TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER 26, 1918 P. 1
August 23.
Dear sister and Family:
I guess you think I have forgotten you but I haven’t and I sure do long to hear from you. I am not very good at writing for we are very busy doing our bit. Am working twelve hours and have I have a night job, so am always ready for the bed after breakfast. Have been here since March 26th and the place has grown some since our arrival. Have some real American engines now and lots of U.S. box cars. You can’t realize what the U.S. is doing over here but they are preparing or a long war. We are a long ways from the front. Some of the boys think we area going to leave here soon and I won’t care much for there is nothing here and I would like to see some of the country. I hope to get a chance to see some of these old romatic places. And the people are so far behind the times—two wheeled carts and the old grandma and her cane and dog watching the cows and goats in the fields. They will have from one to a dozen goats.
There is a small river close by and we go there often for a swim., also a canal built by one of the Louis boys some 400 years ago and is nearly 100 miles long. There are tall shade trees all the same size on each side and it is very pretty.
Their money is like tobacco coupons. A French soldier gets about five cents a day or 25 centimes in their money. I don’t see any of the fighting or nothing of interest but we are busy doing our part and it is a sight the stuff we handle. Must close. (MISSING) hear from you soon.
Your loving brother.
ORA
NOTES: This letter was written by Ora Ollie Huffman. He was born in Rogers, Arkansas on May 8, 1887 and died in April 1987. He enlisted in the military on September 19, 1917 and was discharged on May 12, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 27, 1918 onboard Ship 27. He was listed as a Private in Replacement Detachment 12th Engineers Camp Funston. He departed Bordeaux on April 14, 1919 onboard the Cape May. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on April 27, 1919. He was listed as a Private serving in 39th Co. Transportation Corps 25 Grand Division.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
August 23.
Dear sister and Family:
I guess you think I have forgotten you but I haven’t and I sure do long to hear from you. I am not very good at writing for we are very busy doing our bit. Am working twelve hours and have I have a night job, so am always ready for the bed after breakfast. Have been here since March 26th and the place has grown some since our arrival. Have some real American engines now and lots of U.S. box cars. You can’t realize what the U.S. is doing over here but they are preparing or a long war. We are a long ways from the front. Some of the boys think we area going to leave here soon and I won’t care much for there is nothing here and I would like to see some of the country. I hope to get a chance to see some of these old romatic places. And the people are so far behind the times—two wheeled carts and the old grandma and her cane and dog watching the cows and goats in the fields. They will have from one to a dozen goats.
There is a small river close by and we go there often for a swim., also a canal built by one of the Louis boys some 400 years ago and is nearly 100 miles long. There are tall shade trees all the same size on each side and it is very pretty.
Their money is like tobacco coupons. A French soldier gets about five cents a day or 25 centimes in their money. I don’t see any of the fighting or nothing of interest but we are busy doing our part and it is a sight the stuff we handle. Must close. (MISSING) hear from you soon.
Your loving brother.
ORA
NOTES: This letter was written by Ora Ollie Huffman. He was born in Rogers, Arkansas on May 8, 1887 and died in April 1987. He enlisted in the military on September 19, 1917 and was discharged on May 12, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 27, 1918 onboard Ship 27. He was listed as a Private in Replacement Detachment 12th Engineers Camp Funston. He departed Bordeaux on April 14, 1919 onboard the Cape May. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on April 27, 1919. He was listed as a Private serving in 39th Co. Transportation Corps 25 Grand Division.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON