Show I I Albert Writes from France Franci Sur Mehun-Sur Sur Mehun Nov 24 1911 1918 I Dearest Father Today Footers Today a few tew mi me mOA ments mente are set sel aside by the American Expeditionary Forces J I in which to concentrate our minds Ii i In writing our dear father what I i Is known as s Dads Loiter Letter similar td Mothers Mother's letter which wa was written some time ago I know I have been very neglectful In writing the best beat old Pal I have bave or will eve ever everha ha have e but you OU know how hard It i ito Is Isto to stop and write so I hope you wl wll wilt kindly consider and forgive Well I think the old Universe I is again on the verge vergo of peace goodness goodness goodness good good- ness knows we all hope so Anyhow is this particular letter I am allowed allowe to tell you many things which I could not breathe before so will ti tr and an l el ou a few of I gs we our havo have In this year of the worlds world's great war wai Aa As you your know we have havo be been n locates locate in the S. S O. O 8 S. almost all l' l this ls time i therefore you OU will not expect me t is come home wearing metal or ant anH thing like that I never diet did get II Ii chance to 0 win one Was Waa only und unde i fire once and that was In Paris Paris last las last July When the cursed Hun pulled ofa of oti otia od oda a night raid with their bombing ma machines machines mat chines and killed some innocent t b ba bias bies As you know my duties a a sergeant major con consisted mostly 4 dl cH inside work and being a represents tive of the adjutant lots of re responsibility fell tell on my shoulders Mos all the time of the fighting a continual contin- contin ual cry for tor ammunition j h hundreds d 6 of t pars had to daily and shipped ship bed ped d to Vo different r nt Darts Darts' th front frontI I can truthfully say I was where th the shells hells were were the tle W su sure sun lent dept the arther oi on on shells to to sh ot Fritz In addition ad ad- ad- ad 1 to our numerous other othe dutle s we we have built several miles' miles of railroad railroad rail ral road number a of large warel warehouses warehouse u es for or storing ammunition Possibly you Ou have read fead of the big Ordnance Plant lant that was was being being constructed ted it in In France well we ve have erected it The Thi area of these of these steel monsters exceed exceed one million and fifteen thousand square sq feet not not saying anything about the young city of barracks barrack barracks which we we have erected for housing troops It It would make mak Kamas Kam s' s look loot sick From th those these shops hundreds o of f damaged and salvaged rifles anc and large quantities of captured enemy enemy are repaired daily dally and sent seni back lack to the front as good as new To say the least we have accorn pushed wonders and working under the most trying circumstances circumstances- most most all the time But Dut the b big g thing through allhands all all' hands w have won won Now the big question is floating about when do we go home It is E a a question I cannot answer but I art am am sure you know my hopes Since e getting getting get get- ting my commission I have had several sev several several sev- sev eral duties or I should rather sa saI say sayI I have several duties My official title titre is Personal Officer of th the Engineers and then in addition to tc that I am assistant Adjutant of Camp U. U S. S troops I have charge of all aU pa pay rolls of the enlisted men of the battalion both making up and and paying off oft the men I t have charge oi ot all the office engineering such as making surveys making maps and andall andall andall all engineering reports required by higher authorities Oh 1 dont don't do it all myself understand On this side of me I have two draughtsmen End and scattered around me I hav bay six crack men with typewriters and believe me they make them hum most of the time Outside I have bays a surveying par par- ty Its It's a snap to the job I used to have for tor all I have to do Is la bear the responsibility use my bean set et at atthe atthe atthe the desk and answer questions Imagine Imagine Ima Iwa- gine if you can a lawyer in civil lIfo life coming up to me giving a snappy salute salute sal sal- al- al ute and I report for duty or ask a k some question or fetch tetch some paper that my signature Ill I'll admit If sometimes I spread spread-a amt little through through as as as' as faras faras I know sat eat satisfactory at l r results Two of our ed In II adva ca 9 s section I just juat came b back k cram tb them thoon 11 est od y riding abo about t 17 G miles mile's In Ia a sidecar and today today today to to- day I am so 80 B f and I can c can I hardy hardly lnor t url the th the wadd wadd- wadding ing oil out way I do Ulo most moat t of of my my t traveling y lInk b bland t forth rth on business 1 J Ibare have ba e to t make almost regular r trips oven every Y W Week k t Quite along i pg time m ago ago t l lyo you SlOt pot to address my mall mail Mehun sure Yen for we expected n nto to move p although ugh we haven't gone yet et it is js wel we that wel that you OU ad address dI d- d I dress It U American Forces for tor we are arlt expecting to get out real teal you Cu never unar can tell tellIn tellI I In la the Army It loots loop reasonable that we will move more though because most moat all of the construction work U la finished that the they expect to com eom- A number Domber of or organizations organisation are setting getting eat to sail back ome owe the do- do doWell Well we have now have DOW b been n nn In n this thU country one ODe year r taggia ID i a. a way sway and 1 I dont don't t ke keep p pla I u as la to eo ver b if we do 40 ro go up 4 I ba the tho Rhino Rhine fora for ell hop 1 b believe leo tb b 1 months before before be be- fore fore or they thel atari stat q ls 9 lt If n n z f o over ar Its its it's mS mp m fors fOr toe jog Og bome novelty thOy has bas worn o j Off t. t and lad tho the old 91 United States of of America l tr lo will look mighty i gpo good oA 1 to toe me e nut But Utah will loo look better kill Eo What k kind Dd of of f p a i I Jio go go ing ng nc to get when I get therel know know how I will make make maket out t. t but I Ibave have bave my strength and am coming back body and soul loul together am not worrying much Next week lis Thanksgiving and It U should hould be the happiest one the AmerIcan American Amer Amer- ican scan people have spent pent for tor some Bome time lime Of Ot e course course ur e wit tie many many hundreds da of or mothers mother and alid fathers rathers mourning over their eons eon who have bave made the supreme sacrifice for or their th lr country country's aake ake Tl T e others d be e happy and thankful b yea ea I have have charge charle of or an Officer Me Mesa a besides and I J haT hare ate twelve Jari large turk turkeys Ys ul t up for II din- din Bar Oe Dad I f iI ygo w were here bere beret I io 0 hay bare some om ot of o It it Vat bet I J knew It If yon l have a one a T twill ill taste tute betler better better bet bet- ter ler than ours oura for tor it will be cooked by bythe the ha skilful bAn mother J dear i 4 yep O will will get get this about Christmas time or at least J. J J am bo bop Ing i so A Although hough 1 I be 1 you ou this year I wish to convey to aUthe all aU the children Grandma andall andall and aDd all best beet Christmas cheer and love lope Although I wilt will not a Ja fee present with you spy FlY thoughts and heart will III I hope bope we will start home borne early Inthe In Inthe Inthe the spring but who knows I am sure lure not I I. I Anyhow It seems mighty good to look in fn the future and know that you OU are going to go home bome even eyen If it does take a little time Before we wo could only say aay here bezel I am to-da to day to-day who knows where Ill I'll be tomorrow Well Welt Dad I 1 will have han to ring oft off I hope this newspaper finds find you ou all alt allIn allIn altIn In the beat beet of health and happiness Olve dive my love to all Your loving son sen n RA cu lad fad Diet Liet Albert Alb II J Potta t. t II j. j Engineers 4 i. Y 1 B. B P. P fr France ac I |