Sneaky and Kid -- the letters of Tom and Ruth

Friday General Pershing inspected the Division. We were formed on a gentle slope -- some 25,000 men -- three regiments of artillery -- three machine gun battalions -- and hundreds of supply wagons and trucks. It was truly a wonderful sight. The band was 200 pieces -- some band. First Pershing and his staff rode around the Division on horseback, then we formed for inspection and he walked up and down the ranks inspecting the men....

We had the Signal Battalion formed as two companies...I had the first company, and had them fixed up fine -- every man spick and span, and a beautiful line. I met him at one end, and we walked down the line together and he asked me about casualties in the battalion. I told him all about it, and when we got to the end he stopped and talked quite awhile about the 2nd F.S.B Said he knew all about 'em -- knew that it was an outfit that always had communication no matter what the danger or the difficulties -- said he personally knew of our work in Picardy, in Soissons and in the Argonne -- and so on and so on -- then he said that the appearance of the company demonstrated what good soldiers they were. All this to me -- think of it. I was so flabbergasted I don't know now half what he said. Today Mac handed me this picture as a surprise. I didn't know he was taking it at all. He sneaked it out of the pack -- developed it himself, and made two copies before he sent it in. I'm going to get its number as soon as I can so we can get some because I'm awful proud of it. Aren't you?

The fellow behind Gen. Pershing on the right is Maj. Gen. McGlachlin commanding the Div. The other one is Maj. Gen. Dickman commanding the 3rd Army. Capt. Brown -- in command of the Battalion -- is behind me -- and the fellow at my left is a Lieut. Col. on Pershing's staff. The fellow just in the picture on the left is Floyd Gibbons correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.

Frank Peterson 1919-04-04

Orders-1919-04-29

TPW-1919-04-30-accident

Tom describes his motorcycle accident.

Monday afternoon I went down to the club for a bath and a good cleaning up. A captain showed me a list of the officers being transferred to the 36th Div. for transport home, and in the list was Kenneth J. Booth -- 'member Nevada State Journal? I says -- "why I know that fellow Booth" -- and from over in the corner he yells out -- "Here I am" -- and we had a glad old reunion. About six I stuck him in my sidecar and we started for Groshalbach for supper. Now then -- if you have tears prepare to shed them now -- for on a sharp slippery turn the machine skidded -- and Booth and I are both in the hospital. Can you beat that? He with order to leave -- I preparing for it and we're banged up.

For me the miracle happened. I have only a badly bruised leg that will be healed in a few days [JG's note: it takes weeks to heal], and I'll be tra-la-laing off to home. But Booth was badly dealt with. Both his legs were broken, one in three places. It all seems so strange just like we were not supposed to leave now and this happened to delay us. The machine was going slow -- very slow and there isn't a mark or dent in it. Nor is the tree scratched a bit. How were were hurt will never be discovered I guess. Sure I don't know.

TPW-1919-05-02

Frank Peterson 1919-05-03

TPW-1919-05-04

TPW-1919-05-07

TPW to his mother 1919-05-11

Frank Peterson 1919-05-22

TPW-1919-05-24