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Plattsmouth
Journal, January 9, 1919
SPRINGFIELD
BOY WRITES TO FATHER
REMEMBER
"DAD" AND HOME WHILE SERVING UNCLE SAM FAR
AWAY.
IS HOPEFUL OF THE
FUTURE
And Expresses
No Complaint Over Prospect of Not Getting to Return
Home Right Away.
France,
Nov. 24, 1918.
My Dear
Father:
I will drop you a few lines on
this 24th day of November, which has been
proclaimed Father’s Day, and a day long to be
remembered by many a father and son.
While I allow my thoughts to
concentrate solely on you for a few minutes, at least,
shutting out all others, though we are thousands of
miles apart and it has been many months since we met,
and no doubt we have both gone through a good many hard
knocks and experiences since that last meeting. It only
tends to make us both stronger and better
men.
I think of you many times a day
and only wish we might be close enough together that we
could convey our thoughts to each other by tongue
instead of pen.
But, perhaps it will be many long
months ere we can have this pleasure. We are living in
a time that has been disturbed for the last four years
by the greatest matching of steel and endurance that
was ever known in the history of the world, and we have
come through strong and victorious, which plainly shows
that God is on the side of right and not
might.
It would be heaven to be a small
babe once again for a few hours at least, to be rocked
on your knee and smothered with the love and kisses
that a father always expresses for his
baby.
To be led around by the hand and
showed which way to go and which not. Oh, the joy of a
man’s childhood days, if he only had the wisdom to
realize to the fullest extent those precious
moments.
May our thoughts always run in
harmony with one another and pray God that nothing but
the tenderest thoughts of love and truth may always
exist between us and when our work in this world is
done, may we meet again in the great beyond. I am, as
ever, always your loving son, Pvt. Alfred Carey,
Co. A. 58th R.T.C., A.P.O. 712, Am.
Ex. Forces, in France.
P.S. Wishing you
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
Plattsmouth
Journal, Monday, June 16, 1919
TO MOTHER’S
DEVOTION
ALFRED C.
CAREY PENS MOTHER LETTER FROM FRANCE ON MOTHERS’
DAY
IT CREATES SOLDIER MORALE
Among the
Men, He Says, to Reflect Upon Ceaseless Love and
Anxiety of their Mothers.
From Friday’s
Daily
Is-Sur-Telle, France, May
11.
My Darling Mother:
This being
the greatest day in the year between a man and his
mother, I will write you a few lines of love and
gratitude. It certainly is with tender love and
affection that I look over the years that have passed
and think of the many blessings I have had at your
hands, and words cannot express my devotion. A man’s
mother is the only person in this world who will never
lose faith in him, although the rest of the world may
turn a cold shoulder on him and he himself may fall
into the gutter, he will always find a friend in his
mother.
The most
glorious days of one’s life are spent in infancy, did
we but know it — when we are smothered on the loving
breast of the one who loves us
best.
When a
child is out playing and something goes wrong, or it
gets hurt, the first one to [illegible] it will
go is its mother. If a man is out in the world and gets
into trouble, the first one he seeks to tell his
troubles to is his mother, for she will always listen
and give him the benefit of the doubt, and will
consider things in a different light from the rest of
the world. And through it all she will never lose her
faith and trust in him.
In time
gone by, I may have sorely vexed you, mother dear, but
never once have you scorned me, but instead always
pleaded with me. And although I am thousands of miles
from home today, my heart is with
you.
This is
one of the most lovely days I have seen in France and
it certainly makes one long to be back home among the
loved ones.
Well,
mother dear, I hope this finds you in the best of
health and enjoying life to the utmost. I am feeling
fine and dandy and waiting patiently for Uncle Sam to
say he is through with me and tell me to go home, which
I will be glad to do when he no longer needs
me.
Well, I
will close with love and best wishes to you, mother
dear. I am ever your loving son,
Pvt. ALFRED C. CAREY.
Plattsmouth Journal, July 3, 1919,
volume XXXVII
TWO PLATTSMOUTH BOYS ARRIVE
HOME
LAST EVENING SERGEANT ALFRED
CO. CAREY ARRIVED HOME, AND TODAY
HERB THACKER ALSO
COMES
Message From New York Tells Of
Arrival at That Port of Sgt. Frank York
From Wednesday’s
Daily
These
three boys went from three different places though all
from this city. Sergeant Alfred C. Carey enlisted in
April, 1917, among the first from this city, and with
the watch at the big Burlington bridge over the
Missouri was stationed here for a while and later taken
to Omaha, where he was stationed for some time. He went
to Camp Cody in September, 1917, and the following
spring was sent east, and sailed from New York one year
ago yesterday just the same date that he arrived home.
He returned to the United States June 18th,
and was discharge[d] from service at ‘Garden City,
N.Y., a few days ago arriving home last evening over
the Burlington. Cassius, as we all know him was looking
fine, and was glad to greet his folks and friends and
especially his mother who has been in ill health for
some time.
This noon
Herbert Thacker who in May last year went to Camp Dodge
and was in less than two months in France, stepped from
the train, looking the picture of health, although he
has been in the hospital for some time recovering from
illness which he had while in France. He returns a
great big fellow, as to what he was when he went away.
He was in some of the hardest of the fighting having
arrived at the fighting front in less than three months
after departing from here. Herbert looks like a great
big real soldier, which he is, and while willing to do
his portion, is very well pleased to return home after
the matter is all over. He will make his home here and
will rest for a short time before taking up some
occupation.
Arrived At New York
Today.
A message from Frank York to his parents O.L. York
and wife of this city tells of his arrival at New York,
where he is now and hopes in the near future to be
discharged and be allowed to return home. Frank went
from Chicago, and is a member of the engineer corps,
being an operator and while there served as a station
agent of the American operated French railway. His
parents are overjoyed at the news of his arrival on
this side of the water.
Plattsmouth
Journal, Monday, April 7, 1919
DIED LEADING
SQUAD AGAINST THE GERMANS
LETTER TO
RELATIVES TELLS OF TRAGIC DEATH OF CORPORAL HENRY
HIRZ
WAS BURIED ON HILL NO.
204
And the Writer
Sketched a Map Showing Location of the grave of
Plattsmouth Hero.
From Friday’s
Daily
‘ Midst
the inevitable grief caused by the loss of loved ones
in the war, no greater consolation can come to the
relatives and friends of those who "paid the
price" than that derived from the knowledge that
their loved one died in the performance of his heroic
duty. To lead a squad forward up the slope of a hotly
contested hill in the face of enemy machine gun fire
that was terrific and "carry on" until
literally shot to death is indeed an honor and the fact
that a Plattsmouth boy made this supreme effort as his
"bit" to the cause of world freedom, should
make our hearts swell with pride in his glorious
deeds.
We refer
to Henry Hirz, who fell in battle on October
5th. His cousin, Miss Lena Hirz, now at
Kirksville, Mo. recently received a letter from
Sergeant Glen Thorp, now of Hq. Co. 43rd
Inf. Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas, but who was well
acquainted with Hirz before the two left the states for
overseas and who remained his good friend to the end,
in which he tells of Hirz’ heroic action, being an
eye-witness of his tragic
death.
Accompanying the letter is a map sketched by Mr. Thorp,
showing the location of the grave of the Plattsmouth
boy on Hill 204, near where he fell in
battle.
The letter
and map have been forwarded by Miss Hirz to her mother,
Mrs. John Hirz, aunt of the deceased young man, and
through courtesy of Mrs. Hirz we are privileged to
publish the account of how he met death out there in
"no Man’s Land."
The letter
follows:
Camp Logan,
Houston, Texas,
March 16,
1919
Miss Lena Hirz, A.S.O.
Hospital, Kirksville, Mo.
Dear Miss
Hirz:
It was a very pleasant surprise for me to
receive your letter of inquiry. Mr. Henry Hirz was one
of my very close friends and I had known him for some
time before we went overseas. I first met him in Camp
Hancock, Ga., in February, 1918 and from that time on
until we went into battle on October 5, we were fast
friends.
We fought together with the Marines at
Belleau Woods. He was a larson man under me at the
Battle of Chateau Thierry and served most gallantly,
carrying messages under heavy fire regardless of
danger. At the battle of St. Mihiel he was in the
foremost of those to follow the tanks "Over the
Top."
I was made Chief of the Scouts at the
same time Henry was made a corporal. On September 26 we
went over the top at Montfacon and by October
4th we had advanced and taken Bois de Beuge,
the Valley of the Andon, Clergos and Hill
204.
On October 5th the
"Seventh" tried five times to take Hill 253,
but were checked each time by terrible slaughter from
machine gun fire. At last the scouts were ordered over
to find these machine gun nests. I led them over as
their chief and we were forced to dig in behind the
hedge between 204 and 252. We were under a terrible
fire from all sides when "K" Co. was ordered
to our support.
They came down over the crest of Hill 204
in half a dozen waves and charged past us. As they
started up Hill 253, the Boche’s machine guns broke
loose and then fell by the dozen. The waves split into
plunging groups with Hirz leading one. Then I saw him
stumble and fall forward, his squad fell back and then
we were all ordered to the
rear.
Hill 253 was put under terrible artillery
fire all the rest of that day and at midnight we crept
over in the dark and after a hand to hand fight, took
it.
I sent some men to find Hirz. They
reported him dead from machine gun fire. They buried
him on Hill 204 near a fork of the River
Andon.
Six days later I was ordered to the U.S.
as a scout instructor and I left the terrible field of
Verdun with its thousands of dead agape at the
drenching sky.
I left one man behind under the green sod
on Hill 204, but I know that the French peasants will
not tread on the grave and the crude wooden cross that
marks it will be replaced by a better one and when I
cheer the home coming troops I will also cheer for one
"over there," and I hope that people will not
forget the dead.
His children are probably too small to
realize anything but a vague sorrow, but when they grow
up perhaps some one will tell them of their father of
whom they will always be
proud.
I will inclose [sic] a map I drew
if it will be of any use to
you.
In conclusion, I will say that I am a
Canadian and a volunteer. I have been in the army since
February 1st, 1918, quitting college at that
time to enlist. Should you care to hear from me again a
letter will reach me at the address on the back of this
page.
Sincerely,
GLEN THORPE.
Plattsmouth
Journal, February 24, 1919
Dagonville, France, Nov. 28
Dear
Folks:
As this is Thanksgiving, and it being a
holiday, I have nothing particular to do, so thought I
would improve the time by writing you a few
lines.
I don’t know whether to think every one
has forgotten me or if I have just had my letters
"ditched," as I have not heard from any one
since the last of September, so you will kind of have
to excuse me if I don’t write as often as I used to.
Anyway there is not much to write about these old
French towns. As far as our work now is concerned, it
is simply waiting. I don’t know what for, though —
either we go into Germany or back to America. No one
ever knows where he is going until he gets
there.
Well, I guess I will tell you that I was
on the western front from October 14th to
November 10th, or the day before the
Armistice was signed. Will say that the Dutch gave me a
couple of good scares in one night. Four of us were
laying outside when the Fritzies started shelling and
in a short time the timber was full of flying shrapnel.
The gas came over in waves and I happened to get a
little of the (smell) gas, which made me pretty sick
for several days and a large number were sent to the
hospitals. They have not come back as yet so I do not
know how bad they were.
I hear they are sending them all home
from the hospitals. I wish I would have gone now but
anyhow hope it will be soon. One day this week I saw a
guy that was transferred to this company and he said he
was in Camp Cody with the boys from Plattsmouth and
came over with them. He said that Art Sampson was in
this division and that he also helped to bury Matt
Jirousek at sea. I could scarcely believe it, as this
is the first I have heard of any Plattsmouth boy paying
the price, but I guess it might happen to any of us, no
one knows.
Well, I guess I will close for this time.
Wishing I could be with you all. Best regards to
everyone.
P.S. — Say, Frances, tell mother that it
is no use for me to try to send a picture as you
wouldn’t know me, and as far a church, I have been to
several French churches and if a man was at the front
very long he never would forget his
prayers.
I might be a little early, but you can’t
tell how long this will be on the way, so I wish you
all a Merry Christmas. Give my best regards to all my
friends.
PVT. JAMES LEPERT
138th Inf.
Hdq. Co.,
35th Div.,
A.E.F.
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