TRANSCRIBED FROM THE CALICO ROCK PROGRESS MARCH 14, 1919 P. 5
Feb. 7, 1919.
Dear Mother
This writing leaves me well and enjoying life, and I truely hope it will find you all well.
Well I am still with the army of occupation, in Germany on the Rhine. Mother I know that it is hard for you to do without seeing your son for so long, but I shouldent think it any worse for you than myself, for at least, you are in the states and I am not, but I want you to not think that I am not being treated right, for I have plenty to eat and a good place to sleep, and I am getting along just fine, I weigh 175 pounds, so you see I am not starving by any means. Well I guess you would like to know when I am coming home, you bet I would, but no one knows that, except when Uncle Sam gets ready, he will send us home. Now Mother I want you to be happy in the thought that I am still liveing and dont worry about me, for it could have been worse, there is lots of mothers who can never see their sons again, and I realize that it is only through gods care that I am living today and I am thinking him each day for it. We boys will come home with the honor of having done our bit for humanity.
Now Mother I hope you will all be as patient as I am going to try to be, for it will be better for us all in time to come. I know I have been away along time but there are worse things that could have happened. Tell all the boys and everybody else hello for me.
My Dear Father I want you to answer this letter and see if I can get any mail, it anything has happened I want to know it and if not I want to know it. I haven’t heard from home since the 10th of June, would like to get some mail from some of you.
Your loving son,
Pvt. Rector Harris
Co. C. 3rd army M.P. Bn.
A.P.O. A.E.F.
NOTES: Rector Robert Harris was born on June 13, 1896 and died on July 10, 1977. He is buried in the White Church Cemetery in Boone County, Arkansas. His non-regulation headstone identifies him as MP Corps serving in Europe during World War I. The stone shows that he enlisted on June 5, 1917 and was discharged on June 4, 1919. However, is Veterans Administration form shows May 28, 1917 and June 3, 1919. He departed from New York on June 12, 1918 onboard the Carmania. He was serving as a Pvt. in the 154th Infantry, Co. 6 Camp Beauregard June Automatic Replacement Draft Infantry. He returned onboard the Mt. Vernon. He departed Brest, France on May 9, 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on May 17, 1919. He was serving as a C. Third Army, Detachment No. 243 Brest.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Feb. 7, 1919.
Dear Mother
This writing leaves me well and enjoying life, and I truely hope it will find you all well.
Well I am still with the army of occupation, in Germany on the Rhine. Mother I know that it is hard for you to do without seeing your son for so long, but I shouldent think it any worse for you than myself, for at least, you are in the states and I am not, but I want you to not think that I am not being treated right, for I have plenty to eat and a good place to sleep, and I am getting along just fine, I weigh 175 pounds, so you see I am not starving by any means. Well I guess you would like to know when I am coming home, you bet I would, but no one knows that, except when Uncle Sam gets ready, he will send us home. Now Mother I want you to be happy in the thought that I am still liveing and dont worry about me, for it could have been worse, there is lots of mothers who can never see their sons again, and I realize that it is only through gods care that I am living today and I am thinking him each day for it. We boys will come home with the honor of having done our bit for humanity.
Now Mother I hope you will all be as patient as I am going to try to be, for it will be better for us all in time to come. I know I have been away along time but there are worse things that could have happened. Tell all the boys and everybody else hello for me.
My Dear Father I want you to answer this letter and see if I can get any mail, it anything has happened I want to know it and if not I want to know it. I haven’t heard from home since the 10th of June, would like to get some mail from some of you.
Your loving son,
Pvt. Rector Harris
Co. C. 3rd army M.P. Bn.
A.P.O. A.E.F.
NOTES: Rector Robert Harris was born on June 13, 1896 and died on July 10, 1977. He is buried in the White Church Cemetery in Boone County, Arkansas. His non-regulation headstone identifies him as MP Corps serving in Europe during World War I. The stone shows that he enlisted on June 5, 1917 and was discharged on June 4, 1919. However, is Veterans Administration form shows May 28, 1917 and June 3, 1919. He departed from New York on June 12, 1918 onboard the Carmania. He was serving as a Pvt. in the 154th Infantry, Co. 6 Camp Beauregard June Automatic Replacement Draft Infantry. He returned onboard the Mt. Vernon. He departed Brest, France on May 9, 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on May 17, 1919. He was serving as a C. Third Army, Detachment No. 243 Brest.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD