TRANSCRIBED FROM THE WHITE RIVER JOURNAL OCTOBER 24, 1918 P. 1
With the A.E.F.,
July 18, 1918.
Dear Friends:
I presume you will be somewhat surprised to hear from me as I haven't written for such a long time. Neverless I think of you all quite often if don't write. But we have been on the go for such along time that I haven't had time to write. There is plenty doing over in this neck of the woods that it keeps one's mind busy most of the time. When this war is over I guess one can think of something else besides war, and here is one that will be glad when it is over and I come back to the good old U.S.A., and I am figuring on coming back. I guess you know some of the discomforts of a soldier's life being in the army once yourself. It sure is some trip over here. I enjoyed the trip for I enjoy seeing things. I passed thru some of the most beautiful country I most ever seen and things are so different from what they are up home. I would like to tell you about lots of things but we are not allowed to write much, in fact, not anything we would like to write about.
I reckon lots of the boys are in the army by this time. I'd sure like to run across some of them over here. Are you still living in the same place you were? How is Bob? Tell him I sure would like to have some of those Mallard Ducks he is going to kill this fall, and have his mother fix them up, for she sure does know how to cook them. It sure does make my mouth water to think of those ducks, quails and squirrels she use to send out to the mill for my dinner. Poor old soul she may be dead by this time, but I hope not. You haven't went up on that farm or homestead we bought up in the Ozarks, have you John? Ha! ha! I can hear Mrs. Amis laugh at us yet when we would get to talking about planting corn and raising Arkansas "razor back" hogs, ha!! I'll never forget the sorrow that befell me there and I try not to forget some of the good times I had there.
I reckon you are still running the mill for the L.B.C. Co. yet, and how is everything going. Is Woodward, Miss Annette and Mr. Leigh still on the job? Tell them I send them my best wishes and sure would enjoy hearing from them. I wrote Miss Annette early last winter but never did hear from her. That business or the veneer business I reckon is good now, it sure was when I quit down in Mississippi. I don't know whether I ever will go back to that work or not. I don't think I will if I can help it. I don't know where Holt is, have you heard from him lately? I must bring this to a close, and tell all my friends down there I send them my best wishes and let me hear from you all soon.
Guy L. Blackburn,
308th Signal Battalion Co. B.
American Exp. Force
(France.)
NOTES: George Louis Blackburn was writing to his friends in Des Arc, Arkansas, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Amis. He was born on October 27, 1886 in Buckland, Ohia and died on October 27, 1961 in Hamilton, Ohio. He is buried in the Rest Haven Memorial Park in Evendale, Ohio. His military headstone identifies him as an Ohio Pvt. serving in Co. B 308 Field Signal Bn. He enlisted on July 10, 1917. When he registered for the draft he was living in Phillips County, Arkansas and was employed by the Arkansas Veneer Company in West Helena, Arkansas. He was discharged on August 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
With the A.E.F.,
July 18, 1918.
Dear Friends:
I presume you will be somewhat surprised to hear from me as I haven't written for such a long time. Neverless I think of you all quite often if don't write. But we have been on the go for such along time that I haven't had time to write. There is plenty doing over in this neck of the woods that it keeps one's mind busy most of the time. When this war is over I guess one can think of something else besides war, and here is one that will be glad when it is over and I come back to the good old U.S.A., and I am figuring on coming back. I guess you know some of the discomforts of a soldier's life being in the army once yourself. It sure is some trip over here. I enjoyed the trip for I enjoy seeing things. I passed thru some of the most beautiful country I most ever seen and things are so different from what they are up home. I would like to tell you about lots of things but we are not allowed to write much, in fact, not anything we would like to write about.
I reckon lots of the boys are in the army by this time. I'd sure like to run across some of them over here. Are you still living in the same place you were? How is Bob? Tell him I sure would like to have some of those Mallard Ducks he is going to kill this fall, and have his mother fix them up, for she sure does know how to cook them. It sure does make my mouth water to think of those ducks, quails and squirrels she use to send out to the mill for my dinner. Poor old soul she may be dead by this time, but I hope not. You haven't went up on that farm or homestead we bought up in the Ozarks, have you John? Ha! ha! I can hear Mrs. Amis laugh at us yet when we would get to talking about planting corn and raising Arkansas "razor back" hogs, ha!! I'll never forget the sorrow that befell me there and I try not to forget some of the good times I had there.
I reckon you are still running the mill for the L.B.C. Co. yet, and how is everything going. Is Woodward, Miss Annette and Mr. Leigh still on the job? Tell them I send them my best wishes and sure would enjoy hearing from them. I wrote Miss Annette early last winter but never did hear from her. That business or the veneer business I reckon is good now, it sure was when I quit down in Mississippi. I don't know whether I ever will go back to that work or not. I don't think I will if I can help it. I don't know where Holt is, have you heard from him lately? I must bring this to a close, and tell all my friends down there I send them my best wishes and let me hear from you all soon.
Guy L. Blackburn,
308th Signal Battalion Co. B.
American Exp. Force
(France.)
NOTES: George Louis Blackburn was writing to his friends in Des Arc, Arkansas, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Amis. He was born on October 27, 1886 in Buckland, Ohia and died on October 27, 1961 in Hamilton, Ohio. He is buried in the Rest Haven Memorial Park in Evendale, Ohio. His military headstone identifies him as an Ohio Pvt. serving in Co. B 308 Field Signal Bn. He enlisted on July 10, 1917. When he registered for the draft he was living in Phillips County, Arkansas and was employed by the Arkansas Veneer Company in West Helena, Arkansas. He was discharged on August 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD