TRANSCRIBED FROM THE JUDSONIA ADVANCE DECEMBER 11, 1918 P. 4
Somewhere in France,
Octo. 20, 1918
Mrs. Alpha Hulsey
Dear Sister:
Will answer your ever welcome letter received yesterday. You don’t know how glad I was to get a letter from home. It was the first letter stating that you had heard from me since I have been over here. This leaves me all o.k. I can’t write much that I would call interesting, although I might write things of interest to you. I will tell you something of our trip across the deep blue sea. The first two days out the sea was quiet and it was lovely sailing, but after that the sea got rough and rocky.
Some of the boys got so sick they almost threw up their socks. I was lucky enough that I didn’t get sick but I was awful dizzy for 3 or 4 days. It was almost like one having too much snake oil in his system, but as we neared the shore it calmed down and everything was lovely. We landed first in England, was in harbor 24 hours and embarked for France. There is where our roughest water was crossing the English Channel. But we made it alright without being sunk by a submarine and are now well on our way to Berlin. I am awful anxious to get the addresses of some of the boys from home. I havent seen a one that I knew. Tell them that I am with the Hun Huskers Division. That is our nickname and it fits us well for I am sure we can husk as many huns as any division in France. Willtell you something of the people I have met. In most cases the people are glad to have us around. We run into a pro-German once in a while, but we don’t let that bother us.
There are lots of nice little French girls here and there are lots of them that you couldn’t call pretty. I don’t think I will fall in love with them enough to stay over here after the war is over.
Well sis, I have written all that I have time to write. You must write often and always long letters and would be glad to here from anyone at home.
Give my best regards to all the neighbors. With love to one and all, your brother,
John O. Childers,
Hdqrs. Co., 349th Inf.,A.E.F.
A.P.O. 795
NOTES: John Oscar Childers was born in Judsonia, Arkansas on February 27, 1890 and died in Illinois on August 18, 1938. His military headstone identifies him as an Iowa Private serving in 275 Military Police during World War I. He is buried in the Slayton Cemetery in Slayton, Minnesota. He enlisted on June 25, 1918 and was discharged on June 15, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Somewhere in France,
Octo. 20, 1918
Mrs. Alpha Hulsey
Dear Sister:
Will answer your ever welcome letter received yesterday. You don’t know how glad I was to get a letter from home. It was the first letter stating that you had heard from me since I have been over here. This leaves me all o.k. I can’t write much that I would call interesting, although I might write things of interest to you. I will tell you something of our trip across the deep blue sea. The first two days out the sea was quiet and it was lovely sailing, but after that the sea got rough and rocky.
Some of the boys got so sick they almost threw up their socks. I was lucky enough that I didn’t get sick but I was awful dizzy for 3 or 4 days. It was almost like one having too much snake oil in his system, but as we neared the shore it calmed down and everything was lovely. We landed first in England, was in harbor 24 hours and embarked for France. There is where our roughest water was crossing the English Channel. But we made it alright without being sunk by a submarine and are now well on our way to Berlin. I am awful anxious to get the addresses of some of the boys from home. I havent seen a one that I knew. Tell them that I am with the Hun Huskers Division. That is our nickname and it fits us well for I am sure we can husk as many huns as any division in France. Willtell you something of the people I have met. In most cases the people are glad to have us around. We run into a pro-German once in a while, but we don’t let that bother us.
There are lots of nice little French girls here and there are lots of them that you couldn’t call pretty. I don’t think I will fall in love with them enough to stay over here after the war is over.
Well sis, I have written all that I have time to write. You must write often and always long letters and would be glad to here from anyone at home.
Give my best regards to all the neighbors. With love to one and all, your brother,
John O. Childers,
Hdqrs. Co., 349th Inf.,A.E.F.
A.P.O. 795
NOTES: John Oscar Childers was born in Judsonia, Arkansas on February 27, 1890 and died in Illinois on August 18, 1938. His military headstone identifies him as an Iowa Private serving in 275 Military Police during World War I. He is buried in the Slayton Cemetery in Slayton, Minnesota. He enlisted on June 25, 1918 and was discharged on June 15, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON