From: Private Guy B. Hoge,
Base Ordnance Depot #1,
U.S.A.P.O. #701,
American Ex. Forces,
France.
September 29th., 1918
Dear Mother:
I received your letter written August eighteenth this afternoon, and also one from Will Titus
written the nineteenth. It had been a little more than a week since I had received any mail. It is strange
how I receive mail over here. It generally comes in bunches, and sometimes in the inverse order in
which it was sent. I received three letters from Morgan in exactly the inverse order in which he had
mailed them. When I receive letters, I usually look at the first few lines of the ones from home to see
that you are all well, and then put them in my pocket to read when I have time to enjoy them. Will Titus
has been writing me quite often since I have been away. His letters always make me feel good. He
writes with the same enthusiasm with which he talks. Titus always seemed more like a brother to me
since I have grown up than any other cousin I have.
We have been working this forenoon, but I guess we are excused this afternoon. I have one or
two small jobs to do before I can get away. We can scarcely tell when Sunday comes. The work I do
helps me to keep trace [sic] of it on the Calendar. I had intended to put on my better suit this morning,
but it looked so rainy that I did not do it. You might not know the differences in my being dressed up
and my being in my old clothes, but I can tell the difference. I know which suit was issued to me last by
the way it fits. I am going to Church services at the Y.M.C.A. this evening. That is my time to attend
Church now.
I was very sorry to hear of the boys of Company K being killed. But that seems to go with the
game. I had heard through a fellow I knew who was in the same regiment that Company K had
suffered, but I had not learned who were the unfortunate ones with the exception of one or two fellows
I did not know. I was sorry that Mary did not send me the casualty list as she said she was going to do.
Will Titus asked me if it was alright to cut clippings from the papers that would be of interest to me and
send them. Tell him that would be alright, and that I would be very glad to get the clippings. The mail
coming to us from the States is not censored. Clipping placed in a letter might reach more quickly that
[sic] a paper. Mary was speaking of sending some Observers. I will be very glad to get them.
Monday noon: I did not get off yesterday afternoon as I thought I would. I got busy and had to
remain until 5:30. I went to the Y.M.C.A. to services last evening and then to the barracks and laid
down and read the daily paper thru. In addition to that I had one of the heartiest laughs I have had in
many days, after lying down. We have one “Tommy” in our barracks. I do not know why he is
quartered in an American camp. He is gased [sic] or wounded in some manner I think. He is English to
the core, and thinks England is about the only country on the map. He was singing the praises of
England and the English people, and naturally the American fellows took it up for the United States.
You would be amused at the wit that comes from such a friendly quarrel. He was told that the
Americans had licked them twice, that if he would visit America he would never return to England, that
he need not worry as the Americans would feed him when England ran out of anything to eat, and that
England had to wait for Americans to come over and win the war for her. It was about like youngsters
quarreling over who has the finest father. Those are some of the things which go to cheer up the fellows

and help pass away the leisure moments.
I was sorry to hear that your knee had been giving you trouble. Be careful of it and let someone
else do as much of the work as possible. I suppose you do not have anyone now as Mary is probably
back to her school.
Everyone is telling me that my brother is a great ladies', or lady's boy. Tell him not to let it
interfere with his High School education. An education is an important thing. Tell him I have no
objections to his going with girls other than that as long as he goes with nice girls. Probably he does not
wish any suggestions from me on that subject.
I can scarcely realize that your letter was the first you had written to me since you learned I
arrived safely in France, or probably you did not know it was France. I did not have that knowledge
when I wrote the card. I suppose you know that that card never crossed the water. It was written before
we embarked and mailed when our safe arrival was cabled back.
Would have enjoyed being at home the Sunday you had all your visitors as well as many other
Sundays when you do not have so many.
I am enjoying the best of health,-- hungry three times a day. I never had such an apetite [sic]. I
eat three or four times as much as I did when in an office all the time and getting no exercise.
We sign the pay-roll this afternoon. I hope I get some money this month.
Your son,
Guy [signed]