Wausau Pilot

LETTERS FROM SOLDIER BOYS

The following letters have been received by L. A. Pradt, president of the American Red Cross Chapter of this county acknowledging Christmas packets sent out. There are many very appreciative letters which have been received but only a small number are published and these are from the various departments of the army, showing how widely the packets were distributed.

These letters are very interesting:

"Somewhere on the Atlantic Dec. 25, '17.

Dear Mr. Pradt:

I don't believe I can fully express my appreciation and thanks for your Red Cross box, though I don't believe I have or can receive anything that gives or can give me greater pleasure.

I burroughed right through to the bottom of the box and found this tablet and decided to let you know that your present was received.

It is a wonderful work that the people, through the Red Cross, are doing for us soldiers and sailors. A stick of gum or a cake of soap from home, anywhere in the U. S., is better than a carton of either that we are able to buy.

We are in the middle of the worst storm we've encountered. It is snowing and blowing, and the seas are coming over the fo'c'sle, washing the deck, but down below it is warm and comfortable though we are rocking like a cork.

I'm from Grand Rapids, Mich., near neighbors, and there are many more aboard from there. We have many friends at Great Lakes from home, too.

We had a splendid dinner today. I'm wondering what kind of dinner the boys in the trenches had. We had celery soup, turkey, oyster dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, bread, celery, olives, oranges, candy, nuts, coffee and cigars.

I trust you had a pleasant Christmas and that the New Year will find you with a fresh spirit and new vigor to face the year's work.

With many thanks, I am,

Very sincerely yours,

ALEXANDER T. McFADYEN.

U. S. S. Iowa, A-3 Division, care of Postmaster, N. Y. N. Y.

"U. S. S. Iowa, care of Postmaster New York, Dec. 29, 1917.

Mr. L. A. Pradt, Chairman Amer. Red Cross, Wausau, Wis.

Dear Sir:

I take the utmost pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of the gift, which was presented to me through the kindness and generosity of the society of which you are chairman.

Words of thanks to you, one and all, cannot express my inward feelings of appreciation, and all I can hope for, is that through our combined efforts, with the blessings from our Almighty Father above, that we will all share and rejoice in that decisive and inevitable future "Victory."

Nothing short of this victory will ever stop our onward rush of, "Over There."

With our splendid armies of national soldiers, our magnificent up to date Men-of-war; with the indispensable aid of our famous Red Cross society, surely these efforts combined with ours, shall spell no other word than "Victory," and "Americanism" forever.

Will now state that I am just a plain sailor employed as a fireman, familiarly known by the navy term, "as one in the black gang." The black gang (not like the gunners,) do their fighting far below the water's surface--hard steaming boilers, hot machinery parts, overcoming leaks, break-downs, etc.

We have a real fine crew of men on board the Iowa. Most of them reside at different parts of the state of Michigan; a few from New York state, some from the state of Ohio, and a very few from Minnesota, including myself.

The gifts were given out the following day after Christmas, amid the selected music of our ship's band. We marched down the aisle in single file on the port side of the berth deck, where each was handed a package by an officer in charge. Some of the packages differed from others in respect to contents, but I will truthfully assert that every one was more than pleased with what was sent them from the different societies, orders and lodges.

Wishing yourself and those whom you represent as chairman, a most Prosperous New Year, I again thank you all, most heartily.

Respectfully yours,

HENRY A. DAHL.

'Somewhere on the Atlantic.'