AN AMERICAN WW1 SOLDIER WRITES HOME

 Diary entry - November 1, 1918, Friday In a.m. had physical exercise. In p.m. we filled out our War Dept. record cards, took our oath as 2nd Lieuts. Infantry, U.S. Army - and signed our oaths of commission, enlistment discharges and acceptance of commission. Busy pretty late. Am now a full fledged officer! Letter to Aunt Nell - Nov. 4, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell : - Just a line to say I finished O.K. Was 12th on the list of men recommended and so I think I did pretty well - having on 11 men beat me out of so many. Have passed final exams O.K., checked property, final statement & discharge is made out, recommendation went in from Lieut. Instructor, past the captain and approved by Commandant of school, passed physical exam. perfect, papers all made out - and today we're sworn in & commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants, Infantry, U.S. Army. Will forward my address as soon as I am assigned to an outfit. My salary - (?) allowances, etc., will be about $2,160.00 a year - or $180. a month. H...

 Letter to Aunt nell - 12th Co. 3rd Bn. Army Candidates School A.P.O. 714 A.E.F. France October 27, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell: - I received a batch of letters - 21 in all - the other day - from Anna, Mother, Grandma, Ethel W., Dorothy Culver, Berneice H., Martha Todd, My Lodge Sec'y, Margaret Rose, and Frank Yates and - not a single one from you! I wonder if you have written very regularly lately? There's not much news - am in town again today - for luncheon & dinner. Will let you determine from the two menus below rather we fed well or not. Luncheon - des oeufs sur le plat Porc cotelette Sadade de ce'le'ri Les pommes de terre frites du pain blanc et du beurre Une pomme; une tasse de cafe' au lait Raisin Dinner - Un potage consomme' Un canard rote'aus petit pois Aspereges a' la sauce blanche Cafe' Fromage francais Un gateau (and) "une bouteille de vin blanc" So you see, along with study, writing notes and outlining some lecture topics for fut...

 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...

 More diary entries - October 7, 1918, Mon., Partly cloudy. C.O. drill, bayonet & physical, map problem, patrol conference, a T.M. lecture and an approach drill in a.m. Had 2 hours of writing up a patrol (reconnoitering) problem & a 1 hour conference in counter attack in p.m. Study combat & Browning A.R. in evening. Bed early. Cold night. October 8, 1918, Tues. Rain. Went to Polygon for a counter - attack problem in a.m. Critique on yesterday's Map problem. Mine was perfect. Class in attack work in p.m. and an advance drill. School in defensive combat in evening. Shaved. Wrote notes. Bed at 10. October 9, 1918, Wed., Cold - fair. Regular old fashioned foggy morning. Had terrain exercise in jumping off attack in a.m. & a hike. Lecture on field forts & attack exercise in p.m. - then fixed stone walk. (?) Rotten meals here lately. Study 7 - 9 p.m. Now sleeping next to aisle. Cold night. No mail. October 10, 1918, Thur., Fair. Went to Polygon for a problem in cleari...

 More diary entries - September 30, 1918, Mon., Rain in a.m. Clear p.m. Fired rifle grenades in a.m. - to Langres at 10:00 - 5 of us - to be "de-cootieized" again. Had excellent dinner, long bath, shave, clothes pressed & cleaned - back at 3:20 for a map conference. Study & lecture in evening. Very cold. Am feeling more fit today than ever before. This stuff is great! Bed at taps. October 1, 1918, Tues., Cold day. Had offensive formations & maps in a.m. and bayonet & messages in p.m. Studt 7 - 9. Stiff stuff. We hear our Reg't. is in Cambrai. Oh! to be with them! No mail. October 2, 1918, Wed., Cold. Fair. Had bayonet & lecture on Infantry weapons, lecture on Field Fortifications & in p.m. 2 hrs. of formations for combat & a lecture on the organization of terrain. Study 7 - 9 in p.m. Very good news in the papers today. Wrote notes 9 - 10. Cold night. October 3, 1918, Thurs.. Fair. Warmed up in p.m. We had C. O. drill,bomb throwing (live) & ...

 More diary entries - September 21, 1918, Sat. Up 5:45. Cold night. Clear, cool day. Had rifle & bunk inspection in a.m. - C.O. drill, games, bombing & saluting lecture. A small detail in p.m. Sewed on Candidate stripes, diagonal black ribbon - wrote a few letters, cleaned up, etc. Sewed, wrote & went to movies in evening & studied. September 22, 1918, Sun. Cold day - cloudy - some rain. Wrote letters, cleaned all equipment, fixed my Chauchat, studied, talked with several graduates of last class, must go like hell if I get through, I can see that. All a gamble! Studied in evening - bed early. September 23, 1918, Monday. Rain. Very cool. Had C.O. drill, a hike, a lecture on bombs & an autorifle class in a.m. Had an exercise, a wig-way and a lecture on musketry. Good meals. Lots of mud everwheres. Study 7 - 9 p.m. Bed at taps. No mail since leaving Co. Have written Dad to cable $400.00. September 24, 1918, Tues. Had C.O. drill, lectures on grenades this a.m. Auto ...

 More diary entries - September 13, 1918, Frid. Looks like a better day. Stood reveille. Camp a mass of mud. Sent packs to Doullens at 11. Bill McGuire & I went to the luncheon after a grand farewell to all the boys. Left Doullens at 7 p.m. - in a box car - reaching Abbeville about 12 p.m. - where we staid for the night. 32 of us picked from 107th. Golding of L Co. and Al MacBurney among them. September 14, 1918, Sat. Awoke in Abbeville yards. Bkfst. at YMCA. Up town at 11 a.m. Fine 17 franc luncheon and a 20 franc mademoiselle by name of Mignonette! Ha!Ha! Left at 6:45 - in a box car. Rode nearly all night. Crowded. Cold. September 15, 1918, Sunday. Awoke - nearly froze - in city of Rouen at 7:30. Put away packs - had good breakfast. Then saw this beautiful city on the Seine. Wonderful town. Saw many Boche prisoners during past 3 days. Left for Paris at 7:30 p.m. September 16, 1918, Monday. 23 years old today! Begun my birthday by waking in the Paris yards during an air raid -...