Post Card

Oops, I got a bit out of order here... I guess Herb was carrying this post card around for a bit and finally sent it.

February 12, 1919
Dearest Mother,

Just finished a long move with no chance to write. I’m now in Epinal, France. The weather is fine but quite cold, the sort of weather you’re probably having. I’m feeling quite as usual – not even a cold to complain of. Letter in a day or two.

Best Love to All,
Herb

The Cock of Verdun

Cock of Verdun

I found the insignia at the National Archives in College Park, MD. Apparently a few ideas were considered:

We have already met Herb Blake on a previous permission.

If Herb walks, we have a couple routes:



I once worked in Saint Dizier when I was working on an internship - one can see the town to the west on the map. A manufacturing town with some fine dining near by... but this was back in the 90's.

January 30, 1919

Dearest Mother + all,

The greater part of the Division left today en route for Colmar Alsace, not far from the Rhine. It included all the troops but one regiment and all the horse drawn vehicles, all of which go by train. The motor vehicles, including the Section, start by road February 4th. It will be a two days trip by road, I think and probably very interesting. It will be a cold trip, of course, because the weather is quite brisk lately, but we all have lots of clothes + blankets to wrap up in. at any rate, I should be willing to walk if necessary for the sake of getting out of the Grand Duchy.

I had a very nice letter from Aunt Birdella a few days ago in reply to one I wrote back in December I think.

Tom wrote me from Syracuse and posted me on all available news about the boys I used to know. Of course they were practically all in the Service, are yet, I suppose and we’re all out of touch. I’d like especially to know where Kimber and Morris are (they were with me at 193 Sterling Place, you know) and Steve Lee who was working in the City before he went to Plattsburgh.

Your letters of January 6th and 10th came together three days ago. Also two bundles of papers, which I was very glad to get.

I can’t understand why you always get my mail in batches. I don’t write my letters on that system. But then there are plenty of incomprehensible things about the army.

For the next week at least we shan’t get any mail. The mail follows the Division Headquarters and since for a week or so we shan’t be in touch with HQ we’ll just be out of luck. All sorts of little things seem like calamities since the Armistice.

I haven’t heard from either Mr. Friedman or from Charlie in several weeks. I imagine they’re both very busy.

I heard a rumor about Herb Blake’s being married some time ago though I don’t know just where. Evidently it’s true.

It looks as if I would have a chance to go on a permission again before coming home. I’m not crazy about the idea but if the opportunity offers I shall take it. It will break the monotony for two or three weeks.

I put on my second service stripe this week, with a sincere hope that it may be the last. Two are quite enough.

The Ambulance Service has at last been recognized as being something different from the Medical Department. The insignia adopted is a white “Cock of Verdun” on a circular maroon background to be worn on the left sleeve at the shoulder somewhat as the various divisional insignia. It’s only fair to distinguish the USAAS from the hospital attendants. What with service stripes, chevrons and all my sleeves will be nearly full.

With best to all
Your affectionate son,
Herb

Ice cream in Luxembourg City

What do you suppose makes Herb say "Dearest Mother of Mine" now? Cute.

This is what I could find of the city of Luxembourg with what I hope is the bridge Herb mentions:

Photo taken from here

26 January 1919

Dearest Mother of Mine,

I wish I could tell you that I’m coming home very soon but I can’t do that until I know something definite. I’ve heard on pretty good authority that the first of the Ambulance Sections are to start back next month and regularly every month thereafter. However the first step in that direction is to be relieved from duty with a Division and that has not yet come about.

I had expected that we’d be moving back into France about this time but the move has been postponed until after the first. I’m not sure yet just where we are going but it will doubtless be some place in Alsace. I shall certainly be glad to get back into France. Yesterday completed two months for us in Luxembourg and I never want another two months like it.

On Friday I went in to the city of Luxembourg on business and spent a few hours in the city. It’s really a rather nice place. There are two parts to the town – the old and the new separated by a wide deep ravine with a little river at the bottom. The sides of the ravine are laid out into streets and parks with winding roads and all terraced. The two banks are spanned by a great stone bridge, from which one has a very pretty view of this quaint little valley. The town is very clean looking with pretty good streets and the public buildings are quite fine. Although it is the capital of the country the town isn’t much more than 30,000 or 40,000 I don’t believe. It is, of course, full of military police, but fortunately I had a pass. I saw a sign in a window “Ice Cream” so I went in and had some in spite of the fact that it was a cold day. That was the first I had seen since I was on permission.

The weather has been rather colder lately and today it is snowing. There hasn’t been quite so much rain and that is a comfort.

I’ve been trying to remember what I can of the girl to whom Tom is engaged. It isn’t much. Her name is, I think, Coleman and I think she is Catholic though I’m not at all sure of it. She comes from a very nice family quite well known in the town, I believe. As for herself she’s fair skinned + dark haired + very pretty – very nice manners. I really don’t know her at all though I’ve met her several times.

Before I come back I want to get some little presents for Marnie and Olive to bring with me, especially as I couldn’t get them anything for Christmas. I wish you’d suggest some things that you think they might like. Can’t you?

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Bored out of his mind.... But thinking about home

Here is Nagem, Luxembourg. The town looks very pretty, but I can certainly see why it would not appeal to a 21 year old soldier. Nothing doing but those milk cows!

Photo taken from here

Olive was born in December 1904, so she would have been fourteen in 1918... right?

Olive - though date unknown

So, who is Aunt Anna? I have no idea.... is Aunt an honorary title, like for Aunt Berdella?

January 7, 1919

Dearest Mother,

Your letter of December 8th came to-day. That will give you a pretty true idea of the mail service these days. It is really worse now than it has ever been.

I had been thinking of Olive’s birthday – and Dad’s – and wondering whether Olive would be fourteen or fifteen. To save me I couldn’t decide which was right. I was quite sure she would be fourteen until I took another look at the pictures you sent me and then I decided that fifteen would be nearer the truth. I expect that I’ll scarcely know her when I get back.

There is still no news about demobilization. We haven’t moved so far from Nagem, Luxembourg though there is a rumor around that we are to go back into France with the Division. I put no faith in rumors anymore.

All chances of seeing Mr. Rankin’s friend in Paris are over. Several extra companies of Mr. P’s have been assigned there and it is as much of your life is worth to set foot there without special authority. Since one can’t get the special authority, chances are pretty slim. One man in the section went there on permission to stay with his brother who is connected with the Red Cross. He was picked up as his leave ended and given ten days with a prisoner’s working squad near Paris while his case was being investigated. He got back here finally but has no more desire to visit Paris. So I think the day I had in Paris on my way back from permission will have to suffice me.

This last week I have had a card from Mrs. Nial + one from Aunt Anna and a letter from Nellie Graham. Also one package of 4th class. Printed rather used to come in pretty well but now when we need it so badly it’s even more irregular than the first class matter. Still, it does come eventually and is very, very welcome when it arrives. Time hangs pretty heavy on everyone’s hands around here, though the natives appear to be used to it. Where they get the ambition to stick it year in and year out I don’t know. I suppose the habit grows on them.

I’m in my usual good health – not even a cold to complain of. The weather continues bad – very bad. There has been just one halfway decent day since Thanksgiving. And there isn’t another blessed thing to write about.

Best love to you all
Your affectionate son,
Herb

Herb's Christmas Eve

Poor Herb - no Christmas package and feeling really low.

I have decided Marnie is Margaret, Herb's youngest sister.

This would be 'Marnie' and Herb in 1953 at Christmas

And this is Christmas 1959 - Harry with his back to us, Dorothy - Herb's second wife on the left - Ruth - Harry's wife - and Nellie Jane and Olive at the head of the holiday table.

On Christmas Eve, what Nellie Jane and Oliver are reading at home and Herb is writing in Luxembourg. Taken from Newspapers.com

Christmas Eve

Dearest Mother + Dad,
How I wish I might have been with you to-night, even for a few hours. But one can’t bridge thirty-five hundred miles except in imagination so I must be content with that.

Who is trimming Marnie’s Christmas tree, thereby taking my job away from me? And where are you putting it? In the same place? This afternoon while I was out for a walk I met a man bringing home whole load of small Christmas trees in a cart drawn by one ox and two milch cows. The poor cows don’t get much rest around here. Many of the peasants have to use them to do their plowing and carting nowadays.

Dec. 26th

My intentions were good night before last but after I started I got to feeling so low in spirits that I couldn’t go on. Lord I was homesick. I wasn’t the only one, either. So the evening ended by we non coms playing cards to keep our minds off our troubles.

Christmas wasn’t a howling success either. We had a good dinner but that doesn’t make a Christmas. At first we were to have turkey but the turkey didn’t arrive so we bought a pig from one of the peasants and half of it made a good dinner for the whole section. With it we had fried potatoes, canned peas, and apple sauce and for dessert apple pie, cheese, nuts + raisins.

The day before Christmas a box came for the Section from the Red Cross. In it was a phonograph with twenty records and a raft of cigarettes. In addition everyone had chocolate + tobacco from the Y.M.C.A. Some six or seven of the boys had received their Christmas packages. The rest are presumably hanging around in some base port. However it’s forbidden to criticize the government or it’s servants any way. They can’t prevent one from thinking, though.

Nothing new occurs. I expect that we’ll move to some other town in Luxembourg, further south, in a few days, but where we’ll go from there I have no slightest idea.

The papers have no news except long detailed descriptions of what the President + Mrs. Wilson wear, eat, visit and talk about day by day. That sort of thing may be interesting to both French and Americans at present in Paris but there’s only one interesting topic amongst Americans in the armies of occupation: That is “when do we get out of here?”

The weather has been colder lately and there was a fall of three or four inches of snow for Christmas.

The rest of the news is that I am well and as happy probably as could be reasonably expected.

And, oh yes, I got those socks you sent me. That’s a good scheme + might be pushed further.

With best love to all,
Your affectionate son,
Herb

Such good information about The French Army Division Herb is stationed with

I had to look up the Rainbow Division (I have attached a link below):

On April 6, 1917, the United States Congress declared war on the German Empire and entered the Great War. In the rush to mobilize troops, individual states competed with each other for the honor to be the first to send their National Guard units into combat. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker authorized the organization of a Division made up of National Guard units from 26 different states and the District of Columbia. Douglas MacArthur, who at the time was a Major working at the office of the Secretary of War, is credited with saying “The 42nd Division stretches like a Rainbow from one end of America to the other.” MacArthur was instrumental in the formation of the Division and was appointed its Chief of Staff and promoted to Colonel.The 42nd (Rainbow) Division was activated in August 1917 and was assembled at Camp Mills in Long Island NY. Its four infantry regiments were respectively 165th (formerly New York’s 69th); 166th (formerly Ohio’s 4th); 167th (formerly Alabama’s 4th); and 168th (formerly Iowa’s 3rd). War strength of 27,000 was present when the Division paraded for Secretary of War Baker on September 26, 1917. The Division arrived in France in November and December of 1917 and trained in Eastern France until mid-February 1918.

What do you suppose Harry has done now that he needs to be fixed up? My goodness. What do we do with that boy?

Poor Herb, waiting for his Christmas package! 

December 20 [1918]

Dear Mother,

I was beginning to think the mail man had deserted me until I got your letter of November 26^th day before yesterday.

So far we’re still in Boxhorn, Luxembourg but I rather expect that we shall move within a week. Where to I don’t know. Otherwise things are exactly the same, except that for two days it has snowed instead of rained.

I was glad to hear that Tom got home at last and to know that he can get around. It seems to me that I must have told you he was engaged to a girl in Syracuse. I know her slightly and I think she is very nice. She seems from a good family not rich but fairly well off.

I was surprised to hear that Ralph Weed is married though I knew of course that he was engaged. I know his wife very well – she was a stenographer in the advertising department when I was there. She’s a very fine girl.

This is for Dad – I’ve read that article about the Marne in the Post and I must say it’s a scream. I don’t believe it was intended for comedy but that’s what it is – low comedy at that. No one should be allowed to write such stuff. From the author’s point of view the war may have been a pink tea affair but she must have seen things from a peculiar angle.

I thought I had told you what happened to Lieutenant Allen but it’s evident I didn’t. he went into the medical service – first aid work with the rainbow division. I think he is probably in Germany with the Rainbow Division.

I had a letter from Mr. Friedman several days ago. He sent me a money order + told me to get myself a Christmas dinner in Paris. (Paris is two days journey from here, by the way.) He also wanted to know when I would be back, says he needs me badly. I wish I could tell him.

I’m quite sure I told you once about our Division – but then you may never have gotten the letter. At any rate it’s the 13^th and is one of the best Divisions the French have. It is part of the 21^st Army Corps, a crack corps, and at present is with the 5^th Army. From June 15^th to October 22^nd or there abouts we were with Gouraud’s army, the 4^th, which broke up the German attack on Rheims + Chalons July 15^th. The Section was working then at Suippes about half way between Reims + Chalons. Two regiments of the 13^th are Chasseurs (the Blue Devils, you know) and the other two are infantry. Three of the regiments wear the Military Medal fourragère (that’s the colored rope green and yellow twisted over the left shoulder) and the other one has the Croix de Guerre fourragère. The Military Medal fourragère is the next highest honor a regiment can have. It is surpassed only by the Legion of Honor fourragère which is worn only by the Foreign Legion. Before the war Foch commanded the 13th and early in the war he commanded the 21^st Corps.

I was hoping that troops would be demobilized according to length of Foreign Service but I read in the “Stars and Stripes” about a lot of ground service aviation men being sent back from England nine days after their arrival. There are also wild articles about a large part of the American army remaining here for perhaps two years but I scarcely think they’ll attempt that. I don’t believe it would be wise.

With Christmas only five days away only three Christmas packages have arrived in the section so far but a great deal can happen in five days so I haven’t begun to worry yet.

There’s only one thing I have to say about Harry at this time and that is go to Dr. Marsh and have himself fixed up if that’s the only way out. I can readily believe that that weighs heavily on his mind and it would be better to get it attended to in some way. Don’t you think so?

With best love to you all and a happy new year.

Your affectionate son,

Herb

Taken from here

Herb is still in Boxhorn

I have had difficulty figuring out the name of the town in Germany Herb references, but I think he use the French name for Mainz, Germany. I can't be certain.

I can't even find Hinkley on Google maps; not even an eyeball search near Utica!

Could this photo have been taken while Herb was wondering thru the countryside?

If Harry has been accepted to Cornell, why would that be poor luck? I am dying to know what was going on for him all the while.

December 11 [1918]

Dearest Mother,
As long as we stay in this village I’m afraid I’ll have to confine my letters to a plain statement that I am well. Nothing has happened here in the past hundred years. There is absolutely nothing to do from one weeks end to the other. Nearly every day there are a few sick men to be moved enough to keep two or three cars moving – and that is all. When it isn’t raining too hard I go out in the afternoon for a four or five mile walk cross-country. That’s only three or four times a week because on the other days it pours rain. In between it drizzles. I don’t believe there’s a worse climate anywhere in the world.

The last Post I got – three or four days ago was for October 19. Probably October 26th will be here in a few days and I can read that article about the Battle of the Marne that Dad wanted me to see.

Yesterday’s French newspaper said our Army Corps – the 21st French – is to go into M??, Germany, but we have no orders about it. It seems so funny to read in the paper of where one is going because up to about three weeks ago no information on troops movements could be given. The best information we’ve had from headquarters was to the effect that we’d probably be here two or three months, so I don’t know which to believe. For myself, I’d rather go than stay here, because this is certainly the dullest place I’ve ever seen. Hinkley, that little place near Utica where I worked in the summer of 1916 was lively compared to this.

The days are very short now. Even at half past three one can’t see to read. We have supper at four thirty so that leaves a long, long evening. Some one [sic} ought to set up a moving picture theater here. I’d patronize it regularly for one.

Be sure and keep me posted as to how Harry makes out. He’s been playing in hard luck, poor kid.

With best love to you all.
Your affectionate son,
Herb

Herb visiting Clervaux

December 10th

Dear Mother,
This is the town about three miles away. It gives a good idea of the country. It’s still raining.
With love,
Herb

Hanging in Boxhorn, Luxembourg

I don't know anything about Harry attending Cornell.

Can you imagine being one of the 'peasants' Herb talks about? Criticizing them for 'swiping most anything not tied down'? I can't imagine the deprivation these people have suffered during the many years of war. Makes me think of refugees fleeing civil war in current times. An awful existence.

Here we see the route that Herb has taken to get to this point:

December 4^th [1918]

Dearest Mother,

There have been two letters from the family this past week and the mail is now beginning to come in quite regularly as the lines of communication become established.

We are still in the same little village in Luxembourg and it is insufferably dull. How I do wish I could get back to work. Of course there is very little to do here. There are no longer wounded to carry and not very many sick.

We had a very nice dinner Thanksgiving day roast chicken, hashed browned potatoes, sweet crackers, apple pie and cocoa. The crackers and cocoa were donated by the Red Cross at Sedan where the Lieutenant had been to get some spare parts. Getting the chicken and the apples was quite a job. These people here didn’t want to sell at first, because they say money is of little use to them, but they nearly fell over themselves trying to trade for coffee. There has been practically no coffee here since the war; what there was cost about seven dollars a pound. Naturally these peasants couldn’t pay it, so they’ve had to make a substitute out of roasted barley. And so far about five pounds of coffee we got eleven nice chickens – cheap enough.

The Red Cross also donated a sweater and a pair of socks all around.

It continues to rain here practically all the time. However the priest in whose house three of us are staying keeps a good fire for us. I’m feeling quite fit as usual.

All the peasants do all day long is sit around the fire – and go to church about four times a day. The church going doesn’t do them much good seemingly because they’d swipe most anything not tied down.

While we’re settled down here I’m trying to catch up on my correspondence. For the last two months we had moved so much that I wrote to no one but you and Karolyn and I owe a good many letters.

In your last letter was Tom’s address. I must write him this week. I’m very glad to hear the old boy is getting along nicely.

My congratulations to Harry on getting in at Cornell. I suppose that will keep him right on regardless of the Armistice. I hope so because I think it will be a good thing for him

I think I wished you all a Merry Christmas in the last letter. Well it will be my last away from you all, I hope.

Your affectionate son,

Herb.

And here is a Google map view of Boxhorn. My goodness, wouldn't it be wonderful if I could find the priest's house using Google maps? My goodness technology can be a wonderful thing.