TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BENTON COURIER DECEMBER 6, 1917 P. 1
Dear Walter:
I have written you several letters since I have been in this country and I presume you have received part of them at any rate. Any way I am writing on the typewriter this time so you will be able to read this if you get it. It seems so natural to be hammering on a machine that I almost think sometimes that I am back in my office.
I have been working in the Headquarters office for four days out of seven that I have been here. I will continue working here until I am sent away in the flying school. I am very glad to get work here as I can learn quite a bit about the way an army is managed, besides getting acquainted with a number of the officers. The work is quite a bit different from that I have been doing, but it is very interesting to me and I am learning quite a little. I am making the best of the few days that I will be here.
You see, we do not get our flying here and are only here for a rest period. I have now been in this place one week and am certainly glad to get to stay a few days in the same place, as a person gets tired from continually traveling for a month. I am feeling fine and am very comfortable here, and the weather is about the same here as it is in Arkansas, except that it rains quite a bit more here than is at all necessary. But this is the rainy season; I guess it is all to the good during the summer. I would like to have a little of the warm weather we had at Austin mixed with this cold weather that we are having here now.
The grass is green here and I really believe it stays green all the year. The country is very lovely, and everything one sees is very interesting. The people have different ways from ours but they are very friendly.
There are a number of interesting things that I would like to write you about, but it would not pass the censor, as everything is censored and we are not allowed to write the date, place or conditions here, so you see we must confine ourselves to writing about very general or strictly personal matters. I will tell you a number of interesting and amusing things, when I see you of all that has happened since I left Benton.
The men we have here are great fellows and I am very glad to be with them. I meet up with quite a number that I knew at the Texas University. Some were here when we came and some have arrived since. I never get lonesome here as there is quite enough to keep one amused or busy.
What has happened new in Benton? I haven’t had a letter from Benton or anywhere since I have been in Europe so you can imagine how anxious I am to hear from someone back home. Our first mail should begin to arrive here in a few days now, as mail comes every day here. We have just been stationary a week now, so you can see mail is not delayed very much.
I will begin my flying training soon, I am thinking, so if you wish to take a little spin around the moon just come over. It is very interesting to see aeroplanes and dirigibles flying. They are very common in this country. I must close now and get to work. Remember me to all the folks, and write often. This will reach you about Thanksgiving so here’s my best wishes.
We cannot pay postage here so you will have to pay there. Again, wish you a happy Thanksgiving, I remain,
Your Friend,
Plumer Milham,
Line of Communication, Air Service, A. E. F. via New York France.
NOTES: George Plumer Milham died while serving in the Air Service on August 14, 1918. He was killed in a car accident. He is buried in the Old Rosemont Cemetery in Benton, Arkansas. He was born in 1892. His military headstone identifies him as a Arkansas solider serving in the Air Service, Fifth Division. He departed for Europe on October 10, 1917 from Montreal, Canada onboard the Megantic. He was listed as serving in the Aviation Service Signal. His body was returned to the US, departing Antwerp, Belgium on May 23, 1921 onboard the Cambria. He was a First Lieut.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Dear Walter:
I have written you several letters since I have been in this country and I presume you have received part of them at any rate. Any way I am writing on the typewriter this time so you will be able to read this if you get it. It seems so natural to be hammering on a machine that I almost think sometimes that I am back in my office.
I have been working in the Headquarters office for four days out of seven that I have been here. I will continue working here until I am sent away in the flying school. I am very glad to get work here as I can learn quite a bit about the way an army is managed, besides getting acquainted with a number of the officers. The work is quite a bit different from that I have been doing, but it is very interesting to me and I am learning quite a little. I am making the best of the few days that I will be here.
You see, we do not get our flying here and are only here for a rest period. I have now been in this place one week and am certainly glad to get to stay a few days in the same place, as a person gets tired from continually traveling for a month. I am feeling fine and am very comfortable here, and the weather is about the same here as it is in Arkansas, except that it rains quite a bit more here than is at all necessary. But this is the rainy season; I guess it is all to the good during the summer. I would like to have a little of the warm weather we had at Austin mixed with this cold weather that we are having here now.
The grass is green here and I really believe it stays green all the year. The country is very lovely, and everything one sees is very interesting. The people have different ways from ours but they are very friendly.
There are a number of interesting things that I would like to write you about, but it would not pass the censor, as everything is censored and we are not allowed to write the date, place or conditions here, so you see we must confine ourselves to writing about very general or strictly personal matters. I will tell you a number of interesting and amusing things, when I see you of all that has happened since I left Benton.
The men we have here are great fellows and I am very glad to be with them. I meet up with quite a number that I knew at the Texas University. Some were here when we came and some have arrived since. I never get lonesome here as there is quite enough to keep one amused or busy.
What has happened new in Benton? I haven’t had a letter from Benton or anywhere since I have been in Europe so you can imagine how anxious I am to hear from someone back home. Our first mail should begin to arrive here in a few days now, as mail comes every day here. We have just been stationary a week now, so you can see mail is not delayed very much.
I will begin my flying training soon, I am thinking, so if you wish to take a little spin around the moon just come over. It is very interesting to see aeroplanes and dirigibles flying. They are very common in this country. I must close now and get to work. Remember me to all the folks, and write often. This will reach you about Thanksgiving so here’s my best wishes.
We cannot pay postage here so you will have to pay there. Again, wish you a happy Thanksgiving, I remain,
Your Friend,
Plumer Milham,
Line of Communication, Air Service, A. E. F. via New York France.
NOTES: George Plumer Milham died while serving in the Air Service on August 14, 1918. He was killed in a car accident. He is buried in the Old Rosemont Cemetery in Benton, Arkansas. He was born in 1892. His military headstone identifies him as a Arkansas solider serving in the Air Service, Fifth Division. He departed for Europe on October 10, 1917 from Montreal, Canada onboard the Megantic. He was listed as serving in the Aviation Service Signal. His body was returned to the US, departing Antwerp, Belgium on May 23, 1921 onboard the Cambria. He was a First Lieut.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS