TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD NOVERMBER 2, 1917 P. 10
Dear Father and Mother:
Your letter received the 25th. Sure was glad to get a letter from home. Was sorry to hear that you were sick. I am feeling fine. Haven’t been sick a day yet. I have drilled every day that I have been called upon. I weigh 142 pounds now. Only weighed 133 when I left the city of O’Kean. So you see army life agrees with me. The army is a nice life for any single boy to live and I would advise everyone over the age of eighteen to spend two or three years of His life in Uncle Sam’s service. It will make a man out of anybody, if he will live up to the work.
The report came yesterday that Co. G would be scattered among the other companies, so we are waiting to hear which company we will be transferred to. The boys of Co. G are worrying about this for if it is done they do not know who their officers will be, and we all hate to give up those of Co. G. Capt. Holland is a mighty nice man and the boys all hate to leave him. Our lieutenants are, Earl Mitchell, and Joe Decker, both nice men, and both of Walnut Ridge and we don’t want to leave them.
Mother, if I am transferred I don’t know whether I’ll get to come home Christmas or not, but I’ll come if I can. When I get out of this army I’ll be afraid to join the church, for fear they will transfer me, Ha! Ha!
The Arkansas boys are doing finely. There are only several of them in the guard house, while there are seventy eight of the Louisiana boys confined therain. I haven’t heard from Stanley in more than two weeks. Tell him to write to me and also tell Vernon to write and tell me all the news.
Will close for this time, hoping you are feeling better.
Your son,
Henry Bode
NOTES: Henry Haden Bode is writing from Camp Beauregard, Louisiana to his parents C. F. and Emma Bode. He was born on September 15, 1897 and died on April 30, 1925. He is buried in the Sharum Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas. His headstone identifies him as a Pvt. In Co. K 110th Infantry, 28th Division. He entered the service on June 5, 1917 and served two years in the US Army. He was wounded at the Battle of the Marne on July 15, 1918. He was discharged on May 28, 1919. His headstone is not official military, but has a patriotic motif with much detail.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
Dear Father and Mother:
Your letter received the 25th. Sure was glad to get a letter from home. Was sorry to hear that you were sick. I am feeling fine. Haven’t been sick a day yet. I have drilled every day that I have been called upon. I weigh 142 pounds now. Only weighed 133 when I left the city of O’Kean. So you see army life agrees with me. The army is a nice life for any single boy to live and I would advise everyone over the age of eighteen to spend two or three years of His life in Uncle Sam’s service. It will make a man out of anybody, if he will live up to the work.
The report came yesterday that Co. G would be scattered among the other companies, so we are waiting to hear which company we will be transferred to. The boys of Co. G are worrying about this for if it is done they do not know who their officers will be, and we all hate to give up those of Co. G. Capt. Holland is a mighty nice man and the boys all hate to leave him. Our lieutenants are, Earl Mitchell, and Joe Decker, both nice men, and both of Walnut Ridge and we don’t want to leave them.
Mother, if I am transferred I don’t know whether I’ll get to come home Christmas or not, but I’ll come if I can. When I get out of this army I’ll be afraid to join the church, for fear they will transfer me, Ha! Ha!
The Arkansas boys are doing finely. There are only several of them in the guard house, while there are seventy eight of the Louisiana boys confined therain. I haven’t heard from Stanley in more than two weeks. Tell him to write to me and also tell Vernon to write and tell me all the news.
Will close for this time, hoping you are feeling better.
Your son,
Henry Bode
NOTES: Henry Haden Bode is writing from Camp Beauregard, Louisiana to his parents C. F. and Emma Bode. He was born on September 15, 1897 and died on April 30, 1925. He is buried in the Sharum Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas. His headstone identifies him as a Pvt. In Co. K 110th Infantry, 28th Division. He entered the service on June 5, 1917 and served two years in the US Army. He was wounded at the Battle of the Marne on July 15, 1918. He was discharged on May 28, 1919. His headstone is not official military, but has a patriotic motif with much detail.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY