Dated December 12, 1918. I found it in some family papers as I was researching genealogy. The writer is Emery E. King, to his aunt in Clark County, Ohio. He spent that Christmas a century ago in France, with the American Expeditionary Force. He was a musician.Chauffourt, FranceDear Aunt,I received your letter some time ago, an sure was surprised, also was glad for it, I am getting along alright an hope this will find you folks the same. I have been in the Band since the first of Aug. and I consider myself lucky in getting in the band because if I hadn’t got in there I would of had to shoulder a gun an went after Fritz. The band didn’t have to go to the lines but we were close enough to receive the high explosive, an shrapnel shells some of them hit pretty close, they made it real interesting for us at times. We stayed at Verdun seventeen days, and the Germans shelled the town every day and night that we were there at night they would come over in airplanes and spray the roads with machine gun fire an drop bombs. We hiked from Verdun here it took us eleven days to make the hike, Don’t know if we will go to Germany or not, some of the outfits are going over. I hope we will move from here soon either go to Germany, or home, there is noting doing at this place at all. This is about all I can think about now so will close hoping to hear from you soon. Tell Uncle I said hello. Your nep, Emery. Muse. Emery E. King, Band, 108 US Inf, American EFEmery made it home. He married his sweetheart, and farmed the rich soil of our home county for the next sixty years. Many American boys did shoulder a rifle and went after Fritz. And Fritz got them. Let’s remember them a little this Christmas.Thanks for your service, cousin. I’m glad that your trumpet kept you from shouldering that gun, and I bet your band gave a hell of a concert when you found out you’d be spending Christmas of 1919 at home.

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