TRANSCRIBED FROM THE PINE BLUFF DAILY GRAPHIC JUNE 16, 1918 P. 5
I guess you think I am dead because I have not written for so long, but have been very busy for the past month doing our bit in the Mediterranean sea. We also have learned what war is for we have been in two battles and the kaiser has one less submarine—the U-39.
You never hear of the navy doing anything (over there) but we are doing our part and we are fighting an unseen enemy, for some subs were firing torpedoes all around us one night and we never saw a sub but once, but said sub will fire no more torpedoes.
One time I saw a ship sunk. She was hit in the center and the whole side blown off. The crew jumped into the war and our ship about 100 yards behind her, making full speed, ran right thru the persons in the water. We threw life belts and life rafts to them but could not stop to pick them up.
Since I left a year ago I have seen some country. Have not been in France but have seen Africa, Spain, Portugal and England and am going to see many more before I get back to the States.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Charles Lewis Holzhauer to his mother Mrs. Casper Holzhauer of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was born on November 2, 1899 in Arkansas and died on May 1, 1951 in Pine Bluff. He is buried in the Bellwood Cemetery Annex in Pine Bluff. He was a seaman serving on the U.S.S. Wheeling. At the time of the letter he had been in the service for about eighteen months.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
I guess you think I am dead because I have not written for so long, but have been very busy for the past month doing our bit in the Mediterranean sea. We also have learned what war is for we have been in two battles and the kaiser has one less submarine—the U-39.
You never hear of the navy doing anything (over there) but we are doing our part and we are fighting an unseen enemy, for some subs were firing torpedoes all around us one night and we never saw a sub but once, but said sub will fire no more torpedoes.
One time I saw a ship sunk. She was hit in the center and the whole side blown off. The crew jumped into the war and our ship about 100 yards behind her, making full speed, ran right thru the persons in the water. We threw life belts and life rafts to them but could not stop to pick them up.
Since I left a year ago I have seen some country. Have not been in France but have seen Africa, Spain, Portugal and England and am going to see many more before I get back to the States.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Charles Lewis Holzhauer to his mother Mrs. Casper Holzhauer of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was born on November 2, 1899 in Arkansas and died on May 1, 1951 in Pine Bluff. He is buried in the Bellwood Cemetery Annex in Pine Bluff. He was a seaman serving on the U.S.S. Wheeling. At the time of the letter he had been in the service for about eighteen months.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT