My grandfather Pvt. Frank Gustaf Severin Erickson wrote this letter on November 15th, 1918 on the front lines in France four days after the Armistice, the end of the war. You can sense he was happy and hopeful of his return home. Frank was serving with the 308th Infantry Company H and one month past his involvement in the Argonne Forrest with the soon to be in-famous "Lost Battalion."

Written to his 13 year old brother Alphons back home in Dakota, Frank talks lightheartedly about what it is like to be in France now that the war is over, thoughts about his two brothers, both in France, Ernest Julius with the 361st Infantry and Sebran Anders with 101st Aero Squadron in the Air Corps.

In a sad twist of fate that would surely haunt Frank and the family, at the time of this writing, his older brother, Ernest Julius had been dead for over 4 weeks, killed by a sniper on the battlefield October 10th in the Argonne.

I think this quite a remarkable letter written almost 100 years ago. Frank was 25 years old when he wrote it. He had already seen quite a bit of life, adventure, travel and with his war experiences more than he would have ever expected when he left Dakota for the west some seven years before.

November 15, 1918
Somewhere on the Western Front - France

Dear Brother Alphons,

Will drop you a few lines and let you know that I am still alive and O.K. and hope to be starting for U.S. pretty soon.

It isn't bad to be on the front any more since the war stopped. We don't have the machine guns and shrapnel any more. The Germans fired their cannons until eleven O'clock November 11th. They wouldn't quit until the last moment, though I guess they are done for all time now.

We sure gave them hell in this drive and probably that's what put an end to the war and believe me we had to fight hard.

Have you heard from Ernest lately? I hope he is alright and will be home soon. I received a letter from Sebran a few days ago, but he didn't send me his address.

Will ring off for this time
with best wishes and regards
from Brother Frank Erickson
APO 739
Company H - 308th Infantry
American Expeditionary Force

P.S.
Don't answer this letter because I may be on the way to the U.S. before it arrives.