Beschreibung:

Title: Archive of letters and postcards from Corporal/Sergeant David C. Moses to Miss Zelda A. Mudgett Author: Moses, David C. Place: Various places Publisher: Date: 1918-1919 Description: Approximately 67 letters written over a year and a half, plus about 25 postcards. All but a few of the letters with envelopes. Significant archive of letters written from a non-commissioned officer in the 822nd Air Squadron of the Second Army Air Service to his sweetheart in Alameda, California, beginning with his training in Waco, Texas, to limbo status in New York waiting to go overseas, a few months in England, then over to France, and on to Germany after the war was over. The letters are rich with details of camp life and observations of the local citizenry, though details of military action are sparse, due to threat of censorship – many of the envelopes are marked “Opened by Censor,” and are initialed by the offending parties. Some are single page, but most multiple pages – one comprises 25 pages! Twenty of the letters were written while Moses was still in the United States before being shipped overseas, as he was being prepared for the great crusade, dating from January to April, 1918; 19 letters come from “Somewhere in England” in April to July, 1918, as the A.E.F. troop were gathering before crossing over to France; 14 of the letters are from France from July to the armistice of November 11, 1918; 12 of the letters were written from France and Germany, November to June, 1918-1919; and two of the letters were written from New York in July of 1919, as Moses was preparing to be mustered out of service. On July 9th, 1918, Moses has crossed to France from England (where his observations included the poor state of dental health among the locals), “Dearest Zelda, Well Hon at last am in France. Left England in a hurry. Have had quite an experience on this trip on both boat and train... Good eats and barracks here and a real American camp for a change...” On August 4th, “Just saw the news and it surely looks good. That old line is going back toward the Rhine at a nice pace. General Pershing visited here yesterday and of course there was great interest shown throughout the entire camp…” After observing on October 10th that the war could last another six months, on November 14th, “Well Zell, the war is over & I guess the whole world is happy to think it is all over with. We all took the news soberly & as matter of fact. The French went wild. Vin rouge was flowing & the soldiers were lit like a Christmas tree hollering ‘Fine la guerre…’” By May 4th, 1919, Moses is in Germany, “I am now in the 3rd Army or the A. of O. and our outfit is classed as Army combatant troops… Am enclosing two shoulder insignias. The ‘2’ is the 2nd Army insignia and the one I have just taken off. The A. of O. is the Army of Occupation insignia & the one I now wear. Which one do you like best?” The two insignias are present in the archive. Also included is a copy of The Second Army Service Book, published in April, 1919. Lot Amendments Condition: Very good or better condition. Item number: 183859