I still don't know Karolyn's last name, though; that is still a big mystery. (I tried to find a Karolyn White, but no other pieces fell in to place - no brother Edwin. I am thinking maybe Herb met her at Syracuse... was Syracuse coeducational at the time? I just emailed an Archivist at Syracuse who helped me in the past; I am hoping she might have some time again now... I do recognize that the semester just began, but my fingers are crossed. I sent her a picture of handsome Herb, so I am hoping that will tug at her heartstrings!)
I did learn that Syracuse accepted women in the 19th century, so there is a chance Herb met her there. Wouldn't that be great?
Section 580 are in Suippes when Herb writes this letter.
Doctor Fairlee performed Herb's mother's wedding and Herb's baptism.
This is my first time seeing the names Buddha Weed and Paul Londen - I guess some research is in order....
July 21, 1918
Dear Mother,This has been the most satisfactory week since I struck France. The war begins to look as if it might end after all. Of course we had been expecting something round here, but it came with something of a surprise. I woke up in the night when it started, out of dreaming that I was going to New York on the night boat. You know how the engines sound when one is down below – that tremendous vibration that one feels more than hears. Well, that’s just how the barrage sounded and it went on for hours. It was awful. Already there were shells dropping in the town – far back as we were – but very few, only one every ten or fifteen minutes and small ones at that. All the ambulances that were in started out right away. I stayed behind with the kitchen, etc. I was damned glad of it too, because I had had diarrhea the preceding day – in fact I had it for the next day and a half. I blame it on the water in the village. Lord knows it tasted bad enough to have caused anything. However it went away and I’ve felt fine ever since. The next day we moved up and established headquarters in a field hospital. The drives did wonderful work – traveled back + forth through that barrage just as if it weren’t there at all. The American troops in the line stood to it like veterans – the French men were crazy about them – and the line here held like a rock. By now of course it’s pretty well died out, except for the artillery activity at night. And I think Jerry won’t try any more funny work in this sector. The miraculous part of it is we didn’t have a single man hurt in the Section.
I had a letter from Doctor Fairlee several days ago. I must write him. I also had a very cheerful letter from Tom and was very glad to hear from him. Bhudda Weed and Paul Londen have been to see him while in England. I’d like to see him myself but it can’t be done.
The weather is fine – though we’ve had several bad storms. I’m in the pink – as usual. The worst is over, here at least and I don’t expect that anything further will develop in this Section of the front. Jerry had his lesson here – the dead are piled up in mounds on the Germans side, and he’s going to need all the strength he can muster at other points. I’ve seen a good many German prisoners. They don’t look much cast down. On the other hand, they don’t seem to be starved to death – but they were from picked divisions.
Your affectionate son,
Herb
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