Show NEWS FROM OUR BOYS AND GIRLS IN THE U S SERVICE by tada kearl LETTER TELLS OF torpedoed SHIP the me follow following ng is a letter received by mrs ralph hanney from one of eugenes friends who was with him when his ship was torpedoed odenton edenton Od enton md dec 27 dear mom I 1 dont know just how to start this letter it just about breaks rny my heart to tell you what I 1 have to it happened on thanksgiving it was about in the evening we were just off the coast of france gene was on watch and I 1 was off watch sleeping the thing hit and woke me up then I 1 goi dressed and gene had come up u from the engine room while I 1 was dressing he and I 1 got out alright and we were laughing about the whole thing while we were lowering the life boats because there anybody hurt and we thol it dt was a lot of fun gene was on the opposite side of the ship from froly me his life boat was no 4 and mine was no 1 we all got off the ship alright but when volien the fellows on boat no 4 got in their boats the second torpedo hit and it hit right under genes boat there were nineteen fellows lost we went around in our boats and picked gene and some of the other fellows up when I 1 saw gene in the water I 1 wanted to kill myself too you cant know how how I 1 felt I 1 wait you to know gone gene was the best friend I 1 ever had we took him to france and then he went to the hospital he was dead before we got him there I 1 want you to know kno v that gene have any pain he was dead before we even picked liam up I 1 think the next day I 1 went down to the hospital to see about him and abd they told rne me thata that 1 see him because he was al eady down to the cemetery he was buri burial i in Cher cherbourg bourg france im draing 0 to send you genes hat and ills his belongings which he left here I 1 know you will be glad t to pct act cheni i he that picture you sent mom wai a perfect image of him and I 1 wont let heaven or earth separate me from dm it I 1 will wil carry it wherever I 1 go I 1 1 cant tell you how I 1 miss him after the war im going to try to bring mom out to see you I 1 hope you will keep on writing to mom and 1 I well mom this is is all I 1 can say now except that I 1 am ag always thiril thinh ing about you folks I 1 know it la is hard on you and the whole family you want me to do anything do vot tot hesitate to let me know and I 1 will try my best to see all of you again after the th ewar war all my lovo love BUDDY we wish to express our appreciation for the thou and kindness of everyone mr and mrs ralph hanney and family |