TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT NOVEMBER 8, 1917 P. 2
“Somewhere in France”
You are led to believe that we are in France with the American army. Have it your way. At any rate, mail addressed as above will reach me eventually, after a very long time. I am not sure that letters cross the Atlantic, perhaps they go around the world westward from America. Maybe some of you boys will sail thru seas and over railroads you never expected to see.
We have sky blue uniforms as well as old olive drab, which you know looks like the dusty road. We are not allowed on the sky line unless we wear our blue. To hide ourselves, many of us have grown bushes, but Tommies must shave their chins each day. Many of the other armies demand clearings only for two eyes to see thru. With our rubberized veils and goggles we look like Skygack from Mars. Our hats are built of ships armor with sand paint and serve as lunch basket, water barrel or grindstone. The best joke used against Fritz is the universal use of mule shoes fastened to our field shoes. These mule shoes point backward and Herr Saur Kraut thinks our tracks are going when we are coming.
NOTES: Philip X. Rice was born in Bentonville, Arkansas on November 2, 1892 and died on December 13, 1978. He is buried in the Pine Hill Cemetery in State College, Pennsylvania. His non-military headstone identifies him as a Mstg. Eng. Jr. Grade US Army in World War I. When he registered for the draft in Benton County, Arkansas he was employed as an Electrical Engineer Instructor at Penn State University in State College. He enlisted on June 27, 1917 and was discharged on April 28, 1919. He served with Co. B 12th Engineers and Co. H 29th Engineers. He was writing to his brother Jeff, who was also in the service.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN MCLAY CLEVELAND
“Somewhere in France”
You are led to believe that we are in France with the American army. Have it your way. At any rate, mail addressed as above will reach me eventually, after a very long time. I am not sure that letters cross the Atlantic, perhaps they go around the world westward from America. Maybe some of you boys will sail thru seas and over railroads you never expected to see.
We have sky blue uniforms as well as old olive drab, which you know looks like the dusty road. We are not allowed on the sky line unless we wear our blue. To hide ourselves, many of us have grown bushes, but Tommies must shave their chins each day. Many of the other armies demand clearings only for two eyes to see thru. With our rubberized veils and goggles we look like Skygack from Mars. Our hats are built of ships armor with sand paint and serve as lunch basket, water barrel or grindstone. The best joke used against Fritz is the universal use of mule shoes fastened to our field shoes. These mule shoes point backward and Herr Saur Kraut thinks our tracks are going when we are coming.
NOTES: Philip X. Rice was born in Bentonville, Arkansas on November 2, 1892 and died on December 13, 1978. He is buried in the Pine Hill Cemetery in State College, Pennsylvania. His non-military headstone identifies him as a Mstg. Eng. Jr. Grade US Army in World War I. When he registered for the draft in Benton County, Arkansas he was employed as an Electrical Engineer Instructor at Penn State University in State College. He enlisted on June 27, 1917 and was discharged on April 28, 1919. He served with Co. B 12th Engineers and Co. H 29th Engineers. He was writing to his brother Jeff, who was also in the service.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN MCLAY CLEVELAND