AN AMERICAN WW1 SOLDIER WRITES HOME

 [This is the final installment in the effort to transcribe Clyde's military career diary augmented with his letters to his Aunt Nell - Miss Nellie B. Sergent, 503 West 121st St., New York, NY. There are 68 installments - please review from the beginning to get a full appreciation of this young man's service.] Letter to Aunt Nell - Le Mans, F. 10 April 1919 Dear Aunt Nell - Well - here's April 10th and the big rumor is that we will entrain the 13th for St. Nazaire sure! Everything points to a very early movement, anyhow, as the final inspection of the troops is being carried out today and there's no reason why we can't shove off touts de suite! Now - the only question is - "What is the shipping situation at St. Nazaire?" "How long will we have to wait there for our turn for a ship to transport us?" It would seem that we can expect to stay there anywheres from 3 hours to a week or 10 days. It is more than likely that we'll either land at Newpo...

 Letter to Aunt nell - Oct. 19, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell - Just a few lines to say the exams are over and - well - I was surprised to discover that I would answer every identical question - dead easy! So - tonight I'm pretty satisfied with myself & the world in general - and - while not too confident that I'll be Lieut. Bliss in a week or so - I've no reason to be other than sure I've done my best and think that chances are "pretty durned bon." Will write you as soon as I know - and - if that cablegram comes with the money in time, will cable you, and you can let the folks at home know. Do you know the meaning of the French word "liaison"? Anyhow - we military students and "experts"(?) use it daily - it's incorporated in ever tactical problem or military source or vein of thinking. It means "communication" or "cooperation through close touch between the (?) of the service." Well a French Lieut. was lecturing us this w...

A World War 1 Soldier Writes Home - Background Hi! My name is Bob, but what I want to share here is not about me. It's about a man named Clyde.  Clyde is my wife, Linda, and her sister, Pam's, paternal grandfather, a Great War American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) soldier who died as a result of being gassed during his time in Belgium and France. During his stateside training and overseas service, he wrote to provide some information to his folks and family. Several dozens of these communications addressed to his Aunt Nel who lived in New York City were left to us when his last surviving sibling, Doris, passed several years ago. We had developed quite a warm relationship with her in the 1990s and early 2000s, visiting her frequently while she resided at The Thanksgiving Home and The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY.  My intention is to transcribe those letters on this forum to allow Clyde's remaining descendants and interested parties an opportunity to read his corresponden...