Navarro County Texas Archives Military Records.....Mitchell, Will 1918
WWI - Letters 144Inf 36th Division A.E. F.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 November 28, 2015, 6:49 am

Sergt Will Mitchell Led Signal Detachment
The Frost Star
Vol 28 No 39.  Jan 12, 1919   James E. Kelly, Publisher

Frost Soldier Under Shell Fire Eighteen Days
Sergt. Will Mitchell Led Signal Detachment in Thickest of Fight Around Verdun

Tanlay, Yonne, France   Dec 3, 1918
Dear Mother and Sis:
Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and happy. I have just finished
a two weeks hike, beginning near Verdun and ending here. We didn't have time to
receive any letters and writing was out of the question. I am here to tell you
that I was just about worn out when we go there. We didn't do any fighting
around Verdun but would have gone on the line there Nov 18.  We made our drive
on the Champagne Front about halfway between Rheims and Verdun.

Our division made a fine showing. We were under shell fire for eighteen straight
days. During those days Fritz gave us everything he had in the way of
frightfulness. I got a little gas the first night up but not enough to send me
to the hospital.  It shortened my wind until I had a hard time keeping up with
the advance at times.  I am all O.K. though now. The thing was terrible at times
and again it wasn't so bad. Just an occasional shell but always enough to let
you know that Fritz was somewhere not so far in front of you. Though in several
fierce bombardments, I had my toughest time on the afternoon of October 12.  I
had charge of the signal detachment with the first battalion. At 2 o'clock in
the afternoon we went over the top with the hill overlooking the Aisne river, in
front of Attigney. My orders were to stay with the Major, and the Major led his
battalion forward. Our advance the past few days had been so rapid that our
artillery had been unable to keep up with us, so we went over the top without
artillery support I don't know how to describe it, but if there is such a thing
as hell, on earth, we had it that afternoon.  For a half mile we moved forward
in the face of a withering barrage of high explosive gas and shrapnel and the
last three or four hundred yards, machine guns and snipers played tag with our
insurance policies. One shell hit close enough to me to knock dirt all over me
with _____
Had it gone off they might have found my dog tag, I don't know. I am lucky indeed.
Sergt Will Mitchell
Headquarters Co 144 Inf 36th Division A.E.F.

NOTE:Thank you Sandra for being a sleuth and discovering more about Will Mitchell.
I believe this is William R Mitchell 1891-1936. He has a memorial at findagrave.com

http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=mitchell&GSiman=1&GSsr=121&GScid=3970&GRid=70659396&
 

His parents are Robert Alexander Mitchell and Susan Jane Sewell Mitchell, both buried at Frost Cemetery. 

William’s obituary states he moved to Dallas in 1914 to work for Magnolia Petroleum Company. He joined the military in 1918 and his letter is dated 1919. Per his obituary, he served with the 144th infantry, 36th division. When he signs his letter he states he is with 144th infantry, 36th division.



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