Off to War

Off To War

Frederick O'Reilly jumped from one forge into another. He willingly joined the US Army believing he would be sent to the front lines where he could prove himself as a fighting force. It didn't hurt that he would be making thirty dollars a month as a soldier. Or, if he could raise up in the ranks by merit, he could possibly make more. It was an amount of money he never came close to earning working at the forge back on the South Dakota ranch.

The young doughboy's grand plan was to live on as little as possible while on duty, hold some back as deferment pay for when he left the service but send most of that money back home to improve living conditions for his overworked mother, Leona. He wanted help to be hired to relieve her burdens of caring for so many children. She never thought of herself instead spent all her energy on the family.

Especially now he knew she came from royalty back in her home country of Austria he figured she deserved so much more than the life his stepfather, Patrick, provided for her. It wasn't that the Irishman didn't love her, he was sure he did. It was only that working on land that belong to someone else was never going to make the family rich and the family was ever growing. Frederick was pleased Patrick arranged to have hired help doing the laundry now he was sending extra money.

Fate smiled on him while at basic training in South Carolina when he met Captain Van Leer who wanted him to join the engineering corps because of his experience working at a forge. It meant an immediate transfer to an extra two months of training at a camp in Fort Devens, Massachusetts when the eight weeks at basic was complete. He was now back at a forge but was working on so much more and learning at a fast pace making all kinds of equipment necessary to supply the US Army fighting machine. Soon he would be shipped out of the country with some of that machinery to work behind the lines to keep the Allies moving forward against the Central Powers.

Before he knew it he was writing what he felt may be the last letter to his family for a long, long time. Once in the war zone no one had any idea if and when mail could be sent or delivered. The only certainty would be that “It's late” would accompany the mail call.

January 1, 1918

Dear Family,

Happy New Year to all. Hard to believe it is time to shipped overseas already. These last four months have sped by. Here at Fort Devens I have enjoyed working on new contraptions designed by the engineers for use along the front lines. Some of them I could tell would be very useful on the home front, too. Who knows? Maybe once I am back on the farm I can make some for our own use.

One awesome thing is a two-wheeled contraption with a small motor attached that can travel over all terrain with it's big fat tires. It would be so much faster jumping on one of these “motorbikes' or 'motorcycles' to get around the farm than relying on hooking up mules or wagons. For Army use we attach seats to carry another person or even cots to carry an injured soldier to a field hospital. I believe it will save a lot of lives on the battlefields. They can also swiftly transport artillery guns to the front lines.

There are other weapon-like items, too, that I can't tell you about. Top secret and all that, ya understand. Sorry, boys, if I told ya I'd have ta - ya know.

How's the new laundress working out? So happy Mr. McCormick was able to find a Crow Creek lady willing to come take on that job. I would dearly like to know how that transaction went down. Did he have to trade a lot of goods to make a deal?

It's strange she made her father part of the package. She took care of him so the only way she would come is if he came, too. Is that correct? So someone helped raise a teepee for him next to the Lammert's barn? Bet the boys are getting a kick out of that. You say his name is Black Feather. Does he wear beads and a large headdress?

Is Blue Bird happy living over with the Lammert's? I hope she is helping out Mrs. Lammert, too. How is Hattie? Is she still able to milk her beloved Holsteins?

I'm sending as much money as I possibly can and having the Army send you most of my checks from now until I'm home. I've had a raise. Use some of the extra to get something nice for Maggie and Ma. Or here's a suggestion if you haven't already thought of it. Buy an extra set of clothes for everyone in the family so dirty laundry could be taken to Blue Bird over at the Lammert's every third day for her to work on when convenient.

Say 'Hello' to Miss Adeline for me whenever you see her. Can't help but feel I left something behind there. I think of her often.

Captain Van Leer has invited me to enter his junior engineering college when this war is done. That would be here in Massachusetts. It would mean a legitimate career in engineering when I get out. The Army would pay for the schooling. But it would keep me away from home for two more years. Wonder how long this depressing war will last? I want to tell him 'yes'.

Hard to tell when I will be able to write again. Don't worry too much about me. I'll be working mainly behind the lines. Usually no news is good news. If something bad happens to me the Army will get in touch with you. Let's pray that doesn't have to happen. Ha, Ha.

I love you all so much. Stay safe and take care of one another.

Love,

Freddie

Private First Class US Army Engineer Corps #XXXXX