to see five officers' machines 
 going for each other. 
 
 The places about here look as natural as could be 
 expected and, though the Germans were here, there is no 
 evidence, but about a couple hours' walk will take one to 
 some old trenches and ruins. 
 
 Had a big parade yesterday, also inspection and review 
 by a high jinx French General, who had lost an arm and 
 leg in the early part of the war. He had Spalding's Jewelry 
 Shop skinned a mile for decorations. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 67 
 
 Sweets are very high here on account of tax. No white 
 bread or cakes; am going to do some washing so will stop 
 awhile. 
 
 Have just returned from a sixty-five mile trip around 
 the front and have seen some wonderful things, but will 
 have to refrain from writing about them, as the censor 
 forbids. The last letter I wrote September 18 I was in 
 the French hospital, but now I am feeling fine; had a great 
 time making my nurses understand; had to talk with my 
 hands; suppose you read in the papers that our regiment 
 was the first of Americans to put the Grand Old Flag on 
 the front. We received quite a write-up in Paris edition 
 of New York Herald and Chicago Tribune. Quite some 
 honor for a bunch of rookies. Sunday three of us took a 
 stroll about the famous Argonne forest and had a fine 
 trip. We stopped at a funny house and the obliging French 
 women cooked us a fine meal. Egg-omelette, French fried 
 potatoes, bread, etc. We sure enjoyed it. Returning we 
 proceeded to get ready for our nightly raid of the Germans. 
 They sure have been after us v/ith their aeroplane bombs, 
 and machine guns and they kick up some dust. Speaking 
 of dust, when I came in tonight I was white from the dusty 
 roads. We passed trench trains, wagon trains and soldiers 
 in endless lines, all raising their quota of powdered stone. 
 If you people could have looked in on us last night when 
 the mail came in, you v/ould neglect some of the home 
 duties and write often. The barracks resembled Christmas 
 Eve. The floor was covered with package wrappings; 
 everybody passing candy, cigarettes, etc. Reading papers, 
 clippings and letters. One of the fellows came in with the 
 mail and yelled, "Xmas has came." 
 
 I have seen it rain in Oregon, Illinois and Montana, but 
 never really knew what rain was until the past week. I 
 saw lots of water coming over, but I have seen more water 
 here than I thought was in the v/orld. It is pretty chilly 
 here; tell the boys to bring at least two sweaters. One to 
 sleep in and one to wear during the day. I do not know 
 
68 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 what I would have done without mine. Tell them to bring 
 plenty of socks, the heavy kind. 
 
 Wish you would send me a package of None-such mince- 
 meat and I will make a pie. I don't believe I could go in 
 and sit down to a meal. I have become so accustomed to 
 standing in line with a mess-kit and clamoring for "chow." 
 Just now I think I would give "cive quante francs" for a 
 good old hot bath in a tub. The French think we are all 
 crazy because we bathe so much. Until it got too cold, we 
 took our baths under the water hydrants. I would not give 
 one inch of the Willamette slough for all of France. 
 
 JAMES R. SHROYER, 
 13th Regular Engineers. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 69 
 
 The following is taken from letters recently received by 
 Mr. and Mrs. James F. Morrell from their two sons 
 with Co. F, 18th Engineers, Railway, ''Somewhere in 
 France." 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 November 18th, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mother and Father: 
 
 Last mail received yesterday brought in the Auxiliary 
 packages and we had "some time" last night, stayed up till 
 eleven-thirty o'clock, singing all the songs we knew and 
 smoked; these boys are just like a bunch of children at a 
 Christmas tree. 
 
 The socks are sure fine and have put them away for 
 cold weather. Army life is not so bad when you have a lot 
 of boys like we have in this company with an auxiliary at 
 home. 
 
 Have been setting up a pump and gas engine and build- 
 ing a shed for same, so it is the work of defeating the 
 "Huns" is on its way. 
 
 Here comes the paper boy with the Chicago Tribune 
 and everyone is reading at once about the fun at the front. 
 
 It would tickle you to see these Frenchmen when they 
 take a smoke of real tobacco — there goes the whistle and 
 Jim is on the other end of it, me for the mess hall, mor^ 
 later. 
 
 Supper is over and I feel much better; a package from 
 brother, Art, came this evening, containing a pound of 
 Prince Albert tobacco for both Jim and myself and so you 
 see all the folks at home are thinking of us. 
 
 Too weary tonight to write much so will close with love 
 to both of you. 
 
 "Judge." 
 PRIVATE WILLIAM J. MORRELL. 
 
70 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 November 18th, 1917. 
 Dear Folks: 
 
 Well the effect of the love and appreciation which 
 started in a big wave at the Portland Auxiliary of this com- 
 pany has finally reached France in the shape of mail sacks 
 and while the contents were heartily greeted by all, to me, 
 it brought a big lump up in my throat, for never in my life 
 have I ever witnessed so large an offering of love and 
 know that same was prepared with no little thought and 
 preparation. 
 
 You can tell the members of the Auxiliary that it would 
 have done their hearts good to sit where I did and see the 
 expressions of happiness, coupled with surprise, on receiv- 
 ing their shares, it was like Christmas, each boy, for that's 
 all they are, shot eager glances at the pile and commented 
 in his own way, all speaking words of praise for the effort 
 put forth, so in speaking for myself I want to say that I 
 cannot find words to thank each and every one; it is this 
 spirit of co-operation and harmony that will win this war. 
 
 I wish you folks at home could see these boys work. I 
 have seen and handled lots of men at the same kind of 
 work but have never beheld the same spirit and whole- 
 hearted effort put forth as they do, each one seems very 
 happy and contented. We are having some cool, clear 
 weather and it goes fine, have second steam shovel well 
 under way and am opening a pit for the first one; will 
 start digging about Wednesday. 
 
 Wish I could happen in on you at Christmas but will 
 be with you in spirit and mayhap the next one will bring 
 us all together. Co. F is going to have a semi-annual 
 gathering Thanksgiving Day. We are going to have music, 
 songs and several acts; will write you all about it later. 
 
 Will close now and get this in the mail. Give my love 
 to all; with love to you and Dad, 
 
 ''Jim." 
 SERGEANT JAMES F. MORRELL. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 71 
 
 ///// /. Vinson, 18th Engineers, Railway, Co. F, writes to his 
 mother, Mrs. B. E. Vinson, 1024 Holgate street: 
 
 In England, August 27, 1917. 
 
 Dear Father, Mother and Sister: 
 
 After a journey of 24 days since leaving American 
 Lake, landed in this country. Our voyage was a pleasant 
 one. We never saw a "Sub" or were troubled at all by 
 them. 
 
 Most of our Company went to London yesterday and 
 gave the city the once over. The boys that I was with 
 visited the Tower of London, London Bridge, the House 
 of Lords — oh, well, I can't begin to tell you of the different 
 things we saw. 
 
 You should see the funny little railroad cars and engines 
 they have in this country. When I come home, I am going 
 to bring one with me as a souvenir. Believe me, they sure 
 can go some. 
 
 We don't know just when we shall be ordered to France. 
 Did you receive the cablegram I sent you? 
 
 Somewhere in France — It is a nice, bright day. Sun 
 shining well up in the sky. Of course, we don't have sun- 
 shine all of the time. For instance, the other evening, it 
 rained very hard for a while and the boys began to undress 
 and come out to get their favorite bath. One can get a 
 very good bath with a bar of soap and a very little rain. 
 Lord, how it can rain in this country. It has Oregon backed 
 off the map. Well, it is very near time to eat again and I 
 am sure going to be there. 
 
 Tell my friends I send my best wishes and that I am 
 glad that I am in active service. I am learning quite a 
 little of this language and our band is progressing very well. 
 
 We received a cablegram from Mr. Hauser, our Cap- 
 tain's father, telling us of the Auxiliary in Portland for 
 Companies E and F of the 18th Engineers. The boys 
 
72 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 think it very nice of our folks to think of our needs. I 
 have just finished getting myself cleaned up and have a 
 few minutes before church at the Y. M. C. A. so will put 
 in the time writing a letter. Yesterday we played our first 
 funeral march (the band). We played for one of our 
 comrades from Company F, who was killed a few days ago 
 by accident. The military funeral of the U. S. Army is 
 very touching and it means a great deal in reality. We 
 are all getting along very well and no one is suffering for 
 anything but American tobacco. A good many of the boys 
 are at the Y. M. C. A. this morning writing letters and 
 playing games. They also have a moving picture machine 
 here and I have been elected to run some pictures for the 
 night. The band has been quite in demand lately. Well, 
 must close now as the Chaplain has arrived and is about to 
 start services. 
 
 With lots of love, 
 
 Your son, 
 
 ILIFF. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 73 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Legg, 1570 East 6th street, North, re- 
 ceived the following letter from their son, Maynard 
 W. Legg, who is with the American Expeditionary 
 Forces ''Somewhere in France'' : 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 November 10, 1917. 
 
 My Dear Parents: 
 
 I am well and in the best of spirits. It is a little cold 
 here as the winter weather is beginning. I went walking 
 last evening and saw partridges galore. How I wished for 
 a shot-gun. I would have made them sit up and take 
 notice. I have seen some very nice double-barrel guns 
 and some bad ones. One I noticed in particular had the 
 hammer on top of the barrel instead of at the end and the 
 shell had a brass pin about 5 inches long and extended out 
 of the side of the shell at the back. The primer is entirely 
 inside the shell, the butt was plain. I am going to try and 
 get one to bring home as a souvenir, not to use, as I do not 
 care to die yet. I am taking lessons in French, the Profes- 
 sor certainly knows his business. The people here go 
 through the camp on Sundays for a walk. A bunch of 
 French girls are bothering the typewriter now as I am try- 
 ing to write this. You can say what you please, Oregon 
 girls are best. They have the whole world beat. I got 
 hold of a Sunday Oregonian and it surely looked good to 
 me. Don't worry, I am satisfied where I am and I want 
 to stay here as long as the Commander will have me. I 
 am under Lieut. Roosevelt (Teddy's younger son) , a better 
 man I never have met, always jolly, is kind and considerate, 
 yet firm. There are twenty Oregon boys in this company. 
 I was driving a Packard truck for a while, then I worked 
 in the hangars on aeroplanes and am now in the supply 
 house. I was made Chauffer the 7th of November. It is 
 
74 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 a new rank. I do not know the pay but was very glad to 
 be advanced. I am glad you liked the souvenirs from New 
 York. I have all sorts of souvenirs to bring home. I had 
 a half of pumpkin pie today. It was good but not like 
 home. If you will look in Leslie's Weekly, October 6, you 
 will see two pictures of us as aviators. It rains nearly 
 every day and just pours and the mud is deep. We have 
 hip boots and are glad to have them. They surely save 
 on clothes. I received the tobacco and was glad to get 
 it, as the French tobacco is fierce. I cannot smoke it. 
 There was only one thing the matter with the tobacco you 
 sent, father, it did not last long. I am sending a couple of 
 packages to you for Xmas. This is a great country for 
 dahlias. I have seen many beautiful ones in private gar- 
 dens this fall, also saw some in England. I must say 
 good night now, 
 
 Your loving son, 
 
 MAYNARD. 
 
 H 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 75 
 
 Corporal J. C. Collins, Co. F, 18th Engineers, Railway, 
 writes to his mother, Jessie B. Collins, 636 East 20th 
 street, from "Somewhere in France": 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 November 1, 1917 
 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 We received a large shipment of mail day before yes- 
 terday. I drew three of yours, delayed somewhere. I 
 did not get the tobacco you sent but several of the boys 
 did receive some and they divided so we are pretty well 
 fixed for a while. It has been raining hard for the past 
 few days, but we have been working just the same. 
 "Uncle" has given us raincoats and boots and we keep 
 fairly dry. I am gradually getting into my own work. The 
 time passes rapidly and the Sundays come around quite 
 often. I took a train and went up the line last Sunday 
 about 20 miles to a little city of fifteen thousand. Ameri- 
 cans are rather scarce there and to some I was a curiosity. 
 I met a French Lieutenant and we had quite a long talk. 
 If he could have spoken better English or I better French, 
 it might not have been so long. He studied English in the 
 French schools but with the aid of a dictionary we got 
 along nicely. He took me to a cafe and we had coffee 
 and cigars and talked about the v/ar, America, England and 
 France. The French soldiers wear caps. They all seem 
 to admire our uniforms. This officer admired mine so 
 much that he wanted me to buy him a hat and a pair of 
 shoes. I told him I could hardly do that, so he compro- 
 mised by putting on my hat and overcoat and I took his 
 picture. This town is like all other French towns, very old. 
 I went to a church, built in the 13th century. The carvings 
 are very beautiful. All the window frames and arches are 
 of carved stone. Their churches are all large, with high 
 
76 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 steeples. The steeple of this one is carved to the top. 
 The boys spend their evenings in the house, playing cards, 
 reading, writing, singing and talking about what they are 
 going to get in the next mail. The Y. M. C. A. is still in a 
 tent, but we have a stove in our hut and I am writing on 
 my bunk, as the fire is low and the candle about burned 
 out, I will have to close for tonight. 
 
 Lovingly, 
 
 J. c. 
 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 77 
 
 From Wade D. Lewis, Expeditionary Forces in France, son 
 of County Treasurer, John M. Lewis, 604 East Ankeny 
 street: 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 October 18, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 Today is a holiday for all U. S. soldiers in France. A 
 holiday set aside for the sale of Liberty Bonds to the en- 
 listed men. Not so much for the purpose of raising any 
 large amount of money for the loan as simply to disprove 
 the German idea that the Americans are not whole-hearted 
 in this war and that has been done. The bonds were in 
 denominations as small as $50.00 each and practically 
 every man in the regiment took one or more bonds, except 
 those who have already made large allotment to their folks 
 at home. Some took three and four or more as in accord- 
 ance with their pay. I took three $50.00 bonds. Of 
 course, I got some of the first loan, but as one does not 
 have need for all his pay for personal necessities here I 
 consider it not only a good personal investment but an aid 
 to both the U. S. and French governments. The payments 
 are easy, five dollars per month per bond. It simply 
 amounts to a saving for the individual. 
 
 Just got back from town where I purchased a beef- 
 steak, one-half dozen eggs, some butter and bread (du 
 pain) and cooked some beef-steak and a couple of the 
 eggs in my frying pan. Occasional rations like these are 
 not uncommon with the boys. The French think we are 
 terrible eaters and are astounded at the meals we order in 
 their restaurants. One French maid asked me "If we 
 Americans had come to eat up the French people." 
 
 Virgil and I are still taking lessons from the same 
 family. It is not difficult to read ordinary French and get 
 by in conversations. One of the girls, who is quite well 
 
78 
 
 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 educated, brings up arguments on philosophy, religion and 
 discussions on Victor Hugo works, etc. Her father is a 
 Protestant and her mother a Catholic. When the matter 
 of religion is brought up, the old gentleman always leaves 
 the room. This French girl has a quaint way of bringing 
 in old sayings from famous writers. 
 
 We are having much better weather now, somewhat 
 cold but crisp and clear this afternoon. With the hope of 
 more mail from home soon will again sign my lengthy 
 address, 
 
 PRIVATE WADE V. LEWIS. 
 
 ra 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 79 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Gordon, 1507 East Uth street, North, 
 received the following letter: 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 November 10, 1917. 
 
 Dear Brother and Sister: 
 
 Your welcome letters received yesterday and was so 
 happy to hear from you. We had a splendid voyage over 
 here. The captain of the ship was the man who rescued 
 the survivors of the Titanic. His name is Roston. 
 
 I was on guard at the bow, when at about 2:00 A. M. 
 we sighted something that looked like land. It was the 
 friendly and Oh, so welcome! beam of a lighthouse flash- 
 ing on our port bow. 
 
 It is cold here, but so far it has not snowed. This 
 winter will be a hard one for the boys in the trenches. 
 
 One of the boys of the hospital unit went up to the 
 front and wrote back that it snowed about an inch last 
 week. 
 
 It rains here nearly every day and when it rains it 
 pours. It is great to lie in bed nights and hear the rain 
 patter, patter through the trees. 
 
 You should see these big army trucks plowing through 
 the mud; sometimes they get stuck and we all get out and 
 push them out. I have two Frenchmen driving trucks now 
 and you should see them dodging the trees; they are ex- 
 perts at the game. 
 
 We are unable to write often and it takes nearly a 
 month to receive a letter. I believe we will have better 
 mail service in the future because Uncle Sam has estab- 
 lished a regular postoffice system in France. The Post- 
 master General and his assistants were here a few weeks 
 ago and I was told they brought a number of mail clerks, 
 etc., with them. 
 
80 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 My regiment has been very lucky. "We are now located 
 some distance behind the firing line and I think we will 
 remain here all winter. I hardly think we will get into 
 anything serious at all before next spring. Some of the 
 Railway Engineer Regiments have been into it already as 
 you no doubt have learned from the casualty lists in the 
 newspapers. Of course, we can never tell. I might be 
 into it in another day, but I don't think so. 
 
 Four of the boys have a candle on the table on which 
 they are playing cards and I am trying to write by the light 
 that come between two of them. Ha, ha! 
 
 We are quartered in a nice warm building and they 
 have furnished us with rubber pants, rubber coats, and 
 rubber hats, so you see we don't suffer much from the 
 weather. 
 
 I am well and in the best of health. My muscles are 
 like bands of iron. We are doing very nicely under the 
 circumstances, considering the nature of our business. The 
 boys have accepted the dangers and hardships of war in a 
 cheerful spirit. 
 
 You spoke of a newsy letter. I wish you were in my 
 place and had to scratch your head to find something to 
 say that the censor would pass. You haven't the least idea 
 how rigid the U. S. censorship really is. I would like to 
 write you a really newsy letter and tell you of many ex- 
 periences. 
 
 You just read some good magazine articles or some 
 good descriptive newspaper column of the fighting over 
 here and you will learn more than I can tell you. I have 
 read articles in magazines that I wouldn't dare write. 
 
 We are getting everything ready for the incoming 
 troops. American troops are landing in France every day. 
 General Pershing visited us two weeks ago today. I think 
 I told you we were under his command. He is our ideal 
 type of a fighting man. Stern, but kind. However, I 
 think history will record that the Railway Engineers were 
 the first of Pershing's men to get into action as a unit. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 81 
 
 They were got under fire ahead of Pershing's first contin- 
 gent. The Railway Engineers also had the first men killed 
 in action. Ten days after we landed in France a Sergeant 
 and a private were killed by shell fire. These men being 
 the first men of the U. S. Army to die under fire. Of 
 course there were some Americans killed previous to that 
 time, but they were attached to the French Army. 
 
 I am in one of the largest cities in France. Have 
 visited one of the famous Chateaus, also one of the famous 
 art galleries of France. As you know I am a lover of art 
 and the moments spent in viewing those beautiful pieces of 
 art were very happy ones. 
 
 This is a beautiful country of many famous places. 
 The women are wearing hats patterned after our service 
 hats. I was glad to see the boys from home. Yes, I am 
 acquainted with Sergeant Prasil. He attended school with 
 me in Portland and was my tent mate while at American 
 Lake. All the "boys" of my regiment are a cheerful and 
 splendid lot of young men. 
 
 Well, I must close for this time. Give all my friends 
 my best wishes and write often, for a letter from home 
 makes me feel so happy. Love to all and kiss the babies 
 for "Uncle Jack." 
 
 Lovingly, 
 
 JACK. 
 
 Sergeant J. W. Clay, Co. C, 18th Engineers, Railway. 
 
82 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. C. F. Vilas, 56 East 74th street, North, received the 
 following letter from her son, Private H. C. Vilas, Co. 
 F, 18th Engineers, Railway: 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 November 4, 1917. 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 Tonight is a big night. We have been receiving a lot 
 of back mail. I had received a letter dated October 7. 
 Tonight I received two dated before that, also one from 
 "sis" and one from Roy Higgins. We have plenty of rain 
 here. The climate is about the same as Oregon, so you 
 see most of us are used to it. We have been working 
 pretty steadily for the past month and from the looks of 
 things we have a big job ahead of us. 
 
 There is an old castle near here that dates back to the 
 12th century. It has a big mote and towers and reports 
 say famous battles have been fought here. I also saw the 
 ruins of an old Roman amphitheatre that was built about 
 the 2nd century. There wasn't much of it left. I am 
 getting so I can speak a little French, enough to make 
 myself understood. French people know how to take things 
 easy. Do not seem to worry about anything. If you 
 could see them around the cafes, you would not think they 
 were in war. They are great wine-drinkers, also fine 
 pastry makers, the finest we have ever tasted. They have 
 fine farms; the wealthy have pretty country homes or 
 chauteaus as they are called. The next nice Sunday we 
 have, a couple of us boys are going to hire bicycles and 
 take a long ride in the country. The roads are fine here, 
 lined on either side with maple trees. The v/heel is the 
 favorite mode of travel. As news is scarce this week, will 
 close and do better next time. My love to all don't worry 
 as everything is all right. 
 
 HAL. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 83 
 
 To Mrs. G. I. Dirrim, 1804 East 10th street from G. I. 
 Dirrim, 18th Regiment Engineers, Railway, Co. E: 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 November 10, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mabel and Jim : 
 
 I received your letter this noon. Am feeling fine and 
 have plenty to eat. Have plenty of clothes and we are as 
 comfortable as possible and I don't think people need to 
 worry about us freezing to death. Received the package 
 you sent and we are looking for the box the Auxiliary sent. 
 The letters and packages sure pleased the boys and I wish 
 the people could see how much the boys appreciate those 
 things. They have a prize fight on for tonight. One of 
 the fellov/s in our company from Portland is boxing against 
 a fellow in another company. I am getting along fairly 
 well with the language and study hard whenever I have the 
 chance. Everything looks rather bad and we may be here 
 for a long time, though they may soon get lined up again. 
 I went into a bakery to get a loaf of bread today, it looks 
 like a four-foot stick of cord-wood, is fully three feet long 
 and costs one and a half france (30 cents in our money). 
 Most of the women wear wooden shoes and carry baskets 
 and pails on their heads. We have a Belgian boy with us 
 in camp. He has had m.ost of his back torn off with a 
 bomb in an air raid, though he is well now, I don't see how 
 he ever lived. Winter is fast coming on and gets very 
 cold at times. It is raining very hard and the mud is deep. 
 Don't believe too many wild stories they are telling of us 
 and don't worry until you know they are true. With re- 
 gards to all will close for this time and will write in a 
 few days. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 GLENN. 
 
84 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 November 1, 1917. 
 Dear Bernice: 
 
 I was indeed a little surprised and very pleasantly sur- 
 prised, too, to receive your letter. Nev/s from friends are 
 very welcome and appreciated by us boys so many miles 
 from home. 
 
 I wish I could tell you where I have been, what I have 
 seen and what I am doing, but as you probably know the 
 censorship is very strict and we are not allowed to tell 
 very much. We had a splendid trip across the continent. 
 At every town we passed, we were wildly cheered and 
 several times a day we detrained for exercise. The long 
 ocean voyage was also very pleasant, although, sorry to say, 
 there was no excitem.ent, except in a few cases when 
 strange ships were sighted. We were all very glad when 
 we saw the long-looked-for sight of land once again. The 
 bleak western coast of England looked pretty good to us 
 then. 
 
 Our stay in England was confined to intermittent trav- 
 elings, long marches and over-night stops at rest-camps. 
 The trip across the channel was extremely rough, but our 
 trip through France to where we are now was very interest- 
 ing. I have been here two months and am having a won- 
 derful time. We are not allowed to tell what we are doing, 
 but suffice it to say that we are working. The climate so 
 far has been very mild with frequent rains. It is too bad 
 you could not come over with the Red Cross. A number 
 of nurses landed here a couple of weeks ago. I am sta- 
 tioned along the shore of a river, several miles from a 
 large port, and many large boats pass here every day. Oc- 
 casionally a boat from the U. S. flying the Stars and Stripes 
 comes steaming past and how we on shore cheer and yell 
 as she passes us! It is a thrilling Old Glory waving aloft 
 in the air, especially to us, marooned on a foreign soil. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 85 
 
 The people here are extremely courteous and hospit- 
 able. The chief drawback is our inability to speak French. 
 I am studying very zealously though and am making a 
 little progress. I have not received the magazines yet, but 
 am patiently awaiting them. Thank you very much for 
 your thoughtfulness in sending them. 
 
 Will be glad to hear from you again. Best regards to 
 all, from your far-off-friend, 
 
 CAROL. 
 
 Private Caroll Ten Eyck, Co. F, 18th Engineers, Railway. 
 
86 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. E. Shelly, 135 Killingsworth avenue, received the fol- 
 lowing from her son. Private A. W. Skelly, Co. F, 
 18th Regiment Engineers, Railway: 
 
 Somewhere in France. 
 
 Dear Mother and All the Folks: 
 
 Received letters from you last Saturday. Would love 
 to tell you all about our trip and what we are doing but 
 cannot, however, I will be able to tell you all when I get 
 home. You know I never will forget any part of it. We 
 are in a place where there is lots of fruit, a fine climate 
 and have fine treatment from the people. We have a 
 French teacher here enlisted in our company, who is always 
 willing to help the boys out. We are not compelled to 
 learn French. The good old U. S. is plenty good enough 
 and large enough for me to travel and live in. I never will 
 have any desire to leave there again. We have an Ameri- 
 can daily. It is never over a day late, while there is not 
 much of a story about things going on in the States, there 
 is generally a few lines. Suppose by this time, you have 
 received the allotment I am sending home. Have also 
 invested in a Liberty Bond. About the soldiers' insurance, 
 we have not yet had full details, but if it is what rumor 
 has it I shall invest heavy. As for taking out Liberty 
 Bonds, Company F has a good record. Well, there is a 
 football game that I want to take in. You know Company 
 F holds a record on football also, so I will close for this 
 time, 
 
 Love to you and all, yours, 
 
 ARCHIE. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 87 
 
 Mrs. M. Anderson, 686 Minnesota avenue, received the 
 following from her son, Wayne J. Anderson, Co. F, 
 18th Engineers, Railway: 
 
 In France. 
 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 I received a letter again from you and you cannot 
 imagine how glad I am to get your letters from home. It's 
 like a holiday when mail comes in. I got the socks you 
 made and sent me. I cannot tell you how pleased I was 
 to get them. Yesterday I got all kinds of mail and re- 
 ceived a mysterious package from some Portland club- 
 woman. It had in it a whole lot of small articles, such as 
 soap, cigarettes and handkerchiefs and other small articles. 
 We all thank the Oregon people for their kindness. They 
 are certainly doing their best for their country. If they 
 could really know how glad it makes us boys to get things 
 like that. 
 
 We have been having rainy weather here. It certainly 
 rains here when it rains and the mud is muddier than any 
 Oregon mud. You folks at home do not need to worry 
 over my health. You would be surprised to see how I 
 have picked up in weight since I left America. No wonder 
 at all, the way my appetite coaxes me here, as long as 
 you folks at the end feed us, then we here will do the rest. 
 The folks here are very kind and I will have a lot to tell 
 you, but the country for me is the U. S. A. This letter is 
 like the war, don't know when to end, but I hope it's very 
 close. Best regards to all. Au revoir and health to you, 
 your son, 
 
 WAYNE J. ANDERSON. 
 
88 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Private Jack D. Wiggen, Co. F, 18th Engineers, Railway, 
 writes to his mother, Mrs. W. H. Wiggen, 431 Williams 
 avenue: 
 
 Somewhere in France, 
 
 September, 1917. 
 
 Dear Folks: 
 
 I received your letter and am sorry to hear that you 
 have not received any of my letters. I have answered all 
 I received. It takes some time for the mail to go. I in- 
 tended to send a cable as it takes so long to write. I sup- 
 pose the papers have a short sketch telling of our safe 
 arrival. I am doing fine. The climate is good; sunshine 
 most every day. We are right in the fruit section. There 
 are acres and acres of grapes, apples, figs, peaches and 
 pears. Wine is the main drink for the French. You can 
 see them carrying bottles to work and when you see a 
 native at lunch he always has a bottle of wine. Money 
 goes mighty fast. One can break a five-spot and it is 
 gone before you realize it. The only thing I miss is my 
 tobacco. Hope you will send me some. I have some 
 appetite, can eat all the time. They feed us very good, 
 always plenty. I have seen some queer things. The 
 bread, for instance, is about one yard long and six inches 
 thick, just fits under the arm nicely. It costs about as 
 much as two loaves at home. The first time one goes 
 shopping, they have an awful time to find what they want. 
 I never believed I would be a foreigner, but know I am one 
 now and can sympathize with those that arrive in our 
 country. It looks comical to see an American going down 
 the street v/ith one of the fair dames, trying to make her 
 understand. We Americans have a book translating their 
 language. I have one and when I go to a restaurant and 
 can't make them understand I just haul out my little book 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 89 
 
 and point to the sentences, giving my order. They make 
 fine coffee here. One does not see many wooden build- 
 ings. I am paying strict attention to the kind of derricks 
 and bridges they have here. It is wonderful to see the 
 stone arches and how perfect they are and the way they 
 are put together. I have seen docks that would make 
 Portland some city. The locomotives are no where near 
 as large as at home but they all look good to me. They 
 have many things that are copied after ours, but as usual 
 everything is so different. 
 
 I have seen wonderful cathedrals. We don't see very 
 much candy or cake, pastry is high and that is made of 
 rice flour. It is almost like candy. A cup of coffee and 
 a small cake about the size of a dollar costs me 50 cents. 
 For one dollar we can get a fair meal. This morning I 
 received a registered letter from you. I couldn't imagine 
 what was inside. I opened it and out rolled an American 
 bill. I let all the boys have a good look at it. I believe 
 it is the only one in my squad. They had to turn it over 
 and over to see if it was real or counterfeit. I wish to 
 thank you for your kindness but don't feel a bit older. I 
 am going to keep the bill as I have my pocket full of the 
 money they use here. Have to take it out and count it 
 every little while to see if I have lost any. It won't be 
 long until Uncle will give us more. The Captain informed 
 us that we will not have to stamp our mail as soldiers' 
 letters go free to the U. S. so you do not have to send me 
 stamps. I wanted to buy a pair of rubbers but find that 
 my feet have grown so that I couldn't get a fit. The army 
 shoes are much wider than they are here. Give my re- 
 gards to all inquiring friends and tell them to write, as 
 letters are always welcome. Will close with love to all, 
 
 PRIVATE JACK D. WIGGEN. 
 
90 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. M. E. Sturdevant, 493 East 13th street, received from 
 her son, Robert B. Sturdevant, with Radio Dept., U. 
 S. S. Pueblo; also her son's friend, 0. K. Bullard, on 
 U. S. S. Cruiser Sioux, the following letters: 
 
 LETTER NO. 1 
 
 U. S. S. Pueblo, March, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mother: 
 
 We got under way about six o'clock Wednesday even- 
 ing. We took on about seven hundred tons of coal and 
 then left right away. It was foggy in the harbor and out- 
 side the Gate. We very nearly run a small freighter down. 
 The boat whistled to pass on our port side and then on our 
 starboard side and then it cut across our bow, we had to 
 go full speed astern in order to keep from running it 
 down. It was kind of exciting for a few moments. We 
 would have cut the boat in two. 
 
 It was foggy until about two o'clock that night. We 
 are now in the Santa Barbara channel. It has been a fine 
 trip. The sea is calm and there is just enough breeze to 
 carry the smoke away. When the wind is off shore we 
 can smell trees and plants. It sure smells good. The 
 mountains are not as pretty as they are in Oregon and 
 Washington, but they look fine any way. 
 
 We will arrive in San Diego about seven o'clock this 
 morning. We will then take on about four hundred tons 
 of coal and some stores and leave for Mexico or near 
 the Canal. 
 
 April, 1917. 
 
 I am about half way up the Gulf of California at a little 
 place called San Rosilin. It is a small mining town. We 
 were not allowed any liberty, of course. We came up here 
 from La Paz, a small town near the end of Lower Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 91 
 
 We went swimming at La Paz. It was great. The 
 water was cold, but not too cold. After we came out some 
 of the fellows saw a shark. 
 
 This Mexican coast is sure a barren place. All you 
 can see is cactus and sand hills. There are some very 
 pretty mountains down here, they are rugged looking, but 
 have no trees on them. The sky-line is pretty, especially 
 in the evening when the sun is setting. 
 
 It is warm down here. We wear whites during the 
 day, but change to blues at night. We scrub a suit of 
 whites every evening. I am getting to be a regular shark 
 at washing clothes. 
 
 I saw a mirage this morning. It was the first one 1 
 had ever seen. It was a long distance away. I think it 
 was a small rock that kept changing shape. It looked like 
 a big gun and then a house and a big tank and a number 
 of different shapes. 
 
 This gulf gets pretty rough sometimes. This old ship 
 rolls like everything, but I have felt fine as far as sea- 
 sickness goes. 
 
 We are going to Guaymas tomorrow, and then down 
 south again. 
 
 May, 1917. 
 
 V/e have been in Mexican waters for the past month. 
 I like it down south pretty well. It gets rather warm 
 during the day, but we always go swimming about four 
 o'clock, so it isn't so bad. 
 
 The air down here is very clear. We were not far 
 enough south to see the Southern Cross. Some days a 
 person can see across the Gulf at Guaymas, which is about 
 eighty-five miles. Some of the fellows said that one can 
 see the mountains across the Gulf at La Paz, that is about 
 one hundred and thirty-five miles. Every day we can see 
 mirages. They are very queer, I think. I didn't have 
 any shore liberty, so I can't tell much about the town. We 
 
92 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 could buy oranges and post cards from peddlers that came 
 alongside. 
 
 We started from Guaymas at noon Saturday, arriving 
 at La Paz Sunday morning. 
 
 We started for the States that same afternoon. We 
 got as far as Cerros Island, where the Brutus, a collier, 
 went on the beach. 
 
 We received four hundred men from the Frederick, 
 making our company one thousand and eleven. This ship 
 is certainly crowded. The men that came on are recruits 
 and a few naval militia. 
 
 We arrived in San Diego this afternoon, at five o'clock. 
 We are going to coal ship tomorrow, taking on one thou- 
 sand tons. We are then going to leave for Balboa and 
 through the Canal to the east coast. They need this type 
 of ship over there. 
 
 We started through the Canal the 26th of May. It 
 took us about seven hours to go through. We coaled ship 
 at Colon. We took on about twenty-one hundred tons. 
 Colon doesn't seem to be much of a place. The prices are 
 very high. 
 
 We left Tuesday for Bahia, Brazil. The trip so far 
 is fine. We are about three hundred miles south of the 
 equator. I was initiated into the Royal Order of Nep- 
 tunus Rex. I suppose you know that for years it has been 
 a custom to initiate all land-lubbers when they cross the 
 line. I can assure you I sure did get initiated. I will get 
 a ticket, that shows that I have been across the line. I 
 am a regular sea-going sailor now. 
 
 I haven't any idea where we are going when we leave 
 Bahia. We might go around the Horn. I hope that we 
 will get back to the good old U. S. A. soon. These Spanish 
 cities don't compare with American cities. 
 
 We are issued a half a bucket of fresh water in the 
 morning to take a bath in, and then another half bucket 
 some time in the afternoon. There are over a thousand 
 men on board and you can imagine how crowded we are. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 93 
 
 Bahia seems to be a pretty city from a distance, but 
 from what I have heard the streets are worse than in 
 Panama. 
 
 The money is called reis, pronounced rays. A car ride 
 costs nine hundred reis or about ten cents in our money, 
 a meal three thousand reis or about seventy-five cents. 
 
 The people are very queer. They are willing to sell 
 their children for a few cents. 
 
 There are twelve Americans in the whole city and 
 about fifty thousand Germans. There are two Austrian 
 ships interned in the harbor. 
 
 We left Tuesday for patrol duty. It is rough. We are 
 steaming at sixteen knots for Rio Janeiro. I think we 
 will stay in Rio Janeiro for a few days or a least until the 
 can catch up with us and give us some sup- 
 plies. We are out of canned milk and candy and all sorts 
 of supplies. We are going to get a case of canned milk 
 so we fellows in the radio room can have it with our Java 
 at night. We have a little electric toaster now so we can 
 have our hot Java and toast on our night watches. It is 
 almost worth one's life to try to get Java at night. The 
 decks are dark and when we go to the galley to get 
 coffee we stumble over ammunition hatches and every- 
 thing else. 
 
 When we were on our way from Colon to Bahia we 
 passed a ship at night that turned out to be a German 
 raider. We didn't fire. 
 
 June, 1917. 
 
 We arrived in Rio Janeiro Friday at 3:00 P. M. It is 
 a very pretty city from the harbor. As you come in there 
 is the Sugar Loaf on one side and a fort on the other side. 
 The Sugar Loaf is 1295 feet high. It looks very much 
 like a loaf of sugar. There is an aerial tramway to the top. 
 It is some trip. It costs four thousand reis or about $1.10 
 a round trip. It is v/orth it. One gets a fine view of Rio 
 
94 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 from the Sugar Loaf. There are a number of forts around 
 here. They all saluted us when we came in. The Bra- 
 zilian ship escorted us in. It must have been a pretty 
 sight from the Sugar Loaf to see us all steam in the harbor. 
 
 We were granted liberty Saturday. I went ashore and 
 had a fine time. Every one speaks French and Portuguese. 
 The people are very polite and they treat us fine. Some 
 of the people speak English. It sounds great to hear some 
 one speak English. 
 
 We get an automobile and have a good ride. One can 
 see so much more than by walking. It costs ten mil-reis 
 an hour or $2.75. 
 
 The food is very good. They serve coffee in very 
 small cups. It is, of course, served black. One may have 
 cognac with their coffee if they wish. 
 
 The streets here are wide and are kept clean. The 
 main street, or Avenida Central, is a fine street. It is 
 something like a Paris street. The people move very 
 slowly. The stores don't open until noon. 
 
 The houses are all built of granite, and have large 
 court yards. The people seem to like flowers as every 
 house has a large flower garden. The houses are all 
 fenced in with high iron fences. 
 
 I met a fellow who told me a great deal about the 
 people and the country. He said that these people are 
 helpless. They don't seem to know how to get all there 
 is out of the country. They don't know how to spend 
 money in order to really get the most good out of it. They 
 think of luxuries before necessities. They don't under- 
 stand we Americans. They think we are queer, too. 
 
 There are more pretty girls here than any city I have 
 ever been in. 
 
 The little boys smoke cigarettes. No wonder they are 
 thin and nervous after they are men. 
 
 I would prefer living in the U. S. A. to any country 
 I have been in. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 95 
 
 Since the fleet came in all the boys down here are 
 learning English. They are learning very quickly. When 
 ever a gob stops to talk with some one on the street a 
 whole crowd of men and boys gather around to hear us 
 talk. 
 
 July, 1917. 
 
 I went ashore v/ith one of the fellows today. He and 
 I took a car ride. We tried to go to the Botanical Gardens, 
 but we passed it without knowing. At the end of the line 
 we walked around awhile. The country around Rio is 
 certainly very beautiful. The roads are fine. When we 
 got back to the main avenue we had a bite to eat. Some 
 black coffee and cake. The coffee here is coffee, now 
 believe me. It is certainly made strong. They put half 
 milk and half coffee if you want it; and then it is strong, 
 but I am growing fond of it that way. 
 
 After we ate our lunch we went out to one of the 
 numerous parks and listened to the band. 
 
 I am going to give this letter to a fellow who is going 
 back to the States on the first boat that leaves. I hope 
 you will receive it within a month or two. 
 
 With lots of love, 
 
 BOB. 
 
 LETTER NO. 2 
 
 We left Panama, May 17th and steamed sixteen days 
 to Bahia, Brazil. Other than being very hot until we 
 reached the equator, June 10th, more beautiful weather and 
 calmer seas were never seen. Upon crossing the "Zero 
 Line" a grand celebration was held in honor of Neptunus 
 Rex, king of the seas, who that day came aboard our good 
 ships and initiated into the mysteries of his realm all 
 those land-lubbers, officers and men, who never before 
 
96 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 had crossed the equator. I will not take time here to 
 describe the party in detail but it will suffice to say that 
 the King and his court were most wonderfully garbed with 
 costumes that only a "gob" could originate. Hula dances, 
 etc., were held on the quarter deck in the morning and the 
 rest of the day was given over to the initiation. Speaking 
 of rough initiations, well we had it. We are now the 
 proud possessors of a large Neptunus Rex certificate which 
 advises all the sharks, polly-wogs, sea-serpents, etc., that 
 we have been duly initiated and that should we fall over- 
 board all courtesies should be accorded us by the dwellers 
 of the sea — we can now consider ourselves, "sea-going" 
 sailors. 
 
 On the morning of June 14th we arrived at Bahia, 
 which presented a most beautiful sight to our sea-tired 
 eyes — the green freshness of its tropical vegetation, the 
 tall palms and cocoanut trees extending high above the 
 buildings, and the deep blue of the water in the bay below 
 dotted with numerous white sails. I can well imagine the 
 amazement of the native upon seeing four of Uncle Sam's 
 battle cruisers steam into their bay and up past the cheese- 
 box fort where they came to anchor and fired the national 
 salute of twenty-one guns, which was immediately an- 
 swered by the fort. Many small bum-boats came along- 
 side, baskets were lowered and we bought oranges, bananas, 
 parrots, monkeys, in fact everything the natives had to 
 offer. Although we were at this port for five days, liberty 
 was given only once. We were very much disappointed 
 v/ith the city. The buildings were old and dilapidated, the 
 streets narrow and filthy. The people were black and 
 badly in need of much bathing. We located one small 
 cafe, where, after much "sign language," we made the 
 waiter understand that we desired to eat. I do not remem- 
 ber what we ordered but he brought us steak and eggs. 
 
 We took turns fighting off the flies. Later in the day 
 we hired an automobile and took in the entire place. We 
 found only one really beautiful portion of the city out 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 97 
 
 along the ocean by the light-house — all the consuls live 
 there. We visited one of the cathedrals. Its interior was 
 most magnificent — we heard that the natives were kept 
 poor supporting these churches. All hands were well 
 pleased when on June 19th we left for Rio de Janeiro 
 arriving there the 22nd. Soon after leaving Bahia the 
 weather became steadily cooler — on the afternoon of our 
 arrival at Rio the uniform was changed to blue. We were 
 escorted into the harbor by a Brazilian dreadnaught and 
 two torpedo boats. We again fired many salutes. An 
 aeroplane circled over our ships and the aviators waved 
 their welcome to us. Many racing shells put out from 
 the various aquatic clubs, and their crews gave us the 
 "once over." 
 
 Rio is reputed to be the most beautiful harbor in the 
 world — it certainly is. We knew that we would never be 
 able to describe it as it really is, so we have all purchased 
 many post cards of this delightful spot. The people of 
 Rio managed to give the sailors a most friendly reception 
 in spite of the fact that there is but little English spoken 
 there — Portuguese being their language. In all the southern 
 ports which we visited, the people regarded us as curiosi- 
 ties. If we stopped a few moments on the street we were 
 immediately surrounded by a large crowd, which stared 
 and stared at us. As in Bahia, the cafes served us steak 
 and eggs. We were able to buy ice cream here, though 
 it was not much like that to which we were accustomed. 
 We took many auto rides about the place. We also went 
 upon the famous Sugar Loaf mountain, from which a 
 wonderful view of the city may be had. 
 
 We had the good fortune to meet a young American 
 who was in the employ of a North American rubber com- 
 pany. His explanation of the various customs and condi- 
 tions of the people was very interesting. It seems that 
 there are only two classes of people throughout Brazil — 
 the very rich — those with government positions; and the 
 very poor — there is no middle class. Instead of shaking 
 
98 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 hands as we do, we noted that all the men embraced each 
 other. On July 4th there was a large parade — U. S., Bra- 
 zilian, French and English sailors taking part. July 6th 
 our squadron left Rio for Montevideo, Uruguay, where 
 they arrived Monday, the 9th. By this time all hands 
 had broken out in their jerseys and watch-caps for it was 
 very cold. 
 
 Our reception at Montevideo was certainly some recep- 
 tion, as you have already read in the newspapers. The 
 docks were one solid mass of people, all shouting and 
 waving hats, handkerchiefs, etc. The Pueblo and South 
 Dakota had the good fortune to be tied alongside a dock 
 during our stay in this port. Every day, all day long, the 
 crowds paraded these docks, viewing the wonderful North 
 American battle wagons. The sailor boys were taken right 
 into the homes of these people, and every effort was made 
 to show their hospitality. We were treated so kindly that 
 there is not a sailor in the fleet who would not rather 
 be in Montevideo than any other port. We were given 
 liberty every other day. Spanish is spoken here. The 
 people are well dressed, good looking and the weather is 
 cold enough to bring the "roses" into the cheeks of the 
 pretty senoritas. Many entertainments were given us 
 during our stay. 
 
 July 23rd we left for Buenos Aires, a hundred miles 
 or so up the Plata River. These South American cities are 
 very jealous of each other, and each one tried to outdo the 
 other in its reception of the North American squadron. We 
 were escorted into Buenos Aires by several Argentine bat- 
 tleships and a whole fleet of torpedo destroyers, as well as 
 hundreds of privately owned yatchs and motor boats, all 
 of which were gaily decorated with flags. A large steamer, 
 crowded with Americans and English people, passed close 
 alongside — it sure seemed great to hear greetings in our 
 own tongue. Well, our week's stay at Buenos Aires seems 
 almost like a dream now. Every day, from 8:00 A. M. 
 till 2 A. M., we were given liberty. Every minute of our 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 99 
 
 time was taken — theatre parties, dinner parties, dances, 
 special car rides, football games, and trips to various points 
 of interest were given us. The people of Buenos Aires did 
 not want us to spend a cent — we had free access to every- 
 thing, street cars, subv/ays, theatres, etc. You can well 
 imagine that we had one grand time in spite of the fact 
 that the weather was cold and it rained most of the time 
 during our visit there. 
 
 We left Buenos Aires August 1st. Everyone hoped a 
 stop would be made at Montevideo, but no such luck — we 
 went back to Rio de Janeiro, arriving there August 6th. 
 August 11th we left and patrolled until the 25th. Septem- 
 ber 14th we again left Rio and went to Bahia, arriving 
 there September 17th. This time we stayed at Bahia until 
 October 7th. Because of the hot weather and the filthy 
 condition of the city we moved upstream and liberty was 
 given on a small island. We had swimming parties every 
 day — the water was great. Several minstrel shows and 
 smokers were given aboard to relieve the monotony. We 
 also had moving pictures every night on the quarter deck. 
 We all thought we would be at Bahia for about three 
 months, so most every one of us, officers included, had his 
 head shaved, just to have something to do — you can imagine 
 our regret for this act v/hen on the 7th of October we sailed 
 for Rio, where we stayed till October 14th and again 
 arrived at Montevideo October 18th — believe me, all hands 
 were certainly pleased, in spite of the fact that their hair 
 was a la convict. The Pueblo and South Dakota again 
 had the good fortune to tie up to the dock, and v/e renewed 
 former acquaintances among the Montevideans. The 
 Americanos certainly have won a spot in the hearts of 
 these people. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 ORLEM K. BULLARD, 
 
 U. S. S. Sioux. 
 
100 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mr. Ira P. Reynolds, with J. L. Hartman, Chamber of Com- 
 merce, received the following letter from Stanley 
 Boquist, Co. A, 10th Engineers, American Expedition- 
 ary Forces: 
 
 Somewhere in France, November 5, 1917. 
 Dear Friend Ira: 
 
 Have been intending to write you for some time but 
 accommodations for writing are not very good, also we 
 
 have just gotten located in . Have seen 
 
 quite a little of France so far and everything has been very 
 interesting but for all that I wish that I was back in the 
 good old U. S. Believe me there's no place like it. The 
 food here is really better than I had expected, though the 
 sending of it is rather inconvenient. We are living in tents 
 with eight to a tent. We are quite a long way from any 
 large cities but are five or six miles from a number of small 
 towns. They are old and the people are very old-fashioned. 
 All the peasants v/ear wooden shoes and their clothes look 
 a great deal like those worn by the colonials. About every 
 other house or hut is a tavern. From the number of 
 French boys we see drinking and smoking cigarettes, be^ 
 lieve that as soon as they are v/eaned, they are put on wine 
 and cigarettes. 
 
 Would like to drop in the office and see all the old 
 familiar faces again. I certainly will be glad when I get 
 back to my old job again and come and go at my leisure 
 as I used to do. 
 
 The climiate in this part of France in which we are 
 at present located is just like Portland. The customs, 
 homes and farms around here are just about 100 years 
 behind the U. S. 
 
 Had a nice trip over the Atlantic. Wish I could tell you 
 about our travels, but we are not permitted to tell where 
 we are, what we have seen or where we have been. One 
 of the fellows remarked on board ship when we were four 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 101 
 
 or five days out from landing port, "V/e are out of the 
 danger zone." Another answered, "Is that so?" and the 
 reply was, "Yes, we are in the death zone now." 
 
 Tell the folks in the office that reading is scarce over 
 here and that I wish some of them would write. I can't 
 write very often because we are not allowed to write as 
 many letters as we would like on account of the time it 
 takes the officers to censor them. Give my regards to 
 everyone in the office. Hoping yourself and family are 
 enjoying the best of health, I remain. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 STANLEY BOQUIST. 
 
102 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Bates, of Milwaiikie, Ore., received 
 from their son the following interesting letter: 
 
 December 3, 1917. 
 
 Dear Mother and Father: 
 
 To begin with the South American cruise, we left 
 the Bremerton Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington, April 
 the 12th and arrived at Frisco two days later, where v/e 
 put in a few repairs at Mare Island Navy Yard and took 
 on 101 new regular recruits from the training station. 
 
 April the 30th we left San Francisco and arrived at San 
 Diego May the 2nd. The purpose here was for the mobil- 
 ization of the South American Squadron. The other ves- 
 sels were of our type, but will not reveal the names of 
 the ships for military secrecy reasons. 
 
 At San Jose, Guatemala, the landing force was at all 
 times standing by to go ashore and quell a German uprising. 
 We have been trained to use small arms as well as heavy 
 guns you know but we did not know anything about field 
 battle. I don't know how well the Germans are organized 
 but from what I hear they had a pretty good force there. 
 However, nothing ever came of it, so after four days we 
 proceeded to Panama, arriving at Balboa, C. Z., the 20th 
 day of May. 
 
 We spent five days in dry dock and in the meantime the 
 men were allowed shore liberty. We took a small pay-as- 
 you-enter car to Panama City, fare 10c. 
 
 The money of the Republic of Panama has just one-half 
 the valuation of our money. U. S. money is known as 
 gold money and Panaman money is known as silver money. 
 These terms apply also to the race, the white people, gold, 
 and the colored people, the silver. This way of distinguish- 
 ing classes and money first originated when the building of 
 the canal was in its early stages; the white people of the 
 United States desired their pay in U. S. coinage, while the 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 103 
 
 colored people of the West Indies wanted their pay in their 
 money. 
 
 The main thoroughfare of Panama City is Central 
 Avenue, which is the narrowest street I've ever seen. When 
 a vehicle came along we had to get inside of a building or 
 off the street to let it pass. There are a great many old 
 ruins, one in particular I remember, a fort shelled by 
 Morgan, the English buccaneer in the 17th century. Some 
 of the modern buildings are the Panama Railroad Depot, 
 the Government Palace and the Hotel Ancon. 
 
 The healthful conditions here are, however, very good, 
 due to the influence of the U. S. 
 
 Balboa is the true American city there. The mos- 
 quitoes have been eradicated and the air is very refresh- 
 ing. One of the features of Balboa is that the business 
 and the buying and selling of supplies is controlled by the 
 Government Commissary of the U. S. 
 
 The trip through the Canal was an interesting one, 
 needless to say. The first sights we saw was the ruins of 
 the old French attempt to build a canal. We went through 
 three sets of locks, the first was the Miraflores, which con- 
 sisted of two locks as did Pedro Miguel. After passing 
 through Gatun Lake we descended to Limon Bay through 
 the Gatun Locks (three locks). Gatun Lake is an arti- 
 ficial lake, the water being furnished by the Chagres 
 River. Colon was then reached in about forty miuntes. 
 
 Colon, like Panama City, is dirty. The streets of Colon 
 are straight and it is more of a seaport than Panama City. 
 Each city has about 5000 white people and 30,000 of the 
 black race. 
 
 We left Colon on May 29th for Brazil. The only thing 
 of any consequence that happened on the way was the 
 crossing of the equator on June 10th. All of those men 
 who had previously crossed it, which were about 20 men 
 out of the total ship's company of 900 men, got together 
 and organized a Neptune party to put the rest of us through 
 the awful (?) tortures of the sea in order that we should 
 
104 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 become trusty shellbacks and followers of Neptune Rex, 
 King of the Deep. At any rate, no one was seriously hurt, 
 but we had a hard time cleaning vaseline out of our hair 
 and other such things. This initiation was just about the 
 same as a fraternity initiation, only not quite so bad. So 
 everybody who crossed the equator regards it as an event 
 of a lifetime. Each man gets a diploma for it, showing 
 we are no longer landlubbers but trusty shellbacks. 
 
 After a run of 15 days we arrived in the harbor of 
 Bahia, Brazil, also known as San Salvador. This city 
 looks good from the harbor — but is the dirtiest place I 
 ever did see. To get up in the main part of the city we 
 had to take either an elevator or an incline railway. 
 
 The Brazilian coinage is known as reis and milreis. It 
 takes 1000 reis to make a milreis and 3 milreis, 500 reis 
 (3$500, the way it is written) is worth $1.00 of our money. 
 
 The language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese, whereas 
 the rest of the Latin-American countries speak mostly the 
 pure Castillian Spanish, the best Spanish. 
 
 Outside of the fact that Bahia was the former capital 
 of Brazil, no interest there. The people are mostly black 
 and the buildings are not substantially built. After a stay 
 of six days in this hole, we left for Rio de Janeiro, the 
 capital of Brazil. Rio has a population of 1,000,000 people 
 and is the second city in size of South America and 15th 
 in the world. It is beautifully situated on The Guanabara, 
 also known as the Bay of Rio. The bay is 18 miles long 
 and 12 miles wide and is studded by many small islands 
 and enclosed by projections, peaks and pinnacles. 
 
 The main avenue is the Avenidas Rio Branco, which is 
 exactly V/i miles long. It was formerly known as the 
 Avenidas Central. In 1904, 590 buildings were demolished 
 to widen the street and form the present Avenidas Rio 
 Branco. Like the streets of Paris, they are fashionable. 
 The cafe proprietors put their tables out on the edge of the 
 wide sidewalks for their patrons. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 105 
 
 The buildings are anything but uniform. Some of the 
 most important are the Jornal do Commercio (Journal of 
 Commerce), Jornal do Brasil (Journal of Brazil). Some 
 others are: O Paiz (National Library), Naval, Military and 
 Central Clubs, Jockey Club, Monroe Palace (named in 
 honor of James Monroe) , Municipal Theatre, where Caruso 
 and others play, and the Hotel Avenida. 
 
 The Avenida Biera Mar begins at the south end of Rio 
 Branco. It is four miles long and runs along the bay. 
 Along it are wide walks and well-kept gardens. The streets 
 are all illuminated by electricity. 
 
 In the harbor at the same time v/ere the French cruiser, 
 
 , His Majesty's ships, , 
 
 and (British), also a large part of the Bra- 
 zilian dreadnoughts and destroyers. 
 
 On July 4, the men from all of these ships paraded 
 through the streets of Rio. This was the largest parade of 
 its kind ever seen here. In the line of march in their 
 order were the American Sailors and Marines, the Bra- 
 zilian Sailors and Marines, followed by the French and 
 British. The march was about eight miles and by the 
 time we were all back, it was a pretty tired bunch of men. 
 Two days later we pulled up anchor and sailed for Monte- 
 video, Uraguay. 
 
 Montevideo gave us the warmest welcome we received 
 on our cruise. At this place we tied up at one of the big 
 concrete docks. As we pulled in thousands of people 
 stood there, waving hats and handkerchiefs. The money 
 valuation is 4 cents higher on the dollar than ours — that 
 is, we had to give them $1.04 for one Uraguayan Peso. 
 It is the one foreign place where money is worth more 
 than ours. Their smaller coinage is known as centisemos. 
 Money is coined 1 centisemos, 2 centisemos, 10 centisemos, 
 20 centisemos, 50 centisemos and 1 peso (100 centisemos). 
 
 Montevideo has about 370,000 people. It is not as 
 beautiful a city as Rio de Janeiro, but the people are far 
 better off intellectually and financially. 
 
106 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 There are a great number of parks and suburban 
 districts of interest in Montevideo. Some of the buildings 
 of interest are the Solis Theatre, National University, 
 which consists of colleges of law, medicine, pharmacy, 
 agriculture and engineering; another building of interest 
 is the railroad station. The types of locomotives and roll- 
 ing stock are the same as the European type. 
 
 Uraguayans are fond of athletics, soccer football is 
 their national sport along with horse racing. During our 
 stay, the fleet played three games. We played two games 
 with other two ships, both ended in to games. Four 
 Portland men were on the team: Harry Brubaken and 
 Tom Gorman, ex-W. H. S. men, Clarence C. Wright, ex- 
 L. H. S. man and myself. The Uraguayans evidently 
 thought it was a circus, every time a man would fall on the 
 ball or tackle another man they would laugh. Two other 
 teams played and it ended 61 to 6 in favor of the U. S. S. 
 
 After a stay of thirteen days, the four ships steamed, 
 ploughed and wallered up the Rio de la Platta River, going 
 to Buenos Aires. The river was really too shallow for a 
 ship of our tonnage so we slid over the bottom. At night 
 we anchored and waited till the next morning before pro- 
 ceeding to Buenos Aires. We arrived in Buenos Aires 
 about 6 P. M. the following day. 
 
 Our welcome there was mostly by the British, American 
 and Italian people. The British has a large population in 
 Buenos Aires. 
 
 Their money has not quite one-half the valuation of 
 ours. Their peso is worth about 40 cents American money. 
 Other pieces of coinage are five centavos and twenty 
 centavos. 
 
 The electric railways of Buenos Aires are controlled 
 by British interests and the result was that we were given 
 free transportation to any place. The most popular ride 
 was the subway, which ran under the Avenida de Mayo 
 (Avenue of May). 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 107 
 
 Buenos Aires is by far the best city in South America. 
 It has 1,320,000 people (1910 census) and is the finest 
 city in size in South America or 11th in size of the 
 world's cities. It is the New York of South America. 
 Due to the large British population we were shown a won- 
 derful time. Theatre parties and street-car rides were 
 arranged daily for us by these hospitable people. After 
 a seven-day stay we left Buenos Aires to take up another 
 duty which I cannot tell here. 
 
 Lovingly your son, 
 
 (Signed) REESE, 
 U. S. S. Dakota, New York. 
 National Naval Volunteer. 
 
108 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Lieut. Gorben L. Goodell, of 924 Bryce Avenue, in the 
 Field Artillery Training School in France, writes: 
 
 That an old-fashioned dinner of turkey and pumpkin 
 pie was served at the University Club in Paris on Thanks- 
 giving Day. All those American officers who could go 
 into Paris for that day were present. General Pershing, 
 General Joffre, and General Viviani attended the cele- 
 bration and during the repast each one gave very stirring 
 talks to the men. 
 
 The University Club, or American Union, was opened 
 in Paris during October, under the direction of Van Ren- 
 salleer Lansingh, of New York. He is a graduate of 
 Boston "Tech." and was sent to France in the beginning 
 of war by the alumni of Boston "Tech." to establish a 
 club for the graduates of that university. Mr. Lansingh 
 found such a big field for that work that his commission 
 was changed to the larger one of forming in Paris a Uni- 
 versity Club for all universities. The first club was opened 
 on 8 Rue de Richelieu and met with such tremendous suc- 
 cess that new quarters have had to be added throughout the 
 city to accommodate the membership. Mr. Lansingh's 
 work was first supposed to be finished by December, 1917, 
 but his employers have persuaded him to remain in France 
 until summer. The club is a boon to the American officers 
 so far away from home, for there they find American cus- 
 toms and make friends, for, of course, every furlough is 
 spent in Paris. Those who are stationed in training camps 
 near Paris have this comforting place to look forward to 
 every week-end after the endless grind of the daily work. 
 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 109 
 
 Mr. T. J. Conway, 805 Minnesota avenue, received the fol- 
 lowing letter from his cousin, Lieut. B. J. Gallagher, 
 M. O. R. C, U. S. Army: 
 
 November 27, 1917, 9 P. M. 
 
 Dear Frank: 
 
 Have sent a few cards and written home once or twice 
 since coming to France a few days ago and no doubt you 
 have seen some of the correspondence by this time. Of 
 course I cannot tell you just where I am but think I can 
 describe a few things of interest without in any way vio- 
 lating censorship restrictions. To attempt to describe the 
 condition of the country which has been devastated by 
 actual warfare is almost a hopeless task of course, for 
 one must see to believe and my experience so far has 
 been quite limited. But I have had a look and the de- 
 struction is certainly complete. I am v/ith a Field Ambu- 
 lance Company attached to a British Division, and we have 
 our headquarters in what was apparently a beautiful French 
 city of several thousand people. It was never actually 
 in German possession but their line at one time came 
 within a couple of miles of the town and consequently 
 within shelling distance. Practically every building in 
 town, including the very large cathedral, and bishop's 
 palace, is in ruins more complete than one can imagine. 
 Nothing left, in many cases but fragments of walls and the 
 town completely deserted, of course by civilians. How 
 many women and children were killed by those collapsing 
 walls in the early days of the bombardment no one on 
 earth knows. 
 
 As I write tonight, and in fact, during every waking 
 hour, I can hear the boom of the big guns a few miles 
 av/ay. Yesterday I made a trip to the trenches to see 
 what it was like and from the dug-out of a Brigadier Gen- 
 eral looked out across No-Man's Land to the Boche trenches 
 
110 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 a few hundred yards away. It was a beautiful sunny day 
 and overhead a couple of British aeroplanes were scouting 
 around over the German lines and the German anti-air- 
 craft guns were peppering away at them but always missing. 
 
 We passed through trenches and dug-outs which had 
 formerly been occupied by the Huns but which are now 
 in the possession and use of the British. No use to try to 
 describe things of that kind because I couldn't anyway and 
 some day hope to be able to tell you more than one can 
 write. 
 
 Don't get the impression that I am in a very dangerous 
 position because, according to the law of averages, that 
 can hardly be said to be the case and comparatively speak- 
 ing I am in a very safe position. 
 
 Have never gotten the cigars you were sending but 
 probably will later if you have sent them. 
 
 A good many of the boys who were on the boat over 
 from the States with me and then scattered throughout 
 the military hospitals in England were together again on 
 the trip across the Channel. It seemed as if a fellow knew 
 some of those boys all his life, though we all met for the 
 first time in Washington in August. 
 
 I have about everything I need and can easily procure 
 anything necessary in the way of clothing, etc., from the 
 army supply depot here, so the folks at home need not 
 worry that I am suffering for want of anything. Just 
 the opposite is the case — I have more junk than I can 
 carry around or find place for. In fact, things are quite 
 comfortable and I'm sure a lot of people at home are not 
 as comfortably located as I am — though we have no grand 
 pianos or steam heat. 
 
 Send mail in care of Col. Lyster at London as before. 
 It will be the quickest and safest way in the long run. 
 
 Am learning a great deal about army life, camp sanita- 
 tion, etc., and in general enjoying myself very much. If I 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 111 
 
 only knew that the folks at home wouldn't worry and always 
 imagine that something was happening to me, I would be 
 quite happy. 
 
 It will probably be nearly Christmas when you get this 
 letter so I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope that 
 we may spend the next one together in the good old U. S. A. 
 
 Lovingly, 
 
 BEN. 
 
112 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mr. Charles B. Pye, Chamber of Commerce, received the 
 following most interesting letters from his friend, 
 Charles R. Parrott: 
 
 LETTER NO. 1 
 
 France, November 20, 1917. 
 
 Dear Friend Pye: 
 
 The last time I wrote you, I was in the "pink" of 
 condition and I believe it was the night, or two nights 
 before we went into the hardest fight of my experience. 
 It fell to our lot to take the crest and a portion of the 
 other side of the Passchandaele Ridge. Well! we took it 
 and hold it still but, of course, that goes without saying! 
 Of all the campaigning experiences I have had, that one 
 will be forever uppermost in my memory. I'll try and 
 relate to you the affair from the start, until the time I got 
 my "knock out". We waded into the front line, about 
 seven miles, through mud and mire, blood and water, some- 
 times going up to the neck and at other times hanging on 
 in strings to our rifles to help pull one another along. The 
 load! We each had two hundred rounds of ammunition, 
 two smoke bombs, six rifle grenades, ten bombs, two water 
 bottles, two ground signals, two other heavy signals, a 
 shovel, our ration for forty-eight hours and a lot of miscel- 
 laneous things that go to make a modern soldier a perfect 
 walking armory. Of course, it rained (as is the only 
 weather we have in Belgium). Fritz shelled us unmerci- 
 fully all the way in and our casualties were somewhat 
 heavy! However, we got in and believe me, if ever men 
 held out for thirty-six hours, under one of the heaviest 
 bombardments in the history of the war, it was us — for he 
 simply turned onto us what he calls "annihilating" fire. 
 We were buried and buried again and again. It seemed 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 113 
 
 he had all the world's artillery set at us. Our trench was 
 smashed to atoms; and alas! many of our boys, too. We 
 simply lay in the earth with our faces buried in the ground, 
 waiting for that thirty-six hours to pass over. Each minute 
 we expected the end. The signal came at 6:05 A. M. and 
 believe me the whole line jumped up and away we went. 
 Even though it had meant death, I was never so glad 
 to "jump the boys" in any attack before. We stumbled 
 forward, we rolled and crawled and what I remember, the 
 boys were singing and howling. I guess it was a relief 
 to get away from that waiting for it. The bombers, the 
 section under my charge, I never saw. Soon after the start 
 I suddenly seemed to go sky high, my rifle smashed and 
 all my equipment blown off me. I pulled myself together 
 and kept dangling forward till I reached our objective, 
 when I was told that I was wounded. It was rather amus- 
 ing, for I hadn't got a thing to defend or fight with, except 
 the shovel. 
 
 Two of the boys dressed my thigh and before I got too 
 weak or too stiff, I commenced the longest and most 
 agonizing crawl of my life. I had to keep moving, or sink 
 and I crawled clear to Ypres and then remembered no more 
 until I was in a hospital wagon. Our wounded were get- 
 ting sniped cruelly by the Boche and at times one almost 
 despaired of getting out at all ! However, when one fully 
 realizes that determination is the only salvation, it's simply 
 surprising where the strength comes from. Of course, you 
 can't understand the situation up there until you can realize 
 that the greatest military feat has been accomplished 
 through, what seems impassable mud. Try to understand 
 that if a man is very badly wounded, he is worse off than 
 dead, for his chances of ever getting out are so very 
 remote. It's a regular "quick-sand mud" and one's disap- 
 pearance to the underground is rapid. There is one re- 
 deeming feature about the mud up there, it stops the flight 
 of lots of shrapnel from his "heavies". I can't understand 
 yet, the readiness of the Boche to lose such positions. His 
 
114 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 men (with very few exceptions) will not face us. They 
 have positions that, if held to, are absolutely impossible to 
 take. His "pill boxes" are absolutely safe from any shell 
 (the only things I've seen to withstand our heavies). It's 
 no use, Heinie will not put up a fight against us, he's liter- 
 ally scared and with very few exceptions his hands go up 
 before we get at 'em. Now, I'm not saying they're all like 
 that, but the very, very great majority. There was some 
 good bayonet work with our boys that morning. It was the 
 only thing to use, as our rifles were like sticks of mud and 
 slime. 
 
 Well, I can't write much more now for my wound is 
 troublesome, although not serious. It tore a piece out of 
 my thigh, but my flesh is apparently clean and healthy and 
 I think it will soon heal. The rest, I can assure you, I'll 
 appreciate, for I'm in a large hospital and above all, I'm 
 between sheets and I'm clean! It's the first time my 
 clothes have been off for fifteen months (except, of course, 
 for a change) . 
 
 I guess the Italian fiasco has upset you. It has me — 
 for it's both discouraging for us and only prolongs the 
 end of this Hellishness. To me, there seems no end in 
 sight, for with every reverse, I believe the attitude of the 
 Allies will be more determined and, of course, on the other 
 hand, the confidence of the Entente more optimistic. 
 
 Write me soon and address my mail as before as it 
 will be forwarded to me. 
 
 Best wishes to yourself and please remember me to 
 all friends. Tell Miss Anderson those handkerchiefs just 
 match the white sheets. 
 
 (Signed) CHARLES R. PARROTT. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 115 
 
 LETTER NO. 2 
 
 1st Southern General Hospital Ward C-3, 
 
 Stourbridge, Worcester, England, Dec. 9, 1917. 
 
 Dear Friend Pye: 
 
 I know only too well that you will appreciate another 
 letter from me. That's really the whole joy of writing, it 
 seems to me, when one's letters are looked forward to. It's 
 giving someone else pleasure I suppose- that really causes 
 the incentive to write. Well, I've been in the above hos- 
 pital for two weeks now and I had three weeks in a hos- 
 pital at Le Treport, France. The hospital in France was a 
 huge hotel in pre-war days, a most luxurious place, right on 
 the cliffs. One could look through the windows and see 
 for miles across the channel, but always with his mind on 
 England, or for me, dear old Portland! Well, the time 
 came to be moved to England and then began the most 
 inspiring and touching memories of my war experiences. 
 The wounded forget their pain, the limbless forget their 
 loss, the blind forget their terrible affliction and the gassed 
 forget their inevitable doom and from those great strong 
 faces one sees the tears run as the boat reaches England. 
 I tried to study it out, man, as I limped about the deck 
 with my two sticks and the only conclusion I could come 
 to was, that we were going home, going back to the land 
 for which the lads had fought. The realization of actually 
 returning with life. One hears it said so very often in 
 life, "There's no place like home!" — maybe it's said too 
 casually, but it's the first and only time I've ever seen the 
 actual joy, the joy that moves a soldier to tears. There 
 wasn't a smile, there wasn't a cheer from the men — but 
 the joy was demonstrated with tears of gratitude — thanks 
 for the life that was spared them and v/ho knows, possibly 
 the realization that they had fought their fight for their 
 
116 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 dear old country and "done their bit," Strange and most 
 realistic thoughts pass through one's mind. One sees it in 
 France, one actually sees it in Germany. One sees it now 
 practically the world over — and soon, old friend, you good 
 people will be brought to face it, too. 
 
 As soon as the ship was docked, we were most deli- 
 cately and carefully handled and with a system that runs 
 so smooth, that one actually thinks he's in heaven, we 
 are placed in the huge hospital trains. Such comfort is 
 almost bewildering, after France. Good, delicate meals 
 are served around and then as the trains pass through the 
 country, one sees gratitude. 'Twas there that my tears 
 were shed. As the train rushes along, the people cheer 
 and cheer. One wonders, is it possible for this spirit to 
 remain so stanch and so fervent after almost four years 
 of war. Four years of sacrifice unknown before. 
 
 We reached Stourbridge about midnight and it seemed 
 the whole country-side was out to cheer us. On the sta- 
 tion were (ever to the fore) the backbone of this war, the 
 Red Cross women. They work like Trojans, giving and 
 thinking of nothing else but the comfort of the men. 
 Then waiting outside are all the private automobiles of the 
 country and after hot coffee, and fruit, etc., on the station 
 we were carefully (always very carefully) driven to the 
 hospital. The system of the whole thing is a revelation 
 to me. Every branch of the Red Cross, it seems, is dis- 
 ciplined to a wonderful state of efficiency. As one passes 
 his time away in a hospital, the picture comes to his mind 
 of what women are to war. You know a soldier is in the 
 line so long that he thinks he's the "only thing". He gets 
 rough, uncouth, and more like a savage. He forgets 
 there's others so far, maybe, behind. Of course, it's most 
 natural, I suppose. When up there, man, women are not 
 of your life. There's nothing gentle, there's nothing but 
 the savage and the ravage of war. But these v/omen — the 
 way they work, the sacrifice they make! Surely, surely, 
 if a man loses his life in the line, these good women give 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 117 
 
 theirs equally as courageously and devotedly for us. It 
 matters not whether they are ladies of title, or princesses, 
 they start at the bottom to learn their profession of nurs- 
 ing. They scrub floors, they make beds, they do the most 
 menial kind of work. It's their life work now, it seems, for 
 after three and a half years of war, it remains no novelty. 
 Their hours are long and the discipline strict. Their ordi- 
 nary pleasure now is in their work and it shows itself in 
 the way they so cheerfully and so very tenderly do their 
 work. For myself, there will always be two parts in war 
 and both parts are equally essential and both call for equal 
 sacrifice. I'm afraid the Red Cross will come first, always; 
 and now, believe me, if you before never thought the 
 work of Florence Nightingale, Utopian and glorious, you 
 may think so now. 
 
 Well, I guess my enthusiasm and my gratitude for the 
 Red Cross has carried me far enough. It will be never 
 forgotten if I am spared to come through, old man— and if 
 I die over there, well, yes, the women of Britain alone are 
 worth the sacrifice, leave alone the principle. We get 
 some splendid concerts in the hospital. The best operatic 
 stars travel around. Their work is great. I've never lis- 
 tened to finer music than in the hospital. I've paid big 
 money for v/orse. Then the various societies and schools 
 give excellent concerts and there's hardly a night goes by 
 without something good for the "boys". Yes, these people 
 are good, they're the very essence of goodness. 
 
 The hospitals are full, terribly full, all over the British 
 Isles. This is a huge place and it used to be a poor-house 
 before the war. We have quite a lot of American doctors 
 here and the doctor that attends me comes from California, 
 the University at Berkeley. He and I got to be fast friends, 
 as for a long time I was at Berkeley. I am the only 
 Canadian in this ward. The man alongside of me is an 
 Australian. He told me some wonderful stories of the 
 work of the Germans in Australia. The preparations the 
 Germans made in Australia to fight against the Empire 
 
118 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 were simply alarming. The amount of field artillery they 
 had smuggled into the country as 'pianos" and the various 
 other stores and plots that were "nipped in the bud". The 
 way the Germans had got into the House of Representa- 
 tives and the way they had so very cunningly done their 
 work through I. W. W.ism, was a revelation to me. It 
 will come out, after the war — and then look out for truths! 
 Apparently the world does not yet know what agonizing 
 times Australia and New Zealand had at the beginning of 
 the war. They intended to make war there deliberately 
 and it appears they had sufficient people there to do it. 
 The lad has many facts and if his word is doubted, he can 
 immediately turn to something that happened in Parliament 
 to prove what he says. Possibly you have read of some 
 of their work there. I have not. Well, they lost out, 
 anyway, just as the dogs will lose out in the main. They 
 are powerful yet, terribly powerful, and will take a lot of 
 beating. Everyone realizes the enormity of the task, but 
 by God, the people seem determined to bring them down, 
 for they seem to realize the great issues at stake. I can 
 tell you, there's very little joy in Britain right now. Every- 
 one is rationed and food is scarce. There's an awful 
 scarcity of sugar and, well, even in the hospital, they seem 
 to put it on the outside of the tea-cups. These are the 
 things, with many, many worse, that the people have got 
 to endure in order to win. I only hope their stolidness and 
 their stanchness holds out. I think it will. We need 
 the American Army, a huge Army, and we do need the 
 Air Service. Remember we fight at a disadvantage, we 
 have to advance over beaten ground, every inch of which 
 the Hun has registered perfectly. It's an uphill fight at 
 a tremendous cost. His spy system behind our lines is 
 still v/onderful. It has grown with the people, generated 
 and fostered for years, but we'll get him yet! 
 
 Well, I must close, old friend. I'm going along O. K. 
 My wound is healing magnificently and my nerves are 
 steadying daily. Please address your letter, Care Army 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 119 
 
 P. O. London, England, and I'll get them more direct. 
 Don't send any more papers until I get back to France. 
 My very best wishes to yourself and kind regards to all 
 friends. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 (Signed) CHARLES R. PARROTT. 
 
 P. S. I guess I've lost a lot of mail, particularly papers, 
 and I would like a copy of that letter, or letters you had 
 published.— C. R. P. 
 
 
120 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. A. L. Metcalfe, 170 W. Killingsworth avenue, received 
 from her son, Corporal A. F. Metcalfe, the following 
 message: 
 
 France, Nov. 30, 1917. 
 
 My Dear Mother: 
 
 I received your very dear letter and was so glad to 
 hear from you. Am glad to know that you are all well 
 and hope you will keep so all the time. Received a letter 
 from Aunt Georgia; it was very nice of her to write me. 
 I had also written her a four-page letter, and know she 
 will be surprised when she gets it. You said you were 
 still looking for a second letter; you surely must have re- 
 ceived it by this time. I write quite often of late, so it 
 will not be so long between letters. You did not tell me 
 anything about your trip East. I ran across a very nice 
 fellow here in France who used to live near the Turney 
 farm at Gettysburg. His name is Steward. When you 
 write to Aunt Annie ask her if she knows his people. 
 I meet him here about every four weeks. We had our big 
 United States dinner on Thanksgiving Day, and it sure 
 was some feed. We had everything you could think of, 
 even to the drinks. The Frenchmen laugh at us when we 
 drink water, which is very bad, and believe me, a glass of 
 Bull Run is worth more than all the wine in France. 
 
 Charlie Jones sent me a big box of candy for Christ- 
 mas which was very nice of him. He is sure some sport 
 anyway, no matter how you take him. When you are in 
 town I wish you would go in and see him for me and 
 thank him at the same time. I will write him a letter 
 soon. I wish you or the girls would make some fruit 
 cake for me. It would be the only kind you could send. 
 You know you used to tell me when I was a kid, the older 
 fruit cake was the better it v/as, so you might start one 
 now and it would age some before it reached me. Tell 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 121 
 
 Dad I am anxious to see his hand writing once more, and 
 ask those brothers and sisters of mine if they are having 
 an attack of cramps in their wrists, the reason I don't 
 hear from them. 
 
 Tell Jim that Victor Moore is in my squad and sends 
 his regards to him as he sits beside me writing now. 
 Tell Jim to drop him a line, too. 
 
 Well, Mother, this isn't much of a letter, but I will 
 write you a long letter Sunday telling you of my whole 
 trip from the time I left until now. That will give you 
 enough reading matter for a few days. 
 
 Wishing you and all a Merry Christmas and Happy 
 New Year, with love and kisses to you and all, 
 
 Yours, 
 
 ALLAN. 
 
 Q 
 
122 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 Mrs. A. E. Porter, 869 Regent Drive, received the follow- 
 ing letter from her son, Private Victor L. Porter: 
 
 In France, Dec. 5, 1917. 
 
 Mother Dear: 
 
 The goods arrived safely and I was surely happy to 
 receive them. Well, I guess they will come in handy! I 
 like the helmet, socks and wristlets best of all. The first 
 time, as far as I can remember, of your ever having knit 
 anything. I'm getting along first rate and the weather 
 is good. 
 
 Received a wonderful letter from Mrs. Fred Baker; 
 she also sent me a fine book entitled, "The Sword of 
 Youth"; am reading it and like it fine. Her letter was 
 written upon paper used during the Boer war, the heading 
 of which contained the picture of her brother, "Lord 
 Roberts," or, as he was otherwise known, "Dear old Bob." 
 I surely appreciated it, for I never dreamed of hearing 
 from her. Also received a nice letter from Glower, and 
 am answering both letters this evening. 
 
 Our Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success — a regu- 
 lar old banquet, which lasted three hours. It was a fine 
 meal with everything one could desire from turkey down. 
 
 I know. Mother, I should have written you sooner, but 
 when the day is over, after supper, we usually talk awhile, 
 then off to bed, for another day approaches quickly and 
 one needs plenty of rest when they are working hard. 
 Have not written Ad for a week, so you see, if I do not 
 watch out letters to me will soon become scarce, but I 
 will try hard to hold up my end of the correspondence. 
 
 Well, Mother, I will stop now and write the rest of 
 the family a line. 
 
 Love to all, trusting all keep well, 
 
 Your son, 
 
 VICTOR. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 123 
 
 Dear Brother Arthur: 
 
 Your dear letter at hand, also mother's. Time you 
 were becoming active in the art of writing. 
 
 I am getting along fine. We are camped by a river 
 where many large boats go up and down. The real large 
 ones, the kind you see in Astoria. 
 
 So you have your wheel fixed right up to the minute. 
 No doubt it comes in handy going to and from school. 
 
 How is Pat getting along? Is he still as ferocious as 
 ever? 
 
 The morning of the 3rd it was quite frosty, so I tried 
 out mother's helmet. It is the clear rig, alright. The 
 SOX I will keep for awhile before using, as the ones I have 
 now are plenty warm. The snappy weather never lasts 
 over three days. The air is fine to be out in. 
 
 I was surely surprised to hear that Allan Blair was 
 in the game; will keep my eyes open for him. It would 
 be fine to have a talk with him. 
 
 Would be glad to hear from mother's sister. If pos- 
 sible, will write her, but my evenings seem to go on the 
 run. Mother need not worry about me. In regard to 
 sending a box, I am happy with anything and not very 
 particular, though you might send me two Prophylactic 
 tooth brushes. 
 
 It's fine Dad is sporting out in my neckties. Some 
 one will, no doubt, give him a fine sendoff. 
 
 Now, family, do not worry; I am getting along alright; 
 my health is the very best, and I'm doing everything I 
 can to keep it that way. 
 
 It is getting late, and I am usually in dreamland at 
 9 or 9:30 at the latest. 
 
 Now all write often and take good care of mother, 
 
 Love to all, 
 
 Brother, 
 
 VICTOR. 
 
124 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 The following letter was received at the home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. A. Feldenheimer, at 702 Main Street from their 
 son Roy Feldenheimer who enlisted with the Medical 
 Unit. 
 
 Liverpool, Mersey Hospital, 
 
 Myrtle Street. 
 My Dear Ones: 
 
 Would have written to you some five or six days ago, 
 but the bandage on my eye prevented me — too much 
 strain, and the nurses too busy to take my dictation. The 
 first week of our trip on the transport was quite monot- 
 onous. We proceeded via Halifax where we picked up 
 half dozen other boats. Weather fair, quarters third 
 class — six to a bunk and that on a Cunard Liner. Typical 
 English rations. Unfortunately through my accident will 
 probably lose my unit. Have heard some remarkable, 
 almost unbelievable stories, while in the hospital, from 
 the boys who returned from the front to be treated for 
 injuries. This is supposed to be as fine a place as there 
 is in England. A private hospital with a swell ward for 
 only twenty soldiers, and I am the first American soldier 
 to receive treatment here. The specialist is surely on the 
 job — a fine man, about fifty years. I saw a piece of 
 shrapnel weighing four ounces which he removed from a 
 fellow's eye and which the X-ray did not reveal. Now 
 that I am about to leave am just beginning to understand 
 the English language as it is spoken over here and the 
 nurses in turn to understand my Yankee talk. 
 
 From the looks of things England is really having to 
 conserve food supplies and the war is far from over, and 
 I wager the United States will be compelled to have 
 millions and millions of men in the field before long 
 and it is not going to be easy sailing either. There is no 
 question but that aeroplanes will play an important part, 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 125 
 
 and added to American ingenuity will help win the war. 
 I wish I could relate some of the stories I have heard, 
 but as each bears its own flavor with either a broad 
 Scotch, Canadian, or Cockney accent, they would be lost 
 in the writing. 
 
 Judging by the way the theatres and cafes are patron- 
 ized, to capacity, one would never dream that we are 
 waging the greatest war in history. 
 
 When across the channel hope to have more items 
 of interest. 
 
 God bless you all. 
 
 As ever, devotedly, 
 
 ROY. 
 
126 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 The Inclosed ''Masterpiece" was written by a Portland boy 
 to his mother, describing his trip across the pond. 
 
 Aboard the "Kroonland," November 18, 1917. 
 
 In days of old a feller 
 
 Could take an ocean trip, 
 And for the pirates of the deep, 
 
 He'd never give a rip. 
 
 But nowadays, by Golly! 
 
 Things are not the same. 
 For the bloody German submarine 
 
 Infests the bounding main. 
 
 Old Noah had his troubles, 
 
 Upon the good ship "Ark," 
 With monkeys, lions, elephants, 
 
 But not the "Iron Shark." 
 
 V/e daresn't take a smoke on deck, 
 
 Or have a bit of fun. 
 For fear a light might be perceived 
 
 By some nasty prowling "Hun." 
 
 At night we rest in life belts. 
 
 Of sleep there's little hope. 
 And our days are spent in watching 
 
 For the illusive periscope. 
 
 There's watch upon the boat deck, 
 
 And gun crews fore and aft. 
 And talk of wintry evenings. 
 
 Upon a blooming raft. 
 
Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 127 
 
 And // the darn sea monsters, 
 Should miscalculate our route, 
 
 There's always mJnes and time bombs, 
 And other things that shoot. 
 
 And when you least expect it, 
 
 There is no speck upon the sea; 
 
 We're hurled a thousand miles or so, 
 With a ton of T. N. T. 
 
 So now my gentle mother, 
 
 You've gathered from my tone, 
 
 There ain't much fun in cruising 
 In the German danger zone. 
 
 — H. W. B. 
 
 li 
 
128 Letters From Oregon Boys In France 
 
 The following poem was recently composed by Dr. 
 Henry Van Dyke and read at a meeting of Princeton 
 students : 
 
 'THE Y. M. C. A. HUTS" 
 
 In the camps around our country and in countries far away 
 There*s a lot of wooden houses that are marked Y. M. C. A. 
 And some are painted yellow and some are brown or green; 
 Now say, who owns these houses and what do the letters mean? 
 
 They mean a bit of comfort and they mean a place to rest 
 Where every tired soldier boy is welcome as a guest. 
 They mean a bit o' friendly talk, some music, and some jokes, 
 And some quiet little corners for writing to your folks. 
 
 They mean a bit of human love amid the storm of war. 
 They mean the word of healing for spirits wounded sore. 
 They mean a simple message from God's own holy word. 
 And they mean the thought of the home-land where the sweet 
 old hymns are heard. 
 
 You ask who owns these houses? I think you know His name. 
 You call Him Saviour, Master, Lord, the meaning's just the 
 
 same. 
 'Tis the One who gave Himself for us, the Leader of our life. 
 We pray He'll lead and keep our boys, in peril and in strife. 
 
 O keep them strong and steady, and keep them clean and true! 
 Help them to battle for the right and put the victory through! 
 Be Thou their shield and buckler; but if one is struck down, 
 O, Captain of Salvation, give him the heavenly crown! 
 
 —HENRY VAN DYKE. 
 
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 God save our splendid men; 
 Send them safe home again— 
 
 God save our men. 
 Make them victorious, 
 Faithful and chivalrous; 
 They are so dear to us — 
 
 God save our men.