Mable:_

Were on the front at last in what they call a quiet sector. Most of
the soldiers round this place is French. I understand there pretty
sore at the Americans cause some of them came up here and began
shootin up the Germans. Of course you cant have a decent war if
nobodies goin to pay any atenshun to the rules.

The worst part of the war is gettin to it. I been rained on so much
the last week I feel like an old sponge. Every nite weve been marchin
along thru the pitch dark with trucks an guns an everything else that
rattles poundin along on each side.

Nobody could strike a light durin the whole trip. Then when we get to
this place the Frenchmen that we were goin to relieve came out in the
road with lanterns to see who we were. Its a wonder the Captin didnt
make us crawl up on our hands an knees.

We finally got the guns in posishun. How we found the place in the
dark is more than I can tell. Were in the middle of a ruined village.
It looks like those picturs of old Greek office buildins that hangs in
the high school hall. Its funny, Mable, but the first real rest Ive
had since I got in the army is since Ive got to the front. The only
livin thing we see is rats an airyplanes. The archies shoot all day at
the planes but it dont seem to bother them much. They just sail along
like a limosine with a lot of little dogs tryin to bite off the tires.
I guess if they ever hit one the shock would kill the gun crew as
quick as it would the pilot.

Our guns is pointed at a hill right in front of us. Every mornin we
fire a few shots at this an then spend the rest of the day cleanin the
guns. If they used these guns as much as they clean them the war would
have been over long ago. Toward evenin the Fritzes return the
complement. Everybody comes out to see where they land but they must
fire them up in the air cause nobodies ever been able to find out yet.
When your not cleanin the gun or on gard you have to stay down in your
dugout sos the airyplanes wont see you. Theyve got to be awful quick
if they want to get a sight of me. Ive got the deepest dugout except
for the Captin. When the Top sargent wants a detail you can bet hes
not goin to clime down fifty steps after one Buck private.

Ive found the first real use for my tin derby. The fello that invented
these dugouts couldnt seem to decide wether to put in stairs or a
ladder so he split the difference. Right across the top of the
entrance he put a nice sharp beam. Its