France Dec. 11, 1918.

Roy anticipates his return to the U.S. in this letter. The boys have been talking about their states (each proud of his own) and wish to return home. Roy shows his own state pride and recalls a banquet he attended over a year ago, back in Roaring Spring PA. Also notice that Stella seems to have finally agreed to send the picture Roy asked for nearly a year earlier.

My Dear Friend:

Your most welcome letter of November 14th was received yesterday evening, also the clipping and enjoyed them very much. You see it is not much reading I am doing now. The Y.M.C.A. in Bar-Le-Duc has books and Magazines but I do not seem to get time to read or enjoy them though many of the boys here do so. One thing the Y is doing and which I enjoy, and that is their hot chocolate and bread and jam. And most every time I get down to town I go and get some!

We expect to have our Field cleaned up here soon and then I do not know what we will do. Thirty of our men went up into Alsace-Loraine a few days ago to take care of some planes for the Army of Occupation which is going into Germany. They may be gone for several months and I do not know if we shall stay here until they return or not.

You say we can be proud of our state and we are and every Pennsylvanian should be. She surely has done her share in this war. There are some great arguments here sometimes between boys from different states. We have boys in the Squadron from Pa., Ohio, Mich, Wis, N.Y., Cal., Texas, Tenn., Miss., Ala., Mass., Conn., Fla., N.J., Ind., Ark., Mo, and Washington, D.C. and each one thinks his own state is the best one of all, consequently there are some hot arguments. The other guys call the Pennsylvanian boys coal miners and coal shovelers, while the Californians are prune-pickers Missourins are Mountaineers, Texans are Longhorns and so it goes.

I, too, am sorry we cannot share your nice weather as we have nothing but rain, rain, and more rain. Have had no snow yet and very little cold weather. In fact no cold weather yet it is cool and with the rain it is very disagreeable. So you cannot blame us if we would like to be back in good old U.S.A.

'If I care to have one of those pictures!' I sure would, and hope you will not change your mind. I shall certainly be pleased to receive one of them and shall thank you now in advance and will hope to speak my thanks at closer hand before many months. I believe I asked you for a picture some time ago, while I was in Tennessee. Did I not? I think I sent you a little snapshot from here. Did you ever receive it?

How is Elizabeth? And Mrs Shaffer? What do you think of President Wilson's trip to France? The report is that he is to land at Brest. That is the port at which we landed August 26th but I do not suppose he will go to a rest camp as we did. Ha, Ha! We spent about ten days at Pontanegeu Barracks one of Napoleons old Headquarters and it is some place too, I'll tell you. Bar-Le-Duc is quite an old town, too, you know we are about a mile from there now. It dates back to the eleventh century. One old tower is still standing having been built in the tenth century. It is also the birthplace of President Poincare of France.

I just happened to think that tonight one year ago I had one grand and glorious supper. Mr. Kurtz of the Standard gave a banquet at the Eldon Inn at Roaring Spring to the five boys who were leaving for the Service. We are all in France now I think and instead of a banquet and big supper I had black coffee, beef-stew boiled potatoes, hard bread and molasses for supper. Quite a contrast but we seem to be enjoying it at that. We are all getting fat anyway. I think I must weigh about 176 pound now. One thing is worrying me, though I am afraid I will be too stout to wear my old civilian clothes and surely will not have enough money to buy new ones. Ha, Ha! It will be odd for us to have to buy our clothes and hard to pick what we want, I guess. You see in the Army we do not have watch the styles Ha, Ha!

Well I believe I have scribbled enough for this time. Please do not forget the picture nor change your mind. I really want one. I'll bring you a souvenir from France in exchange. Is it a bargain? Ha, Ha! It's almost time for 'lights out' and my bunk is not yet made up so Good night!

Most sincerely Yours,

Roy D.

France, November 30, 1918.

In this letter, his first to Stella after the armistice, Roy is exuberant, though still not optimistic about being sent home soon. As the letter goes on it becomes sober in tone; Roy begins with several positive effects of the armistice but also reveals one sad but common result of the inconstant mail service and distance from home. While he now knows where his brother is and can be more open with Stella about his experiences and his hopes to return home, he has also learned that his friend's father has been buried for a month, and though his friend's family tried to reach him it was evident from his lack of response that he had no idea his father had died.

My Dear Friend:

Well! how is Johnstown taking the peace situation by this time? I suppose the boys are beginning to return home by this time, are they not? According to the little bit of news we get here, they are mustering out the men over there very fast and are beginning to return some men from France and England. We are also hearing that the Air Service will be among the first to return, but some Squadrons will be sent on into Germany and we do not know which we will move.

We are expecting to leave this place soon and are hoping to move toward the coast. Personally I feel that I shall be lucky to get home by Easter. The censorship is not quite so rigid now, though not yet lifted, so I will tell you where we now are. We are at Bar-Le-Duc, in northwestern France. Not so many miles from Verdun, of which I suppose you have read quite a bit.

I haven't a doubt but that the folks at home are feeling very good over the end of the war, but they cannot feel any better over it than the French people who have had over four years of it and had it right at home, too.

We had quite a nice Thanksgiving dinner, even if we were in the A.E.F. I think the cooks overdid themselves that day. We had: Beefsteak and onions dressing, peas, mashed potatoes, cucumber pickles, bread, biscuits, tapioca pudding, jam tarts, syrup, butter, nuts, cigars, cigarettes, and champagne. Cocoa too. Some dinner, wasn't it? I'll say it was. And we surely did enjoy it. I am afraid it spoiled some of us as, after such a meal, it was hard for us to go back to old rations again.

I suppose you will soon be having snow over there. As usual we are having rain here. We did have a week or more of nice weather the first part of this month but are now wading mud again. And it is cold, too, very disagreeable weather.

How is the Flu Epidemic over there? I hope you have and will escape it. I know what it is like and it surely is no pleasant thing to have. I had it several weeks after we came over and though not bad, I had more of it than I cared for. Since I wrote you last I have heard from my brother over here. We have been looking for each other but neither of us could tell the other where we were but in his last letter he told me he was down near Bordeaux, so you see we are quite a distance apart.

My French is not progressing fast as I should like it to, but as long as I can use my hands I can do fairly well, Ha, Ha! You see we are too busy to learn much French. It used to be, we were working to end the war, but now we are working to get back home.

I do not know if I ever told you or not but I will tell you now about three of us boys from Claysburg enlisting together. We enlisted December 8 1917. Almost a year ago, and hoped to stick together, but were separated in Columbus, Ohio, shortly after arriving there. One of the boys I have not heard from since. The other went to Kelly Field Texas and while there wrote me several times. He is now over here, having arrived a week or two before I did. One old friend whom I met here at Behonne had seen him and gave me his address. I have written him three or four times since but have never received any reply. This evening I had a letter from his sister giving me his last address and saying they get his mail but he says he gets nothing from them. So you see the mails over here are somewhat mixed up, or something. I am going to write him again and hope to reach him this time. His sister says they buried their father October 29th and I suppose he knows nothing of it.

I think I told you in my last letter of the celebrations over the signing of the armistice. Of many other things I think I could tell you better at close range, and I hope the opportunity to do so will soon come. Anyway I'll close for this time.

Most Sincerely,
Roy D.

November 11, 1918

There is not another letter to post until November 30th, yet I thought I should post a little something today--Armistice Day. "At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918, hostilities ceased on the western front. Roy J. Diehl had only been overseas for a few months and had seen no action due to America's late entrance into the war. It must have been a joyous yet anticlimactic moment for American soldiers who hadn't made it to the front yet, but although they may not have taken part in the majority of the fighting, they did play a role in maintaining order following the peace agreement. They also had the opportunity to travel, which Roy J. Diehl took advantage of. You'll read his descriptions of the French Riviera in later letters.

Some things I did not learn in high school history (this could fill an entire book, but I'm keeping it specific to US and British involvement in WWI):

- the US tried very hard not to become involved in the war, instead attempting to mediate between opposing sides, and when congress at last declared war the move was rather unpopular. In fact, US involvement in the war was seen as a mistake by the majority of US citizens until Hitler's rise to power, when attitudes changed.

-WWI aided suffragettes in their cause. When women were needed to perform the duties of men away at war, governing bodies no longer had any semblance of a leg to stand on when it came to denying women the right to vote. Britain granted women the vote in 1918; the US was woefully behind and didn't grant it until 1920. For an amazing account of the struggle for voting rights and the bravery of women serving as nurses during the war, read Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain.

These are interesting tidbits to consider on a day meant to honor veterans, who were/are not always respected, and whose ranks included those women who fought for the vote and kept their composure in the face of injuries never seen before.

Somewhere in France, November 1, 1918

While this letter is longer than many of the previous letters, it doesn't contain wildly exciting details about life in the barracks close to the front. Instead, Roy talks about home and the entertainment he's been enjoying thanks to the "Y." He no longer seems excited to be in France but rather wishes he were at home to see autumn and is optimistic about being able to go home soon.


My Dear Friend:


Your very welcome letter of September 30th was just received and I want to say that it found me quite well and very busy. I suppose the weather over there is real autumn like. Here, I do not know what to call it but it is cool nights and mornings and rains every day, it seems. And they say we can expect wet weather for several months more. For my part I do not care for the rain. I would much rather see cold weather.

What do you think of the peace outlook? Looks very good, does it not? I think you need not worry about Howard's enlisting for you know General Pershing said some time ago, Heaven, Hell or Hoboken by Christmas! for us. Pardon the expression but I feel that he almost knew what he was talking about.

How did you and Professor Nysum make out? I hope he did not take your girls away from you? I do not blame you a bit for not wanting to make the change from the girls to boys. I always did like the girls. Ha, Ha!

I sure would like to have been around the Sunday your brother prom to take you out for chestnuts. I would have offered my services, at least. And I am good at climbing trees, too. Sunday, of course, is not a proper day for going chestnut hunting but I am quite used to Sunday working. Haven't missed a Sunday since I arrived in France. But if I ever get back to the States I am going to take a vacation. Every day will be Sunday for a while. Ha, Ha!

I am going to enclose a couple souvenirs which I hope you receive. Neither one amounts to anything, but they will have come from France, anyway. I have had two letters from my brother over here and am expecting another now. I do not know where he is nor does he know just where I am but we write anyway.

I told you about the air raid we had, did I not? We have had none since that night, but did have one alarm which must have been a false one. There may have been some Boches up but nothing was dropped.

Several of the boys are giving us a little music, playing a mandolin and a guitar. It sounds real good, too. It is not often we have music of any kind. Since we have been here at this place though we have had several good short shows. Given by the Y' entertainment committee. They were held in one of the Aeroplane Hangars. Margaret Mayo and Elizabeth Brice and several others were the attraction one night. They got hold of an old piano somewhere and it was a real show. For a stage they used an auto trailer and they used a big truck which had a big body on it. So you see it was some show but it was good. When I was in the states it was hard for me to write letters, for it seemed there was nothing to write but I thought that when I got over here there would be lots to write about but I find little difference. Of what I am seeing I can talk better at short range, see? And I am hoping that time is not more than six or eight months distant. I'll close for this time

As always Most sincerely,

Roy D
Sgt Roy J Diehl 281st Aero Squadron Amer Ex Forces France

Somewhere in France October 15, 1918.

This letter provides a lot of information about a soldier's life and displays many conventions common to WWI letters. Roy mentions that he can't find out where his brother is due to restrictions on what they can say in their letters. He isn't seeing much action--only the "effects," which he won't or cannot describe, but he is experiencing the extraordinary amount of mud soldiers had to deal with throughout the war. It is unclear whether he's softening his descriptions for Stella's sake or for the censor's--probably a combination of both.

My Dear Friend:

I think I started my last letter 'Somewhere in France' so I should have started this one 'Somewhere else in France,' as I have moved since then, but we are now located and are all very busy instead of loafing around as we did for a while, and believe me the time passes much quicker when one has something to do.

I received your letter of September 3rd a few days ago so you see it takes quite a long time for our mail to reach us. I have not yet received any word from home, but had a letter two days ago from a brother of mine who is also over here. He could not tell me just where he is nor can I tell him where I am but I am hoping that I may be lucky enough to meet him.

I met an old friend with whom I worked at Claysburg several days ago. He and I enlisted and left at the same time, and maybe we were not glad to see each other. We spent several evenings together talking things over both past and future. He says he intends to stay over here for a while after the war, but I do not like it quite as well as that. Some of the boys are figuring on being home in a few months but I have an idea we will be doing well to be home for July 4th '19.

We are located in the Zone of Advance but are not close enough to see much of the real thing, only some of the effects. Of course, we can hear quite a bit and see some of the fireworks at night but that is about all. In my driving I sometimes see the effects of shell fire or aerial bombs but that is about all.

I think this is the worst place for rain that I ever saw. It rains almost every day and talk about mud! It's fierce and no sidewalks about camp either. One thing I must say about France. They have good roads. We built our Camp and barracks ourselves. Built the barracks out in a field so we get the benefit of the mud. There surely is no use saving it. It's plenty.

We haven't any 'Y' nearer than about a mile so we usually spend our evenings lying about our barracks writing letters or sometimes playing cards. Then too, we have some great arguments once in a while. Mostly about the war or the states or home cities. Each fellow, you know, stands up for his home state or town and so it goes. Souvenir hunting, too, is quite popular. I am now writing on a board that one of the boys got out of a Boche airship that was brought down and hauled in here. Several weeks ago there was one Huns came flying across here and they opened fire on him with anti air craft guns and chased him back home.

Was sorry to hear of Elizabeth's illness and hope she is quite well again. Poor Mrs Shaffer has had her share of ill luck. The jolly bunch she had about her last summer is all broken up. The young men in the states may be getting scarce but I think before another year there will be many happy reunions over there. You should worry about what Mr Nycum said. I haven't a doubt but what many boys will come home in a new manhood but not in the way Mr Nycum thinks, perhaps. Though I have not the least doubt but what there will be quite a few less lady school-teachers, see? Ha, Ha! Miss Felix was right and the women deserve a good share of the credit for those very ideas of which you spoke.

I must write my brother tonight, too so I had better close. But don't you worry about that scribbling of which you spoke. I like to decipher such scribbling and the longer the better.
With best regards,

Most sincerely,
Roy D.
Sgt. Roy J. Diehl 281st Aero Squadron Amer Ex Forces France #764480

Snapshot

Roy's next letter to Stella is not until early October, and while I am confident that my readers could figure out on their own that this large space between letters is due in part to the great distance between France and the United States (made greater by slower means of transportation and lack of e-mail), I thought I'd supply a bit of additional information about what was happening at this time in 1918 to Roy and to the Western World.

On September 3rd, the 281st aero squadron left the Pontanazen barracks (where they marched from Brest) and boarded a train for St. Maixent, where they arrived on September 4th. Unfortunately for the men, they arrived in the Port of Brest during or shortly after one of the worst outbreaks of Spanish Influenza, and when they arrived in St. Maixent roughly 40 of the men were ill with it, including, if we can believe his later letters, Roy Diehl. Between September 4th and 16th, the 281st stayed in St. Maixent, and when they boarded the train for Colombey-les-Belles, they left 15 sick men behind.

The Spanish Flu, a strain of H1N1 (familiar?), is largely forgotten, although it killed more people than the Great War itself did. It could be that the Great War has overshadowed the Spanish Flu as a greater event in history, but no doubt restricted media coverage of the illness due to the war as well as the brief (albeit intense) run of the disease between 1917 and 1918 contributed to its fading from human memory.

The Spanish Flu was an unusual pandemic in that it tended to be most dangerous for the hale and hearty, causing strong immune systems to react violently and kill the bodies they were trying to save. Thus, the young men heading off to war were often victims of the illness. Despite its name, the virus did not originate in Spain; Spain merely had few media restrictions, and therefore covered the virus in its newspapers etc. where other countries involved in the war did not. The virus is thought to have originated in the American midwest, though there were theories that it came from the Far East as well.

So, at this time in 1918, Roy and his squadron were traveling to their appointed location, and the Spanish Flu made a terrific comeback among the enlisted men while the Great War continued.

France August 29, 1918

This is Roy's first letter from "over there." He seems to be excited, as he says he enjoyed his trip and expects to like France. This is also the first letter to show direct reference to military censorship. From this point forward, his letters are spaced further apart, as the time it took for them to reach the US and receive a response from Stella was quite long.

Dear Friend:

Perhaps you are wondering at not having heard from me for some time but the beginning of this letter should partly explain it. So will you please pardon the delay. You see I am at last 'Over There,' as we used to say in the States, and, though I have seen very little of the country, I believe I shall like it for a time, anyway.

It is a picturesque looking country and the people are an old-fashioned looking lot. Of course, I have seen very little yet and believe things are quite different in the different parts of the country. The French language seems, to me anyway, very hard to learn and and understand. I am going to try to learn to speak a little French, anyway.

We have a young fellow in our Squadron who can speak French very well. In fact he is a French American and spent part of his boyhood in France. He says he was born in San Francisco and came over here when he was quite young and was here about twelve years, so he can give the rest of the bunch some good pointers in French. So while you are studying your music and singing I will be trying to learn to speak French and doing my bit too. Ha Ha. How are the singing lessons going?

We had fine weather for our voyage, except one day or so when it rained, but I think all enjoyed the trip. I know I did. I was expecting to be seasick on the trip but did not mind it at all. I think the fine weather accounted for it. Were I able to tell you all about our trip I know I could write a long letter, but I shall try to remember most of it and have that much more to tell you when I return.

When you write me spell out the A.E.F. as those letters also stand for Australian E.F and there is a chance for a mistake. Give my regards to all and I shall look forward to a big letter.

Most Sincerely,
Roy D.
#764480 My address Sg. Roy J. Diehl 281st Aero Squadron American Expeditionary Forces. France

Hiatus

You may have noticed a lack of letters in recent weeks. Though delays have usually been due to my own inattention, this particular one is due to the fact that, at this time in 1918, Roy J. Diehl was making his way--along with the rest of the 281st--to France. His first letter to Stella from France wasn't written until August 29th, 4 days after the U.S. transport "Matsonia," on which several squadrons crossed the Atlantic, arrived in the Port of Brest.

The ship left Hoboken, N.J. on August 11th, 1918, along with 7 other transports, three destroyers, one cruiser, two hydroplanes and one observation balloon.

Garden City, L.I. New York July 28, 1918

This is Roy's last letter to Stella from the United States (until he returns from France, of course). The insecurity he showed in his earlier letters to Stella seems to return when he asks, again, "May I expect to hear from you?"

Dear Friend:

I am writing you a few lines this evening to say, for one thing, that I am expecting to leave here at any time now and that after you receive this you had better not write me until after hearing from me again. Of course, we do not know just when we leave for sure but are expecting it soon, so that should we leave I should very likely not get any of my mail for a long time at least, if I got it at all.

You should see the nice little caps they issued us yesterday. They took all our hats and gave us little caps that look something like the caps the Scotch Highlanders and some Canadians and French men wear. They are small and sit on the top or side of one's head.

I at last got track of the two boys who enlisted with me. One of them, Kelly, is in England, where he had been for about three months, and the other, Pete Stufft, should be on the other side by this time. He was at Camp Mills, Long Island when I arrived here. Camp Mills joins Field no 2 and Pete left if July 13th and I arrived July 11th. Of course, I did not know it. If I had I could have seen him as we must have been close together.

Well I'll close and once I get located again I will write you and then, may I expect to hear from you? If you can send me Kenneth Meades address when I get over, perhaps, I might some time be able to hunt him up. I would be glad to do so.

Most Sincerely,
Roy J.D.

apologies (again)

Hi folks,

I apologize for not posting letters on the appropriate dates, recently. In my (poor) defense, I have been fairly busy. Anyway, I want to assure you that this will not happen as frequently in the future (the late posting, that is...not my being busy). I have added the dates to my calendar, which should remind me with some advance notice.

Best,
Kate

Garden City Long Island, N.Y. July 23, 18.

In this letter, Roy discusses life in Garden City, Long Island just before shipping overseas. He visits home for a few hours--not enough time to get to Johnstown to see Stella--and points out how many young men who were home last summer are now gone. there is fun in this letter, however; the boys test out their newly issued helmets by dropping rocks on each other's heads.

My Dear Friend:

Your very welcome letter was received a few days ago and also the one you had addressed to Park Field and I want to assure you that both were gladly received. I have been intending to answer for the past week but we have been kept so very busy until yesterday that I have had little time for writing letters but yesterday and today we have not been quite so busy.

We are now almost fitted out for overseas duty and hope to get started over very soon. I applied for a few days leave of absence upon arriving here but was unable to get more than a week-end pass, from Saturday afternoon at 2:30 until eleven oclock Sunday evening. So fearing that I might not be able to get any more than that I slipped home last Saturday evening. I left New York City Saturday evening at 5:30 and arrived at Altoona at 1:45 Sunday morning. I then borrowed my brothers car and reached home, near Martinsburg, about eight oclock and had to start back to Altoona at 10:30 and left there at 12:45. So you see I had a very short stay. I certainly was sorry I could not stay longer and see more of my friends but it was impossible on that trip. My application for a three days pass still holds good so if we should stay here a week or two longer I may get back again. If I can do so I shall hope to get to Johnstown, too. I would very much have liked to see Claysburg, too but could not do that either. Of course, I suppose it is still the same place, but I know quite a few of the boys are gone to war.

I must surely sympathise with Mrs. Shaeffer. Last summer this time she had quite a large and jolly 'family' but now I suppose the boys are about all gone but Herbert. Elmer has been married, I hear, and Edward has gone by this time, I guess.

I believe your plan of sharing loneliness is a very good one and I may try it some time, though if they always keep us as busy as they have so far, I may not need any plan as long as I am in the Army. And, I suppose we will be kept busy on the other side.

We were issued our "tin hats" or steel helmets today and I think we now have almost everything we will get on this side.I had a card from my brothers wife last week on which she said my brother had left camp June 30th and had arrived safely in France, so you see he beat me to it.

Many of the boys are having fun with their "tin hats" this evening. They are dropping stones on one another's heads to see how it feels. I was walking down the Squadron street this afternoon with my hat and another guy came down on top of my hat with a broom handle hard enough to break the broomstick, but I believe they would feel quite heavy on one's head after wearing one a whole day.

Another thing beside work and drill at this place is music of which we have a plenty. Many organizations here are organizing bands and we go to sleep in the evening and sometimes get up in the morning with music in the air. This morning I was awakened by a band of the 11th Construction Co. They were marching up and down their Company street and playing some ragtime pieces.

My mother and sister in law in Altoona fixed up a big box of lunch to bring with me and I certainly did enjoy it, too. I have a little of it left which I think I shall finish up before I go to sleep this evening.

They took our Squadron Commander away from us since we came here though our old officer is going to stay with the Squadron. The new officer seems to be a very good man though we have hardly seen enough of him to know just what he is like. I hear we are to have a 'showdown' inspection tomorrow and that means clean up everything we have. All government issue clothing and equipment must be displayed in the prescribed way upon our bunks.

Well you will surely will be tired reading this scribble so I will close. I want to thank you for your good wishes and may I wish you the same.

Very Sincerely,
Roy J Diehl
281st Aero Sqdn Field #2 Garden City L.I. N.Y.

Garden City. Long Island, N.Y. July 14, 1918.

This is the first letter written from Park Field, Long Island, the last place the 281st stayed before heading overseas. In it, Roy lists the equipment the soldiers were given before shipping out. His mind seems to be more on the war than before--he mentions the fierceness of the German fighting and speculates that, if forced onto their own ground, they're likely to fight even harder.

My Dear Friend:

I suppose you have by this time received my cards for I mailed you several a few days ago while on my way up here from Park Field. I understand this is to be our embarkation point and I am glad to be this far on my way to France. Our Squadron just arrived here Thursday morning at 2 oclock after being on the train from 9 oclock Monday evening. We had a very nice trip traveling in Pullman sleepers, by way of Louisville, Ky., Huntingdon, W.Va., Staunton, Va., Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. We had nice weather and saw lots of the country on the way.

This place is more like an army camp than any place I have yet been. It is a quite large camp, all tents. As yet we have very little to do but stand inspections and turn in and receive clothing and equipment. They have taken all our Khaki clothing and issued Woolen O.D. We are also to get spiral putties or Leggins, "Tin Hats," (helmets) and our Arms. Each man an automatic revolver and a rifle, so you see even if we are not so fierce and warrior-like in actions we will surely look to be. Ha. Ha!

Yesterday we had a Field Inspection: that is, we packed up our haversacks, marched to the parade ground about a mile away where each mean opened his pack and displayed for inspection all his equipment. Everything must be packed and laid out in a prescribed manner, and if anything is a bit dirty or not displayed in the right manner someone is sure going to be in bad.

Many of our boys are in New York City today on pass and I suppose are having a great time. Many of them, I know, have never been there and several were never outside of Tenn or Mississippi, so I imagine they are "seeing things" today. I did not ask for any pass because I want to try for a few days leave next week and if I had had one today it would be marked up against me. I am going to try to come home for a couple days next week, if we stay here long enough. As it is now I do not believe we shall be here very long, and I want to get home at least before going over. An older brother of mine enlisted june 15th and left for France June 28th and I, having enlisted seven months ago and still here, feel slighted, but I don't think it will be long before I shall go across. I hope so anyway.

With few exceptions, the Squadron is made up the same as it has been for some time and quite a few, nine or ten, I think, Altoona boys are still with us. I met an Altoona boy today and also one from Claysburg. They have been here for some time. So far, I have seen little flying, not more than ten or twelve machines in the air at one time, but the flying is of a more advanced stage, more so than at Park Field. there we saw but one type of plane while here we see many different types.

I suppose you, or, I hope you enjoyed a nice holiday on July 4th. I do not know what the Fourth was like at home or in Altoona, but for me at Park Field it was a working day for I was on duty. There was quite a time in Memphis but I missed it. Many of the boys there went to Memphis and had a great time.

Well, I think the Germans have done their worst, or best, which shall I say? It looks as if they have about played their best cards though I would not be surprised if it would last a year or more for we all know that it won't do to make a half-way peace, and if the Germans are forced to fight on their own ground it is my opinion they will fight like fiends.

Well, I know you must surely be tired of reading this scribbling so, I will close.

Sincerely,
Roy

Park Field Memphis 6/30/18

Though Roy doesn't mention the details or emotional effect of his job very often in his letters, in this one he does provide some detail of one of the many airplane wrecks he had to haul. "His ship was the worst looking ship I ever saw. Nothing but a mass of broken wood, cloth, and twisted wire and metal." Sights like these and the occasional deaths caused by airplane crashes can't have been easy to handle, especially when Roy's job was crash clean-up.

Dear Friend:

I am sorry that I have been so slow in answering your last letter but as busy as I have been I really found little time for writing letters. Today I have some time and am going to improve it by writing several letters. I owe one to the folks at home, one to each of three brothers, and one to a chum of mine, who is now at Kelly Field, Texas. So you see I have quite a job ahead of me.

An older brother of mine enlisted June 15th and is now at Camp Dix, New Jersey. He is a previous-service man and is enlisted in the Engineer Corps and as they are shipping Engineer Corps men to the other side in a hurry, he is likely to be going over in short order. He says I better hurry up or he will beat me to Germany yet. He may but according to the latest hope at this place I can expect to be on the move before next Sunday. We have been making preparations for going overseas for a week or more and it seems we are going for sure this time. We had made some preparations for leaving about two months ago but it all fell through that time, but I surely hope it does not fall through this time. Everybody in the Squadron is anxious to go.

A change in working hours at this field was made last Thursday, so now we have shorter days, but perhaps wee shall not long have advantage of them for long. We now have most of our overseas equipment and have been getting Gas Mask training so it looks like a sure go this time.

Last week was a busy week for me and my truck as I hauled about eight broken airplanes in. Several of them were badly broken up while some of them were only slightly damaged. Three men were killed in two ships. One Lieutenant and a mechanic whose home was in Memphis fell at Clarksdale Miss. Both were killed. The third man, a student aviator fell just at the edge of the Field here. His ship was the worst looking ship I ever saw. Nothing but a mass of broken wood, cloth, and twisted wire and metal. Part of it was not worth hauling in so was burned on the spot. Another ship was badly broken by hitting some telephone wires. A cadet was flying it and got too low. He was not hurt in the least but his ship was broken up.

I suppose Fourth of July will be quite a day in Johnstown. We expect to have a holiday here that is if we are still here. They are going to have an athletic meet here the afternoon of the 3rd and I suppose we will be given passes for the Fourth.

I was in Memphis last Sunday and had a nice time. Saw a good "movie" The movies are open Sundays down here. I can think of little else to write this time but as soon as I leave I will drop you a line. Of course if I should not leave I will write again, but am hoping I shall get away soon.

Sincerely,
Roy D.

a tidbit

So, the next letter won't arrive until the 30th. Rather than allow the blog to remain inactive in the intervening time, I'm going to use my spare hours to research a little bit more and share my findings with my many, many followers (are we up to 3 now?).

In June 2nd's letter, Sgt. Diehl mentioned his experience of Memorial Day in the south, remarking on the lack of fanfare (compared to the typical celebration in Pennsylvania).

Currently, Memorial Day is dedicated to the remembrance of fallen US soldiers. It seems to have begun in the late 1800s as a day meant to honor those soldiers who died during the Civil War. There are conflicting opinions, however, as to which soldiers the day originally honored. According to Wikipedia, the day was meant for remembering fallen Union soldiers. According to usmemorialday.org, the day officially began with flowers being laid on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington Cemetery. As authoritative as usmemorialday.org appears to be, I'm inclined to believe Wikipedia's version, due to one comment in the letter of June 2nd: "But you know this is the South and May 30th is a Northern Holiday. I think some of the Southern States have a Memorial Day some time in April." I suspect that our desire to believe in the unity of the US then and now may have caused some slight revision of history. It's difficult to say for sure.

That's my tidbit for tonight... I'll try to find other interesting bits to research and share.

Park Field, Tenn. June 2, 1918

The interesting part of this letter is its account of Memorial Day in the South through the eyes of a northerner. Roy also provides a detailed description of the camp's schedule and references to the educational system in America at the time.

Dear Friend:

This evening I am going to try the paper you were so kind to send me and for which I sincerely thank you. But I must ask your pardon for always using a pencil. To tell the truth I am a poor hand at writing with a pen and always hate to use one.

I received your very welcome letter of the 29th and enjoyed it very much. It was longer than most of your letters and those are the kind I like. I may be selfish in this matter but nevertheless it is the truth. My own letters, perhaps, are not as long as they might be and I know not half as interesting as they might be, but if I do my best surely they have some cause to be excused.

I suppose Memorial Day was observed in your town in a fitting manner, was it not? All the parades and suitable homage to the departed veterans? They gave us a holiday here at the Field and most of the boys went to Memphis. I among them, but there was no holiday there. The only places closed being the Banks. Stores were open and business as usual. But you know this is the South and May 30th is a Northern Holiday. I think some of the Southern States have a Memorial Day some time in April. I am not sure.

I was in Memphis but a short time and while there saw a small show. Last night I was in with my truck and on the way back was caught in a rain and got wet through and through, getting back to camp at 10:30.

They started a new schedule here last week. We now get up at 4 A.M. go to work at 5:30 work till 10:30 have a lunch at 11 and drill from 11:15 to 12 M then we rest till 1:45 when we have dinner then we go to work at 2:30 and work till 8:00 stand Retreat at 8:30 and have supper immediately after so that we are all through by about 9:15 when we can go to bed (if we want to.) It makes long days. I do not know just what the idea is but no other camp in the country does it. Saturdays, of course, are not so long as we are through by 5 oclock. I worked last Sunday and worked today but should have next Sunday off.

Our roses, lilacs and snowballs here have been over long ago and it seems to me that it should be August or September instead of June. Most of our boys here are "Huskies" now alright but if the warm weather keeps up I am afraid we shall lose some of our weight. I am already losing a little, but I really did weigh a little too much. Two weeks ago I weighed 171 but have fallen to 165.

I am glad to know you like School but those questions you mentioned, I fear, are too much for me. I remember them though for I went to Normal School several months. You would not believe it would you? Ha, Ha! Anyway, I hope you got your Chickens and Dutchmen straightened out.

Perhaps you will not understand Reville, Retreat, etc., when you read of the new schedule. You see they have a different bugle call for every formation and general orders. Four of us know all the calls but by watching the time of day we can tell what call it is. "First Call" precedes every formation. First Call at 4 A.M. means get up the next is Assembly which means get outside at 4:10 at Reville the Flag is hoisted. Of course the Mess call is the call to go to work. Then there is a Recall from Fatigue, Officers Call, First Sergeants Call, Sick Call etc. Retreat is sounded just before the flag is taken down and the Call to the Colors is sounded as the flag comes down. Then there is Tattoo at 9 P.M. Call to Quarters at 10:45 and Taps at 11 P.M. I think the prettiest sounding call of all is tattoo, but as it sounds at 9 P.M. most likely it sounds better than calls that are sounded at 4 or 5 A.M. To the men it would seem so anyway. Ha Ha!

Two or three of the boys have started an argument now and I can not write very well, so I'll close. I think this letter is long enough anyway. You may think I am getting extravagant with my new paper too So, I am,

Most Sincerely,

Roy D.

Park Field. May 22, 1918

From this letter we can see how the enlisted men were entertained but also how Roy's experience, as a truck driver rather than pilot, was unique. He seems to be an observer a lot of the time, in this case of some other men's assignment to accompany a portable wireless set to Bolton College. Between hauling, Vaudeville, and the Blue Devils, Roy is kept busy.

Dear Miss Custer:

Is it warm up there? I'll say it is worse than warm down here. It's hot. We have had some of the hottest weather I ever saw in the last week or so. I will soon be tanned as dark as some of the n-----s down here. Not that bad I guess. I do not mind that part of it a bit but this heat almost melts me. One good thing about it is that the nights are not quite so warm, but I expect they will be warm enough too before long.

I brought in a wrecked ship today from about twelve miles out the country. No one was injured in the wreck. There have not been any fatal accidents for some time now and I hope there will not be any more. I used to have a steady detail of hauling here on the Post and seldom got away from camp except once in awhile when they were short of drivers or something of the kind, but for about ten days now I have been getting out more. They took me off the regular detail and now I am doing more outside work.

Monday a week ago I hauled the Park Field to and from Memphis where they played the Camp Pike team and were beaten 4 to 3. Another day last week I hauled a portable wireless set over to Bolton College and spent the day there. I took the set and three men over in the morning and brought them back in the evening. Bolton College is about fifteen miles from here. It is closed now but we four boys got dinner over there and it was great.

Last Sunday I spent in Memphis again and had a very nice time. Took dinner with some folks there and then we went for an automobile ride. They are working things at the Garage now so that each driver gets one Sunday off in three, or near about that. Did you ever hear of Granville of Ziegfields "Follies"? He was quite a vaudeville artist and dancer. He is a Lieutenant here now and organized a minstrel here several weeks ago. They gave a show here at the "y" two weeks ago and another in Memphis. They also played at Covington and at Millington last night. They had a very good show. Granville, himself, is half the show but there also some very good singers and players among the enlisted men here.

I weighed myself Sunday and weighed 191 pounds, more than I have weighed for several years but I think this hot weather is going to bring me down. Mother thought I looked good in the picture and I am getting stout it seems, but I hope I don't keep on gaining.

I have asked several boys here about Camp Green leaf but no one knows just where it is. I am still anxiously awaiting something or some orders about leaving here, for I am getting anxious to go over.

Did I send you a little pin in my last letter? I know I intended to do so, and it seems I cannot find it now. I do not quite get what you said about the picture. I mean what you said about your brother and the "poor subject", but anyway I am going to look forward to receiving the picture in return.

I suppose you have heard of the French "Blue Devils" have you not? They are Frenchmen and veterans of the war have been invalided home and are now touring this country. They are coming to Memphis next Sunday. I would like very much to see and hear them but as I was away last sunday I shall not be able to go see them. Perhaps all this stuff about our doings here does not interest you but as I am a poor letter writer I can hardly think of anything else to write. If you do not care for it please do not fear to say so. Ha, Ha!

The Government is building a new Hostess House here at the Field and it looks as if it were going to be a dandy. The Y.M.C.A. is going to run it and is to be a home as stopping place for friends of the boys. Friends or members of the family who wish to come to visit them.

It is getting near "tattoo" and "lights out" so I'll close. This letter is long enough anyway, I believe.

Very sincerely,
Roy

Park Field May 15, 1918

Though this letter mostly talks about the weather, it does include details of Aero Squadron life. Roy describes a baseball game between Park Field and another camp and also mentions his disappointment that he can't fly because the Army requires pilots to have at least a high school education. Also notice that he has begun addressing Stella as "my dear friend" rather than "Miss Custer."

My Dear Friend:

I haven't any doubt but that, as you said, you are having very fine weather up there. So are we having fine weather but today, I believe, was the hottest day I ever saw. The sun was almost hot enough to roast a person this afternoon. I told a southerner here about it this evening and he said: "Oh you ain't seen any warm weather yet. Wait till July and August." So if this is not warm weather I wonder what the hot weather of July and August is like.

Have been working very steady for several weeks. Worked the last two Sundays and Monday evening was out till one A.M. The Park Field Baseball team played the team from Camp Pike at Memphis Monday afternoon and I hauled the Park Field boys home. They got permission to stay in town till eleven oclock so it made me late in getting back. Camp Pike is an infantry camp over in Arkansas and they beat us 4 to 3. Park Field had them beaten 3 to 1 until the last half of the ninth inning when a Camp Pike made a home run and took the game away from us.

So you think you must go to work soon. Well, I wish I could go to school again even if it does mean work which it did not mean to me when I did go to school. They are accepting applicants for flying from enlisted men now but each man must have at least a High School education in order to be admitted and as I do not have that I could not get in. I understand there are to be six men from each Squadron to go to ground school where they will be taught Wireless telegraphy, all about aeroplanes and air conditions. This will take about three months after which they go to flying school and are taught to fly and after completing this they are commissioned officers. I sure would love to learn to fly but so long as the regulations call for a High School education I can not make it, it seems.

Did I thank you for the box of candy? If I did not, I want to do so now. It was fine. You said nothing about a picture, so I must remind you of it again. Won't you send me one. Please. I am going to send you a little pin I got in Memphis, but I'll tell you if you are superstitious about such things I'll sell it to you for a postage stamp. How's that? Ha, Ha! There is nothing else I can think of, so I'll close.

Sincerely,
Roy D.

Park Field May 5, 1918

In this letter, Roy seems to be reassuring Stella of his friendship by joking that he has "neither died nor gone to France, nor [has he] forgotten [her]." He also indulges in a little flirting by referring to the picture he sent her as "a poor one or rather the subject was a poor one" and asking her if she could send one of her own. After all, "they say a fair exchange is no robbery, though in this case it may not be a fair exchange."

Dear Miss Custer:

I have neither died nor gone to France, nor have I forgotten you as you said you were wondering when you received my last letter. No, I am still at Park Field and think of you many times but being quite busy I do not have much time to write letters. So please do not think that I forgot your "casual acquaintance" for I am sure you would be kept quite busy reading letters if I were to write each time I thought of you.

I suppose you have received the picture I mailed you a few days ago. I mailed it the day before I received your letter and you ended your letter by saying that neither pen ink nor writer were of much account. You did not mean that did you? Or must I tell you that you were wrong, for I know you were.

I worked today but was in Memphis last Sunday and had a fine time. I went in Saturday evening stopped overnight at the Y.M.C.A. and went to Church Sunday morning and accepted an invitation to dinner and had a fine time. I certainly did enjoy it. I was expecting to be on the way to France by this time but am still here and may be here for a month or more. It looks that way to me, anyway. But I do wish they would ship us over, for I am anxious to get into it.

The picture is a poor one or rather the subject was a poor one, but anyway, let me know if you receive it, and also if you have one of yours won't you send me one, please? They say a fair exchange is no robbery, though in this case it may not be a fair exchange. Nevertheless, I should be pleased to receive one in return.

You said Kenneth is at Camp Greenleaf, did you not? One of my tentmates was up there last week on a cross country trip with a lieutenant. They were gone for about a week and did a lot of traveling by airplane in the interests of the Liberty Losin Memphis barely made her quota. It seems to me Memphis is not as patriotic as it might be. There are a lot of slackers in the town. Did you hear what Claysburg did? They more than doubled their quota, and I am beginning to feel proud of the little town. Mother wrote me they had heard from a cousin of mine who is in France and has been in the front line trenches several times and says he would not miss it for anything. I wish I were there. Only one thing gets me and that is the thought that it might end before I get there.

I'll close and hope to hear from you soon. Don't forget the picture

Sincerely,
Roy D.

(This is one of my absolute favorites, all because of this line: "So please do not think that I forgot your "casual acquaintance" for I am sure you would be kept quite busy reading letters if I were to write each time I thought of you." Effusive, compared to the rest of the letters.)

What are these places? Well, I'll tell you.

Reading through the letters I've posted so far, you might notice some unfamiliar place names. I'm here to help. The first letter was written from Claysburg, Pennsylvania, a town near Blue Knob. It was home to the Claysburg Air Force Station until 1961. The Air Force Station was demolished in 1974.

The subsequent letters were written from Park Field, Tennessee, which was, at the time the letters were written, an Army camp 18 miles outside of Memphis. It began as an aviation training facility in 1917 (the year Roy went there) but is currently known to the military as NAVSUPPACT Mid-South (much nicer than Park Field, is it not?).

More tidbits to come.

Improvements

Since the next letter is not until May 5th, I thought I'd use the time to improve my little blog. You may have noticed that I added an introductory paragraph as well as some photos along the side. Soon I'll add some bios to go along with the pictures, as well as an explanation of the overall project, if possible. Enjoy!

Park Field, Tenn. Sunday Eve 4/21/18

This letter doesn't say much beyond "I'm still in Tennessee" but does reflect the impatience soldiers felt to get over there and their conviction that the U.S. had a "job to do."

Dear Miss Custer:

Again I must ask your pardon for not answering sooner but my only plea is lack of time. To tell the truth it is quite an effort for me to start writing a letter. I do like to receive letters but am a poor hand at answering. Therein is a weakness. One of many weaknesses. Ha Ha! But since I started this evening I have written three. One to Dad and Mother, one to an old chum who enlisted with me and one to an old schoolmate who is now in France and has been for six or seven months and from whom I had a letter a few days ago. Also, he is where I hope to be before long. Some say we are to leave here some day this week but I will not believe anything any more until we are ordered to pack up. Rumors have had us leaving here for over a month and we are still here.I suppose you are having fine weather up there by now. Week before last the weather was very cool here but now the days are hot and we have rain nearly every night. several nights the wind almost blew our tents down. The rain came in over, blew in the doorway and the water came in and rain all over the floor.A new squadron came in here about a week ago and I found a former Claysburg boy with them and we were glad to see each other you can bet. One of my tent-mates was out for a walk in the country this afternoon and brought back a bunch of roses and snow-balls.Some of the boys are having fun around here now. it is about 9:30 and it seems some are sleepy and some are not, and those who are not get to cutting up capers and make too much noise for the others to sleep, consequently every now and then a hobnailed shoe goes flying through the air and bang! it goes against the side of the side of a tent. There is always some fun at bed time. Only a couple evenings ago I was coming down the company street and one fellow came out of a tent on the jump and two or three shoes followed him. One just missed hitting me. Lots of fun in camp. I was intending to go to Church at the 'Y' tonight, but stuck to my tent and wrote letters. I was in Memphis two weeks ago today. For a few hours only, but what I saw of the city looks good. I am going to send you a picture I had taken there if you care to have it.I suppose if they keep on Uncle Sammy will soon have all the boys working for him, anyway it seems he is getting his share from Claysburg and from over around my home. Every time I hear from home some more old acquaintance is going, it seems, and from what the young Claysburger in the 65th told me, there are not very many young single within the draft age at Claysburg any more. Well "Uncle" needs them now as he has a job on hand that must be done and must be done right and the harder we work the sooner it will be over. I hear that Ethel's friend has gone, Ken, I mean.My fingers are getting sore wrom writing and perhaps you are tired reading this scribbling so I'll close. Next time I get in letter-writing mood I'll write your letter first and perhaps you will be able to read it more readily. Ha Ha!

Most Sincerely,
Roy D.

Park Field, Tenn. March 31, 1918 Easter Sunday.

Roy Diehl's patriotism and desire to be a part of the action show up in this letter written before the 281st made it over to France. Roy also mentions Daylight Saving time, which was adopted by the US in 1918 for a short period of time. One can only imagine how different the world felt now that wars and time were global and not just the business of one country or region.

Dear Miss Custer:

This evening I want to answer your enjoyable letter received last Tuesday. I am usually slow in answering, as you know, but when one is kept as busy as we are kept one has not much time for letter-writing, but just the same I think of you often even if I do not write so often. I use the 'y' paper and envelopes for the reason that we have poor accommodations for keeping or carrying such things and 'Y' paper is always to be had for the getting. I told you I expected to leave here soon and so I did, but I think it must have been a false-alarm We were given almost the full overseas equipment several weeks ago and the Lieutenant told us we would be shipped across soon but we are still here and I believe we shall be here for several weeks. Of course we do not know when we might be shipped away. We may go one of these days on short notice. I am beginning to get anxious to get into the "book works." Every one is anxious to see the end of it of course but it seems it is going to last for some time. It is a work cut out for "Uncle Sammy" and the harder everyone works the sooner it will be over. That is the way I look at it anyway. And I know when all these boys get back home again there will be some joyous times.I heard a few days ago that one of the boys who enlisted with me is now on his way to France and the other is in Texas. How did you spend your Easter Sunday? I hardly knew it was Easter, for I worked today but went to church at the 'Y' this evening.How is the new time going to suit you? We are now getting out at 4:45 AM, but tomorrow morning it will be an hour earlier so we boys will have to sleep two rows at a time, I guess.I cannot seem to think of much to write this evening and as it is almost time for "taps," I'll close and promise to write sooner and more the next time.

Most sincerely,

Roy D
281st Aero Sqd'n, Memphis, Tenn.

Claysburg, PA November 18, 1917

In his very first letter to Stella, Roy seems unsure of himself, saying that he isn't sure she'll be happy to hear from him and that he's a "very poor letter writer." He is very polite, beginning with "Miss Custer" and ending with "May I expect a reply?"

Dear Miss Custer:

I may be presuming too much in thinking you might perhaps be pleased to hear from me and of Claysburg, but I sincerely [hope] you will, at least, not be offended. I should have asked your permission to write but I did not get back from my trip last Sunday evening as I expected to do. In time to say "Good-bye and may I write." I did get back before the train left but you folks had already gone to the station. Ethel told me I should write and I wanted to do so all last week but I am a very poor letter writer as you will learn after reading this and so did not get started until this evening.Today was a dry Sunday after spending the last so pleasantly. All the folks at the house were away this afternoon except Sylvia, Mr. Gardner I and I slept until time to start on my trip. How is your friend, Miss Marian? Give her my best regards and I hope I may see you both soon again.William tells me he enjoyed the music immensely. I too must thank you. May I expect a reply?

Roy Diehl

Before I begin...

...I must share with you the history of this project.

A little more than a year ago, I needed something to tag using xml. While visiting my parents, I mentioned the project to them. My dad disappeared upstairs for a while and returned with a box full of letters written by my great-grandfather and carefully preserved by my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my father, and now, me. What began as a small project for a digital humanities class turned into a capstone project (master's thesis alternative), which I have only just completed.

Upon completing my project, however, I felt unsatisfied. My original vision included a website displaying all of the letters, transcriptions, and annotations I'd worked so hard on for months. I even wrote code for that website, but lack the know-how to get that code on the web. So, all I ended up with was a paper...a 60-page paper, but nonetheless a paper...that will be saved by the school library and made available to anyone who cares to search the master's theses there (which, if you are aware, is almost nobody).

My dissatisfaction led to a late-night trying-to-fall-asleep-but-thinking-too-much resolution: I would make the letters available in the only way I know how, which is via blog. I may not be an expert in xml, but I have been known to blog frequently (too frequently, some might say).

What follows this post is each letter in that box my Dad brought down from my parents' guest room closet, posted on the date on which it was originally written, excepting the first two which I will post together in order to catch up to the date of the upcoming letter. Alone, each letter is interesting. Together, they tell a story of separation and of budding friendship between a Pennsylvania railroad worker and a pretty schoolteacher.

-Katherine Shelor