TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MENA WEEKLY STAR AUGUST 22, 1918 P. 4.
Dear Mr. St. John:
I suppose it is now prohibited for a Mena boy to write a word to his home paper. But since I have been in France I have read so many thrilling accounts of fellows living by me that I never could quite make up my mind to write to a newspaper.
It is about a friend of mine, Mr. Little Ridling, that I want to ask you. When I was at Mena last September his father told me he was flying at Dayton O. Soon after that I came across and tried to locate him here. I have written Mr. and Mrs. Ridling, but perhaps my letter did not reach them. As we are from the same place and in the same game, I would like to see him some time if I knew where he was. Can you tell me?
The flying is going great over here. It is about the only one I know anything about. I have seen nothing but aeroplanes for months and everything looks like a propeller turning before my face. We have the American plane now. I like it pretty well, but of course it is quite different to the small scout ships that I have been accustomed to. Anything or anybody that is American is all right in this neck of the woods.
I’m sorry to say that many of our staunch Americans are going to inhabit the historical chateaus of France after the war. We are having a fine time over here and the French people seems glad to have us with them.
In the last week I have been four times over Paris in the new American plane. It is a real treat to see Paris from the clouds.
I will deliver in the lines next week.
Trusting that all is well in dear old Mena, I am, Gratefully yours.
Joseph A. Parrish
1st Ft. A.S. Sig. R.C.
August 3, 1918.
NOTES: Lieut. Joseph Anderson Parrish was born on May 26, 1895 in Mena, Arkansas and died on February 3, 1982 in Santa Barbara, California. He first went into the Cadet Officers Reserve Training Camp at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was described as being tall and slender with brown eyes and light hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Dear Mr. St. John:
I suppose it is now prohibited for a Mena boy to write a word to his home paper. But since I have been in France I have read so many thrilling accounts of fellows living by me that I never could quite make up my mind to write to a newspaper.
It is about a friend of mine, Mr. Little Ridling, that I want to ask you. When I was at Mena last September his father told me he was flying at Dayton O. Soon after that I came across and tried to locate him here. I have written Mr. and Mrs. Ridling, but perhaps my letter did not reach them. As we are from the same place and in the same game, I would like to see him some time if I knew where he was. Can you tell me?
The flying is going great over here. It is about the only one I know anything about. I have seen nothing but aeroplanes for months and everything looks like a propeller turning before my face. We have the American plane now. I like it pretty well, but of course it is quite different to the small scout ships that I have been accustomed to. Anything or anybody that is American is all right in this neck of the woods.
I’m sorry to say that many of our staunch Americans are going to inhabit the historical chateaus of France after the war. We are having a fine time over here and the French people seems glad to have us with them.
In the last week I have been four times over Paris in the new American plane. It is a real treat to see Paris from the clouds.
I will deliver in the lines next week.
Trusting that all is well in dear old Mena, I am, Gratefully yours.
Joseph A. Parrish
1st Ft. A.S. Sig. R.C.
August 3, 1918.
NOTES: Lieut. Joseph Anderson Parrish was born on May 26, 1895 in Mena, Arkansas and died on February 3, 1982 in Santa Barbara, California. He first went into the Cadet Officers Reserve Training Camp at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was described as being tall and slender with brown eyes and light hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT