Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 203, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1917 — Former Rensselaer Boy Describes Trip to War Zone. [ARTICLE]

Former Rensselaer Boy Describes Trip to War Zone.

Oscar Leech, formerly a resident of this city, is another one of our for the Ally cause. In a letter to a sister at Valparaiso recently, Mr. Leech describe* his trip across the ocean. The letter follows: Dear Sister and All: Will drop you a few lines now and will finish it when we get in aight of land, and ! will give it to one of the boat crew to take back to New York to m/iil for me. By so doing it will not be censored and you will get it sooner, for the crew expects to make the return voyage without delay. To begin with, we left the GermanAmerican pier at Hoboken, N. J., Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 1 o’clock; sailed out in New York harbor and anchored until 9 o’clock that night, keeping everybody below deck; then we started the next morning. We found that all told there were five big transports of troops, one cruiser, and two torpedo boats. Well, everything has been going fine except eats, and they are absolutely rotten, but we only have about 600 miles to go yet, which will probably take two days and a half. 1 The sea has been just as smooth as glass until last night, when a storm came up and it rained. The wind blew and the waves washed over the deck. Some of the boys have been seasick, but I have felt fine. It is rough yet today. We have been expecting to meet a French fleet to escort us through the war zone for the last 12 hours. One of the boys just came down and said it was in sight, so guess I will go up and take a look for myself. Several things have happened in the last hour. Cpnvby has arrived of eight torpedo boats, and the cruiser and topedo boats that came this far with us have signaled to us “a safe and rapid voyage,” and then turned around and started for the U. S. The other thing is, I have had my dinner of two beef sandwiches and a big onion. Somebody is always eating onions, as they leave them where the boys can get them. The hardest thing about the trip is to keep our rifles and bayonets from rusting. And we have to wash in salt water, and it just gets like gum when you put soap in it. Monday a. m. In sight of land; no doubt we will land O. K. Attacked by submarine yesterday, 1 p. m., but no boat sunk. Some , excitement. Don’t worry. Will write again soon.