Letter #61

Letter #61                                                                                                                                                                                                            Camp Dodge, Iowa

                                                                                July 18, 1918

My Dear Sweetheart,

          Here I am writing to my only sweetheart that I have.  From the looks of things, I will only be able to write a short long letter.  I’m well and feeling okay.  I surely hope my dear sweet girl is in good spirits and heart and has not lost hope.

          Yesterday I was taking the gas test, and had to take the mask out of the box and put it on in 6 seconds.  Now I want to tell you, there was no going to sleep.  I made it in between 6 & 7 seconds.  The mask is made of rubber, on which there are large eye glasses.  It has a nose pad on the inside which fastened onto the nose, so you can’t breathe through your nose.  Then there is a mouth piece, which fits the mouth, and one must breathe through a long tube which goes into a canister filled with gas.

          Today we had an hour hike with these on. They were not to be taken off from the time we began until the time we got back.  I want to tell you, dear, it was during that one hour that I wished I were somewhere else, for my head seemed to be getting larger, and the mask began getting smaller.  The mask fits so tight that it almost stops the blood.

          Well dear, I don’t know what to do, for everything seems so new and strange here, but I am getting more acquainted with the men and conditions.  I have been issued a regular army rifle, and a harness to pack my things necessary for a hike.

          The company is quarantined for measles, so you see, I’m in it now.  I can’t even go to the Y to buy some ink or get papers.  I am here in the barracks, just got through with mess, and, my!  It is warm!

          I was on ‘bathroom order’ this morning.  Talk about a dirty job!  It is one I don’t care for.  Well I should not complain, for I must take what is given to me.

          Last night I was learning the ABC’s all over again.  Not in letters, but by the movement of my arms.  We have to learn so many new and different things; one must not let his mind get off of them, for he may forget them.  But listen, dear, I’ll let my mind wander back to you and the folks at home, for I don’t know what I would do if I should be deprived of your love and cheerful letters.

          I go to the mailbox every day to see if any letter has come from you.  I have one fellow who is very good to me.  He is a Salt Lake fellow.  His name is Raymond Evans.  He does not smoke or use any bad language.  He sleeps three beds from me.   It surely makes things much better and more home-like, and thank God for that.

          Well, dear, we have people coming here every day to see their sons, and on the roads I see young girls going around as if they were looking for their sweethearts.  I surely would appreciate to see you, for I must long for the time to come when I’ll be permitted to return back to you, if it be the will of God.  For I am trying to live that clean, pure life God asks of us.  I know I can’t go to church the same as you at home, but I can have a desire in my heart to do good at all times and try to treat others alright, if they will accept it.

          Well, dear, I’m afraid the whistle will blow and I will not be able to fall in.  I don’t want to have a black mark.  Now sweetheart, if you only knew how much love is burning deep down in my heart for you, I’m sure you would feel much better.  I know you love me, and the only way I can return that love now is by just making you feel it in writing.  But may God ever be near you and me.  If it be His will for us to live in this life together, His will will be done.  I send all my love to you, dearheart.                                                                                                                                                                      Lovingly yours,    Henry

                                                                                      Please give me one X

P.S. The music here is surely great.  It puts new life into one’s soul.  I can drill better with it.  

P.S.S.  Excuse this short letter, for time won’t permit.  Write me a big long one and tell all to ‘cheer me one’.

    [FYI:]

*Chemical weapons in World War I were primarily used to demoralize, injure and kill entrenched defenders, against whom the indiscriminate and generally slow-moving or static nature of gas clouds would be most effective. The types of weapons employed ranged from disabling chemicals, such as tear gas and the severe mustard gas, to lethal agents like phosgene and chlorine. This chemical warfare was a major component of the first global war and first total war of the 20th century.

*Death by gas was often slow and painful. According to Denis Winter a fatal dose of phosgene eventually led to "shallow breathing and retching, pulse up to 120, an ashen face and the discharge of four pints (2 litres) of yellow liquid from the lungs each hour for the 48 of the drowning spasms."  A common fate of those exposed to gas was blindness, chlorine gas or mustard gas being the main causes.

Estimated gas casualties
Nation	Fatal	Non-fatal
Russia	56,000	419,340
Germany	9,000	200,000
France	8,000	190,000
British Empire (includes Canada)	8,109	188,706
Austria-Hungary	3,000	100,000
USA	1,462	72,807
Italy	4,627	60,000
Total	88,498	1,240,853