TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LONOKE DEMOCRAT JANUARY 2, 1919 P. 1
U. S. S. Housatonic,
December 1, 1918
Dear Father:
Will write you a few lines to let you know how I am. I am O. K. and hope will find you the same.
It is about 9:30 p. m. now. I have been to bed but could not go to sleep, so I thought I would scratch you a few lines. I will mail this at Portland, Eng. Am at Invergorden, Scotland now. Have been here ever since the war ended and sure am sick of the damp. The place is about as large as Lonoke. I’m going on leave when I get down in Southern England.
My girl at Inverness, Scotland, sent me a farewell present today. The Y. M. C. A. gave us a dance last night and I sure had a time and a midnight lunch all free and the best looking girl there this morning. All the boys wanted to know where I got her. The best of all she wouldn’t dance with no one but me, O boy!
I can’t tell now if I will get home soon or not, but will know in my next letter. They have been transferring them on mine sweepers but I helped lay them and am not going to sweep if I can get out of it for we had a dangerous job laying them. Am going to let some guy sweep them that has not layed any. We layed a line of mines from Norway to Scotland and 20 miles wide which shut all the submarines off only what sliped thru line lucky. We liked to blew up once. We layed 1,500 mines and the whole works exploded and we had to come in at once and was then shot at five times by submarines, but we beat the Hun 90 to nothing.
I have put in to get a discharge and the captain O. K. it and says he thinks I will get it. If I don’t I’ll try something else, not that I don’t like my job, but can see more and have more fun in the good old U. S. A.
I have been to a bunchof towns in Scotland and all over the country but I don’t like over here. It is too cold and never have any light or too much light. I have seen the sun as late as 11 p. m. and for two months it was not dark at all.
Well, Dad, when I go on leave I wish you could come along with me, we could have a good time. Lots of girls and rich widows. O, Man.
I was out in the country yesterday and saw the Irshmen thrash oats and the girls did the work. My girl runs a dairy and she gives me milk to drink. Some girl, and when I get her it will be just like having the key to the bank around the corner.
Well, papa, this is all I can think to write, will try to sleep some now, so good night Daddy.
Answer soon.
Allie Lingo
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
U. S. S. Housatonic,
December 1, 1918
Dear Father:
Will write you a few lines to let you know how I am. I am O. K. and hope will find you the same.
It is about 9:30 p. m. now. I have been to bed but could not go to sleep, so I thought I would scratch you a few lines. I will mail this at Portland, Eng. Am at Invergorden, Scotland now. Have been here ever since the war ended and sure am sick of the damp. The place is about as large as Lonoke. I’m going on leave when I get down in Southern England.
My girl at Inverness, Scotland, sent me a farewell present today. The Y. M. C. A. gave us a dance last night and I sure had a time and a midnight lunch all free and the best looking girl there this morning. All the boys wanted to know where I got her. The best of all she wouldn’t dance with no one but me, O boy!
I can’t tell now if I will get home soon or not, but will know in my next letter. They have been transferring them on mine sweepers but I helped lay them and am not going to sweep if I can get out of it for we had a dangerous job laying them. Am going to let some guy sweep them that has not layed any. We layed a line of mines from Norway to Scotland and 20 miles wide which shut all the submarines off only what sliped thru line lucky. We liked to blew up once. We layed 1,500 mines and the whole works exploded and we had to come in at once and was then shot at five times by submarines, but we beat the Hun 90 to nothing.
I have put in to get a discharge and the captain O. K. it and says he thinks I will get it. If I don’t I’ll try something else, not that I don’t like my job, but can see more and have more fun in the good old U. S. A.
I have been to a bunchof towns in Scotland and all over the country but I don’t like over here. It is too cold and never have any light or too much light. I have seen the sun as late as 11 p. m. and for two months it was not dark at all.
Well, Dad, when I go on leave I wish you could come along with me, we could have a good time. Lots of girls and rich widows. O, Man.
I was out in the country yesterday and saw the Irshmen thrash oats and the girls did the work. My girl runs a dairy and she gives me milk to drink. Some girl, and when I get her it will be just like having the key to the bank around the corner.
Well, papa, this is all I can think to write, will try to sleep some now, so good night Daddy.
Answer soon.
Allie Lingo
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON