France
July 11, 1918
Dear Father and Mother:
I received your letter of June 16th yesterday which is the quickest I have gotten a letter after it was written, being only 24 days.
We are not at the front at present, but are having a rest for a while. I don’t know when we will go back in. We go swimming in the river nearly everyday. We also go fishing, but so far have had poor luck. The French men get fish by throwing a hand grenade in the water and then get the fish when they come to the top of the water.
I have been in the service a year yesterday, but it seems longer than that.
I have $60.00 deposited with the paymaster. You may take the allotment money and buy Liberty Bonds if you want to or use it any other way if you need it. Joe has three $50 bonds and finishes paying for them this month. They are of the second issue. He said he was going to make an allotment to his father soon.
I hear that Jess Smith has been drafted. We have a few drafted men in our outfit they came to replace the men we lost.
Well, I can’t think of any more to write. Hope this finds you well.
With love from your Son,
Robert E. Schalles
1stAmb Co
American E F
via New York
P.S.
The Farmers are harvesting their grain here. I was out in a field and watched them today. Several men were using cradles and women were tying it up by hand. One guy was using an old Walter A. Wood Reaper the kind you used to be agent for 35 years ago. And another fellow had a McCormick Binder. They use quite a bit of American farm machinery. The crops are good.