TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY DEMOCRAT FEBRUARY 14, 1919, P. 1
Camp Merritt, NJ.
Mr. C. Eddy and home folks,
I will write you all again. This leaves me feeling fine, and hope it will find you all the same.
I guess we will be four or five days on the road to Fort Leavenworth Kas. They are taking us over there to discharge us from the army. You just ought to take the trip that I have taken. I left Camp Merritt in Sept. 22. We landed in France on Oct 7th, there I took the mumps and stayed in the hospital 18 days, but the mumps did not hurt me any at all. I stayed in that camp a month and a half, went to Lemans, was there one day and a half, went to La Bazoge, styed 2 weeks, oh well I will not try to tell you all about my trip later on.
You ought to see me now. I weight 206 pounds. My clothes dont fit me at all, and I cant get any that does fit, all too small.
Yes I am about to forget I had the cooties in the army, and I dont care about the board bill, but their traveling expenses is what gets me.
Oh God, you dont know how proud I was to get back in good old U. S. A. and to think that God spared me to get back alive, and I hope he will spare me long enough to get home to see my dear home folks.
I havent seen the company I left Camp Pike with since I landed in France so I dont know whether they are back in the states yet or not.
I am mighty thankful to get back for there were thousands of boys that went over there who will never come back.
I guess you all think by this time that I had forgotten you as I had not written in some time, the reason was I did not have paper and envelopes.
I am proud of my trip and hope and pray to God that I will be home some day.
Tell Belle I sent her a pillow top this morning and am sending some handkerchiefs, one is for Callie and one is for dear mother, give Callie the one that has over there on it, and if I never get to come home keep the other one for remembrance.
Well I will close hopeing to see you all soon.
Your loving son and brother.
Willie Eddy
NOTES: Jesse Willie Eddy was born on September 2, 1896 and died on December 3, 1966 at Shreveport, La. He is buried in the Shiloh-Buckner Cemetery in Buckner, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a PVT U S ARMY. He was described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and sandy hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Camp Merritt, NJ.
Mr. C. Eddy and home folks,
I will write you all again. This leaves me feeling fine, and hope it will find you all the same.
I guess we will be four or five days on the road to Fort Leavenworth Kas. They are taking us over there to discharge us from the army. You just ought to take the trip that I have taken. I left Camp Merritt in Sept. 22. We landed in France on Oct 7th, there I took the mumps and stayed in the hospital 18 days, but the mumps did not hurt me any at all. I stayed in that camp a month and a half, went to Lemans, was there one day and a half, went to La Bazoge, styed 2 weeks, oh well I will not try to tell you all about my trip later on.
You ought to see me now. I weight 206 pounds. My clothes dont fit me at all, and I cant get any that does fit, all too small.
Yes I am about to forget I had the cooties in the army, and I dont care about the board bill, but their traveling expenses is what gets me.
Oh God, you dont know how proud I was to get back in good old U. S. A. and to think that God spared me to get back alive, and I hope he will spare me long enough to get home to see my dear home folks.
I havent seen the company I left Camp Pike with since I landed in France so I dont know whether they are back in the states yet or not.
I am mighty thankful to get back for there were thousands of boys that went over there who will never come back.
I guess you all think by this time that I had forgotten you as I had not written in some time, the reason was I did not have paper and envelopes.
I am proud of my trip and hope and pray to God that I will be home some day.
Tell Belle I sent her a pillow top this morning and am sending some handkerchiefs, one is for Callie and one is for dear mother, give Callie the one that has over there on it, and if I never get to come home keep the other one for remembrance.
Well I will close hopeing to see you all soon.
Your loving son and brother.
Willie Eddy
NOTES: Jesse Willie Eddy was born on September 2, 1896 and died on December 3, 1966 at Shreveport, La. He is buried in the Shiloh-Buckner Cemetery in Buckner, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a PVT U S ARMY. He was described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and sandy hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT