Somewhere in France, 7/10/1918

Somewhere in France

Dear sister Madaline:

Just after going through a very excited night.  The Boche raided our town by air last night and did some damage.  A few of our horses were killed and it lookes as if we boys will get some steak tonight as the butchers have already started to skin the dead animals.  Honestly I was never nearer heaven in all my life.  The weather here is wonderful and being that today is rest day I guess I will do some washing and writing.  We boys are still very busy hiking and drilling six days a week.  I was speaking to Bill Wulfooder and he sends his regards and speaks about you and John quite often.

Guess I will close now will write again tomorrow, I am.

Your Brother

Joe

Corporal Joe. Maus

105 U.S.Inf Co A

American E.F.

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, 7/9/1918

July 9^th, 1918

Dear sister Madaline:

Am living up to my promise of writing you as often as possible as I realize sometime I might be handicapped and not be able to write you for days perhaps weeks but while the going is good I am going to write both you and Anna every day.  I am feeling fine and have plenty of money therefore I am still enjoying myself and have great times during my leisure hours.  I always manage to buy a meal each night and before going to sleep each night my appetite is well satisfied.  The last day has brought us quiet some rain but like everything else we boys are used to it by now.  I expect to go to a movies tonight.  It surely is a long time since I last saw movies.  How are all the folks home?  I suppose Bob and Baby have gotten so tall that I suppose I would hardly no them if I saw them now.  Its almost time for retreat or call to colors so I guess I will close now with love to you all.

I am

Your Brother

Joe

Corp Jos. Maus

105 U.S. Inf Co A

American E.F.

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, 7/8/1918

July 8^th 1918

Dear sister Madaline

I hardly think this letter is going to be very long as time is limited and I feel that I am neglecting you if I do not write theirfore I am doing my duty and also keeping my promise.  Our training is still going on but in a hiking manner.  Our name hiking 105 is still with us and much credit must be given us as we certainly do do some hiking.  I am feeling fine and also am having a wonderful time.  Today was a day of rest but just the same I’ve been on the go washing clothes and taking a bath.  I surely enjoy the bath as it was the first good wash since I left the states.  Guess I will close now dear sister with love and kisses to you all.

I am

Your Brother

Joe

Corp. J. Maus

105 U.S.Inf Co A

American E.F.

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, 7/6/1918

July 6^th 1918

My dear sister Madaline:

I surely did feel bad when I did not get the opportunity to write to you for a few days the reason was account of military movements.  Uncle Sam’s doing every thing possible to make it pleasant for us boys.  Since I wrote you last I received ten letters about five from you and one from Anna.  We also got paid which came in just about in time.  I received 246 francs which is about $49 in our money.  This included my pay for the month and liberty money.  Is pa receiving the alottment regularly?  Now about the fourth of July we had a wonderful time.  The Corporals of our platoon had a luncheon for lunch we had a chicken and chicken soup, lettuce salid with eggs, dressing and ten bottles of campaign.  All this cost us about seventeen francs a piece.  A meal like this dear sister is very scarce as the people here are also feeding on rations.  Bread is a scarcity but beer, wine and champagn is sold to the boys in large quantities.  The chicken we had for lunch was to old for roast so the madam had to make soup out of it, just like the good old chicken soup we had for our sunday meals years ago.  Our daily rations are getting better each day.  My french is improving each day.  So far I have learned to ask for bread, wine, beer, champaign, eggs, milk, tobacco, candy, chocolate, coffee and many other things in french tongue.

I guess I have said all I know today am going to write Anna tonight, I am.

Your loving Brother

Joe

Corp. Jos. Maus

105 U.S. Inf. Co A

American E.F.

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Postcard from Somewhere in France, 6/28/1918

I am well.

I have received your letter dated June 6^th.

Letter follows at first opportunity.

Joseph Maus

June 28^th 1918

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, 6/27/1918

Somewhere in Fra

June 27^th  1918

Dear sister Madaline:

Well here I am again even though I only wrote you yesterday evening.  Here it is June and no pay and no mail as yet.  You can’t imagine dear sister how anxious I am to receive a letter from home and find out how you are feeling.  If only I were lucky enough to receive one letter why I think I would feel one hundred percent better.  My pay doesn’t worry me half as much as one letter from you as at times I feel so homesick and feel that you all at home are downhearted and worrying.  Just remember and think that your brother is in the best of health as I can assure you.  Is pa receiving the alottment regularly if not write me and I think I can get it investigated through the military channels.  I am still continuing my school and am taking quite some interest in it in fact I take and make myself acquainted with as many different studies or schools as possible for perhaps you do not now but this war is known as a Non Commissioners War theirfore I see where studying will do me no harm and loads of good.

Their are quite a few different colored uniforms in our town and at many times our boys can be seen walking arm in arm down the street.  Guess I will close now will write again tomorrow.

I am

Your Brother

Joe

Corp Joe. Maus

105 U.S.Inf. Co A

American E.F.

 

June 27^th 1918

Dear sister Madaline:

At last mail was given out and luckily I received five letters one from you, Anna, Priscilla and a few from a few other friends.  You can’t realize how happy I was when I received both yours and Anna’s letters.  Your letter was dated June 6^th and according to what you say that you sent me six letters before this one why I haven’t received them.  They have either gone astray or lost but I feel sure they will arrive here very shortly as mail is now coming in rather fast.  I saw both Corp Stead + Jenison and both send their regards to you.  My friend Bill Wulfenden has his commission as second lieutenant but is awaiting appointment.

Must close now dear sister as I wish to get this mail out in tonights mail, I am.

Your Brother

Joe

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Postcard from Somewhere in France, 6/26/1918

I am well.

Letter follows at first opportunity.

I have received no letter from you for a long time.

Corp. Joseph Maus

June 26^th 1918

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, 6/26/1918

June 26^th, 1918

Dear sister Madaline:

Again another letter and no mail from you the reason I still think is that our government is rather neglectful or either on account of the freight train shortage.  A few of our regiments in our division have received their pay but as yet we boys in our regiment have not received any money although rumors have been going around that pay will be given to us before the end of this week.  My feet are in good condition in fact I am feeling so well that I think if a good meal was given me I could eat without pain.  I really cannot say that our mess is bad as I can allow for it as we are so far from home and I fully realize the hardships the U.S.A. has to undergo in order to bring rations to this country.  My chief craze is for bread.  We American troops are only allowed one pound of bread per day so you see this country is not only fighting on the field but behind the lines and that is the shortage of flour.  The French people have their bread cards but some how I can always buy enough for my meals.  I guess I have said about all that I know so I will close with love to you all.

I am

Your Brother

Joe

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, Around 6/25/1918

Somewhere in France

Dear sister Madaline:

At last we have decided to stop hiking and do some drilling instead.  The last few days we boys have done nothing but hike practically all day.  My feet surely do ache me theirfore I am resting today to recuperate.  We are stationed in a fine city the largest we have been in yet.  This is my first opportunity since we left our last town to write you so you see we boys are kept busy continually all the time.  As yet our regiment has not received any mail or money but hope to receive both before the end of this week.  I am feeling fine except for my sore feet but a few days of rest will bring them around OK.

Must close for now will write again tomorrow.

I am

Your Brother

Joe

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Somewhere in France, Around 6/22/1918

Somewhere in France

105 U.S. Inf Co A.

Dear sister Madaline:

The weather at present has been very good.  I witnessed an air battle the kind you have read about which took place at and near the place in which we were billeted.  Of course the battle was at night and the only time the planes could be seen was when they came within the rays of the moon.  They surely did make quite some noise that is between anti air craft guns and machine guns.  The boys did not get excited and held themselves cool.  We moved again and we are in billets the kind Empey describes in “Over the Top”.  His descriptions of the billets is exactly what we boys are undergoing.  The place is fatuated with rats and cooties but the American is quite different than troops that have been billeted here before that is sanitary conditions.  We do not use straw for bedding nor do we allow cob webs hanging around on the walls or ceilings.  Everything is policed and kept so clean that we appreciate our little temporary home.

While on short hikes I happened to see some German prisoners and their greeting by us boys surely is great.  Their are many different kinds of uniforms in this section.  Their is one kind of troops which talk the same language as we do but with a different accent for some reason of other is not liked by an American soldier.  Their ways and actions I suppose is the main course of our dislike of them.

Must close now with love and kisses to you all, I am.

Your Brother

Joe

Am feeling fine and am in the best of condition.

Joe

© Copyright 2011 by Lanny & Patti Brown, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.