TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE FEBRUARY 9, 1919 P. 2
Guess it has been so long since you have heard from me, you think I am dead, but I am not by a long shot. I thought several times since I have been “over here” that my time had come, but came through it all without a scratch. I can tell you I feel lucky. There are thousands of things I would like to tell you but will wait till I get home, which I hope won’t be long.
I have been at the front since March. Have been in shell fire all the time, except a few days when we were moving from one front to another.
I have not been sick a minute. We were Uncle Sam’s shock troops and believe me, when we went over the top after the Dutch, we naturally hit them and hit them hard, too. Oh, I shall always remember the eleventh of this month at 11 o’clock, when all the guns stopped firing. I was right on the front line when the last gun was fired.
Now as they retreat we are following them. We passed through Belgium and now I am in Luxemburg on our way to the Rhine to do guard along the Rhine, but I hope this will not last long, for I long for the U.S. A., and to see you again. Have plenty of eats when I come home, for it has been a long time since I have placed my feet under a table. I suppose I shall die when I get to sleep in a good bed again, or even in a house.
December, Neiderbritboch, Germany.
Today is Christmas. I am a long way from home, but am feeling fine. There are several small children where we sleep, and they had a Christmas tree. The people surely are poor. There is absolutely nothing left, not even any horses. The people treat us very nice, much better than I expected.
After I have seen how the Belgians were treated and how they had to rely wholly upon us, I am all the more glad I came over and did even what I did. I went over the top 20 times on nine different fronts, so you see I was one of the lucky ones. Now, I have done my part, I am ready to sail for the U.S.A.
About the French girls. When you hear the boys talking about the French girls, you put it down they have not been as busy fighting as I have, for where I have been I did not see any girls to fall in love with.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Odus Horace Smith. He enlisted in the Marines in December 1917 and received his training at Paris Island, SC. He was born on February 13, 1892 in Gum Springs, White County, Arkansas and died January 13, 1980 in Searcy, Arkansas. He is buried in the Gum Springs Cemetery. His military headstone identifies him as US Marine Corps, serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Guess it has been so long since you have heard from me, you think I am dead, but I am not by a long shot. I thought several times since I have been “over here” that my time had come, but came through it all without a scratch. I can tell you I feel lucky. There are thousands of things I would like to tell you but will wait till I get home, which I hope won’t be long.
I have been at the front since March. Have been in shell fire all the time, except a few days when we were moving from one front to another.
I have not been sick a minute. We were Uncle Sam’s shock troops and believe me, when we went over the top after the Dutch, we naturally hit them and hit them hard, too. Oh, I shall always remember the eleventh of this month at 11 o’clock, when all the guns stopped firing. I was right on the front line when the last gun was fired.
Now as they retreat we are following them. We passed through Belgium and now I am in Luxemburg on our way to the Rhine to do guard along the Rhine, but I hope this will not last long, for I long for the U.S. A., and to see you again. Have plenty of eats when I come home, for it has been a long time since I have placed my feet under a table. I suppose I shall die when I get to sleep in a good bed again, or even in a house.
December, Neiderbritboch, Germany.
Today is Christmas. I am a long way from home, but am feeling fine. There are several small children where we sleep, and they had a Christmas tree. The people surely are poor. There is absolutely nothing left, not even any horses. The people treat us very nice, much better than I expected.
After I have seen how the Belgians were treated and how they had to rely wholly upon us, I am all the more glad I came over and did even what I did. I went over the top 20 times on nine different fronts, so you see I was one of the lucky ones. Now, I have done my part, I am ready to sail for the U.S.A.
About the French girls. When you hear the boys talking about the French girls, you put it down they have not been as busy fighting as I have, for where I have been I did not see any girls to fall in love with.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Odus Horace Smith. He enlisted in the Marines in December 1917 and received his training at Paris Island, SC. He was born on February 13, 1892 in Gum Springs, White County, Arkansas and died January 13, 1980 in Searcy, Arkansas. He is buried in the Gum Springs Cemetery. His military headstone identifies him as US Marine Corps, serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT