to be home Christmas time. Then if my services are still needed I will enlist in the artillery or flying corps.
I am in the best of health and therefore there is no need to complain.
Letter
Tuesday August 21, 1917
(NOTE: An edited version of this letter appeared in the September 14 issue of the PLAINVIEW NEWS.)
"Somewhere in France"
Dear Folks,
The past few days have been bright and clear affording a fine opportunity for aeroplane battles. Just about noon yesterday a "Boche" plane flew over the lines and was sighted by two French planes a short distance from our cars. As this very thing happens frequently, we thought nothing of it.
The "Bosche" plane was flying very high and out of range of several anti-aircraft guns which shot many times to no effect. As we watched, all of a sudden a French plane, which before this time had been hidden in the clouds, flew into view above and to the right of the "Bosche" plane. With a sudden downward swoop, the French plane opened fire and it was a thrilling sight to see the "Bosche" plane suddenly dip downward and flop over and over to the ground. Imagine a large bird with a broken wing falling and the effect is about the same.
It seemed that the remains of the fallen plane must be about one half mile away, at any rate several of us started on a wild run to see what had happened. Well it proved to be three miles to the place where the broke plane hit the ground. So that after a cross country run and swimming across a canal, which happened to be in the way, we arrived in a potato field (fine crop here this year) in view of the once well made German plane just as the dead pilot and his wounded observer was being carried away. One of our men remarked, "Well there will be one ‘Bosche’ the Kaiser will not be able to decorate."
The people came in a hurry from all directions and were soon ripping the plane to pieces for souvenirs. Guards were stationed all around the debris to keep the crowd away, but I managed to slide through and get the "Bosche" number plate together with several pieces showing the construction of the wings.
The plane had a large black and white iron cross painted on her side and dated nineteen seventeen. So that it was one of the new types.
The engine was a six cylinder Mercedes-Benz, there being four valves to a cylinder. It was interesting to note that the tires were an American make. The material used and the workmanship throughout was perfect.
War reports during the past three days have been the most encouraging so far this summer. The British are advancing and taking prisoners in Flanders. The French have just taken five thousand prisoners in the _____ sector and the Italians are on the offensive and now with the cooperation of our own troops, it seems that something must give way. The "soldier farmers" have finished cutting the wheat here. There is a

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