TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPRINGDALE NEWS DECEMBER 20, 1918 P. 3
November 16,
Am getting along nicely--not "bumped off" yet, and am going to make arrangements to see that such does not happen, since the war is over.
Haven't heard from Fay, but expect to soon. Guess he's safe alright since he's up at Brest, and I suppose won't go any farther inland unless they send him out on some sanitary detail.
From the newspapers, there must have been "some" celebrations in the States over the signing of the armistice. The French and Americans sure put on a celebration here, with the air gang joining in.
Haven't any idea as to when I can get home, but it looks like we were stuck here until January, at least, although some rumors are that some of us will go to the states before them while others will remain in this country. I'm hoping I'll be one of the lucky ones to get to return, since the war is now over. t may be that some of us will be sent to the German and Austrian border, but I don't think I'll be one of them if it can be avoided.
The weather is rather cold now, with very high wind, so that we are doing little flying. In fact no one is flying more than necessary. Will save my stories until I get home. Had a "thriller" some tine ago when the wind carried machine gun and myself clear out of the cock pit while up about 1500 feet. I "hung on by my toes" and got back in, but the gun had riddled the tail of the plane, shot off one elevator wire, necesstating a "side-slip" into the field. Such an occurence makes one somewhat nervous and I'm not hardly settled yet. The plane was the Liberty, and believe me it is "the" plane.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lieut. Guy Claypool Stafford who was in aviation training at Tours, France. He was born in Springdale, Arkansas on September 27, 1889 and died on August 7, 1944. He is buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. He departed for France on August 31, 1918 from Hoboken, NJ onboard the Leviathan. At the time he was serving in the Hdq. Company of the 142nd FA.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
November 16,
Am getting along nicely--not "bumped off" yet, and am going to make arrangements to see that such does not happen, since the war is over.
Haven't heard from Fay, but expect to soon. Guess he's safe alright since he's up at Brest, and I suppose won't go any farther inland unless they send him out on some sanitary detail.
From the newspapers, there must have been "some" celebrations in the States over the signing of the armistice. The French and Americans sure put on a celebration here, with the air gang joining in.
Haven't any idea as to when I can get home, but it looks like we were stuck here until January, at least, although some rumors are that some of us will go to the states before them while others will remain in this country. I'm hoping I'll be one of the lucky ones to get to return, since the war is now over. t may be that some of us will be sent to the German and Austrian border, but I don't think I'll be one of them if it can be avoided.
The weather is rather cold now, with very high wind, so that we are doing little flying. In fact no one is flying more than necessary. Will save my stories until I get home. Had a "thriller" some tine ago when the wind carried machine gun and myself clear out of the cock pit while up about 1500 feet. I "hung on by my toes" and got back in, but the gun had riddled the tail of the plane, shot off one elevator wire, necesstating a "side-slip" into the field. Such an occurence makes one somewhat nervous and I'm not hardly settled yet. The plane was the Liberty, and believe me it is "the" plane.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lieut. Guy Claypool Stafford who was in aviation training at Tours, France. He was born in Springdale, Arkansas on September 27, 1889 and died on August 7, 1944. He is buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. He departed for France on August 31, 1918 from Hoboken, NJ onboard the Leviathan. At the time he was serving in the Hdq. Company of the 142nd FA.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD