September 28, 1918 to Mother.

[looks like he didn’t have much time to write from the coast]

He has two letters from his mother—“nos. 49 & 50 and also one from Miss Mary Gentry telling me all about Mr. Bomar’s race for Congress (hope he was elected). Was very glad to get the news that Eugene Monroe was alive—wish I knew where he was as he may quite possibly be within visiting distance of me and would like to see him. …while on my leave I ran over one afternoon to a neighboring town…and who should I run into on the street but the little fellow who used to room across the hall from me in the Y.M.C.A. building in Spartanburg. He had been turned down for the Army for physical reasons and had come over in Y.M.C.A. work, leaving Spartanburg as late as June 1^st this year so we had quite a talk over what has been happening there since I left.”

Surely enjoyed every minute of my stay with my friends at the beach. It was particularly nice to sleep as late as I wanted in the morning and then to get up and have breakfast with two attractive girls and afterwards play golf or swim or walk or loaf absolutely with no thought of leases and claims. …. My new assistant whom I’d left on the job almost kissed me when I walked into the office yesterday morning he’d had so many troubles and yet what he’d gone through had been only typical of what comes through my office every week.”

“John’s picture is good but he has the solemn expression which he seems to always put on in photographs. When is he coming over this side? I’ve rather supposed he might get over next month or the month after and he’ll probably get a chance to come to Paris sooner or later so I hope to see him.”

“….fall is distinctly coming on here.” So, he finds it “a bit strange” to get news of hot weather in Marion.

“Suppose you are all just as pleased at home as we are here over the way our offensives are succeeding on all fronts.Everyone here is much excited over Bulgaria’s demand for peace and think that Turkey and also Austria may be detached from Germany which would certainly mean the end of the war.”

 

Transcribed letter:

Hq. U.S. Troops,

A.P.O. 702, AEF

Sept. 28^th          

Dear Mother —

I returned from my seven days at the beach Thursday night to find your two letters nos. 49 & 50 and also one from Miss Mary Gentry telling me all about Mr. Bomar’s race for Congress (hope he was elected). Was very glad to get the news that Eugene Monroe was alive—wish I knew where he was as he may quite possibly be within visiting distance of me and would like to see him. You never can tell when you’re likely to run into somebody you know over here and I may see him at that. An instance is that while on my leave I ran over one afternoon to a neighboring town where we have some troops and who should I run into on the street but the little fellow who used to room across the hall from me in the Y.M.C.A. building in Spartanburg. He had been turned down for the Army for physical reasons and had come over in Y.M.C.A. work, leaving Spartanburg as late as June 1^st of this year so we had quite a talk over what has been happening there since I left.

Surely enjoyed every minute of my stay with my friends at the beach. It was particularly nice to sleep as late as I wanted in the morning and then to get up and have breakfast with two attractive girls and afterwards play golf or swim or walk or loaf absolutely with no thought of leases and claims. I like my work and find it most interesting but after ten months with only half or all of Sunday off, a change and rest was wonderfully good. My new assistant whom I’d left on the job almost kissed me when I walked into the office yesterday morning he had been having so many troubles and yet what he’d gone through had been only typical of what comes through my office every week.”

John’s picture is good but he has the solemn expression which he seems to always put on in photographs. When is he coming over this side? I’ve rather supposed he might get over next month or the month after and he’ll probably get a chance to come to Paris sooner or later so I hope to see him.”

It seemed a bit strange to receive your letters speaking of hot weather at a time when fall is distinctly coming on here. Tonight it is raining a steady fall rain and I regret to see the good weather of a summer pass into winter weather for which I care not at all.

Suppose you are all just as pleased at home as we are here over the way our offensives are succeeding on all fronts. Everyone here is much excited over Bulgaria’s demand for peace and think that Turkey and also Austria may be detached from Germany which would certainly mean the end of the war. But by the time you receive this letter much more may have been decided.

Love to all,

Carl

Thomas C. Montgomery

2^nd Lt. Inf. U.S.A.