George J. Maguolo letter to Folks - September 13, 1918
Transcript
[September] 13, 1918 - Previous letters – [August] 27 – [September] 2 – [September] 8 – the letters sent by Louis (July 12) and Sis ([August] 5) reached me [September] 10) Dear Folks - Your letters were the first to reach me in this hospital followed by nineteen others and three packages since. Although greatly delayed due to being forwarded from place to place, I now have no reason to complain that mail fails to eventually reach me. However there must be some losses. This makes the 6th letter I’ve written from the hospitals, how many did you receive? Received two more letters from ‘Marc’ who has probably returned from the Front for a rest. Strange how he should have met Ray Liumkehlee and Emil Reutnee together with several other St. Louisians! I now have been all over France from the English Channel to the Mediterranean and from the Coast to two Fronts and have as yet to meet another person whom I knew, from St. Louis! Sorry to hear Mr. goddard left school but in view of the coming draft he certainly has shown good judgement in choosing community work in preference
Transcript
to infantry practice. Often I wonder how the shop is progressing and if their is any amount of work at hand. Isn’t there a possibility of a war manufacture. It undoubtedly will be a difficult winter with the excessive taxation. glad to hear of the “Tulsa” competition and hope you may get similiar work. There probably is very little building now. In view of this fact perhaps as an Architect I am as well off here as there. Louis is certainly a chump for not getting an industrial job. He might do something in the line of drafting or if nothing else a time keeper, with the advantages of being at home and getting a fair salary. I think if he had seen a few things that I saw on the way over he may change his mind as to the Navy. Never-the-less I grant you that the Navy is superier to the Army. Infantry life is the last rung of the ladder of existance, with a training which makes you cease living to exist under ennumerable difficulties to act as a machine to forget the past and be ready for immediate self sacrifice. Hats off, to the infantry! Congratulations on the play ground instructor – and you had better look forward to some more school. High School is merely an eye opener you know. Now to learn some profession. glad to hear the Stars & Stripes at least is reach you regularly.
Transcript
[page 2] In answer to Sis - was glad but rather surprised to get the deguirotype photo of Mama. If I am any judge she certainly is getting fat. The Maguolos at least are not starving I see. It reminded of the change in Mrs. Rizzoli who impressed me as being younger and healthier looking that last time I saw her than the vacation, two summers previous. and so you are knitting now, I see. For whom, pray? The Italian Red Cross. It is a good thing from what I have seen of the poor devils. – We are well fixed. (Personally I have a splendid outfit a helmet and heavy barrack socks – Mrs. King wristlets – Mrs. Chapin (Boston) – Muffler (Miss never mind 2 sweaters – Red Cross). Excuse this criticism being a miserable writer myslef but - for the love of Mike Nellie why don’t you write smaller, and use private paper – it would be decidedly more femanine, (Guess the slam is on me for thinking myself a judge of femanine penmanship but never-the–less) it is true and your letters would be greatly improved there by). No more C. K. K. Co. Stationary.
Transcript
From the head of this letter you may see I am still in the hospital although on my feet and around. Am feeling as well as I ever felt, merely a little weak and convalescing. It probably wont be many days before I get back to my company. It was only by a narrow margin that I escaped going back to the States to some sanitarium and later probably home. But I am very glad this is not the case and I shall be well and strong again to stay for the finish. Certainly now, I am far better off here than over there. Inclosed are four clippings taken from the Boston Post. They are familiar scenes to me. Am nearly always on detached service. 1 Have covered this Terr. quite thoroughly 2. The window protection mentioned in a letter 3 a rare visit – 4 The gates to work every morning (while at Camp [General Headquarters] This is a lonesome place where it has continually rained for some time. The mud is awful and the nurses go about in rubber boots. But then in view of what it is up at the lines we are more than comfortable – Sincerely George [censors signature]
Details
| Title | George J. Maguolo letter to Folks - September 13, 1918 |
| Creator | Maguolo, George J. |
| Source | Maguolo, George J. Letter to Folks. 13 September 1918. George J. Maguolo Papers, 1917-1945. A0969. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | George J. Maguolo wrote a letter to his parents on September 13, 1918 while in France. Maguolo was in the 29th Engineers Company H and served in France until 1919. Maguolo wrote this letter from a hospital in Mars, France while being treated for pleurisy. In the letter he suggested that his brother, Louis, get an industrial job so that he could avoid the draft. This letter was written on American Red Cross letterhead. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; World War, 1914-1918--War Work-- Red Cross |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Base Hospital #48 |
| Site Accession Number | A0969 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | September 13, 1918 |
| Language | English |