U.S.S. Texas, Nov.
24, 1918
Dear Sister:
Well, I thought I would drop you a few lines tonight being it is Sunday.
Censorship is lifted now so a person can write a decent letter.
I am well and I hope this finds you the same. The news now is that we leave for
the states the end of this week, but I can’t believe it and a person can’t tell
much about what you hear.
I put in application for discharge today but there’s lots going to be disappointed
for nearly every one of the black gang was up there.
I’m in for Duration but I told them I was need on the farm so I think I stand a
pretty good show. I’ll surely be glad if I can leave this place. Edinburgh is a
pretty place but far behind a city in the States.
I was on the list for a furlough over here but I guess they are not going to
give any more and I’d rather get on in the States.
A pound over
here goes about as far as a dollar bill at home.
There were some
French sailors and officers on board to-day.
I had a chance
to see some of the German fleet. We went out ninety miles off Bay Island last
Thursday, where we met them. They had to surrender or fight so we brought them
into the Firth of Forth river and they are just outside the sub-nets. The only
ship we lost was censor ship. I guess they are going to put me and another guy
in the brig, Thanksgiving, so the rest can get something to eat. I believe I
weigh 180 now, I don’t know for sure but I weighed 173 lbs. when I left the
hospital.
We left the
States on my birthday, July 14, and maybe I didn’t watch that shore as long as
I could see it. When it went out of sight we didn’t see any more land for 10
days and that was nothing but little hills and rocks and mixture. There’s one
little town they’ve got an iron fence around the only tree on the island. I
guess it’s the Orkney Island north of Scotland. I haven’t seen hardly a board
since I left U.S. Everything is made of rock and cement.
There are about
1500 men on this ship, about 450 being firemen.
I think I would
have to work harder if I was on a transport. There’s lot more regulation on a
battleship than there is on a transport.
When I get up
in the morning I’ll have to turn into fire room No. 3. The fire rooms on this
ship are nearly all painted white. Some swell looking place when it’s rigged up
for Admiral Inspection. Brass work and white paint to handle soft coal in!
One of these
ships is just like a town – black smith shop, electrical shops, laundry,
canteen, carpenter and paint shops and firerooms and engine rooms, besides a
few more things.
I rate a
Foreign Service Chevon. They are gold and we are supposed to get them after
being in foreign service three months. I’d be willing to go without mine if
they’d turn me loose when I get back.
Well, here’s
hoping I’ll eat Xmas dinner at home. I hope Louie will be home, too.
Your brother, Claude
S. Smith
Posted: February 25, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Killed in France, Fairfax Standard, December 26, 1918
The many friends in this vicinity of Captain Oscar Youngdahl better known at Professor Youngdahl will be grieved to learn of his death, which occurred in France on October 8.
Deceased put in two years of earnest work in Fairfax as superintendent of the public school, and while here gained a wide circle of close friends. He was very successful in his school’s work and a hard worker. He was here the two years preceding the close of school in June 1915.
The following account of his army life and his death is taken from the Red Wing Republican.
Mrs. Olivia Youngdahl Monday received a message from the war department announcing the sad death of her son, Captain Oscar Youngdahl at an American base hospital in France on October 8. She had previously received word of his being wounded on two occasions. Cablegrams and letters sent him remained unanswered and the message from the war department was the first word of him to reach her in months. Previous to this time letters had from him at regular intervals.
That the young officer had a premonition that he would probably lose his life was shown in his last letter home in which he told his mother how his trunks and other valuables in France could be secured in case anything happened to him. He also stated that he had been recommended to the war department for a captain’s commission. This honor was conferred upon him before his death, the war department informed Mrs. Youngdahl.
Mr. Youngdahl graduated from the Ft. Snelling officers’ training school receiving a commission as first lieutenant and being among the first American fighters to go overseas. He saw active service on several fronts and was in the thickest of the fighting during the great offensive this summer and fall.
Captain Youngdahl was a young man of the highest character and was well known in educational circles having served as superintendent of schools in a number of Minnesota towns. His love and regard for his mother were touchingly revealed in his letters home and the many steps taken to add to her comfort. Members of the family have the sincere sympathy of the community in their great loss.
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Captain Oscar Youngdahl.
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Posted: February 24, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Compiling State War History, Morton Enterprise, 12-20-1918
Story of Minnesota’s Share in Great War to be Made Permanent Record
A meeting of the Minnesota War Records Commission, which was authorized by the Public Safety Commission and appointed by Governor Burnquist, will hold another meeting at the Historical Building, St. Paul, on December 20th, to consider further plans for making Minnesota’s record in the great war an important feature of the state’s history.
Between thirty and forty counties in the state have so far been thoroughly organized to handle this important work. Every county well eventually have its own history compiles and without a double every patriotic and public spirited citizen will be interested sufficiently to co-operate willingly in the compilation of our own county’s war record with those who are placed in charge of the work.
Questionnaires will soon go out to all county supervisors of the work which, after being properly filled out, will tell to the last detail the story of every man’s part in the war that had been in the service from this county.
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Last Updated: February 24, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Claude Smith, Morton Enterprise, December 20, 1918
U.S.S. Texas, Nov. 24, 1918
Dear Sister:
Well, I thought I would drop you a few lines tonight being it is Sunday. Censorship is lifted now so a person can write a decent letter.
I am well and I hope this finds you the same. The news now is that we leave for the states the end of this week, but I can’t believe it and a person can’t tell much about what you hear.
I put in application for discharge today but there’s lots going to be disappointed for nearly every one of the black gang was up there.
I’m in for Duration but I told them I was need on the farm so I think I stand a pretty good show. I’ll surely be glad if I can leave this place. Edinburgh is a pretty place but far behind a city in the States.
I was on the list for a furlough over here but I guess they are not going to give any more and I’d rather get on in the States.
A pound over here goes about as far as a dollar bill at home.
There were some French sailors and officers on board to-day.
I had a chance to see some of the German fleet. We went out ninety miles off Bay Island last Thursday, where we met them. They had to surrender or fight so we brought them into the Firth of Forth river and they are just outside the sub-nets. The only ship we lost was censor ship. I guess they are going to put me and another guy in the brig, Thanksgiving, so the rest can get something to eat. I believe I weigh 180 now, I don’t know for sure but I weighed 173 lbs. when I left the hospital.
We left the States on my birthday, July 14, and maybe I didn’t watch that shore as long as I could see it. When it went out of sight we didn’t see any more land for 10 days and that was nothing but little hills and rocks and mixture. There’s one little town they’ve got an iron fence around the only tree on the island. I guess it’s the Orkney Island north of Scotland. I haven’t seen hardly a board since I left U.S. Everything is made of rock and cement.
There are about 1500 men on this ship, about 450 being firemen.
I think I would have to work harder if I was on a transport. There’s lot more regulation on a battleship than there is on a transport.
When I get up in the morning I’ll have to turn into fire room No. 3. The fire rooms on this ship are nearly all painted white. Some swell looking place when it’s rigged up for Admiral Inspection. Brass work and white paint to handle soft coal in!
One of these ships is just like a town – black smith shop, electrical shops, laundry, canteen, carpenter and paint shops and firerooms and engine rooms, besides a few more things.
I rate a Foreign Service Chevon. They are gold and we are supposed to get them after being in foreign service three months. I’d be willing to go without mine if they’d turn me loose when I get back.
Well, here’s hoping I’ll eat Xmas dinner at home. I hope Louie will be home, too.
Your brother, Claude S. Smith
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Posted: February 24, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Flag Received Monday, Morton Enterprise, 12-20-1918
The following letter together with a Fourth Liberty Loan flag was received by the chairman of the Fourth Liberty Loan for the village of Morton, Minn.
Buffalo Lake, Minn., December 11, 1918
Dear Sir:
In appreciation of the Loyalty and Fourth Liberty Loan bond sales in your village, your government herewith present your village with a Fourth Liberty Loan Service flag, showing 6 stars, the stars stand for percentage of distribution of bonds per capita as per record of Minneapolis office of your village. This flag is the property of your village and when your boys return home “from over there” this flag should be displayed, thereby showing the boys, that you have backed them up here at home, while they were fighting for us. I congratulate your village, and you as chairman, upon the splendid showing in the last bond sale. It was not a one man’s job, and had the boys not waded in with the whim they did, our county might have failed in its efforts to reach its allotment. I beg to remain, Yours very truly, F. G. Nellermoe, County Chairman
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Posted: February 24, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Carl Hurtig, Buffalo Lake News, 12-20-1918
December 29, 1895 – January 17,
The News received the following letter last week from Carl Hurtig who has been in active service in France for several months.
November 4th, 1918
Dear Mr. Foster:
You will probably be surprised to hear from me as it is such a long time since I wrote you a letter, In fact I have not written to you since I came over, although I have often intended to do so.
I have now been in France for several months, almost long enough to get my first chevron, which I will be entitled to in a few days. I rather enjoyed my trip across the pond, which did not take very long. It sure was a swell trip as we had fine weather all the way I can tell you that the soldiers who came across on the transport I came over on, were certainly fed good. We only got two meals a day but we sure got a lot to eat and as good as there was to get. I wasn’t seasick at all and enjoyed the trip but as long as I live I shall not forget the last few hours of the voyage.
After landing in France we were sent to the forests of southern France and have been there ever since. I have not been with my company all the time, as I have been away on detached service. I have been down to the Spanish border, and have seen the Pyrenees Mountains of which I have heard so much. Then I have been in the low lands of France where the land in only five feet above sea level, and then I have gone up in the mountains where the air is rare and cold. At present I am in these mountains in central France. We are in the highest point of the Arevergere Mountains and have been here for several months. I rather enjoyed being here at first as it was then a period of nice weather, but for a month or so it has been bad weather. It has rained a lot and has been pretty cold. But this is all in the game of the American Forester in France. It is quite an experience to work among the low hanging clouds in the drizzling rain, although I have been fortunate as my work keeps me dry under roof.
For about six weeks I have been working nights. I quite like to work at night as we have two whole nights and days off each week.
I am a tall sawyer in the mill that this company is operating. It is about the only job in the army that I have liked. There is not any hard work connected with it, but one has to be keenly alert at all times. Our mill is a ten thousand capacity mill and we are setting a pace for the rest that is hard to follow. We have cut thirty-two thousand feet in ten hours, which is going some for a mill of this size. I think we ranked first or second for last month among the mills of our class. This is going some as we did not come over here for this kind of work. In fact, we have one of the best forestry companies in the S. O. S.
I like it pretty well over here, but I sure will be glad when I set foot on good U.S. soil again. The French have many strange customs which seemed funny to us when we first came over but we are used to them now. I can speak French fairly well now, although I have not made a study of it. We have some fine officers in our company and they do all they can for us. Through their efforts we have always had plenty of good food. Since coming over here I have been promoted to First Class Private. Well I will close for this time, and hope this letter reaches you O.K.
Sincerely, Carl G. Hurtig, 49th Co. 2oth Engineers
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