TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE SEPTERBER 26, 1918 P. 2
There was a battalion sent from this regiment to represent the American forces, and I was one of the lucky ones. The French people celebrate the 14th of July as we do the 4th, so we went to put on a big parade with the French, English and Italian troops. It was held at Lyons. We were the first American troops that were ever in the city, so they carried us high. * * *We got through about 11 o’clock and they turned us loose until 6 Monday morning. There were lots of soldiers in the city, but the Americans “took the cake,” and there were more good-looking girls than Carter had oats. I couldn’t talk to them much, but I could make some awful good signs. One of the boys and I were sitting in the park and two girls sat down with us, and we had a great time. They are all crazy about the Americans. I talked to an old French gentleman who could speak English, and he said if we boys only have heard and understood all the people said about us and how they praised us, we would sure feel proud, that it was the grandest sight he ever saw. There were lots of airplanes flying around, just over our heads while we passed in review, and the French gentleman said we were the only ones who didn’t look up, and that made us a big hit with the army officials. * * * There is a bridge across a river, running through the city, named for our president, Wilson bridge. They had it decorated and we marched across it.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Stephen Paul Fuller to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Fuller. He was born on September 30, 1894 in Searcy, Arkansas and died in January 1964 in Searcy. He is buried in the Oaklawn Cemetery in White County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
There was a battalion sent from this regiment to represent the American forces, and I was one of the lucky ones. The French people celebrate the 14th of July as we do the 4th, so we went to put on a big parade with the French, English and Italian troops. It was held at Lyons. We were the first American troops that were ever in the city, so they carried us high. * * *We got through about 11 o’clock and they turned us loose until 6 Monday morning. There were lots of soldiers in the city, but the Americans “took the cake,” and there were more good-looking girls than Carter had oats. I couldn’t talk to them much, but I could make some awful good signs. One of the boys and I were sitting in the park and two girls sat down with us, and we had a great time. They are all crazy about the Americans. I talked to an old French gentleman who could speak English, and he said if we boys only have heard and understood all the people said about us and how they praised us, we would sure feel proud, that it was the grandest sight he ever saw. There were lots of airplanes flying around, just over our heads while we passed in review, and the French gentleman said we were the only ones who didn’t look up, and that made us a big hit with the army officials. * * * There is a bridge across a river, running through the city, named for our president, Wilson bridge. They had it decorated and we marched across it.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Stephen Paul Fuller to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Fuller. He was born on September 30, 1894 in Searcy, Arkansas and died in January 1964 in Searcy. He is buried in the Oaklawn Cemetery in White County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT