TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ASHLEY COUNTY EAGLE JULY 4, 1918 P. 1
Dear Mother and Father:
How are you all now? I am weli and enjoying life, though I am in France and a long way from home. It sure is a long way acroos the Atlantic, and no one realizes how far it is until they cross over. I’ve had the experience and I’ll tell you about the trip when I get back home again. Tell the boys that no one can take their place in the army, to be men and do all they can for America. I have now been in France about seven months, but it don’t seem like we’ve been here more than one. Time sure goes fast over here. I guess we boys in France will have to get us a French girl, as there won’t be any left for us in the States. I see in the papers that all the boys and girls we left behind are getting married. They sure have some pretty girls in France. Well, mama, don’t worry about me: I have plenty to eat and a good bed to sleep on. I will be home when the war is over.
Your loving son,
J. A. Kelley,
Naval Air Station, France.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Joseph Anderson Kelley to his parents Juddy and Nannie Kelley of Promise Land, Arkansas. He was born on April 12, 1896 and died on August 10, 1943. He is buried in the Promised Land Cemetery in Hamburg, Arkansas. He was serving with the USN Aviation forces.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
Dear Mother and Father:
How are you all now? I am weli and enjoying life, though I am in France and a long way from home. It sure is a long way acroos the Atlantic, and no one realizes how far it is until they cross over. I’ve had the experience and I’ll tell you about the trip when I get back home again. Tell the boys that no one can take their place in the army, to be men and do all they can for America. I have now been in France about seven months, but it don’t seem like we’ve been here more than one. Time sure goes fast over here. I guess we boys in France will have to get us a French girl, as there won’t be any left for us in the States. I see in the papers that all the boys and girls we left behind are getting married. They sure have some pretty girls in France. Well, mama, don’t worry about me: I have plenty to eat and a good bed to sleep on. I will be home when the war is over.
Your loving son,
J. A. Kelley,
Naval Air Station, France.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Joseph Anderson Kelley to his parents Juddy and Nannie Kelley of Promise Land, Arkansas. He was born on April 12, 1896 and died on August 10, 1943. He is buried in the Promised Land Cemetery in Hamburg, Arkansas. He was serving with the USN Aviation forces.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY