Show was in the argonne fighting montean dec 14 1918 mrs A II 11 alger enterprise utah dear aunt mary your ever welcome letter received the other day and to say I 1 was glad would not halt half express my feelings I 1 have read it oer oter and over it was the first news from home since the alth of july I 1 have written to all ot of you but could not get a word from any one I 1 was beginning to eel feel blue I 1 am well and feeling fine since I 1 got my letters and hope you and uncle john are the same I 1 was surprised to hear of neta being married but I 1 have been away a long time and changes take place fast in this old world my branch of the service Is to furnish ammunition to the first line trenches we work on ammunition dumps just behind the artillery when they were fighting we were sending up tha the shells tor for them to shoot and then we work as salvage men saving supplies that are left behind by the advancing troops since the armistice was signed we have been gathering up the german ammunition I 1 do not know how long we will stay over here our work Is almost finished now I 1 have been lost since last september my service record has been misplaced and cannot be located as yet my commander should havel sent it with me when I 1 was sent to the hospital but he failed to do so consequently I 1 have been astray ever since I 1 was thirteen days getting to the detachment I 1 am now with I 1 have not even had a pay day since june but I 1 think they will soon find me now as I 1 have received my first mail the other will come later you should see the envelopes they are marked all over we are a new branch of the service and there has been some mistake made there Is 1200 ordnance ammunition men with the first army no company regiment or division we are sent out in detachments and that is why we are so mixed up dear aunt mary I 1 have had some strange experiences since we WO last met and I 1 am still not sorry I 1 came over here we had some very close calls on the way over our convoy sank three submarines and we came near being blown to kingdom come by mines and I 1 have not missed my share of close calls since here I 1 have plenty to tell you all when I 1 get home I 1 was in the toul sector verdun and argonne woods where we had our hard fighting there is no other army in the world could do what uncle sams army has done here and we e over here rejoice as you at home all do and now we long tor for the command to go home to our dear ones but not till victory was won and the hun was beaten to the earth this la Is one of the german camps and their main ammunition dumps and they have the country all planted to fall grain just as it if they never intended to give the country up but we changed their minds we read of sunny france I 1 have not seen the sunny time yet as itaas rained all the time oh ohl I 1 bow how I 1 long to see little fred and others of my family but I 1 do not know when I 1 can do so love to all your loving son pat clarence ord dot det A PO A E B F france |