The Waiting....

Herb attended Syracuse University for three years; it’s too bad he didn’t know about their unit. Though, as it is, he was with the 80 and he made it home unscathed, so I will be happy with how it turned out.

The waiting seems to be driving everyone nuts.

Thursday (August 30), 1917
Dear Mother,

Little happens except that every day draws us nearer to our departure. As far as I have definite information it is as far off as ever but I think it will be within a week. I hear that they are going to take us down to Valley Forge for a week before we sail but I don’t see the idea in that as we shall sail from New York. We have had all our equipment inspected every day to see if we’re all ready. All our extra blankets, extra underwear, gloves, extra shoes and so forth are well boxed up and consigned to the Superintendent of Transportation at New York, ready to be sent out at an hour’s notice. I wish they’d tell us something. It’s hard to wait.

It said in the NY Journal today that Bill Rafter had gone to France with the Syracuse University ambulance unit. I never heard of it. The views of his wife were given. They sounded like a stump speech. You know he married a Jewess secretly last year. I’ve heard she’s a nice girl, but it’s a queer combination.

I’m going to send my watch and some little things to you tomorrow to keep – mostly toilet articles. We drew towels, soap, brush & comb and tooth brush from the I.M. (?) Dept. today. I never knew the government provided such things.

If you don’t hear from me for four or five days or more at a time it will be probable that we have gone. My address will then be:
Section 80, U.S. Army Ambulance Services
American Expeditionary Forces
New York

Love,
Herb