NEWS: Blair County Soldiers, August 24, 1918, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ AMERICANS HAVE A NEW SLOGAN NOW "H---, Heaven or Hoboken by Christmas," Is the Way They Put It Now BELIEVE VICTORY IS NOT FAR OFF The first letters written by members of the 110th regiment since the great battle in which the regiment did valiant service and also suffered heavily are arriving at the homes of the soldier boys. They all breathe the same spirit and cheer their friends by the tidings of German weakness. Corporal Sitman [photo] Sends Slogan. Corporal William Sitman, jr., writes to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Sitman, of Bellwood, a cheery letter. He speaks of his friend Wesley Colabine, but does not tell anything of the nature of his wounds. He also gives the slogan that is inspiring the Americans to the great drive. Everybody will echo the hope that it may be Hoboken. The letter in part follows: "Somewhere in France, Aug. 6, 1918. "Dear Mother and Father: - I suppose you think that I have forgotten all about you, but such is not the case. I have been pretty busy beating up Fritz the last week weeks, and have not had time to write. But I happened to be unlucky enough to get too close to his mustard gas shells and I got burnt on the right leg, so you see I will have a little vacation. But it did not amount to much and I will be all O.K. in a few days. "Our boys are driving the Germans so fast that they are retreating in motor trucks. Our major general has a new slogan for us. Here it is: 'H---, Heaven or Hoboken by Christmas.' They don't expect the war to last much longer than three months, because Germany is about all in, according to the prisoners captured. "How are all the folks? Give them all my best regards and tell them I am feeling fine, and hope to be home by Christmas, for we sure are going to lick the Germans. "Dean (Dickson) and Clair (Wulfert) are O.K. So is Gilbert Williams. I suppose you will hear about Wesley Colabine. I won't tell you, but his people will hear about it. Recovering from Gas. A letter has been received by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Taylor, of 213 Mulberry street, Hollidaysburg, from their son, James Roy Taylor, stating that he had been gassed and is now in a base hospital in France recovering from the effects of the deadly gas. He says that he is getting along nicely and expects to be out of the hospital soon. The young man is a member of Company G, 109th infantry, and has been in France since May 1, having been inducted into the service by the county draft board at Hollidaysburg. He tells also in his letter of capturing a prisoner in an engagement before he was gassed. When he knocked the gun from the hands of the German in front of him, his prisoner broke down and cried. He then found that he had captured a boy aged 17 years. Shell Shock Victim "Doing Fine." John R. Russell is suffering from shell shock and is in a hospital in France, according to word received by his wife, of 609 Eighth street. Russell is a member of Company G, 110th regiment. He says he is getting along fine and expects to be back in the trenches again. Altoona Tribune, Saturday, August 24, 1918, page 1 SERGEANT CLARK TELLS BEING BADLY WOUNDED Company G Man Was Carried Over No-Man's-Land in Thick of Fire by His Men MISSING BOYS ARE REPORTED SAFE With his right leg and left ankle badly wounded by a machine gun ball at the height of the Chateau-Thierry battle on July 29, Sergeant Eugene Clark, Company G 110th infantry, of this city, was carried by two of his men across No Man's Land in the thick of gun-fire, to a safety point. This information is contained in a letter received by his father, Harry Clark, a Middle division engineer, of 415 Seventh avenue, yesterday morning. The soldier is now in a hospital near Paris and is improving steadily. He wrote, "Of course, you all know I was wounded and today, it is five days since I was admitted to this hospital. On the morning of July 29, we were in the fight at Chateau-Thierry front, where we had been since July 15. We were called to proceed on a surprise attack in the woods where we had machine gun snipers to content with and a machine gun ball struck my right calf, passing through and hitting the left ankle where it came out. "We were ordered to retire 200 yards and Bruce Stump, of Centre Hall, came along and said, 'I am going back but there's one man going with me or I won't go.' He and Bill Keller, another Company G boy, and a runner, picked me up and ran over 150 yards of field swept by machine gun bullets and then carried me four miles to a first aid station, through high explosives and from there I came on to the American hospital, on the outskirts of Paris. "I am getting along fine and believe me, Dad, I owe the Boches something I didn't before, so just wait." The letter was written August 4. Sergeant Clark was formerly a clerk in the Pennsy maintenance of way department and enlisted in Company G before it went to the Mexican border. He trained at Camp Hancock, Ga. He formerly resided at 415 Seventh avenue. His wife, who resides with her father John Lear, at 1502 Sixth avenue, was previously apprised by a letter of her husband's wounds. Bernard D. Robison, a private in Company G, reported missing several days ago by the war department, is alive and safe, according to a letter received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David C. Robison, 2109 Third avenue yesterday. It was dated August 4 and stated he was getting along nicely and wound soon be ready for service. Duncan R. McIntyre, of 1529 Tenth street, orderly to Lieutenant Krause, Company G, sent a field post card to his family and stated he was safe and well on August 4, five days after he had been reported missing to the government war office. Cards received by Mr. and Mrs. George E. Vance, 1309 Tenth street, and Miss Estella Shaw, 311 Ninth avenue, Juniata, were written by Private George H. Vance, on July 30, the same day he was reported officially missing in action. He wrote he was as well as could be expected. Sergeant Clarence B. Mock, aged 24, son of Mrs. Florence Mock, 1006 Green avenue, has been reported missing in action, according to a message received by his wife, Mrs. Esther Mock, 419 First avenue. He is a company G man, and his brother, Arthur was slain in action on July 18. Corporal James F. Rourke, aged 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Rourke, 220 East Walnut avenue, was gassed during the recent big drive against the grey-coats, he writes, and is in a base hospital in France, recovering. He is improving. He was formerly a Pittsburg division fireman and saw service on the Mexican border. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 5 HOLLIDAYSBURG Mr. and Mrs. George Onkst, of Walnut street have received word from the war department that their son, Martin B. Onkst, of Company A, 21st. M.G.B, has arrived safely overseas. BELLWOOD Word is received by friends that George Houser, former mail messenger on the Bellwood division, has been wounded in France. His home is in Irvona. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 5 NEWS OF SERVICE MEN AT HOME AND ABROAD A Number of Arrivals Overseas Noted in Messages Received by Altoonans Cadet Ira Miller will be home tonight to spend Sunday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Miller, of 822 Seventh avenue. Mr. Miller is in a training school at Princeton, N.J. The many friends of Sergeant Walter C. Moore, Aero Construction company No. 15, whose home is in Sinking valley, will be glad to learn of his safe arrival overseas. Before his enlistment in May, Sergeant Moore was employed by Day & Zimmerman, in enlarging the Penn Central plant at Williamsburg. Word was received yesterday by W. W. Glenn, 3913 Fifth avenue, that his son, Sergeant T. W. Glenn, of the 292nd Aero Squadron, A.E.F., had arrived safely overseas. James M. MacIntyre, son of Mr. and Mrs. William MacIntyre, of 1205 Broadway, Juniata, has arrived safely overseas with a detachment of the signal corps aviation section. He enlisted several months ago and trained at Mineola Aviation field, Long Island. A younger brother, George, is stationed at Fortress Monroe, with the coast artillery. Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Hart, of 423 Cherry avenue, have just received word that their son, Harry M. Hart, has arrived safely overseas. William C. Fowler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fowler, of 213 Third avenue, arrive home yesterday on a ten day furlough, from Camp Wheeler, George, where he is located as a member of the medical corps in the base hospital. He has been in the service for over a year and spent some time at Camp Greenleaf, Ga. His brother, Fritz, was home on a furlough from the United States navy recently. Jack Slep, son of Ed. J. Slep, of 2545 Union avenue, a member of the United States marines, who has been pursuing a course in the non-commissioned officers' school at the Paris Island training camp in South Carolina, has passed excellent examination and has been promoted to the rank of corporal. Word to this effect has been received by the father. He has been selected as a candidate for the sergeants school. George B. Rich, a well known resident of this city, and for some time connected with the stage management of Mishler theatre, is now serving Uncle Sam at Washington, D.C., as a member of the "show" squadron, a model air service unit composed of motor mechanics, most of whom were trained and graduated at Kelly field, San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Rich enlisted in the aviation section of the army in Johnstown December 9 last year, and was first sent for training at Rockford, Ill. Out of a class of 127 men examined at his camp, Mr. Rich was among the successful sixteen who were accepted and sent on to Washington. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 5 EAST SIDE BOARD SELECTS SOLDIERS Forty-four Will Entrain Next Tuesday for Training at Camp Lee Local board No. 2, having jurisdiction over the east side of the city, has selected forty-four men to be sent to Camp Lee next Tuesday evening for training for military service. They reported Thursday evening at headquarters and were given orders to be ready to depart on the special train that will leave the city at 6:35 o'clock. The list exhausts the 1917 quota and takes more than twenty of the 1918 class. Among the number are two sets of brothers. Charles S. and Francis E. Burns, of 422 Sixth avenue, are the first selected on the list. Robert J. Noonan and his brother, Thomas E. Noonan, both of 811 Fourth avenue, are also called. Three selectives called who failed to report and who will be inducted on Tuesday, include Chester B. Harrison, of 608 Ninth street, and William Eisel, jr., of 1006 First avenue, both of the 1917 class, and James W. Cummings, of 2106 Sixth avenue, registrant of the 1918 class. The registrants selected in the quota of forty-four follow: 1917 Class. Charles S. Burns, 422 Sixth avenue. Francis E. Burns, 422 Sixth avenue. Samuel J. G. Edgar, 608 Walton avenue. John W. Hetrick, 1112 Twelfth avenue. Clyde E. Stover, 618 Eleventh street. Andrew W. Banks, 425 E. Sixth avenue. Ralph H. Norton, 305 Howard avenue. Charles E. Becker, 2627 Ninth avenue. George Nickola, jr., 1325 Second avenue. Laurence A. Kimmel, 1331 Second avenue. Oresta Guiseppe, 113 Seventh avenue. John E. N. Hoar, 1025 Sixth avenue. Joseph Ricco, 809 Fifth avenue. Earl C. Housner, 1222 Twelfth avenue. John Winning, 618 Eleventh street. Arthur D. Reifsnyder, 1716 Sixth avenue. Harry H. Clare, 2014 Fourth avenue. George E. Platt, 1700 Fifth avenue. Robert J. Noonan, 811 Fourth avenue. Thomas E. Noonan, River Rouge, Mich. 1918 Class. Joseph H. Miller, jr., 506 Fourth street. William P. Wolfe, 809 Eighth street. William E. Kelly, 2008 Tenth avenue. James P. Shugarts, 1613 Sixth avenue. Arthur A. Wendt, 601 Eighth avenue. Raymond C. J. Schmidthammer, 1702 Second avenue. John Fanale, 321 Seventh avenue. Cicone Santa, 826 Ninth avenue. Walter H. Koelle, 2014 Third avenue. Owen C. Nearhoof, 105 First avenue. Mark K. Mackey, 122 Second avenue. Bernard H. Burke, 204 Fifth avenue. Alfred C. Gern, 1013 Sixth avenue. Robert W. Bailey, 313 Bell avenue. Seward E. Biddle, 1114 Eighth avenue. Thomas R. Brown, 314 Walton avenue. Rudolph E. Mark, 203 Second avenue. George W. Neugebauer, 508 Fifth avenue. Harry S. Pine, jr., 203 Third avenue. Edward P. Metzgar, 609 Walton avenue. Emil C. Fimfschilling, 210 East Fourth street. Edgar M. Wharton, 413 Sixteenth street. Melvin R. Smith, 824 First avenue. Paul A. Foster, 917 Fourth avenue. Alternates. Charles C. Brenner, 1320 Fourth avenue. Azar Abraham, 2324 Eighth avenue. Bernedetta Ardire, 1613 Ninth avenue. William A. Landeck, 606 Fourth avenue. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 6 TYRONE A SOLDIER WOUNDED Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cambridge, of 1354 Logan avenue, yesterday received official notification that their son, Chester J. Cambridge, of Company G, 110th regiment, had been wounded in action on July 30. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 8 NOTES ABOUT PEOPLE Raymond Jenkins, attached to the general offices of the government in Washington, but an enlisted man of the army, is spending a short furlough of several days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. Jenkins, of Logan avenue. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page 8 WARRIORSMARK The many friends of Lieutenant Wm. Curry will be glad to hear he is recovering from injuries received in an airplane accident at Lake Charles, Louisiana, while instructing a cadet in formation flying. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, page GOING TO TRAINING CAMP Frank Fay Esq., Bowman Duncan and Joseph Whitehead to Enter Service Frank Fay, one of the best known of Hollidaysburg's lawyers and Bowman Duncan, of the same town, together with Joseph Whitehead, of Williamsburg, will depart next Thursday for Jacksonville, Fla., to enter the service of the United States. The trio will enter the training camp at Camp Johnston to seek commissions in the Remount service. All three are expert horsemen and are qualified for the service to which they aspire. The course they will take is one of three months and at the end of that time they will be awarded commissions. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, 10 TWO JOIN U.S. MARINES. Sergeant H. E. Nale, in charge of the local U.S. marine recruiting station, yesterday forwarded two men to the Pittsburg headquarters for final examination. Clair F. Walker, of Indiana, enlisted in the aviation section and George E. Caldwell, of 1307 1/4 Sixteenth street, joins as a plumber. Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, August 24, 1918, 12