TRANSCRIBED FROM THE JONESBORO WEEKLY SUN FEBRUARY 26, 1919 P. ?
Flirey Woods, Dec. 2nd,
Mrs. J. F. Harrison,
Jonesboro, Ark,
Dear Sister:
Just to let you know that I am O. K. Have been sick for eight or ten days with lagrippe. Thought that I would have to go to the hospital so I did not write until I found out what was what. Did not have to go however. Would probably have gotten home sooner by going but did not like the idea of leaving the company after being with it so long.
Am sending some souvenirs home. We are in The Bois De Ramparts or Flirey Woods about six miles from Mount Sac. Have been here ever since the St. Michael drive. We lost one baloon during the war. Fact is our balloon was the last one lost by the A. E. F. Were attacked once by seven German Epkkers planes. Beat them off after they had put sixty-one holes in the balloon. You would have died laughing to see me shooting at them with a forty-five Colt pistol. We have eight machine guns with us. While they did not down any planes they made it so hot for them they beat it. A few days after that they came back with five planes and succeeded in burning our balloon. Believe me it is a nice job pulling on a rope to keep the balloon from falling on the observers. They jump from a parachute while these Germans were shooting at you with a machine gun. The worst of it was that we couldn’t shoot at them. I had the best job in the outfit. I was in charge of the salvage detail. All I had to do was to save the basket and the ropes when the balloon burned. Wasn’t very busy as we only lost one balloon.
So good bye for the present, As ever.
Your brother,
Edgar T. Martin.
NOTES: Edgar T. Martin was born May 17, 1883 and died on January 10, 1956. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. He is writing to his sister, Mrs. J. F. Harrison of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Martin was born in Tennessee but his family was in Jonesboro, Arkansas by 1900. His military headstone identifies him as a Tennessee corporal in the 15 Balloon Co. AS.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Flirey Woods, Dec. 2nd,
Mrs. J. F. Harrison,
Jonesboro, Ark,
Dear Sister:
Just to let you know that I am O. K. Have been sick for eight or ten days with lagrippe. Thought that I would have to go to the hospital so I did not write until I found out what was what. Did not have to go however. Would probably have gotten home sooner by going but did not like the idea of leaving the company after being with it so long.
Am sending some souvenirs home. We are in The Bois De Ramparts or Flirey Woods about six miles from Mount Sac. Have been here ever since the St. Michael drive. We lost one baloon during the war. Fact is our balloon was the last one lost by the A. E. F. Were attacked once by seven German Epkkers planes. Beat them off after they had put sixty-one holes in the balloon. You would have died laughing to see me shooting at them with a forty-five Colt pistol. We have eight machine guns with us. While they did not down any planes they made it so hot for them they beat it. A few days after that they came back with five planes and succeeded in burning our balloon. Believe me it is a nice job pulling on a rope to keep the balloon from falling on the observers. They jump from a parachute while these Germans were shooting at you with a machine gun. The worst of it was that we couldn’t shoot at them. I had the best job in the outfit. I was in charge of the salvage detail. All I had to do was to save the basket and the ropes when the balloon burned. Wasn’t very busy as we only lost one balloon.
So good bye for the present, As ever.
Your brother,
Edgar T. Martin.
NOTES: Edgar T. Martin was born May 17, 1883 and died on January 10, 1956. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. He is writing to his sister, Mrs. J. F. Harrison of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Martin was born in Tennessee but his family was in Jonesboro, Arkansas by 1900. His military headstone identifies him as a Tennessee corporal in the 15 Balloon Co. AS.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT