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wear roll leggins made of wool instead of canvas ones. I'll bet it seems strange in L.A. to find so many of the boys you knew who have joined either the army or navy. Cassidy, Bandy and Kingsbury ask me to tell you "hello" for them.
I sure had some time traveling back to the company on the train. I got my passport and a ticket about a yard long. At the station they took about a half yard of the ticket and let me thru the gates. A train pulled in and after yelling the name of my destination at about half a dozen different French conductors
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and, at the same time pointing at the train, — one of them owned up to the fact that it was the train I wanted. His answer was "we we", so I dumped my rifle and pack in a first class compartment and climbed in. After waiting about two hours the train actually started to move. It soon was going at full speed which is about 5 miles an hour. Feeling cold I got out and ran along the side of the train. After riding about 4 or 5 hours I got curious to know where I was going. We soon came to a station and the engineer stopped the train to take a nap. I found an infantry captain at the station and asked him where I was going.
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he gave me a railroad map and showed me the place to change trains. I got off at the right place and got on the right train and after riding about three hours and after several attempts to try to find out where I was, I gave up the attempt and layed down and slept. About six o'clock next morning I woke up and looking on the map I found myself about 100 miles away from my destination. During the night I had passed about 10 miles from my destination. After traveling on about a dozen different trains I finally got to the company. We are now at the front and are doing some serious work. The shells flying over our heads and around us
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give us plenty to think about. A german airplane is now flying over us and the anti-aircraft guns are making things hot. The shells are bursting all around the machine. This is a daily occurance so I'll go on with the letter.
I received your postal card about 3 weeks ago and can't understand why you haven't received any mail from me. Well, dear, give my best regards to your mother, grandmother and Dot. Hopeing you are well and happy I shall always remain your lover.
Lewis J. Ashby American Expeditionary Forces Co. "F" 117th Reg. Engrs.
Via New York.
in ink, in a different hand: 6K Lt. H.F. Percival
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Letterhead: American Flag (on left side)
National War Work Council YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS of the United States "With the Colors"
Red Circle with upside down red triangle (on right side)
April, 8, 1918 "Somewhere at the Front"
Dearest Dude.
I have received only one letter and a postal card from you since I have been in France. What is the matter dear, don't you receive my mail or are you peeved about something I have written? If the latter is so, why you ought to know I wouldn't intentionally hurt you for the world.
The company is still at the front, while I and twenty other men are detached, doing some special work, for which we were previously trained.
I'm getting so I can "parlevous" with the "frogeaters," meaning Frenchies quite well. This morning I tried to impress upon a Frenchman that "Amerique" was the only place to live